Proclaim and Declare

Psalm 96

Almost everybody has heard the story of David and Goliath. David fought Goliath when he was still a youth. Around that same time, Samuel anointed David as king. David was 15 years old when he was anointed, and he began to rule as king when he was 30 years old. 

For hundreds of years before David was born and up to the time he began his reign, the Tabernacle of God, which Moses had built, was in Gibeon. However, The Ark of the Covenant (the box that was covered in gold and contained some preserved manna, the stone tablets on which the law was written, and Aaron’s rod) was not in the tabernacle. The ark was to be kept in the inner sanctum of the tabernacle called the Holiest of Holies. It was only to be moved when the tabernacle was moved (the tabernacle was an ornate tent used in place of a temple while the Israelites traveled in the wilderness). At the end of the days of the judges, while Samuel (the one who wrote First and Second Samuel) was still young, the Israelites foolishly took the ark out of the Holiest of Holies and carried it into battle against the Philistines. They hoped that this special object would give them victory.

God disapproves of the veneration of objects or people, so God gave the Philistines the victory that day, and the Ark of the Covenant was taken captive by the Philistines. The Philistines had taken the Ark captive quite a few years before David became king. But, the Philistines could not keep the Ark because God struck them with diseases wherever the Ark went. As a result, the Philistines sent the Ark back to Israel. The Ark stayed in Kiriath-jearim for over 20 years, where it was when David came to power.

David sought the Lord with all his heart, and when he became king, he wanted to make sure the worship of God remained the center of the nation. As he consolidated his power, he established a new capital city by capturing the Jebusite city of Jerusalem. Then, once Jerusalem was established as the nation's capital, David tried to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem, but Israel did not follow the procedures that God had specified for moving the ark. The result was the death of a man named Uzziah, who reached out and touched the ark (touching the ark was strictly forbidden in the Law of Moses).

When Uzziah was struck dead, the movement of the Ark stopped, and for many years it stayed in that place in the house of a man named Obededom the Gittite. While the Ark was kept safe in that place, David took time to make a new tabernacle in Jerusalem and study in the law of Moses the proper way to move the ark.

When the preparations were completed and the day to move the Ark finally came, the whole nation of Israel celebrated. 2 Samuel 6 tells us:

2 Samuel 6:14-15 (NKJV) ¹⁴Then David danced before the LORD with all [his] might, and David [was] wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁵So David and all the house of Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

David was a poet and a musician, and many of the Psalms were written by him. As part of his preparations for bringing the Ark into Jerusalem, David wrote a song. Perhaps it was that song that he danced to. We do not know because the Scriptures do not tell us. However, the Scriptures do tell us the words of the song; the song is Psalm 96.

At the time, it was a new song, so it starts with the words, “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!” 

New also means “fresh.” We must remember to always keep our praise of God “fresh” and new. I love singing the doxology, but sometimes when we sing something over and over, we stop thinking about the words we are singing. People will never stop writing new songs, and we shouldn’t. When our hearts are moved by the Spirit to worship, we must respond and those with poetic and musical gifts should exercise those gifts to the glory of God. Inventive, new, and fresh worship is a gift from God.

However, we should not throw out the old. Most of the Psalms are over 3,000 years old and they are just as good today as the day they were written. The Psalmist calls on us to “bless” the Lord (bless means praise) and we do this by using our mouths to make known His faithfulness.

God chose Israel and set it apart from other nations to be His special people for the purpose of making His name known among the nations. When God set them apart, they were no different from other peoples. But, God’s law and presence with them made them unique, so the whole world could see that there was no God like the God of Israel.

Psalm 96 came out of Israel’s unique relationship to God. As the Ark of the Covenant entered Jerusalem and David danced before the Lord, this song was sung to declare the glory of God. David declares several truths about God.

First, He declares that there is no God like God. Psalm 96:4 says:

Psalms 96:4-5 (NKJV) ⁴For the LORD [is] great and greatly to be praised; He [is] to be feared above all gods. ⁵For all the gods of the peoples are idols…

Idols are empty and meaningless, but the spiritual bondage that accompanies idols is real. We tend to think that idols are no longer an issue in our modern world, but this is not true.

