The Gospel of Light

Psalm 36:5-11 "The Gospel of Light" Safe Haven Worship Centre. Sunday February 2. 2020. Psalm 36:5-11 [5] Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. [6] Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD. [7] How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. [8] They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. [9] For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. [10] Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! [11] Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. (ESV) God’s “steadfast love” seems to be the most important attribute of God in Psalm 36. It is the first attribute David mentions, and he refers to God’s “steadfast love” three times in these verses (vv. 5, 7, 10). “Steadfast love” (“lovingkindness” or “unfailing love” in some translations) is God’s covenant love. He is faithful and loyal to his people just as a good man loves his wife and is faithful to her. When David says that God’s “steadfast love … extends to the heavens” (v. 5), he means there are no limits to his love. When our children were young, one of their their favorite books was Guess How Much I Love You? In the book, Little Nutbrown Hare tries to show his daddy how much he loves him—as high as he can reach and as far as he can hop. But Big Nutbrown Hare can reach higher and hop farther, and he loves him back even more. “I love you all the way down the lane as far as the river,” cried Little Nutbrown Hare. “I love you across the river and over the hills,” said Big Nutbrown Hare. Finally, Little Nutbrown Hare looked up at the sky and said, “I love you all the way to the moon,” and he fell asleep. Big Nutbrown Hare lay down next to him and whispered, “I love you right up to the moon—and back.” God’s “steadfast love” (v. 5) is even better. He loves (His children) to the moon and beyond! His unfailing love is as vast as the immeasurable vastness of space. There are no limits to his loving commitment to his people. ( Johnston, J. A. (2015). Preaching the Word: The Psalms: Rejoice, the Lord Is King—Psalms 1 to 41. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (Vol. 1, pp. 372–373). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.) For the redeemed, God calls us His children. Scripture is a record of how much he loves us as His children. His present care and control in His providence show us His love for us. The assurances in His word and by His Spirit of eternal life, as well as the evidence of Christ's resurrection continue to show His great love. The Gospel itself is a picture of God's love for us. The Gospel stems from the goodness of God. In a hymn of praise to God’s goodness in Psalm 36, three basic characteristics are presented of the Father as the God of "the Gospel of Light". In this we see 1) Light from His Person (Ps. 36:5-6), 2) Light for His People (Ps. 36:7-9) and 3) Light from His Protection (Ps. 36:10-11) The Father is seen as the God of "the Gospel of Light" as seen in: 1) Light from His Person (Ps. 36:5-6) Psalm 36:5-6 [5] Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. [6] Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD. (ESV) The most important of God’s attributes from the perspective of this psalm is hesed, (which is translated here as steadfast love) in other translations it is rendered as:) “unfailing love” or “lovingkindness.” It is important because it begins the list of attributes (in v. 5) and closes it (in v. 7). It also reappears in the closing prayer (in v. 10) (Boice, J. M. (2005). Psalms (Pbk. ed.) (311). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books). Alexander Maclaren has a sermon on this psalm in which he unfolds the meaning of the term, calling it goodness, mercy, and grace. Describing this steadfast love he says: “All his goodness is forbearance, and his love is mercy, because of the weakness, the lowliness, and the ill desert of us on whom the love falls. … The first and last, the Alpha and Omega of God, beginning and crowning and summing up all his being and his work, is his mercy, his lovingkindness.”(Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, vol. 3, The Psalms, Isaiah 1–48 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959), 229–30.) Verse 5a conveys the thought that the LORD's qualities are beyond measuring, without any limits in that they cover the whole universe. If the imagery of love having physical extension can be used, it may be possible to say, in a simile form, “you love in such a great way that it is like the distance from the earth to the sky.” The comparison can also we said that His "constant love is far greater than anything else” or “You always love your people far more than they can imagine.”. He does these things for His people. His “steadfast love/Lovingkindness,” is God’s basic characteristic in the context of covenant, is amplified by “faithfulness” (The two terms are poetically synonymous; in that He is faithful to His promises as defined by Covenant. Every act of mercy is at one and the same time an act of faithfulness because every act of mercy fulfils God’s promise to be merciful. We must, therefore, exalt his faithfulness as much as we do his mercy (Ellsworth, R. (2006). Opening up Psalms (142). Leominster: Day One Publications.). God's “steadfast love/Lovingkindness,” has to do with God’s verbal revelation, for only a God who has spoken promises to mankind can be thought of as faithful. This God has done. He has given numerous revelations and promises, and he has adhered unwaveringly to each one (Boice, J. M. (2005). Psalms (Pbk. ed.) (311). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.). • As much as we can read, see and feel God's love, the great wonder is that He is coordinating and providentially controlling events for our benefit. The scope of His faithfulness is noted that it extends “to the heavens” which does not imply distance, but something which has no boundaries or limits. (Craigie, P. C. (2002). Vol. 19: Word Biblical Commentary : Psalms 1-50. Word Biblical Commentary (292). Dallas: Word, Incorporated). On this A. W. Pink said: "Far above all finite comprehension is the unchanging faithfulness of God. Everything about God is great, vast, incomparable. He never forgets, never fails, never falters, never forfeits His word. To every declaration of promise or prophecy the Lord has exactly adhered, every engagement of covenant or threatening He will make good, for “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” (Num. 23:19, AV). Therefore, does the believer exclaims, “His compassions fail not, they are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22, 23, AV)". (A. W. Pink, The Attributes of God, p. 47.) The next attribute as shown in Psalm 36:6 is righteousness. By it David teaches that God is upright in all his ways. As Abraham before him well knew: Genesis 18:25 [25] Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" (ESV) In Psalm 36:6 the mountains of God is taken by most to be a Hebrew way of saying “the highest mountains” (Ps. 68:15a; 80:10; 104:16). That which testifies to the glory of God (His power, goodness, and holiness) serves to reveal Him. Thus the prophets are frequently called men of God, and Mount Sinai and Zion, mountains of God; so likewise Paradise is called the garden of God, Gen. 13:10, comp. 2:8, and the rain in contrast to artificial irrigation is called the brook of God, Ps. 65:9; and the cedars of Lebanon are called cedars of God, Ps. 80:10; and trees of God, Ps. 104:16, not only because He planted them as the aloes (Num. 24:6), but because they testify to His creative power, and their consideration gives occasion to worship Him. (Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., Moll, C. B., Briggs, C. A., Forsyth, D. D., Hammond, J. B., McCurdy, J. F., & Conant, T. J. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures : Psalms (249). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.). The quality evoked in Psalm 36:6 is that of stability and permanence. The phrase here: Like the great deep compares God’s judgments to the ocean depths, emphasizing the idea of mystery and power. It is an emphatic way of saying that God’s righteousness and judgments are all-encompassing, ranging from the highest peaks to the lowest depths of the earth. Poetic imagery is not always subject to logical analysis and definition. As a purely factual statement we may say that His “way of doing things fairly is as great as a mountain.” It may be said “you judge everything as fairly as the sea is deep. ”Justice, rendered here as God's judgments concludes David’s four-item list of attributes. He is not thinking here of the final judgment, when the wicked will be punished for their sins and the righteous will be vindicated on the basis of God’s righteousness, which we now know is provided for us in Jesus Christ. He is thinking of God’s justice in human affairs (Boice, J. M. (2005). Psalms (Pbk. ed.) (312). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books). God shows His justice at the end of Psalm 36:6 in His action to “save”. In this context does not mean to rescue, but means to provide for, care for, supply the needs of. We can say “You support,” or “you preserve,”. “You take care of.” The Father provides for the needs of all living beings, animals and humans alike. This is how the psalmist uses a legal metaphor to describe God’s preservation of his creation. Like a just judge who vindicates the innocent, God protects his creation from destructive forces. (Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Ps 36:6). Biblical Studies Press.). To illustrate this in a comparative sense, please turn back to the most famous of Psalms, Psalm 23 Romans 5:9 specifies that the redeemed are saved from the wrath of God. Those who are saved are not removed from trials, but He walks with us and provides, cares, and supplies us that we may be strengthened and glorify Him through trials. This is the type of care expressed in the Shepherd Psalm of Psalm 23: Psalm 23:1-6 [23:1] The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. [2] He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. [3] He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. [4] Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. [5] You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. [6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (ESV) • Just as a shepherd cares for his sheep, so the Lord cares for his people, providing for their needs, guiding them, and protecting them. The paths of righteousness are not a burden but a blessing and He wants us to follow His light down the difficult path for His name's sake (v.3). When we are faithful, especially when it is difficult, we grow and He is glorified.We often do not know what is in the dark valley of the shadow of death, but the faithful find assurance that the Light of God, His presence is with them, and thus they need not fear. Illustration: Fear of the Dark Sometimes it takes a while from knowing that God is with us, and not fearing: 5-year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn’t want to go in alone. “It’s dark in there and I’m scared.” She asked again, and he persisted. Finally, she said, “It’s OK—Jesus will be in there with you.” Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said: Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?” (Victory in the Valleys, Charles Allen as found in Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.) • The path before us can seem dark at times, but God promises to go with us and His presence is the light that we need. The "Gospel of Light" shows that God is a: 2) Light for His People (Ps. 36:7-9) Psalm 36:7-9 [7] How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. [8] They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. [9] For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. (ESV) In Psalm 36:7, the psalmist praises God for his steadfast love for his people. The adjective precious in this context means that God’s love is worth having, it is valuable; it brings blessings and benefits to His people. God's protection here is described in the simile of taking refuge in the shadow of your wings. Just as there is the protective care of a parent bird for its young (Deut. 32:11; Pss. 17:8; 91:4; Ruth 2:12; cf. Jesus’ allusion to the word picture in Matt. 23:37). so, God will “protect His people like a bird protects its young under its wings.” (MacArthur, J. J. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Ps 36:7). Nashville: Word Pub.) Psalm 91 expresses this thought: Psalm 91:4 [4] He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. (ESV) The psalmist is not carried away by the aesthetics of nature. He has not forgotten that the pious are still pursued by malefactors. Yet he knows the wonder of seeking refuge “in the shadow of [the divine] wings.” ( P. Bordreuil, “ ‘A l’ombre d’Elohim’: Le thème de l’ombre protectrice dans l’Ancien Orient et ses rapports avec l’image de Dieu,” RHPR, XLVI (1966), pp. 368–91).. In this, the poet alludes to the transcendental immanence of Yahweh—that paradoxical quality of being close and distant at the same time, of a proximity that does not dilute into a commonplace of camaraderie. It is not “his wings” that carry the refugee to safety (cf. Exod 19:4; Deut 32:11–12), but only their shadow that conveys to (us) the very hope of security (cf. Pss 17:18; 57:2; 63:8)....Although divine protection is sought and already received in inward hope, the human situation remains a chaos of conflicts (Terrien, S. (2003). The Psalms : Strophic structure and theological commentary (315). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.) ‘It is not in his justice that we can take refuge, for we are sinners, but the foundation of all our hope is his mercy. A holy creature could fly to a holy Creator for refuge and defence; … but the refuge of a sinner, as such, is only his mercy; …’ (Albert Barnes. Barnes, Notes, vol. i, p.313.) In Psalm 36:8, the inexhaustible blessings of God are compared to abundance of your house and the river of your delights”. Here, David the Psalmist deals with satisfaction. David does not use the word satisfaction, but this is what he means when he speaks of the righteous feasting on the “abundance” of God’s house. (Given the context) the “house” David speaks of here is the world in which we live and in which God’s blessings are poured out. ...These verses describe a present and continuous enjoyment of God’s bounties (Boice, J. M. (2005). Psalms (Pbk. ed.) (312). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.). God provides both rich sustenance and ample refreshing drink. The noun translated abundance is “fatness”; it is used to refer to olive oil, food, and rich food. (Craigie, P. C. (2002). Vol. 19: Word Biblical Commentary : Psalms 1-50. Word Biblical Commentary (292). Dallas: Word, Incorporated). But the house of God can be a place of ‘leanness’. It is so when the Word of God is not truly preached, when the Word is received with unbelief and doubt, when there is dullness in hearing the Word (Heb. 5:11) and when there is unwillingness to obey the Word (James 1:22–24) (Ellsworth, R. (2006). Opening up Psalms (144–145). Leominster: Day One Publications.). Our word for the second blessing is joy, though the word David uses here is delights. The interesting thing about David’s word is that it is the plural of the word Eden and undoubtedly looks backward to the joys of our first parents before the fall. David is probably also thinking of a river (or rivers) in the Garden of Eden, when he writes of “your river of delights.” (Boice, J. M. (2005). Psalms (Pbk. ed.) (312). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.) For us, every time God provides rain, the river spoken of here is that which flows from the upper waters stored above the heavenly dome (see 33.7 and comments; Job 38:25a), from which come the life-giving rains that cause plants and crops to grow (see 65:9; 104:13). Here is another marvelous manifestation of mercy: God is the source of all that his people need for the challenges of life. From his limitless supply flows a never-ending stream of strength, wisdom and guidance (Ellsworth, R. (2006). Opening up Psalms (144–145). Leominster: Day One Publications.). Poem: As Annie Johnson Flint said: “He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater; He sendeth more strength when the labours increase. To added afflictions, He addeth his mercy; To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace. His love has no limit; His grace has no measure; His pow’r has no boundary known unto men. For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!” In Psalm 36:9, adds two more blessings of the righteous—life and light. The psalmist speaks of God as the fountain of life, that is, “the source of all life”; and light is a figure for life (see 18:28; 27:1). It is likely that this phraseology bears both literal and figurative significance, i.e., God is the source of physical life and also of spiritual life. The Lord is the Source and Sustainer of all light and life. Just as natural light reveals things in their true form, so the light of God enables us to see things as He does. It enables us to form correct estimates of spiritual realities, of the world, of others, and of ourselves. (MacArthur, J. J. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Ps 36:9). Nashville: Word Pub.). According to the psalm, even human knowledge and perception depend upon a relationship with God and the blessings that are offered in the relationship. The autonomous individual in our culture has been taught to say, “I call them as I see them.” Psalm 36 teaches us to confess, In your light we see light. C. S. Lewis’s famous dictum, which is inscribed on his memorial, is an apt commentary on this truth: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else.” (Jacobson, R. A., & Tanner, B. (2014). Book One of the Psalter: Psalms 1–41. In E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, & R. L. Hubbard Jr. (Eds.), The Book of Psalms (pp. 346–347). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.) Illustration: Corot, the great landscape painter once said, “When I find myself in one of Nature’s beautiful places, I grow angry with my pictures.” Pleased with them in his studio, the artist was humbled in sight of Nature’s glory. Judging ourselves in the light of the world, we may easily find grounds for personal satisfaction; but to judge ourselves in the light of the Lord, to measure ourselves by the Divine standard, is to put our pride to shame (Choice Gleanings as quoted in MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Ps 36:9). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.). Please turn to Revelation 22 Because God is life and the source of it, human beings are able to have life, a “full and satisfying life” (Anderson). At the moment of regeneration, this is eternal life, instead of eternal death. The expression with you is the fountain of life refers to God as the one who creates everything that lives”; the "one who gives life to all things.” Following the interpretation of light representing life, it is possible to translate this as: “it is your light which illumines our life”.Revelation 22:1–5 is a beautiful elaboration of these verses (Brug, J. F. (2002). Psalms : Psalms 1-72 (2nd ed.). The People's Bible (153). Milwaukee, Wis.: Northwestern Pub. House.) Revelation 22:1-5 [22:1]Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb [2]through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. [3] No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. [4] They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. [5] And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (ESV) Illustration: C. H. Spurgeon The renowned 19th-century English preacher C. H. Spurgeon told this story about King Cyrus, the man who conquered Babylon and freed the Jews from captivity: A visitor who was admiring Cyrus’ gardens said it gave him much pleasure. “Ah,” said Cyrus, “but you have not so much pleasure in this garden as I have, for I have planted every tree in it myself.” Spurgeon then commented, “One reason some saints will have a greater fullness of heaven than others will be that they did more for heaven than others. By God’s grace they were enabled to bring more souls there.” Those words should cause all of us who know the Lord to do some serious thinking. How many people will be in heaven because of us? Our desire should be that when we reach our eternal home, some will say to us, “I’m so thankful for you. It was your testimony, your life, your invitation to accept Christ that accounts for my being here today.” The apostle Paul anticipated the joy in heaven of seeing people who were there as a result of his ministry (1 Th. 2:19–20). Yes, heaven’s joys will be the fullest for those who have helped lead others to Christ. So, do all you can to bring to Jesus those who are lost in sin. That’s how you can lay up pleasures in heaven! (RWD as found in "Our Daily Bread", September 10, 1997) Finally, the "Gospel of Light" shows that from God there is: 3) Light from His Protection (Ps. 36:10-11) Psalm 36:10-11 [10] Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! [11] Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. (ESV) The