Lord’s Day, Vol. 9 No. 39
Remember the Sabbath – Psalm 92
The Bible says in Genesis 2:2, after God created this universe, in particular planet earth where He populated it with all manner of fish, birds, beast, cattle, and all manner of herb bearing seed and fruit yielding trees, and finally created man in His image to have dominion over all His creation, “2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.”
The word “rest” is the word “shabath” or “Sabbath” where we saw God rested on the 7th day from all his work. The Bible also says, in Genesis 1:3, “3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified (set apart, consecrate, sanctify, make it holy, set as sacred) it: (what was the reason?) Because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made.” Gen. 2:2 KJV)
When God created the nation of Israel, He gave to them the 10 commandments. The 4th commandment reminded them to keep this 7th day a day of rest holy, consecrated for Him.
- Come in thanksgiving (v1-3)
- Come personally (v4-6)
- Come despite opposition (v7-11)
- Come and be richly blessed of God (v12-15)
(1) Come in Thanksgiving (v1-3)
1 A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: 2 To shew forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, 3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD – Remember on the 6th day, God saw His creation and pronounced it is very good. Why did the psalmist say it is good? I believe it is because God has created His representative, in His own image to have dominion over His creation, to enjoy His creation. Man is the only creature with a body and has breath that is capable of praising and giving thanks to God. And thus, the psalmist says we are “to sing praises unto the name of the most High God.”
Why do we come in thanksgiving? To show forth His loving-kindness (to remember Jesus’ love for us) in the morning, and His faithfulness (to remember His unfailing care upon us) every night, and how do we praise Him? Not anyhow but reverently, “3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.” The psalmist begins with the call to come in thanksgiving, in grateful acknowledgement of all the good that we have received from the most High God, and therefore it is good to give thanks to Him by setting the Sabbath aside as a day of worship.
(2) Come personally (v4-6)
4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. 5 O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. 6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.
Come personally with your testimony of the LORD’S goodness in your life. The “LORD” speaks of a personal relationship that the psalmist has with his God. And He has made him glad by what He has done for him. Therefore, the psalmist is coming personally to remember all that God has done in His life.
A foolish man, man described as a brute beast, not better than an animal, one who does not know God will not understand the worth of what believers do in worship. We are made for God’s glory and our purpose is to enjoy Him. When we missed out the purpose of our creation, we are of all men most miserable, groping in the dark.
(3) Come despite opposition (v7-11)
7 When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever: 8 But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore. 9 For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. 10 But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn (wild ox or bull): I shall be anointed with fresh oil. 11 Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.
This world seemed to be moving toward self-destruction and we try in vain to warn of the coming peril. All who does not acknowledge the living and true God will perish. Man seems to be becoming more and more sophisticated with his inventions and yet he fears a little blood clot that can kill the body. The believer who trusts in God will be cared for by the Almighty God Himself. This is contrasted with the self-sufficient man who will not flourish!
The word “iniquity” is from the root word “crooked”, a crooked life. The “exalting of the horn” speaks of God’s favour in our lives. The horn is a symbol of power, strength, believers will yet triumph through Christ while the wicked is cut off. The unicorn or ox is prized for its great strength. Not our way, but God’s way, as Jesus did in His first coming as a suffering servant. The anointing of oil is spiritual refreshing that God gives to us to continue on this pilgrim journey to our eternal rest.
(4) Come and be richly blessed of God (v12-15)
12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; 15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
When we faithfully worship Jesus and remember Him on the Sabbath, He blesses us with spiritual blessings. The LORD is a rock signifying stability and safety in the midst of turmoil, shelter and protection in times of danger. The LORD is upright, the word is “straight”. No twisting and turning, but totally truthful and honest, most reliable and trustworthy companion. Why so? To testify of the faithfulness of Jesus in your life so that others who see will ask, who is this God that you worship, can you introduce to me, I would like to follow Him too! The blessings of God’s children who honour Him by setting aside the Lord’s Day for spiritual and physical rest and worship must be experienced. May you too experience the delight of the Sabbath, as we look for the eternal Sabbath where we will ever be with the LORD of eternal rest.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee