A PSALAM Study: Part I

January 19th, 2007

A PSALAM Study: Part I

You know, a friend sent me this with an e-card. It was encouraging. Heck, it still is.

Dear Johnny,
A family member sent me this, I thought about you. I miss your quiet times. I pray all is good with you. Thanks for the difference you made in my life.

Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family. You will have flats called Jobs. But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success.

I’m not saying his name, because I don’t want to take away his treasure up there. But I’ve been hitting a lot of curves and loops. But the strange thing is that my job has been road construction. Weird, huh? Seriously, what I’m saying is I put up the very things that have caused my downfall. And what is neat (but in a not so cool way) is I see my son make similar mistakes, but not as grandiose, as a 20 month old. He rams his little head into a wall and wonders why his noggin hurts. He probably shouldn’t have rammed his head into to wall, you think? Oh well. I love the boy.

Psalm 97:1-12
The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols — worship him, all you gods! Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, O LORD. For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.

What I am going to do with this is study one verse in detail each day. I’ve been reading this and other passages the last few days, but this is my Psalm. My wife talked about reading a psalm everyday until you believe it. This is one I NEED to whole-heartedly believe within the marrow of my bones. I just need to.

Verse 1:
The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. (NIV)
The Lord is king. Let the earth rejoice; faraway lands should be glad. (NCV)
God rules: there's something to shout over! On the double, main-lands and islands - celebrate! (The Message)

There are three words I am going to look at in this verse. “Reigns”, “glad”, and “rejoice” are key parts of this verse. God reigns. I am allowed to be grad and rejoice. That’s what this verse says as far as I understand it now. That could change before this is over.

Reigns (verb): mâlak

• To be or become king or queen, reign
• To make one king or queen, cause to reign
• To be made king or queen
• To reign; inceptively to ascend the throne; causatively to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel: consult, X indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to) reign, rule, X surely.

Glad (verb): śâmach

• To rejoice, be glad
• To rejoice (religiously)
• To cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad
• To brighten up, that is, (figuratively) be (causatively make) blithe or gleesome: cheer up, be (make) glad, (have make) joy (joyful), be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, X very.

Rejoice (verb): gîyl

• To rejoice, exult, be glad
• To rejoice
• To tremble (from fear)
• To spin around (under the influence of any violent emotion), that is, usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear: be glad, joy, be joyful, rejoice.

So here is my verse of Verse 1:

The LORD, my God, is king and He reigns, let the earth brighten up with much joy; let the distant shores rejoice and be glad. (JRV)