Sunday, October 9, 2011
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Will You Be Angry Forever?
PSALM 79
Tonight we continue examining the psalms.
We examine another psalm of Asaph.
That is all that is said in the superscription.
It is a psalm of mourning as Jerusalem and the temple have been
destroyed. From the
context this psalm is best interpreted with the destruction of Jerusalem
as Judah was carried away into Babylonian captivity because of their
sins, as we shall see.
The righteous psalmist sees the devastation as come from God
and prays that He will give Judah another chance.
Before we begin, I want to remind us of Psalm 74 in which the
psalmist sees the city and temple BEING destroyed.
In contrast, this psalm describes the devastation as complete and
cries for God’s vengeance on those who carried out its destruction.
You may recall that psalm 74 was described as being written with
reference to a people who were short sighted.
Not fully comprehending that this destruction was THEIR doing
because of their continued rejection of God.
It was a cry for deliverance without taking full responsibility.
It was a repetitive cry assuming that God would deliver them as
He had done so many times in the past.
But, we know that with the destruction of Jerusalem and the
temple in 586 BC, things would never be the same for Judah.
Their punishment was to last an entire generation (70 years).
The psalm before us now, has a similar tone.
As we examine it, notice how the writer (and people) don’t fully
“get it” as to why these things are happening.
It was THEIR sins and pushing the longsuffering of God to its
limits. From hindsight, we
know the outcome. May we
learn from their example so that we don’t develop similar flawed
attitudes (Rom. 15:4).
Let us take a few moments and examine this psalm.
I.
Judah is Defeated (1-4)
a.
A picture of total
destruction. The nation has
been encroached. The walls
breached and the temple has been defiled and destroyed.
The people has seen a
great slaughter
b.
Consider this in light
of 2 Chronicles 36:15-21. As
you read this you will see how our psalm fits this occasion.
c.
They have become a
reproach, a scorn and a derision to those around.
Recalling that in this time, every nation had their own gods and
whatever good they experienced they attributed to their own gods.
Babylon, as Assyria had done, boasted that their gods were
greater than Jehovah because of their defeat of Judea and Jerusalem.
BUT, God sent them prophets (Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, etc.) and
“signs” to humble them.
Nevertheless, at the time, Judah had become a reproach, scorn and
derision to all nations around.
How tragic.
d.
Lesson:
When we turn our backs on God, it is only a matter of time before our
lives will begin to deteriorate spiritually.
Rather than reflecting His light for others to see (cf. Eph. 5:8)
e.
Lesson:
We must never forget the vengeance of God if we reject His counsel (Rom.
11:22, 2 Thess. 1:8). And do
not forget that this nation was His people.
The application is to us, as His children, lest we fall away (cf.
2 Pet. 2:20-22)
II.
Prayer for God’s
Vengeance (5-12)
a.
In this portion of the
psalm, we find the author appeals from several different angles.
Again, I find it interesting that
there is a cry for God’s vengeance against Judah’s enemies when what is
occurring is actually the product of God’s vengeance against them.
Oh, for the wisdom to fully comprehend our fate!
b.
Vs. 5 - “How long, Lord?
Will You be angry forever?”
The question could be
applied in two directions – 1)
How long will God continue to allow Judah to be afflicted; 2) How long
before He avenges His people (Judah) from their enemies (who are
supposedly His enemies as well).
Both thoughts are developed in this psalm.
There is an acknowledgment that
punishment was justified.
But we see (again) the delusion that God has done enough to them.
Like the child that says, “I’m sorry” and believes that such is
adequate punishment for the offense, Judah’s attitude is as if one is
saying, “OK, we get it. We
were wrong again. You’ve
punished us enough. Now can
we move on with the restoration?”
Lesson: Friends, God’s
wrath is just and He determines what is just punishment.
This is something to consider when we weigh the wrath of hell (Rev.
20:10, 15, 21:8; Matt. 25:41, 46).
