A Glad Heart

Please turn in your Bible to Psalm 92 (pg. 589 in the Worship Bible in the Pew), as we look at A GLAD HEART.

What makes your heart glad? Is it the cry of a newborn child? Is it seeing your children grow to maturity and excel in whatever it is that God has called them to do? Is it the beauty of nature? Things spring forth to life in the spring, or the panoply of colors in the fall? The majesty of a mountain? What is it that makes your heart glad?

All of these things which I have mentioned are the work of God’s hand, and so it is fitting that they make us glad. But does our enjoyment of such things cause us to erupt in praise to God since He is the provider of them all?

Our psalm for today is one of the many anonymous psalms in the psaltery. We do not know when it was written nor by whom. While some readily credit David with the writing of this psalm, others believe that it was probably written at a much later time — perhaps even after the return of the remnant after the Babylonian Captivity.

While we do not know when this was written, the anonymous writer gives us a clue as to its purpose in the divinely inspired superscription. A PSALM. A SONG FOR THE SABBATH.

As you probably know, the Sabbath was the seventh day of the week — Saturday. In Judaism they considered the day to begin with evening since at the time of creation it was written that there was evening and morning, the first day. So, for them, the seventh day or Sabbath began on Friday evening at sundown, and continued until Saturday evening at sundown. Long before the giving of the law, God set a precedence for the Sabbath being a day of rest since God created everything in six days, but rested from His creative work on the seventh day.

Derek Kidner pointed out that the Sabbath was a day of rest, but it was not a day of inactivity.

Leviticus 23:3 ESV

“Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.

A holy convocation refers to a gathering of worshipers.

Kidner went on to indicate that the Sabbath may have been a test of faith and loyalty — will the worshipers of Yahweh complain about not being able to buy and sell on the Sabbath, or will they rest in order to find strength and renewal — if that is the case, then this psalm appropriately pictures the contrast between those who worldly, and those who are godly. (Derek Kidner, Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 16, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1975), 366.)

Calvin noted that rather than our minds being completely idle on the Sabbath, we should be actively engaging our minds and thoughts on the goodness of God.

As we work through this psalm we will look at the expression of gratitude, the futility of the ungrateful, and the exaltation and fruitfulness of the grateful.

Let’s read our psalm together.

Psalm 92 ESV

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath. It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep! The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O Lord, are on high forever. For behold, your enemies, O Lord, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered. But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil. My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Let’s begin by looking at

THE EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE

Note that,

Our Hearts should be so Gladdened by the Works of God that we Erupt in Songs of Praise to Him

Look at verse 1.

Psalm 92:1 “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;”

The term translated “good” should be seen in the sense of it being fitting that we express our gratitude to God. H.C. Leupold wrote, “Luther interprets well when he renders the word “precious.” For to tell the truth, one of the finest undertakings that can occupy any man at any time is to praise the Lord.” (Leupold, pg. 658)

Notice that the mode of giving thanks mentioned in the text is to sing praises. And since this psalm seems to be set in the context of corporate worship, the reference may be to coming together as the people of God to express our gratitude to Him in song.

You know, the Bible never gives people the option of opting out of singing if they don’t like to sing. Or opting out if they don’t like the particular song. My recently departed father-in-law, Carl Boutilier Jr. was a fitting example of this. Whether or not he knew a song, he still sang with a full voice from a heart filled with gratitude. He may not have had the tune right, he may not have had the timing right, but he had the heart right.

To whom does the psalmist exhort us to direct our praise? First he mentions singing to your name. Last week we referenced the covenant name of God, which is Yahweh. And in the first part of the verse, the psalmist directs us to give thanks to Yahweh. In the last part of the verse another name is used Elyon, which is translated Most High. Adrian Rogers noted, “Fundamentally, Elyon emphasizes that God is not part of the universe, but transcendent and above all things - “the strongest of the strong” and “the highest of the high” (Adrian Rogers, Let’s Talk About God, Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive).

