A (0:00)

Hey, Bible nerds. This is Dr. Manny Arango and I'm your host for the Bible department podcast. Powered by Arma. This podcast follows a Bible reading plan we created to help you read the entire Bible in a year. You can head to the show notes or thebibledepartment.com to download our reading plan and join the journey. Let's be honest, a lot of us are still treating digital ministry like it's a backup plan from 2020. But discipleship isn't just happening on Sundays anymore. People need gospel centered connection every day of the week. And if you're stuck juggling five different platforms, one for giving, another for sermons, something else for events, it's no wonder engagement feels off. That's not ministry. That's a mess. Subsplash changes that one platform. Everything you need. Media, giving, events, messaging, your app, your website built specifically for churches. No hacks, no workarounds, just clarity and simplicity. Because every day you wait, families scroll past your sermons, new guests click away from clunky sites, and real people miss real moments with Jesus. Don't waste another summer stuck in digital survival mode. Use it to get ahead, simplify, upgrade, get back to what matters. Head to subsplash.combible-dept and schedule a free no pressure demo. And let this be the summer your church gets focused and fully equipped. Family. Welcome to day 261. We got three Psalms that we get the pleasure of diving into today. Psalm 27, Psalm 28, and Psalm 29. Like always, I'm gonna give you context clues. I'm going to give you a couple of nerdy nuggets. We're gonna end the episode with a timeless truth, because we are not here studying history. We are here trying to learn how to follow God better, how to follow God more closely, how to be better disciples of Jesus. So we're going to leave with a timeless truth that you can apply to your life today. So Psalm 27 and 28, as I told you yesterday, are connected to Psalm 26. So Psalm 26, 27 and 29. So sorry. Psalm 26, 27 and 28 form a trio, okay? A bundle of three Psalms. And so we already started to look at Psalm 26 yesterday. But for those of you who may not be on a daily journey with us, let me just pick up with Psalm 26. Okay? Psalm 26 is all about the petitioner, the person who's following after God, who ascends, ascends, enters, and then approaches the throne of God. Psalm 24 is all about Yahweh, the Ark, of the covenant, ascending the hills leading up to Jerusalem, entering into the gates of Jerusalem, and then being enthroned in the center of the people of Israel. Okay, so that's what Psalm 24 is all about. That's then mirrored in. In the worshiper. Okay? The petitioner takes that same path. And so Psalm 27 tells us that the person who's seeking after God now comes into the house of the Lord. This is a really, really dope part. I mean, the context here is there's a trio of psalms, and this is the thing that's just super, super captivating. Okay, Psalm 27. Let's just start reading. In verse one says this. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? Okay. So the petitioner is in the presence of God, and instead of making a petition, the petitioner begins to praise, begins to exalt and extol the name of the Lord. When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and foes, they shall stumble and fall. Why? Cause. Go back up to verse one. Because the Lord is the stronghold of my life. That the Lord, the person of Yahweh is a safe place, is a refuge. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. Now the petitioner has their chance to make a petition of Yahweh. And here we get verse four. One thing I ask of the Lord, that will I seek after. Okay? To make this petition is the whole point. This is what started in Psalm 26. So now here we are in Psalm 27, the petitioners before the Lord, and what are they gonna ask? To live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. So the thing that the petitioner is petitioning is to be able to petition God. That's the petition. One thing I seek, one thing that I'm. I'm looking for. To live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. Man, you don't have to really wonder why David's a man after God's own heart. After reading psalms like this, the petitioner is there to ask their request of God. And the request is that they just get to continue to be in God's presence. That's the request, okay, which sets up this. I Don't know a formula, if you ask me, that the presence of God is more important than the petition I have for God. The presence of God, that for those of us who really love the Lord, he is the gift. Not only is he the giver of gifts, but he's the gift. And so the petitioner continues. For we will hide. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble. He will conceal me under the COVID of his tent. He will set me high on a rock. Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me. And I will offer in his tent sacrifices and shouts of joy. I will sing and make melody to the Lord. Okay, I'm going to sing. I'm going to make melody to the Lord. Okay, now we get to Psalm 28. To you, O Lord, I call. The petitioner has not even made a petition yet. He kind of was like, ah, just being in youn presence is enough to behold you'd beauty is enough. So we're still kind of waited, waiting with bated breath, like, so what's, what's going to be the thing that he asked God for, though? Because he still hasn't really made his petition or his request known to you. Oh Lord, I call my rock. Do not refuse to hear me, for if youf are silent to me, I show be like one who goes down to the pit. So he's like, lord, don't refuse to hear me. Please listen to me. Okay, Hear the voice of my supplication. Well, he hasn't made the supplication yet. As I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands towards your most holy sanctuary. Okay, I want to key on that word. Cry as I cry to you for help. Remember Psalm 23. We kind of said the only thing the sheep has is the shepherd. That's the only thing the sheep's got going for it is the shepherd. Well, I kind of misspoke there. If you ask a question. Well, what natural defenses does a sheep have? Well, it doesn't have claws, doesn't have teeth, can't bite, you, can't kick, you can't claw it, you can't, can't. You can't do anything. What's the one natural defense that it has? Well, you may want to jump to the conclusion and say the shepherd. Well, kind of sorta, but no, not really. The one natural defense that a sheep has is its cry for help. That's right. The only thing a sheep really knows how to do is cry out. And when the sheep cries out that is what triggers the shepherd man. You know what? David has kind of set a precedent. A precedent for us. We, as sheep of Yahweh, have one natural defense. What is it? To cry out to Yahweh. That's right. Worship and praise. The voice of the sheep is the one thing that prompts the shepherd to defend, protect, act, and to attack the enemies. And so the one thing that we have. You could use that as you exhort this next week. If you have stage responsibilities, you could use that as you exhort and exhort people to worship. Because the number one natural defense that we as sheep have against the enemy is our ability to cry out to the God who loves us, who's the shepherd of our souls. Okay? As I cry out to you for help, lift up my hands towards your most holy sanctuary. Let me give you another. Just sidebar. All this language of house, like, house of the Lord, house of Yahweh. It causes a lot of people to think that Psalm 26, 27, 28 aren't written by David. Because these terms like house would make it seem like the writer is talking about a fixed temple, not a moving tabernacle. Okay, so these seem to be written after David's lifetime, but in the same style that David would have written Psalms. That's possible that David could have written these. Maybe he didn't. The jury's out. We honestly don't know. I just, like, lay that before you as just a nerdy nugget. All right, so the petitioner's still talking in verse three of chapter 28. Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who are workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while mischief is in their hearts. Here's the request. Now we finally get the petition. Repay them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds. We don't know who these evil people are. We don't know who's been plotting against the King or against the Messiah. But the petition to Yahweh is this. Repay them according to their evil, because they do not regard the works of the Lord or the work of the Lord's hands. The Lord will break them down and build them up no more. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the sound of my pleading. Now, I love this because Psalm 28 doesn't end by saying, the Lord has granted my request or, the Lord has approved my petition. No, it's this. The Lord has heard the sound of my pleading. You want to know what the end of the prayer is? Or the confidence that we have as believers. It's not that God says yes to everything that we ask. It's that God hears everything that we ask. And as long as God hears it, then it's worth asking. So there's two things that I want to say. We kind of. I gave you half of this formula a couple minutes ago. It's the first part of the formula is this. His presence is more important than the petition. But then here's the next part. The humility to even ask God anything is more important than his answer is the fact that I put myself in a vulnerable place to ask it. Asking anyone for anything is just a vulnerable place. It's saying, there's something I need, there's something I'd like. Could you please do this for me? A lot of people, their failure when it comes to prayer is not that they didn't get the answer that they wanted. It's that they never even asked for what they needed. And so David sets this up. The win here is that the Lord heard me, not that he did what I wanted him to do. Because prayer's not a way to control God. Prayer is not a form of spiritual manipulation. Prayer is a way to connect with God. And ultimately the real gift is his presence. And the real confirmation is that he heard you, not that he decided to do what you asked him to do. Family, the wait is over. My brand new book, Crushing Chaos is out now and available everywhere. Books are sold. Literally. Today I walked into a Barnes and Noble and I signed a bunch of copies at a physical location. So you can grab this book at a physical Barnes and Noble or you can go to a Books a Million or Amazon or anywhere books are sold and grab a copy. If you enjoy reading the Bible from an ancient perspective, if you understand that the beauty of Scripture is actually knowing it in context, then you'll love this book. And if there's any chaos in your personal life, I think that reading the Bible from an ancient perspective can actually help to crush the chaos in your life. I think this book is going to be a New York Times bestseller. I really do. I think we wrote a good one. I think you should get a copy today. All right, back to the