Serve the Lord with fear

Sometimes I look to my front, and I see obstacles. I look to my left and right, more obstacles. I look behind me and the road I used to get me where I am is now blocked and retreat is no longer an option. I am not always sure I understand why. I just know that, because I am a believer in Jesus the Christ, the bible says that I will suffer persecution. Even though I understand this, I still find myself asking why are there so many people against me, why are so many people against doing it God’s way.

When I opened up the truth and saw the first verse of the second Psalm, I was amazed. Then I read the second verse and then the third verse; I was sitting their saying, “I ask these same questions.” Let’s refresh our memories by reading that psalm in its entirety.

Psalm 2

¹Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? ² The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, ³ Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. ⁴ He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. ⁵ Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. ⁶ Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. ⁷ I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. ⁸ Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. ⁹ Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. ¹⁰ Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. ¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. ¹² Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

No one knows for an absolute fact who wrote this psalm. However, it is widely accepted that it was written by King David. Many truly believe that because King David wrote in a theme, he wrote with a rhythm. This psalm has that rhythm. In addition, in the New Testament, in the book of Acts, chapter 4, verse 25, David is named as the writer, and the 2 psalm is quoted in that verse. While there is no proof of authorship, the word of those who were reading it in the time of writing the new testament are widely trusted to be doing so with a clear and accurate memory. I have no proof that when I was a child I owned a pet rock. But my memory knows it to be true. Do you believe me? I chose to believe the writer of Acts, Apostle Paul, and thus, believe that the king wrote this psalm.

Having said that, there is also some arguments as to whether the king was talking about himself, Jesus, or to both himself and Jesus. I have read the arguments thoroughly, and I have read the psalm over and over. I know that Kind David was a prophet, I also believe that Jesus is LORD. I believe there are parts of this psalm that can ONLY refer to Jesus. I believe that in verses 4, 5, and 6, David was talking expressly about Jesus. There is no man on earth, past-present-future, whose wrath will be greater than God. Oh we want to think ourselves some great equalizer but God is the creator of morality, and so only he can be the punisher of immorality. Additionally, King David speaks of “He who sits in heaven laughing and how the LORD will have his derision”, which means contempt or ridicule. No man, even King David should laugh at the man who is suffering the wrath of God. We should weep for the pain and suffering that we know awaits them. Charles Manson recently passed away. He went believing he was the anti-Christ, and also without much fanfare. For as much as he was in the news throughout his life, he should have been on the front page of the paper with the Headlines, “WEEP!!!! For his soul will forever be tormented in hell.” That is hard for us because we look at his behavior and say, “well he deserves it.” BREAKING NEWS…..we all deserve it. Not a single one of us is deserving of God’s mercy. So in this manner I believe these verses refer to Christ exclusively.

1 Peter 2

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

I believe King David refers to both himself and you and I in the rest. The first three verses are obviously about non-believers. That is a funny statement. When I say non-believers, I also refer to those who cry LORD LORD and yet obey him not. There are many who love him, they call on him, they are sore afraid of going to hell, so they claim his righteous name. Yet, these same people make friends with the world. They want the reward without the work. They want to be blessed by His hands, but use their own hands for their own benefit. They serve with no fear because they do not believe in His righteous wrath. Some say they believe in a God, but not the bible. Some believe that is is all about love and no obedience. They, I believe, are also non-believers.

Matthew 7
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

In this psalm these are the kings and the leaders of the nations (heathens) surrounding Israel. They sit and conspire with each other to devise ways of disobedience. The word to use their thoughts in this psalm is “vein”. As I studied this word, I found that it could be misleading. I found this comment by Albert Barnes.

Albert Barnes on Psalm 2 verse 1

“That is, which will prove to be a vain thing, or a thing which they cannot accomplish. It cannot mean that they were engaged in forming plans which they supposed would be vain – for no persons would form such plans; but that they were engaged in designs which the result would show to be unsuccessful. The reference here is to the agitation among the nations in respect to the divine purpose to set up the Messiah as king over the world, and to the opposition which this would create among the nations of the earth.”

So how much vein thinking to do I do, meaning how much do I think of that goes against God’s plans for me, thus cannot be accomplished? That stuck with me. And in that thought, I believe that when David spoke of himself, he also spoke about you and me. Again, verse one. I have looked to my north and seen those who question me not to learn more about my faith but to watch me fail in the answer, to trap me into a corner. They wait for me to say something I cannot prove to ask for proof only to fail to understand that faith is the belief in that which is not seen. They are the world. I look to the east and west and I see friends, people who claim to love and  yet they have their magnifying glasses out looking for every spot, every blemish. They point their fingers and forget about the three other digits pointing right back at them. They judge forgetting that God used some of the most broken people that have ever lived to build his church. They break my heart because I hear their words and wonder what scripture they use to support them. Their words are dressed up with support and love, yet the true intent is to break my bonds and to tear apart the cords that connect me to my God.

But then David, again, talking about his realization and giving us instruction, saves the grace of mercy until the end. In that delivery the King gives great hope, because while he talks to himself, while he instructs you and I, he talks of the salvation brought to us through the sacrifice of Christ. I am so grateful that I will forever know that my relationship with God is mine. No man, no matter how hard he tries, can interrupt my relationship with God. It is only I who can end this relationship. I am equally glad that I do not believe satan and his lies that tell me in my troubles that God forgets about his children. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him! Do not trust man, put your trust in the LORD. He will never let you down. Man will let you down. It may not be intentional, and they may beg for forgiveness, but it will happen. The ONLY one worthy of complete Faith, unbridled obedience is God Almighty. Stand strong, and do not let the enemy keep you from answering your calling.

If you stand in the mirror what will the reflection tell you about yourself, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your house, straight from the cross to the Christian!