Gold for the heart - Psalms 128-139

Psalm 128

God blesses every one that fears Him and walks in His ways

0 A Song of degrees. 1 Blessed is every one that fears the LORD; that walks in his ways. 2 You will eat the labor of your hands: you will be happy, and it will go well with you. 3 Your wife will be as a fruitful vine by the sides of your house: your children like olive plants around your table. 4 Behold, this is how the man will be blessed that fears the LORD.

It would be very foolish not to fear and listen to One smart enough and powerful enough to create the universe.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law he meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf will not wither; and whatever he does will prosper.

5 The LORD will bless you out of Zion: and you will see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. 6 Yes, you will see your children’s children, and peace upon Israel.

Zion is the place where the Jebusites lived.
They were the last enemy of God’s people left to conquer in the promised land.
They were conquered by David when he had been made king.
God has provided victory for us in every area of life but if we do not follow the LORD in obedience we will not enjoy all that God desires to give us.
The battle for our ‘promised land’ begins with learning and believing God’s word over what the world or people say.
Psalm 9:11 Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion.
2Samuel 5:7 David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.
Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 129

0 A Song of degrees. 1 Many times they have afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say: 2 Many times they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me. 3 The plowers plowed on my back: they made long their furrows.

Often affliction is the result of our own bad choices.
That doesn’t matter. God is with us in all our afflictions.
Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
Romans 8:37 in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

The LORD is righteous; He cuts apart the ropes of the wicked that bind us

4 The LORD is righteous: he has cut in two the cords of the wicked.

God cuts the things that the wicked use to bind His people.
Often is it not physical bondage but things of the heart— false beliefs that keep us in sin and punishment for that sin.
God is cutting the hold that the false beliefs have on His people. He cuts it with His truth.

5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion. 6 Let them be as the grass on the housetops that withers before it grows up: 7 With which the mower does not fill his hand; or the binder of sheaves his bosom. 8 Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD be upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD.

Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he

Psalm 130

0 A Song of degrees. 1 Out of the depths I cried to you, O LORD. 2 Lord, hear my voice: let your ears be attentive to the voice of my humble appeal. 3 If you, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?

It is important to remember that the title LORD means the self-existent One who controls all things. Who would be more able to help you?

The LORD is the One who forgives

4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord more than those that watch for the morning: I say, more than those that watch for the morning.

Forgiveness cancels debt.
God can do this because of the death-price of our sin was paid by His Son for us.
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
John 17:17 … your word is truth.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

With the LORD is mercy and abundant redemption

7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is love, and with him is abundant redemption. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Psalm 57:10 For your mercy is great unto the heavens, and your truth to the clouds.

1Peter 1:18 you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your meaningless life received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Psalm 131

God humbles the proud

0 A Song of degrees of David. 1 LORD, my heart is not proud, or my eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

Daniel 4:37 I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

1Peter 5:5 Likewise, you younger, submit yourselves to the elder. Yes, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.

Deuteronomy 8:2 And you will remember all the way that the LORD your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

2 Surely I have behaved and quieted my soul, as a child that is weaned from his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. 3 Let Israel hope in the LORD from now on and forever.

Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

John 10:28 And I give to them eternal life; and they will never perish, neither will any man pluck them out of my hand.

Psalm 132

Our God is the most powerful

0 A Song of degrees. 1 LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions: 2 How he swore to the LORD, and vowed to the mighty God of Jacob; 3 I will not come into the tabernacle of my house or go up to my bed; 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids, 5 Until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the mighty God of Jacob.

Our God is called the Almighty 58 times in scripture.
He has all the power in the universe.
His power is infinite.
He is so powerful that to create all things all He had to do was speak (Psalm 33:6, 9).
God is afflicted in our afflictions.
He is with us (Hebrews 13:5).

Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

Matthew. 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.

The LORD clothes us

6 Behold, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood. 7 We will go to his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool. 8 Arise, O LORD, into your rest; you, and the ark of your strength. 9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness; and let your saints shout for joy. 10 For your servant David’s sake do not turn away the face of your anointed. 11 The LORD has sworn in truth to David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of your body will I set on your throne. 12 If your children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I will teach them, their children will also sit on your throne for evermore.

God has requirements for His great promises in Revelation 1:6 where He makes us kings and priests to God—keeping His covenant and testimony.

13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation. 14 This is my rest forever: I will dwell here; for I have desired it. 15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with food. 16 I will also clothe her priests with deliverance: and her saints will shout aloud for joy. 17 There I will make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for my anointed. 18 I will clothe his enemies with shame: but on himself his crown will flourish.

God also chooses to dwell in our hearts.
He has clothed us with Christ.

Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Psalm 133

God’s ways enable unity among God’s people

0 A Song of degrees of David. 1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

God’s principles eliminate pride and self as our motivation and in that way enable peace and unity.

Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatever you would have men do to you, you do that to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

The LORD commanded blessing from Zion

He gives eternal life

3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended on the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Zion is the place where the last enemy in the Promised Land was conquered.
We have enemies to conquered in our lives like fear, doubt, worry, unbelief etc.
Learning God’s word enables us to conquer the enemies in our promised land.

Psalm 128:5 The LORD will bless you out of Zion: and you will see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

John 10:28 And I give to them eternal life; and they will never perish, neither will any man pluck them out of my hand.

John 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me; and he that comes to me I will in no way cast out.

Psalm 134

The LORD who made heaven and earth blesses

0 A Song of degrees. 1 Behold, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who by night stand in the house of the LORD. 2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. 3 The LORD that made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.

All blessing comes from God. It is only right that we bless God in return with our thanks, our awe, our praise and our gifts.
Genesis 1, Psalm 33 and many other scriptures describes God’s creation of heaven and earth.

Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Psalm 135

1 Praise the LORD. Praise the name of the LORD; praise him, O servants of the LORD. 2 You that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God, 3 Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises to his name; for it is pleasant.

Psalm 31:19 Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for them that fear you; which you have worked for them that trust in you before the sons of men!

The LORD does whatever He pleases

He gave the land of mighty kings for a heritage to His people

4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob to himself, and Israel for his special treasure. 5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. 6 Whatever the LORD pleased, that is what he did in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. 7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightnings for the rain; he brings the wind out of his treasuries. 8 Who struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal. 9 Who sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants. 10 Who struck great nations, and killed mighty kings; 11 Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan: 12 And gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel his people.

God did whatever He pleased.
He made man in His image.
Man would not be created in the image of God if he did not have freewill.
Notice God does what pleases Him even in the underworld and hell, all the deep places.

Malachi 3:17 And they will be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.

Psalm 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever; and your memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations. 14 For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants. 15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 16 They have mouths, but they do not speak; they have eyes but they do not see; 17 They have ears but they do not hear; neither is there any breath in their mouths. 18 They that make them are like them: so is every one that trusts in them. 19 Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron: 20 Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: you that fear the LORD, bless the LORD. 21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, who dwells at Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.

Blessed means to be happy, perfect, eternal, divine happiness.
Zion is the place of full and final victory.

Psalm 96:13 (rejoice) Before the LORD: for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth: he will judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

Psalm 136

The LORD alone does great wonders

1 O give thanks to the LORD; for he is good: for his love endures forever. 2 O give thanks to the God of gods: for his love endures forever. 3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his love endures forever. 4 To him who alone does great wonders: for his love endures forever. 5 To him who by wisdom made the heavens: for his love endures forever.

God reassures us that His love toward us is never going to run out.
He will never cast us off or into hell.
“Wisdom is the ability to devise perfect ends and to achieve those ends by the most perfect means. To see all in perfect focus working toward predestined goals with flawless precision.” A.W. Tozer

6 To him who stretched out the earth above the waters: for his love endures forever. 7 To him who made great lights: for his love endures forever: 8 The sun to rule by day: for his love endures forever: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his love endures forever. 10 To him who struck Egypt in their firstborn: for his love endures forever: 11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his love endures forever: 12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his love endures forever. 13 To him who divided the Red sea into parts: for his love endures forever: 14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his love endures forever: 15 But shook off Pharaoh and his army in the Red sea: for his love endures forever. 16 To him who led his people through the wilderness: for his love endures forever.

Life is a wilderness until we enter by faith the blessings that God has for each of us. Faith grows inside us as we learn God's word (Romans 10:17)

17 To him who struck great kings: for his love endures forever: 18 And killed famous kings: for his love endures forever: 19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his love endures forever: 20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his love endures forever: 21 And gave their land for a heritage: for his love endures forever: 22 Even a heritage to Israel his servant: for his love endures forever. 23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his love endures forever: 24 And has redeemed us from our enemies: for his love endures forever. 25 Who gives food to all flesh: for his love endures forever. 26 O give thanks to the God of heaven: for his love endures forever.

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and its fullness; the world, and they that dwell in it.

1Peter 1:18 … you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold from your empty life received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Psalm 137

God corrects us for our benefit

1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat down, yes, we wept when we remembered Zion. 2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.3 For there, they that carried us away captive, required of us a song; and those that laid us in heaps required of us mirth, saying, Sing to us one of the songs of Zion. 4 How can we sing the LORD’s song in the land of a foreigner?

