October 27 – Foreigners Born in Jerusalem

        Psalm 87:6-7: "Yahweh will write in the register of the people: 'This one was born in Zion.' As they make music, they will sing, "All my fountains are in you". (NIV, copyright 1973)

        I had a revelation today, 2017, regarding this Psalm. I had always thought that this was some obscure, irrelevant short ditty, especially the last verse, which made no sense to me, and which seemed out of place in the psalm. Au contraire!

        Like so many prophetic writings of the Old Testament, this one points to several New Testament passages – John 3:1-8, Revelation 5:9, Ephesians 1:5, & Romans 11:13-21. God is in the adoption – choosing – redemption – business. He is always working, drawing people out of the world, and into his family. Just like Leviticus 19:33 intimates, God wanted ancient Israel to welcome aliens into his people, but only on his terms – not on deceptive, selfish terms, as is described of the people of Gibeon in Joshua 9. So the entirety of Psalm 87 describes the adoption of Gentiles into the family of God, being a part of the chosen people, not by natural birth, but by adoption. It goes further than that. God then says in verse 6 that these people will be considered as being natives! God doesn't look at me as a "red-headed stepchild", a part of the family, but actually unwanted. He calls me his son, and writes my name in his book of life (Revelation 3:5; 20:12).

        After researching the original language of verse 7, I was finally able to understand its meaning. The word "fountains" is probably not a clear translation in this case. It was probably used for its poetic nature. In our culture, a fountain is a man-made water sculpture, resulting in a beautiful flow of electrically-pumped water, emanating in an artistic spray. The original Hebrew word means "springs" or "sources", meaning a place where water naturally flows from the ground, which usually does not include an upward spraying of water. (One well-known exception would be Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park.) A spring usually just appears out of the ground, where it might not be expected. It is a source of water from a hidden place of origin.

        Keeping that thought in mind, verse 7 fits perfectly in this psalm. Having been adopted by God into his family, it makes perfect sense that my source of life is God himself. He has given me birth and life itself; I had no power to create my source of life or well-being. All my breath and life were given by God (Acts 17:25); he deserves all the glory for such.

 

October 13 – A Biblical Worldview Microcosm

        Psalm 73:16-17 – “When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me, till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny”. (NIV, 1973)

        Have you ever pondered deeply about why certain persons or classes of people prosper or why other cultures seem to perpetually struggle for survival? What about the carefree attitude of many people in our own country? What about your co-workers who are so wrapped up in following the Hollywood “elite”? I could ask many more questions about what we see happening around us.

        The writer of Psalm 73 is asking the same question, wondering why certain people that he deemed wicked, would prosper greatly within a culture that started out following God, but then largely falling away from living by his ways and commands. He is obviously thinking that any pagan can do well, even as this person thumbs his nose at God. That thought is predicated upon the idea that God only blesses those who embrace his righteous ways. So what gives, when that idea goes by the wayside?

        Psalm 73, overall, is a small summary of the biblical worldview of personal destiny and how it comes about. Jesus ultimately showed us a more complete understanding of what the Old Testament writings were intimating. With that in mind, verses 2-12 can be understood in the light of Matthew 13:24-30, the story of the wheat and the weeds. God allowed both to grow up together. What follows verse 17 is a microcosm of man's destiny that Jesus described. Verses 18-20 are a vague way of describing hell (see Matt 7:13, 5:22, 5:30). Psalm 73:21-22 are a confession of our blindness in understanding God's ways. God has to take the scales from our eyes for us to see the truth and goodness of his word and worldview. Verses 23-26 describe the changed heart and secure state of a believer, who now desires to please God, living in his salvation.

        The final two verses once again summarize those who will be cast out of God's presence, and those who will enjoy his presence. As one reads the entirety of God's word, it is so refreshing to see the revealed truths of the New Testament in the partially concealed truth of the Old Testament. Psalm 73:1 surely points to Matthew 5:8 - “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”