Psalms 92
Chuck Smith on Psalms 92
Verse by verse, the C2000, 1979 to 1985 and C3000, 1985 to 1999 series. Permission granted by The Word For Today.
C2000 · 1979 to 1985
Chapter introduction
Psalm 92 is a psalm for the Sabbath day.
Verses 1–2
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night (92:1-2),
It's just a good thing to praise the Lord in song, to just show forth the lovingkindness of God. Every morning, start the day with a song. Every evening, end the day with a song. For the faithfulness of God. Lord, You've watched over me. You've kept me all through the day.
Verses 3–7
Upon an instrument of ten strings, upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man does not know; neither doth a fool understand this. But when the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever (92:3-7):
My father for years was a sales engineer for the southern county's gas company when we were growing up in Ventura. And life in the home of a salesman during the Depression years was feast or famine. If Dad had a lot of sales, good commissions, we had... we feasted. When the sales weren't so good, then it was tight around the house. But fortunately, my dad was a super salesman and the Lord really blessed him in his sales. And he was a super salesman for the gas company, but also for the Lord. He was a super witness for Jesus Christ. Always witnessing wherever he'd go to sell a refrigerator, stove, or whatever; he'd always leave a witness for the Lord.
He was coming towards the end of the month and he hadn't had any sales that month. He'd been up in Ojai trying to close a deal and it didn't close. And he was riding home in the car and not knowing really what to do. Because, where are we going to get the money for the month's bills? and so forth. Because there will be no commission, just the salary this month, and he couldn't live on the salary. And my father was a very emotional type person. He was capable of great highs and great lows. And he was very low at this point, very depressed. And he was looking out in the field and he saw the cows out there just eating the grass. And he said, "They look so contented like they didn't have a worry in the world." They must have been Carnation cows. But he said to the Lord, "Lord, it isn't fair. Here I am, your child, I'm your servant. And I'm so worried and so upset because I don't know how I'm going to be paying my bills, and look at those dumb cows out there. So peaceful, so contented eating the grass and the whole field is full of green grass. They've got all that they could ever want and yet here I am; I don't know how I'm going to pay my bills. Lord, it isn't fair that I should have to worry when I'm Your child and those cows can have it so good. They don't have a worry in the world." And the Lord spoke to him and said, "Yes, but they don't have any future. And you have a future with Me."
The psalmist here declares, "The brutish man doesn't know, nor does a fool consider or understand this. But when the wicked spring forth as the grass, when those workers of iniquity flourish, they're going to be destroyed forever." Don't be envious of them. Foolish to be envious of them, because they're going to get wiped out. And so it is great folly to envy the wicked. So many times we, I think, are guilty of that. We look at the wicked and we think, "Lord, they seem to have everything they want, and here I am trying to serve You and I've got all these problems and all." We don't take into consideration the end results, what the future holds. "But they shall be destroyed forever."
Verses 8–10
But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore. For, lo, your enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of unicorn: and be anointed with fresh oil (92:8-10).
The enemies of the Lord, they're going to perish. The workers of iniquity, they'll be scattered. But Lord, You'll exalt me.
Verses 11–12
My eye shall see my desire upon my enemies, and my ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon (92:11-12).
When my dad got back to the office in Ventura, there were some people there looking at a stove. He went up to them and he said, you know, began to point out the features they said, "We want it." He signed them up for the stove. Pretty soon some people came in, bought a refrigerator, and before the day was over, he had enough sales to provide great commissions for that month, and God just really took care of us in a very beautiful way. My father won the award several years running of the most outstanding salesman in the United States for the Servel Corporation. Won many awards for that. In fact, he had a very interesting experience. He was out in the Miners Oak area, had just signed up a customer for a new stove, refrigerator, furnace, and then started witnessing to the guy. And the guy was real antagonistic to the Christian witness and got so mad he began to curse my dad. He said, "Let me have the contract back," and he ripped up the contract. And he said, "I don't know how the gas company can afford to hire fools, men that talk to people about Jesus Christ and all," and just really berated him.
