WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY
“The Psalms”
“The Psalms”
Last week we looked at the Lament Psalms comprising the second largest body of content within the Psalms. We looked at the personal lament psalms which deal with the spiritual, mental, physical, and material suffering inflicted upon individuals. Our example was Psalm 51 which king David wrote following his sin with Bathsheba where he confesses the pain and suffering his sin caused him, “Make me hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities” (Psalm 51:8-9). In all there are 40 personal lament psalms which plea for God’s deliverance and vindication from personal suffering and pain.
Tonight, we look at the COMMUNITY or the CORPORATE lament psalms found within the 150 psalms. These congregational psalms express a collective call for help caused by catastrophic oppression and/or mistreatment. They are cries from the nation as a whole for God to intervene and change the circumstances of the entire nation. It is an amazing truth that a whole nation, church, or congregation can call on God for help, “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, I shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:19). If only America would learn how to pray together. God promises to hear and act upon the cares, laments, and cries that are upon the hearts of a nation that asks Him for help.
There are 16 of these Community Lament Psalms:
12 58 80 106
14 60 83 123
44 74 85 126
53 79 90 137
Psalm 60 is a cry to God because of a military defeat. This psalm could be according to the warnings given to Israel by the prophet Samuel when they demanded a king to rule over them, “Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day. Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, ‘No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles” (1 Samuel 8:18-20).
A portion of this psalm is repeated in Psalm 108:7-9. Kings and military leaders are men of clay. Whenever the nation trusts their government and military more than they trust God, its future stands on shaky and unstable ground, “But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed to the Lord. The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and serve other gods—so they are doing to you also” (1 Samuel 8:6-8).
The lament of Psalm 60 follows the sin of God’s people Israel when they decided that they would govern themselves and fight their own battles rather than rely upon God.
In our day as Russia’s military masses along the Ukrainian border and governments around the world talk about sanctions or economic responses to a potential Russian invasion, it does not seem that the world has come to far in its attempts to solve its own problems and fight its own battles. When battles are fought, blood is spilt, and people die.
Why does it take bloodshed for people to cry out to God for help?
Like Israel, maybe it’s time for us to lament and pour out our sorrow to God for our own shortcomings.
The Consequence of Battles (verses 1-5)
It is always good to remember what Jesus said when you are tempted to tear into somebody, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matthew 5:38-39).
I heard a politician say recently, “Turning the other cheek is too mild. It doesn’t get the job done. It’s time for action.”
Fighting always results in brokenness. Maybe the action we need more of today is lamenting hateful and hurtful actions that leave people broken and bleeding.
The Word of God (verses 6-8)
Can you picture God leading the charge?
I am reminded of what the apostle Paul said in Ephesians, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13). God is a mighty warrior who is stronger than any enemy we may encounter. God fights against evil. God wins! Notice that the lament over the evil of war include the assurances that God is on the side of those who trust in Him.
When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, what do you think about?
Do you think about the worst, or do you think about the ultimate victory that belongs to God?
“For the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you” (Deuteronomy 20:4).
“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: For the Lord has spoken it” (Isaiah 25:8).
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place” (2 Corinthians 2:14).
Prayer for God’s Help
Pray that God will turn the lament of our nation into a shout of assurance and joy. Laments are sad songs that need to be turned into glad songs. They can be when we give our sorrow to God and trust Him to do His work in His way.
Remember, God is at work today. He is able to change things. He will change things when we ask and seek after Him.
Tonight, we look at the COMMUNITY or the CORPORATE lament psalms found within the 150 psalms. These congregational psalms express a collective call for help caused by catastrophic oppression and/or mistreatment. They are cries from the nation as a whole for God to intervene and change the circumstances of the entire nation. It is an amazing truth that a whole nation, church, or congregation can call on God for help, “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, I shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:19). If only America would learn how to pray together. God promises to hear and act upon the cares, laments, and cries that are upon the hearts of a nation that asks Him for help.
There are 16 of these Community Lament Psalms:
12 58 80 106
14 60 83 123
44 74 85 126
53 79 90 137
Psalm 60 is a cry to God because of a military defeat. This psalm could be according to the warnings given to Israel by the prophet Samuel when they demanded a king to rule over them, “Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day. Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, ‘No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles” (1 Samuel 8:18-20).
