We have covered Psalm 117 on this blog a couple of times and you would think that there wouldn't be that much to say about 2 verses, but we have only just begun! The Word of God is so boundless! As long as we keep WANTING to learn, HE will continue to teach us, layer upon powerful layer! Here is Psalm 117:
1 O PRAISE the LORD, all you nations! Praise Him, all you people! 2 For His mercy and loving-kindness are great toward us, and the truth and faithfulness of the LORD endure forever. Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!)
I found this in the Bible Expository Dictionary: Old Testament:
An anonymous writer composed the shortest psalm and in three brief sentences encompassed the whole world. The psalm is an invitation to people everywhere to turn to the Lord and join with believers everywhere in praising Him. A proper understanding of this psalm will help us appreciate at least four privileges that belong to God's people.
- Worshiping God. (Verse 1a) (We have already discussed the two different Hebrew words used for praise here).
- Sharing the Gospel. (Verse 1b) The word for "nations" is the Hebrew word "gowy" and refers to Gentiles. The word for "people" is the Hebrew word "ummah" and refers to the diverse nationalities, or tribes, in the world. This Psalm is an invitation for all of the people of the world to join with the believers in the One, True God, in worshiping HIM!
- Depending on God's great love. (Verse 2a) Many verses tell us that "God is good" and that good gifts come from Him!
- Resting on Divine assurance. (Verse 2b) Those same verses referred to above tell us that "His mercy endures FOREVER"!
1 Corinthians 5 Paul is dealing with sin within the church. There is a proper way to deal with this according to God's Word. I have seen so much hatred and bitterness among the Body of Christ with whole "ministries" dedicated to passing judgment on other ministers and ministries. God NEVER set up a "calling" to expose the sin of others! He laid out in this chapter, and others in the New Testament, how to properly respond to another believer caught up in sin. If you happen to come across a "ministry" involved in the "exposing" of another ministry's errors, FLEE from it! Pray for all involved and then ask the Holy Spirit if there is a specific way He wants YOU to respond beyond that. If not, FORGET ABOUT IT! Verse 10 says this:
10 Not [meaning of course that you must] altogether shun the immoral people of this world, or the greedy graspers and cheats and thieves or idolaters, since otherwise you would need to get out of the world and human society altogether!
Remember that we are to be IN the world, but not OF it! It is to this very world that we have been sent! HE has sent US to seek and save the lost, just like Jesus was! NOT to point out their sin, but to point out HIS Redemption from it! The GOOD NEWS! AMEN!
I love Joshua 5:1:
1 WHEN ALL the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until we had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no spirit in them any more because of the Israelites.
The word "spirit" here is the Hebrew word "ruwach". One of the meanings of this word is: courage! These nations had NO courage to stand against the Israelites because they had already HEARD what the God of the Israelites had done before! Remember that Rahab had said this to them in Joshua 2:9-11! The same thing is true of OUR enemy when true born again believers in Jesus of Nazareth will dare to stand on OUR authority in the Name of Jesus! When we understand who we are IN HIM, we can speak His Word and the enemy will not be able to tell us apart from HIM! God's angels work on our behalf, in response to God's Word spoken out of our mouths (Hebrews 1:14). Works and workers of darkness MUST respond to God's Word out of our mouths in that same way! KNOW HIM and KNOW YOU! He is waiting for this! It's called putting His enemies under His feet (Hebrews 10:13)! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
