I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
I cannot decide if this passage is a literal or a figurative prophecy(I am not sure that figurative is the word I am looking for, but its close enough). If it is a literal prophecy, we will see a day in the future where the nation of Israel is the dominant economy in the world. I find it hard to imagine how we would get from where we are today to such a world, but God is powerful and He has worked out things in the past that were hard to imagine before they happened. On the other hand, the prophet refers to God Himself being the light source for this land of Israel rather than the sun, which suggests that this passage may be a figurative account about the impact of Jesus and His Church upon the world.
The next section I am on firmer ground in understanding because Jesus quoted this in a context where He was applying it to Himself. Jesus came to proclaim good news and bring comfort to those who are suffering. He came to declare the day of the Lord’s favor and bring judgement to those who rob, oppress and carry out injustice. God offers comfort and joy to those who worship Him, but judgement to those who choose to mistreat their fellow man.
We should live as citizens of Heaven, conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of being called the children of God. We should not be intimidated by the enemies of the Gospel because we have the privilege of trusting in Christ along with the privilege of suffering for Him. We should strive to be of one mind and one spirit, loving one another and acting out of that love. We should avoid acting selfishly or in order to promote ourselves. Instead we should look out for the interests of others. We should imitate Jesus, who, even though He was God, humbled Himself and became a servant of others. We should serve others without grumbling or arguing. We should strive to be blameless and pure so that we stand out as a light to the gospel in the warped and crooked generation in which we live.
This psalm is written from the perspective of those governing, but it can be seen from the other side as well. If the people fear God and serve Him, God will give them rulers who love justice and rescue the poor. A people who love and fear God will have rulers who help the oppressed and defend the helpless. If we praise God and work to fill the land with His glory, we will prosper.
This proverb is a condemnation of those who stood by and allowed the Holocaust to happen in Nazi Germany, but it is also a condemnation of those who support legalized abortion. There are other situations where we are called on to speak up against the mistreatment of those who are unjustly condemned to death.