Baptist Christian Church

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Psalm 67

If we were to take a pole asking what is your favorite Psalm, certainly many would say Psalm 23.  Others may be partial to Psalm 119, and yet others may have a favorite passage or verse in one of the 150 Psalms.  However, there are some who hold Psalm 67 as a favorite due to the nature of its missionary emphasis.

1. God Blesses His People in Verses 1-2
   1. Dual Inclusio’s — An inclusion is a literary device the Hebrew poets use to lay particular emphasis to certain subject matter in their poetry.  An inclusion is when you have the same or similar ideas which begin and close out a passage.  
      1. The first inclusion is found in verses 3 & 5 — “May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you”
      2. The Second inclusion is found in verses 1& 7 — 
      3. Interpretation — These give us the 2 main emphases of this Psalm.  The blessings of God lead His people to Praise and God’s people praising God for His blessings in turn inspire the nations to praise God for His blessings.  
   2. The Blessing of Aaron or the “Aaronic Blessing”.  This is taken from Numbers 6:22-27 — The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”
      1. What is the significance of the Aaronic Blessing? 
         1. A shining face turned towards someone is the opposite of a scowling face turned the other direction.  The shining face of God implies relationship, fellowship, friendship and warmth.  When we generally think of God’s blessings in terms of things like health, wealth, good employment and happy relationships.  All that is included to a lesser degree, but the main emphasis in the Aaronic Blessing is that of God Himself entering into deep personal relationship with His covenant people.  This is the main emphasis.
         2. Beware — of seeking earthly blessings of health and wealth.  Jesus said“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36)
         3. The single greatest blessing of time and eternity is knowing the Lord and being favored by Him.
         4. This Aaronic Blessing is echoed in Psalms 4:6; 29:11; 31:16; and 80:3, 7, 19 and this Psalm here.
         5. The only difference is the original blessing of Aaron uses the phrase “Bless you” and Psalm 67 says “Bless us” which calls us to personally appropriate the blessing.
   3. Salvation to All Nations — The shining face of God upon His people is symbolic of a God’s gracious, merciful, personal fellowship with His Covenant people is further shown in the purpose of Verse 2 — that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.
      1. The Purpose is for the Gentiles nations to know God like Israel knows God.  Gospel missions.  
2. God’s People Bless the Nations with God in Verses 3-5 — But, how are these nations to know the Lord?  There are 2 ways the nations come to know God:
   1. The Power of Salvation Through God’s People — The Nations are brought to saving faith by witnessing the blessings of a relationship with God and His power in saving His people.
      1. Application — Is this true about us?  Do we demonstrate with our lives the power of God’s saving grace and do we effect the lost with the gospel message?
      2. It has been asked:  If being a Christian were a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
   2. The Power of the Word of God — How are the Nations to be blessed by God?  It will not happen through osmosis nor be some magical process.  But through the people of God knowing and promoting the Word of God!  God’s people must know the Bible themselves and instruct others to do the same!
      1. The Priesthood of Every Believer — The Bible plainly teaches every believer is a priest.  The role of the priest in Israel was 2-Fold: First, to mediate the sacrifices.  Second, to instruct the people from the Word of God.  Here are 3 passages which tell us the role of believer priests:
         1. Romans 15:15-16 — “But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”
            1. Notice the phrase — “priestly service” is connected to the “gospel of God”.  Paul viewed himself as a priest by bringing others unto God through the sacrifice of Christ.
            2. Exodus 19:5-6 — ^“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
               1. This passage tells us the people of God are priests.  How are we priests — By living for God and telling others Who He is. 
            3. I Peter 2:9-10 — “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
               1. As believer priests it is our responsibility to “declare the praises of him who called [them] out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
3. Blessings Already but Not Yet in Verses 6-7
   1. The Purpose of Spiritual and Material Blessings — “The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!” In verses 6 and 7.  The purpose of the blessings which God gives us is for the furtherance of the knowledge of God going forward into all the earth!
   2. The relationship between Psalm 67 & Exodus 33:19-20.

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Psalm 66

Notice the last verse of Psalm 65 — “the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.”

Now notice the first 2 verses of Psalm 66 — “Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing to the glory of his name”

1. Two Trajectories — There are 2 great movements in this Psalm.  
   1. Praise in Psalm 66 moves from macro (large scale) to micro (small scale).
      1. Macro Praise — “Shout with joy to God, all the earth,” Verse 1 & “Praise our God, O peoples,” Verse 8
      2. Micro Praise — “I will come to your temple with burnt offerings and fulfill my vows to you,” Verse 13
      3. Illustration — As this Psalm begins on the large scale and narrows to the small scale, the symphony of Franz Joseph Haydn.  Symphony No. 45 in F sharp minor, entitled the “Farewell Symphony” — “The reason this piece is called the Farewell Symphony is that it begins with the entire orchestra on the platform, but then, as the piece develops, the various sections of the orchestra and its members get up one by one and leave the platform until at the very end only two violinists are left. When the piece was first performed in Vienna in 1772, as each instrumentalist finished his part he blew out a lantern that was at his place to illuminate the music. So, as the musicians left, the lights went out too.”
      4. Interpretation — The 66^th Psalm is similar because those singing the chorus of praise dwindle from the entire earth, to National Israel and finally to the Psalmist.  But, the difference between the symphony and this Psalm is the Psalm does not dwindle in its intensity but rather the passion of the praise builds and builds.  The Psalmist’s intense passion shines through rather than diminishes.
      5. Application — The greatest praise occurs on the personal level, not in a group   B. Praise alternates from being offered up to God and an invite for others to join in.
         1. Verses 1-4 — Praise is offered up to God from the entire earth.
         2. Verses 5-7 — An invite for everyone to come and see what God is doing.
         3. Verses 8-12 — Praise is offered to God by God’s Covenant People.
         4. Verses 13-15 — The Psalmist offer personal praise to God through Sacrifices.
         5. Verses 16-20 — The Entire Earth is invited to hear what God did for the Psalmist.  In this way, the Psalms message is circular in motion from earth to Israel, to the Psalmist and back to earth again!
2. Worldwide Praise to God — At this point, it is clear this Psalm looks to all the earth to praise God.  What is the problem with this? 
   1. The Exclusivity of Israel.  The Jewish people were supposed to be reaching the Gentiles with the truth of God.  But instead, they had become exclusive.  This was one of the reasons the prophet Amos prophesied God allowed the Northern Kingdom to be carried away as captives by the Assyrians.  Injustice towards the Gentiles.
   2. The Heart of God for the Gentiles.  Remember, the purpose for the nation of Israel was clearly revealed in the Covenant/Promise the Lord made with Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 — “Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. ² And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
   3. Psalms 65-68 call upon all the world to praise and glorify God and not just Israel.
   4. A World of Sinners.  The problem here is that no one praises God of their own accord.  The reason is obviously because human beings are sinful by nature.
      1. Note Romans 1:20 & 21 — For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
      2. The Reality — The fact that humans have to be invited to “come and see what God has done” in verse 5 shows that while humans ought to come and give thanks to God and praise Him, they do not because they are sinful creatures.
      3. An Impressive God — Verse 6 records 2 great miracles performed by God for His people. 
         1. In Egypt.  There were many people in the ancient world who witnessed the miracles God performed for His people in that “He turned the sea into dry land” in Verse 6
         2. At Jericho.  “they passed through the river on foot”
         3. But there were many of those people who were not moved to actually turn from their idolatry and worship Israel’s God alone.
      4. Illustration — Hurricane Katrina made landfall off the coast of Louisiana on August 29, 2005. It hit land as a Category 3 storm with winds reaching speeds as high as 120 miles per hour. Because of the ensuing destruction and loss of life, the storm is often considered one of the worst in U.S. history. An estimated 1,200 people died as a direct result of the storm, which also cost an estimated $108 billion in property damage, making it the costliest storm on record.
      5. Application — After hurricane Katrina many would have said “maybe God is trying to tell us something” or, “maybe this is God’s judgment on America?”
         1. There is a big difference between being impressed by something God has done and worshipping, thanking, loving and praising Him.
         2. All these people had God on their mind and God was brought into their conversations but that does NOT mean they actually fell before Him in repentance and faith in Christ.
         3. It’s possible for someone to say “how awesome are your deeds”— Verse 3 and yet not be born again.

