1 Peter 1:1-2

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Roger

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

The inspired writer of this letter, whose original name was Simon, received the Aramaic name of Cephas as a descriptive title of what he would some day be like (John 1:42). The A.V. translates, “Thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a stone.” The word “stone” is from the Greek word petros which means “a detached but large fragment of rock,” and is used here metaphorically to describe Peter as a man like a rock by reason of his firmness and strength of soul. The name “Peter” is the English spelling of the Greek petros which is the word chosen by the Holy Spirit that would adequately translate the meaning of the Aramaic “Cephas.” In answering Peter’s great confession of His deity, the Lord Jesus says, “Thou are Peter (petros), and upon this rock (petra) I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18). … Petros and petra [are] synonyms, petros meaning “a detached but large fragment of rock,” petra “the massive living rock.” The foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ is that massive living rock, the Son of God seen in His deity, acknowledged as such by Peter. Peter is but a fragment of that massive rock in the sense in which he speak so believers as “lively stones,” deriving their eternal life from the great Living Stone Himself (2:4-5). — Wuest, page 13.

apostle (v.1) = lit. one sent on a mission from someone else with credentials.

While the opening words of 1 Peter clearly identify Peter as the one who penned this letter, it is not until the closing passages that we learn it was written from Babylon. “The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you” (1 Peter 5:13). Tradition dismisses a literal interpretation of this passage. It claims Peter lived in the West and was crucified upside-down at Rome. But … first century church history is an uncertain guide. Those who hold the traditional view must resort to an allegorical meaning. Thus, the allege Babylon is actually Rom.

Whether or not Peter was martyred at Rome after he ministered the gospel at Babylon is immaterial. The fact of the matter is, according to the Scriptures, he wrote this epistle (probably 60 AD) from Babylon, on the Euphrates where a large community of Jews resided at the time. …

Further evidence that Peter was ministering in the East is found in chapter one: “peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” Peter naturally addresses the regions in eastern Asia Minor: Pontus, Galatia, and Cappadocia first because they were the closest to him geographically. As he worked his way westward he concluded with Asia and Bithynia, the farthest away from the point of origin. … It should also be remembered that while Paul’s gospel had its greatest realm of influence in the West, the kingdom gospel was the most influential in the East at that time. So it was quite natural for Peter to be ministering in Babylon since he was a minister of the circumcision (Galatians 2:7-8). — Sadler, pages26-27.

__________

Dispersion (scattered) (v.1) — This word is found in the LXX where Moses says of Israel, “Thous shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth” (Deuteronomy 28:25), and is probably the earliest example of its use as a technical designation of the Jews who for whatever reason lived outside of Palestine. The word is used in John 7:35 and James 1:1, in both places referring to those Jews who were living outside of Palestine. — Wuest, page 14.

__________

Clearly Peter was writing to his own countrymen who were strangers scattered, that is, “sojourners of the dispersion” … The phrase “of the dispersion” is distinctly Jewish (John 7:35). It refers to the Jews who were living in other nations outside the Promised Land. … Perhaps the most notable dispersion came when the followers of Messiah were driven from their homeland after the stoning of Steven … Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the Word … to none but unto Jews only” (Acts 8:4 cf. 11:19). Apparently it was these brethren, not Peter, who established the kingdom assemblies in the regions of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. Peter adds an interesting comment in this regard when he speaks to his hearers about the message of the prophets: “Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven” (1 Peter 1:12).

The phrase “by them that have preached the gospel unto you” plainly indicates that others had led them to the truth that Christ was the Messiah of Israel. — Sadler, page 28.

elect (v.2) = to pick out, to select out of a number.

The word “foreknowledge” refers to that counsel of God in which after deliberative judgment, the Lord Jesus was to be delivered into human hands to be crucified. In 1 Peter 1:20, He is the One who was foreordained before the foundation of the world to be the Lamb who was to take away the sins of lost humanity. Thus, in 1 Peter 1:2, the word “foreknowledge” refers to that counsel of God in which after deliberative judgment certain from among mankind were designated to a certain position, that position being defined by the context. — Wuest, page 16.

__________

In keeping with the Prophetic Scriptures, Israel was a chosen nation according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. God chose her from among the nations … Foreknowledge does not have so much to do with God’s prior knowledge of the nation’s conduct, although this is included,as it does with what He would graciously do for her. …

But simply because one was of the seed of Abraham did not guarantee that he was of believing Israel. … [Peter’s readers’] obedience as the covenant people of God had brought them into a new relationship with the Redeemer.” — Sadler, pages 37-38.

