Daily Meditations

Psalm 50:22 The names of God Apparently there are seven different names for God in this Psalm and that fact alone makes it unique. In English the names are: - v1          The Mighty One v1          God v1          The Lord v6          God of justice v14        The Most High v21        The “I AM” (not that well translated in some versions) v22        God – Eloah (singular of Elohim) Interestingly, the Hebrew language has 7 names for God and experts believe that they may be referred to, here in Psalm 50:-      1.       Tetragrammaton      2.       El      3.       Elohim      4.       Eloah      5.       Elohai      6.       El Shaddai      7.       Tzevaot I’ll leave you to do the research! Do you despair with me at times, at the popular descriptions of God who is always loving, patient, kind and merciful to all, the God who looks away from our rebellion and who will welcome us regardless of our failings? The God who is the kindly, elderly gentleman who ignores our wickedness? Yes, God

Psalm 50:21 I AM not like you What an extraordinary statement the psalmist attributes to the lips of God here. It sounds almost jeering and spiteful, surely the Lord would never speak this way, even to the wicked!  “So, you think I don’t care, huh? That just because I’ve said nothing and therfore I somehow approve of what you have been up to? You think that I am no better than you? Well, you are now about to hear what I really think!” How easy it is to make up our own images of God based on our limited experience and our expectation that somehow, He is like us! I guess we all do it. Many believe that silence from heaven on matters that are of significance to them, reveals that somehow God does not care! But nothing is further from the truth, God is always merciful, patient and kind , “Slow to anger and abounding in love.”  Psalm 103:8.  So, when it comes to the deeds of the wicked, although there seems to be no immediate judgement, they will not get away with it, long term. Solomon wri

Psalm 50:19-20 The evil tongue Further indictments of the wicked are set out here and these involve the tongue. This weapon is spoken of more frequently than any other in the Psalms. Bows and arrows and the like get a mention but they are inanimate objects, they do not cause damage in themselves, only in the hands of their users. Whereas the tongue is a powerful weapon on its own, in fact nearly all armed combat or physical violence begins with the tongue, it is what has been said that usually prompts the anger, the jealousy, the revenge that leads to the violence. In Psalm 55:21 David writes of one of his enemy, “ His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.” Psalm 57:4 carries on the theme,  “I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts – men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.”  Here in Psalm 50 the wicked are accused of using their tongues for evil and

Psalm 50:18 The ways of the world This verse was possibly in the Apostle Paul’s mind when he was pondering the attitude of the wicked, he wrote, in Romans 1:32,  “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”  It is the willingness if the wicked to share in each other’s sins that is in view here. That when someone is knowingly nicking stationery at the office or pocketing small items from a workshop or cheating on their hours or their Tax Return; the instinct of the wicked is to do the same. To join the scam, to turn a blind eye, to approve of the theft. Whenever we approve, we are no better than the perpetrator.  In the same way, sexual sins are boasted about by the wicked and the general idea of a good night out for many, is to have an encounter with a member of the opposite sex. How easy it is, for some, to be drawn into this kind of lifestyle, with n

Psalm 50:17 Hypocrites Here is another kind of hypocrisy. It is something that God hates! The verse is addressing those who formally attend the rituals and ceremonies that characterise their religion. They bow and mutter the words. They dress for the occasion and doff their hats. They wash their hands and make their offerings. They sing the hymns and songs and say the “Amens”. They read the Scriptures and recite the liturgy. They show all of the signs of being devotees, but it is only the rituals that they are devoted to. This was true in Israel (and still is) and it is equally true for many religious people today, even those who call themselves Christians. We lament the loss of “Christian England” but just how Christian was it? Maybe there are more people today who truly love Jesus Christ but who are not formal worshippers? Unless the teaching and the songs and the liturgy and the Scriptures are heart felt and bring us into a deeper relationship with our God, then it is all play actin

Psalm 50:16 Do we mean what we say? The Jews have always loved God’s laws – even more than they have loved God! The Torah still drives the thinking and morals of many Jewish people to this very day. In addition, they have added the written and spoken rules of the rabbis, the Talmud and the Mishnah, and Orthodox Jewish men study the documents tirelessly, in the pursuit of truth. The trouble is, if this is not accompanied by a genuine loving relationship with the Lord and His Son, Jesus Christ, it has little meaning. Once again, it is just religion.  Wickedness is to defy God, to deliberately disobey His commands, to live sinfully and in open rebellion against righteousness, to follow the ways of the Prince of this world, to pursue the deeds of darkness. If our heart is not right, how dare we recite God’s laws and the liturgy of His Covenants? How dare we pretend to be religious, saying all the right things but having no intention of doing them? I shudder when I think of the Services I h