episode. Hey, are you looking for a really cool gift or just solid tools to support your fitness faith in daily Life? Check out Mr. Pen. They've got no bleed Bible pens and highlighters that actually work on thin Bible pages. Journaling Bibles, Bible tabs and faith based journals. Even school supplies for parents, teachers and students. Mr. Penn was started by Christian teachers in Louisiana on a mission to serve the schools in their local community. And now They've got over 100,000 five star reviews on Amazon. I'm a huge fan of their Bible highlighters and pens. Super smooth and gentle enough to write notes in the margin of your Bible. Whether you're digging into scripture or stocking up for Back to school, Mr. Penn has you covered. Shop the best Bible journaling supplies on the market and fantastic gifts for the ladies in your life@ Mr. Pen.com. that's mrpn.com and guess what? Our audience here at the Bible Department gets a special discount. Use code DEPARTMENT10 at checkout to get 10% off your entire order. Okay, next. The Lord is my strength and my shield. In him my heart trusts not in the blessing that he bestows, but in Him, in him my heart trusts so I'm held and my heart exalts and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of his people. He is the saving refuge of his anointed. Back to that idea of refuge. Okay? Verse 8 says this. In Psalm 28, the Lord is the strength of his people. This is how the Psalm is gonna end. The Lord is the strength of his people. He is the saving refuge of his anointed. Remember, that anointed is Messiah of his Messiah. So ultimately, we could apply this to the person of Jesus. But David is his anointed in this context, or whoever the King of Israel is, if this is written after the lifetime of David. Oh, save your people. Now, save doesn't mean saved from hell. Save means saved from their enemies. Okay? Bring salvation. This is military salvation, physical protection. Oh, save your people and bless your heritage. Be their shepherd and carry them forever. So we get this full circle moment where Psalm 23 starts with this idea that Yahweh is the great Shepherd. And now we end with Psalm 28 with this coming back again. Be their shepherd and carry them. Carry your people forever. And with that we get right into Psalm 29. Okay, so Psalm 29. Now this is 100% a Psalm of David. Okay, so Psalm 26, 27, and 28 may be Psalms of David, or they may just be written in the style of David. And if you haven't been rocking with us for a long time, we know that based on the little heading. Okay? When a Psalm is 100% written by David, you can see in the title of Psalm 29, it says a Psalm of David. But when a psalm is typically written in the style of David, but not necessarily written by David, it Just says of David as opposed to a psalm of David. And you can compare the titles in Psalm 28 versus Psalm 29 to see what I'm talking about. Okay. Psalm 29, bonafide Psalm of David. Okay. Written by David. And this is a good classic psalm of praise. Okay. Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings. Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in holy splendor. So this is the psalm of praise. The voice of the Lord is over the waters. What do the waters mean? Chaos. Okay, so the. The voice of the Lord is above the waters. This is David taking the scene of Genesis chapter one and giving poetic expression, filling in the gaps. Okay. The voice of the Lord is over the waters. The glory of God thunders the Lord of the Lord over mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars. The voice breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf in Syrian, like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. So now we've gone from chaos, that God is stronger than chaos, to now God is stronger than nature. Okay, so now we're going to get all these nature images in other pagan cultures. Okay. The gods get their power from the nature. Okay, so BAAL gets his power from the thunder, from the lightning. But Yahweh is more powerful than the thunder. He's more powerful than the lightning. This is a deeply, deeply, deeply monotheistic and monolatrous worldview. The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness. And the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl and strips the forest bare. And in his temple all say glory. The Lord sits enthroned over the flood. AKA sits enthroned over the chaos. The Lord sits enthroned as king forever. So the last psalm, we got the Lord as shepherd, and now we get him as king, because these images are mirrors of each other. He's shepherd, he's king. He's shepherd, he's king. May the Lord give strength to his people. May the Lord bless his people with peace. And that is Psalm 27, 28 and 29. Let's dive into one last nerdy nugget. And then a timeless truth. The word sanctuary is going to get used a lot today. In Psalm 27, 28, 29, we get this word repeated A lot. Sanctuary. Sanctuary. Sanctuary. Sanctuary has a twofold meaning, and I want to highlight both of them. The first is safety or refuge. When I think of a sanctuary, I think of two modern case uses for sanctuary. Number one, certain cities are sanctuary cities for immigrants. Okay? So these are cities where the federal government doesn't really go after immigrants because they're sanctuary cities. These are places where immigrants can seek asylum. Okay? So a sanctuary is a refuge. It's a safe place. So if somebody is trying to arrest someone, they can't because that's a sanctuary city. Okay? So the next idea for sanctuary, I want