Israel was taken captive to Babylon because they refused to worship their Maker who had delivered them from slavery in Egypt and given them the best land on earth as their own (Ezekiel 20:6, Deuteronomy 8:7, 8).
God warned them for 861 years but they refused to listen and obey Him.
Much of the Old Testament contains these warnings (Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28, the prophets).
‘laid us in heaps’ brings to mind the holocaust—many dead.
God in His mercy let them reap what they sowed so that they might return to Him and live.

Deuteronomy 30:1 And it will come to pass, when all these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse that I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God has driven you, 2 And return to the LORD your God, and obey his voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart, and with all your soul; 3 That then the LORD your God will turn your captivity, and have compassion on you, and will return and gather you from all the nations, where the LORD your God has scattered you.

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her skill. 6 If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth; if I do not prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy. 7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Destroy it, destroy it, level it to its foundation.

Destroy means to scrape it off to the foundation.

8 O daughter of Babylon, who is to be destroyed; happy will he be, that rewards you as you have repaid us. 9 Happy will he be, that takes and dashes your little ones against the stones.

Psalm 106:37 Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,

Jeremiah 2:19 Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will reprove you: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and that my fear is not in you, says the Lord GOD of hosts.

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.

Psalm 138

0 A Psalm of David. 1 I will praise you with my whole heart: before the gods I will sing praise to you. 2 I will worship toward your holy temple, and praise your name for your love and for your truth: for you have magnified your word above all your name/person.

God alone is worthy of our praise.
He alone made the heavens and the earth.
He alone made us in His likeness.
He alone sustains us.
He alone sent His Son to die for our sins so that we can be with Him forever.

Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

3 In the day when I cried you answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul. 4 All the kings of the earth will praise you O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth.

The Bible is the record of the words of God’s mouth.
It is a marvel of accuracy from the ancient languages that far surpasses any other written records.
For a thorough examination of this see Josh McDowell’s Evidence that Demands a Verdict.

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

5 Yes, they will sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD. 6 Though the LORD is high, yet has he respect to the lowly: but the proud he knows from afar.

Ezekiel 1:26 … a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone:.. a man above upon it of amber fire …and brightness 28 like a rainbow This was the appearance of the glory of the LORD.

Mark 5:7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the most high God?

He revives us in the midst of trouble

He stretches out His hand against the wrath of our enemies

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me: you will stretch forth your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand will save me. 8 The LORD will perfect what concerns me: your love, O LORD, endures forever: do not forsake the works of your own hands.

The Lord has promised to never forsake us.
We don’t need to worry about making things perfect or perfecting ourselves.
He perfects what concerns us.
He is the Father; we are His child.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your way of life be without covetousness; and be content with what you have: for he has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

Psalm 139

God searches us, knows us, and surrounds us

0 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 1 O LORD, you have searched me, and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my uprising, you understand my thoughts afar off. 3 You surround my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, behold, O LORD, you know it all. 5 You have besieged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain to it.

The word ‘surround’’ can also mean winnow which means to remove the worthless parts from the parts of value.

He leads us and holds us

7 Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend up to heaven, You are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness will cover me; even the night will be light about me. 12 Yes, the darkness is not dark to you; but the night shines as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to you. 13 For you formed my inner parts: you wove me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows deeply. 15 My body was not hid from you, when I was made in secret, and skillfully made in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my body, still being imperfect; all my parts were written, what days they would be fashioned, when they were not yet formed.

His thoughts are precious

17 How precious are your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I could count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with you. 19 Surely you will kill the wicked, O God: so depart from me, you bloody men. 20 For they speak against you wickedly, and your enemies take your name in vain. 21 Do not I hate them, O LORD that hate You? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against you? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there is any idolatry in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

The wicked are those who chose evil instead of God and will not return to Him, their Maker, when corrected by Him.

Psalm 145:20 The LORD preserves all those that love him: but all the wicked he will destroy.

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SUMMARY: Psalms 128-139

God blesses every one that fears Him and walks in His ways
The LORD is righteous
He cuts apart the ropes of the wicked that bind us
The LORD is the One who forgives
With the LORD is mercy and abundant redemption
God humbles the proud
Our God is the most powerful
The LORD clothes us
God’s ways enable unity among God’s people
The LORD commanded blessing from Zion
He gives eternal life
The LORD who made heaven and earth blesses
The LORD does whatever He pleases
He gave the land of mighty kings for a heritage to His people
The LORD alone does great wonders
God corrects us for our benefit
He revives us in the midst of trouble
He stretches out His hand against the wrath of our enemies
God searches us, knows us, and surrounds us
He leads us and holds us
His thoughts are precious