A Sabbath Psalm of Worship
Psalm 92
Psalm 92
Psalm 92 brings this triad of songs to a joyously worshipful conclusion. That it is tied to Psalms 90 and 91 is readily apparent as we have seen from the construction of the three Psalms. VanGemeren comments: “Psalms 90-92 are united by the development of concepts and the repetition of vocabulary. These psalms lead the worshiper from a meditation on the transiency of life (Ps 90), a call for wisdom (Ps 91), to a climactic celebration of divine deliverance and protection (Ps 92). Psalm 92 embodies a hymn (vv. 1-3) and an individual thanksgiving (vv. 4-15), which are symmetrical with the hymn (vv. 1-2) and complaint (vv. 3-17) of Psalm 90. Between the complaint of Psalm 90 and the thanksgiving of Psalm 92 stands the wisdom poem (91:1-13) and the divine oracle of promise (91:14-16)” (EBC, vol. 5, p. 602).
VanGemeren outlines Psalm 92 as follows:
I. Hymn of praise to the Most High (vv. 1-3)
II. Hymn of thanksgiving (vv. 4-14)
A. Joy in God’s Works (vv. 4-5)
B. Judgment on Folly and Exaltation (vv. 6-8)
B’. Judgment and Exaltation (vv. 9-11)
A’. The Prosperity of the Righteous (vv. 12-14)
III. Praise of the LORD (v. 15) (EBC, p. 602)
Psalm 92 is categorized as a Sabbath Psalm. The Westminster Larger Catechism references it as one of the scriptural passages that contain instructions for properly observing the Sabbath. In an age when there is an inclination to marginalize, and at times even denigrate the observance of the Sabbath, it is good to be reminded of the biblical stress on Sabbath worship. It is easy to distort Jesus’ teaching that, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2.27), into something that Jesus did not intend. The development of Sabbath day disciplines is sorely needed in the church.
In response to the question, “How is the Sabbath or the Lord’s day to sanctified?”, the Westminster divines replied that the Christian ought to make it his delight to spend the whole day in public and private worship (except for those works of necessity and mercy; Matt 12.1-13). The Christian is to prepare his heart with “such foresight, diligence, and moderation, to dispose and reasonably dispatch his worldly business, that he may be the more free and fit for the duties of that day (Exod. 20:82 56, Luke 23:54, Exod. 16:22, 25-26, 29)” (The Westminster Larger Catechism, question 117).
I would encourage you to meditate on the keeping of the Sabbath as it is commanded in Exodus 20.8. Briefly put, a biblical understanding of the Sabbath involves cessation from work. This is intended to curb the appetite for acquiring excessive property and goods. It fosters faith in God’s ability to provide for one’s “daily bread.” It emulates God’s resting on the seventh day. It is a reminder that the Christian may find his rest in Jesus, who is Lord of the Sabbath. It was a covenant sign for the nation of Israel, and it sets the Christian apart from his unbelieving neighbors. Finally, it is a day set apart for worship.
It is precisely such activity that is the focus of Psalm 92. Life’s adversities are an encouragement for the believer to turn to the Lord, trusting him for protection and provision. The Lord rescues the one who loves him. He protects the one who calls upon him, and he will show him his great salvation. The proper response to all this is an attitude of worship. This is precisely the substance of Psalm 92 – it is a Psalm of praise and thanksgiving. The opening hymn of praise (vv. 1-3) is a proclamation of God’s unfailing love; from morning to night God is faithful. The people of God rejoice in his abundant provision. It is good to praise the Lord; it is good to make music; it is good to proclaim the love and faithfulness of God. Each of these statements is stressed emphatically by the psalmist. Compare this Psalm with the instructions for worship in Psalm 147, where the psalmist writes: Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! … Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. … His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love (vv. 1, 7, 10-11).