Psalm 50:15 Call on me! Verses 14 and 15 highlight two sides of our relationship with the Lord God. On the one hand we are encouraged to come before Him with our thanksgiving and praise; here in this verse He encourages us to bring our prayers. We need not be afraid to “call on Him” when things go wrong, and we are struggling with life’s crises. “Come calling,” He says, “Bring your troubles to me and I will listen.”  I have never failed to be bemused at my insistence on trying to solve my own problems before I bring them to the Lord! I will research the answers or book an appointment at the doctors, or seek professional help, discuss the situation with all and sundry and generally do everything I can before calling on the Lord, usually in desperation and as a last resort! And yet I know, deep down, that He would much rather I call on Him first. We all do it and how foolish we are, how little do we realise the love our heavenly Father has for us and how willing He is to help us. Not onl

Psalm 50:14 Thank Offerings The “Thank Offering” (also called the Fellowship Offering) was a voluntary offering that anyone could present to the Lord. You can read in detail about this in Leviticus 3 and 7. The offeror could bring any animal without defect to the Lord as well as various breads. These were brought to the Temple as an act of thanksgiving and fellowship. Part of the offering was to God, part to the priests, the rest was for the offeror who would take his share home for a communal meal.  Did you know that the only meat which an Israelite ate from their herds was that which was offered as a Peace Offering ? All their flocks and herds were kept simply for offerings. I know this is hard to believe, but listen to the command of God as given in Leviticus chapter 17: “Any man from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox, or a lamb, or a goat in the camp, or who slaughters it outside the camp, and has not brought it to the doorway of the tent of the meeting to present it as an o

Psalm 50:12-13 If I were hungry! It’s not often that Almighty God shares with us the finer points of His diet – only He doesn’t! These are things we do not need to know, anyway, God is Spirit, and I suspect that His appetites are very different to ours. So, I wonder if these words are almost said in jest? Can you imagine our Creator suddenly appearing and announcing that He is hungry? Jesus got hungry – in the wilderness, when tempted by the devil. He also got thirsty, when hanging on the cross. Only He wasn’t. I mean, He was thirsty but that’s not what He meant. A sponge full of wine and vinegar was never going to satisfy the craving of a dying man who had endured hours of brutal suffering. Jesus thirsted, but He also desired to fulfil all Scripture and the bitter water that was a curse to Him. Psalm 6:21 says,  “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.”  Our God could take anything He needed from this world and He has the power to recreate too. So, why would He nee

Psalm 50:10-11 He owns the cattle on a thousand hills Forgive my ancient memories but these verses echo a song that we sang years ago: - He owns the cattle on a thousand hills The wealth in every mine. He owns the rivers and the rocks and rhylls The sun and stars that shine. Wonderful riches more than tongue can tell, He is my Father, so they’re mine as well!        He owns the cattle on a thousand hills So, I know that He will care for me. Mankind has forgotten that we are just Estate Managers; that the world does not belong to us. We are not permitted to trash it and exploit or abuse it or anything that lives in it. The God who made it all gave us permission to subdue it and live from it but not to destroy it. It was a gift, and it still is His gift. It is filled with incredible beauty and provision and it is an abomination that mankind strenuously seeks to find any explanation for its purpose and existence, other than the gift of Almighty God. He sings through every bird song, His e

Psalm 50:9 Be done with religion! As the previous verse shows us, once form has overtaken substance, the strict observance of rules and regulations become more important than the reason for them. In Israel’s case the sacrificial offerings were initiated by the Lord to give the people a means of cleansing themselves before expressing their love and devotion to Him. These ritualistic practices were nothing more than a doorway to the heart of God. As is so often the case, the sacrifices and offerings and the ceremonies were no longer a means to an end, they had become the end. The people did not look for God through these things for they sought Him in the sacrifices, which in themselves became formulaic and dull, lacking inspiration and life. The Lord did not need nor want their bulls and goats, these things were meant to be a way to Him, if a man is spiritually clean and has paid his dues, then he will have access to relationship and intimacy. No doubt, the priests and Levites had exalte

