July 30, 2022
Worship
in WORD
|
Ps
31:23-24 23 Love
the Lord, all you his saints! The
Lord preserves the faithful but
abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. 24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you
who wait for the Lord! ESV |
Ps
31:23-24 23 Love the LORD, all his faithful
people! The LORD preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. 24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.
The New
International Version. (2011). Zondervan. |
|
Ps
31:23-24 23 O
love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and
plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. 24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart,
all ye that hope in the LORD.
KJV |
Ps
31:23-24 23 Love
the Lord, all you godly ones! For the
Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he
harshly punishes the arrogant. 24 So
be strong and courageous, all you
who put your hope in the Lord! Holy
Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable
Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved. |
I. Hope – vv. 1-8
A. Action – v. 1
B. Appeal – v. 2
C. Acknowledge – vv. 3-4
D.
Abandon – v. 5
E.
Abhor – v. 6
F.
Acclaim! – vv. 7-8
II. Help! – vv. 9-18
1.
Soul sickness – vv. 9-10
2. Societal scorn – vv. 11-13
1.
Surrender – vv. 14-15
2.
Shine – v. 16
3. Shame – v. 17
4. Silence – v. 18
III. Hail – vv. 19-22
A. God, for His Great Goodness – v. 19
B. God, for His Sheltering Presence – v.
20
C. God, for His Hesed [ds#j# ]#] – V. 21
D. God, Who Hears and Answers His People – v. 22
IV. Heart – vv. 23-24
A. Love – v. 23
B. Long – v.24
Thought flow: Hope→Help!→Hail→Heart
B. Long
If you recall what I wrote about last time,
you will remember that I began at the end of verse 24 and not the beginning. I
wrote about “hope” as a confident expectation as opposed to today’s view of
hope as contingent and mixed with doubt. I also pointed out that the believers
in Bible times (a misleading phrase, if anything) may have had a confident expectation.
Yet they could have their hopes dashed by hoping in or for
the wrong thing. They also could place their hope in a trustworthy source but
misunderstand that source, be it a person or a promise. Unexpected outcomes do
not necessarily mean the source was untrustworthy. However, it may indicate that
our expectations were in error.
Leaving that aside now, I want to return to
the first half of verse 24. Before I do, let me point out that I used the
phrase “hope in the LORD” in a way that David did not. What I mean is that I
used it in a way that implied that David was using it as an exhortation. However,
this phrase was actually a description of those who already had a confident
expectation.
“ ... all you who
hope in the LORD.” ESV
The actual exhortation(s) come(s) in the first
half of the verse.
“Be strong,
and let your heart take courage...” NIV
Exhortation(s) or encouragement(s) directed
towards those who “hoped in the LORD.” You may be asking, “what’s with the
parentheses? They are there because there is a translational issue that will
determine whether we have one or two exhortations in verse 24. I will say more
on this later. There are two exhortations, at least, if you
include verse 23. In that verse, we find this imperative: “O love the LORD, all
ye his saints”(KJV).
Without this exhortation, obeying the one
found in verse 24 is not achievable. Because without love for God, there is no
motivation to follow the imperative: “Be of good courage (KJV)” or “Be strong (NIV,
ESV, NLT).” Love for God (and supplied by the Holy Spirit – Romans 5:5) empowers and
encourages us to persevere and have hope.
One more thing before I move on to “Worship in
Witness.”
I mentioned a translational issue. Notice the
difference between the KJV and the other translations above.
The KJV has:
“Be of good
courage, and he shall strengthen your heart ...”
The NIV has:
“Be strong, and
let your heart take courage ...”
As you can see, the KJV has an exhortation
followed by a promise. The NIV (and all other translations I’ve consulted) have
two complementing exhortations. Which is it? Not knowing Hebrew doesn’t help me
in this matter. Perhaps Derek Kidner’s
comment on this verse will prove the most helpful here.
24. Let
your heart take courage could equally be translated ‘he shall strengthen your
heart’, as in AV. The latter seems the more meaningful: an assurance of help to
those who dare to count on it, rather than a double exhortation. But in either
case it does not promise an end to trouble: rather (cf. Luke 22:42, 43) the
strength to meet it.
Kidner,
D. (1973). Psalms 1–72: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 15, p. 150).
InterVarsity Press.
Others have pointed out that this verse
recalls to mind some other famous passages of Scripture.
31:24 The
words strong and courageous recall the words of God to Joshua and Israel to
prepare them for the conquest of the promised land (Dt 31:6–7, 23; Jos 1:6–7,
9, 18).
Warstler,
K. R. (2017). Psalms. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes
(p. 844). Holman Bible Publishers.
In those verses, the LORD promises that He
will be with them. Therefore, the exhortation to be “strong and courageous” is
possible because the Almighty God would be with them! Here in Psalm 31:24, the
promise is the same, whether it be direct (KJV – “he shall”) or indirectly (ESV
-“take courage.”
Worship in
Witness
Amid all this discussion about the
exhortations found in verses 23 and 24, we cannot forget the context in which
they are made. God’s people were suffering persecution, and mockery by those
identified as “the proud (v.23).” The call to love, faithfulness, and courage
was being given in such a context. However, faithfulness does not automatically
lead to vindication, deliverance, and peace.
