Sunday Message: the Super Seventies

I have to say I learned a lot in the last week or so in my tour through the 70's- of the Book of Psalms.  A lot of good life lessons in these chapters, and I thought I would share the ones that stand out with you.


First, let's go to 71, where we have a prayer that is definitely made for this 55-year-old;

Psa 71:9  Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength fails. 
Psa 71:10  For my enemies speak against me; and those who watch for my soul plot together, 
Psa 71:11  saying, God has forsaken him; pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him. 
Psa 71:12  O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste for my help. 

Just moments later, the anonymous author adds this:

Psa 71:14  But I will go on ever hoping, and increasing in all your praise. 

Psa 71:15  My mouth will make clear your righteousness and your salvation all the day; for they are more than may be measured. 

Isn't that great?  My Bible phrases it, "For I do not know their limits. " Being saved by an UNLIMITED God has its benefits!  And that is why I am here, obeying what is said just a little farther on:

Psa 71:18  Now when I am old and grey-headed, O God, give me not up; till I have made clear your strength to this generation, and your power to all those to come. 

But sometimes, you look at your sins, and wonder how you dare open your mouth about a Holy God.  Psalm 73 covers that:

Psa 73:22  As for me, I was foolish, and without knowledge; I was like a beast before you. 

Psa 73:23  But still I am ever with you; you have taken me by my right hand. 

Psa 73:24  Your wisdom will be my guide, and later you will put me in a place of honour. 

How about that?  Here, Asaph explains how God EXPECTS we're going to do stupid stuff- even to the point of being as dumb as, say, Scrappy- and YET He has us by the hand!

But what about all the people out there that say Christians are hateful, are foolish, who don't deserve to be treated like everyone else, such as the unesteemed Mr. Sanders?  Well, just back on up a little bit:

Psa 73:15  If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I would deceive a generation of Your sons. 

Psa 73:16  When I thought deeply in order to understand this, it was painful for me, 

Psa 73:17  until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end. 

See, it isn't about this world, my friends.  Those under the "strong delusion" of 2 Thessalonians 2:11 can twist or manufacture "facts" all that they want.  But their tables and their political correctness will hold no weight when they come before Almighty God.

I have talked many times about my life verse, and setting up "stones" to look back on for comfort and encouragement when things are going bad.  And there are many times that God will seem, for whatever reason, so far away.  Asaph brings that up in Psalm 77:

Psa 77:7  Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? 

Psa 77:8  Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? 

Psa 77:9  Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. 

Psa 77:10  And I said, This is my anguish: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. 

Psa 77:11  I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 

Psa 77:12  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. 

If you are faithful, God is faithful; if you fall off, God is still faithful.

And I close coming back to a verse that kinda puzzled me.  That one was in Psalm 76, and the explanation I just found goes a long way towards helping understand what our actions should be in this evil, Bernie Sanders-world...

First, the verse:

Psa 76:10  Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. 

And then the explanation, from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:

 We live in an angry, provoking world; we often feel much, and are apt to fear more, from the wrath of man. What will not turn to his praise, shall not be suffered to break out. He can set bounds to the wrath of man, as he does to the raging sea; hitherto it shall come, and no further. Let all submit to God.