Week Nineteen, Days 88-92, Psalm 87-90

Day 88: Psalm 87

Author: Sons of Korah (superscription).

Time/Occasion: Probably post-exilic implied by the mention of Babylon and similarities with Zechariah and Isaiah 40ff.

Main theme: This is purely prophecy: The glory of Zion, the City of God, both the physical city and the spiritual city, which is its leaders, the Firstfruits, forever.

There is a secondary theme: The "All-Fatherhood" of God requires the "all-brotherhood" of man. In other words, the results of the Law and Way of God in His Kingdom will be the unity and peace of all races and nationalities of man, all of whom are the children of God.

Hymnal: #47 Zion, Founded on The Mountains; #128 Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken

Personal application: The capitol city of the Kingdom of God on earth doesn't exist yet, nor does the mountain that will be created as its "situation" (Psalm 48:2). The topography of that region will be rearranged by the great earthquake described in Zechariah 14:4ff). The physical city will be built and established as the Capitol and royal city of the world, the foundation of the Kingdom (V. 1; Cp. Isaiah 14:32).

The New Jerusalem, described in Revelation 21, that comes down from heaven is actually symbolic of the bride of the Lamb (V. 9). The temple within the city is the Father and the Lamb of God (V. 22-23). So this prophecy is of both the physical city in Jerusalem during the Millennium as well as the Church, the spiritual Bride of Christ for the rest of eternity.

The statement He was born here is mentioned three times. This describes the high status and honor that those who are a part of the Firstfruits, the Bride of Christ, are given throughout eternity -- A glimpse of the glory that God offers to the called, chosen, and ultimately faithful.

Romans 8:18-39 speaks of the love Christ has for us and expounds the statement in verse 2 that He loves Zion (His Church) more than any other. Notice the condensed message of this section of Paul's letter: V. 18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. V. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? V. 39. ...nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is a psalm to guide our prayer anytime we flag or our attitude sags. Prayerful meditation on this should motivate us to greater zeal and persistence through whatever trials are presented to us in this life!

Day 89: Psalm 88

Author: Sons of Korah (superscription). Heman was one of David's music leaders (1 Chronicles 15:16-17). Note Psalm 89.

Time/Occasion: Not known. Apparently a younger man (maybe from his childhood) who has been smitten with a dreadful disease (possibly leprosy or some other infectious skin condition) that causes friends and family to stay away. He's been sick for a prolonged period. Several authors have been suggested (without any evidence): Job, Uzziah (had leprosy), Hezekiah when he was deathly ill, and Jeremiah in the dungeon. He has prayed and prayed, and is confused (V. 1-2, 10-14). He lives on the edge of death (V. 2). This psalmist doesn't even expect relief. The last word is darkness. The author does, however, maintain faith in God's love and starts with, "O Lord, the God who saves me" (NIV).

Main theme: Gloom, yet confidence in suffering. "One of the saddest of all the Psalms. Pitiful." -- Halley's.

Hymnal: N/A.

Personal application: There are in the lives of God's people prolonged periods of grievous, seemingly unremitting trouble without relief (Cp. Psalm 73:14). With the Holy Spirit of power, however, we can grasp God's love, His righteousness, faith and hope, His plan and our part in it. In the end, this strength of character is mandatory for all His people. Jesus set the example.

Days 90 and 91: Psalm 89

Author: Ethan the Ezrahite, one of David's music leaders (1 Chronicles 15:16-17). Note Psalm 88.

Time/Occasion: The time that Ethan penned the Psalm would be shortly after Nathan the prophet gave David the message that God would build him a "house" or dynasty forever. The story is in 2 Samuel 7, and this inspired poem adds description and understanding.

Main theme: Two main themes.

1) V. 1-37. The great Psalm of the Davidic Covenant written by Heman.

2) V. 38 51. A forceful lament on the downfall of David's dynasty and the nation.

The main emphasis of the first part is God's mercy, faithfulness and righteousness in blessing David's descendants. In contrast, God has rejected the nation and royal line because of covenant breaking. Everything promised by the covenant was undone.

The permanency of the royal family's throne first mentioned in V. 3-4 is expounded in V. 19-37.

V. 27 shows that this refers to Immanuel (God with us, Isaiah 7 & 9) and the Church of the Firstborn.

V. 30-32. God would chastise Israel's kings to bring them back into line at times but would still be with them -- a type of God dealing with the Church.

V. 38-51 is such a contrast that some have thought it was added later after the exile. It ends without resolution or explanation.

V. 52 is a short doxology added by the final editors to conclude Book 3 of the Psalter.

Hymnal: #46 How Long, Eternal, Hide Thou Away?

#144 All Must Be Well has related content.

#162 We Praise Thee, O God, Our Redeemer has related content.

Personal application: The basic covenant offered by God to His people based on His basic character of righteousness, mercy and faithfulness are laid out in V. 1-18. The next section, V. 19-37 is about the covenant relationship between God and David who is a type of all the Firstfruits and applies to each of us. "Thy holy one" in V. 19 is Hebrew chasid, meaning thy godly ones -- or your faithful people (NIV). Heman begins by describing David's sanctification by anointing or ordination and goes on to describe the Firstfruits relationship with Christ. This is doubly confirmed by the knowledge that the Church is called to become part of the very royal family of David through Christ, thereby inheriting not only Abraham's promises, but David's as well! We should read carefully through this psalm, especially V. 19-37. Then V. 38-51 serve as a warning of the danger of a member of the Church voiding the covenant and allowing someone to take his crown (V. 39).

Psalm 89 is a powerful message to the Church!

Day 92: Psalm 90

Author: Moses (superscription).

Time/Occasion: Deuteronomy 2:14-17 provides the setting for this psalm -- in the desert during the closing couple of years of the 40-year wandering, when the older generation that had been rejected by God and condemned to die in the wilderness were dying off rapidly. Moses saw a lot of people die -- well over a million. Moses' sublime language expresses the most basic meditations of man -- our brief, ephemeral lifespan, insignificant of itself in comparison to God who is incomprehensibly eternal. This lesson would have been forcefully brought to sharp focus in the closing days of the wandering. Moses and Aaron and a few others lived very long lives, but by the end of the forty years, there was almost no one over the age of sixty years in the nation, ten years short of the seventy or eighty of verse 10.

Main theme: Man's brevity, God's eternity, and making life meaningful.

Hymnal: #48 O God, Our Help in Ages Past

Personal application: We must come to terms with our mortality. We all live under the condemnation of the aging process and its end -- the requirement of physical death "once" (Hebrews 9:27).

V. 12 is the key verse. Life is so brief and precious that our days should not be wasted in meaningless, vain pursuit. The pursuit of God's guidance to wisdom, thereby developing a relationship with the true God is what makes human life valuable. A big lesson is given in V. 15. Life is made up of many trials. Happiness comes from accomplishment and overcoming adversity -- NOT from getting stuff or status, or from seeking to have fun. Fun or joy is a byproduct of living a meaningful life of service to God and fellow man. In the end, God does make it all worth it (V. 16-17), as he writes in the first verse introduction to the subject: We dwell and have life in knowing God.