The
closing exhortation is very telling about the nature of psalmic faith. It is
understood that Yahweh does not automatically and instantaneously solve
problems. This faith calls for courageous hope in the midst of circumstances
that give little evidence of relief or divine intervention. We should also note
that admitting the absence of these things does not lie outside the bounds of
that faith. In addition, these verses admit that sometimes encouragement is
needed and makes a difference.
Hubbard,
R. L. J., & Johnston, R. K. (2012). Foreword. In W. W. Gasque, R. L.
Hubbard Jr., & R. K. Johnston (Eds.), Psalms (p. 160). Baker Books.
Let us remember this truth when we face
tribulation in our lives and feel like giving up –Like God has abandoned us or
doesn’t care. Let us also remember these exhortations to love God and be strong.
One final thought here:
If one reflects further on these commands, I
think they will see a symbiotic* or interdependent relationship between the two
exhortations. Love is necessary, but it can grow weary or cold by the many
onslaughts of sufferings and dangers it faces. I have found this so in my life.
Sometimes, I question God’s love for me when I face trials. Let us encourage
ourselves to seek His power to love Him more when this occurs. Let us remind ourselves
of who He is and what He has done in the past. Finally, let us recall His
promises to us (rightly understood) in His word.
Love must constantly be strengthened by faith
in the promises of God (the Lord “preserves...and pays back v. 23). Likewise,
it perseveres with a patient waiting and longing and confident hope in the LORD
(v24). Thus faith, hope, and love are essential ingredients in the
fortress walls of God’s protecting presence!
One final ingredient should be added. It
should resound against the walls of God’s shelter.
Give thanks in everything, for this is God's
will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thess 5:18
(from Holman Christian Standard Bible®
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 by Holman Bible Publishers.)
* SYMBIOTIC
sym·bi·o·sis: (sĭm′bē-ō′sĭs, -bī-), n. pl. sym·bi·o·ses (-sēz)
1.
Biology A close, prolonged association between two or more different organisms
of different species that may, but does not necessarily, benefit each member.
2. A
relationship of mutual benefit or dependence.
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/symbiotic
I guess I could have just said “interdependent,” but symbiotic sounds cooler 😎 😆
Worship in Promise, Poem, Prayer, and Praise
Verse: AMPLIFIED BIBLE (AMP), Publisher: Lockman
I Call to
You
Lord, when I am in deep despair
I call to You for Your tender care
When life to me makes no sense
And trials and fears grow intense
I cry out to You, my hope and stay
For strength to cope amidst the fray
And You, my God, come to my aid
When I am lost and so afraid
You bind me closely to Your side
You are my shelter in which I hide
I see the dawn of grace appear
And faith rises up and conquers fear!
Be My...
Come, Lord Jesus, be my life
Amidst the sorrows and the strife
Be my strength all the day
In the battles, among the fray
- Amen
Strong and Mighty
Strong and mighty
are Your arms
They are able to protect and encase
They guard me against life's harms
Yet gently hold me in Your embrace
Hold me up in the
battles I'm in
And swiftly catch me when I fall
By Your strength, the fight I'll win
O God Almighty and Lord of all
- Amen
In the Meantime: by Hannah Kerr
Even in the waiting, You are kind
I rest in surrender
I don't expect an answer overnight
Your purpose is higher
Oh, so much higher than mine
Even in the waiting, You are kind
I will praise You
You see every season of my life
I will trust You
You're using every moment by design
In between expecting
In between receiving
Before I know the answer
Before I see the reason
You're moving in the meantime
Even in the waiting, You are good
Even when I'm doubting
If things are gonna turn out like I think they should
Even in the waiting, You are good
I will praise
You
You see every
season of my life
I will trust
You
You're using
every moment by design
In between
expecting
In between
receiving
Before I
know the answer
Before I
see the reason
You're moving
in the meantime
You're moving
in the meantime
Here in the waiting
My hope remains
Here in this place
My heart finds strength
Here in the waiting
My hope remains
Here in this place
My heart finds strength
I will praise
You
You see every
season of my life
I will trust
You
You're using
every moment by design
In between
expecting
In between
receiving
Before I
know the answer
Before I
see the healing
You're moving
in the meantime
You're moving
in the meantime
Lyrics: in the
meantime, Lyrics. (n.d.). Lyrics.com. Retrieved July
29, 2022, from https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/2110043/Hannah+Kerr/in+the+meantime.
Video: https://youtu.be/qR46yDtHySg
For Further Thought or Study
Many a believer has been deluded by magical
thinking regarding God’s promises. They claim them as a spiritual “talisman” or
“incantation” that can be clung to or cited to ward off evil. They expect
immediate and miraculous results. God may intervene immediately and
miraculously. However, God’s promises normally fall under the category of
providence and sanctification. Both are sovereign and progressive works of God
and involve the passage of time. Immediate deliverance and answers may be
desired and comforting but leave out God's sanctifying and faith-building
purposes. Paul sought immediate relief from a “thorn in the flesh,” but God had
other purposes by leaving the thorn. Thus, the thorn of pain became a thorn of grace
and God’s strength!
This is great news
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