Daily Meditations

Psalm 133:3 The dews of Hermon There is a lovely statement in Zechariah 8:12 where the Lord promises to bless Jerusalem,  “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people.” In a hot Mediterranean country like Israel where there is no rain, or very little rain during the summer months, the dew is vital for plants. The grain harvest is completed by Easter but vines, citrous fruits, olives and figs etc all have to survive weeks of drought and depend on cooler nights that help to produce a heavy dew in the morning hours. Mount Hermon is 343 km (217 miles) north of Jerusalem (or Zion), it is over 9,000 feet above sea level and is snow-capped throughout much of the year. The hot air from the land below, when meeting the cold air around the mountain produces dew, presumably through all seasons. This beautiful analogy is used to descri...

Psalm 133:2 The anointing The anointing of a priest for service was not a perfunctory matter, it was symbolic of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and was the ultimate moment of consecration for a life of service. A priest did not have a one-fingered cross painted on his brow; he was completely anointed from head to toe! In Aaron’s case this obviously meant that the oil that was poured over him, saturated his head, his beard and ran down and over his priestly robes, showing that every part of him was dedicated to God and to holy service.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit is no different, when Pentecost came and the 120, who were in an upper room of the Temple, had the Spirit of God poured upon them, they were being sanctified and anointed to serve. This was not a self-indulgent moment, this was the start of their mission to proclaim the Gospel to the world. Jesus was enthroned in heaven pouring out His Spirit and anointing and consecrating His priests for the divine tasks that they w...

Psalm 133:1 The plea for unity This Psalm is attributed to King David who was obviously overwhelmed by the coming together of his people and the harmony and concord that had taken over the kingdom. There are numerous events that may have inspired this outburst, perhaps it was the moment when he was enthroned as King or after some political crisis when all the elders and leaders reached an agreement to serve God together. There are just 3 verses, but they are powerful and poignant and often repeated in churches even if the meaning is not quite understood!   V1        The interesting thing about this verse is the choice of words! “Pleasant” means exactly what is says, it’s a nice thing when there is unity amongst God’s people for harmony is the road to blessing and fulfilment, it is both sweet and rewarding and should never be underestimated. Before David assumed the throne of Israel many of the tribes pursued their own interests and some reall...

  Psalm 132:18 All about our clothing The Bible often uses the imagery of clothing to describe the character or behaviour of an individual. Even God is described as being clothed in a certain way, for instance in Psalm 104:1-2 He is “ clothed with splendour and majesty. “The Lord wraps Himself in light as with a garment.”  On the other hand, in Psalm 73:6, the arrogant and wicked wear “ Pride as their necklace, they clothe themselves with violence.”  Earlier in this Psalm, in verses 9 and 16, the prayer is that the priests of Israel are clothed with righteousness and salvation.  Paul uses this imagery on more than one occasion and instructs us to “ clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”  Romans 13:14. Paul also encourages us all to put on the armour of God and goes on, in Ephesians 6, to describe in detail the various items that we will need in our battle against evil powers. The last word o...

Psalm 132:17 The lamp of David Earlier in this Psalm there are two great appeals to the Lord. V1  “Lord, remember David and all his self-denial.” V10  “For the sake of Your servant David, do not reject Your anointed one.”  The last two verses of Psalm 132 confirm that the Lord has both heard and will answer these pleas. It is in the Land of Promise, that we call Israel, that David’s horn will grow. The Lord will see to this – and He has!  “Horn” here refers to strength, it was a common symbol in ancient times, often used to describe a kingdom or an influential ruler. Talk of a horn growing meant that it was increasing in power and prominence and this is what the Lord promised to David and his successors. To this day, the tiny state of Israel has huge influence over the nations and divides opinions and politics, not surprising when the Lord God is involved! After Solomon’s reign as King of Israel, his son Rehoboam took over the throne but a young usurper arose called ...

Psalm 132:15-16 continued The Land of Rest The concept of “rest” is one that comes up again and again in the Scriptures and it is obviously one of the keys to understanding this Psalm. I have wrestled with this over the years, not least because of Hebrews chapters 3-4 which clearly talk about the failure of many Israelites to enter God’s rest because of their unbelief. Those chapters also point the finger at us, the church, and warn us not to be found to have fallen short of God’s rest! Again, unbelief and disobedience are the hindrances to entering the “rest” of the Lord.  It is clear, that when the Israelites were delivered from Egypt and taken through the Red Sea, they were a picture of our deliverance from sin and slavery to sin, and also of baptism which washes us clean and symbolises our death to the old way of life. Unbelief and disobedience kept the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years although the Lord continued to provide for them. The icing on the cake was always go...

