Psalms 73-75 - SECRET WISDOM
SECRET WISDOM
TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
JULY 28, 2020, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Psalm 73: 23b: You lead me with your secret wisdom (TPT)
Psalm 73 is the story of a search which was rewarded beyond all expectation. The Psalmist nearly stumbled in view of the prosperity of the wicked. Then he found truth, faith and rest in the presence of God. He ceased to look at the present circumstances. He saw the end of the wicked. He was able to affirm God’s presence and care. Out of this consciousness the song of praise was born.
Psalm 73: 23-28: …You comfort me by your counsel; you draw me closer to you. You lead me with your secret wisdom. Following you brings me into your brightness and glory! Whom have I in heaven but you! You’re all I want! No one on earth means as much to me as you. Lord, so many times I fail; I fall into disgrace, but when I trust in you, I have a strong and glorious presence protecting and anointing me. Forever you’re all I need! Those who abandon the worship of God will perish. The false and unfaithful will be silenced, never heard from again. But I’ll keep coming closer and closer to you, Lord Yahweh, for your name is good to me. I’ll keep telling the world of your awesome works, my faithful and glorious God! (TPT)
Psalm 73:24: You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians: making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Eph. 1: 16-17). “Wisdom,” “revelation,” and “knowledge” are keys that open the door to the glory of God.
Proverbs 3: 13-15: Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; for wisdoms proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her (Prov. 3: 13-15).
In Psalm 74, the singer sits in the middle of national desolation, and pours out his soul to God in passionate appeal for His help.
Psa. 74: 11b-14: O God, You have the power to break in…Don’t hold back! Unleash your might and give them a final blow. You are the Mighty Conqueror working wonders all over the world. It was you who split the sea in two by your glorious strength. You smashed the power of Tannin, the sea-god! You crushed the might of Leviathan, the great dragon, then you took the crumbs and fed them to the sharks!
Another translation reads, “You break the heads (wisdom) of the crocodiles=demons by the waters.” As we the church continually bruise the head of the dragon (Satan), let us bind up his earthly wisdom.
We know that true wisdom comes from God. Worldly wisdom is only a perverted reflection of the true thing. Here again, however, we see a connection between wisdom and the miracle-working power of God.
Daniel 1:20: In all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them (the three Hebrew children), he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.
Satan’s wisdom is always limited. We need to count on that as we continue to bruise the dragon’s head.
Psa. 74: 15-20: With your glory you opened up springs and fountains, then you spoke and the ever- flowing springs of Jordan dried up so we could cross over. You own the day and the night. Sunlight and starlight call you Creator. The four corners of the earth were formed by your hands, and every changing season owes its beauty to you. O Jehovah, don’t forget how these arrogant enemies, like fools have mocked your name… (vs. 20) Remember your promises to us, for darkness covers the land, giving the violent ones a hiding place….
When the Lord spoke the worlds into being, wisdom was there with Him, and was the tool he used to bring about the first creative miracles:
Proverbs 3: 19-20: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by His knowledge the depths were broken up, and clouds drop down the dew.
Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge were actually created before the earth was created.
Proverbs 8: 22-23; 26-27: The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I have been established from everlasting. From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. While as yet, He had not made the earth or the fields, or the primal dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there…
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, but before the beginning, He created wisdom.
Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; and I was daily His delight… (Proverbs 8:30).
Psalm 75 is God’s divine intervention for His people. It tells of the righteous judgment administered by Jesus Christ. Psalm 75 reveals God as Judge. It tells of the certain destruction of the wicked and the certain triumph of the righteous. The destruction of Sennacherib’s army would be an example of this Word in action for God people “Destroy not, o’ enemy, because you cannot!”
This Psalm is a remarkable answer to Psalm 74. God at the set time will judge. Chaos may characterize the outlook, but order enwraps it all. Ultimately the wicked will be abased and the righteous will be lifted up.
Psa. 75:1a: God our hearts spill over with praise to you! We overflow with thanks, for your name is the “Near One” (qarowb=kin, kinfolk, kinsman) (the sealing of Rev. 14:1).
Rev 14:1And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
75:1b-10: All we want to talk about is your wonderful works! We hear your reply: when the time is ripe, I will arise, and I will judge the world with perfect righteousness! Though I have set the earth firmly on its pillars, I will shake it until it totters and everyone’ hearts will tremble.
God warns the proud, “Stop your arrogant boasting!” he warns the wicked, “Don’t think for a moment you can resist me! Why would you speak with such stubborn pride? Don’t you dare raise your fist against me!” This I know: the favor that brings promotion and power doesn’t come from anywhere on earth, for no one exalts a person but God, the true judge of all. He alone determines where favor rests. He anoints one for greatness, and brings another down to his knees.
A foaming cup filled with judgment mixed with fury is in the hands of the Lord Jehovah, full to the brim and ready to run over. He filled it up for the wicked and they will drink it down to the very last drop!
But I will proclaim the victory of the God of Jacob. My melodies of praise will make him known. My praises will break the powers of wickedness while the righteous will be promoted and become powerful. (TPT)
I particularly favor K.J.V. of verses 5-10:
Psa. 75:5: Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.
Psa. 75:6For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. (promotion comes from the North {Zion}). God is the judge: he puts down one, and sets up another. For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he pours out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them. But I will declare forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.
The cup’s mixture is both blessing and judgment. I have drunk from this cup and the Lord spoke to me Isa. 51: 22-23 that he had put the cup in the hands of my enemies:
Isa. 51:22-23: Thus says your Lord the LORD, and your God that pleads the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; you shalt no more drink it again: But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict you; which have said to your soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and you have laid your body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
Matt. 26:39e went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Matt. 26:42He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
The LORD drank from the cup of Psalm 75:8. When we take communion, we share in His cup of blessing because he drank of the cup of our judgment.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
Scripture from TPT; and K.JV. I entered into the labors of Principles of Present Truth, Psalm 73-150 by Kelly Varner and Mysteries of the Glory Unveiled by David Herzog. Comments and conclusions are my own and do not reflect the views of those who I entered into their labors.