Japan is one of the most modern, technologically, and scientifically advanced countries in the world. And, it is a country filled with idols of all kinds; wood, stone, and ceramic gods are everywhere. Even the emperor is worshipped as a god. Stones and objects become gods by ceremonies where spirits are prayed into them. The emperor becomes a god by an extra special ceremony. That ceremony remains secret from the public. 

Japan is one of hundreds of nations where idols are worshipped.

When the psalmist says that the gods of the nations are idols, he points out that it is foolish to bow before objects. But that is not all. The Israelites and you and I know that the spirits behind the “idols” are evil, fallen angels who seek to deceive and destroy men and women.

To strengthen the point that God is to be feared above all gods, the psalmist says:

Psalms 96:5 (NKJV) For all the gods of the peoples [are] idols, But the LORD made the heavens. 

Only one God created all things. God’s glory and greatness are seen in the things He has made. Psalm 19 says:

Psalms 19:1 (NKJV) To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

This is the second truth the psalmist declares. God is the creator of all things. From the vastness of space to the tiniest atom, all creation shows how incomprehensibly great God is. The psalmist calls upon us to join all creation in singing, proclaiming, and declaring the greatness of God. His strength and power are beyond our ability to understand. Psalm 96:10 says:

Psalms 96:10 (NKJV) Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns; The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved…”

The world is firmly established because the Lord reigns. No other explanation for our existence is satisfactory. All such explanations fall short of the facts seen in the data available to us.

The third truth the psalmist singles out is that God is our Savior. 

In the second verse of the psalm, the psalmist says:

Psalms 96:2 (NKJV) Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

Salvation is good news. “His salvation” lets us know that salvation is from the Lord, and salvation cannot be obtained anywhere else.

Psalm 96:10 says, “He shall judge the peoples righteously.” And then, verse 13 says:

Psalms 96:13 (NKJV) For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.

Alongside and undergirding all the psalmists’ praise of the Lord is the truth of salvation. We can praise Him because He saves us. 1 John 4:19 says:

1John 4:19 (NKJV) We love Him because He first loved us.

The great rejoicing of this song comes out of this love. If God did not provide salvation, the fact that “He shall judge the world with righteousness” would be terrible. For those who do not accept the salvation that God offers, His judgment will be terrible. As Psalm 96:4 says:

Psalms 96:4 (NKJV) …He [is] to be feared above all gods.

The Bible tells us our God is a consuming fire. No injustice or unrighteousness will survive in His presence. The prophet Jeremiah says:

Jeremiah 10:7 (NKJV) Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise [men] of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, [There is] none like You.

The psalmist praises God because He is the only God, the creator, and Savior. He calls for us to respond with singing, and with proclamation and declaration. Throughout the psalm, there is a call to tell the nations, the peoples of the earth, about God. Let’s look at verses 2 and 3.

Psalms 96:2-3 (NKJV) ²Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. ³Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.

These two verses call on us to proclaim the good news and declare His glory. These two words call for two different types of communication. The word rendered “proclaim” means to preach. 

We do not all preach, but we are all involved in preaching the gospel. Our tithes and offerings, and prayers support the proclamation of the gospel. If we do not give, people will not hear the good news. Romans 10 asks:

Romans 10:14 (NKJV) How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

We all have a part in this preaching because we are all members of the Body of Christ. The body working together accomplishes the proclamation of the good news.

The second word Psalm 96 uses to call us to action is “declare.” This is a different word and a different activity than proclamation. Another translation of the word is “tell.” We are to “tell” of His glory. The idea communicated here is telling others what God has done for us.

This is something that every individual can do. One does not need to stand on a street corner and shout, although there is a time and place for that. However, we can all tell a friend, neighbor, or family member what God has done for us.

The psalm ends with an incentive for all of us. 

Psalms 96:13 (NKJV) For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.

Three thousand years ago, David knew that God was coming. He did not understand all the details, but He knew God was coming. God came to the world He created as a baby when Jesus was born. At that time, He purchased our salvation. He will come again, and this time He will judge the world with righteousness as David says. 

In 1 John 3:3, the Bible tells us:

1John 3:3 (NKJV) And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

The way we live, one would think we do not believe He is coming. The time for us to proclaim and declare is coming to an end. He is coming soon, and those who do not believe in Jesus Christ will face judgment. 

With all the good things God has done for us, surely we can declare His glory! We have good news to share. The angels called it “good news of great joy!” Psalm 96 overflows with praise because God is worthy of our praise, and he has done great things for us.

An Eternal Dynasty

Psalm 89:1-4, 19-29

Psalm 89 begins with the title, “A Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.”

I assume you do not know who Ethan is; I didn’t. He is mentioned in 1 Kings 4:31. God made Solomon wiser than any man alive. As a comparison, God says that Solomon was even wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite. Since God makes the comparison, we can assume that Ethan was a very wise man.

According to Strong’s and Brown-Driver-Briggs, a “Maschil” is a didactic Psalm (a teaching Psalm), and it is a “Contemplation” in that it reflects prolonged and serious thought. Ethan was a man who specialized in prolonged and serious thought.

Psalm 89 overflows with worship and praise for God and the greatness of His works, His mercy, and compassion. Contemplation (thinking about) God brings us to this place of worship. If it does not, we are not thinking according to the truth. We must learn to think about God by what He reveals of Himself in His word.

We are in clay vessels and live in a world of perishing things. The world and all it contains is wearing out. Our loved ones grow old, and our children grow up. We naturally think in terms of time and the limits of our lives. So, when the Psalmist says, “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,” we should notice his reference to time.

The first four verses of Psalm 89 are very much focused on “forever.” Read them with me.

Psalms 89:1-4 (NKJV) ¹A Contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. ²For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.” ³“I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: ⁴‘Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah

The Psalmist speaks of “forever” and “all generations.”

We must adopt an eternal perspective if we want to contemplate God (think about God). An eternal viewpoint is not natural because everything we do is limited by time. God is the everlasting God. He is from everlasting to everlasting. His character, promises, and works are eternal. 

What does the everlasting nature of God mean when it comes to His mercies?

The Psalmist can “sing of the mercies of the Lord forever” because those mercies will never change; they are everlasting. God has never been more merciful than He is right now, nor will He ever be less merciful. 

The Psalmist also must last forever if he is going to sing forever. God created us to exist forever. When this body wears out or is destroyed, our spirit will continue to exist, and we will be either in the presence of God or separated from God forever. God tells us that “…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) God does not speak of another chance or purification after leaving this body.

When we get sick and God heals us, we say, “God is good!” God is good, and He is good when He chooses not to heal us. Nothing comes into our lives out of God’s control, and he can change, fix, stop, or prevent anything. And yet, bad things happen. The Psalmist deals with this truth in verses 46-48.

Psalms 89:46-48 (NKJV) ⁴⁶How long, LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire? ⁴⁷Remember how short my time is; For what futility have You created all the children of men? ⁴⁸What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave? Selah

Here we see the Psalmist confronting the chastisement (correction) of God. God’s rebuke and discipline come from His mercy as much as His comfort and abundance. Hebrews 12 tells us that the Lord disciplines the child that He loves.

Hebrews 12:5-6 (NKJV) ⁵And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; ⁶for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”

Job spoke profound truth when he said:

Job 2:10 (NKJV) Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?

If all things are under God’s control, what is mercy?

The word used in Psalm 89:1 is “checed.” The root meaning of this word is goodness or kindness. However, “checed” is not about being polite; rather, it extends goodness to the lowly, needy, and miserable. The Psalmist says he will sing of the goodness and kindness of the Lord forever. 

Humanity and each of us individually should sing of the goodness and kindness of the Lord forever. The reason is found in Psalm 40 where it says:

Psalms 40:1-3 (NKJV) ¹… I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry. ²He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, [and] established my steps. ³He has put a new song in my mouth-- Praise to our God; many will see [it] and fear, and will trust in the LORD.

The pit and the miry clay are of our own making, but God does not treat us as we deserve, and that is mercy. 

Attached to mercy, Psalm 89 also speaks of God’s faithfulness. He says, “With my mouth will I make know Your faithfulness to all generations.” 

God’s faithfulness is His “emunah.” This Hebrew word means “firmness, steadfastness, fidelity.” God’s faithfulness is closely associated with His mercy; because of His faithfulness, His mercies never fail or run out. As has been stated, God does not change. In Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah says:

Lamentations 3:22-24 (NKJV) ²²[Through] the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. ²³[They are] new every morning; Great [is] Your faithfulness. ²⁴“The LORD [is] my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”

Here, as in Psalm 89, the Scriptures point to God’s faithfulness in His mercy.

With God’s mercy and faithfulness as the background, the Psalmist says:

Psalms 89:3-4 (NKJV) ³“I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: ⁴‘Your seed I will establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah

Why would God make a covenant with man?

The nations of Europe have the “North Atlantic Treaty Organization” (NATO). NATO was formed after WWII for cooperative defense against the expansion of the Soviet Union. The nations who sign on to this treaty promise to defend and help each other.

God does not need our help or defense, so His covenant (treaty) is one-sided. God has made known to us His reason. Ephesians 2:4-5 say:

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NKJV) ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Because of mercy and love, God made a covenant with man. The covenant Psalm 89 speaks of is with God’s “chosen.” God swore to David to give him an eternal dynasty, a never-ending kingdom. But the one to sit on the throne is to be the seed of David.

The seed of David was born in a stable in Bethlehem. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and he is everlasting. Listen to what the Psalmist says about this seed of David.

Psalms 89:19-29 (NKJV) ¹⁹Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, and said: “I have given help to [one who is] mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. ²⁰I have found My servant David; with My holy oil I have anointed him, ²¹with whom My hand shall be established; also My arm shall strengthen him. ²²The enemy shall not outwit him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. ²³I will beat down his foes before his face, And plague those who hate him. ²⁴“But My faithfulness and My mercy [shall be] with him, and in My name his horn shall be exalted. ²⁵Also I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. ²⁶He shall cry to Me, ‘You [are] my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.’ ²⁷Also I will make him [My] firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. ²⁸My mercy I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall stand firm with him. ²⁹His seed also I will make [to endure] forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.”

This Psalm is a prophecy about Jesus. When He came to the stable in Bethlehem, He came to suffer and die for our sins. Right now, He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God and is waiting until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet. When He returns, He will be our conquering Lord and King. Every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord. His kingdom will be everlasting as He is everlasting. David’s dynasty is eternal because God chose for the flesh of His Son to come through David’s lineage.

Since He is our King, please note that:

The enemy shall not outwit him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague those who hate him.

This promise of protection and strength extends to us who are His. We do not deserve this; His mercy and faithfulness never change, so we are saved.

Do you keep this eternal perspective?

Is your hope in the Lord?

At the Father’s Right Hand, Ephesians 1:20

Ephesians 1:20

At the Father’s Right Hand

We are still in the prayer that Paul is praying for all the saints (that includes you and me). He requests that we know the greatness of God’s power that is at work in our lives.

According to verse 20, this power is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.

Ephesians 1:20 (NKJV) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated [Him] at His right hand in the heavenly [places,]

Now, the Apostle is talking about Jesus. We must understand that although I say “the Apostle is talking about Jesus,” God is the One speaking. The Bible was given to us by the Holy Spirit. While the Bible is not a magical book, it is living, active, sharp, and powerful. The words of this prayer take us to the throne room of God, where Jesus is seated on a throne. His throne is at the right hand of God the Father. 

Sitting at the Father’s right hand is a place of favor, but in Jesus’ case, it is much more than favor. Jesus said,

John 10:30 (NKJV) “I and [My] Father are one.”

The unity of the Father and the Son is such that Heaven’s throne is not divided even if there is a right-hand seat. Jesus is God’s unique (or as we know it, “one and only”) Son, and there is none like Him.

To the Jews of 30 A.D., Jesus said,

John 8:58 (NKJV) Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

With the statement, Jesus declares that He is “I am,” which is God’s name. John 1 tells us that He was in the beginning with God, and nothing that was made was made without Him. (In other words, He created everything.)

However, Jesus humbled Himself and took on human flesh, and he became obedient to the point of dying of the cross for our sins. But when God raised Him from the dead, He exalted Jesus. Ephesians 1:21 says:

Ephesians 1:21 (NKJV) far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

We cannot improve on the words of this verse. Jesus is FAR above all powers, all authorities, all rulers, and His name is GREATER than any name that is named.

Why is it important for us to know this?

First, this same power lives in and works in us. We are weak, but He is strong. We make excuses for ourselves, but we lack faith. When the disciples were afraid, Jesus scolded them for their lack of faith. Why do we afraid? Why do we not trust God for everything? Is there anything He cannot do? So, if I am His child, and His power is working on my behalf, do I have anything to worry about? Yet, we get so stressed!