Psalm 1 32:15-16 The place of rest When God says “I will” He means it! And He says this about Zion three times in these two verses:   ·        I will bless her with abundant provisions ·        I will satisfy her poor with food ·        I will clothe her priests with salvation Joshau was reminded by the Lord, when on the brink of crossing the Jordan,  “The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.”  Joshua 1:13. Solomon learned that once the land was at rest and no further adversaries needed to be conquered, he could build a resting place for the Lord. When He did so, the “I will’s” would be fulfilled. The people could rest, and the Lord would come to them and rest amongst them. The Temple was a symbol of rest and permanence. Rest only comes when the battles are won, the people are at peace, and the Lord is enthroned. When that happens, the “ faithful people will sing...

Psalm 132:14 He will reign over Zion forever In Psalm 68:15-16 we are told that the northern heights of Mount Bashan in Israel are envious of Zion! In other words, the strongholds of the Satan look jealously at the power that dwells in the south and the timeless God who reigns there. The northern mountain range of Hermon or Bashan was always regarded as home to pagan gods like Baal and Molech, whereas Jerusalem or Zion was the resting place of the one eternal God, Yahweh Himself. God chose the land of Israel for His people and then He raised them up as a nation and led them to that land. He chose Zion as His earthly resting place and declared that it would be so forever. Israel also made choices, they chose to disobey, to live in unbelief, to rebel against their God until there were no people for Him to dwell with and no Temple to be His footstool. We have to ask the questions, has God changed His mind, was He right to declare that Zion would be His  “resting place for ever and eve...

Psalm 132:13 The Lord has chosen Zion We need to remind ourselves that there is a clear distinction between the spiritual and heavenly kingdom of God, and the earthly one! That is not to say that they are completely separate entities, God’s heavenly kingdom has invaded the earthly kingdom through Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit, and it is from the earth that He chooses those who will attain heavenly glory.  Israel was and has always been God’s original choice as a people who belonged to Him, as we have seen on many occasions now the land of Israel and the people of Israel were granted special privileges and God swore that He would be their God and they would be His people. This status was not given to any other nation; the Israelites alone were the apple of His eye for centuries. The law was theirs; the prophets came from Israel; Messiah was born as one of them. They were and are God’s earthly kingdom. In the same way He chose an earthly city with its temple to be the focus of His...

Psalm 132:11-12 If you keep my Covenant These two verse are all about succession and the throne of Israel. God made a Covenant with David and confirmed it with an oath. (See Psalm 89:3) He later promised, and this is recorded in Psalm 89:3,28,34,39.  “I will maintain my love to him forever, and My covenant with him will never fail. I will not violate My covenant or alter what My lips have uttered. Once for all, I have sworn by My holiness – and I will not lie to David – that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before Me like the sun; it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.”  It could not be clearer, could it? It is words and promises like these that still stand and cause us to believe that whatever happens, the Lord God still has a purpose and a plan for His chosen people - Israel.  Solomon was of course, the descendant of David who was placed on the throne of David and it was Solomon, as we know, who oversaw th...

Psalm 132:11 Who is on the throne? There is no better way to understand the remainder of this Psalm but to repeat what was promised to David by the Lord, and spoken later to his son, Solomon. 1 Kings 9:1-9. “When Solomon had finished   building the temple of the   Lord   and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do,   2  the   Lord   appeared   to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.   3  The   Lord   said to him: “I have heard   the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name   there forever. My eyes   and my heart will always be there.  4  As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart   and uprightness, as David   your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws,   5  I will establish   your royal throne over Israel forever, as...

Psalm 132:10 Do not reject us In verse 1 of this Psalm the writer begins with a petition to the Lord,  “Lord, remember David and all his self-denial. ” Now we read a second petition, “ For the sake of Your servant David, do not reject Your anointed one.” We know that David as a man and as King of Israel had not been rejected by God, but his predecessor, Saul, had! Maybe that was in the psalmist’s mind as he wrote. Or maybe he was simply asking that whatever David had asked of the Lord, may it be granted. The rest of the Psalm follows on from this request, so what was it that David had pleaded for so desperately? Well, we know the answer to that question, it was that a temple or dwelling place for the Lord should be built and established in Zion. This was David’s most fervent heart cry, more than anything else he longed for the Lord to have a literal presence in the midst of His people. This building was, more than anything else, to be a House of Prayer. David was not a romantic ide...