Psalm 50:8 Religion v Relationship The trouble with religion is that it always demands more! Religion is a man-made route that is supposed to make us right with God or in some cases – the gods. Religion involves effort, of forcing ourselves to do something we don’t really want to do, of being somewhere when we have better alternatives. Religion is about sacrifice and self-discipline and ritual. The faith of the Israelites was comprised primarily of religion. The ceremonies, rituals and observances of the Law had taken the place of simple relationship. Here, in this verse, the Lord God notes that they cannot be faulted, there are no charges to be brought against them in relation to their sacrifices and burnt offerings. Their observance of these daily offerings was exemplary. It is so easy to turn the Christian faith into a religion where form takes the place of substance and where rules override relationship. Our church buildings are revered, the daily or weekly programmes are followed

Psalm 50:7 God is our God We enter now into a passage of Scripture that does not make easy reading. In v7-15 the Lord speaks directly to His people and He speaks correction. The latter part of the Psalm, v16-23, is addressed to the wicked who are rebuked by the Lord. So, having set out the authority of the Lord God in his opening verses and familiarised us with a description of the His justice and the extent of His jurisdiction, the writer now relays the heart of this God to His people - Israel. Firstly, they are called to listen for He is speaking. That should go without saying but busy, insensitive, preoccupied people often miss out on what their Lord is saying. Sometimes He has to call us to attention!  I’m afraid that the news is not good, God is not pleased, He is about to testify against the nation. He begins by reminding them that He is God – there is no other. He is God. Let us remember that. All other so-called deities and faiths are secondary to Him, people follow their ritua

Psalm 50:6 Righteousness and justice The definition of righteousness, in the context of our God, is deep and wide! His character, His attributes, His acts and His words all glow with the beauty of righteousness for He is a righteous God. So, just as the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1), they also declare His righteousness. The daily sunrise. The purity of the blue canopy over our heads. The clouds that bring rain and the winds that blow upon us. The beauty of the sunset. The unerring journeys of the moon and stars, so unerring that we can travel and tell time by them. All of these declare the righteousness of our God. He does not fail. He is always faithful. He is absolutely “on time.” As the Apostle Paul puts it in Romans 1:20,  “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” In Psalm 18:14 the writer says that  “Righteou

Psalm 50:5 Covenant sacrifices The existence of the nation of Israel was never a coincidence. God had promised one individual, who had travelled many miles from a city near Babylon, that one day, he would be the father of a great nation. Abraham was the recipient of that promise and from the miraculous birth of Isaac onwards, God had been building on His covenant promises. The nation grew abundantly in Egypt before they were delivered from the slavery of the Pharaohs. They organised themselves during the wilderness journeys, and eventually they took root in the Promised Land. These were consecrated people because the Lord God had set them apart for Himself, to be a light to the world and a kingdom of priests of the one true deity.  All of the covenant promises were accompanied by sacrifice. When God first confirmed that Abraham would dwell, with his people, in the land of Canaan, he was instructed to sacrifice a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a yo

Psalm 50:4 He summons the heavens above Should there ever be any doubt, this verse tells us that the Lord God’s influence is universal and beyond. As we noted in verse 1, He not only summons the earth when He speaks but there is interaction with the heavens too. Most human beings are so earth-bound that they are unaware of the activities in the heavenly realms, many are completely oblivious to the worlds beyond this one, their eyes have been blinded by the enemy and their only acknowledgement beyond earthly matters is to ponder if there may be life on Mars!  To be fair, the most ardent Bible student will have quite a task trying to discover exactly what exists in the heavenly realms. Is there a Spirit out there who we acknowledge as God? Yes. And has He revealed Himself in human form and is He now seated, as that human revelation, in heaven, at God’s right hand?  Yes. And are there spiritual forms of malignant evil who exercise rule and authority over earthly beings? Yes. Are there ang

Psalm 50:3 Our God comes! This verse is literally translated, “ Our God will come and will not keep silence; a fire will devour before Him, and it will be very tempestuous all around Him.”  In the context of verse 2 where the Lord shines forth, we can assume that the writer is referring to God coming to the Temple, to His Holy Place, to sit between the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant. In all Jewish minds God is to be feared and revered. He is glorious beyond imagination and beyond the reach of ordinary mortals. The corporate anxiety that gripped the nation every year, when the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place, was driven by fear that God might not be merciful and forgive their sins. The High Priest himself might never re-emerge but die before the Mercy Seat! When God comes, He is to be feared! When God speaks, heads are bowed in awe and thunder and lightning accompany His voice, as they did on Mount Sinai. Exodus 19:16-22. Oh yes, this is a God not to be trifled with, especi