Second, God has given Him as head over all things to the Church. Jesus owns and runs the Church. According to Revelation 2 and 3, He holds the Church in His hands and can plant and remove as He sees fit. He instructs us how we should function as a Chuch. There is nothing in these verses about pews or chairs, hymnals or projectors, the color of the carpet, or buildings. These things are actually important. I am not saying that we should not be careful in what we choose to do with God’s money. However, Jesus’ focus when He talks to the seven churches is their relationship to Him and whether or not they remained faithful to the truth. Did they tolerate bad doctrine? Did they deny the truth under persecution? Were they passionate about Jesus?

Church and our lives are about our relationship with Jesus. Everything else matters. Our families are important, our children invaluable, fellowship is essential, and others are indispensable. But Jesus is and must be first. He is our Savior, and He is also our master, not just boss but MASTER. 

Do we seek Him? Do we obey Him? Do we listen to Him?

Jesus is seated in the heavenly places. We MUST stop seeking earthly things! Jesus said, Seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness. Colossians 3:1 says:

Colossians 3:1 (NKJV) If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

Why are we so petty, selfish, and stubborn?

We seek the wrong things, and we do not believe (we have very little faith).

Like Those Who Dream

Psalm 126

Psalms 126:1 (NKJV) A Song of Ascents. When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream.

Do you notice the phrase “A Song of Ascents?”

What does that mean?

Let me explain.

The Psalms are the songs of Israel, and they are unique in that they are given by God to teach, comfort, and encourage His people through all generations. In the Psalms, we find every human emotion expressed to the Lord. 

The people who wrote these Psalms lived a long time ago in a culture that would be strange to us today. The Psalms of “Ascents” come from one of these cultural differences.

From the time of Moses, the Lord required that all the men of Israel gather in Jerusalem three times a year; once at Passover, once at Pentecost, and once for the Festival of Booths. Some of the Psalms were for these occasions. Psalm 126 is “A Song of Ascents.” “A Song of Ascents” means that the people sang this song when they were on the way to Jerusalem for the annual festivals.

The people remembered what God had done for them during these celebrations. Passover celebrated God delivering them from slavery in Egypt, which was a totally miraculous deal. Pentecost celebrated the wheat harvest, which is God’s provision, and the Feast of Booths celebrates God’s preservation of the people in the wilderness when they lived in booths (tents). The Feast of Booths carried the additional significance that it came at the final harvest of the agricultural year in Israel, which is, once again, celebrating God’s goodness and provision.

In some ways, we use Christmas in the same manner. We remember and retell the story of Jesus’ birth each year at the same time. We also use Easter to declare the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In these “festivals,” we celebrate God’s goodness and provision.

The Lord established the festivals of Israel so His people would never forget their God and worship other gods. However, God knew that people are stubborn and prone to wander. So, in Deuteronomy 28, God tells the people exactly what will happen when they turn away from Him. As long as they worshiped only Him, they were exceedingly blessed. But, when they turned away from God, they were cursed.

The lesson for us lies in the truth of 1 Corinthians 10:11.

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NKJV) Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

The Israelites suffered because they valued things, pleasures, and power more than God. In their suffering, they cried out to God for salvation. Psalms 126 celebrates God delivering them from suffering. Having been forcibly moved to foreign nations, they did not think they would see Jerusalem again. So, the psalmist says:

Psalms 126:1 (NKJV) A Song of Ascents. When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream.

The phrase “brought back” comes from a Hebrew word which in some places, is rendered “revoked.” The psalmist is saying that the Lord released them from captivity. The ESV Bible says, “When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.” The idea behind “brought back the captivity” is captured by the phrase “restored the fortunes,” however, the history and context of “captivity” is lost in such a translation. The idea of captivity is essential to our understanding of this passage. I am not saying this to be critical of the ESV; instead, I desire to help us understand the meaning of “bring back the captivity” and help us realize that this can apply to each of us because we all are born slaves (captives) of sin.

The Israelites thought that salvation from captivity was impossible, yet the Lord did it. So, they walked in amazement, hardly daring to believe their eyes.

When God acts, we find it too fantastic to believe. For example, Acts 12 tells us that King Herod killed James, John’s brother, and this pleased the Jews. So, he planned on doing the same with Peter and had him arrested and kept in jail. However, before Herod could carry out his plan, an angel came to Peter in the middle of the night, woke him up, and walked him out of jail. Acts 12:9 says:

Acts 12:9 (NKJV) So he [Peter] went out and followed him [the angel], and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 

God does things that seem almost too good to be true. Much of it we do not see because we do not understand. But, occasionally, like Peter, we get a glimpse. 

At such times, we can say with the psalmist:

Psalms 126:2 (NKJV) Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing.

The same thing happened to the lame man healed by Peter in Acts 3:8 where it says:

Acts 3:8 (ESV) And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

Our rejoicing in what God does is a witness to those around us. In Israel’s case, the witness is to all nations on earth. Psalms 126:2-3 says:

Psalms 126:2-3 (NKJV) ²Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” ³The LORD has done great things for us, [And] we are glad.

This same rejoicing is ours at Christmas. The Lord has done great things for us. The whole world celebrates the birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. It is a season of joy because God has done something for us that seems too good to be true.

There are few places where the name of Jesus is not known, and in addition, many places have manger scenes. Despite this, many do not know Jesus. Perhaps they have heard His name, but they do not know Him. The same can be said of nativity sets. Many do not understand the significance of the manger.

People are lost because they do not know the way of salvation, Jesus. Even though God has provided the way of salvation, most of the human race remains in captivity to sin.  

Just like Israel, many need God’s intervention. Many times Israel found herself subject to those who hated her. Therefore, we find in Psalm 126:4 a plea for God to deliver them.

Psalms 126:4 (NKJV) Bring back our captivity, O LORD, As the streams in the South.

The “streams in the South” refer to the Negev in Israel. The southern part of Israel was a desert (it still is). Some gullies and rivers remain dry until it rains, and then they are full of water.  (You can find YouTube videos of water flowing in these streams!)

Israel’s captivity is compared to the desert. Humanity’s separation from God can also be compared to a desert. Psalm 63:1 speaks of this when it says:

Psalms 63:1 (NKJV) O God, You [are] my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.

A person without God will thirst and seek to satisfy that thirst. Everyone is different in how they experience spiritual thirst, but most of us drown it with the desires of our flesh. We are busy with our needs and wants, so we do not think about God. But for the person God releases from captivity, there is rejoicing like the early verses of Psalm 126.

As God’s people, Israel was responsible for spreading the knowledge of God. As God’s people, we are also responsible for spreading the good news. When God “restores our captivity,” He expects us to declare (recount the details) what He has done for us. Each person has a unique story, which needs to be told. The psalmist speaks of this when he says:

Psalm 126:5–6 (NKJV) ⁵Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. ⁶He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

The Lord Jesus compared the Word of God to seed. Psalm 126 uses the same simile. We all are to be sowing (planting). However, what about the weeping and tears?

This tells us what our attitude should be. We quickly become proud of what we know. Many of us feel that the world is entitled to our opinion. This reminds me of a story I heard (I can’t say if it is true or not).

A young man fresh out of seminary was hired by a church to be their pastor, and he was sure they were lucky to have him. On his first Sunday, he came perfectly dressed and groomed without a hair out of place. His sermon also was perfectly prepared and would have earned him an “A” in his homiletics class. However, when he got up to preach, he got confused, and the more he tried to straighten it out, the worse it got. Finally, he started weeping and walked out. One dear saint in the back said, “If he had come in like he went out, he would have gone out like he came in.”

We must remember you and I are just clay pots. The glory and majesty belong to God. Our attitude toward others needs to be one of love and compassion and not arrogance. The fate of those enslaved by sin will be terrible if they do not turn to Jesus.

The Lord Jesus took on a body of clay to set us free. Psalm 126 expresses the joy of the one who receives salvation and of the one who plants the seeds and sees the harvest. We should look at verses 5-6 again!

Psalms 126:5-6 (NKJV) ⁵Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. ⁶He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves [with him.]

Tears of compassion plant seeds of joy. As we share the Word of God, we share life, and as others come to know Jesus, we share in the joy of their salvation.

Christmas reminds us we have good news of great joy to share with all men. 

Do you tell others what God has done for you?

If God has not done anything for you, please, please speak with me about it, and, more importantly, talk with God about it.