If praise and thanksgiving were the punctuation of Scripture, then Psalm 92 would be an exclamation point. God’s love in the morning and his faithfulness at night are evident in the works of his hands, that is, creation. Moreover, his covenant people enjoy his gracious favor. Consequently, the psalmist’s voice is filled with praise. Unlike the many complaints of Psalm 90 that resolve in the psalmist’s appeal: Relent, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days (vv. 13, 14), in Psalm 92 the psalmist rejoices in God’s love: For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. God’s love is expressed in his work of redemption. VanGemeren writes: “The Lord reveals the greatness of his love by mighty works (‘how great are your works!’), all of which witness to a grand design (‘how profound your thoughts!’ cp. 40:5; Jeremiah 51:29). Here lies the difference between God and man: man can neither penetrate the mind of God nor fully comprehend the acts of his love (cf. Isa 55:8; Rom 8:29: 11:33-34)” (EBC, p.603).
If one has the eyes to see and the heart to believe in God’s saving work (Romans 10.9-13), then he will offer up an acceptable sacrifice of praise (cp. Romans 12.1-2). However, if one is a spiritual fool, he is like a beast of the field; he will merely perish at the end of his brutish existence. Such imagery brings to mind Nebuchadnezzar. You may recall that in his pride he boasted “is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4.30). For this great arrogance he was humbled by God. He went mad, and was driven from society. He lived as a mindless beast in the field. When he came to his senses he acknowledged that the Most High was sovereign over the kingdoms of men. The story of Nebuchadnezzar’s physical and social degradation is only an outward expression of what anyone without faith is inwardly. At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. … All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth (Daniel 4.34-35). A fool is anyone who fails to acknowledge that God is the author of salvation; such a person, like the grass that withers under the noonday sun, will perish (Psalm 92.7; cf. 90.5).
In contrast to the fools who perish the psalmist proclaims that the LORD is exalted forever. The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity (Psalm 93.1-2). The truth of God’s being requires worship. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who make us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100.1-3). God’s vindication requires the punishment of the wicked. The apostle John, the author of Revelation, writes: When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6.9-10).
Unlike the judgment of the fool, the righteous person is strengthened in life and is a recipient of God’s blessing. He has a hope for the future, looking toward the destruction of evil. The believer knows that God an evil cannot coexist. There is a day coming when God will bring and end to all injustice; and on that day every evil doer will be judged. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6.15-17). The wicked will perish and the righteous will prosper – they will stay fresh and green (Psalm 92.14).
The Psalm ends where it began proclaiming: “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him” (Psalm 92.15). We have seen in this triad of Psalms a progression from a complaint about the temporality of life (Psalm 90), to an instruction about godly living (Psalm 91), concluding with a Psalm of worship. So, too, in the larger context of Scripture we discover a similar end to things – praise, thanksgiving and worship. Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5.11-12).
VanGemeren outlines Psalm 92 as follows:
I. Hymn of praise to the Most High (vv. 1-3)
II. Hymn of thanksgiving (vv. 4-14)
A. Joy in God’s Works (vv. 4-5)
B. Judgment on Folly and Exaltation (vv. 6-8)
B’. Judgment and Exaltation (vv. 9-11)
A’. The Prosperity of the Righteous (vv. 12-14)
III. Praise of the LORD (v. 15) (EBC, p. 602)
Psalm 92 is categorized as a Sabbath Psalm. The Westminster Larger Catechism references it as one of the scriptural passages that contain instructions for properly observing the Sabbath. In an age when there is an inclination to marginalize, and at times even denigrate the observance of the Sabbath, it is good to be reminded of the biblical stress on Sabbath worship. It is easy to distort Jesus’ teaching that, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2.27), into something that Jesus did not intend. The development of Sabbath day disciplines is sorely needed in the church.
In response to the question, “How is the Sabbath or the Lord’s day to sanctified?”, the Westminster divines replied that the Christian ought to make it his delight to spend the whole day in public and private worship (except for those works of necessity and mercy; Matt 12.1-13). The Christian is to prepare his heart with “such foresight, diligence, and moderation, to dispose and reasonably dispatch his worldly business, that he may be the more free and fit for the duties of that day (Exod. 20:82 56, Luke 23:54, Exod. 16:22, 25-26, 29)” (The Westminster Larger Catechism, question 117).
