Psalms 49 & 50: All the World & All the People

Many of the songs we read bring peace and comfort but not all of them take Psalm 50. For example, where God has a brother convicting words for his people. This is a song really about worship God is passionate about his worship and this should really alarm contemporary Christians because we tend to think God's perfectly happy with whatever we happen to offer and it is not true. Welcome to Renewing Your Mind of this with Dave and Luanne Linda. Let me see the onset that the message were about to hear is not about traditional versus contemporary styles of worship. It is about the wisdom of the world versus the wisdom of God and understanding what is good and pleasing to God when it comes to offering our sacrifice of praise to him in the Psalms. Help us do just that. Dr. Robert Godfrey is our teacher today from his series, learning to love the Psalms you want to turn out a book to culture and once again were just going to be able to sample a couple things out of book to book 2 generally is the book about the kingdom of God's focused on Jerusalem on the Temple on the King.

In fact, every Psalm in book 2 talks about either Jerusalem or the king or the temple, with one exception, and that one exception is Psalm 49 when you find exceptions in the Psalter. It sort of points to the July 10 artful variation that the poet has just the time we think we've got the stuff figured out that he'd change a sum enough to keep us off balance. Keep us meditating.

Keep a study so I'm going to be perverse, along with the psalmist and look at the one Psalm that doesn't fit the mold or doesn't appear to fit the mold of focusing on the kingdom of God in book 2 of the Psalter and that some 49 so I want to think with you a little bit about Psalm 49. Actually it's a song that sounds like a proverb or part of the book of Proverbs. It it sounds like wisdom literature, it begins here this all peoples to notice it's trying the whole world. It's not just trying to Israel or the kingdom of God by trying the whole world hear this all peoples give ear, all inhabitants of the world both low and high rich and poor together. My mouth shall speak wisdom the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

So he's going to talk wisdom to the whole world, and we might say what that doesn't fit into a book that's about the kingdom, but when we step back a little bit we discover things are not quite as simple as they might initially seem Psalm 40 AIDS which comes just before some 49 Psalm 48 celebrates Jerusalem celebrates the glories of Zion walk around her walls see her citadels see her power see how impressive Jerusalem is see the love of God displayed in the temple. This is the vintage book Tucson celebrate the kingdom of God celebrate Jerusalem celebrating the temple, but in that song that so focuses on Jerusalem. We also hear an appeal to the whole world. So in verse one of Psalm 48 we read his holy mountain, beautiful in elevation is the joy of all the earth. God's interest in Israel is never separated from his concern for the whole world. Israel is the staging point for the gospel will go out to the whole world, so we're not overly surprised that Psalm 48 will be followed by a very specific address and Psalm 49 to the whole world and this wisdom. Psalm addressed to the whole world divides itself really into two stanzas.

Stanza one is verses five through 12 which really is the wisdom of the world and then stanza two verses 13 through 20 is the wisdom of God. And so the psalmist first wants to explore a way of thinking that will appeal to everybody in the whole world and then wants to go on and say no. We can do better than that. It's true as far as it goes, but we do better than that to give you the wisdom of God that takes us beyond the wisdom of the world and this Psalm is so attractive, in part because it's logic is irresistible, but the beauty of its poetry is absolutely charming is actually powerful in its delightful descendents, arresting quality sort. I want to look at this a little bit together with you. Verse five poses one of the great questions in terms of the world's wisdom, why should I fear the end times of trouble. Everybody is times of trouble. Everybody in the whole world has times of how I faced times of trouble fearlessly. Why should I fear in times of trouble when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me. Okay so just general trouble. It's particularly the trouble caused by cheaters who are making my life miserable at my expense. Those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches. Okay, there's real trouble when the rich are given the rest of us a bad time. How can you deal with that in the day of trouble and trying to avoid political comment well how do you deal with that kind of struggle verse seven.

Truly, no man can read some another or give to God. The price of his life for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice that he should live on forever and never see the pit. What's our comfort when we look at the rich and the misery they're causing us comfort is there gonna die there gonna die and I can't take it with them and for all their wealth, they can't buy their way out of that common situation of mankind. Verse 1040 sees that even the wiseguy the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth others. If Satan can't take it with you. Their graves are their homes forever their dwelling places to all generations.

Though they called lands by their own names, conquerors, pioneers, people of such influence and power that they rebel name lands after themselves.

You can still go to the near East and find town after town after town named after some variation on Alexander Alexandria in Egypt being the biggest but allover there are Alexandria's of one sort or another to know what he's dead they're still looking for his grave actually is dead that's that's the wisdom of this Psalm. Verse 12 man in his pomp will not remain. He is like the beasts that perish. Death is the great equalizer. That's the wisdom of the world and is true as far as it goes, is not everybody's dying. We are Americans. Of course we never talk about that that's that's a dirty little secret that must never be acknowledged, but the psalmist you see tells truth and that's the truth. The wisdom of the world. At least one of the parts of the wisdom of the world can be reduced to this don't threat the small stuff were all gonna die now exactly how much comfort you derive from that is another sort of question is it is comforting in a way they're going to get theirs, but then to were going to get hours so that's that's sort of the dilemma but just the sort of the charm of this could have. How can you avoid sword being drawn into this. Here's a kind of realist. Here's a fellow who seems to know what he's talking about man in his pomp will not remain.

