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Psalm 92 - A Psalm or Song - for the Sabbath day – or a word for first Sunday of the year – and even a vision for 2023.

This Psalm tells us what to do - what to sing - when we gather together in the Name of Jesus. It teaches us not only what to do - but why to do it - and how to do it - and when to do it.

"It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High."

The Psalmist is speaking directly to God - and saying this is good - what I am doing is good. I know I am pleasing You. It is morally and spiritually good to give thanks to our Living God. It is good to do something which is right! It is always good to do what is right - it is always good and right to do your duty. We do not hear much today about duty.

God gives and offers us so much - health - food - water - friends - clothes - salvation - fellowship.

We awaken to His Love in the morning - and we find God faithful when we go bed tired at night. We can proclaim this! Begin your day with Praise - it is never too early to worship the Lord God Almighty - and no hour is too late to praise God.

Our praise should be intelligent - we have good reason to praise the living God - because of His attributes and character.

Be known for being someone who give praise and thanks - not only to God Who is worthy - but also to people around you.

How encouraging a word of praise and thanks can be to someone who may be struggling and battling. Some people are never thanked for the work they do - you can change that as you are directed and motivated by the Word of God. Give thanks to God - do not always be looking for something - just praise Him.

Are we a good commercial for God? If God was going to make a commercial for the body of Jesus Christ - would He choose you and me to be in it? Would He choose us because of the type of people we are - because of our obedience - because of our loyalty to Jesus - because of the way we handle difficult situations and awkward people?

The Psalmist remembers Who is Lord - and that He is most high. We praise and worship Him for His Love and Faithfulness. He remains loyal and faithful to His servants through thick and thin - in our good times and in our not so good times. God has that quality of goodness which goes far beyond and deeper than human love.

Let your hands and mouth link in praise - music and mouth - melody and heart - everything combined.

This Psalm - this song is so different from most of the songs which the world sings. When we become disciples of Jesus, we discover that the words of the world are so insignificant and superficial and empty and futile.

For the believer in Jesus - for the disciple of Jesus - we can use all we have to praise the living God - Who so loves us and Who gives us so much. This is very much vocal praise - worship which can be heard - and which is acceptable to the Lord our God. What a positive way to use the tongue and voice which God gave you.

Verse 4 - You make me glad by your deeds. When you have seen God at work, your heart will want to reach out for these words and use them to have your praises sounded in Heaven. The Psalmist is overwhelmed at God's Ways.

Verse 5 - His works are great - His thoughts are deep - they are profound - and our mighty holy loving faithful powerful tender merciful God is willing to share His thoughts with us. We can understand something of what is on His mind. There are times when He shares His thinking with us.

Verse 6 - Some just don't know what God is doing - they are not interested - the senseless man - the fool. We are called to perceive God's Ways and God's Values. We act and behave so differently from what God intended when he created us.

We are redeemed - bought with the Blood of Jesus Christ shed on the Cross.

We are rescued - and being changed and transformed - and, if we should slip or fall or fail, His Faithfulness remains true.

Verse 7 - At this point David praises God for being a God of Judgement.

The wicked quickly appear - and just as quickly perish.

Moral values do count - God is in charge - and He has written into the very being of this world, His Moral Laws - and when they are broken, there is much suffering.

We are living in a day when many are not aware of what is moral and what is immoral. This is a strong flowing stream, and we have to swim against it - and it is not easy to swim against the stream - but Jesus gives us strength - He provides and supplies whatever we need.

There is such a contrasting picture in this Psalm. The wicked are likened to perishing grass - the righteous are like flourishing trees. Grass is the picture of anything which is short lived - and in the land where these words were penned, grass grows and goes. It soon dries and withers and shrivels. The wicked are in this sense like grass.

There is a difference between the temporal - or the temporary - and the eternal.

David sees things he wished he didn't see. Do you ever find yourself in that position? But he also sees something on which he can build his life.

God rules over all the mess - all the problems - all the tensions.

Now David takes a long-term view - and that is the secret.

He knows that God is righteous - that God is Most High - that God will live for ever - that God is in charge - and that he has the last and final Word.

David the shepherd knew what to do when a sheep was wounded - the shepherd would anoint the head of a wounded sheep with healing oil - and he himself has experienced that anointing following being wounded.

David knew what it was to be lifted up and strengthened.

Verse 10 – Horn speaks of authority and strength - the Kingship of God.

It is a strong picture.

David had been anointed - but he had no idea as to the implications this would have for his life, at the time of anointing. The pain - the pressures of required leadership - responsibility - the temptations faced by those who are anointed.