Psalm 50:2  God shines forth There were two literal ways that God shone forth from Zion. Firstly, His glory shone from the Holy of Holies, that inner sanctuary in the Temple where one man was allowed entrance just once a year. The Israelites referred to this presence as the “Shekinar” glory of God. The word simply means “the presence.” That Shekinar glory first appeared on Mount Sinai when Moses received the Law. It entered the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle and later the Temple in Zion. Very few saw it over the centuries, but the glory removed any need for artificial light in that shrouded, inner room that had no opening to the sky.  The second occasion when the light shone forth from Mount Zion was during the Feast of Tabernacles. This festive occasion lasted from 15 th  to 21 st  of the 7 th  month – Tishri, which corresponds with late September / early October and the Jewish New Year. Huge crowds would gather in Jerusalem and spend this holiday living in shelters or booths. It w

Psalm 50:1 Do not forget who God is! As we know, Israel was prone to lapses of concentration! When the nation was plunged into war or famine or some other kind of adversity, they tended to remember their God and to be anxious to have Him on their side. When things were going well and they lived in peace and prosperity, it seems that they thought nothing of fraternising with their enemies and pursuing pagan gods. So, Asaph, the Levitical writer of the Psalm who was one of David’s three choir leaders, does three things in this song: - ·        He reminds the people that the Lord God will call them to account ·        He reminds the devout that it was relationship God wants from them, not religion ·        He rebukes the wicked amongst them   V1          The opening words here are extraordinary and should not be overlooked. This title for the Lord God is only repeated in one other place in the whole Bible, in Joshua 22:22. You can almost imagine Asaph, the writer, stamping his feet and be

Psalm 49:20 Wealth v understanding So, here we have the conclusion to the Psalm. This is the writer’s final statement based on what he has penned here in Psalm 49.  “People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.”  You cannot help but wonder if he had been badly treated by someone wealthy and had some kind of grudge, can you? I mean, the wealthy are not that bad are they? Not everyone who has gained riches is bad, surely?  That’s not what is being said here. Look carefully at the verse. It is those who have wealth BUT  “lack understanding”  that perish like the beasts. We need to remember that this Book of Psalms is inspired by the Lord God Himself, so what does it mean to lack understanding? I would suggest that it is possible to be incredibly blessed in this world, to have great riches, to live a life of comfort and ease and miss the two most important nuggets of gold that can ever be owned: - 1.       That all things belong to God and come from God. T

Psalm 49:18-19 The light of life Yes, prosperity does buy popularity! How often we have heard the sad stories of the rich and famous who accumulated large numbers of “hangers-on”, and yet when they looked for a true friend or confidante, there was no one there!  The Psalm writer takes this one step further, he argues that it is possible to live a wealthy life and to consider oneself truly blessed. I’m sure there are countless pop stars, sports people, celebrities and the like who have sprawling mansions, large estates, amazing cars and everything else they could possibly want and who would agree. They can go where they want, eat what they want and indulge themselves in whatever takes their fancy. These are not all greedy, self-satisfied, evil human beings, some are truly grateful for their lot and have a sense of being extremely fortunate. They enjoy the plaudits of friends and family and share their good fortune with those they love. However, the end is still the same! Whether they li

Psalm 49:16-17 Do not be overawed by riches We live in a very materialistic world. Power, position and status, success and reward are all measured in financial terms. I shouldn’t need to go on about this, every advert, every housing estate, car park, shopping centre and restaurant promotes those who “have” against those who do not. The lust for money and status is so endemic that it’s highly unlikely that any of us realise how much we are controlled by its lures. The sense of well-being that comes from “being comfortably off” or having savings for a rainy day or being able to purchase something whenever we feel the need, is something that everyone wants. That sense spills over into our preparations for the future, the insurance policies, pensions and investments that will protect us if life takes an unexpected turn. We plan not just for ourselves but also for our descendants and life can turn into a fiercely pursued mission to accumulate material things. Most people are engaged in this

Psalm 49:15 Kinsman Redeemer This is revolutionary thinking, and it does not often occur in the Old Testament. There were many who feared death and believed that their future lot was to go to the place of the departed – Sheol. The Jews held that this was the same as “Abraham’s side” although there was little understanding of what it meant. However, there were those who held the hope that even the grave was not the end, that the Lord would not abandon His own to the realm of the dead. David was one of them! Psalm 16:9-11. What is particularly powerful here is that the Son of Korah who wrote this Psalm believed in a God who could  redeem him from the realm of the dead! As we saw, from v7-8, redemption, at that time, was a legal principle that applied to slaves or to family members who had fallen on hard times and lost their property or their position. In such cases, it was possible that someone from their family or clan might be able to buy them back, to pay off their debts and set them