Psalm 132:9 Clothed with righteousness This is such a simple statement and so obviously self-explanatory, what can we add? Well, like so many of the simple statements of the Bible there is a deeper truth to enjoy. We are being told that there are two ways to acknowledge the protective love and care of Almighty God. Firstly, we can rejoice in His name all day long, and secondly, we can celebrate His righteousness. One of the main characteristics of a true believer is that they never stop praising the name of the Lord or the name of Jesus Christ. Their joy is infectious and exuberant, and it is always bubbling just beneath the surface waiting for expression. I first met this characteristic in the persona of a man who led my mother to believe in Christ. The man’s name was Dennis Brooks, and he had a gentle joy that was permanent and even reflected in his face. He married late in life, to a lady called Gladys, from Gloucester, and my abiding memory as a young child was that whenever this c...

Psalm 132:8 The resting place This verse contains the heart-cry of David and also the many worshippers who travelled to Jerusalem to meet with their God. In the years that the Temple was under construction, there was an air of national anticipation and longing, although some probably doubted its purpose. Would the Lord come to them? Would He make His earthly dwelling amongst them? Would the great building and all the preparations that were being made serve the purpose of providing the Lord with a holy sanctuary on earth? These questions must have haunted David, the priesthood and the Levites, and many other Godly men and women who waited in expectation for the day when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to its eventual resting place.  The term “resting place” has many associations for the Israelites. The Land of Canaan was their resting place, but it had to be claimed and conquered at the end of their wanderings before they experienced that rest. During the 40 years of wandering t...

Psalm 132:7 Let us go to His dwelling place This verse and those that follow, give us some idea of the way that David felt about his role in bringing the Ark of God to its resting place. He knew, deep in his heart, that after centuries of travelling, the sacred tent and its objects needed to be “brought home.” There had never been a home. The Israelites had been an itinerant people until they conquered the land of Canaan. Then there followed decades of trouble as they wrestled with the indigenous peoples and tribes, and slowly took control of the land that God had given them. It was only under David’s reign that the borders were finally protected, and the people were able to settle down to some kind of peaceful existence. Now was the time to bring the presence of the Lord God to the City that David had chosen to be the capital. In his mind he could see a Temple to the Lord sitting astride one of the hills (mountains in the Bible) of Jerusalem. It followed that once this holy place was ...

  Psalm 132:6 The dreams of youth Our calling in life often begins to draw us when we are children or teenagers. Our gifts, our temperament, our interests, our values are all formed and refined in early life as our parents help us to prepare for the journey ahead. Childhood is both exciting and challenging, and parents are required to surround their young families with love and protection as they develop into the adults that they are born to be. The reality of this hits home especially for parents who have faith and who have some inkling of the enormous potential in children who are dedicated to the Lord.  David must have had a special upbringing even though he was treated with hostility and, at times, derision by his older brothers. This Psalm lets on that the call to build the Temple of God was first heard in Ephrathah, in other words, Bethlehem, the place of David’s birth and childhood. It was while he was still a shepherd boy that the prophet Samuel visited Jesse and his s...

Psalm 132:3-5 A place for the Lord A dwelling p[lace for the LordThese verses tell us that David was not just interested in finding a suitable site for the storage of the Ark of the Covenant. That would have been more than satisfactory for many of his contemporaries, they might well have argued that a nice museum-like building, somewhere in Jerusalem, would be more than sufficient! But David saw beyond this, his vision was far grander, he recognised that the placement of the sacred objects and the room that enclosed them was hugely important. His mind could see a grand temple, he could visualise the processions of priests, the richly embroidered furnishings, the gleaming altar for burnt offerings and the sun reflecting off the bronze laver. David’s ears could hear the music of the Levite musicians and choirs, and he could allow for nothing less than one of the richest and grandest Temples ever built. Why? Was he being over-indulgent? Not at all! David was solely interested in const...

