Understanding a psalm's mechanics results in more comfort & confidence. Psalm 75 (NASB95) For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of Asaph, a Song. 1 We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks, For Your name is near; Men declare Your wondrous works. 2 “When I select an appointed time, It is I who judge with equity. 3 “The earth and all who dwell in it melt; It is I who have firmly set its pillars. Selah. 4 “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn; 5 Do not lift up your horn on high, Do not speak with insolent pride.’ ” 6 For not from the east, nor from the west, Nor from the desert comes exaltation; 7 But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another. 8 For a cup is in the hand of the LORD, and the wine foams; It is well mixed, and He pours out of this; Surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink down its dregs. 9 But as for me, I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10 And all the horns of the wicked He will cut off, But the horns of the righteous will be lifted up. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 52 Q. How does Christ’s return “to judge the living and the dead” comfort you? A. In all my distress and persecution I turn my eyes to the heavens and confidently await as judge the very One who has already stood trial in my place before God and so has removed the whole curse from me. All his enemies and mine he will condemn to everlasting punishment: but me and all his chosen ones he will take along with him into the joy and the glory of heaven. Summary This week's psalm gives us the opportunity to geek out just a bit on some of its technical elements. Don't worry... we won't get too far into the weeds. Besides, understanding how a psalm works will enable you to benefit much more as you read and sing the Psalter yourself. Let's start with the psalm's heading, or more technically, its title. We're used to seeing headings above nearly every passage in our printed Bibles which help us to quickly locate specific pericopes (the official term for a unit of scripture) and summarize what it's about. But those were added by the Bible translator, not the Biblical authors. But the titles above many psalms are different — they are part of the Hebrew text itself, not later editorial headings added by modern Bible publishers. For that reason, many theologians treat them as part of the inspired text. Sometimes the title provides the context in which the psalm was written. Today's tells us the author was Asaph, who wrote Psalm 50 & 73-83. David appointed him to lead Israel's worship, and whereas David's psalms are often personally based, Asaph's lean toward national concerns. David favors singular pronouns (The LORD is my shepherd) whereas Asaph mostly uses plural: We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks (although not exclusively - notice the "I" in verse 9). The title indicates Asaph wrote this psalm for the director of music, and that it's both a psalm and a song. Since all of the psalms are meant to be sung, this seems redundant. What this means here is that Psalm 75 is meant to be both sung and accompanied with stringed instruments playing the specified tune. Asaph includes one more technical term in Psalm 75: the Hebrew word selah. We're not entirely sure what the word means, but it was likely a notation for the musicians performing the psalm to pause for a moment to add impact to the words just sung. This makes sense in the way it's used here in Psalm 75 right after verses 2-3: The LORD says: 2 “When I select an appointed time, It is I who judge with equity. 3 “The earth and all who dwell in it melt; It is I who have firmly set its pillars. Selah = Let that sink in! Dig Deeper It can get confusing to talk about a psalm's verses. On one hand, Psalm 75 has 10 verses. These designators, of course, were added centuries after the psalm was written, not by Asaph. But the psalms are poetically versified as well in ways that don't always correspond to the printed verse numbers. Psalm 75 has four poetic verses, which are more accurately referred to as strophes. communal thanksgiving (75:1), a divine oracle (75:2–5) a prophetic oracle (75:6–8) and individual thanksgiving (75:9–10) Notice the balanced, almost wedge-shaped movement of the psalm. The first and last strophes correspond to one another in thanksgiving, while the two middle strophes focus on God’s judgment against the proud. This kind of mirrored structure is often called a chiasm, and it is common in Hebrew poetry. The structure draws special attention to the center of the psalm: the proud are warned not to lift themselves up, because exaltation does not come from any earthly direction. God alone is the Judge; He brings one down and lifts another up. One final technical note that shows up both here in Psalm 75 and also in lots of other places in the Bible: the use of the word horn. Here the word horn does not refer merely to an animal’s horn, but to what that image represents: strength, status, and power. Mark Futato explains, "The horn was primarily a symbol of power. People raising their own horn was a figure for autonomous and defiant self-assertion; here it is defiance against the rule of God, who is enthroned in heaven." The psalms are written to bring you comfort and confidence as you read, pray and sing them. The more you understand the basic mechanics that lie behind them, the more comfort and confidence you'll gain. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who is the Judge; He puts down one and exults another; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that, like Asaph, you will declare God's praises forever; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The good things you do are far from being meaningless... they have eternal significance. Bible.com Ecclesiastes 12 (NIV) 12 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”— 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; 3 when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; 4 when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; 5 when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets. 6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, 7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!” 