The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 4:2,
"How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?"
David begins this psalm by calling on God to answer, to bring him relief from his distress. However, in the second verse he abruptly turns his attention and addresses the unfaithful in the land. In his stinging rebuke of those who pursue fake religion, he demands to know how long they will persist in following their "false gods". Some things never change, do they?
David makes clear to them that in following their false religion they are placing themselves outside of God's tent and that the Lord sets apart only the faithful (to him) for himself.
We read in other passages of Scripture (such as Revelation 21:8) that those on the outside of God's camp will suffer an eternity of judgment, while those who are faithful to God will enter into "Eden Restored", see Revelation 22:1-5. Eternal life, joy in God's presence, "with eternal pleasures at your [God's] right hand." Psalm 16:11.
While David had the more temporal view in this psalm, with his focus on where a productive harvest comes from and who it is that can provide safety and security, his meditation provides all we need for an eternal perspective. As we read of the joy David experienced as one of God's faithful, we think of our own joy, both in this life and the one to come!
This is simply a beautiful psalm!
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?"
David begins this psalm by calling on God to answer, to bring him relief from his distress. However, in the second verse he abruptly turns his attention and addresses the unfaithful in the land. In his stinging rebuke of those who pursue fake religion, he demands to know how long they will persist in following their "false gods". Some things never change, do they?
David makes clear to them that in following their false religion they are placing themselves outside of God's tent and that the Lord sets apart only the faithful (to him) for himself.
We read in other passages of Scripture (such as Revelation 21:8) that those on the outside of God's camp will suffer an eternity of judgment, while those who are faithful to God will enter into "Eden Restored", see Revelation 22:1-5. Eternal life, joy in God's presence, "with eternal pleasures at your [God's] right hand." Psalm 16:11.
While David had the more temporal view in this psalm, with his focus on where a productive harvest comes from and who it is that can provide safety and security, his meditation provides all we need for an eternal perspective. As we read of the joy David experienced as one of God's faithful, we think of our own joy, both in this life and the one to come!
This is simply a beautiful psalm!
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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