These, like the beasts perish.

You may dress up all you want but you still die like a dog that's the new translation and yeah good it is this comforting while not entirely, but it it's a springboard than to move on to at least challenge the wisdom of the world with the wisdom of God is there more to be said verse 13. This is the path of those who have foolish confidence. Yet after them. People approve of their bows. This is the path of the rich and the powerful. They think are to live forever, but they're not even the people around them all the time telling them how wonderful they are one of the great ironies of history is how monarchs are always surrounded in the Bible and in history by people shouting old king live forever well. How is that anything other than reminder mortality because that's exactly what's not going to happen that the king is going to live forever, but that's still why the world tells itself and and who are these people really verse 14.

It is so powerful in the picture it paints like sheep. They are appointed for show and death shall be their shepherd while while who is your shepherd if you just share in the wisdom of the world. Death is your shepherd that's that's a pretty arresting image isn't death shall be to their format shall be consumed in shoal with no place to dwell. Even their graves can't be regarded as a lasting resting place regularly in Europe now apparently you get buried for 10 years and then up you come Deborah no room so you go in for 10 years and then they dig up the bones and put them someplace respectable currently but even your own grave isn't yours. See the Psalms or was ahead of everybody else that is a matter of social policy was already anticipated and there's this terrible picture that death is world going and even the grateful tiara so is everything more to say.

Well I'm glad say there is more to say that we don't have to end there. But that's the wisdom of the world. That's what it boils down to, but verse 15 but God will ransom my soul from the power of shoal for he will receive me. Now there's eternal life, and we talked about last time is eternal life in the Old Testament God hears eternal life. I it's interesting the wisdom of the world must recognize that even the rich don't have enough money to ransom their own souls. They can keep themselves alive. But God can ransom the soul and in Psalm 49 but also in the Old Testament generally the theme of ransom is a very important one.

We can see how he goes on to really celebrate that. Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases for when he dies he will carry nothing away his glory will not go down after him for though while he lives.

He counts himself blessed, and though you get praise when you do well for yourself. Yet, his soul will go to the generation of his father's who will never see light again when there's another arresting statement who will never see light again.

Even if you get a good burial. What they do. They put you in a box and they close the lid and you never see light again if that's all there is also listen and what is the implication here it is that we will see light as those ransomed by God. This is not the last word.

Verse 14 again if death is the shepherd of the wicked.

The upright shall rule over them in the morning in the morning. Mornings are important in the Psalter of that wonderful verse in Psalm 30 weeping may last for a night but joy comes in the morning and and that's not just you know it's remember so often when my wife and I were newlyweds and she was teaching school and I was in school and life seem kind of overwhelming and often coming home from school should be a little weepy at night and I would say things look better in the morning and should say stop saying that. And then in the morning should say things to look better.

So there there's a sort of universal truth about that things often when you're tired and worn out and start they look worse and there's weeping of night and the joy comes in the morning that universal truth, but in the Psalms.

It's more than just a kind of everyday truth. It's a truth about the future it's the truth about hope it's the truth about resurrection. It's a truth about life beyond death, and that's what's true here.

The wicked will not see light, but the upright will see the morning. That's the promise and have seen the morning because God will ransom cut will ransom do not many laws there are in the Old Testament about ransoming. There are all sorts of laws about ransom. This was a principal God wanted his people to learn and the principle of ransoming is that there are circumstances in which something has to be paid for to atone for an action if I kill an animal accidentally belongs to my neighbor.

I have to ransom that animal by making a payment, and God wanted to deeply implant that principal in the minds of his people because it was a central to God's work of redemption because God had said when he came to rescue his people from Egypt. He said Israel is my firstborn and I will ransom him from Egypt and when Pharaoh wouldn't let them go. What if Pharaoh have to pay.

He had to pay the death of his firstborn, so the God could ransom his firstborn from Egypt. The ransom principle is deeply rooted in the Bible. And here is appealed to by Psalm 49 to say God will ransom my soul as God brought Israel out of Egypt to a land of promise to a land of hope to a land of life, so God will ransom my soul so that I will not go down with the world to death.

The great equalizer, but I will soon wonderful son the senses and unfolds as it I mean the truth is very simple. The truth is very basic. We can summarize the song and of the wicked are going to die. The righteous are going live. But the poetic expression is so arresting, so challenging, so helpful and so what's the conclusion of the song man in his pomp, yet without understanding, is like the beasts that perish sever some familiar, it should if you're paying attention know you been paying attention long time.

I don't mean to be critical, but look at verse 12 man in his pomp will not remain is like the beasts that perish. That's the sort of concluding comment on the wisdom of the world. Now the concluding comment on the wisdom of God is similar but radically different at the same time. Verse 20 man in his pomp, just like the beginning of verse 12, yet without understanding, is like the beasts that perish.