__________

The Greek word “sanctify” means “to set apart.” the word “through”… literally means “in.” It was in the sphere of the setting apart work of the Spirit that the sinner was chosen. That is, God the Father chose the sinner out from among mankind to be the recipient of the setting-apart work of the Spirit, in which work the Holy Spirit sets the sinner apart from his unbelief to the act of faith in the Lord Jesus. The act of faith is spoken of here by the word “obedience,” which is not the obedience of the saint, but that of the sinner to the Faith, for this act is answered by his being cleansed in the precious blood of Jesus. — Wuest, pages 16-17.

__________

[God] ordained these elect Hebrews unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, as in Exodus 12. The elect on that night were saved by obeying the command to sprinkle the blood of the Paschal Lamb upon the doors of their houses. — Williams, page 998.

Grace (v.2) — the enabling grace for daily living which is given to the saint yielded to and dependent upon the Holy Spirit. (Wuest)

Peace (v.2) — peace of heart

Posted in 1 Peter | Comments Off on 1 Peter 1:1-2

1 Peter Introduction

Posted on February 12, 2023 by Roger

Around the fourth century the epistles of James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, 3 John, and Jude, were given the title of The General Epistles. Historians differ but there seems to be a general consensus that the designation appears originally to have meant an epistle directed not to one Church but to all. …

We believe a more suitable designation for this collection of writings is The Hebrew Epistles. We do not question the motives of those who assigned the title General Epistles, but down through the centuries it has clouded a very important distinction originally established by the Holy Spirit: Whatsoever God has separated let no man join together. We must always distinguish between Paul’s Gentile epistles written to the Body of Christ, and the Hebrew Epistles, including the Book of Revelation, that were addressed to the circumcision. …

These epistles contain specific instructions regarding the last days of Israel. While we are accustomed to turning to Paul’s epistles for the commands of Christ today, the future Tribulation saints will turn to the Hebrew Epistles for their marching orders. — Sadler, page 12.

__________

After God’s gracious offer of the kingdom was rejected by the aristocracy in Israel, Peter wrote to those of the dispersion who had received their Messiah. The purpose of his letters was to remind his countrymen that even thought Israel was set aside nationally for the time being, “the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). — Sadler, page 13.

__________

This letter was addressed to the members of the Divine Election out of the Dispersion sojourning in Asia Minor, and was written shortly before the Coming of the Lord in wrath upon Jerusalem, as predicted in Matthew 24:2 and Luke 19:44. James … wrote to all the Tribes at the same period of time; for God still maintained relations with Israel and acknowledged them as His people and the Temple as His House (John 1:11 and 2:16). These relations were broken when the judgment fell; but they will be resumed in the near future, and the believing Remnant of the nation in that future day will be fortified by these letters, for the moral conditions then will resemble those of the days in which the Apostles wrote.

The believing members of the Dispersion were confounded and discouraged because they were so few in number and so fiercely persecuted. The Apostle animated them by reminding them that though the Messiah Himself preached by His Spirit in Noah for a hundred and twenty years (3:19) heralding the approaching judgment, yet the whole world disbelieved Him, and only eight persons were saved in the baptism of the Ark. As to their sufferings, they as servants were appointed to share their Master’s rejection and to feel the bitter hatred of the world. The Coming of the Lord was to be their home then (4:7), as it will be to their suffering brethren of the future (1:7 and 13). — Williams, page 998.

The opposing view is offered by Guthrie and Motyer:

Some have argued from the language of 1:1; 2:6-10 and the use of the Old Testament that it was written to Jewish believers. There is, however, plenty of other evidence (see 1:14, 18; 2:9, 18ff,; 4:3-5) that the writer had Gentiles in mind, and it is most unlikely that at this stage in the area in question there would have been separate Jewish and Gentile churches. — Guthrie, page 1237.

Even a surface survey of the verses Guthrie referenced to indicate Peter wrote to Gentiles  show no such proof. In fact, they actually support the view that the audience was Jewish. And whether or not there were separate churches is irrelevant—there were Jewish Kingdom believers and Gentile Grace believers.

There are two inescapable proofs that Peter was writing to Kingdom Jews.

First, he said he was writing to Jews in 1:1—the Dispersion wasn’t just a loose reference to some Jews who lived in Asia Minor. It was an actual historical scattering of Jews. The name refers to a specific event, much like “the Depression” or “the Revolution” in the United States.

Second, in Galatians 2:9, Paul wrote: “And when James, Cephas [Peter], and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me [Paul], they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we  should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.” The “circumcised” were the Jews. This verse says clearly that James, Peter, and John would confine their ministry to the Jews of the Kingdom, and there’s no verse in Scripture that indicates that ever changed.

I’m using the following commentaries for this study. In quotes in future posts, I’ll simply refer to the author and page number.

