Friday, November 04, 2011

Psalm 138

1 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Key Verse:
8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Key Observation:
The Lord will watch over Israel forever; he looks to His Old Testament saints and will not forsake them.

Memory Verse:
3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

Devotion:

McGee: “But in Psalm 138 we have a wonderful prophetic hymn of praise which looks into the future when the believing remnant will take up their harps again and sing praise unto God.” Some might point out that this psalm is largely fulfilled in the regathering of Israel. But I wonder. Look at the verses, and see what is hinted at. “All the kings of the earth shall praise thee.” Has that happened yet? “When they hear the words of Thy mouth.” Have the kings of the earth ever listened to God? “They shall sing in the ways of the Lord.” Most of the kings of this world have ignored God, and would not consider singing to the Lord.

Therefore, I think the psalm must be millennial. It is looking forward to the time when the Lord will rule over the earth, a time that I believe will soon be upon us. In the gospel of John, the cry to Jesus was: “Show us the Father.” Jesus replied, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?”

At that time not only Israel will receive her king, but also the whole of the world will be renewed as they learn to live under the hand of their Creator’s rule. How the focus of the world will change as we put our eyes upon Jesus!

McGee, J. Vernon (1990-01-30). Thru the Bible 1-5 (5 Volume Set) (Kindle Locations 51713-51714). Grupo Nelson. Kindle Edition.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

1. O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

2. Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conquerors we are!

3. His Word shall not fail you He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Chorus:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Lyrics: Helen Howarth Lemmel

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