August 16, 2023 — Psalm 111 

“Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the LORD is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant. He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.” 

“…the LORD is gracious and merciful.” 

“…rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.” Joel 2:13 

That the Lord is gracious and merciful is important, is salvific, because “all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” as Paul says so eloquently. (Romans 3:23) 

This phrase about the Lord being gracious and merciful is repeated throughout the Old Testament — and the New Testament is the fulfillment of that phrase, through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. In other words, Jesus is the ultimate expression of our Lord’s graciousness and mercy. 

What is to be learned from this Psalm is that the work of the Lord is honor and majesty — G-d is creator — our G-d is sovereign. But G-d is more — the Lord is gracious and merciful. The Lord remembers his covenant of promise forever. His name is holy and awesome. Our job, as followers, is to study the works of the Lord, which then leads to our fear of the Lord — which is awesome respect and trust, not fear and loathing. We will talk more about this “fear” in the next Psalm. 

Let us pray: 

Gracious and holy God, feed us at the table of holy wisdom, that we may honor, love, and obey you as your children. May we remember your wonders and ponder your works, so that we delight to do what you ask of us, by the power given to us in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. 

Amen. 

August 15, 2023 — Psalm 110 

“The LORD says to my lord, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” The LORD sends out from Zion your mighty scepter.  Rule in the midst of your foes. Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day you lead your forces  on the holy mountains. From the womb of the morning, like dew, your youth will come to you. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter heads  over the wide earth. He will drink from the stream by the path; therefore he will lift up his head.” 

“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” 

“Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “Then how does David in the Sprit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put thine enemies beneath Thy feet?”’ If David then calls Him ‘Lord’, how is He his son?” (Matt. 22:41-45). 

The fact that Jesus quoted this psalm would have come as no surprise to the audience that day. It was believed that David was the psalm’s author, that he wrote by inspiration, and that he spoke of the Messiah. What the religious leaders were unwilling to admit was that David’s Lord was both divine and human. 

Melchizedek was originally mentioned in Genesis chapter 14. He is a Gentile but also an obscure and enigmatic figure. He certainly did not descend from Abraham. He was the “king of Salem” (Genesis 14:18), which some feel was the city of Jerusalem. The word “Salem” also meant “peace,” so he was the king of peace. He is also identified as a “priest of God Most High”. This king-priest pronounced a blessing on Abram and received his tithe, a tenth of the spoils of war (v. 20)  

In using the Apostles’ Creed to declare the faith of the Christian Church, the church says over and over again, “I believe in Jesus Christ … who sits at the right hand of God.” In this declaration of faith, we make a confession of where we first see Jesus in relation to G-d. The statement is the nearest approximation the church has to an answer to the question of where Jesus is now. The psalm thus declares to the world — he is the one who sits at the right hand of G-d. Jesus is King! The meaning and confession of our faith makes absolute claims on our response — obedience of the community and its members. 

Prayer 

Almighty God, your Son is the high priest of the new Jerusalem. Consecrate us to be your holy people, that the reign of Christ, your anointed one, may come in its fullness; through the same Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. 

Amen. 

Pastor Dave