Psalm 19 to 24


Psalm 19

This Psalm talks about the heavens declaring God’s glory and handiwork, vs 1. They both, speak as well as give knowledge, which can be understood by all, irrespective of what language one speaks, vs 2,3! The whole world has access to their voice and knowledge, and in it, God has given a place for the Sun to dwell, vs 4.

The Sun is likened to a bridegroom that comes out of his chamber with great joy and anticipation doing the same thing that he has done for years, vs 5, viz. obeying God by going from one end of the heavens to the other and providing the necessary light and heat that no one can do without, vs 6.

Then the Psalmist goes on to speak about the law, the testimony, the statutes, the commandments, the fear and the judgments of the Lord, which are perfect, sure right, pure, clean and true and righteous altogether and which are able to convert the soul, make wise the simple, rejoice the heart, enlighten the eyes and endure forever, respectively, vs 7-9!

Infact, they are to be desired more than purest gold for when we walk in obedience to God’s law, we will find them to be sweeter than honey and the honeycomb, vs 10, and it is in obeying them there is both warning as well as great reward, vs 11. But are we honest and repentant about our errors, secret faults and presumptuous sins, whenever we disobey God’s Word to our own destruction; so as to be upright and innocent before the Lord?, vs 12,13, for it is only as we walk in repentance that we can be blameless and innocent of great rebellion! *On comparing the day to day obedience of the Sun, which keeps doing a monotonous job everyday, yet does so with great joy in obedience to God, and so, unknowingly sustains life on the earth, the Psalmist sees his own lack of obedience, especially in the ‘valley’ situations of life, and seeks to remind himself of the tremendous value of God’s commandments and the need to obey the same from day to day, whether we like it or not, and whether we understand it or not, simply because disobedience to the same can lead to more destruction than the Sun deciding not to shine for a day!

He, therefore, ends the Psalm, by humbling himself and asking God to let the words of his mouth, and the meditation of his heart to be acceptable in God’s sight from day to day, vs 14. If we are wise we will do the same and seek to walk in honest repentance, before God and man, whenever we fail. Amen.

Psalm 22

This well-known Psalm is a prophecy which David shared, as was revealed to him, with regard to the time that Jesus, our Saviour, hung on the Cross just before He died for our sins. It teaches us many valuable lessons.

  1. Jesus always cried out to the Father in His hour of need, vs 1-5.
  2. In this case, He cried out inspite of the fact that the Father seemed to be ignoring His cries, vs 1.
  3. He knew that when we are willing to turn from our sin and then cry out to the Lord for deliverance, God would always hear us, and that repentance, faith and praise form a very important part of prayer, vs 3-5, Psalms 66:18, Hebrews 11:6. However, for the first time in His life, He has a very different experience! Coupled with the scorn and reproach of His onlookers, He finds that His Father has also turned His face away from Him, despite the fact, that His pain, shame and suffering is immense and that He has called on the Father’s Name with a pure heart and perfect conscience, vs 6-21!
  4. Yet, as is His custom, He gives thanks and praise to His Father in perfect faith, that, if and when needed His Father would surely help Him and never let Him down, vs 22-25.
  5. It is then that David realises that the rejection and reproach that was to be faced by the Messiah, was because of the sin of others that He took upon Himself, and consequently, His death on their behalf, would pay the price for their sins and so would bring immense blessings to the future generations to come, vs 26-31.

So, let us be encouraged, that as we worship God in spirit and truth, yet suffer for the cause of righteousness, it is only to enable us become a source of blessing to many, provided we endure in love to the end, by the grace of God, for it has been granted to us, not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for him, Philippians 1:29, just as A.Paul also experienced. So, let us not grow weary in doing good, (and continue trusting in God) for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up, Galatians 6:9. Praise God!

Psalm 24

This Psalm tells us explicitly that it is the Lord who owns, not only the whole earth, but all the people and things that He has placed on it as well, vs 1,2. Therefore, it is foolish for us to fight for earthly things as though we possess them! Instead, we have to be faithful stewards of whatever the Lord has entrusted to us, be it people or things, remembering that we will have to give an account to the Lord for the same.

However, the Psalmist highlights something that is of greater importance than just the possession of things that that Lord has freely entrusted to us, and that being, fellowship with God, Himself, who has created all these wonders, vs 3! Who qualifies for this? The Psalmist makes it very clear that it is those whose deeds are blameless, motives pure and who do not lie or make promises that they have no intention of keeping, vs 4-6, (NET translation), whom God blesses and vindicates!

It is such who truly seek His favour! What a simple list of qualities to qualify for such a profound friendship! It is for such that eternal doors and gates will be opened in their favour so that the Majestic King, who is strong and mighty in battle and who commands the armies can enter and wage war for them, vs 7-10, and so accomplish great victories for His people!.

Let us determine to be in this number, even as we walk in honest repentance and great faith in a God who has not only supplied all our needs, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus, Philippians 4: 19, but One who intensely desires to walk in fellowship with us too, just like He did with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, before the fall of man.

And then He will vindicate us too and fight our earthly battles as we on our part determine to stand still and wait for His salvation. Amen.

Rowena Thomas
Mumbai, India.