Psalm – Psalm 87-89

Today we have come to the last three “chapters” of Book Three of Psalms.

Bible Passage: Psalms 87 to 89

The expressions found in the psalms are sometimes very abstract and therefore not easy for the readers of today to understand and to deeply appreciate them. However, through the words, especially the metaphors, chosen to express the psalmists’ adorations and praises to God, they can arouse and enhance us to sense a gretaer degree of affections towards God and His wisdom in dealing with His creations.

Psalm 87, though short, is a psalm that is not easy to understand. But the metaphors used in the first two verses tell us of how God esteems the holy City, Zion.

His foundation is in the holy mountains.
The LORD loves the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.

Ps. 87: 1 – 2

Let us zoom into this portion to feel how God looks at this holy City. His foundation, which is the Truth of God, is in the holy mountains, of which, Mt. Moriah is one of these mountains; and on Mt Moriah is where the Temple was built, and this Temple is in the holy City, Zion.

Zion is a place of highest regards among other places because Zion is where the Truth of God is her foundation, a place where God caused His Name to dwell, a place where God the Father dwells among His people.

Take a few moments to meditate on this psalm; does it remind us of His Church and His children of today? Ponder on how God also esteems His Church and His children, and also reflect on how we react to God’s expectations from us.

The book of Psalms is a wonderful book as it contains many psalms/prayers of deep devotions to God. Praises with “loud” acclamations for God’s wonderful attributes and “tears” of regret and repentance expressed in words by the psalmists are truly captivating if we read them with our hearts.

Psalms 88 may relate very well to most of us, for it is a psalm/prayer for help in despondency. I believe many of us have felt lost or unloved by God at some points in our spiritual lives, but we must always cling to the truth that He is our salvation,

O LORD, God of my salvation,
I have cried out day and night before You.
Let my prayer come before You;
Incline Your ear to my cry.

Ps. 88:1 – 2

The way the psalmist expresses in this psalm may seem like begging God who has already turned His eyes away from him, but Psalm 88 reminds me of how Job prayed to God when he was in his tormented state. Job did not give up, he continued to trust in God even though his most beloved wife told him to curse God and die.

So the very first 2 verses of this psalm tell me that even if we have to go through all these afflictions, we have to cling on to our God, who is truly our salvation, for there is none other savior beside Him who can save us. In such testing hours, we can, and must cry out to God day and night, for our prayers will surely reach before Him, and thence into His ears.

Psalm 89 is about remembering the covenant with David and sorrow for lost blessings. I will leave this psalm for you to share about your understanding or views with our readers. If there be anything else that you would like to comment about psalms 87 and 88, do feel free to do so also.

For today’s Bible reading, the message that keeps repeating in my mind is “To Draw Closer and Closer to God, Never Let Him Let Go of My Hand”. The following video clip sort of sum up this message in my mind.