First Peter in the Greek New Testament, by Kenneth S. Wuest. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (1942)

The Life and Letters of the Apostle Peter, by Paul M. Sadler. Berean Bible Society (2004)

The New Bible Commentary, edited by D. Guthrie and J.A. Motyer. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (1970)

Williams’ Complete Bible Commentary, by George Williams. Kregel Publications

Posted in 1 Peter | Comments Off on 1 Peter Introduction

Psalm 100

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Roger

A Psalm of Thanksgiving.

1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.

3 Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

5 For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

In its heading this composition is described simply as a psalm of (or “for”) thanksgiving, which, given both the Levitical/Temple context of the Psalms’ original compilation, as well as the frequent use of the Hebrew term [for] “thanksgiving sacrifice,” it seems most likely that it was in conjunction with such sacrifices that this psalm was meant to be sung. — Wechsler, page 239.

__________

[Vs.1-3a] The psalmist exhorts his addressees to express their thanksgiving, first and foremost, by worshipping (as the verb translated “serve” is typically intended) the Lord for who He is—i.e., focusing on the fact of His deity in general as opposed to any specific attribute(s) appertaining thereto: that the Lord (Hebrew “Yahweh,” His uniquely revealed name) Himself is God—in which the pronoun (“Himself”), which is usually not supplied except for emphasis, is intended to underscore the fact that the Lord alone is God (i.e., the only one who qualifies as deity.) — Wechsler, page 239.

__________

[V.3b] The psalmist continues his exhortation to praise and thanksgiving by declaring, on behalf of Israel, that “it is He”—i.e., the one and only God as affirmed in the previous clause—”who has made us,” referring not to God’s creation of them as humans, but rather to His “making” of Israel as His own special people, as evident from (1) the parallel phraseology in 1 Samuel 12:22, and (2) the following clause, in which the psalmist affirms that (because God has “made” them), they are His people and the sheep of His pasture. — Wechsler, page 240.

__________

[Vs.4-5] Drawing out the implication of Israel being the “sheep” of God’s “pasture,” the psalmist exhorts his people to offer God thanksgiving and praise because of His lovingkindness and faithfulness [terms used for God’s covenant love for Israel]. — Wechsler, page 240.

__________

Verse 3 is the center of the song. The two verses which precede, and the two which follow, belong, respectively, to Israel and the nations. In harmony with this distinction worship has the first and prominent importance for the one, and entrance for the other; for Israel’s position was assured but the Gentile being outside the Covenant needed the assurance of entrance. …

So this prophecy assures the fulfilment of all the promises of the Old Testament respecting the millennial glory, and the one flock. This of course is distinct from the higher glory which is to be the heritage of the Church. — Williams, pages 376-377.

While I lean toward Wechsler’s view that this psalm is directed toward Israel, I think there may be a millennial kingdom application based on where it comes in the book—after several other psalms that I believe have a millennial application.

Posted in Psalms | Comments Off on Psalm 100

Psalm 99

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Roger

1 The Lord reigns;
Let the peoples tremble!
He dwells between the cherubim;
Let the earth be moved!

2 The Lord is great in Zion,
And He is high above all the peoples.

3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name—
He is holy.

4 The King’s strength also loves justice;
You have established equity;
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.

5 Exalt the Lord our God,
And worship at His footstool—
He is holy.

6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests,
And Samuel was among those who called upon His name;
They called upon the Lord, and He answered them.

7 He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar;
They kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them.

8 You answered them, O Lord our God;
You were to them God-Who-Forgives,
Though You took vengeance on their deeds.

9 Exalt the Lord our God,
And worship at His holy hill;
For the Lord our God is holy.

Though the Hebrew text of this psalm has no heading, early Jewish tradition (i.e.,the Septuagint) attributes it to David. — Wechsler, page 236.

__________

The little company of believing Hebrews as they press through the wilderness of trouble and anguish see in vision Revelation 4 and 5, and here sing of that expected day-break when Jehovah Messiah, bearing in His hand the title-deeds of the earth (Revelation 5:5), will ascend His throne, to which are attached the cherubim uttering their cry of Holy, Holy, Holly, and when angels and men and the creation will fall in worship at His feet. …

In this song they invite all nations to unite with Israel in worshiping the King. The cherubim in Revelation 4 announce the Kingdom and its judgments with a thrice repeated “holy,” They here appear (v.1); and their three-fold cry is given in verses 3, 5, and 9. This triple “holy” marks the three stanzas of the psalm. The first (v.3) states the reason why the nations should praise Messiah; the second (v.5), why Israel should praise Him; and the third (v.9) repeats the motive why all nations should praise Israel’s God and Lord.

In the first three verses Israel invites the nations to come to Zion and worship the King; in the following five verses she invites her own Twelve Tribes also to worship at His footstool; and in the last verse she repeats the invitation to the nations, and emphasizes the important command that the place of worship is to be Zion’s holy hill. —Williams, pages 375-376.

__________

The psalmist begins with the affirmation that the Lord reigns, continuing one of the central, unifying themes of the preceding psalms in this Fourth Book (see 93:1; 96:10; 97:1). In the present psalm, however, this theme of God’s “rule” is considered with respect to its various expressions in holiness—or, to put it differently, how the various expressions of God’s holiness reflect His universal rule (as emphasized by the repeated refrain “Holy is He/the Lord” in vs. 3b, 5b, and 9b). In this opening section [vs.1-3] the universal aspect of God’s rule is correlated with the manifestation of God’s holiness in Creation—signaled first and foremost by the reference to Him being enthroned above the cherubim … that crowned the ark of the covenant.—Wechsler, page 237.

__________

The psalmist now [vs.4-5] reflects upon God’s holy rule as represented by His code contained within the ark—i.e., the Law as epitomized by the two tablets of “testimony.” It is to the Law, accordingly that the terms “justice,” “equity,” and “righteousness” in this section refer. —Wechsler, pages 238.

__________

The psalmist moves on [vs.6-9] to His holiness as represented by the service that took place around the ark. The psalmist thus opens this section by referring to Moses and Aaron, since the priesthood (and its attendant tabernacle duties0 was established with them, the first priests. So too, mention is made of Samuel because he was among the most—if not the most—prominent of the later Levites. … The reference to God as “a forgiving God” (v.8) highlights the result of that priestly work in which God’s holiness is most often encountered and affirmed by the common Israelite—i.e., atonement—with the reference to His holy hill highlighting the exclusive location where this work is accomplished. — Wechsler, pages 238.

A few commentaries explain v.8b—”you took vengeance on their deeds”—by pointing out that Moses, Aaron, and Samuel were flawed. God gave them forgiveness, but they still had to face the consequences of their sins—Moses and Aaron by failing to enter the promised land and Samuel … we don’t really know. He was wrong to install his evil sons as judges, but what punishment he received for it, we don’t know. I think this makes sense to me, especially as the psalm refers to God’s justice and righteousness.

Posted in Psalms | Comments Off on Psalm 99

Psalm 98

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Roger

1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

2 The Lord has made known His salvation;
His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.

3 He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

5 Sing to the Lord with the harp,
With the harp and the sound of a psalm,

6 With trumpets and the sound of a horn;
Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.

7 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell in it;

8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
Let the hills be joyful together

9     before the Lord,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
With righteousness He shall judge the world,
And the peoples with equity.

In its heading this composition is described, simply, as a psalm (sung by the Levites in the Temple to the accompaniment of musical instruments), though early Jewish tradition (i.e., the Septuagint) also attributes it to David. — Wechsler, page 235.

__________

The sweet melody and perfect harmony of the new song that will salute Jehovah Messiah on the millennial morning will have three voiced, the Hebrew (vs. 1-3), the Gentile (vs. 4-6), and Nature (vs. 7-8). But Israel will have the leading part and a double theme, for she ill sing of grace in past redemption and in present restoration. — Williams, page 375.

__________

This exhortation (vs.1-3) is directed not only to the assembly of Israel, but to all the earth. The basis for this exhortation/challenge is, in essence, twofold: (1) because He has done wonderful things [miracles], entailing the display of His universally preeminent power over man, and (2) the display of His gracious and faithful pursuit of intimacy with man (represented by His lovingkindness and faithfulness to the house of Israel, on behalf of whom He has made known His salvation to the nations). — Wechsler, pages 236-236.

__________

The extent of the psalmist’s exhortation is here vividly underscored by (1) the sources of God’s praise, which  extends from all the earth (v.4), including its people (v.7b: “those who dwell”), its animals (v.7a: “all it contains”), and even its inanimate parts (v.7a: “the sea”; v.8a: “the rivers”; v.8b: “the mountains”); and (2) the diversity of God’s praise, represented by the multifaceted ways in which that praise is produced (by “shouting joyfully,” by “singing,” “with the lyre,” “with trumpets,” by “roaring,” and by “clapping.” — Wechsler, page 236.

__________

The identical phraseology as in this verse (v.9) is used to refer to the advent of the Son of God, the messianic King, when He will judge all those who have up to that point rejected Him, bot then and throughout history (cf. Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:12). — Wechsler, page 236.

Although most of my commentaries try to explain this psalm as a present-day exhortation to worship or even as a celebration of the release of Israel from Egypt, I think the main application in view is the celebration of Israel after the Tribulation is over and the Lord is on the throne in His Millennial Reign.

Posted in Psalms | Comments Off on Psalm 98

Psalm 97

Posted on January 22, 2023 by Roger

1 The Lord reigns;
Let the earth rejoice;
Let the multitude of isles be glad!

2 Clouds and darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

3 A fire goes before Him,
And burns up His enemies round about.

4 His lightnings light the world;
The earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

6 The heavens declare His righteousness,
And all the peoples see His glory.

7 Let all be put to shame who serve carved images,
Who boast of idols.
Worship Him, all you gods.

8 Zion hears and is glad,
And the daughters of Judah rejoice
Because of Your judgments, O Lord.

9 For You, Lord, are most high above all the earth;
You are exalted far above all gods.

10 You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the souls of His saints;
He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

11 Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.

12 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.

Though the Hebrew text of this psalm has no heading, early Jewish tradition (i.e., the Septuagint) attributes it to David.

This psalm continues and further develops the idea with which the previous psalm ended—to wit: the coming of the divine King to permanently establish His kingdom on earth. As in the previous psalm, moreover, this look at God’s coming kingdom is intended with specific reference to the Son of God, as indicated by (1) the citation of verse 7b in Hebrews 1:6 with direct and exclusive application to Jesus, and (2) the clear references in this section to God’s presence—the manifestation of which is, according to John 1:18, always that of the Son of God. — Wechsler, pages 233-234.

__________

This is the new song of Psalm 96, not new for heaven but new for earth.It sings of a new day for humanity—a day of righteousness and peace and brother hood. It will dawn when God causes His First-Begotten to return to the earth on the millennial morn, and commands all the angels to worship Him (Hebrews 1:7). In this quotation the Holy Spirit interprets the Psalm, and declares its God to be Messiah. — Williams, page 374.

__________

The song pictures the gladness which will fill the world when Messiah is enthroned, His adversaries destroyed, and His people delivered. The “foundation” of that throne will be righteousness and judgment (v.2). The great islands of verse 1 figure the nations dwelling in the continents washed by the waters of the great oceans of the world. The previous psalm summons them to sin the song. Here they respond. — Williams, page 375.

__________

[The psalm] begins with a clear affirmation of universal rule over all Creation—viz., “The LORD reigns” (more precisely “has been reigning”). The ensuing description of the features attending God’s manifest presence and the reaction thereto by the inanimate world itself parallels the phraseology of other passages referring either to (1) the display of His sovereign power in past history (i.e., verse 2a “Clouds and thick darkness,” to which compare Deuteronomy 4:11; 5:22: “Fire goes before Him,” to which compare Exodus 13:21; Leviticus 9:24, or (2) the future advent of the Son of God (i.e., verse 2b: “Righteousness and justice,” to which compare Isaiah 9:7; 11:4; Psalm 97:6: “All the peoples have seen [the “prophetic past tense”] His glory,” to which compare Isaiah 62:2) — Wechsler, page 234.

Verses 7-9 declare God’s authority over the “gods” (graven images and idols) of the Gentiles. This also includes angels who were worshiped as gods by the Gentiles.

Verses 10-12 declare God’s dominion over His people—the believing remnant.

Posted in Psalms | Comments Off on Psalm 97

Psalm 96

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Roger

1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.

2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

3 Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.

4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.

5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.

6 Honor and majesty are before Him;
Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

7 Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Give to the Lord glory and strength.

8 Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come into His courts.

9 Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
Tremble before Him, all the earth.

10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
The world also is firmly established,
It shall not be moved;
He shall judge the peoples righteously.”

11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;

12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice

13  before the Lord.
For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.
He shall judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with His truth.

Though the Hebrew text of this psalm has no heading, it is almost certainly to be attributed to David seeing that (1) the entirety of the psalm is given, with minor variations, in 1 Chronicles 16:23-33 as part of a psalm of thanksgiving ascribed to David, and (2) early Jewish tradition (i.e., the Septuagint) attributes it to David. — Wechsler, page 231.

__________

Beginning with this psalm and running through the 100th psalm is a great celebration when the Messiah comes to the earth to claim His possession and to set up His Kingdom. … These psalms look forward to the day when the Messiah will appear in His Kingdom as it was revealed to David in Psalm 72. At that time, righteousness and peace will be enthroned through Him, who is both King of righteousness and King of peace. — Phillips, pages 213-214.

__________

Israel having sung the previous psalm (“us” v.1 and “we” v.7) now invites the nations to join her in “a new song.” The next psalm [Psalm 97] is the song. … The doctrine of the psalm is that the advent of the Messiah into the world will make it a Paradise, and that His rule alone can banish dissension, war, misery, and injustice, and establish society in an enduring brotherhood. — Williams, page 374.

__________

It is Jesus, specifically, who is ultimately in view in this psalm as is indicated by the reference (in v.3) to His wonderful deeds, which term refers to His acts of redemption as expressed within history—and any manifestation or revelation of God’s presence or work within history is, per John 1:18, the work of the Son (whose “role” has always been to do that which the Father wills). These past deeds, together with His work of creating the heavens (i.e., “sky,” referring to Genesis 1:7-8, which was also the specific work of the Son; cf. John 1:3; Colossians 1:16), amply attest His majesty (v.6) and worldwide sovereignty in past history. — Wechsler, page 232.

__________

The psalmist challenges to families of the people not simply to submit in fear to the divine King (as a defeated people might grudgingly submit to a royal conqueror), but rather, reflecting God’s own desire in the matter, that they come into His courts (implying conversion, since Gentiles could go no further than the single Court of the Gentiles) and worship the Lord in holy attire (unquestionably implying full status, via conversion, among God’s people, to whom the expression “holy attire” [or “splendor of holiness,” “holy array] is elsewhere exclusively applied; cf. 1 Chronicles 16:29;  Psalm 29:2; 110:3. This point is further emphasized by the universal challenge to say (i.e., affirm) that the Lord reigns (corresponding … to the English present perfect continuous tense, “has been reigning”—i.e., ever since the beginning of Creation until now). — Wechsler, page 233.

__________

The psalmist concludes his challenge by focusing on the Lord’s future coming to judge the earth (v.13), which refers specifically to the future coming of the Son of God, to whom the Father “has given all judgment” (John 5:22). At that time He will remove “the prince of this world” (i.e., Satan; cf, Ephesians 2:2; 1 John 5:19) and, as a manifestation of the universal rule that has always been His (yet which, in His forbearance, He has so far withheld from imposing), He will judge the world in righteousness and … faithfulness. — Wechsler, page 233.

Posted in Psalms | Comments Off on Psalm 96

Psalm 95

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Roger

1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

3 For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.

4 In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the hills are His also.

5 The sea is His, for He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land.

6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

7 For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand.
Today, if you will hear His voice:

8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion,
As in the day of trial in the wilderness,

9 When your fathers tested Me;
They tried Me, though they saw My work.

10 For forty years I was grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
And they do not know My ways.’

11 So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

Though this psalm has no heading in the Hebrew text, early Jewish tradition (i.e., the Septuagint) attributes it to David—which attribution is confirmed by the explicit reference to David in Hebrews 4:7 as the one through whom this psalm was revealed. — Wechsler, page 229.

__________

This psalm, and the five following, are priceless illustrations of the victorious power of a Divinely-given faith that will enable the lovers of Messiah in that dark night of shame, torture and death to sing praise to His name in the sure expectation of His glorious appearing and Kingdom. — Williams, page 373

__________

This psalm may be thought of as a prelude to another cluster of Messianic Psalms. …[It is] an inspired prophecy that will have its fulfillment just prior to the manifestation of the Messiah and the glorious Kingdom Age.

The call of the first verse, “O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation” is that of the “Faithful Remnant” of Israel at the close of the coming Tribulation.” — Phillips, pages 209-210.

__________

David begins by exhorting his people (v.7, where he uses the Hebrew term am, typically reserved for Israel) to join him in singing for joy (the joy attending worship) to the Lord for His beneficial works on behalf of man—starting with His work of Creation. — Wechsler, page 229.

__________

The second reason (vs. 6-7a) presented by David for worshiping and bowing down to the Lord is His work as Israel’s Shepherd—a role that is intended to highlight not so much His sovereign power over Creation as His specific, intimate, and consistent power in Creation with His covenant people, Israel. To emphasize this notion of relationship, David refers to Israel as the people of God’s pasture … This OT imagery of God as the Shepherd of Israel is likewise applied by Jesus to Himself in John 10:11-17, 26-30, in one of the few NT passages where He explicitly affirms His co-identity with God. — Wechsler, page 230.

__________

In this last section, which is cited in its entirety in Hebrews 3:7-11 (and explained thereafter through 4:10), David presents, in the form of a challenge, the third—and, with respect to its benefit for man, greatest—reason for worshiping God with thanksgiving and joy, to wit: His undiminished, unretracted, and unrestricted gift of rest … A comprehensive or all-encompassing” rest, beginning with “spiritual” rest—i.e., “resting” from our “works” to please God (since we never can; Hebrews 4:10; see also Ephesians 2:8-9) and accepting the work of salvation that He Himself has accomplished for us—and eternally consummated by our future renewal to “incorruptibility” (see 1 Corinthians 15:50ff), when our minds and bodies are, like our souls, fully redeemed from corruption, and we enter into the eternal rest (i.e., unstained perfection and holiness) of the New Creation. — Wechsler, pages 230-231.

