The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 94:12-13,
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!
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"Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord,
the one you teach from your law;
you grant them relief from days of trouble,
till a pit is dug for the wicked."
The psalmist observes that the Lord disciplines his people and teaches them through his law, the Scriptures. I am reminded of Jesus' words to the church in Laodicea, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline." Revelation 3:19a. We also read in Proverbs 3:11-12, "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."
The passage above from Psalm 94:12-13 is sandwiched between an observation of how terribly the wicked treat others, and then followed by the psalmist's assurance the Lord will never forsake his people but that the Lord will repay the wicked for their sins. In verses 21-23 we read, "The wicked band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the Lord our God will destroy them."
When Jesus told the parable of the weeds, Matthew 13:24-30, he said that when the farmer's servants came to ask him if they should pull out the weeds growing among the wheat, he told them not to, let them grow together until the harvest - then gather the weeds, tie them up and burn them and put the wheat into the barn. It is a parable of how living in this life will culminate in those belonging to the Lord inheriting the kingdom of God and the wicked being destroyed in the judgment. Meanwhile, the godly live together with the wicked in this life.
It seems to me the message in this psalm is that while the godly live together with the wicked in this life, the Lord will use the wicked for his own purposes in bringing discipline for his people, for their good. We read in Hebrews 12:11, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
The psalmist assures us of the Lord's care for us as we struggle as God's people in that process, "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." Verse 19. He also assures us of the eventual destruction of those he used in our lives to discipline us, "He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the Lord our God will destroy them." Verse 23.
the one you teach from your law;
you grant them relief from days of trouble,
till a pit is dug for the wicked."
The psalmist observes that the Lord disciplines his people and teaches them through his law, the Scriptures. I am reminded of Jesus' words to the church in Laodicea, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline." Revelation 3:19a. We also read in Proverbs 3:11-12, "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."
The passage above from Psalm 94:12-13 is sandwiched between an observation of how terribly the wicked treat others, and then followed by the psalmist's assurance the Lord will never forsake his people but that the Lord will repay the wicked for their sins. In verses 21-23 we read, "The wicked band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the Lord our God will destroy them."
When Jesus told the parable of the weeds, Matthew 13:24-30, he said that when the farmer's servants came to ask him if they should pull out the weeds growing among the wheat, he told them not to, let them grow together until the harvest - then gather the weeds, tie them up and burn them and put the wheat into the barn. It is a parable of how living in this life will culminate in those belonging to the Lord inheriting the kingdom of God and the wicked being destroyed in the judgment. Meanwhile, the godly live together with the wicked in this life.
It seems to me the message in this psalm is that while the godly live together with the wicked in this life, the Lord will use the wicked for his own purposes in bringing discipline for his people, for their good. We read in Hebrews 12:11, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
The psalmist assures us of the Lord's care for us as we struggle as God's people in that process, "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." Verse 19. He also assures us of the eventual destruction of those he used in our lives to discipline us, "He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the Lord our God will destroy them." Verse 23.
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 reply and let me know.
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