filling his prescriptions

20231020

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filling his prescriptions

Psalm 111:7-10

Psalm 111:7 The works of His hands are truth and justice. All his prescriptions are reliable.
Psalm 111:8 They are sustained continually, permanently. They are made truly and honestly.
Psalm 111:9 He has sent redemption to his people. He has commanded his permanent covenant. His name is sacred and fearsome.
Psalm 111:10 The beginning of wisdom is fearing Yahveh. All those who are doing them have good insight. His praise stands continually!

filling his prescriptions

The “them” in verse 10 are the prescriptions of verse 7. We show our wisdom by following our Lord’s commands. Since his prescriptions are reliable, as we fill those prescriptions we show that we have gained insight. If we ignore his prescriptions, we show the opposite.

A pharmacist fills medical prescriptions, and the drugs distributed aid in the healing and recovery of the patients. I like that image because a similar thing is happening when we follow the prescriptions God has given us in his word.

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Praise — an act of anticipation

20231019

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Praise — an act of anticipation

Psalm 111:1-6

Psalm 111:1 Praise Yah! I praise Yahveh wholeheartedly, In the small meeting of the upright, and the congregation.
Psalm 111:2 Yahveh’s works are great, sought out by all desiring them.
Psalm 111:3 His work is honorable and majestic and his righteousness stands forever.
Psalm 111:4 He has made his miracles to be remembered. Yahveh is gracious and merciful.
Psalm 111:5 He gives food to those fearing him. He remembers his covenant permanently.
Psalm 111:6 He has demonstrated his miraculous power to his people by giving them an inheritance of nations.

Praise — an act of anticipation

Whether in a small gathering or a large congregation, each place we meet is an opportunity to praise the LORD for his works — his miracles, his provision, and his promise of an inheritance to come. Our praise for what God has done is an act of anticipation for what he will do.

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in the day he was enraged

20231018

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in the day he was enraged

Psalm 110:5-7

Psalm 110:5 Yahveh at your right hand has beaten kings to pieces in the day he was enraged.
Psalm 110:6 He judged among the nations, He has filled them with corpses, has beaten the head over the great land to pieces.
Psalm 110:7 From a brook along the road he drinks, so he lifts up his head.

in the day he was enraged

Commentaries on this passage are usually quick to describe it as a picture of the last-day wrath of God. I don’t think so. To me, it is a picture of the confidence the Messiah will have as he goes forth to conquer, because Yahveh at his right hand has judged the nations in the past, leaving heaps of corpses in his wake.

Jesus will reign. No nation can oppose him forever.

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a permanent priest

20231017

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a permanent priest

Psalm 110:4

Psalm 110:4 Yahveh has sworn, and does not repent, ‘you are a permanent priest, according to the order of Melchizedek.’

a permanent priest

Our Messiah is a permanent priest. That means that the atoning work that he did for us is permanent, and cannot be undone. It means ouyr forgiveness lasts. Praise God for what he has done through his Son — our permanent priest!

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free-will offerings

20231016

free-will offerings

Psalm 110:3

Psalm 110:3 your people, free-will offerings in the day of your power, in the splendor of holiness. On the holy hills at sunrise, the dew of your youth belongs to you.

free-will offerings

The free-will offerings are those who choose to side with the Messiah. Have you ever considered that your choice to come to Christ and make him Lord of your life is an offering to him? You cannot really offer him anything else but your life. All that you have came from him. All that you will ever be is a result of his grace as well. If you have any power, it will be a reflection of his power. If you have any holiness, it will be as a result of his sanctification.

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David’s Lord

20231015

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David’s Lord

Psalm 110:1-2

Psalm 110:1 A Psalm of David. Yahveh affirmed to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’
Psalm 110:2 Yahveh will extend the rod of your strength from Zion; rule in the midst of your enemies.

There are three persons identified by name in this psalm. First, there is David. He is the king in Jerusalem. Second, there is the God of David: Yahveh. Third, there is David’s Lord, the coming Messiah. David reveals that his Lord will rule in the midst of his enemies. That has proven to be true throughout history. But David also reveals a mission expansion. The Messiah’s reign will extend geographically from Zion. Yahveh also promises that the enemies will be conquered, Those opposing him will be his footstool. Either they will join him, or they will be destroyed by him.

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in the midst of many

20231014

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in the midst of many

Psalm 109:30-31

Psalm 109:30 I thank Yahveh loudly with my mouth and in the midst of many I praise him,
Psalm 109:31 because he stands at the right hand of the poor person, delivering him from those condemning his throat.

in the midst of many

The drama is gone now. All the complaining to God in prayer about the betraying enemy is over. But David is still praying loudly and praising God in the midst of many. God was his refuge in the time of trouble and is now his deliverer who deserves praise. Have you been delivered? See you in church!

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put them to shame

20231013

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put them to shame

Psalm 109:26-29

Psalm 109:26 Help me, Yahveh my God; deliver me, according to your covenant faithfulness.
Psalm 109:27 They will know that this is your hand; that you, Yahveh, have done it.
Psalm 109:28 They curse, but you bless. If they rise to attack, put them to shame, and your servant will rejoice.
Psalm 109:29 Let my accusers put on blushing, and be covered with shame like a robe.

put them to shame

David had been a mighty hero, but now all he was feeling was the shame brought on by his accusers. He asked his God to help him. He wanted to pass that shame on to the people who deserved it. He could have ordered his own soldiers to attack his enemies. But he realized that doing that would keep the spotlight on him. Instead, he asked God to intervene so that everyone would know that victory came from his hand.

Do you have shame that you want to pass on to those who are causing it? Go to God in prayer.

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they shake their head

20231012

they shake their head

Psalm 109:21-25

Psalm 109:21 But You, Yahveh my Lord, Do to me for your name’s sake, because of your good covenant faithfulness, rescue me.
Psalm 109:22 For I am poor and needy and my heart has been pierced inside me.
Psalm 109:23 I have faded like a shadow when it is stretched out, I have been knocked off like a locust.
Psalm 109:24 My knees have become feeble from fasting and my body has lost its fatness.
Psalm 109:25 And I — I have been a disgrace to them; they see me, they shake their head.

they shake their head

David’s enemies have done their worst, and he is left in a deplorable condition. When they look at him, they shake their heads, wondering why they were ever afraid of such a man. He’s harmless, they think. But David will not rely on his own power. He has a Lord, and his Lord will act for his name’s sake.

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the return of death and cursing

20231011

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the return of death and cursing

Psalm 109:14-20

Psalm 109:14 May the violation of his fathers be remembered by Yahveh and the failure of his mother not be blotted out.
Psalm 109:15 May they be before Yahveh continually and may he cut off their memory from the land.
Psalm 109:16 Because he has not remembered to practice covenant faithfulness and pursued the poor and needy and the smitten of heart — to kill them,
Psalm 109:17 He loved cursing, so may they come back to him and he has not enjoyed blessing so may it be far from him.
Psalm 109:18 He puts on cursing like his robe, it poured in like water into his insides and like oil into his bones.
Psalm 109:19 May it be to him like clothing — he covers himself with it and for a belt — he puts it on.
Psalm 109:20 May this be the payoff of my accusers from Yahveh and of those speaking evil against my throat.

the return of death and cursing

David had enemies, and those enemies made his death their objective. They called down curses upon him every chance they got. Now, David asks God to return all that death that his enemies caused, and all those curses they swore — to the betrayers. He is not seeking revenge for his sake, but he is asking God to be faithful to his covenant, in which he promised to bring down death and suffering to all those who forsake his Law.

Here is a declaration of trust in God who will not allow injustice to continue. He will act, and those who do not repent of their evil works will suffer the consequences. God will win. He will either win by restoring the sinner or destroying the sinner.

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