Meditation on life and death

Psalm49 Meditation on life and death

People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
This psalm is a typical piece of wisdom on life's inequalities.
At end of the line death waits for the materialist. The wealthy cannot buy themselves off.
Generally speaking psalmists have not clear concept of the life after death. Verse15 often taken as reference of premature death. But this undetermined the reasoning, which requires an ironing out of life's inequality beyond the grave.
Why?
Rich men know what their ending, but they still keep going to the same way.
What they can bring after death? What can stand forever.
Working for what? Is more important than how much we have. Have money is not the problem. How to work for the permanence.
How?
Work for the eternal life.

Meditate on your unfailing love

Psalm 48 meditate on your unfailing love
An outburst of relief and joy at the city's reprieve from invasion (perhaps king senacherib Assyria)
North Zaphon: because traditional north is the seat of gods.
We have heard, so we have seen in the city of the Lord Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her secure forever.
We meditate on your unfailing love.
Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.
Why?
Even this was an short relief, Psalmist rejoice, they seems didn't know the end of Jerusalem.
Mediate what God has done for us, praise his name forever.
This city means the church, this city because God is within it, so this city is great.
What we are looking to the church, the beauty is the Lord, we might look at member of church.
Let us see God in this city, instead of people of this city.
How?
Like your name, God is with us in somewhere. God is keep working now.

Shout and sing

Psalm 47 shout and sing
Kings of the earth belong to God;
Sing praises to God, our king. Sing to him a psalm of praise.
He chose inheritance for us.
God reigns over nations.
Acclaiming God as Israel's king and the Lord of the world.
Let everyone rejoice and sing his praises.
Why?
All kings under control of God.
God is king of kings, so sing praises to Him.
How my inheritances will be God made it.
How?
Sing his praises, shout to the Lord with cry of joy.

Praise God for his truth, humility and justice

Psalm 45
In your majesty ride forth victoriously in the cause of truth, humility and justice; let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house.
Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.
Why?
v1~9 The king, points to the great king, Jesus.
V10~15 The bride, church
V16~17 the king
Victory is in the cause of truth, humility and justice.
Foundation of God's kingdom is scepter of justice.
God's kingdom will be forever, so we should love our king, the Lord!
How?
Forget your people and your father’s house. Don't afraid ,don't care too much of your own. Love the Lord whole my heart.

God's unfailing love

Psalm 44 God's unfailing love
Psalmist remember and heard what God had done great things to their ancestor.
The victory of Israel won by God's hands, not by their hands or swords.
Psalmist prayed to the Lord, why hide and rejected them forever, he asked God wake up, is God sleeping?
God gained nothing from they be sold.
Psalmist believed that God knows his heart belong to the Lord.
Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.
They are disgrace, but don't know why?
V4,6,15 from me to my leading from personal to public prayer
Why?
God is not sleeping, God has his schedule.
The situation of Jesus before the cross like psalmist described.
Unknowing situation is a reminder that the trust in the Lord is more previous.
How?
Be patient and wait for the Lord for his unfailing love.
I don't know why? So we can do nothing,but God might let us do nothing.

Faith and hope

Psalm 43 faith and hope

Vindicate me, my God, and plead my cause against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked.
You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?
Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.
Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.
O God, my God.
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Why?
Black as things are at very thought of God faith and hope breakthrough.
Psalmist prayed to the Lord, vindicate, plead,rescue me.
You are... but why... we don't understand God's plan.
The situation is so worse, but why I am go about mourning,why my soul downcast.
God is my stronghold, my hope. Where is my faith?
How?
Come to the Lord with joy, hope is the faith we do not see it. Rejoice for God's name and his unfailing love.
I cannot make it, may God's light and faithful care come to me, leads me.

My soul why you downcast

Psalm 42

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God
These things I remember as I pour out my soul.
The psalmist is in exile in north, surrounded by the Godless people who mock his faith.
Deeply dispirited he contracts past joys led the Pilgrim throng to the sanctuary, with unhappy present.
All his happiness rests in God, and he is filled with longing for God's presence, to come again to the Temple.
Why?
When my heart is downcast, we usually like to ask why?
Psalmist says that remember what God has done and what I have praised the Lord. Then put our hope in Him.
For the Lord is the mighty, my rock,my savior.
Why we always remember how great we had when we lost it.
How?
Let my soul pants for the Lord like deer pants for the water of stream.