PSALM NINE

WHO REIGNS? 
 
  The psalms of David are very expressive in their description of God's
relationship with man, and man's opposition to God.  In the eighth
psalm there is a wonderful description of the Glory of man in
communication with God.  But this psalm, which follows it, shows the
folly of man in opposition to God. 
  In his song, the singer shows the chaos which follows when the human
mind reigns.  There is a madness in the mind of man which runs its
course when the nations forget God.  It leads to endless ruin, cities
are uprooted, and the memory of them perish.  This is the history of
man in miniature.  Only God knows the full detail of what has happened
in human  communities on earth over the period that man has occupied
the planet. 
  Man thinks he has the power over his own destiny.  But there are many
indeterminables in human experience.  Men have never had such knowledge
and skills as they have today, yet the world has never been in such a
mess before.  Man is indeed frail man.  He thinks he controls his own
destiny, yet the world is in the control of forces he knows little or
nothing about.  There are unseen forces in control.  The Bible declares
that the true believer does not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against principalities and powers.  It is these principalities and
powers which control the progress or otherwise of each nation.  All
mankind is truly hostage to fortune.  Man's only hope is in God. 
Despite this however man chooses to forget God.  Because God is unseen
and unseeable, man insists that He does not exist.  At the same time
man is vaguely aware that he is controlled by unseen forces.  This is
evidenced by the great increase of interest in fortune-telling,
horoscopes, star gazing, the occult etc., in these days.  As the human
race struggles on for its very existence, the question remains to be
resolved...WHO REIGNS?  The theme of the psalm changes to reveal the
victory which is apparent when the Divine Mind reigns.  "God reigns for
ever!" sings the psalmist.  God has established His throne as the seat
of judgment. When God reigns - there is justice.  The tragedy of human
struggle lies in the fact that even whilst man rejects God because he
cannot see Him, he still longs for the justice which only God can
provide for him. 
  God is a refuge and fortress.  He is a refuge for the distressed. 
Oppression is of the enemy, but relief comes from the Lord.  We can
hide in God, for He is a stronghold in the time of trouble.  We have an
immovable God, He is a safe shelter in times of trouble.  God is a
constant in a changing world.  He is always there and He is always a
safe refuge. 
  The psalmist sings on, "The Lord is the avenger of blood."  The
phrase used in the psalm is, "when He shall enquire after the blood." 
The carnage in this world at the present time is unbelievable,
particularly as it is taking place in a period of so called peace. 
When a loved one is lost because of terrorist activity, or illegal
action by wicked persons, the family is left with a feeling of great
helplessness.  Some try to relieve their feelings by crying out for the
blood of the perpetrators of the crime.  In every generation, the blood
of man is spilt because of the utter folly of man.  God Himself will
enquire into every bloodshed.  There is a reason for this.  He sent His
Son into the world to shed his blood for all mankind.  If THAT shed
blood, with its efficacy before God, and its power to deliver from sin,
were accepted by each generation, THERE WOULD BE NO MORE BLOOD SHED IN
ANGER. 
  The Title of this psalm is very significant.  It contains, "To the
tune - The death of a son."  Jesus tasted death for every man.  He
Himself declared that if any man believed in him, he should not perish
but have everlasting life. 



Copyright (c) 1995, Hedley Palmer. All rights reserved.



----------------------------------------------------
file: /pub/resources/text/hpalmer/psalms: ps-009.txt
.