Psalm 49:14 Death will be their shepherd This verse is such a sad indictment of all who put their faith and their trust in their fellow men. Whatever philosophy, political mantra, religion, good cause, scientific principle, humanist agenda, psychiatric theory etc. etc. etc that we put our hope in – it will fail us! None of these ideas, that are so attractive to the human race, have the faintest ability to be able to save us. There is nothing, no one and no multiplication of ones, that can deliver us from death. Except the Lord God and His Son, Jesus Christ. The Satan has tricked the world since the Garden of Eden with a million different side shows that all offer much and deliver nothing and the world falls for them, every time. Let’s face it, men and women are like sheep and “ death will be their shepherd.”  In many versions, the text now adds a little aside in parenthesis, ( but the upright will prevail in the morning .) While we who trust in the Lord have to live amidst all of the f

Psalm 49:13 Who trust in themselves The theme of the Psalm is repeated here – the plight of those who trust in themselves as opposed to those who trust in the Lord. It is so black and white – the Lord God or self! I know that there are millions of people in the world who trust in foreign gods and philosophies but all of these these are man-made. There is only one God and we either trust in Him absolutely OR we have to rely on ourselves, on mankind. The world is that simple. It is always and has always been a matter of choice. That is why it is so sad to read the history of Israel, the nation who knew God and to whom God had revealed Himself. Despite the favour He has shown them they have constantly “trusted in themselves.” We all seem to have a bias to “trust in ourselves” instead of learning humble, simple faith in the Almighty Creator who made us and who loves us. We plan, we organise, we worry, we fret, and we get angry when things do not go our way. Sadly, as the Psalm says, not on

Psalm 49:12 We will not perish This psalm has overtones of Solomon’s outpourings in Ecclesiastes. Listen to his words,  “Surely the fate of human beings is like that of animals; the same fate awaits them both. As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down to the earth?”  Ecc 3:19-21. “ It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.”  Ecc 7:2.  Solomon is, as ever, fatalistic and without hope as he pens his words of wisdom. He speaks with the wisdom of the world and in that he is beyond reproach. However, we sing to a different tune! All creatures die in this world, no one can argue with that, but the same fate does not await them all.  “I know whom I ha

Psalm 49:1 The tombs of the dead Taken out of context, this verse could be seen as a bit of a rant. However, we live in a world where we are surrounded by the relics of those who passed before us and many have sought to perpetuate their memory. The psalmist, rather sneeringly, draws our attention to two kinds of memorials; lavish tombs and large holdings of land that are named after their original owner. It was an ambition of the rich and famous in Biblical times that they should build large tombs to house their remains. One of the biggest in Israel was built by Herod the Great at Herodian where he literally moved a mountain to prepare for his demise!  Large houses, parklands, fields, estates even some villages and towns in our own land bear the names of their benefactors who believe that maybe their name will live on in perpetuity. The bitter irony is that the tombs of the rich become their eternal homes and after just a few years no one remembers them. Don’t worry about perpetuating

Psalm 49:10 Who gets it in the end? The Psalms often contrast the righteous and the wicked, as we have seen. Here the same categories of people are in view, but they are described as the wise and the foolish. And of course, it is true that the wise die! It is equally true that the foolish and the senseless also perish. Everyone does! Anyone who has eyes in their heads can see this. When the wise die they leave their wealth to their successors and so do the foolish, there is no difference in the outcomes of either group of people. We all die. We all leave our assets to others who follow us. End of! So, what is the point that the psalmist is making? I think that it is simply that if you live with the aim of accumulating wealth and possessions and looking out for yourself, then life is a complete waste of time. The wise person may well accumulate wealth too, but they have at least lived for a greater purpose, they have served others and made much better use of their allotted time. Their l

Psalm 49:9 They should live on forever This, of course, is a continuation of verses 7-8 but it is worthy of reflection simply because we need to stop from time to time and consider just what the Lord God Almighty has done for us. It is amazing that He chose us from before the world was created. He has also adopted us into His family. He has paid the redemption price to free us from slavery. We were “kidnapped” by Satan and the Lord came up with the ransom money. He has elevated us as princes into His royal line. He has equipped us to be priests in His service. He has recorded our names in the Lamb’s Book of Life as those who belong to Him. He has even opened heaven and given us a foretaste of His Holy Spirit - His Spirit who is God! And, just in case we might think that this is all a temporary arrangement, He has guaranteed that it lasts forever!  The body of Christ Jesus did not corrupt in the grave for He was sinless – unleavened, He was a lamb without spot or blemish. His body did n