9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd. 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. 13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 62 Q. Why can’t the good we do make us right with God, or at least help make us right with him? A. Because the righteousness which can pass God’s scrutiny must be entirely perfect and must in every way measure up to the divine law. Even the very best we do in this life is imperfect and stained with sin. Q&A 63 Q. How can you say that the good we do doesn’t earn anything when God promises to reward it in this life and the next? A. This reward is not earned; it is a gift of grace. Summary This final chapter of Ecclesiastes begins with a warning to 'Someday Christians' - people who are neither ignorant of Christianity's basic tenants nor hostile to them. They're people who just kind of set their faith off to the side in favor of pursuing other endeavors first. They'll get around to solidifying their faith 'someday.' Our Teacher gives the opposite advice, instructing you to remember your Creator before the days of trouble come. Indeed, none of us really know how many 'somedays' we even have left, and even those whose days stretch out for nine or even ten decades often find no pleasure in life's final stage. When that darkness comes, and even the strong men stoop and those looking through the windows grow dim, God often seems farther away than ever. Finally, the day comes where your dust returns to the ground it came from, and your spirit returns to the God who gave it. Will you be ready for that reunion? While countless stories exist of death bed conversions, they are relatively rare. The Teacher implores you not to stake eternity on the hopes that you'll have time for a quick 'come to Jesus' moment when your 'someday' shows up. Our Teacher closes out his lesson with the same famous words that he began with: everything is meaningless. But as we've seen throughout this week, the Teacher isn't a pessimist proclaiming that all is pointless. Quite the opposite in fact. The NIV picked the word meaningless to translate the Hebrew word hěʹ·věl, which literally means smoke or mist. Maybe a good paraphrase would be fluff. So what the Teacher tells us here is that you'll never fully grasp the worldly fluff that temps you to put off the solid reality of remembering your Creator in the days of your youth. Dig Deeper The Teacher, having finished his lesson, gives way to a narrator who writes a short postscript. He begins by complementing the Teacher's ability to impart knowledge by finding just the right words which are upright and true. He then compares the Teacher's words to goads - sharp sticks used to guide animals. These words we've read these past couple of days have been anything but pleasant, but as Sean O'Donnell writes, "Without the pain, there is no gain; without the prodding, we would walk in the wrong direction or down a perilous path. This is true of Ecclesiastes. Has it pricked your conscience? Driven you to repentance? Pushed you forward in faith? If so, God’s goad has been for your good." The final teachings of Ecclesiastes are among its most valuable. After all has been heard in this twelve chapter search for meaning, it gives the conclusion of the matter, and it's quite simple: Fear God and keep His commands. This shouldn't surprise us a bit, since we've been reminded throughout our study of the Old Testament of God's purpose in creating man: to work and keep [literally: to serve/worship God and maintain holiness] (Genesis 2:15). So the way to find true meaning and enjoyment in this otherwise meaningless and broken world is to just do what God created you to do. The book ends on what some might think is an ominous reminder, that God will bring every deed into judgment. And it should be ominous if you're putting off repentance until 'someday'! But it's not just the hidden and evil things we do that will be judged, but the good things as well. This means that the good things you do in gratitude for your salvation in Christ are far from meaningless, for they have eternal significance. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who enables those who fear Him and keep His commands to find true meaning and enjoyment; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will remember your Creator now and not wait for 'someday'; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Life's better things look much different than you expect. Ecclesiastes 7:1–6 (NIV) 7 A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. 2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. 3 Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. 5 It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools. 6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless. 7 Extortion turns a wise person into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart. 8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A: 42 Q. Since Christ has died for us, why do we still have to die? A. Our death does not pay the debt of our sins. Rather, it puts an end to our sinning and is our entrance into eternal life. Q&A 57 Q. How does “the resurrection of the body” comfort you? A. Not only my soul will be taken immediately after this life to Christ its head, but even my very flesh, raised by the power of Christ, will be reunited with my soul and made like Christ’s glorious body. Summary Maybe you've concluded that the book of Ecclesiastes is depressing and pessimistic as we've read through portions of it this week. It's not, but you could be forgiven for thinking so. So far, all that the Teacher, an enigmatic narrator modeled after the life of King Solomon, has done is demonstrate that nothing in this life under the sun has any true and lasting meaning. It's all a chasing after the wind. But the sharp eyed reader has also found some diamonds along the way that indicate that despite life's apparent meaninglessness for those trapped under the sun, bits of true enjoyment and genuine meaning can be found when you slow