What Kind of Man May Dwell with God for His Heart's Desire and Good Pleasure?
from Life-study of the Bible
(Psalms)
Psalms (February 2012)
Below are selected ministry excerpts related to the Life-study of Psalms radio broadcast. The subject of Psalms is "The Expressions of the Sentiments, Feelings, Impressions, and Experience of Godly Men Seeking and Contacting God through Their Praises, Prayers, and Singing with Exultation"
Click on the links below to continue reading the excerpts.
Two Concepts - Human and Divine
All the Psalms are the expressions of the godly saints drawn from their experiences. The writers, being godly saints, did their utmost to utter something in praise to God according to their experiences. Of course, this kind of utterance was based upon their concept of God. They had the experiences, they had the sentiments, they had the impressions to utter something as their expression, and this expression was certainly based upon their own concept. But because they were so close to God and open to Him, God was free to utter something in their utterance. However, God’s utterance was not based upon their concept, but upon the divine concept. We must realize that in the Psalms there are two kinds of concepts: the concept of the saints and the concept of God, the human concept and the divine, the natural concept and the spiritual. These two are always together in the Psalms. But do not imagine that they are complementary. These two concepts are incompatible and mutually contradictory.
Psalm 1 says in effect, "Blessed is the man that keeps the law." This is the expression of a saint according to his concept, and his concept is one of the law. His delight is in the law. But while he was uttering Psalm 1 and then Psalm 2, God, Christ, and the Spirit of God came in to say, not, "Blessed is the man that keeps the law," but, "Blessed are all that put their trust in the Son (Christ)." While the Psalmist was saying, "Blessed is the man that keeps the law," the Lord entered in to declare, "Blessed is the man who puts his trust in the Son." You see, the Psalmist was uttering something according to his concept, but because he was so near to God and open to Him, God could intervene and within his utterance utter something according to the divine concept. This is the way the Psalmists wrote the Psalms. The Psalmists spoke according to their concept, but, when God suddenly uttered something within their utterance, the concept was changed. This is an exceedingly important principle in the understanding of the Psalms.
David's Inspired Praise of the Excellency of Christ
"O Jehovah our Lord, How excellent is Your name In all the earth, You who have set Your glory over the heavens!" (Psalm 8:1)
In Psalms 3-7 it was a mess on the earth according to David's human concept. Here in Psalm 8, something, that is, the Lord's name, is excellent (majestic) in the earth according to the divine revelation, and the Lord's splendor (glory) is above the heavens in the sight of David. Today the earthly people do not see this revelation. They do not have such a view, but we have such a heavenly view about Jesus. Above David in the heavens was the glory, and with David on this earth was an excellent name. Thus, his view, his vision, brought him away from the view of the messy earth.
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, To stop the enemy and the avenger. (Psalm 8:2)
When we enjoy Christ's redemption to the uttermost, we will be bold to praise the Lord. When we are discouraged and disappointed, we may sigh and groan. But when we praise the Lord, this is the highest experience of our enjoyment of Christ. The enjoyment of Christ will make us so strong to utter a complete and a perfected praise to the Lord. We all have to learn how to praise. This is the highest consummation that God has completed in His redemption through Christ.
Christ and the Church Revealed and Typified in the Psalm and Life-study of Psalms are available for purchase from Amana Trust Books.
You can also read the entire contents of these books online at ministrybooks.org.