A portion of this psalm is repeated in Psalm 108:7-9. Kings and military leaders are men of clay. Whenever the nation trusts their government and military more than they trust God, its future stands on shaky and unstable ground, “But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed to the Lord. The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and serve other gods—so they are doing to you also” (1 Samuel 8:6-8).
The lament of Psalm 60 follows the sin of God’s people Israel when they decided that they would govern themselves and fight their own battles rather than rely upon God.
In our day as Russia’s military masses along the Ukrainian border and governments around the world talk about sanctions or economic responses to a potential Russian invasion, it does not seem that the world has come to far in its attempts to solve its own problems and fight its own battles. When battles are fought, blood is spilt, and people die.
Why does it take bloodshed for people to cry out to God for help?
Like Israel, maybe it’s time for us to lament and pour out our sorrow to God for our own shortcomings.
The Consequence of Battles (verses 1-5)
- Brokenness – Anytime there is a fight, somebody gets hurt. Brokenness in our world is a consequence of God’s rejection and anger. Look what the psalmist says, “O God, You have rejected us…You have been angry…” (verse 1).
It is always good to remember what Jesus said when you are tempted to tear into somebody, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matthew 5:38-39).
I heard a politician say recently, “Turning the other cheek is too mild. It doesn’t get the job done. It’s time for action.”
Fighting always results in brokenness. Maybe the action we need more of today is lamenting hateful and hurtful actions that leave people broken and bleeding.
- Earthquakes – The consequence of our fighting today leaves people tottering and in shock. In verse 3, the psalmist says that the people are swaying to and fro like people drunk on too much wine. The world is unstable because we quarrel and fight too much. The tongue can be as destructive as military tanks and warplanes. The Bible says, “And the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell” (James 3:6). Our world is unstable today. Instability in our world or even in our circle of acquaintances is something we need to lament. God is not a God of chaos. Like the psalmist, we too should be sorry about how shaky our world has become.
The Word of God (verses 6-8)
- A Mighty Warrior – God is pictured here as a mighty warrior. His anger is cast upon Israel in verse 1, but He still loves them. He is ready to fight their battles. God promises to restore the territory on both sides of the Jordan. He will wear Ephraim (the most powerful tribe) as a helmet and carry Judah (the tribe of king David) as a royal scepter.
Can you picture God leading the charge?
I am reminded of what the apostle Paul said in Ephesians, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13). God is a mighty warrior who is stronger than any enemy we may encounter. God fights against evil. God wins! Notice that the lament over the evil of war include the assurances that God is on the side of those who trust in Him.
- A Total Wash-up – God washes the stains of bloodshed in the “washbowl” of the enemy— Edom and Philistia. God’s ultimate victory includes all of His enemies. The Bible says, “…every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). The promise of the lament is to not leave you lamenting. There is hope and assurance of victory even in the low ebb of pain and suffering.
When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, what do you think about?
Do you think about the worst, or do you think about the ultimate victory that belongs to God?
“For the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you” (Deuteronomy 20:4).
“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: For the Lord has spoken it” (Isaiah 25:8).
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place” (2 Corinthians 2:14).
Prayer for God’s Help
- Rejection – The psalmist goes back to where he was in verse 1 – rejection, brokenness, and the anger of God. Without God, there is only alienation and hopelessness. He laments the relationship of Israel as being separated from God rather than bound closely to Him. He asked for God to accompany, help, and deliver His people from their enemies. He realizes that human intervention is weak and useless (vain). Trying to fight for yourself and by yourself is a futile exercise. Notice that the lament in verse 10 turns into confession. When we confess our sins, God forgives our sins (1 John 1:9). When you think about your sins, don’t just be sorry. Ask God to forgive and He will.
- Valiant Victory – With God, all things are possible (Philippians 4:13). God’s sovereign power and steadfast love turns the lament into a shout for joy. The psalmist turns the king’s sorrow over defeat into a glad anthem of praise because God always listens to the cries of His people and helps them overcome their despair, “Come unto Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Pray that God will turn the lament of our nation into a shout of assurance and joy. Laments are sad songs that need to be turned into glad songs. They can be when we give our sorrow to God and trust Him to do His work in His way.
Remember, God is at work today. He is able to change things. He will change things when we ask and seek after Him.
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