Conclusion:  “Acts of God” are sudden, unexpected events that can’t be controlled or protected against. Act of God insurance refers to any kind of insurance that protects against these events. When it comes to car insurance, act of God insurance sometimes refers to comprehensive coverage. For homeowners insurance, you’re protected against some acts of God—such as wind—with a standard policy, while others—like flooding—require a special endorsement.

We may be able to buy insurance that protects our material possessions from “Acts of God”, but no earthly insurance can save us from the wrath of God, only the blood of a sinless sacrifice can do that.

The Bible teaches Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and on crucifixion day, Jesus took our place and suffered God’s wrath on our behalf.  And all who call upon His name and ask forgiveness will be saved.

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Psalm 64

There are many examples of quick, sudden military attacks which resulted in great victories for the armies which launched these surprise offensives:

1. The Sack of Rome by the Visigoths, A.D. 410. Aided by rebellious slaves, Alaric I and the Visigoths rushed through a city gate unexpectedly. The three-day siege was the first time in centuries that Rome had been sacked and invaded, says Dameron, “and it was a massive political and psychological blow.” Non-Christian Romans blamed the sacking on the abandonment of the traditional Roman gods.  The ultimate surprise there, adds Johns Hopkins University military historian Mary Habeck, “was that Rome fell, not that the city was attacked.”
2. “A general-in-chief should ask himself several times in the day, ‘What if the enemy were to appear now in my front, or on my right, or my left?’” —Napoleon Bonaparte
3. The Six Day War, 1967. On the morning of June 5, Israeli planes surprise-attacked the at-rest Egyptian air force, destroying hundreds of planes. Similar strikes hobbled Jordan and Syria. On the ground, Israeli troops marched into the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip. They routed Palestinians from the West Bank of the Jordan River, seized the Golan Heights in Syria and continued on to the Suez Canal. The rapid chain of events altered the landscape and the future of the Middle East — and, arguably, foreign policy in state departments around the world.
4. Blitzkrieg, which means “lightning war” in German…Blitzkrieg is a term used to describe a method of offensive warfare designed to strike a swift, focused blow at an enemy using mobile, maneuverable forces, including armored tanks and air support. Such an attack ideally leads to a quick victory, limiting the loss of soldiers and artillery. Most famously, blitzkrieg describes the successful tactics used by Nazi Germany in the early years of World War II, as German forces swept through Poland, Norway, Belgium, Holland and France with astonishing speed and force.

The key word of Psalm 64 is “suddenly” which is found 2 times.  In this context, the word “suddenly” means “unexpectedly” or “without warning”.  The first mention is in verse 4 and shows the unexpected attacks of the wicked against the people of God — “shooting from ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear.”  But the second mention (verse 7) is of the unexpected judgement of the wicked.  The idea being the wicked shooting arrows at God’s people, and God shooting arrows of judgement at those same wicked ones — ”But God shoots his arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly” — Verse 7

This strikes a note of poetic justice, which is developed as we move through the Psalm, the wicked are destroyed by their own weapons.

