When it is time for change, the Lord is well able to make it happen. But it doesn’t always happen the way we would have done it. Why did the Lord take Joseph, and all of the house of Israel into Egypt? By doing this, he saved them from famine and raised them as a nation until it was time for them to take their place as a nation. There comes a time when we understand what the Lord has done and we come into our own promise, our own deliverance and become a testimony of his “loyal love”. But all along the way, he wants us to seek him, heed his ways, and learn to see our world as he does with our eyes wide open.
To Teach His Elders Wisdom
Psalm 105:16–30
There was a covenant, a promise that the Lord made to Abraham, then Isaac, and now through Jacob. Jacob, through his twelve sons was trying to populate the land, but the Lord had another plan and raised Joseph, the outcast from the family, to be a ruler in Egypt. In
Psalm 105:21–22 He made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions, 22 to obligate his officials as he saw fit and teach his elders wisdom.
We might have said that Egypt was a fully formed society, that they had the best of the best in government, and they seemed to be thriving during this time. Yet the Lord says Joseph was there to “teach his elders wisdom” and the Lord gave him wisdom, not only to save his family, but to transform Egypt.
He Remembered His Holy Promise
Psalm 105:31–45
The Fear of Yahweh is the Beginning of Wisdom
Psalm 111:1–10
Blessed is the Man who Fears Yahweh
Psalm 112:1–10
Not because he is afraid of the Lord, but because he carefully follows the Lord instruction, in Psalm 112:1 “his commands”.
His Loyal Love is Mighty on Our Behalf
Psalm 117:1–2
This is a very short Psalm but with a great message. What is it about the Lord that makes him praiseworthy? Why would we “extol him” in Psalm 117:1? And what does extol mean anyway? It means to “make exuberant statements as to the excellence of someone (Ps 63:4[EB 3]; 117:1; 145:4; 147:12+)”.1
The character and nature of God that is worth noting is that, in Psalm 117:2 “his faithfulness is forever” so we can always count on him, he is always there for us. It is this other part that is especially important, he is not just sitting by and watching as some suppose. In fact, what we experience with him is that in Psalm 117:2 “his loyal love is mighty on our behalf”. The Lord is our defender, our deliverer, our helper. So lets take this message to the world as it says in Rom 15:11, 20.
Seek Him With a Whole Heart
Psalm 119:1–8
Taking Heed According to Your Word
Uncover My Eyes That I May Look
Psalm 119:17–24
As we progress through this longest Psalm, we are told that we are blessed when we, in
Psalm 119:1 “walk in the law of Yahweh”.
and to do that we should go looking for him, in
Psalm 119:2 “seek him with a whole heart”.
and then we are to “heed” or listen to or, in
Psalm 119:9 “keep his way pure? By taking heed according to your word”.
and now we come to one more instruction and this is in the form of a request of the Lord, in
Psalm 119:18 “Uncover my eyes, that I may look at wonderful things from your law”.
We naturally think that we understand the world around us and that our perceptions are right. We like to think we know it all. And, there are times when we are so sure we are right that no one can tell us anything. But there is a way of the Lord that is beyond what we know and understand. It is important that we ask the Lord to help us see the way he sees.
Revive Me According to Your Word
Psalm 119:25–32
Study Verses
- Psalm 105:16–30 To Teach His Elders Wisdom
- Psalm 117:1–2 His Loyal Love is Mighty on Our Behalf
- Psalm 119:17–24 Uncover My Eyes That I May Look
Today’s Reading
- Psalm 105:16-45
- Psalm 111:1-10
- Psalm 112:1-10
- Psalm 117:1-2
- Psalm 119:1-32
References
- 1. Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.