27 A PSALM OF THANKSGIVING FOR ALL SEASONS.pdf

A PSALM OF THANKSGIVING FOR ALL SEASONSPsalm 34―may grow weak and hungry‖ (Psalm 34:10, NIV). The young lions, from a theological point ofview, epitomized the essence of self-sufficiency in the provision for their own bodily physicalneeds. In contrast, are those who come to the Lord and are not self-sufficient. David is sayingthat the person who is self-sufficient—even the young lions—will wind up lacking. But theperson who trusts in the Lord will lack no good thing.I think he‘s speaking in an ultimate sense. Not just right now. But in an ultimate sense, when theissues of life are all resolved, the person who has depended upon their own prowess to get and togain will come up short and empty. Not the person who depends upon the Lord.That‘s his testimony. Now come some lessons.III. Verses 11–14: a brief lesson on the godly life.―Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD [That is part of, in theOld Testament, what‘s called ―wisdom literature‖]‖ (Psalm 34:11, NIV). What is the first step ingaining the wisdom of the Lord? It‘s ―The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom‖ (Psalm111:10). ―Fear‖ means ―awe and reverence‖ and respect.‖ A fundamental respect for life.Revelation 6 presents a fascinating picture in the opening of the sixth seal. The generals and richand powerful men on earth cry out for the rocks and hills to fall upon them and to kill them,because they are afraid of the wrath of the lamb. What that picture is telling us is that the mostfundamental fear within the human heart is not the fear of death. That‘s where so much of ourcontemporary culture is mistaken. People are afraid of death. But the Bible says that the mostfundamental human fear is the fear of meeting God personally, and being unprepared to meetHim. So when people see God clearly and they‘re not prepared, they would choose death.They‘re less afraid of death than of meeting God unprepared.9