Author: timritanickel@gmail.com

The Psalms powerfully express the widest range of the spectrum of emotions in human experience: from despair to hope, from complaint to praise, from death to life, from excruciating depression to overwhelming joy, from defeat to victory.  The extremes are often related to which is closer, God or the Enemy: the closer God is the more peace and joy; the closer the Enemy the more sorrow and turmoil.

Psalm 88 may be describing the lowest depths of despair, darkness, depression, and discouragement because Death is the enemy most near. God and life are far away; only complaint and no praise and everything is negative. The only positive note is that he is still praying to the God of his salvation.

It is instructive to note the close connection between Praise and Life and between Complaint and Death. In the Revealed Word heaven is always pictured as only praise and no complaint; hell is always pictured as no praise but only complaint. It would seem that the sanctified, Spirit-filled believer can move closer to God and life and heaven on earth by turning complaints into prayers and praises. So we read this Psalm in the context of the entire Psalter.

 

 

 

 

Out of all the billions of people inhabiting God’s created earth over time God chose the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to be the race through which He would bless all nations (save all people). Out of all the millions of geographical locations on earth God chose Zion (Jerusalem) to be the spot from which He would redeem all nations.

Israel, the land and the nation, flows through Christ and comes out as the Church. Zion, the city and the Temple, flows through Christ and comes out as the Church. Out of the Church flows the Word that saves and into the Church flows the people who are saved from all the nations. The Church then is the Mother of all believers in Christ and God registers them as “born in Zion.”

The Gentiles, the nations, the Muslims, the secularists, the heathen, and every other unbelieving  group of people are not the enemies. They are potential family members, who are presently under the sway of the enemy; they are to be rescued and born into the kingdom of God (Zion) through the Gospel. The true enemies (Sin, Death, Devil) cannot be redeemed, changed, or improved; they must be crushed.

 

 

Is there ever a time when we don’t need to pray? Is there ever a time when we have no need, trouble or distress? Is there ever a time when we are free from temptations, when the enemy is not reminding of something we need to worry or stress about, or when the enemy is not nearby? Is there ever a time when we don’t need God? An even better question: Is there ever a time when God is not there, available, close by, and ready to hear our prayer, respond to our need, and take action for our good?

Our Loving Lord is nearby, as close as our heart and our mouth, waiting for us to turn to Him instantly and constantly. God allows issues (enemies) always in our life so that we will always need Him and always pray. And so we pray without ceasing.

Therefore, it would really be a good idea to learn something about God and something about prayer. So we pray: “Teach me Thy way…Unite my heart to fear Thy name.” If we pay attention we will learn about a God who works wonders, does the impossible, and effects things we never expected or anticipated. We learn that He is better than we ever thought.

 

 

 

God is good: He answers prayer, abundantly, extravagantly, beyond our asking or imagining. We ask Him to revive us again and show us mercy and salvation. He answers with Shalom, which means wellbeing, health, security, prosperity, a good life and everything good, and peace to boot.

One of the terrible consequences of the Enemy Sin is that God hates Sin and it makes Him angry with us. We return to Him in repentance and faith, He forgives and covers our sin, and ceases His anger toward us. Now we pray for new life and He answers in spades.

God sends His faithful, covenant Love (Jesus) and His Righteousness (Jesus) to earth. Holiness and Love, Justice and Mercy meet at the Cross. This Gospel produces a faithful response (by the Spirit) and the result is Peace, in all its fullness. Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ God’s righteousness paves the way (makes a path) for the Life and Peace and Presence of God to enter the spirit of the believer, overcome the Enemy, make a difference, and change life forever. All this is in answer to prayer. Is God good or what?

 

 

 

The Temple is the place where God dwells on earth; it is the Presence of God; it is “heaven on earth.” That Place is the spirit inside the body of the believer in Jesus Christ. That “Presence” is much more available since the Day of Pentecost; however, it is also a little more elusive.

The OT believer knew exactly where Yahweh was and how to reach Him. Getting there and being there was the high point of the day (morning and evening sacrifice), or the week (Sabbath Day), or the year (one of three annual Festivals). The Pilgrimage journey to get there may be arduous, but it is filled with excitement and anticipation. Worshiping there fills the inner yearning for the best place to be in all the world. There is nothing like it. Outside of the Presence are bad things, Sin and Evil.

Going to church, attending Bible study fellowship, and spending time alone with God in Bible and Prayer is the present day experience of entering into the Presence of  God, or “longing for the courts of the Lord.” Living in The Presence is worth the time and effort. Being with your friend beats  being with your enemy.