psalm closes with a prayer to the Father to bless his people (verse 10) and to protect the psalmist from his enemies (verse 11). David prayed for things God had already promised. Why should we ask Him for what He has already promised? Similarly, Jesus taught us to pray for our needs, even though the Father knows them before we ask (Mt. 6). Why should we pray for things God is already aware of? By asking God for what we need—even though He already knows—we acknowledge that we need Him and we express our total dependence on Him. Additionally, prayer releases us from worry and anxiety (Ph. 4:6–7), and it frees us from the cares of this life to focus on the things of God (Mt. 6:25–34). Praying for specific needs, even though God has already promised to meet them, keeps us aware of His faithfulness, and it prompts us to give thanks and glory to Him.( Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (2014). Psalms I: Chapters 1–41 (p. 269). Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.) For an explanation of this, please look back at Psalm 7 In verse 10 of Psalm 36 the reference for someone to know means intimate knowledge, a living experience, a close relation, and not mere acquaintance or theoretical knowledge about God. Those who know the Father, are the upright of heart. Psalm 7 brings out this thought: Psalm 7:1-10 1 O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, 2  lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver. 3 O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, 4  if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, 5 let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust. Selah 6 Arise, O Lord, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment. 7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high. 8 The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. 9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous— you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God! 10 My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. (ESV) • The upright in heart trust God to protect them, like a shield protects a warrior. This protection leads the upright in heart to be comforted and delight in the source of their protection. As Psalm 32 says: Psalm 32:11 [11] Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (ESV) • Worship is a time from those who have had God change their heart to come together to delight in God and praise Him for who He is, what He has done, and a pre-celebration of what He has promised to do. God's righteousness in Ps. 36:10b is parallel with steadfast love of line a. It does not mean “rescue” but the blessings and benefits, the “good things” that God gives his people. It is rendered kindness, generosity (Dahood), “beneficence”, “faithfulness”, “justice”, or “saving justice”. God will continue to bless us if we love Him, get to know Him better, and walk in obedience to His will. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2004). Be worshipful (1st ed., p. 141). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.) Finally, in Ps. 36:11 the foot of arrogance and the hand of the wicked are ways of speaking of the psalmist’s enemies, who are proud and evil and who oppose and attack him. This is likely a military imagery referring to the practice of a victorious king-general symbolically placing his foot upon the neck of a prostrated, defeated king-general. Some translations (SPCL) use the language of threshing and winnowing grain, “Don’t let the arrogant tread on me, nor the evil winnow me.” (MacArthur, J. J. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Ps 36:11). Nashville: Word Pub.). • In God's protective light we can come to understand difficulties, those seeking to harm us or the harmful effects of our own sin. God most often will not remove us from the consequences, but His light is both informative and comforting. We can see that He is with us, He cares for us and will not allow us to fall away or have His divine plan thwarted. What is the final application of the psalm? It is what we have already seen in verse 7. What distinguishes the righteous from the wicked are not the good deeds of the godly (though they inevitably express their right relationship to God by good deeds), but rather that they, in distinction from the wicked, have taken refuge under the shadow of God’s wings. The words “find refuge” mean to flee for refuge, like a man guilty of manslaughter fleeing from the avenger of blood. They mean to flee with haste and intensity, stopping for nothing, until by the full thrust of our entire natures we find safety and deliverance beneath the wings and in the unfailing mercy of Almighty God. That mercy is to be found in Jesus Christ. (That is "The Gospel of Light") Jesus said of Jerusalem, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, … how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34). The masses of Jesus’ day missed that great blessing and perished. The masses miss them today. Do not be one of them. Come to Jesus now (Boice, J. M. (2005). Psalms (Pbk. ed.) (313). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.). (Format note: Some base commentary from Bratcher, R. G., & Reyburn, W. D. (1991). A translator's handbook on the book of Psalms. Helps for translators (344–347). New York: United Bible Societies).