down and realize that God grants these good gifts to those who please Him. In our short passage today, the Teacher isn't yet ready to designate anything on earth as good, but he does go so far as indicating that some things are better than others. But these better things in life are quite surprising: It is better to: ...have a good name than fine perfume; ...arrive at death rather than be born; ...go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting; ...be frustrated than to laugh; ...heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools; ...get to the end of the matter rather than its beginning; ...be patient rather than to have pride. Dig Deeper I often read through this passage as I meet with the immediate family right before a funeral. Going to a funeral probably won't make anyone's top ten list of fun things to do - or even top one hundred for that matter - but heading to a house of feasting sounds pretty good. Yet the Teacher makes clear that you should switch the value of these two opposite experiences. The Teacher explains exactly why this is the case: Death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. As a preacher, I get to speak to people in all sorts of settings and environments: Sunday after Sunday in the sanctuary, in classrooms, and gatherings both large and small around town. Since preaching is two-way communication, I'm watching you just as much as you're watching me (which is why every church has its own preacher, rather than one video message piped to thousands of congregations). So I'm measuring and monitoring the level of engagement while I speak. Most of the time, most of the people are engaged, but it's only natural that all people occasionally tune out at some point only to tune back in a few moments later. But this isn't the case at a funeral - there everybody is locked into every word. We spend every other moment in life trying to distract ourselves from the reality that death is our destiny, but as people sit in the physical presence of death, they can't hide from this cold, hard truth any longer. It's the words you hear in the house of mourning that make it so much better than the house of feasting. As Jesus' disciples exclaimed to Him, you have the words of eternal life - where else could we go? It's there in that moment, when you're heart is at its thirstiest, that your Father fills it up with the satisfying living water of the gospel, reminding you that the one who believes in Christ will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Him will never die (John 11:25-26). What could possibly be better than that? AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sets before us that which is better; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will pursue life's better things, even though they look so different than expected; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Stop chasing the wind, and learn how to enjoy life. Ecclesiastes 2 (NIV) 2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives. 4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. 10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. 11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. -- 17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? 23 All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless. 24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Westminster Shorter Catechism Q. 1. What is the chief end of man? A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Summary Yesterday we met the Teacher, whom the book of Ecclesiastes is named after, who is modeled after the life of King Solomon. God had invited Solomon to ask for whatever he desired. Since Solomon asked for wisdom rather than wealth, God granted him both. So Solomon has the massively vast resources to do anything he wants, and he also has the wisdom required to truly find out what is good. His first test was pleasure, but that also proved meaningless, an awesome word we learned yesterday which literally means smoke / fog - things which can be seen but not grabbed onto. Solomon's evaluation of pleasure was plenty comprehensive. He laughed, but determined that to be madness. He cheered himself with wine and embraced folly, even as his mind stayed sober in a sense - it continued guiding him with wisdom as he futilily looked to see what was good for people to do uner the heavens during the few days of their lives. Having struck out on pleasure, the Teacher turned to industry, undertaking great projects which netted him massive farms, herds and flocks culminating in silver, gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. Nobody had ever been greater. But when he looked at it all, the Teacher concluded it all to be meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. Dig Deeper The Teacher's massive blessings had morphed into a giant curse. None of the amazing things he experienced, built or developed had any lasting meaning, so it makes sense that he hated life. He knew that ultimately he'd succumb to death, and that everything he'd toiled for must be left to the one who'd come after him. All their days, the Teacher concludes, people's work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. In other words, it's all meaningless. But the Teacher does find a glimmer of hope in the midst of despair. You can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in your toil. In other words, learn to enjoy what you can in life. Without God - that is, life under the sun - is pure meaninglessness, but with Him you can find some enjoyment. Ironically, God gives sinners the task of gathering and storing up wealth, which looks so good from a distance, but is ultimately a chasing after the wind. But to the one who pleases Him, God gives that which has true meaning: wisdom, knowledge and happiness. And at the appointed time, God will hand over all the wealth the sinners gathered and stored up. The point is that although you can build and acquire lots of impressive stuff in your life, none of it has lasting meaning. So don't focus so much of your life upon acquiring it. Take time to enjoy the satisfaction that God often supplies to those who work hard, but keep your focus on life above the sun, where Christ is. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness to those who please Him; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that having been raised with Christ, that you would set your mind on Him even as you work hard in this life under the sun; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Does it seem like you're chasing the wind? Then you need to read this! Faithlife.com Ecclesiastes 1 (NIV) 1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: 2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” 3 What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? 4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. 6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. 7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. 8 All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. 9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; There is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. 11 No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them. 12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. 16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. 18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 6 Q. Did God create people so wicked and perverse? A. No. God created them good and in his own image, that is, in true righteousness and holiness, so that they might truly know God their creator, love him with all their heart, and live with him in eternal happiness for his praise and glory. Summary In many ways, Ecclesiastes is the Bible's forgotten book of wisdom. Every Friday here in this space we read a Psalm (and many of our churches sing them often), and the book of Proverbs is well known for its sage advice even to those who aren't very familiar with the Bible as a whole. But this book of Ecclesiastes often flies under the radar escaping notice - yet it has so much to say to our society. The name Ecclesiastes refers to the book's primary character: the preacher, or in the case of the NIV translation we'll be using this week, Teacher. It's unlikely that Solomon wrote this book, but there can be little doubt that this character was developed with him in mind. The Teacher says of himself, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me. We know from Biblical narratives that King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. Ecclesiastes introduces one of the Bible's most awesome words: hěʹ·věl. This is one of those great words that looks different in every Bible translation because there's not really one English word that fully captures its meaning. I think the NIV did well using the word meaningless, but the words vanity and futility work well too. Hěʹ·věl, most literally translated, refers to the fog that appears when you exhale on a cold day. It's there for an instant, but quickly disappears. It's real and substantial, but you can't feel it. You can see it hanging in the air almost motionless, but it instantly shifts the moment you try to grab it. Dig Deeper Everything, says the Teacher, is utterly meaningless. Everything in life that you see is hěʹ·věl - right in front of you one moment, gone the next. It's real and substantial, but you can't really ever fully experience it. Every time you think you can get a grip on on what you've been chasing after, it suddenly eludes you once again. If this sounds anything like your experience in life, you have lots in common with King Solomon. That's the fascinating yet frustrating reality we live in - that although none of us have Solomon's wealth or power, our experience is so similar. Even though so many aspects of your life differ from Solomon's - language, culture, technology, family (I don't think any of our readers have hundreds of wives...), human nature has not changed one bit from what it was thousands of years ago when Solomon lived. Generations come and generations go. The sun rises and the sun sets and hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows - round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. Yet for all of the labors at which we toil under the sun, people have been asking the same exact question from the moment Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden: What do we gain? Ecclesiastes has a reputation for being dour and pessimistic, since it so clearly points out the seeming vanity, futility and meaninglessness of life. If all you had to hang on to was the hěʹ·věl of this world, life would indeed be the pessimistic mess that the Teacher unpacks for us. But all week long, we're going to be reminded of a fundamental difference for those of us who belong to Christ. The Teacher's pessimism is aimed at life under the sun, but as Christians we are people who live on an entirely different plane: we have been raised with Christ, and so we can find life's elusive meaning and true fulfillment. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who's laid a heavy burden on mankind to study and explore all that is done under the heavens; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that having been raised with Christ, that you would set your mind on Him as you study and explore life under the sun; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Why does it seem like the wicked prosper so much more than you? BOOK 3 PSALM 73 A Psalm of Asaph. 1 Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! 2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat. 5 They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. 7 Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot. 8 They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. 9 They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return to this place, And waters of abundance are drunk by them. 11 They say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?” 12 Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. 13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; 14 For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning. 15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. 16 When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight 17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. 