1. The Psalmist’s Case in Verse 1 — We usually associate the word “complaint” with negative connotations.  But, David uses this word in a different way.  This is a formal allegation in legal terms.  David brings his case directly to God.
   1. “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” — Ephesians 6:16
   2. Here are several examples of sudden, unexpected enemy attacks against us without warning:
      1. The Enemy Shoots Sudden Arrows of Unkind Words
      2. The Enemy Shoots Sudden Arrows of Bad News
      3. The Enemy Shoots Sudden Arrows When We Are Sick
      4. The Enemy Shoots Sudden Arrows When Quarrel With Our Spouse
   3. In the moment of our enemies’ sudden attacks we must take our case to God just as quickly and suddenly as we are able.
   4. Remember, we are not to retaliate.  In Romans 12:21 — “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
   5. The worst thing we could do is respond in kind.
   6. Application — Perhaps no other attack hurts more than when the fiery darts are shot from someone close to us, whom we trusted. 
2. The Threats of the Wicked in Verses 2-6 — This section shows us 5 things about the wicked, their nature, their weapons, their methods, their plans and their pride.
   1. Their Nature — Notice the phrase “secret plots”.  This references those from David’s own family who sought to overthrow him.  Nothing hurts more than when those who are closest to us turn against us.  The most dangerous snakes are the ones hiding in the bush unseen, unexpected.  And the poison from one of those bites can completely destroy us.  But, David’s conspirators cannot destroy him because he brings his petitions to God.
   2. Their Weapons — In verse 3, David’s enemies weaponized their words.  In our day, we speak of a “war of words”.  Our words are powerful, they can either build up or tear down.  
      1. Notice the words of James — Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.  All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison (James 3:5–8).
      2. When we think of all the evil done with words, let us also consider the weapons which the Holy Spirit uses — “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. — Isaiah 55:10-11
      3. We are called upon by God to fight with spiritual weapons.  Weapons not of this world.  The Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
      4. Application — How can we “fight the good fight of faith” if we do not know the Bible?  If we do not know the Scriptures then the Holy Spirit has nothing to work with in the day of the Enemy’s concentrated attacks! 
   3. Their Methods — Verse 4 contains the methods of those who secretly plot against David — ”shooting from ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear”.  When we are innocent, we are most vulnerable because we think we have nothing to fear.  The innocent person does not have their guard up, therefore a sudden attack can destroy them.  “Struck suddenly while your enemy least expects it” is the idea here.  This is a classic military campaign maneuver.  
      1. Who is the only One who can protect David from covert fiery darts?  Only God can, and David knew it.  The same is true for us today.
      2. Application:  Sometimes when we are trying to live for God we let our guard down because we think we have nothing to fear.  And it’s when we are trying to really live for the Lord the Enemy attacks the most!    D. Their Plans — See the point below.
   4. Their Pride — “They plot injustice and say, ‘We have devised a perfect plan!’ Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.” — Verse 6.  These wicked people think they have devised a perfect plan, they believe there are no holes in what they attempt to do.  But, they have forgotten to figure God into their equations, therefore they are fools.
3. God’s Sudden Intervention in Verses 7-8a — Did you notice the verses describing the wicked who plot against the innocent encompass the bulk of this Psalm?  But, the climax of the Psalm is in full view when God brings the enemies low with just 1.5 verses!
   1. Poetic Justice 
   2. Conclusion—There are 3 Lessons to be Learned:
      1. The Evil Ones will be Exposed in Verse 8 – The Evil Ones will be exposed so that bystanders will “wag their heads”
      2. The People will be Directed Towards a Healthy Fear of God in Verse 9 — This will become a lesson for all those whom watched God’s poetic justice!
      3. The Saints will Rejoice in Verse 10 — We are told to rejoice because the eventual, sudden destruction of the wicked is so certain! 
      4. It takes faith to look to God and hope for the destruction of our great enemies!

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Psalm 62

Some of the most cuddly and famous animals in the world are now considered to be endangered species.  The “tri-colored” giant panda native to China has a population of less than 2500 of these precious animals remaining in the wild.  Likewise, fewer than 6,500 snow leopards are known to exist.  And last but not least, fewer than 60,000 Orangutans dwell in the jungles of Borneo and other parts of southeast Asia.

Poaching, deforestation, disease, predators, lack of food and unknown factors all contribute to the decline and extinction of many of the world’s most noteworthy creatures.

But some of these rare and threatened animals are far less known.  Like the endangered Braken Bat Cave Meshweaver which stopped a $15 million-dollar highway construction project in northwestern San Antonio in 2012. The spider which is listed as an endangered species had not been seen for three decades and was thought to be extinct.

And, when we find ourselves discouraged, depressed or threatened we can feel like we are an endangered species as well.  That is the way David felt in the 62^nd Psalm.

David says in the 3^rd verse that his enemies were doing everything in their power to topple him over and destroy him like a broken-down wall or fence.  But, in the face of their hostile attacks, David does not fret himself over them, but rather he trusts in God.

The most profound truth in this Psalm is that while David is in danger, in spite of that danger he exhibits a faith which pulsates with strength, serenity and cool confidence.  The venerable H.C. Leupold wrote:

“There is scarcely another psalm that reveals such an absolute and undisturbed peace, in which confidence in God is so completely unshaken, and in which assurance is so strong that not even one single petition is voiced throughout the psalm.”