In the case of Jehovah’s wrath against Judah, He was not done!
In hindsight, we know God’s answer – “get comfortable, you are
going to be there awhile” (70 years to be exact).
FURTHERMORE, in this
request let us be reminded of patience and longsuffering.
Whenever we expect God to answer our prayers, we must be patient
and let Him do so on His terms – Luke 18:7-8, 2 Pet. 3:9, Rom. 9:22.
c.
Vs. 6-7 – you have here
an imprecation. A call for
God to punish and inflict the “wicked nation” that did not know God.
Jeremiah 10:25 is very similar in its language to these verses.
i.
WE have discussed
imprecatory psalms before and noted that such acknowledge the greatness
of God. They left it in
God’s hands to deal with His (and their) enemies.
They did not act presumptuously.
ii.
Note who didn’t know God?
While the psalmist thinks of Babylon and other nations, I ask,
what about Judah?
Jer. 2:8, 9:3 – Judah didn’t know Him as they ought to.
Jer. 24:7 – after punishment was complete, “then I will give them a
heart to know Me.”
Jer. 31:34 – with the new covenant, “every man (will) teach his
neighbor, and every many his brother saying, ‘Know the Lord’, for they
all shall know Me.”).
iii.
Whether or not nations
deserved punishment was up to God.
We know that God was fully aware of the wickedness of Babylon and
other nations around them, but THIS was God’s vengeance against Judah
for their sins.
iv.
NOTE again you have a
psalm in which the psalmist does little to acknowledge how terrible
their conduct had been. The
confession we read in the verses following are weak, at best.
d.
Vs. 8- Do not remember
former iniquities –
i.
The righteous can
approach God knowing that when He forgives us our debts, He forgets
about them. Jeremiah 31:34
(see above) concludes by saying, “For
I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
The Hebrew writer quotes this text TWICE reminding us of the effects of
the precious blood of Jesus in the New Covenant – Heb. 8:12, 10:17-18.
ii.
But is this a
confession? Have you ever
heard someone with a weak confession? A general, “I’m sorry!”
While at times, such is sufficient, true repentance will be
evident and our words and actions will reflect it (cf. 2 Cor. 7:11).
iii.
We ought to think about
these things when we face the consequences of our actions.
You will reap what you sow (Gal. 6:9).
e.
Vs. 9-10
– properly acknowledges the
source of forgiveness – God.
And you find in its words a legitimate motive for God to act – that He
be glorified and His will be done.
We need that attitude as we approach God.
Just as Jesus in the Garden prayed, “Your will be done” (Matt.
26:39), so we in all things ought to seek His glory.
BUT, let us ACCEPT whatever His glory might entail – which might mean we
have to endure some trials and troubles.
Perhaps we will experience “the chastening of the Lord” (Heb.
12:5-11)
So whatever happens, accept it and glorify Him (cf. 2 Cor. 12:9-10)
f.
“Why should nations say,
‘Where is their God?’” That
is a legitimate concern. I
only add this: Is our conduct such that God is visible in our lives?
Do we live so that His wrath is justified?
g.
Vs. 11 – a prayer for
preservation. We know that
this will not happen. 50-70
(i.e. the stages of Jerusalem’s fall took place over 20 years) years of
captivity away from the land awaited them
h.
Vs. 12 – punishment 7
fold to their enemies. Leave
that to God.
III.
Promise of praise (13)
a.
This psalm concludes
with a promise to praise God if they are delivered.
b.
Or, it could be a simple
promise to praise God regardless of what happens next.
c.
We certainly understand
that we ought to praise God regardless of what happens.
We ought to accept from Him both the good and the adversity (Job
2:10).
d.
BUT, how quickly do we
forget when things return to “normal”?
Count your blessings and name them one by one.
And
thus we conclude our study of another psalm of Asaph.
Let us do all that we can to avoid the wrath of God and the need
to utter words similar to those of this psalm.
Obey God!