__________

The writer of the Psalm was given words to speak for Jehovah to warn the whole house of Israel, but especially the unbelievers, that they must be obedient to God or perish (vs. 8-11). They are reminded of what happened to their forefathers in the wilderness of Sinai when they tried the patience and goodness of God by complaining of their hardships and their unbelief in God’s love and willingness and power to provide for them in the midst of a desert land. Read Exodus 17; Numbers 20 and 27:14. They were not permitted to enter the “rest” of the promised land, but died in the wilderness because of their rebellion. Other Scriptures reveal that many of Israel will be just as rebellious in the Tribulation, and will not heed the last call, thus they will suffer the judgments of the Lord. — Phillips, page 212.

Posted in Psalms | Comments Off on Psalm 95

Psalm 94

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Roger

1 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!

2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth;
Render punishment to the proud.

3 Lord, how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?

4 They utter speech, and speak insolent things;
All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.

5 They break in pieces Your people, O Lord,
And afflict Your heritage.

6 They slay the widow and the stranger,
And murder the fatherless.

7 Yet they say, “The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”

8 Understand, you senseless among the people;
And you fools, when will you be wise?

9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
He who formed the eye, shall He not see?

10 He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct,
He who teaches man knowledge?

11 The Lord knows the thoughts of man,
That they are futile.

12 Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord,
And teach out of Your law,

13 That You may give him rest from the days of adversity,
Until the pit is dug for the wicked.

14 For the Lord will not cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

15 But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.

16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?

17 Unless the Lord had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.

18 If I say, “My foot slips,”
Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.

19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.

20 Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law,
Have fellowship with You?

21 They gather together against the life of the righteous,
And condemn innocent blood.

22 But the Lord has been my defense,
And my God the rock of my refuge.

23 He has brought on them their own iniquity,
And shall cut them off in their own wickedness;
The Lord our God shall cut them off.

Though this psalm has no heading in the Hebrew text, early Jewish tradition (i.e., the Septuagint) attributes it to David and also identifies it as the psalm that was recited by the Levites in the Second Temple on the forth day of the week (i.e., Wednesday)—because on it “He created the sun and the moon, and He will one day take vengeance on those who worship them” — Wechsler, page 227.

As has been the case all through the psalms, some commentators see them through a prophetic lens while others stick strictly to a historical perspective. While I think there is often a historical setting and relevance, I think there is almost always a deeper, further-reaching prophetic relevance.

Here’s the historic view:

The mention made of the throne of iniquity seems to indicate that the Chaldean empire had already arisen, and taken up a threatening attitude against the people of God. Still there is no mention made as yet of the destruction of the temple, or of the leading into captivity; and therefore, perhaps, the land had not been overrun by the invader.— Meyer, page 114.

And the prophetic:

Psalm 94 is the preface to a cluster of six psalms concerning the Millennium and the reign of the Messiah. Again and again, we have seen that the Kingdom Age, which we know as the Millennium, is preceded by the Tribulation period, during which time Jehovah makes war on the unbelieving inhabitants of the earth to wipe them out completely before beginning His reign….

Psalm 94 is the last cry of the believers, with especial emphasis upon the Remnant of Jewish believers. — Phillips, page 205.

__________

The time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7) will conclude Israel’s wilderness journey. It is here pictured; and the two Messiahs and their thrones confronted (vs. 2, 20) The false Messiah … is seated on his throne of iniquity (v.20) where, by statute, he legalizes “mischief” (v.21), which his followers “the lawless” (v.3) execute against the followers of the true Messiah (vs. 5-6). They cry for deliverance (v.2), and the mighty God of “vengeance” (v.1) reveals Himself in flaming fire, ascends His throne as Judge of all the earth, recompenses “tribulation” to the oppressors (v.2) and “rest” to the oppressed (v.13).— Williams, pages 372-373.

More than one commentary points out that this psalm is the reaction of the faithful to evil which challenges the trust expressed in Psalm 93.

The psalm has three main movements. First, an appeal to Jehovah the Mighty, in the presence of the triumph of the wicket (vs. 1-7). This is followed by an address to such as are doubting because of apparent inactivity of God. They are reminded that God hears, sees, and must act (vs. 8-11). Finally, the song again becomes a prayer in which faith makes its great affirmations. — Morgan, page 179.

