Saturday 27 February 2021
- Bible Book:
- Isaiah
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High (Psalm 92:1)
Background
The book of Psalms is a collection of 150 sacred hymns/poems written by various authors. Essentially, they are poems which address God, often in an intimate way. They can be laments, expressions of praise and thanksgiving or expressions of trust in God. Some psalms rant and rave at God. Psalmists are honest with God, telling God exactly how they feel.
Psalm 92 has the heading “a song for the Sabbath”. It is the only psalm with this heading. The Sabbath was important as a day of rest and worship. This psalm is essentially a hymn of praise and thanksgiving. The lute, harp and lyre were musical instruments used in those days. The psalmist acknowledges the greatness of God’s creation and the depth of God’s thoughts. Verses 6-9 are almost condescending towards those of limited understanding. The reference to the wicked, evildoers and enemies are common in the psalms. The horn in verse 10 is a symbol of strength. And oil was used for anointing. Verses 11 and 12 paint a contrast between enemies and righteous people, reminiscent of Psalm 1:3. Palm trees are very fruitful and the cedars of Lebanon, a common reference in the Psalms, signify strength. And the psalm ends with a further acknowledgment of God’s uprightness and strength.
The way in which the psalmist speaks of the enemies of God and his personal enemies may seem shocking, but they are signs of openness and honesty to God which indicates a close relationship with God.
This psalm can encourage us to express our gratitude to God, even when the going is tough for us and it can help us to acknowledge who our enemies might be.
To Ponder:
- What examples come to mind when you think of the work of God’s hands?
- How do we continue to give thanks and sing to God during hard times when everything seems grim and difficult?