Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Ps 101:1-2 and following. Indeed, Psalm 100 is a psalm of thanksgiving inviting « the whole earth » to celebrate the Lord and serve Him with joy. All the more so do we have these privileges, we who know God as a good Father and Jesus as a tender Shepherd (verse 3). Is it a joy for us to serve the Lord? Or on the contrary, do we behave as if He were a hard Master with a heavy yoke? (Matthew 25:14-30). May the Lord make us taste the present joy that always accompanies obedient service (John 15:9-13), so that we can also hear this sweet word later: « Enter into the joy of your Master » (Matthew 25:14-30).
For a new series begins with Psalm 101: This is in a way the text of the Public Declaration of the King inaugurating his reign. It sets out on what basis the government of the country will rest: wisdom, integrity, justice, separation from evil. What a contrast between these simple and firm principles and the thick and complicated codes of human justice! All the subjects of the kingdom will have been warned: perversity, slander, pride, fraud and lies will no longer be supported. Called to reign with the Lord, it is up to us to illustrate now in our walk the principles of his Kingdom.
What perfection in the short collection that these psalms constitute (92 to 101)! The Messiah himself composes the introduction and conclusion. At first he anticipates the royal anointing, the elevation of his horn – at the end he announces how he will administer his kingdom. In the meantime, the faithful remnant has – as we have also seen – reiterated his hope to see, after the execution of the judgment, the established kingdom and the final blessing. Oh! if our hearts vibrated more in unison with these thoughts! If we entered through the divine doors « with thanksgiving, » and hearts more in harmony with these joys! May we watch and pray that such feelings will animate us, and that we will be more skilled in singing to the Lord. For Ps. 101 lays down the principles according to which the king will govern his house and the land when he takes the kingdom in the name of the Lord.
Thus, this Psalm was composed by David. Three different moments in his life have been suggested as the occasion to which the Psalm refers. First, when, on Saul’s death, David began to rule Judah in Hebron; second, when he began to rule « in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah »; and third, when he raised the ark of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom in the city of David. The Psalm was written at the beginning ofhis reign, when the ark was in the house of Obed-Edom.
‘I will sing goodness and justice.’ What David says here about the song must be understood by the reader as indicating that this psalm contains the substance of his meditations with himself, on what kind of king he would be each time he was put in possession of the sovereign power that had been promised to him. To sing, therefore, of goodness and justice is to declare in solemn terms that he would be a just and honest king. David does not speak of God’s secret judgments, but of the proper administration of the kingdom, so that he may both by word and deed fulfill his vocation. When he says: It is yours, Lord! When I will sing psalms, he recognizes that it was by the favor of God that he was appointed to such a distinguished and honorable position; for it would have been an act of recklessness for him to have immersed himself in it, at the sole impulse of his spirit. He understands very well all the princely virtues under these two peculiarities, goodness and justice; for, as it is the principal duty of a king to yield to each one his right, he is also bound to possess caring love and compassion for his subjects. Solomon therefore rightly says, « The throne is established by righteousness. » (Pr 16:12).
For he speaks as king of himself and of those of his kingdom. But it is obvious that once again he speaks as a prophet of the true King, the Son, whom God had promised through him, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is a King of perfect righteousness, which David was not. This true King is in complete communion with Jehovah, for He is one with Him. He will not tolerate evil in his kingdom of righteousness. The proud and the wicked are not sparedby Him. He will destroy early (morning by morning) the wicked of the land and they will be cut off from the city of the Lord. Those who walk in a perfect way will serve Him.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
The King undertakes to respect the law:
· Faithfulness (benevolence, benignity) of God
Ps 17:7 Signal your goodness, you who save those who seek refuge, and who by your right deliver them from their adversaries! Ps 63:4 For your goodness is better than life: My lips celebrate your praises. Isaiah 63:7 I will publish the graces of Jehovah, the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah has done for us; I will say his great kindness to the house of Israel, which he treated according to his compassions and the richness of his love. Jer 31:3 From afar the Lord shows himself to me: I love you with eternal love; That is why I keep my goodness to you. Jer 32:18 You have mercy until the thousandth generation, and you punish the iniquity of fathers in the womb of their children after them. You are the great God, the mighty, Whose name is the Lord of hosts.
· Justice divine
Dt 32:4 He is the rock; his works are perfect, for all his ways are just; He is a faithful God without iniquity, He is just and upright. Ps 103:6 Jehovah does justice, He gives right to all the oppressed. Jn 5:30 I cannot do anything with myself: according to what I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my will, but the will of the one who sent me. Rom 2:2 We know, in fact, that God’s judgment against those who commit such things is according to the truth.
· Heart of the renewed man
Ps 57:8 My heart is strengthened, O God! my heart is strengthened; I will sing, I will make my instruments sound. Jer 24:7 I will give them a heart that they may know that I am the Lord; they will be my people, and I will be their God, if they return to me with all their hearts. Ez 11:19 I will give them one heart, and I will put in you a new spirit; I will remove from their bodies the heart of stone, and I will give them a heart of flesh, Luke 8:15 What has fallen into the good earth are those who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold it back, and bear fruit with perseverance.
· Walking of believers, characteristics
New Life Rom 6:4 So we were buried with him by baptism in his death, so that, as Christ rose from the dead by the glory of the Father, so too we would walk in newness of life.
-Faith 2 Cor 5:7 for we walk by faith and not by sight,
-Spirituality Gal 5:16 So I say, Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.
-Stability Eph 4:1 I therefore exhort you, the prisoner in the Lord, to walk in a manner worthy of the vocation addressed to you,
Love Eph 5:2 and walk in charity, following the example of Christ, who loved us, and who surrendered himself to God for us as an offering and a sacrifice of good smell.
-Precaution Eph 5:15 Therefore, be careful not to behave with caution, not as fools, but as wise men;
Enlightenment 1 Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He himself is in the light, we are mutually in communion, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
From all the above, we note that theprevious psalms present varied and happy exercises through which the residue will pass, in relation to the great questions concerning the reign, and which were mentioned at the beginning – namely the rout of the enemy, the stability of the throne, and the holiness of the house, that is, the government of God. It is the Messiah himself who still speaks in this psalm, as in the one who introduces this series (Ps. 92). He sits on the throne (in anticipation: in reality verse 2 expresses his longing to see this day), inaugurating his reign by celebrating « goodness and judgment »; for it is goodness and judgment that have been – as we have just seen – the means of its establishment – kindness to the true Israel, judgment of the enemies. After this hymn, he begins to administer his kingdom in righteousness, and to maintain the holiness of the house of jehovah forever, as we see in Ps. 72, in 2 Sam. 23:5; Isaiah 9:7; 11:4; and Zach. 14:21. Let’s note, as a principle, that « goodness and judgment » are the theme of the thoughts and hymns of every believer or worshipper when God introduces him into a new dispensation. For adorning himself with Eden to travel through a cursed land, Adam was a forgiven sinner, singing in spirit such a hymn; so was Noah, taking possession of the renewed land; the same was true of Israel entering Canaan in a similar disposition; for Adam, Noah, and Israel had, each in his day, witnessed the judgment falling on others, and the goodness of God as for themselves. We entered the present dispensation with the same hymn that celebrates « goodness and judgment, » for we have seen the judgment of our sin carried by Christ, and we are the monuments of God’s goodness. And soon, when the glory of the kingdom comes as we read here, goodness and judgment will be celebrated again. But it must be so: justice must be maintained, even when grace is given free rein; holiness does not give up any of its rights, even when love sees its own satisfied. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow » the promised Messiah will be King and Priest. »
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.