__________

Insofar as the English term “vengeance” (v.1) is attended in modern usage by associations with cruelty, insensitivity, and unreasonable or excessive retribution for some perceived injustice, it is not the best translation of the Hebrew word. More appropriate would be the term “vindication” derived from the same Latin root, which refers more strictly to justifying or upholding what has been said or done—in this case upholding God’s threat of punishment for the commission of sin. Because, moreover, it is ultimately God’s distinction between sin and righteousness (reflecting His divine character) that is being disparaged by those who do wickedness (v.4), the psalmist leaves the act of vindication (i.e., its “how” and “when”) up to God. — Wechsler, page 227.

Verse 11 is quoted in 1 Corinthians 3:20.

[In vs. 8-11] Three principles are declared.

First, the Creator must be greater than His creatures; i.e., He who made doors of access to the human mind must have the power and right of entry.

Secondly, the moral ruler of great historic movements must exercise His holy authority over every man, i.e., if the ordinary nations are trained and instructed in right and wrong (cf. Romans 1:18ff.) and are held responsible for their misdeeds (Romans 1:32), how much more shall He Himself, teacher of the knowledge of righteousness, be righteous in His rebukes?

Thirdly, the Lord knows fully the nature of human thoughts (cf. Psalm 139:1-4; John 2:24-25) and recognizes that they, both the thinkers and their thoughts are as unsubstantial as breath (cf. Psalm 39:5-6; 62:9). — Guthrie, pages 510-511.

__________

The foolishness of those Israelites who deny God’s justice is also borne out by their inability to perceive the nation’s present affliction as an expression of God’s chastening (v.12) rather than His inability to protect them against the wickedness of their enemies. Chastening, however, is not judgment, and, whereas the latter typically ends in complete destruction, the LORD will not abandon His people, nor … forsake His inheritance (v.14; on the undiminished continuance of which promise cf. Romans 11:2, 29). — Wechsler, page 228.

settled in silence (v.17) = died

What is God’s relationship to the wicked (v.20)? Is there any divine approval behind the fact that the wicked are in the places of authority and use legal statutes to make wrong appear right?

The psalmist offers no solution to this point but simply reiterates the three major aspects of the matter. He first declares the existence or fact of injustice, as in vs. 4-7. Secondly, he testifies to the Lord’s care and protection in his own case, replacing the abstract principles of vs.8-11 by personal experience. Thirdly, he affirms his belief in the power and righteousness of God and in the ultimate retribution upon the wicked, as in vs. 12-15. His answer is practical, not theoretical. In the time of trouble the godly man has God and hope, and that is sufficient. — Guthrie, page 511.

Posted in Psalms | Comments Off on Psalm 94

Psalm 93

Posted on January 9, 2023 by Roger

1 The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The Lord is clothed,
He has girded Himself with strength.
Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved.

2 Your throne is established from of old;
You are from everlasting.

3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
The floods have lifted up their voice;
The floods lift up their waves.

4 The Lord on high is mightier
Than the noise of many waters,
Than the mighty waves of the sea.

5 Your testimonies are very sure;
Holiness adorns Your house,
O Lord, forever.

Though this psalm has no heading in the Hebrew text, early Jewish tradition attributes it to David and also identifies it as the psalm that was recited by the Levites in the Second Temple on the sixth day of the week (i.e., Friday—because on it “He completed His work (of Creation) and commended reigning over (all) of them (i.e., His creations)” (God’s universal rule also being the theme of this psalm). — Wechsler, page 225.

__________

It is thought that this Psalm dates from the Assyrian invasion, and that it is the might of the terrible Assyrian foes which is here compared to the mighty breakers of the sea. … This, and the six Psalms which follow, have always been applied by the Jews to the days of the Messiah. Surely then we may apply them to the Lord Jesus. — Meyer, page 113

The Lord reigns (v.1) — Stated six times in Scripture — 1 Chronicles 16:31; Psalm 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1: Revelation 19:6. Literally “has been reigning”—since Creation.

floods (v.3) — Symbol of the nations

God’s rule over Creation is further affirmed by the fact that the most awe-inspiring manifestation of power and might within Creation yet pales in comparison to God’s own. This point is vividly depicted by the psalmist’s reference to “the floods” (repeated three times for utmost [superlative] emphasis) “pounding waves,” “many waters,” and “mighty breakers,” all of which is meant to symbolize the inexorable and overwhelming power of Creation as perceived by man, yet which is still not more mighty than the Lord on high … — Wechsler, page 226.

__________

As [the Lord] stilled the raging of the Galilean sea (John 6:16-21) so will He still the future raging of the hostile nations and establish universal peace. — Williams, page 372

testimonies (v.5) — God’s Word, and the Law in particular

holiness (v.5) — separation from any and all things evil.

Posted in Psalms | Comments Off on Psalm 93