The Belt of Truth

Moses begins our journey through Book IV of the Psalms (90-106) by stepping in the breach between God and his people like he did of old in Exodus 32-34. Here Moses pleads for God to relent of the disaster of Book III and the fall of the Davidic King and the people in exile.  Moses’ prayer is echoed in the rest of the psalms in Book IV and finally God will relent in Psalm 106.  But these psalms, mo...

The final psalm in Boom 3, Psalm 89, reads like an epitaph/eulogy after the grave was sealed in darkness from Psalm 88.  It is a song that recalls all that God has done in history. From creation, to the Exodus, to even the days of Deborah, God has worked his salvation for his people. The key event in this psalm is mirrored in the opening and the end. The promise to David from 2 Samuel 7. But consi...

The final psalm in Boom 3, Psalm 89, reads like an epitaph/eulogy after the grave was sealed in darkness from Psalm 88.  It is a song that recalls all that God has done in history. From creation, to the Exodus, to even the days of Deborah, God has worked his salvation for his people. The key event in this psalm is mirrored in the opening and the end. The promise to David from 2 Samuel 7. But consi...

The final psalm in Boom 3, Psalm 89, reads like an epitaph/eulogy after the grave was sealed in darkness from Psalm 88.  It is a song that recalls all that God has done in history. From creation, to the Exodus, to even the days of Deborah, God has worked his salvation for his people. The key event in this psalm is mirrored in the opening and the end. The promise to David from 2 Samuel 7. But consi...

Psalm 88, the penultimate psalm of Book 3 (73-89) is the darkest psalm in the Psalter. It is the equivalent to being at the grave when the tomb closes shut, with the final word of the psalm being “darkness.”  While there is no hope in this psalm, hope pervades and defies what is said in this psalm, and for good reason seeing that Jesus has died and is now alive forevermore.  Being unique in the Ps...

Psalm 87 is dripping with baptismal language as the Sons of Korah give us a beautiful psalm detailing how those born and scattered across the nations still belong to the God of Israel and also belong to the Church.  Both Jew and Gentile alike God keeps track of and records in his book. Though we might be born in places of exile in this world, God marks and records in his book as belonging to his C...

Psalm 86 hears a voice we haven’t heard in Book 3 of the Psalter (73-89): David. The theme of this book is the fall of David’s line and the death of the kingdom, and the sorrow and laments that follow.  This psalm, we get to hear of the King himself, David. Or better yet, we hear Jesus Christ himself speaking through David.  And we hear that the King is suffering. He is dying and is facing ridicul...

Psalm 85 starts by giving us the perspective of God’s action to turn and revive his people in the past. God has been counted on in disaster before. And now the psalm pushes ahead by asking for God to turn us back again. To dwell among us and reveal his glory and to speak peace to his people.  This psalm calls forth images of the birth of Jesus and his resurrection. Through Jesus, we are raised up,...

Psalm 84 describes a longing for where God is at and the pilgrim way that leads to him in this life.  It is a life marked both by being alone but also joined to the people of God now and in the past and still yet to be.  Through the psalm, there are three beatitudes spoken. Blessing for those who are with God, those who are on the path of tears to God and those who put their trust in God.  Ultimat...

Psalm 83 is a prayer asking for the full might of God to destroy the enemy’s that fight against his claim to sole kingship of the earth.  These enemies are listed in a group of ten, which suggests all of God’s enemies of all times and places that fight against God by destroying his people. The reference to the enemies lifting up their heads and being crafty brings to mind that these enemies are de...

Psalm 82 is a curious Psalm. The reference to God sitting on the divine council reminds of Job and 2 Kings where God has his angelic council cooperate with his will.  Some take Psalm 82 as referring to that. And it certainly might be.  Others see Psalm 82 talking to those who have divine authority and act in the place of God. So rulers and governments. God tells Moses that he shall make Moses god...

Psalm 81 echoes Deuteronomy 32 and the Song of Moses.  Calling to mind the theme ode God desiring to do good for his people while his people continue to backslide away from God, embodies much of what Book 3 of the Psalter has come to teach us to pray.  Here it is perhaps surprising that God himself speaks most of this psalm, with verses 1-5 being the call to gather for worship and festival.  God c...

Psalm 80 are the words of the remnants of the Northern Tribes surviving the disaster of the Assyrian Empire destroying their kingdom.  Fitting in with the theme of Book III of the Psalter, asking God why this tragedy has happened as well as reflecting on God’s actions toward them in the past, this psalm petitions three times for God to restore, or, turn them back so they can have life. Psalm 80 al...

Psalm 79 depicts the destruction of the temple and the aftermath of God’s people lamenting the ruins and asking for God’s intervention.  This psalm brings to mind the cry of God’s people in the book of Revelation when God’s saints ask for God to take vengeance for the sake of his name.  The vendetta is not a personal one; the psalm makes clear that this is an attack on God himself.  The voice at t...

Psalm 78 is a psalm that looks over and describes all the wondrous deeds that God has done and also combines the sorrows of God’s people not being faithful.  A command is given in the beginning to come and listen and to pass on these wondrous acts of God to the next generation that they might set their hope in God and not be like their fathers.  We see this point coming from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and...

Psalm 78 is a psalm that looks over and describes all the wondrous deeds that God has done and also combines the sorrows of God’s people not being faithful.  A command is given in the beginning to come and listen and to pass on these wondrous acts of God to the next generation that they might set their hope in God and not be like their fathers.  We see this point coming from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and...

Psalm 78 is a psalm that looks over and describes all the wondrous deeds that God has done and also combines the sorrows of God’s people not being faithful.  A command is given in the beginning to come and listen and to pass on these wondrous acts of God to the next generation that they might set their hope in God and not be like their fathers.  We see this point coming from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and...

Psalm 78 is a psalm that looks over and describes all the wondrous deeds that God has done and also combines the sorrows of God’s people not being faithful.  A command is given in the beginning to come and listen and to pass on these wondrous acts of God to the next generation that they might set their hope in God and not be like their fathers.  We see this point coming from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and...

Psalm 77 weaves together a tapestry of places in Scripture. We can see this psalm echo the Exodus account and also quote the praise that they give to God in Exodus 15:11 in verse 13. We also see Genesis 47-50 referred to when Jacob and Joseph are looking forward to the exodus just as we should. We also meet Peter in Acts 12 who is given his own exodus rescue on the night of the Passover. And of co...

Psalm 77 is a psalm that finds its echo in Jesus in Gethsemane as his disciples slept as he prayed agonizingly.  It can also remind us of Acts 12 when Peter is arrested and is waiting execution and the church stays up all night to pray for him. We find that deliverance works the same in both accounts. Both Jesus and Peter slip through guarded areas into life and freedom.  Psalm 77, is the prayer t...

The Lord God comes to do battle for the sake of his people!  Psalm 76 gives us a warrior’s perspective on the salvation that God has wrought for us.  We should see this with Jesus on the cross which is alluded to here in the text. Christ is not only a victim on the cross. He is also the Victor of a conquest. His cry at the end when he dies is a warrior’s cry.  The soldiers fall asleep like dead me...

Psalm 75 is the response of God to Psalm 74’s cry of him to come and judge.  The picture is of the people gathered for worship. God’s name is near to them and they gather to thank him and praise him.  Verses 2-5 give us God’s response. He will come and set things right. He will judge the earth with equity. He will make sure the boastful know that salvation is from him.  Verses 6-8 give the respons...

With the enemy roaring line wild beasts in the destroyed temple of God, Psalm 74:12-23 turns to God and praises him that he has worked greater salvation before.  Using the Exodus and describing Pharaoh and his princes as great dragons and Leviathan, God has crushed those wild beasts before and has delivered his people. The physical battle also describing a spiritual warfare at play as well. God is...

Psalm 74 continues the theme of Book III of the Psalms (73-89) of the fall of the Davidic monarchy and the promises of God. But even in its destruction, the Psalmist knows that God can act and change even death and destruction. The question becomes “how long?” Verses 1 and 10-11 bracket this first part of the psalm with 2-9 detailing the very painful destruction of the temple in 587 BC. the center...

Asaph, having come to his senses in verses 13-15 on the foolishness of thinking the wicked will prosper realizes why when he considers and comes to God in his holy abode. That God is a greater treasure than all that could be given because God is eternal.  So he realizes that God will receive and into glory even as he counsels him now in this life.  He comes to realize that God is the strength of h...