Psalm 128. This psalm gives some of the blessings of the Millennium, and these blessings shall come to them out of Zion, where His house is to be located. When the hour mentioned in John 4:2323But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23) is past, and the Lord has re-established them in the land, then Jerusalem will again be His earthly center for worship.
Psalm 129. We have here the afflictions of the godly Israelite, and others also suffering for the name of the Lord. It may refer historically to the afflictions which David passed through, as being representative of that which the godly remnant will pass through in the tribulation. He passed through several years of such trials when fleeing for his life from King Saul. There have been many times of persecutions which Christians have had to pass through, and still do in some countries of the world.
Psalm 130. This psalm gives us the deep heart searchings of one in the presence of the Lord. It is not now the evil from without, but that which springs from man’s evil nature within. The soul learns that there is forgiveness with the Lord, and that their hope is not from looking within, to discern progress, but to rest and wait upon the Lord for what He has accomplished. It may refer to some of David’s experiences when, being pursued, he longed for the light of the morning. The soul here speaks of waiting for the Lord so intently that he says it is more than they that watch for the morning. He speaks of waiting for their redemption from their iniquities. How wonderful it is that since the Lord Jesus died and rose again, faith can look back and see redemption as an accomplished fact. So the gospel does not tell a sinner he must do something, but it points him to a work that has already been done for him on the cross.
Psalm 131. We have in this psalm more heart searchings, to see if pride was in any way connected with his activities. It is a very wholesome exercise before the Lord, for pride is an outstanding trait acquired by man at the fall. It is what characterizes man away from God, and the child of God can fall into its snare through the deceitfulness of his own heart. It is one of the seven things that are spoken of as an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 6:1717A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (Proverbs 6:17)). After these deep heart searchings, David declares that Israel’s hope cannot be in anyone but the Lord from henceforth and forever. Those of the nation that are back in the land at this present time, have not progressed beyond their own efforts, and will yet follow the Antichrist when he appears. He will be the most self-willed man this world has ever known.
Psalm 132. This psalm shows why David could be spoken of as a man after God’s own heart—not that he didn’t fail, for all men have failed. There is only one Man who never failed, the Lord Jesus Christ. David is shown here as a sample of the godly Israelite. In the midst of all his afflictions, he had a deep concern for a very great disorder among his people. The central thing connected with their worship before the Lord was the ark of the covenant (Deut. 31:24-2724And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, 25That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, 26Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. 27For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the Lord; and how much more after my death? (Deuteronomy 31:24‑27)). On the day of Atonement, the blood of the sin offering was carried in to the mercy seat, which was above the ark. The high priest carrying it in there could witness of their sin offering being accepted for them.
ML 05/28/1961