you to think a plate. So when we think about immigration, the next is in Texas. I live in Texas. Texas is a pretty red state. So, you know, surgeries for transgenderism for people who are underage are not really allowed here. Except for Austin. Austin is a sanctuary city for trans teenagers. Okay? So any kind of surgical procedures to assist young people who want to transition medically, that can happen in Austin because it's a sanctuary city. So I want you to think sanctuary. It's someone is pursuing, but the city is a sanctuary. The same is true with the cities of refuge that the Levites have set up all over Israel. Let's say you killed someone and that the relative of the person you killed wants to avenge that person's death. If you flee to a city of refuge, they can't kill you. Okay? So it's a place of safety. If you're in danger, you could throw yourself on the mercy of Yahweh in his power, and it meant that you were safe from harm. We see this in 1 Kings 1:50, when Solomon's brother Adonijah, fearing for his life, fled to the tabernacle and clung to the horns of the altar. He was granted sanctuary, and Solomon spared his life, but only four times. Okay, so sanctuary, refuge, safety, okay, Protection. The other way that the Bible talks about sanctuary is that a sanctuary is a place where God and humanity meet and are in relationship. Eden is the first sanctuary in Scripture where God and humans dwell together in relationship, in an intimate relationship, the Tabernacle, and then later the temple being another, which is why there's so much garden imagery in the Tabernacle and in the Temple to connect them to what the first sanctuary to be in the sanctuary means that you are in covenant with Yahweh. And this is seen clearly in this psalm of Sanctuary. Psalm 27 is a Psalm of sanctuary. One thing I've asked of Yahweh, and that will I seek after that, I may Dwell in the house, dwell in the sanctuary, dwell in the tabernacle, dwell in the temple of Yahweh all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of Yahweh and to inquire in his temple. Okay, so I wanted to just give a full breadth of what the word sanctuary means biblically. I want to leave you with our timeless truth of the day. And it's actually a formula that I've already given you through the episode. And it's this. It goes right back to this. These words in Psalm 27, verse 4, that the presence of God has to be more important than whatever our petition of the Lord is like. We have to be the kind of people who are so infatuated, so in love with the presence of God, that it's almost like when we get in his presence, we forget what we were going to ask Him. Like the petitioner in Psalm 26, 7, and 8 has a petition, has a request, but then when they get around to asking it, all they can say is, I just want to dwell in your house forever. I just want to dwell here all the days of my life. I just want to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. I just want to inquire. And it's like, okay, then inquire. Nah, I just want to inquire. What's your inquiry? Oh, that I just get to inquire. It's like the goal of spiritual maturity is that you get to the point where man, God, becomes so more than enough for you that it's like, I could ask you for a bunch of stuff, or I could just enjoy your presence. The second half of the formula, which is timelessly true, is that the act of asking is actually more important than whatever answer Yahweh gives. The confirmation of prayer is not that he answered, but that he heard. And you can rest assured that every time you ask the Lord something, He hears. Does he always grant our request? No, but he hears every request, and I can take refuge in that. And if I need him to give me a yes, then actually I'm not as spiritually mature as I would hope I am that what becomes more than enough is that he hears. And just because he hears, I actually know I'm loved, I'm cared for, I'm his child, and he's my shepherd, he's my king, and I'm glad that he just heard my request. But the second half of the formula doesn't work if the first half of the formula isn't in place. If his presence is not more important than whatever I have to petition him for, then the act of me asking is never going to be more important than whatever his answer is. So these two pieces of the formula work together, and they're both counterintuitive. And they're not just important for David or for the generation after David. They are imminently important for you and for us. Because without this formula, we actually just become spiritual gold diggers. And we'll use prayer as a way to try to get God to do a bunch of stuff instead of using prayer as a chance to get to abide with the Almighty God. And that. That's timelessly true forever. All right, tomorrow we've got day two, Sunday 62. We are going to be studying Psalm 30, 31, and 32. I'll be right here. Same place, same time. If you're on a streak, I'm so proud of you. Doesn't matter if you're on a streak for 262 days or a streak for two days, I'm proud of you. I hope that you're not just engaging with a book, but you're engaging with the author of that book. I love you so much. I'll see you tomorrow. Peace. Thanks so much for joining us on the Bible Department podcast. You can find us online and learn more about the show@thebibledepartment.com and on Instagram at the Bible department. If you enjoyed this episode and want to dive deeper into the Bible, you can get free access to our library of courses@thebibledepartment.com we'll see you back here tomorrow.