By J.G. Bellet
Psalm 82
In this Psalm the Lord God, in sovereign right, stands to judge the powers and governments of the world, those Gentile powers to whom He had entrusted the sword during Israel's rejection. He calls them to render account of their stewardship. He reminds them of what their commission had been, convicts them of unfaithfulness to it, and then pronounces the sentence. Upon this His people take comfort, and call on Him to take to Him His great power and to reign; for this judgment is to be followed by His possession of all nations; and we know that the knowledge of the Lord will be spread by His judgments. (See Isa. 26: 9; Rev. 15: 4)
How blessed it is to see Christ's faithfulness to His stewardship in contrast with the unfaithfulness here rebuked. The kingdom, therefore, is not taken from Him, but He delivers it up. (See 1 Cor. 15: 24) This proves His faithfulness.
But we may add on this Psalm, that it helps us to see the contrast between the past and the present dispensation. Then it was that God constituted earthly gods, or judges, representatives of His power and government, among His own people, as we see in Ex. 22: 28. But now it is the Son sent forth from heaven, full of grace and truth; not again the representative of judgment in the world, but the minister of grace to the world. A judge or earthly god was the expression of the time then--the Son of the Father, full of grace to sinners, is the expression of the time now. (See John 10: 32-38) But judges or earthly gods are still owned as of God. (Rom. 13: 1) This Psalm assumes that, for it exhibits their trial and removal, when the Lord takes the kingdom in the latter day. But they do not form the character of this dispensation. Grace to sinners does that.
Psalm 83
This Psalm is still in the same connection. It is one of the cries of Israel in the latter day. They call on the Lord to break silence (Psalm 28: 1); they show Him the evil doings of their federated enemies, saying as it were, "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings;" they make the cause as much His as theirs; and they call for such signal judgment upon them that the inhabitants of the world may thereby learn righteousness, or that there is a God who judgeth in the earth. (Psalm 58: 10, 11; Isa. 26: 9)
We read throughout the Scriptures of confederacies against Israel. (Isa. 7, 8; Ezek. 38; Joel 3; Micah 4: 11; Zech. 14: 2, 3) The destruction of them will be complete, like the driving away of the chaff from the summer threshing-floor. And the Israel of God behave themselves here as Isaiah instructs them. They do not trust in a counter-confederacy, but sanctify the Lord in their hearts, and make Him their object. (See Isa. 8)
The confederacy contemplated here appears to be after Israel has become a nation again (v. 4). Such objects the Prophets seem to look at occasionally; and no doubt the action of the latter days, on the Lord taking the kingdom and appearing in His glory, will be widely extended. God, as another has said, does not only judge the last rebellion of antichrist or the beast, but having made His power felt, the moment of His wrath being come, He judges all nations. Scripture cannot be broken; that is true and precious. We, however, may be able to follow it out in our thoughts only partially.
The judgment closes in the exaltation of the God of Israel, Jehovah, in His kingdom over all the earth.
Psalm 84
This Psalm was a suited utterance of David when separated from God's house. (2 Sam. 15) It may be the desire of any saint who through the Spirit thirsts for heaven. And it will be the utterance of the patient, waiting Remnant.
In the esteem of this soul there are three orders of blessing. First, where there is constant abiding in God's house; for then unbroken praise is the occupation. Secondly, where there is travelling up to that house, with occasional refreshment of spirit. Thirdly, where there is trust in God, though in distance from that house, and no present prospect of it (verses 4, 5, 12).
Observe, the whole earth was to Jesus distance from God's tabernacles--a dry and thirsty land. (Psalm 63) His soul was parched everywhere, save when He met the faith of a poor sinner. Then He had meat to eat and water to drink even here. But God's presence was everything to Him. And to restore that presence to this apostate earth was in a sense the purpose of His visitation to it. The opening and close of His ministry expressed that. For He then cleansed the temple (John 2; Matt. 21)--an action that told of His ridding this earth of defilement, that it might be God's habitation and praise again.
The saint seems to muse with divine pleasure on the thought of the sparrow and the swallow (representing as it were all His creatures) finding their rest in God's sanctuary. For so it will be in the coming kingdom. The creation, which now groans, will be delivered into liberty and glory then.
The spirit of this precious Psalm is very comprehensive. All the saints, with Jesus as their leader, may breathe the language of it. It takes in the hearts of all the people of God. Well may it be, as it has been, the enjoyed companion of the meditations of our souls at all times. Happy, when we together reach that house where praise will still or for ever be heard"
Psalm 85
Here the Jewish election rejoices in the anticipated blessing of their land and people, uttering their desire in the day of their distress, but waiting in full assurance that it will be answered in mercy.
And they recognize the great result of this mercy:- truth springing out of the earth, and righteousness from heaven approving it--the Lord giving His blessing, and the land yielding her increase. And they seem also to apprehend the way in which this kingdom shall be introduced. And we know it is the same way as that by which we poor Gentiles get blessing now (Rom.11: 31); i.e., by the cross of Christ, where indeed "mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace kiss each other." (Rom. 3: 26)
For "truth," which required death (Gen. 2: 17), and "mercy," which can think of nothing but life and blessing, are here together. Death is endured according to truth, and the culprit given life and liberty according to mercy. "Righteousness" also kisses "peace," and "peace" kisses "righteousness." Instead of being offended at each other's presence, they welcome each other. For righteousness is more than honoured by that which He who makes peace offers to it on the cross; and peace is deeply satisfied, when it sees that it can publish itself to sinners on so sure a title as honoured and accomplished righteousness. And all these glories will shine in consistent beauty in that kingdom which this wondrous cross introduces. All is harmony where all was strife before.
In this present age of ours, instead of truth springing out of the earth and righteousness looking down from heaven, it is rebellion and sin here, and grace beaming from above.
Psalm 86
This Psalm, in the spirit of it, may easily be the companion of any of the saints in the day of their trouble--as it would appear to have been the breathing of the soul of David. The "for I am holy" of verse 2 is not to be read as more than the common appeal to God of a consciously pious soul. It does not seem to assert personal perfectness.
The dear and suffering servants of Christ desired a token to be shown for good in the face of their enemies (v. 17, Acts 4: 29, 30). And fear afterwards came on all. (Acts 5: 13) Aaron's budding rod came forth from the divine presence as a token to silence the adversaries, and so the resurrection is that glorious token in favour of Jesus which will abash all who withstand Him, and prove in its result that it is indeed hard for them to kick against the pricks.
"The son of thy handmaid" (v. 16, and Ps. 116: 16) has been judged to mean, "thy property, like the offspring of a female slave," as "one born in thy house."
But the Israel of the latter day may also take up this Psalm, the Spirit of Christ guiding their hearts--as we see so much in this book. For an infidel faction is contemplated; such as purpose the destruction of the suppliant (v. 14); proud ones who do not set God before them. And they seem to cast themselves entirely on mercy, pleading something of the name of the God of mercy, as He showed Himself to Moses after Israel had destroyed themselves at mount Sinai (v. 15, Ex. 34: 6). And their soul taking this standing, the Spirit leads them with much assurance to anticipate glory. They learn that God is both good and great (verses 5, 10).