What's the difference between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God. The differences understand understanding what understanding the ways of God.

If you are content just to know the world going to die and that equalizes everything out. Then you can stop at verse 12.

The sciences don't be content with that. Don't be content.

That's all there is.

If you have understanding. You don't have to die like a dog because God ransomed your soul and make sure his child. So the joy comes in the morning. It all fits together in in a wonderful declaration about what God is doing who God is and how he provides for his people, and so from this wisdom. Psalm we could go on then to Psalm 50 because now having moved from the particularity of Psalm 48 with an anticipation of universality for the whole world, and now having had this sort of universal Psalm in Psalm 49. The talks about what all mankind must think about. Then it seems like Psalm 50 is is really continuing that same theme, how to Psalm 50. Again, the mighty one God, the Lord speaks and summons the earth.

Okay, this sounds kinda solemn doesn't wait. We had this kind of beautiful, thoughtful, reflective Psalm of wisdom and now Psalm 50 starts with a kind of shout with an awesome dimension.

The first words in Hebrew are pale ale, heme, Yahweh. Three words for God coming from beach to get attention and he speaks but doesn't just speak, but he summons the world this is. This is already a judgment seeing he speaks and summons the world from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Here's the whole world being addressed out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth our God comes he does not keep silence before them is a devouring fire before him, a mighty tempest he calls to the heavens above into the earth beneath, that he made charge and on the surprise. The people not the people's he summons all the earth, not to a judgment of the whole earth, but he summons the whole earth to watch his judgment of his own people see you have to stay on your toes. The psalmist is is tricky and what's going on here that this is not the great final judgment, but this is really a sermon disappointing.

After the big buildup.

God is coming to his own people with a message so important that he calls the whole world as witness what God has to say to his people and it's very striking because this is a Psalm really about worship God is passionate about his worship it if you wanted to summarize the whole Old Testament in it. A handful of statements that would have to be one of God is passionate about his worship and then this should really alarm contemporary Christians because we tend to think God's perfectly happy with whatever we happen offer and it is not true. John Calvin said the number one thing, the Protestant Reformation was about was the Reformation worship because that's where we meet with God and God is coming to his people to complain about their attitudes and worship. We don't have a lot of time to look at this, but it it shows up again. Some of the power of the Psalter in and the varied ways in which approaches things and this Psalm is a sermon addressing God's own people is addressing two kinds of people, and God says right at the outset.

Verse seven and eight hero people and I will speak. Oh Israel I will testify against you.

I am God, your God, not for your sacrifices. Do I rebuke you your burnt offerings are continually before me. And what is really saying here is you're doing all right things I'm not coming to complain about what you're doing if you're doing the wrong things are coming complain about that, but that's all I'm complain about ungodly about your hearts and worship any complaints about two kind of people in Israel relative to his worship and the first are the kind of heedless. The casual the uninvolved the thoughtless just going through the motions and he says to those people. What you think you're doing when you worship says it's obvious what you think you're doing what you think you're doing is doing me a big favor as if I'm hungry and you have to bring a full day.

Let me tell you you're not doing me a favor. Worship is me doing you a favor. That's the first part of the Psalm, and then the last part of some work God really gets upset is to the wicked who said you think I'm just like you. You think I say one thing and do another.

You think I'm a hypocrite that I won't care about your going through the motions living despicable lives. I want to know I care. And it's another powerful psalmist God returns to the theme of his people is worship his temple is capital and whether people are living for him living for themselves, so we become close. Realizing how powerful in the Psalter. God continues to address his people as well as to give his people to speak to him and praise him and to lead them to. That's Dr. Robert Godfrey reminding us that we need to approach worship with reverence and awe, know it is easy to fall into the attitude that Dr. Robert Godfrey just mentioned, there are so often we enter God's presence way too casually without considering that were standing before a holy and righteous God as we study the Psalms were saying that God does not condone that kind of attitude such an important corrective for the church today. Thank you for joining us for Renewing Your Mind on this Wednesday. Dr. Godfrey is a respected church historian, one of our teaching fellows here at leader ministries this week were featuring his series. Learning to love the Psalms would like to send you all 12 messages on two DVDs for your donation of any amount you can reach us by phone at 800-435-4343 or you can go online to Renewing Your Mind.org.

In a recent addition of tabletop magazine Dr. Godfrey wrote the Psalms are the word of God given so that we will be directed and how to speak to him and think about him and respond to them and therefore not to know the Psalms is to lose the key pattern that God has given us a praise and a prayer again for your gift of any about. We will send you the two DVD set of Dr. Godfrey series learning to love the Psalms are never get his 800-435-4343 and or web address is Renewing Your Mind.org and on behalf of all of my colleagues are leader ministries. Thank you for your generosity in Psalm 52 we read see the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction say there is trusted in the abundance of his riches and this is so powerful and sought refuge in his own destruction. Isn't that a description so much of the world that surrounds us. People thinking that they will be protected by the very things that are destroying.

I hope you make plans to join us tomorrow for Renewing Your Mind