WHOLE-HEARTED Praise to God David the prophet is fixed to praise the Lord, even though surrounded by problems. We must be committed to give God whole-hearted praise in the midst of problems. We do not have to wait to praise the Lord. We do it NOW, by faith, as an act of our will: “I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart. I will show forth all thy marvelous works.” The word “show forth” is often translated, “scribe” (2 Kings 18:18,37, “Shebna the scribe…”) It is also translated “number,” as in numbering the stars in Genesis 15:15, so understanding this makes this word even more rich, for it speaks of writing down the works of the Lord in order, numbering them from beginning to end! He praises God for His salvation and also His judgment of the wicked, for he also writes in this Psalm: “the wicked shall be turned into hell!” Praise’s reality will come forth in cheerfulness, inner strength and joy as a song from our soul. Are you singing the Lord’s song? One of the greatest errors of the church today is the attempt to reach people with the world’s song rather than with a new song that is in line with the Scripture: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. We ought to sing a song that is different from the world. Our God is a God different from all the gods of this world. Our praise is centered in HIM and HIS Name. His name tells forth His holy character. So many great hymns of the faith tell of this! Holy, Holy, Holy! Holy is He! His Name is Wonderful! And, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest name I know! Our praise must focus upon HIS PERSON, not us, and HIS WORK, not ours. So much cheap and sentimental so-called Christian music is really man centered, and God is like sung of like a girl in a love song, like in “You Light Up My Life.” More and more, churches are moving away from these great hymns and are transitioning their churches to a “seeker friendly model.” This is a huge mistake! It appears successful, and these churches are big and growing, but what is being produced? The very purpose of the local church is being transformed into something GOD has not intended it to be according to the Bible. Churches across this country are in so-called ‘transition mode’ to be purpose driven and user friendly. So what, you might say? But friends, this is important. The Bible says that the church is GOD’s. It is His very body. The church is not ours to make into something of our own creative ingenuity. The Church is the assembly of those who have been called out of the world to worship God, fellowship with one another, and learn how to be disciples in a world that hates God. We invite all to come, but we dare not tailor the message or the music so that the hostile world, the unsaved person who cannot grasp the things of the Spirit, is made to feel warm, comfortable and fuzzy all over. No, the unsaved heart and the darkened mind must be convinced of their sin and the righteousness that comes only through Jesus Christ. How can the church let the world’s music dictate to it? We are light in the darkness. If we lose our saltiness or our distinctiveness, we are good for nothing but the garbage. The church is different from the world and we are called to shine forth the difference. Getting back to Psalm 9, remember that the Psalmist is a poet but also a prophet. This Psalm is written with a prophetic eye to the ultimate victory of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, over the arch enemy of our soul, Satan. The title of this Psalm says, “upon Muthlabben” which many says refers to “the death of a son.” Is it not amazing that through the death of Jesus, the greatest victory is won! The Psalmist fixes his praise on the LORD because He knows three things about His God:
Notice the prophetic emphasis of these verses. Although David’s enemies had not yet been defeated, David sees them as such. Why? Because God is sitting on His throne and He is a righteous judge. He sees them running from God, falling on their faces, and God sets everything right. He is a God of justice and righteousness.
These verses speak about the heathen, the nations of the world that have forgotten God (v.17) who are worthy of judgment (v.19). God rebukes them, as he rebuked the Red Sea (Psalm 106:9) and as He rebukes Satan (Zechariah 3:2). His rebuke is a word that erases them from power and puts an utter end to their destructions. These verses emphasize how God through Jesus Christ will destroy all evil and sin, and all those who reject Him will be cast into the Lake of fire. Their name will be wiped away forever (v.5) and the LORD’s name will endure forever (v.7). David gives us a glimpse at the “end of the story.” We see God’s end-game in the middle of the Bible! But we have the whole story, and we know that in the end, God wins, hands down. His enemies will be cast into the pit of fire for eternity. All of the destructions of the wicked one, Satan, or his servants, will come to an end that is victorious for God! Destructions are come to a perpetual end! All the waste and loss caused by Satan and the wicked will come to an end and God will be victorious. He will set the world’s mess right and everyone will get what they deserve. “Thou has destroyed cities,” or Satan and the wicked pluck up cities and uproot them from the One who Created them and turned them. Satan is a destroyer of cities, of families, and of nations. “Their memorial is perished with them:” The very memory of Satan and his fiends will perish. We will have no memory of the evil they did in heaven. Have you ever seen a game where it seemed that your team was going to lose? I mean, your side was getting stomped and it looked hopeless? Then, at the last moment your team makes a comeback and suddenly wins? That is how God works out His eternal purpose on earth. It sure seems that the wicked will triumph, but in the end, God wins!
Psalm 18:2: The LORD is my rock, and my fortress… my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 46:7,11: The God of Jacob is my refuge. Psalm 62:2,6: He is my defense…He is my defense.
We can yield ourselves to Him and believe that He is true in all he says. We must ever remember that we are sinners, and He is the Savior. He gives eternal life to those who trust Him. So sing praise to Him! We have God Himself for our safe-house and our trust. We have something to sing about and someone to sing to. We have something to talk about as well, so “declare among the people his doings” (v.11).
God “makes inquisition for blood,” or He seeks out the violent person, tracks him down and brings him to justice. God does not forget the “cry of the humble.” This word humble is translated “poor” in verse 18. (This word also appears in Psalm 10:12, 17. In Psalm 37:11 it is translated, “the meek” shall inherit the earth.) Sometimes David is discouraged and feels that God has forgotten him (Psalm 13:1). But here in a brighter spirit, he knows that God does not, and cannot forget us! As David discusses this subject of hell and the destruction of the wicked, he must pause in serious meditation: Higgaion. Selah. (Psalm 9:16) This is the only times he puts these two words together. (Higgaion is translated “meditation” in Psalm 19:14 and “solemn sound” in Psalm 92:3.) Think about it, and pause. Then he emphasizes it and lifts up his voice to underscore the reality and exalt the power and justice of God: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God!” Yes, if you live a life forgetful of God, he will forget you in the garbage dump of human souls, hell!
“The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.” Those who are wicked and seem so entrenched in power and popularity will see their fame disappear before their eyes as they are cast into hell. Now follow this, dear friends. The hope and expectation of the poor will not perish! But look at what will perish: The enemies “shall fall and perish at thy presence” (v.3). They will be destroyed (v.5) and even the memory of their name will perish forever! The sports stars or Hollywood stars fill the magazine and tabloid covers, but they will all be forgotten unless they are saved by the blood of Christ. Those of us poor and unknown, will not perish but live with God! Now if you are not saved, may God shake you up and wake you from sin before it is eternally too late. You have a one way ticket to hell if you are not born of the Spirit. Come to Christ! God will not FAIL, FORSAKE, or FORGET His people, so live to praise Him! |