Today’s Scripture: Psalm 72-74
Things to remember in today’s reading:
- Psalm 72 “is a royal psalm, praying that the heirs of David’s line (beginning with Solomon) might have success in the task that God has assigned the kings (namely, ruling God’s people well, protecting the poor and needy, and bringing blessing to all nations of the earth).”
- Psalm 73 “is a wisdom psalm, helping those who sing it to rest content even when unbelievers seem to get along without a care in the world, so that the faithful are tempted to join them. Their help comes from taking to hear where the different life paths of the faithful and unbelievers are headed; each one is going toward either nearness to God or separation from him, a nearness or separation that will apply both now and in the afterlife.”
- Psalm 74 “is a cry of anguish over a disaster that has befallen God’s people; the temple has been laid ruin (quite possibly the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem). Thus this is a community lament …(and) recounts God’s mighty deeds in the past, especially the exodus; here that recounting serves as a ground for the prayer; do not let the Gentiles scorn the God who has done such things.” (ESV Study Bible, pp.1025-1028)
Things God is teaching me in today’s reading:
- God defends the cause of the poor, gives deliverance to the children of the needy and crushes the oppressor (72:4)
- All kings fall down before Him and all nations serve Him (72:11)
- We should praise God for the wondrous things He has done (72:18).
- Sometimes we are envious when we see the prosperity of the wicked but, when we go into the sanctuary of God, we understand and we discern their end (73:3,16-17).
- God will hold our right hand and He will guide us with His counsel if He remains the strength of our hearts and our portion forever (73:23, 26).
- Psalm 74 reminds me that sometimes we lament our condition, thinking God has “cast us off” (1) and that “his anger smokes against us.” (1) Perhaps we even think that our lives are “perpetual ruins” (3) as the foe scoffs and reviles God’s name (10)! At times like this it helps to remember that God is “working salvation in the midst of the earth” (12), that he “divided the sea” (13), “crushed the heads of Leviathan” (14), “fixed the boundaries of the earth” (17), and that He has “regard for the covenant” (20) and takes care of the downtrodden and the poor and needy among His people (21)!
Things to act on in today’s reading:
- I will praise God for the wondrous things He has done!
- I will not envy the prosperity of the wicked!
- I will seek God’s counsel and allow Him to be the strength of my heart!
Things to pray about in today’s reading:
- For eyes that see the wonder of God’s creation!
- For ears that listen for God’s voice and His instruction!
- For a heart that beats in unison with God’s people!
Thanks for reading with me dear friend. Have a blessed day!!
— Randy Sexton