I would encourage you to meditate on the keeping of the Sabbath as it is commanded in Exodus 20.8. Briefly put, a biblical understanding of the Sabbath involves cessation from work. This is intended to curb the appetite for acquiring excessive property and goods. It fosters faith in God’s ability to provide for one’s “daily bread.” It emulates God’s resting on the seventh day. It is a reminder that the Christian may find his rest in Jesus, who is Lord of the Sabbath. It was a covenant sign for the nation of Israel, and it sets the Christian apart from his unbelieving neighbors. Finally, it is a day set apart for worship.
It is precisely such activity that is the focus of Psalm 92. Life’s adversities are an encouragement for the believer to turn to the Lord, trusting him for protection and provision. The Lord rescues the one who loves him. He protects the one who calls upon him, and he will show him his great salvation. The proper response to all this is an attitude of worship. This is precisely the substance of Psalm 92 – it is a Psalm of praise and thanksgiving. The opening hymn of praise (vv. 1-3) is a proclamation of God’s unfailing love; from morning to night God is faithful. The people of God rejoice in his abundant provision. It is good to praise the Lord; it is good to make music; it is good to proclaim the love and faithfulness of God. Each of these statements is stressed emphatically by the psalmist. Compare this Psalm with the instructions for worship in Psalm 147, where the psalmist writes: Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! … Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. … His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love (vv. 1, 7, 10-11).
If praise and thanksgiving were the punctuation of Scripture, then Psalm 92 would be an exclamation point. God’s love in the morning and his faithfulness at night are evident in the works of his hands, that is, creation. Moreover, his covenant people enjoy his gracious favor. Consequently, the psalmist’s voice is filled with praise. Unlike the many complaints of Psalm 90 that resolve in the psalmist’s appeal: Relent, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days (vv. 13, 14), in Psalm 92 the psalmist rejoices in God’s love: For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. God’s love is expressed in his work of redemption. VanGemeren writes: “The Lord reveals the greatness of his love by mighty works (‘how great are your works!’), all of which witness to a grand design (‘how profound your thoughts!’ cp. 40:5; Jeremiah 51:29). Here lies the difference between God and man: man can neither penetrate the mind of God nor fully comprehend the acts of his love (cf. Isa 55:8; Rom 8:29: 11:33-34)” (EBC, p.603).
If one has the eyes to see and the heart to believe in God’s saving work (Romans 10.9-13), then he will offer up an acceptable sacrifice of praise (cp. Romans 12.1-2). However, if one is a spiritual fool, he is like a beast of the field; he will merely perish at the end of his brutish existence. Such imagery brings to mind Nebuchadnezzar. You may recall that in his pride he boasted “is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4.30). For this great arrogance he was humbled by God. He went mad, and was driven from society. He lived as a mindless beast in the field. When he came to his senses he acknowledged that the Most High was sovereign over the kingdoms of men. The story of Nebuchadnezzar’s physical and social degradation is only an outward expression of what anyone without faith is inwardly. At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. … All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth (Daniel 4.34-35). A fool is anyone who fails to acknowledge that God is the author of salvation; such a person, like the grass that withers under the noonday sun, will perish (Psalm 92.7; cf. 90.5).
In contrast to the fools who perish the psalmist proclaims that the LORD is exalted forever. The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity (Psalm 93.1-2). The truth of God’s being requires worship. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who make us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100.1-3). God’s vindication requires the punishment of the wicked. The apostle John, the author of Revelation, writes: When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6.9-10).
Unlike the judgment of the fool, the righteous person is strengthened in life and is a recipient of God’s blessing. He has a hope for the future, looking toward the destruction of evil. The believer knows that God an evil cannot coexist. There is a day coming when God will bring and end to all injustice; and on that day every evil doer will be judged. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6.15-17). The wicked will perish and the righteous will prosper – they will stay fresh and green (Psalm 92.14).
The Psalm ends where it began proclaiming: “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him” (Psalm 92.15). We have seen in this triad of Psalms a progression from a complaint about the temporality of life (Psalm 90), to an instruction about godly living (Psalm 91), concluding with a Psalm of worship. So, too, in the larger context of Scripture we discover a similar end to things – praise, thanksgiving and worship. Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5.11-12).