So, verse 1 exhorts us to sing praises to God, and verse 2 mentions the content of our praises. Look at verse 2. Psalm 92:2 “to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,”

Last week I mentioned that steadfast love is related to God’s covenant relationship with His people. God’s faithfulness is an expression of His character. He can never be anything less than faithful.

We are prone to being unfaithful. The hymn writer, Robert Robinson, put it so well:

O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee:

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it; seal it for Thy courts above.

Many of the OT prophets refer to the relationship between God and His covenant people in the terms of marriage. In this illustration, God is seen as the husband. His people are seen as the bride. And sadly, in this illustration, the bride is often unfaithful to the marriage vows. But God, the husband, is never unfaithful.

Regarding worship, the Reformer, John Calvin wrote, We engage in Sabbath worship “in remembrance of his (steadfast love -- ESV) and faithfulness, which should inflame our heart to such exercise, if we had any proper sense and experience of them. He would have us consider, in mentioning these, that not only is God worthy of praise, but that we ourselves are chargeable with ingratitude and perversity should we refuse it.” (Calvin, pg. 494)

Before moving on, notice the timing of praise. Look at verse 2 again. Psalm 92:2 “to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,”

Leupold wrote, “Though these two divine attributes could be exchanged for mention in the morning and the evening, there is a certain propriety about their being assigned to the part of day for which they are fitting. In the morning one may attribute the protection enjoyed during the night just passed to God’s steadfast love; and on the evening God’s faithfulness is to be considered as the force which above all others carried us through the manifold situations that were met with in a busy day.” (Leupold, pg. 659)

So, verse 1 is the exhortation to praise, and verse 2 gives us the content of praise. Now we will see that verse 3 provides us with the accompaniment of praise. Look at verse 3. Psalm 92:3 “to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.”

The lute is probably a ten stringed instrument. Some believe it to have been similar to the Zither. The harp is — well a harp. And the lyre is a guitar-like instrument. This is the instrument that David played before Saul when the king was vexed by an evil spirit.

There are some who teach that since instruments are never mentioned in the context of worship in the NT then they are not to be used by the church. But since the God of the OT is also the God of the NT I believe that instrumental music is not only allowable, but also important. As a matter of fact, the Bible refers to many categories of musical instruments: strings, reed instruments, trumpets, and percussion instruments. That being said, the Bible seem to make the voice as the primary instrument with all other instruments being used for the support of the voice.

So, we have seen the exhortation to praise, the content of praise, and the accompaniment of praise. Let’s look now at the reason for praise.

Look at verse 4. Psalm 92:4 “For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.”

While the psalmist doesn’t specify which works of God it is that makes him glad, if this was truly written after the return of the remnant from Babylon, the works might include the rebuilding of the temple, and or walls of Jerusalem. The safety provided them from the various enemies who were trying to deter them from the work Lord had commissioned them to accomplish. But of course, God’s general acts of creation, and His specific act of redemption could also be in mind. And these should cause us to lift our voices in praise to God together in corporate worship.

We have been looking at the expression of gratitude. Let’s turn now to consider

FUTILITY OF THE UNGRATEFUL

Note that,

While God is Eternal and Always Victorious, Those who Oppose Him are Marked for Devastation

Look at verse 5. Psalm 92:5 “How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!”

The psalmist begins this section by continuing to speak about the works of the Lord, but then he shifts abruptly to speak about the futility of the ungrateful.

In this context is would seem that the great works of God are in regard to the vindication of the righteous from the unrighteous.

Look at verses 6-7. Psalm 92:6–7 “The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever;”

We always taught our children that it was unkind to call anyone stupid. Now I am wondering if we were correct. Of course God can call someone stupid without sinning. However, it is questionable as to whether or not I can.

Perhaps we need to define or clarify who it is that God’s Word calls stupid. It is not necessarily the person of low intellect. Rather, it is the person who refuses to worship the one and only true God. His power and creative work are seen by all, and yet most ignore what they see. They prefer to be blinded to the truth than to embrace the truth.