1. God, David and the Enemies
   1. God Alone—The unifying theme of this great Psalm is found in verses 1, 2, 5 and 6. “God alone” “He alone” “God alone” “He only”.
   2. Interpretation — David says the focal point of his faith is God alone, and nothing or no one else.  This is a most important truth.  David did not say he trusts God and…David says he trusts God period.  This is what makes David so bold and confident in his faith. 
   3. Illustration — A well-known pastor asserts todays Christians trust in mystical experiences, methods and tools, rather than fully depending upon Christ for direction, help and wholeness.  I have found that Christians in our day are far more apt to trust in worldly resources and mechanisms instead of placing their full dependence in Christ alone.  We are not saying doctors and sciences do not have their proper place, because they most certainly do.  But, we are saying if we call ourselves Christians and believe God created the heavens and earth out of nothing, then why can’t we seem to rely on Jesus Christ for our wholeness?
   4. Illustration cont.  
      1. Question — At this point, someone may say: “well, aren’t we supposed to meet people where they are, and if the people want to be entertained, then don’t you have to provide that in order for them to listen?”
      2. 2-Fold Answer —
         1. Yes, we must begin where people are.  Moreover, people must be trained to listen properly.  Bible teachers must start with the “ABC’s” before we can go on into deeper truths.
         2. THE REAL PROBLEM — Is a crisis of faith, a lack of Biblical understanding.  An unbelief in the power of God’s Word to change the lives of people, so we resort to Christianized “parlor tricks” in order to reach people.
         3. Beware of Pragmatism —
            1. What is it? — Pragmatism is the notion that meaning or worth is determined by practical consequences. It is closely akin to utilitarianism, the belief that usefulness is the standard of what is good. To a pragmatist/utilitarian, if a technique or course of action has the desired effect, it is good. If it doesn’t seem to work, it must be wrong.  Pragmatism as a philosophy was developed and popularized at the end of the last century by philosopher William James, along with such other noted intellectuals as John Dewey…It was James who gave the new philosophy its name and shape. In 1907, he published a collection of lectures entitled Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking, and thus defined a whole new approach to truth and life.  Pragmatism has roots in Darwinism and secular humanism. It is inherently relativistic, rejecting the notion of absolute right and wrong, good and evil, truth and error. Pragmatism ultimately defines truth as that which is useful, meaningful, helpful. Ideas that don’t seem workable or relevant are rejected as false. — John MacArthur
            2. What’s wrong with it? —  Not all pragmatism is bad, after all if your car breaks down, you get it fixed.  If the roof leaks, repair it. But when pragmatism is used to make judgments about right and wrong, or when it becomes a guiding philosophy of life and ministry, it inevitably clashes with Scripture. Spiritual and biblical truth is not determined by testing what “works” and what doesn’t. We know from Scripture, for example, that the gospel often does not produce a positive response (1 Cor. 1:22, 23; 2:14). On the other hand, Satanic lies and deception can be quite effective (Matt. 24:23, 24; 2 Cor. 4:3, 4). Majority reaction is no test of validity (cf. Matt. 7:13, 14), and prosperity is no measure of truthfulness (cf. Job 12:6). Pragmatism as a guiding philosophy of ministry is inherently flawed. — John MacArthur 
   5. Clencher Illustration — Once there was a man who was a rotund old chap and heavy on his feet.  His family took him out for a boat ride on the lake.  As they came back to the dock, the rope which connected the boat to the dock was not tight and slipped loose.  As the big man began to exit the boat with one foot on the dock and the other still in the boat, the small ship began to pull away.  Without stable footing, the big man fell into the lake.  
   6. Application — When we try to put our trust in God and something or someone else we are like the big man falling into the lake because we have one foot on the foundation (dock) and the other foot upon something which is unstable (boat).    
      1. For many of today’s believers Jesus really is not sufficient for all things, regardless of what they may profess publicly.
      2. This is why verse 2 is so important — He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
2. 2 Lessons About God in Verses 11-12
   1. David says he learned 2 things about God:
      1. God is Strong
      2. God is Loving
   2. Conclusion—We should be rejoicing in God alone like David did because of these 2 great attributes.  If God had power but lacked in mercy, He would not have the heart to save humanity from their sins.  If God had love but no power, while He might desire to save us, He could not.  This is why we need to wait upon God alone, because we know God is able to protect us.  God is an immovable mountain, an impregnable fortress.