Psalm 132:2 David's vow to the Lord It is helpful to read 2 Samuel chapters 6-7 at this point as they recount the events that led to the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and also the promise to King David that his successor would build a temple in Zion. David’s oath to the Lord is not mentioned although his intentions are abundantly clear. The verses in Samuel are so relevant to this Psalm that we must read some of them here. Firstly, read 2 Samuel 7:1-17 which describes the conversation that the Lord God had with King David. The following is David’s prayer of response, read it and then ask “Is Israel part of God’s divine plan for the earth and do those people, the house of David, still have a continuing and future place in God’s kingdom?" 18  Then King David went in and sat before the   Lord , and he said: “Who am I,   Sovereign   Lord , and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?   19  And as if this were not enough in your s...

Psalm 132:1 Self-denial This is a unique Psalm for it concentrates solely on the royal house of David. A song written for the Royal Family if you like. The Israelites knew that the family from Judah was special, and its longevity was crucial to their future. They knew because God had told them so and the prophets attested to this. They also knew that their Messiah would come from this family and tribe, and that He would be directly descended from King David. As we study this Psalm we must bear in mind that it was written at a particular time and place, probably at the dedication of the Temple or at the coronation of a king, Solomon perhaps. However, the Psalm speaks of Messiah Himself at His first coming, but it also has implications for His future reign on the earth.    V1        One of the clearest references to the future reign of David’s House is found in Isaiah 9:6-7.  “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the g...

Psalm 131:3 Put your hope in the Lord This Psalm ends with an unexpected plea; the author cries out to his compatriots and implores them to be like him! He sees the pride that the nation has in its identity. He sees the arrogance that has been born in them as they have prevailed over their enemies. He sees the self-importance arising from their national success in building, farming and their generic prosperity. Instead of attributing the glory to the Lord God, they have taken it for themselves and revelled in their human wisdom and abilities. Such an attitude still prevails amongst many Jews today who are so blessed and so enriched, and who defy all the odds as they pursue and protect their national identity but who fail to give the glory to the Lord.  This is a lesson to us all, how do we view our achievements? How do we react when things go well and our goals are met, and our lives are blessed? Do we give credit to the Lord, or do we prefer to take it for ourselves? The psalmist ...

Psalm 131:2 Wellbeing with God If the world is intent on claiming godlike powers, as verse 1 suggests, then the psalmist is far more interested in seeking godlike wisdom and understanding. As one who worked himself into the ground and into a mental breakdown by the age of 30, I can say that being a workaholic is not the best path to take in life. Being riddled with anxiety and fear is not a good path to take either. Nor is it helpful to our health to be constantly driven to achieve and reach targets. Life is only lived once and there has to be a balance between heightened activity and times of restoration and calm.  Who says that the Bible has nothing to say about wellbeing? Here it is in black and white, a psalmist telling us to be calm and to quieten ourselves. He goes further and his advice is humbling; “I want you all to become like little toddlers that have just been weaned!” In other words, we are to take note of children around 2-4 years who walk trustfully with their mother...

Psalm 131:1 Content in the Lord This very short Psalm seems to continue the theme of the previous one, the words written here reflect the dependant state of one who has learned to trust wholly in the Lord.    V1        There is a great drive within the hearts of men to conquer the world, to understand and take control of creation, to reach into the heavens and master the moon and the stars, to go beneath the waves and show that man can do anything he puts his mind to. Alongside those dreams runs a parallel desire to take control of morality and religion, to set the standards for human behaviour without reference to a higher power. The pursuit of the control of all things is driven by the desire for human beings to shape their own destiny, without the interference of any outside influence, be it real or imagined. The greatest irony is that men are completely deceived, by abandoning religion and faith and turning away from God, they throw ...

Psalm 130:7-8 Redeemed from all our sins The writer of this Psalm has represented himself and his own pleas for salvation and the Lord’s intervention but, as we have commented, he also speaks on behalf of his nation – Israel. He pens a song that calls on his countrymen to put their hope in the Lord for if He watches over individuals, then the same Lord guards His ancient people. The same injunction applies to us, we are His chosen ones, He has revealed His love to us, He has redeemed by His blood, He has proved, beyond all doubt, that He is watching over us, therefore we can have hope. Let’s note the adjectives used here, the love of the Lord is unfailing, the redemption of the Lord is full or complete. He is not a God of half measures, He never reneges on His promises, if He says He loves us then that love is comprehensive and absolute.  And so, in the last verse of this song, the author expresses his hope, the Lord Himself WILL redeem Israel from all their sins. Not some of them ...