Derek Kidner wrote, “To look up, in true worship as in verses 1–4, is to be made not only ‘glad’ but thoughtful, awed by the scale of God’s design. By contrast, to be blind to all this is to become ‘like the beasts that perish’ (49:10, 12, 20), which is the literal force of the word the dull man (or stupid man in the ESV, senseless man in various other translations). It has nothing to do with mental capacity: only with the use of it.” (Derek Kidner, Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 16, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1975), 367.)

Not only is the person who refuses to acknowledge God called stupid, he is also called a fool. The psalmist goes on to state that there is something very basic which this foolish, senseless man cannot grasp. That is that the wicked are like that grass that grows up today and is gone tomorrow.

Michael Rydelnik wrote, “Since persecution by the ungodly is an inevitable component in the lives of “all who desire to live godly” (2Tm 3:12), this model of weekly prayer—which is intended to contribute to the spiritual and emotional recharging of the believer—here reminds the worshiper that this life is but a drop in the ocean of eternity, and that the sprout[ing] up (i.e., flourishing) of the wicked is like the grass (v. 7). In contrast, God is eternal. Though God in His forbearance may allow some among those who do iniquity a brief time to flourish so that they might repent, He will inevitably requite them should they not repent with destruction forevermore, that is, with eternal condemnation (v. 7; cf. 83:17; Dn 12:2).” (Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham, eds., “Psalms,” in The Moody Bible Commentary (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 835.)

In contrast with the wicked, look at verse 8. Psalm 92:8 “but you, O LORD, are on high forever.”

The wicked are here today and gone tomorrow, but the Lord endures for all eternity.

The psalmist is not quite finished with the wicked. Look at verse 9. Psalm 92:9 “For behold, your enemies, O LORD, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.”

Leupold wrote, “Though the enemies of God seem to be solidly banded together, in their overthrow they will be routed and scattered, no matter how apparently strong the bonds were that bound them together.” (Leupold, pg. 661)

Think about the Tower of Babel. The Tower of Babel was built by Noah’s descendants as a national rallying point to prevent their dispersion, with the intention of creating a single, unified kingdom with Babel as its capital. Their purpose was deliberately to disobey God’s command to spread out across the world and to remain concentrated in the Babylonian area between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers.

Physically, the tower was designed as a high structure for studying the stars, but not for astronomical purposes. Instead, it was intended for astrology, which represented a repudiation of God’s control as the ultimate Creator and a move towards polytheism. Additionally, the people sought to bring glory to themselves by constructing an incredibly tall structure that would make them famous, hoping to create the biggest building in the world.

However, God frustrated their plans by miraculously confounding their language, making communication impossible. This sudden and perplexing intervention broke up their social intercourse, effectively forcing them to part ways and ultimately spread across the world, thus accomplishing the divine purpose of populating the Earth.

Of course, our text doesn’t talk about the Tower of Babel, but it does refer to the enemies of God being scattered.

So far, we have looked at the expression of gratitude and the futility of the ungrateful. Let’s turn now to consider

THE EXALTATION OF THE GRATEFUL

Note that,

God Provides the Strength which His People Need to go through the Trials of Life

Look at verse 10. Psalm 92:10 “But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil.”

The exalted horn of the psalmist refers to God’s favor. God has looked favorably upon him, and given him the strength that he needs to withstand his current trials in life. And He has done the same for you and me as well. He provides the strength to endure our trials. He provides the wisdom to navigate these trials. And He provides the conviction that these trials are limit to the physical realm, and will not be a part of the next life.

The anointing with oil may be a reference to God’s people being set apart as His own special people. It certainly was used that way in reference to the anointed kings. It could also be used in the context of restoration and restored vitality.

Look at verse 11. Psalm 92:11 “My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.”

While the psalmist has received divine favor from God, the wicked are doomed. And the psalmist witnessed their downfall.

We have now looked at the expression of gratitude, the futility of the ungrateful, and the exaltation of the grateful. Let’s now look at

THE FRUITFULNESS OF THE GRATEFUL

Note that,

We are Never too Old to Serve the Lord; He Provides the Spiritual Stamina and Strength to Continually Bear Fruit

Look at verse 12. Psalm 92:12 “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.”

I wonder if the psalmist had been familiar with the Redwood trees on the west coast, if he would have used them for his illustration. One of the highlights of my life was when my son took me to see them for my 55th birthday. Hard to believe that was seven years ago already!

The point is the contrast between the righteous and the wicked. The righteous will flourish like majestic trees. The wicked will also flourish for a time. But their time is soon to come to an end.

Look at verse 13. Psalm 92:13 “They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God.”

Spurgeon wrote, “No heart has so much joy as that which abides in the Lord Jesus. Fellowship with the stem begets fertility in the branches. If a man abide in Christ he brings forth much fruit. Those professors who are rooted to the world do not flourish; those who send forth their roots into the marshes of frivolous pleasure cannot be in a vigorous condition; but those who dwell in habitual fellowship with God shall become men of full growth, rich in grace, happy in experience, mighty in influence, honoured and honourable. Much depends upon the soil in which a tree is planted; everything, in our case, depends upon our abiding in the Lord Jesus, and deriving all our supplies from him. If we ever really grow in the courts of the Lord’s house we must be planted there, for no tree grows in God’s garden self-sown; once planted of the Lord, we shall never be rooted up, but in his courts we shall take root downward, and bring forth fruit upward to his glory for ever.” (C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Psalms 88-110, vol. 4 (London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers, n.d.), 120.)

Look at verse 14. Psalm 92:14 “They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green,”

Sometimes people seem to think that they are too old to be of any service to the Lord. But that simply is not true. Physical limitations might effect certain areas of service. But you can still pray. You can still mentor those who are younger than you in the ways of the Lord. We have an example of that in our very own congregation with Pastor J still serving the Lord even though he is 90 years old!

Our text refers to those who gratefully follow the Lord as being full of sap and green. Derek Kidner pointed out that “It is not the greenness of perpetual youth, but the freshness of age without sterility, like that of Moses whose ‘eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated’ (Deut. 34:7); whose wisdom was mature and his memory invaluably rich. It is a picture which bodily and mental ills must often severely limit, but which sets a pattern of spiritual stamina for our encouragement and possibly our rebuke.” (Derek Kidner, Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 16, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1975), 369.)

Finally, look at verse 15. Psalm 92:15 “to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”

We should be praising the Lord with our song, with our lives , as well as with our words. We should be declaring to the world around us the steadfast love of God and His faithfulness to His own. We should be telling them that God is upright — that He is good — that there is no sin to be found in Him. Everything which He does is good. We should be building our lives upon the foundation of God, our rock of ages.

For any here who have not built their upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, our Solid Rock, I encourage you to meditate on this world and see God’s handywork in creating it. I encourage you to consider why it is that you have not founded your life on the Rock of Christ. Ultimately, it means that you have founded your life in pursuit of something that is temporal, something that is fleeting, something what will not stand the test of time. I encourage you to look to the cross of Christ. God’s eternal Son became a man so that He could die to save His people from their sins. Not only did He die, but He was raised from the dead. I encourage you to acknowledge to God that you are a sinner, and to seek His forgiveness by embracing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. I encourage you to embrace the message of the cross and the empty tomb.

Let’s pray.

Holy Father,

I want to express my gratitude to You. I am grateful for Your steadfast love which You have showered me with. I am grateful for Your faithfulness, even when I am unfaithful, You remain faithful.

I praise You, Lord, for Your marvelous works. For Your works of creation. And for Your works of redemption.

I pray, Father, that we who are believers in Jesus Christ would flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Father, I pray for any here who have never embrace the message of the cross and the empty tomb, that this would be the day that Your Spirit opens the eyes of their spiritual hearts, and makes them alive in Christ.

I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Closing Song: #204

Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood, from Thy riven side which flowed

Be of sin the double cure, Cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r.

Benediction

Romans 11:33–36 “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”