And so my dad came home and was discouraged coming home, because you don't like... it's hard to suffer reproach for Christ. When my dad got home, there was a letter there. He opened it up and it was, "Congratulations, you've won first place in the United States again for Servel for the fifth year in a row, and this year we're going to send you to San Diego to the World's Fair in San Diego, and all expenses." And there is a check in there and everything else. In fact, there was a picture and it was a hundred-dollar bill. "Let me be the first to congratulate you for what you've done." All these prizes.
Well, there was a football game going that night and my dad said, "Come on, son, let's go to the football game." So we headed for the football game and we were playing that night against a team and the stadium was just packed. We got there a little late. And way up towards the top there were a couple of seats, so Dad and I made our way up there and we sat down. But as we were getting in, Dad looked, and right behind us was the guy that that afternoon had just cursed him and said, "I don't know how the gas company can afford to hire fools," and all. Dad had the letter still in his pocket, and so he just handed the letter back to the guy. And the guy let out a few oh's, and says, "Come on back tomorrow, Mr. Smith, I really do need that refrigerator and stove."
Oh, "my eye shall see my desire upon my enemies, my ears shall hear my desire the wicked that rise up against me. The righteous shall flourish."
Verses 13–14
Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age (92:13-14);
So some encouragement here. The next part I don't know though.
Verse 14
they shall be fat (92:14)
Just fulfilling the Word, how can you help it, you know?
Verses 14–15
fat and flourishing; To show that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him (92:14-15).
C3000 · 1985 to 1999
Chapter introduction
Let’s turn now in our Bibles to Psalm ninety-two. This psalm is entitled a psalm or a song for the Sabbath day. It is a psalm that is filled with praises. It was sung on the Sabbath day and then it was also sung on the second day of the Feast of the Tabernacles. It is a psalm that just extols the Lord and is filled with praises to him.
Verse 1
IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto his name, O most High: (92:1).
We just finished doing that; singing praises unto the Lord. It’s a good thing. We remember when Jesus was ministering here on earth. There were ten men who came to him who were lepers and they wanted to be healed. According to the law, if you were healed of leprosy you had to first of all go show yourself to the priest. He would examine you and then he’d put you in a house for seven days, kind of a quarantine, and examine you again. If at the end of the seven days there was no sign of any further leprosy, then you would be declared clean from your leprosy. You would offer the sacrifices that were required and you could return to society.
These ten men had come to Jesus and sought healing. So Jesus told them to take the first step towards restoration. He said, “Go show yourself to the priest”. So they headed off for the priest to be examined by the priest, the first step of restoration into society. As they went, they discovered that they were healed. One, in seeing that he was healed, did not continue to the priest but came running back to Jesus to give thanks. Jesus said, “Where there not ten who were cleansed of their leprosy? Where are the nine? Only this one has returned to give thanks.” He said to him “Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole”. He received more than just a physical healing, by giving of thanks he was made whole.
It’s a good thing to give thanks to the Lord. I think that so often we take the goodness of God for granted. I think that it’s a tragedy that we, many times, fail to acknowledge that work of God and to give him thanks for what he has done. One of the things that God declares will perpetrate his coming wrath in Romans one “When they knew God they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful”. There is so much that God has done for which we should be giving thanks to God continually. Again, it’s sort of sad that we set one day of the year as thanksgiving. It would be better to set one day of the year as gripe day. Spend your whole day griping and then spend the other three hundred and sixty-four in thanksgiving. It’s a good thing to give thanks to the Lord.
To sing praises unto thy name, O most High: (92:1).
Going around the house and driving down the road I just enjoy singing praises to the Lord. Songs of praises filling my heart, it creates such a great atmosphere, songs of praises unto God. It can lift you out of depression, it can give you encouragement and strength, and it’s just a good thing to do it.
Verse 2
To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night (92:2).
It was felt and is felt by many that those are the best times to spend time with the Lord; the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. The first thing in the morning when you wake up just to give thanks to God for a new day and just to commit your life afresh to him. “Lord, here I am. Accomplish in me your purposes this day. Fulfill your will Lord. I present my body to you. Use me Lord however you desire today.” The last thing at night, “Lord you have been good, faithful and you’ve watched over me, you’ve kept me. Now Lord, I commit myself”. Morning and evening, that’s when the Jews usually prayed, every morning and every night.
Verse 3
Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; (92:3).
The psaltery was sort of a lute. These are the instruments that they used in the temple worship. He’s not talking about in your house now, most of you are not musicians and it would not be so good to give thanks with an instrument that you can’t really play.
upon the harp with a solemn sound (92:3).
It’s talking about worship in the sanctuary and of course John has six strings on his instrument but putting it together with both guitars we have twelve strings. Stringed instruments, they used those in the accompaniment of their praises. I think it would be great if somehow, someway, we could have a video of David’s worship in the temple. He really went for it; he went all out in his worship of God. I think that some times we get rather stowed and stuffy, I am that way and I know I am. I would like to have David and have heard the instruments and the choirs that he had. I’m certain that it would be an extremely moving experience.
Now the reasons to give thanks, to show his lovingkindness.
Verse 4
For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: (92:4).
Watching God work is such a thrilling thing. What a blessing here at Calvary to just be able to see the hand of God at work in the lives of so many people. The testimonies, it just rejoices your heart to know what God has done, what God is doing.
For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph [rejoice] in the works of thy hands (92:4).
I will exalt, just overflow with the works.
Verses 5–6
O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. The brutish man (92:5-6).
That is the crude, uncultured man.
Verse 6
A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this (92:6).
So if I’ve been talking about giving thanks to the Lord and singing praises to his name, in the morning and evening being conscience and aware of him, praising him and singing the songs accompanied by the instruments and being glad and I don’t understand it; the brutish man doesn’t know and the fool doesn’t understand. The thing that they, the foolish man and the brutish man, does not understand or know.
Verse 7
When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever: (92:7).
Some people say, “I believe that heaven is upon earth and hell is upon earth”. In a sense that may be true but this isn’t all of heaven and this is all of hell. The problem in the Bible and it’s a problem that is an ongoing problem from Job on through the Psalms and through the New Testament is why is that God does allow the wicked so often to prosper, the wicked to be exalted? Why is that he allows people that are openly blasphemous against God, people who are corrupted and are corrupting the morals of others, why does he allow them such popularity, such fame and such wealth, allows them to flourish? Why does God allow it? Well it says that what they don’t understand is that they shall be destroyed forever. All they ever have is right now as far as the good life or the flourishing.
I’ve often thought that I would rather be the poorest man in the world, having to beg for every bite of bread that I ate but know God and to believe in Jesus Christ than to be the richest man in the world and be outside of the grace of God. My poverty won’t last for long but I’ll be eternity with him. I would rather be sick, not knowing a single day of health or strength and yet know the Lord and serve him than to be the healthiest athlete alive and not know Jesus Christ. Quite often the wicked do flourish, they spring forth like the grass but this is it, when they die they are going to parish forever.
Verse 8
But thou, LORD, (92:8).
In contrast to the wicked perishing forever.
But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore (92:8).
God is everlasting, eternal.
Verses 9–10
For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: [wild ox] (92:9-10).
A unicorn is a translation of the Hebrew word, a rather poor translation. In Arabic and the entire same word means wild ox.
Verses 10–11
I shall be anointed with fresh oil. Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me (92:10-11).
The day of judgement will come, the day when God will judge righteously. Those who have opposed my walk in Christ, those who have been guilty of trying to strike down the righteous, we will see God’s judgement.
Verse 12
The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon (92:12).
The palm tree was always looked upon as one of the most beautiful of all trees. In the Holy Land they are date palms which have an especially beautiful frauen and they produce those marvelous sweet dates. The palm tree was something that was highly treasured for its beauty and its fruit.
Verse 13
Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God (92:13).
I like that. God has planted us in his house and we flourish.
Verse 14
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; (92:14).
My wife said “Honey, I like that scripture” and I said “I do too but I don’t like the second part”.
they shall be fat and flourishing; (92:14).
The Bible talks about the man who meditates in the law of God day and night, avoids the evil, he does not stand in the way with sinners, he does not sit in the seat of the scornful but he delights himself in the law of the Lord. He meditates in it day and night.
“He will be like a tree that is planted in by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season. His leaf also shall not wither.”
That is a reference to old age and being strong and healthy in your old age. “His leaf also shall not wither and whatever he does shall prosper” bringing forth fruit in the old age fast and flourishing.
Verse 15
To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him (92:15).
So it is a psalm that is filled with praise, a psalm that is just devoted to the declarations of God’s marvelous love, grace and works towards and upon his people.