Psalms 96 - 98 (with 5 topics)

Psalm 96 Author, perh. David-- for it's similar to a portion of "David's psalm of thanks 1st committed to Asaph & his associates" in 1stCh 16 (the entire psalm is 1stCh 8-36; the similar portion is vv. 23-33); for the entirety of that psalm, see PerspectivesC C.1.c. Said to address being elated:

1. Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD,
2. praise HIS Name;
3. proclaim HIS Salvation day after day.
4. Declare HIS Glory among the nations, HIS Marvelous Deeds among all peoples.

  For Great is the LORD & most worthy of praise; HE is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens; splendor & majesty are before HIM; strength & glory are in HIS Sanctuary.

• Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
• Ascribe to the LORD glory & strength.
• Ascribe to the LORD the glory due HIS Name, bring an offering & come into HIS Courts.
• Worship the LORD in the Splendor of HIS (with the splendor of) Holiness; tremble before HIM, all the earth.
• Say among the nations, 'The LORD reigns.' The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; HE will judge the peoples with equity.

1. Let the heavens rejoice,
2. let the earth be glad;
3. let the sea resound, & all that is in it;
4. let the fields be jubilant, & everything in them.

  Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD; for HE comes to judge the earth. HE will judge the world generally in righteousness & specifically the peoples in HIS Truth.

1. Commentary #5 Abolishing & preventing slavery I mentioned before (elsewhere) that I am quite proud of some of my ancestors, for several of them fought in every major war, from the War of Independence through World War II. Let me change that to pity in some cases. The one I mention now is my great grandfather, Albert J. Mason, who received a pension for 30-some years for wounds he received in the Civil War (his wife was Sarah E. Boone, distant cousin of Daniel Boone-- both descended from George Boone, III). That's right, a Yankee intent on abolishing slavery. What motivates me to write this? There was an article in today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Sun., 3/2/2008, p. 8A) about Pres. Lincoln's 1862 letter proposing the government to purchase freedom for the slaves ($400 per slave; all slaves together in 5 states would equal the 87-day cost of the war then in progress-- & the war went on for some 4.75 more years because the idea never took root). A valid remedy for slavery?They can purchase their freedom-- but I see no violation if their freedom is purchased for them. Rather the choice was made to wage an expensive/deadly war than simple purchase (of course, better yet would have been respect for humans in the 1st place)! Incidentally, about America waging war today overseas-- then was about the abolishment of slavery, which circumstantially involved race. Now in essence we have the prevention of slavery, which circumstantially involves religious sects in the Mid-east & non-religious tribes in Africa.

2. Remaining #5

A. They will perish, but YOU Hebr 1:10-12 A quote of Psa 102:25-27: In the beginning, O LORD, YOU laid the foundations of the earth. & the heavens are the Works of YOUR Hands. They will perish, but YOU remain; they will wear out like a garment. YOU will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But YOU remain the same, & YOUR Years will never end.

B. Some will enter, some won't Hebr 4:1-3,6-11 Psa 102:98 goes on to say, The children of YOUR Servants will live in YOUR Presence; Their descendants will be established (have the opportunity to live by faith) before YOU. Therefore, since the promise of entering HIS Rest still stands, let Us present Jews be careful that none You future Jews be found to have fallen short of it. For We present Jews also have had the gospel preached to Us, just as They ancient Jews did; but the message They heard was of no value to Them, because Those who heard it did not combine it with faith. Now We present Jews who have believed will enter that rest (be re-grafted). It still remains that only some of us will enter that rest, & just as Those ancient Jews who formerly had the gospel preached to Them but did not go in to the promised land, because of Their disobedience-- they were un-grafted. Therefore GOD has again set a certain day, again calling it Today, just as when a long time later HE spoke through David-- as we saw in Psa 95:7-8: 'Today if You hear HIS Voice, do not harden Your hearts.'

C. They went out-- never belonged 1stJoh 2:18-19 Dear children, this is the last hour, & as You have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how We know that it is the last hour. They went out from Us, but they did not really belong to Us. For if they had belonged to Us, they would have remained with Us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to Us.