18 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. 19 How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! 20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form. 21 When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within, 22 Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. 24 With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. 28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 95 Q. What is idolatry? A. Idolatry is having or inventing something in which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed himself in his Word. Summary Asaph begins Psalm 73 by reassuring himself of what he certainly knows to be true, that surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. Yet it doesn't take long for a but to slip in. Asaph is stumbling, losing his foothold as he enviously looks at the prosperity [shalom] of the wicked. He notices that they have no pains; they are not in trouble as other men. And the wicked have no desire to glorify God with their 'blessings.' They're full of pride, and are clothed with a garment of violence. Their imaginations of their heart run riot. Not only do they not thank God, but they set their mouth against the heavens, mocking that the Most High doesn't know anything. Asaph knows that this isn't the way things are supposed to be. He knows the psalm at the beginning of the Psalter - the one that sets the tone for the rest. Psalm 1 indicates that the man who delights in the law of the LORD is the one who should be prospering, while the chaff filled lives of the wicked are supposed to be driven away by the wind. You've likely felt - or maybe even feel - just like Asaph. You've worked hard to keep your heart pure and keep your hands innocent, yet as you look out over the fence surrounding your life, the grass seems quite a bit greener on the other side in the yards of the wicked. It all makes God's Word so hard to swallow when the reality that surrounds you seems so incongruous with it. Dig Deeper But Asaph comes to his senses - or maybe it's better to understand that he got hold of his senses. And don't miss where this happens! Everything he saw and thought was troublesome in his sight... Until he came into the sanctuary of God! This is why it's so important for you to physically get yourself surrounded by God's people in a place that's separated from the world's allurements and distractions on a regular basis. Responding to God's call to worship on the Lord's Day helps break the spell of enviousness that the world seeks to ensare you with. It was in the sanctuary of God that Asaph perceived the end of the arrogant. He begins to notice that although their lives look secure, God has set them in slippery places. The moment things turn against them, they're utterly swept away by sudden terrors. It was time in the LORD's sanctuary that set Asaph free from embittered senseless ignorance. It's there he realized that God's counsel will guide him through the transitory troubles of this world, and that afterwards, God will receive him to glory. Having been released from his envy, Asaph realizes he desires nothing on earth besides God. You've once again made it to Friday, but if you're like Asaph (and most of us are), this past week has filled you with envy and bitterness. But even though your flesh and heart may fail, remember that God is the strength of your heart and your portion forever. Join with His people this coming Lord's Day to bask in the good nearness of God as you make the Lord GOD your refuge, so that in this coming week you may tell of all His works. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who takes hold of our right hands; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for inviting you to his sanctuary, and pray that God will prepare your heart to experience His nearness on the Lord's Day; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

You're continually bombarded with choices in life, but only one really matters. Proverbs 9 (NASB95) 1 Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; 2 She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine; She has also set her table; 3 She has sent out her maidens, she calls From the tops of the heights of the city: 4 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks understanding she says, 5 “Come, eat of my food And drink of the wine I have mixed. 6 “Forsake your folly and live, And proceed in the way of understanding.” 7 He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself. 8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you. 9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. 12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you alone will bear it. 13 The woman of folly is boisterous, She is naive and knows nothing. 14 She sits at the doorway of her house, On a seat by the high places of the city, 15 Calling to those who pass by, Who are making their paths straight: 16 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,” And to him who lacks understanding she says, 17 “Stolen water is sweet; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” 18 But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol. Canons of Dordt Point II, Article 6: Unbelief Man’s Responsibility The fact that many who have been called through the gospel do not repent or believe in Christ but perish in unbelief is not because the sacrifice of Christ offered on the cross is deficient or insufficient, but because they themselves are at fault. Point III/IV, Article 8: The Serious Call of the Gospel All who are called through the gospel are called seriously. For seriously and most genuinely God makes known in his Word what is pleasing to him: that those who are called should come to him. Seriously he also promises rest for their souls and eternal life to all who come to him and believe. Summary Imagine yourself coming into an unfamiliar city for the first time, lacking understanding of where you need to go to find food and rest. You are met by two women beckoning you with the exact same invitation: Whoever is naive, let him turn in here! But both of these women, who initially appear equally attractive, point you in opposite directions. Lady Wisdom is the first to call out. She's worked hard to prepare for her guests, having built her house, prepared food, mixed wine, set her table, and sent out her maidens with invitations. Just to make sure nobody gets missed, she broadcasts her invite from the tops of the heights of the city. The woman of folly takes a different tact. Unlike her industrious competitor, she's boisterous. Rather than sending out servants with invitations for all the confused to come, she simply sits at the doorway of her house calling to those who pass by. But she's only interested in a certain demographic: those who are making their path straight. In other words, she seeks to derail those who are generally headed in the right direction in life, attempting to throw a few curves into their seemingly boring straight path by beckoning them with stolen water and bread (she doesn't even bother preparing her own food - she simply takes what's good from Wisdom and corrupts it). It's all fake... she has nothing of her own to offer the naive and those who lack understanding, because she herself is naive and knows nothing. Still, the crowds throng to her superficially sumptuous spread. But what they don't realize is they've just arrived at the Hotel California, and once they've checked in, they can't check out. The dead are there; all of the guests are in the depths of Sheol (the grave). Dig Deeper As you stand in the middle of this hypothetical street, being instinctually pulled toward Folly, you feel a firm hand upon your shoulder pulling you back to your senses. That's what the middle section of today's chapter is all about. The first six verses described Lady Wisdom, and the final six verses expose the woman of folly. But those middle five verses help illustrate why you must choose wisdom even though folly seems so much more fun. Those verses begin by explaining that the scoffers following folly hate correction and reproof. It's not so much that they can't check out, but rather that they dishonor and insult those trying to help them escape. Conversely, the wise and righteous want more and more of what Wisdom offers; they love those who bring them reproof and instruction which increases their learning. Instead of a slow march to the depths of Sheol for those in the house of folly, those who pursue Wisdom have their days multiplied and years of life added. It's easy to check into the house of folly. Just show up, and they'll quickly and boisterously usher you right into what seems like never ending entertainment. But the check-in process at Wisdom's house is more complicated. You can't take all of your baggage inside. A large sign over the check-in counter reads: FORSAKE YOUR FOLLY AND LIVE. Proceed in the way of understanding. This is exactly what Jesus means when He calls all those who follow Him to repent and believe. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the knowledge of whom is understanding; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will, by the power of the Holy Spirit who continually reminds you of wisdom's value, continue to forsake folly and proceed in the way of understanding; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Getting and holding on to wisdom will cost you, but it's worth every penny. Faithlife.com Proverbs 4 (NASB95) 1 Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may gain understanding, 2 For I give you sound teaching; Do not abandon my instruction. 3 When I was a son to my father, Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, 4 Then he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live; 5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 “Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you. 7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding. 8 “Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her. 9 “She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.” 10 Hear, my son, and accept my sayings And the years of your life will be many. 11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths. 12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; And if you run, you will not stumble. 13 Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life. 14 Do not enter the path of the wicked And do not proceed in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on. 16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness And drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. 19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble. 20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them And health to all their body. 23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth And put devious speech far from you. 25 Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. 26 Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established. 27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 113 Q. What is God’s will for you in the tenth commandment? A. That not even the slightest thought or desire contrary to any one of God’s commandments should ever arise in my heart. Rather, with all my heart I should always hate sin and take pleasure in whatever is right. Summary Today's teaching comes in the form that so many of the Proverbs do - especially in these opening chapters: a father conveying sound teaching and instruction to his sons. It doesn't take much imagination to see the larger picture lying behind the original context of Solomon teaching his own sons (his actual experience doing so was not nearly as elegant as his written advice here is). Although these words come through Solomon's inspired pen, they are your Father's loving counsel to you, as those who've been made His royal 'sons' in Jesus Christ. Wisdom is personified in the Proverbs, and our Father refers to Wisdom with feminine pronouns: Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom, who along with an unruly woman named Folly (Proverbs 9:13), is one of two ladies continually beckoning for your attention. And once again, it doesn't take much imagination to understand why Folly gets followed much more often in a world filled with mind-numbed people controlled only by their appetites. But this is the crux of our Father's advice here today: Although our Folly-filled society seems to offer you so much, do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on. Instead of squandering every dime futilely trying to find fulfillment in Folly, acquire wisdom... though it cost all that you have, get understanding (NIV). Dig Deeper It's so easy to slip into a 'let go and let God' mentality as Christians - especially for Reformed Christians like us who highly value God's sovereignty. After all, He has called us to Himself, renewed our hearts and minds so that we recognize Truth, and given us faith. Nothing can ever pry us from His hands. All of that, of course, is absolutely true. Many of us spent all of last year being reminded of this as we worked our way through the Doctrines of Grace in the Canons of Dordt. But don't miss the absolute concentration and devotion that your Father calls you to as you navigate life: Do not abandon my instruction; Let your heart hold fast my words; Take hold of instruction; do not let go; Give attention to my words... Do not let them depart from your sight; Watch over your heart with all diligence; Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you; Watch the path of your feet; Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil. The narrow road that Christ called you to walk is not easy. Every step is difficult and fraught with danger, with steep, slippery slopes of temptation on both sides. Yes, your Father holds you tightly and will not let go, but just as He explains here in Proverbs 4, He expects you to make every effort to live a holy life (2 Peter 1:5). But this sounds all so exhaustingly impossible! It doesn't just sound this way, on your own it is this way! This is exactly why the author of the book of Hebrews - himself no stranger to the Doctrines of Grace - admonishes you to fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith... so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:2-3). AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who directs us in the way of wisdom; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the concentration and devotion necessary to walk the narrow road that your Father guides you down; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Keeping the LORD's commands leads to living in His blessings. Proverbs 3:1–12 (NASB95) 3 My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; 2 For length of days and years of life And peace (šā·lôm) they will add to you. 3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. 9 Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine. 11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, 12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. Belgic Confession Article 24: The Sanctification of Sinners We believe that this true faith, produced in man by the hearing of God’s Word and by the work of the Holy Spirit, regenerates him and makes him a “new man,” causing him to live the “new life” and freeing him from the slavery of sin. -- So then, we do good works, but nor for merit— for what would we merit? Rather, we are indebted to God for the good works we do, and not he to us, since it is he who “works in us both to will and do according to his good pleasure” -- Yet we do not wish to deny that God rewards good works— but it is by his grace that he crowns his gifts. Summary So many of the proverbs are formatted like today's - a father imparting wisdom upon his son. Certainly this sets the ideal relationship between a parent and child - one in which teaching God's Word finds top priority. But remember that these words are more than just King Solomon's wisdom being imparted to his sons (which as we read a few months ago, didn't go so well); these words are God's words, being imparted directly to you by His Spirit through Solomon's pen. Did you feel the rhythm of these words as you read the text? So much Hebrew poetry takes the form of today's passage, set in parallel couplets in which the second line poetically restates the first. Verse seven is a good example: Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. This structure does more than just form aesthetically pleasing poetry. It enables a couple of simple, elegant lines to deliver a heavy theological load: wisdom as we define it - that is, in your own eyes - is evil and must be turned away from, whereas true wisdom comes through fearing the LORD, which is the primary theme of the Proverbs that we learned yesterday. This poetic parallalism also adds value to the proverbs' imperatives. Our Father certainly could demand that we do not forget His teaching simply because they are His commandments, and it's His way or the highway. But in His love for us He defines how it is that keeping them benefits us: IMPERATIVE / COMMAND BENEFIT Do not forget teaching / keep my commandments Add years of life and peace (shalom) Do not let kindness & truth leave you you will find favor and good repute Trust in the LORD / lean not on your own understanding / in all your ways acknowledge Him He will make your paths straight Don't be wise in your own eyes / fear the LORD & turn away from evil It will bring healing and refreshment Honor the LORD with your wealth Your barns will be filled with plenty Do not reject the LORD's discipline The LORD's reproof is evidence of His love Dig Deeper We read the word heart so often in the Bible, but we rarely understand what the word means, especially here in the Old Testament. Today's passage has three instances of it: Let your heart keep my commandments... ...Write them on the tablet of your heart. Trust in the LORD with all your heart... When our western ears hear heart language, it's easy to think of sappy Hallmark movies or greeting cards, dripping with contrived emotion. We tend to distinguish between our heads and hearts - the former being rigid, disciplined, organized and intellectual, while the latter is raw and impulsive feeling that resists all attempts to be categorized or controlled. Some people are all head, and others are all heart. Somehow our goal needs to be to hang on to both. But the ancient Hebrews had no such distinctions between their emotion and intellect - their heart and head. Here's how one Hebrew dictionary defines their word often translated as heart. It includes your: inner self; disposition, inclination; determination, courage; will, intention; attention, consideration, reason In other words, when the Bible speaks of your heart, it's referring to every portion of your being - who you are at your very core; not just your emotions or feelings, but all of your intellect and volition as well. This is important to understand because a couple of weeks ago we read about what the Holy Spirit has done for you: replaced your heart of stone with a heart of flesh. In other words, you've been transformed from being completely repulsed by Proverb's wisdom to one who in Christ can not just keep the LORD's commands, but experience the blessings and benefits that come with having a heart that is all in on trusting the LORD rather than leaning on your own understanding. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who will make our paths straight when His commandments are written on the tablet of our hearts; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your heart will fear the LORD and turn away from evil; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The Spirit has enabled you to begin eternity here and now! Proverbs 1:1–7 (NASB95) 1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, 3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; 4 To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, 5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 94 Q. What does the Lord require in the first commandment? A. That I, not wanting to endanger my very salvation, avoid and shun all idolatry, magic, superstitious rites, and prayer to saints or to other creatures. That I sincerely acknowledge the only true God, trust him alone, look to him for every good thing humbly and patiently, love him, fear him, and honor him with all my heart. In short, that I give up anything rather than go against his will in any way Summary We're taking a step back chronologically this week as we read through the Bible together. For the past month and a half, we've been reading through some of the darkest days God's people faced as the Israelites fell away from God and into exile. We read the prophecy that both warned them of it and comforted them through it and narratives from Daniel and later Ezra and Nehemiah that showed that the LORD always kept them in His hand. This week we're going back to the Bible's books of poetry (of course we've already been taking a slice of the Psalms each Friday). But this poetry isn't just abstract verbal art - it has a very important purpose, which is made clear in today's opening words. These proverbs of Solomon are given that we might know wisdom and instruction - the elements that are always lacking when God's people wander away from truth in pursuit of the world's lies - the very wisdom that Adam and Eve forfeited when they ate from the tree of knowledge, and the actual instruction that the Israelites abandoned that resulted in their exile. So the Bible's poetry does much more than just hit you in the feels. As you receive its instruction in wise behavior, then generally righteousness, justice and equity will follow. You'll gain the exact attributes that so much of this broken world is missing! The Bible's poetry is immensely practical! And the wisdom that Biblical poetry provides is for all ages. It makes sense that our naive kids need to hear and read it, for the youth need knowledge and discretion. But even a wise man - people who've been around the block a time or two and who have lots of life experience - even they need to continually hear and increase their learning and seek out the Bible's wise counsel. Dig Deeper Right off the bat, the Bible's wisdom makes a very important distinction. While knowledge certainly depends on instruction and understanding, it can't be learned didactically, the way you came to know the alphabet, multiplication tables, basic Bible stories or other tidbits of data. Rather, true knowledge is rooted in attitude. It's a product of fear: The fear of the LORD is the beginning [root] of knowledge... Nineteenth century commenter Albert Barnes explains well how fear is the starting point of all true wisdom, writing, "The beginning of wisdom is found in the temper of reverence and awe - the fear of the finite in the presence of the Infinite, of the sinful in the presence of the Holy." Allen Ross adds, "Such fear is not a trembling dread that paralyzes action, but neither is it a polite reverence. The fear of the LORD ultimately expresses reverential submission to the LORD’s will and thus characterizes a true worshiper. In this context it is the first and controlling principle of knowledge (beginning can refer to the first thing, the chief thing, or the principal thing)." In other words, before you can truly know or understand anything, you must truly know the LORD; for to know Him is to fear Him. And the only way to truly know the LORD is for His Spirit to free your mind from its slavery to sin, for: Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Your desire to truly know wisdom and instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding, to receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness justice and equity is evidence of the Holy Spirit's breathing new life into your once foolish soul. This is why Jesus' primary command to those who follow Him is to repent - a word that literally means to change your thinking. In other words, as a Christian, you can truly begin to learn true, eternal knowledge. And according to Jesus, this is what you'll spend the rest of eternity adding to! So start (or keep going) today! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who through His Spirit has enabled the wise to fear Him; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that, having had your mind freed from sin, that your eternal purpose - starting now - will be to grow in the knowledge, wisdom and instruction of the LORD; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: