Short Thoughts

“The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice;
let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.”
~ Psalm 97:1

The Psalmist begins here with the most wonderful proclamation of Divine truth, “The LORD reigneth.” This is a simple, yet profound truth that should cause the earth to “rejoice,” and the isles, or nations, to “be glad thereof.” He begins his psalm thus, and this magnificent truth is a golden thread woven throughout the whole tapestry of millennial beauty. What grander theme could he take up with? In verse five, he refers to “the Lord of the whole earth.” He declares, “For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all the gods” (Psalm 97:9).

It should be the sincere desire of all His children that indeed the earth would “rejoice,” and the “multitude of isles be glad thereof,” because “the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” (Revelation 19:6). His glory, indeed, is extended over all the earth, for “The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people [peoples or nations] see his glory” (Psalm 97:6). His wondrous creation witnesses to His majesty and likewise, we are constrained to “Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people” (Psalm 96:3). Are we not His creation as well as the heavens? “It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves” (Psalm 100:3). Then, should not we also “declare his glory?”

Though the different peoples of the earth have many natural things that point them to the Divine Creator, “how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). The witness of the very heavens and earth do not relieve us of our evangelical duty. Millions do not walk now in the light of His glory or rejoice in His mighty power. They do not know God and do not seek after Him. To these, “Clouds and darkness are round about him” (Psalm 97:2). They might say, “Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud” (Lamentations 3:44).

Unknown multitudes are “scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). They wander the earth in enmity against God and what of their awful fate should they continue in this course? The Psalmist says, “A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about” (Psalm 97:3). The spiritual condition of perishing, unreached peoples should concern us, for “Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols” (Psalm 97:7).

How long shall we continue to cast our “pearls before swine?” How long shall we pray, “O God, send forth laborers, but don’t send me, don’t send my son or my husband?” The Lord said of the Pharisees, “Ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte” (Matthew 23:15). However, we can hardly negotiate sidewalk and stoop to declare the glory of God. Let us be even as the prophet Isaiah who said, “Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8).

The glory of God ought to be within us “as a burning fire shut up” in our bones so that we cannot forbear speaking it. Elihu testified of old, “I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer” (Job 32:18-20).

This Psalm concludes very personally, “Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness” (Psalm 97:12). The twelfth verse might be seen as the personal application of the first verse. “Let the earth rejoice,” and “let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.” Also, let us “Rejoice in the LORD.” Praise God! “The LORD reigneth!” Let us seek to promote His glory unto all ends of the earth.

“Shew me a token for good;
that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed:
because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.”
~ Psalm 86:17

The eighty-sixth Psalm is a prayer of David to God. The tone is set for the Psalm in the first verse, “Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.” He is crying out to God because of his affliction. The distress of David is obvious. This matter of prayer is pressing. He cries, “Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily” (Psalm 86:3).

Though David is in trouble, this is not a plea of desperation without faith. He prays, “In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me” (Psalm 86:7). David declares his faith in verse thirteen, “For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.”

David’s confidence was bolstered here by two reasons. First, he has been delivered in the past from times of trouble. God had shown Himself strong on David’s behalf before, so there was reason to hope that another temporal deliverance would be wrought. Second, David has already been delivered from eternal condemnation. Even if David were not delivered from his present distress by God preserving his life, David would still be delivered ultimately.

As a prayer, there is much in this Psalm for our instruction. For one, when we consider the whole Psalm, we find there is more of the praise of God in it than the trouble of David. This should immediately convict us to the very selfish nature of many of our prayers. David did spread his complaint before God, but he seems almost swept away at times with the worship of God in His various glories. However, we wish to focus our attention upon the conclusion of David’s prayer and glean some good for our soul from it.

David concludes his petition asking God, “Shew me a token for good.” He is asking God for a sign or some sort of visible evidence of God’s mercy toward him. David does not doubt that mercy. He has already said, “For great is thy mercy toward me” (Psalm 86:13). He is seeking a manifestation of that abiding mercy in his present situation.

At one time, Christ rebuked the Jews because they were seeking a sign. He said, “This is an evil generation: they seek a sign” (Luke 11:29). They wished to be healed from some sickness or they wanted to witness some great miracle. Their motives were to receive benefits to themselves and Jesus reproved them. David’s desire was different. He was seeking a sign that God would be glorified and His enemies would be “ashamed.”

David asked for a “token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed.” This request is in accord with the whole reason for David’s prayer. His complaint is voiced in verse fourteen, “O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.” David’s distress is because of persecution. He rightly recognizes his detractors as the enemies of God, not just David. He said they “have not set thee before them.”

We find reasons for his persecution in verse two. He said, “For I am holy,” or, favored of God. He also said he was “thy servant that trusteth in thee.” The fact that God’s blessings were evident in his life was the reason he was held in contempt. Paul had experienced this same persecution. He wrote to Timothy, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Christians in America today know little of real persecution for “righteousness’ sake.” One reason for this is that perhaps we are not living godly. We have an ungodly self-reliance in this country. We believe in the “American Dream” and our own ability to “make a living.” As a result, the evident tokens of God’s mercy are largely absent from our life. We read here success story after success story of how some poor fellow started out with nothing and with hard work and determination, pulled himself up to the top of the heap. God help us not to bless “the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth” (Psalm 10:3). Our lives ought to be trophies of God’s grace, not testimonies of our own ingenuity. We must repent of our self-reliance and start depending on God.

David gives reason for both his persecution and his request saying, “Because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.” The word “holpen” carries the thought of surrounding or protecting. David said that his enemies hated him because God covered him. Did not Satan complain to God of His protection of Job? He asked, “Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?” (Job 1:10). The wrath of David’s enemies was aggravated by this fact of God’s protection. Just when they thought they had him, some deliverance would be wrought that confounded them. They hated David because God helped and comforted him.

We conclude then, that it is not wrong to ask God for a “token for good” in our lives. In fact, we should seek that God’s hand will be evidently with us every day. I was greatly stirred in the reading of John Warburton’s Mercies of a Covenant God. He would often pray for deliverance that God would be glorified in his life and that he would not be confounded before his enemies. He did not want his life and lack of faith to give cause to the enemies of God to reproach and blaspheme His name. Feeling himself to be poor and needy, he would also ask God to confirm His love for him again.

We should desire to be trophies of God’s grace. We should want our lives to be testimonies to the goodness of the Lord. Can we really be a trophy of grace and walk in sin? Let us cast off the works of darkness with its independence and let us seek the signal blessings of God that a demonstration of His power will be seen in our life. May God give us tokens for good that others may see, fear, and glorify Him.

“Some men’s sins are open beforehand,
going before to judgment;
and some men they follow after.”
~ 1 Timothy 5:24

“Some men’s sins are open beforehand,” or, they are clearly seen and known. We witness the acts of some men and there is no question that they are sins. It follows then that by their open wickedness, we know the perpetrators to be wicked. Christ said, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20). I could name men such as Adolph Hitler or Charles Manson and immediately we know these to be profligate men. Their sins have been open beforehand.

It is also true that “some men they follow after,” referring to their sins. Some men are open and known sinners while others sin more secretly. Their sins “follow after,” or are not clearly seen and known, at least for now. They “devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds” (Micah 2:1). They appear to the world to be upright and possess a good heart. Sometimes these ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing are exposed in this life, usually to the surprise of not a few that knew them. Sometimes, however, they are not exposed in this life, but, either way, they will not escape the judgment of God.

The central thought in this verse is that both classes are headed to judgment and neither shall escape punishment. It will not matter that mother and father were fooled, nor even husband, wife, pastor, congregation, or the grocer at the corner market. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest” (1 Corinthians 3:13) when they stand before the Righteous Judge of all the earth.

However, let us now leave the broad strokes and train our eyes to trace the fine lines of this passage. Let us set aside all prejudice and appropriate this verse to ourselves, having the courage to hide it in our heart that we might not sin against God.

Firstly, just as we may classify men as open sinners or deceptive hypocrites, we may assess our own sins the same way. Some sins and sinful tendencies are “open beforehand” and easily identified. In these things, it is not difficult to be very pious. It is a small matter to be faithful to the assembly, to tithe on the first day of the week, to dress modestly, to maintain clean speech, etc. It is usually not a hard thing to avoid the abuse of alcohol and social drinking, gambling, cussing, the company of openly profane persons, etc.

All of the above items are minimal and you may be very strict in them and have a good report of many. However, know this: The Faithful and True Witness says, “I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works” (Revelation 2:23). “And the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (1 Corinthians 3:13). If these works are merely a facade of piety with you, they will not be able to stand the trial of fire. You ask, “Should I not then be zealous in good works?” You should! You must! It is expected that the branch will bring forth fruit (John 15:8). However, our works must flow from a pure and humble heart with the glory of God as their designed end in order to be truly good works.

Secondly, there are personal sins that “follow after.” They are not clearly seen by others. They will escape our own eyes if our eyes are dim and drowsy. These are the sins we harbor in our hearts. They are awful, dreadful evils that we feed in secret. These are the sins that we must labor to root out of our heart and guard against their reentry. However, far too many who excel in outward piety are content to let them “follow after.”

It is high time for us to “awake to righteousness, and sin not” (1 Corinthians 15:34). We must be done with the easy generalities and begin to get precise and deal honestly, abruptly, and decidedly with sin. This is serious business. We are not just playing games here. Paul urged the Corinthians, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Though you look well outwardly, do you have “eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin” (2 Peter 2:14)? Do you indulge in the graphic images of television and then seek after more explicit sights on the internet or elsewhere? Do you expect your wife and daughters to dress modestly and then crane your neck to look at every loose woman that comes by dressed provocatively?

Are you greedy of gain and stingy to give? Does it pain you to give to the church or a brother in need? Do you entertain thoughts of an adulterous rendezvous? Do you harbor a secret rebellion in your heart against your husband? Are you zealous in service in order to feed your pride? Do you wished to be noticed by men when you perform some work? There are untold evils that lurk in our hearts, but do not be deceived: “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad” (Luke 8:17). It is no mystery why David exclaimed, “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults” (Psalm 19:12).

These verses should move every child of God to a serious self-examination. We must lay our sinful selves bare before the thrice Holy God and plead with the Psalmist: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). The Psalmist besought God to search and try his heart. He wanted God to define the wickedness found there. This is where we have failed. We have not sought righteous judgment; we have applied the wrong measurement. We are content to let our sins “follow after” because we are just as good as everyone else is. In this we are not wise (2 Corinthians 10:12).

Finally, our sins, open and secret, are just like the sinners in our text. They are both going to the judgment. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). All things will be laid open and receive “a just recompence of reward” on that day (Hebrews 2:2). There will be no second chances only bitter regrets. May God give us grace to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” (Hebrews 12:1). Amen.