D. Some will continue-- remain in death 1stJoh 3:9-10,14-15 No 1 who is truly born of GOD will continue to sin, because GOD'S Seed remains in Him-- they belong. This is how We know who the Children of GOD are & who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right (like letting go & letting GOD have control of vengeance) is not a Child of GOD; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. We know that We have passed from death to life, because We love Our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, & You know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

3. Contrast #4 Balaam vs. Belial

1st about Balaam: as we saw in Psalm 95 Psalm 95 3. Balaam's epiphany-- BUT, all O.T. & N.T. referrals to Balaam (after the original account in Num) was specific to his evil works for profit. In the N.T. we have: the way of Balaam, who loved the wages of wickedness (2ndPet 2:15-16); they (some present-day Christians) have rushed for profit into Balaam's error (Jude 1:11); teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites (Reve 2:14). BTW, mention should be made here that the Reve message (teachings of Balaam, enticing of the Israelites), is hardly simply about the "world views", cults, sects or denominations, nor is it only about material gain-- it includes those who tailor their preaching to appeal to congregations, to fit in with the crowd & avoid controversy, to conform to the scribes & Pharisees (which all too often are cloaked in seminary garments). But back about Balaam: he was a specific person, whom Balak traveled some 400 mi. to employ. Upon striving to curse the Israelites as contracted to, Balaam did not curse, as at 1st (& 2nd) God put a message in His mouth. Then upon his 3rd attempt, Balaam had an epiphany & again did not curse them, but this time at his choosing, as the Holy Spirit came upon Him-- He returned to His own country. No mention is ever made of the so-called "evil seed of Balaam"-- though as we saw the Israelites did soon choose to take Midianite women & worship their gods).

In stark contrast we have Belial, who was not a specific person, but according to Deu 13:13 in 1 of their own towns after the Israelites had entered Canaan was a group of wicked men that have arisen among you & have led the people of their town astray. Throughout the remainder of the O.T. (KJV) "Belial" was referred to variously as man, men, children, son(s), daughter of Belial. Belial does not occur once in the NIV (O.T.), but rather ref. is made to wicked men, wicked man/woman, troublemakers, scoundrels & evil men. Belial does occur in both the KJV & NIV in the N.T. (1stCor 6:14-16)-- Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness & wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ & Belial (Beliar). What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the Temple of GOD &  idols? For We are the Temple of the Living GOD. As GOD has said: I will live with Them & walk among Them. I.e., such harmony is impossible (the line between light & darkness)-- we are to separate ourselves. But back to Balaam: there is the teachings of Balaam, in error just springing up-- these ideas/fellow Christians we do not condemn. Such is the value of maturity, of staying on course, of persistently & consistently listening for HIS Still Small Voice.

Psalm 97 Author anonymous; said to provide knowledge:

  The LORD reigns,

• let the earth be glad;
• let the distant shores rejoice.

1. Clouds & thick darkness surround HIM;
2. righteousness & justice are the foundations of HIS Throne.
3. Fire goes before HIM & consumes HIS Foes on every side.
4. HIS Lightening light up the whole world;

  the earth sees & trembles.

• The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the LORD of all the earth.
• The heavens proclaim HIS Righteousness, & finally even
• all the peoples see HIS Glory. All who worship graven images are put to shame, those who boast in idols-- worship HIM, all you people gods!

  Zion hears & rejoices & the village of Judah are glad because of YOUR Judgments, O LORD. For YOU, O LORD, are the Most High GOD over all the earth; YOU are Exalted far above all formed or pressumed gods.

  Let Those who love the LORD hate evil, for HE guards (observes) the lives of HIS Faithful Ones & delivers Them from the hand of the wicked. Light is shed upon the righteous & joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, You who are righteous, & praise HIS Holy Name.

1. Woman #1 used-of-God Rebekah the compass Some have concluded that if any woman does do right, she does so in the shadow of a man. But worse, the other day I heard that Rebekah (Isaac's wife) did something despicable when she overheard Isaac's plan to bless the firstborn Esau (his telling him how to prepare), & proceeded (strictly contrary to her husband's wishes) to arrange for Jacob to be blessed instead. Now that 1st part I've been hearing throughout the years (her overhearing him, followed by her facilitating God's plan)-- but about Rebekah & her supposed personal grievous conniving against husband Isaac, I've never heard that before, so that I hardly believe it's a common belief. Fact is, God had already spoken directly to her & she chose to obey HIM! Gen 25:23-26 This is what the LORD said to Her (Rebekah) when she was pregnant: 2 nation are in Your womb, & 2 peoples from within You will be separated; 1 people will be stronger than the other, & the older will serve the younger. Much later (Mal 1:2-3) God speaks to the Israelites (who doubted God ever loved them): I have loved You. How have YOU loved Us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau have I hated, & I have turned His mountain into a wasteland & left His inheritance to the desert jackals. Esau was the older firstborn: When the time came for Her to give birth, there were twin boys in Her womb. The 1st to come out was red, & His whole body was like a hairy garment; so They named Him Esau. After this, His brother came out, with His hand grasping Esau's heel; so He was named Jacob. But Esau voluntarily sold this birthright (which is the value many Christians place upon the their new birth). Gen 25:27-34 The boys grew up; once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau said to Jacob, 'Let Me have some of that red stew. I'm famished.' Jacob replied, '1st sell Me Your birthright.' Reminiscent of the stupidity of non-Christians: 'Look, I'm about to die,' Esau said.' 'What good is the birthright to Me.' So Esau despised His birthright. He freely chose to do so, & God does not usurp (disallow) our free choice-- but of course we can confess & like the wayfaring lost son (see Luke 15:11-31), be joyfully welcomed back. Interesting here is that the father, Isaac, was going to bless the wayfarer. But mention should be made of Gen 26:34. When Esau was 40 yrs. old, He married 2 Hittites-- they were a source of grief to both Isaac & Rebekah. Eventually this gave cause for Isaac & Rebekah to agree, such that Jacob got back on track with God's plan. 1st though in Gen 27:35-36 we find Isaac saying to Esau, Your brother came & deceitfully took Your blessing & Esau cry-babying that He took My birthright, & now he's taken My blessing-- but after all this, in Gen 27:46; 28:1-4: Rebekah said to husband Isaac, 'I'm disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.' So Isaac called for Jacob & blessed Him & commanded Him: 'Do not marry a Canaanite woman. Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of Your mother's father. Take a wife for yourself there. May GOD Almighty (El-Shaddai) bless You & make You fruitful & increase Your numbers until You become a community of peoples. May HE give You & Your descendants the blessings given to Abraham, so that You may take possession of the land where You now live as an alien, the land given to Abraham.' We see that 2x Jacob was renamed as Israel-- 1, by the man who wrestled with him (Gen 32:28); 2, by God (Gen 35:10).

Psalm 98 A psalm; author anonymous:

  Far Distant prophecy Sing to the LORD a new song, for HE has done marvelous things; HIS Right Hand & HIS Holy Arm have worked salvation for HIM. The LORD has made HIS Salvation known & revealed HIS Righteousness to the nations. HE has remembered HIS Love & HIS Faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the Salvation of Our GOD. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp & the sound of singing, with trumpets & the blast of the ram's horn-- shout for joy before the LORD, the KING. Let the sea resound, & everything in it, the world & all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the LORD, for HE comes to judge the earth. HE will judge the people of the world in righteousness & the peoples (nations) with equity-- for salvation was available to all. EOP

1. God's plan Some believe God was an "intelligent designer"-- which of course HE was, but then you find the small print, that HE intelligently designed creation, yes, but then just let it run its course. Others think HE intelligently designed it, but had the attitude, "MY Way, or the highway; go ahead, separate yourselves"-- replete with the idea of "hands off" throughout the O.T., & then HE came up with a remedy (God's highway of return). In the same vein as 1stCor 15:12, how can you preach that Christ has been raised from the dead, & then proclaim that there is no resurrection of the dead?-- in that same vein, why can't some put 2 & 2 together & realize God's intention before we existed was to have a loving family consisting of those who chose to love Him, that the inaugural step of HIS Plan was the creation. A few verses that illustrate that are: [1] Beginning with 1 we just saw (Psa 98:1b), HIS Right Hand & HIS Holy Arm have worked (put the finishing touches upon) salvation for HIM; [2] And we see in Matt 25:34 Jesus saying, Your inheritance, the kingdom prepared (in preparation) for You since the creation of the world; [3] Then there's Hebr 4:3b, which says, HIS Work has been finished since the creation of the world; [4] Also there's Reve 13:8, which talks of those whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world-- note the Lamb was slain from the creation (as in when it was 1st planned). Now the names were not already written (this is not in conflict with what we saw earlier, that some names (namely all Jews) were written at the start of creation-- but shall be blotted out if they have not received Christ ; [5] Finally there's Reve 17:8 which talks of the inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world (when the creation was 1st planned) will be astonished when they see the beast. Remember Moses speaking to the Lord about the sin of the people, asking HIM to forgive Their sin-- but if not, then blot Me out of the book YOU have written; & the Lord responding, Whoever has sinned against ME I will blot out of MY Book (Exo 32:32-33).