It was immediately after Jesus was anointed that the tempter came.

Mary had no idea - chosen by God - with the promise of a sword piercing her soul. God has a unique way of mixing anointing and promise - with certain other realities - pain - pressure - misunderstanding - the Cross. Luke 2verses 34,35.

One of the first things which happened to David following his anointing - was that Saul became jealous. Have you ever noticed that? God chooses you and anoints you - and suddenly someone can become terribly jealous? And frequently from a most surprising source!

Fine oil - or fresh oil - does not necessarily mean excitement - or new emotional experiences - but it means the presence of God - and that means being encouraged and strengthened and comforted. These precious blessings are poured upon us – as we face 2021 – remember that.

This is what our God does. When we see Jesus working in this mighty way - and experience something of it - we have that longing to praise Him and worship Him. See the balance of strength and anointing.

Verse 12 - If the wicked disappear like the grass on a burning hot day - the righteous flourish like a palm tree.

God promises us Strength and Freshness – take that for 2023 .

1. The palm tree grows and flourishes in the desert - the world to the disciple of Jesus Christ can be very like a desert.

2. It grows amidst the sand - but the sand is not its food. Its deep roots search for moisture. O, search for nourishing food and moisture from our Loving God.

3. The palm tree is rather beautiful - majestic - tall - handsome - with branches stretching upwards seeking things above where Christ now dwells - like hands in Worship.

4. It provides shelter - pointing to the place of water for the weary traveller.

5. It produces fruit when mature and old - yielding some 300 lbs of dates annually - with the finest dates being produced between the ages of 30,100!

What a difference - the height - so majestic - so straight – and with roots deep down to withstand the drought. Look where they are planted - in the House of the Lord.

They flourish in the courts of our God. This is where to flourish. This is where the righteous are planted - in the fellowship of the Church of Jesus Christ. There is nowhere else where a righteous man can be planted - not if you want to bear fruit - not if you want to be fruitful for Jesus Christ.

Where you are planted matters - it is important.

Where you fellowship - and how deep that fellowship is - matters - and can influence our fruitfulness. So much depends upon the soil - and the available moisture - the fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The cedar is regarded as one of the beautiful trees. It grows slowly and straight - able to withstand cold and wet - able to live in all kinds of conditions. It has an undecaying quality about it - particularly when compared with grass. It can grow on the mountain sides - unsheltered from the windy blasts - and can survive icy frosts.

It is so different from grass - here today and gone to-morrow. It is evergreen - always there - always visible - always seen - always noticed just by its very presence. The evergreens continue to flourish into their 60's and 70's and 80's.

We can grow old - but still be useful and fruitful for God. The Psalmist is calling upon us to consider the end of a man's faith. The sap continues to rise - the anointing of the Holy Spirit continues to empower.

The righteous are to be fruitful in old age as well as in their earlier years - more dead to the things of the world - with a greater meekness - and having a wisdom - and being mature in judgement - not always looking for Bible verses to slay people who oppose them. The mature disciple of Jesus Christ does not need to talk in a critical manner - because he knows God - and he is richer in spiritual experience.

When children and grandchildren look at our lives - what will they see? What do they see? What will they hear? After all the wars and scrapes and struggles and battles, will we still be a good commercial for Jesus Christ - an advert which will be attractive and magnetic? Do people see enduring commitment?

The next generation needs spiritual heroes - our young people today need heroes in the faith whom they can follow - just as some of us were led by godly leaders.

Grass or trees? Which? Righteous or Wicked? The Lord is neither grass nor a tree in that sense - but a ROCK - solid righteousness. The Lord is upright.

Will people say that because of our witness and testimony and service?

Grass or tree? Which are you? Grass - about to wither away and disappear and vanish? Or an upright tree planted by the Lord Jesus Christ and with deep roots going down for the essential moisture in times of drought?

It is when you come to the ROCK - that you become a tree - "Grass becoming trees".

Come to Jesus Christ the ROCK - and be a tree - an upright palm - a majestic cedar - and let people see the change in you - that difference which Jesus Christ makes - that transformation brought about by the Holy Spirit, as fine fresh oil flows within you, and from you.

It is good to praise the Lord - He is my Rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

“Loving Father – our God – our Creator God – the only God there is – we bow in worship and praise, and surrender at the start of another year. We thank You for the many and various promises we read of in Scripture. We thank you for Jesus – the light of the world – our Saviour and Lord and Redeemer and King and Light. Speak to us this day – enable us to hear You clearly – and to follow Jesus as closely and obediently and lovingly, as we know how – led by the Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Thorn in the Flesh