 

 

The enemies of God’s people are the enemies of God, and the enemies of God are the enemies of God’s people. These enemies are a constant threat; they have been defeated before by the Lord and His people, but they keep hanging around, surrounding on every side.

Ten different nations, tribes and peoples are listed who threaten and plot against the pasturelands of the people of God, where they yearn to dwell securely with their Shepherd. We could name our own ten specific ever present spiritual enemies, previously defeated but presently threatening: Sin and his bad consequences, Death and his scary pains, Satan and his lying accusations. Each plots destruction and loss of life, either singly or in alliance.

The battle is the Lord’s; only Jesus overcomes; we can do nothing; He does it all. He knows our enemies; He knows what they are doing; He knows how to win. And He will. Meanwhile, while He wins for us, He wants us to pray and plead and beg for Victory so that both the beggar and the threateners know that the name of Jesus alone is Most High over all the earth and all of life.

 

 

 

God is the Creator and Preserver of the entire universe, all living beings that exist, visible and invisible. He is also the Supreme Judge and Absolute King of it all. He must, He can, and He will maintain perfect and absolute justice for all things and people for all times and places. Justice holds it all together. If even one injustice was ever allowed and unaccounted the foundations would crumble, chaos would ensue, and the universe cease.

But even us flawed humans can see that injustice is rampant and justice for the defenseless is seldom administered rightly in our world. Injustice is even carried out in the heavenly council of the gods which humans cannot see. The Psalm gives a glimpse into the invisible council that affects earthly affairs and shows that God is in charge. If so, we can rest assured that the supreme Judge will put everything to rights some day, some way.

Therefore, we can rest comfortably under the control and kingship of our loving and just Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We can trust that our spiritual enemies will not gain unfair advantage over us and that He is in charge of our lives for our good. It’s all OK.

The Lord God loves His people so as to be their Savior and Deliverer; this is who He is, this is what He does: “I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” This is a finished fact, already accomplished by Grace and Power. Like the finished fact of the Cross and Tomb, Jesus says ,”I am Yahweh your God who delivered you.”

After God’s Love already saved His people He still loves them and wants to bless them further so as to be their Protector and Provider; He would love to subdue and turn away their enemies and to feed and satisfy them with wheat and honey. God yearns, longs and aches to protect and provide because He loves so much, but He can’t if they won’t listen and obey (hearken). “If only they would walk in my ways I would subdue their enemies and feed them abundantly.” This promise is conditional: if you would…I would.

Unfortunately, sinful man “would not.” Therefore, he will hear these most dreadful words: “So I gave them up to their own hearts’ lusts.” But He still loves him: the way of repentance and faith in the Gospel is still open.

We need the Shepherd, the God of War, to restore the soul again to its former state of peace, security and abundant blessing. “Turn us again:” cause us to repent and turn to our Lord in prayer and faith. “Cause your face to shine:” smile on us with favor and blessing and your loving presence. “Save us:” restore us again by routing the enemy.

The believer looks back to the Christ Event of Redemption, just as the OT believer looked back to the Exodus Event of Redemption: the Shepherd and God of War took a vine from the Enemy and transplanted it in the Promised Land to grow and prosper. But now, because of Sin, He has allowed the hedge of protection to break down and the enemies have come into the vineyard to trample and devour.

In answer to repentance, prayer and faith the Lord’s shining face shows up to cause the enemy to perish at His rebuke. He turns His shining Face to us and gives us life and we are restored again. We will not turn back and will call on His Name.

The destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple, the Land and the Nation in the Babylonian Exile is the most devastating event imaginable for the people of God. Everything is lost, even hope is demolished. In retrospect it is like the Genesis Fall of Man into Sin and Curse. It is like the Death of Jesus on Friday.

What is left after the loss of all hope, even the apparent loss of God? The presence of God in Paradise (Fall), in the Temple (Exile), and in the Promise (Crucifixion) has vanished. What now? It is the “what now” that makes the story.

What’s left is a faith relationship with God. Prayer is left, and the Enemy can’t take that away. Even if that prayer is for justice and for the punishment and destruction of the enemies, faith and prayer remain. Somehow the people believe they will still thank and praise God forever.

Yes, Redemption comes after the Fall, Return after the Exile, and Resurrection after the Crucifixion, but before we see it we must believe it. And in the ultimate, absolute, Final End of it all justice and judgment, mercy and grace, and the end of the enemies will be seen. Meanwhile, pray.