SCRIPTURE REFERENCES » Psalm 92

Morning Sermon: Psalm 92, A Song For The Sabbath

New Testament Reading: Mark 2:23–28

“One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’ And he said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?’ And he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.’” (Mark 2:23–28, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 92

“A PSALM. A SONG FOR THE SABBATH. It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep! The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O LORD, are on high forever. For behold, your enemies, O LORD, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered. But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil. My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” (Psalm 92, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

The title of this Psalm is A Psalm, A Song For The Sabbath

And while it is true that this Psalm may well be sung on any day of the week, we will soon see that this Psalm is particularly fitting for the Sabbath day. 

This Psalm moves the worshipper to exult the LORD. It compels us to exult the LORD by giving him thanks and praise. We are to exult the LORD by remembering his marvelous works — his work of creation and his work of redemption. We are to exult the LORD by considering his righteous judgment of the wicked, and that grace that he has bestowed on the upright. Indeed, the upright will flourish in the LORD forever and ever. This Psalm acknowledges this and gives all glory to God.

As I have said, this Psalm may be well sung on any day of the week, but it is particularly fitting for the Sabbath day, for the Sabbath day is designed for this. The Sabbath day was made to be a day to reflect upon God, his marvelous works, the abundant life that is found in him, and to give him thanks and praise. Truly, this is a song for the Sabbath, for the themes of this Psalm are to be the themes of our heart always, but especially on the Sabbath day.

Truly one of the saddest things to witness in the church today is the neglect of the Sabbath day. It is sad, for God is disobeyed and dishonored by his people when they neglect the Sabbath. But it is also sad because God’s peoples miss out on something truly good and beneficial when they neglect the Sabbath. 

God instituted the Sabbath at the time of creation. Even before sin entered the world Adam was to work six days, rest from his labors, and worship on the seventh day in imitation of his Maker. The Sabbath day signified God’s eternal rest and it was an invitation to Adam to enter that rest by keeping the terms of the covenant that God transacted with him. Work faithfully and enter into rest, was the message. So, the tree of life and the Sabbath day both functioned in this way: they called to Adam to advance beyond his natural condition. The Sabbath called Adam to enter into God’s rest through obedience. The tree of life called him to lay hold of eternal life by keeping the terms of the covenant that God transacted with him. 

Adam failed, this we know. He broke the covenant and the way to the tree of life was cut off from him and all of his descendants. But the Sabbath remained. Think of that. The Sabbath remained after man’s fall into sin. And so after man’s fall into sin, the weekly seventh-day Sabbath functioned in two ways. It functioned as a perpetual reminder that Adam failed to enter the rest that God had offered to him (so in this way the Sabbath condemned). But it also communicated that rest — eternal rest in God — was by God’s grace still available (so in this way the Sabbath brought hope). 

Israel was to honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy on the seventh day. Why? Because our salvation still needed to be earned! Work and thus enter into rest was the message of the seventh-day Sabbath. And the work of redemption was yet to be accomplished. And so the people of Israel, and the Patriarchs before them, were to keep the seventh-day Sabbath holy. 

And what were they to do on the seventh day? How were they to honor it and keep it holy? One, they were to rest from their ordinary labors. Two, they were to assemble together — this is what Leviticus 23:3 means when it calls the Sabbath day “a holy convocation.” And three, they were to worship the LORD and give thanks to him as they considered his marvelous works in creation and also redemption. The Psalm that we are considering today proves this. This Psalm was written for the Sabbath day. And its themes are particularly fitting for the day. 

Dear brothers and sisters, the scriptures are so very clear that the Sabbath is still to be kept holy by the people of God today. Consider briefly these five points which prove that the Sabbath day is permanent until the consummation.  

One, the Sabbath command was given, not to Abraham or Israel originally, but to Adam. The Sabbath was not only for Old Covenant Israel, therefore, but for all humanity descended from Adam. 

Two when the Sabbath command was delivered to Israel formally it was not grouped amongst the ceremonial laws unique to that nation but was positioned at the very heart of the Ten Commandments, which are a summary of God’s moral law applying to all people in all times and places. Yes, there are some things ceremonial and unique to Old Covenant Israel found within those Ten Commandments. But the moral and unchanging law of God is at the heart of those Ten Words. The first four commandments are about the worship of God. The fourth is about the time of worship. God is to be worshipped, and one day out of every seven is to be set aside as holy for rest and worship. This law is abiding, for it is rooted in creation. 

Three, the thing symbolized by the Sabbath, namely eternal rest in God, is not yet here in fullness, and therefore the Sabbath must remain. It remains because it has not yet been fulfilled in full. Stated differently, how could the Sabbath pass away if what it signifies, namely, eternal rest in God, has not yet come?

Four, though it is true that Sabbath remains, it is also true that the Sabbath has changed. The legal strictness imposed upon the people of Israel regarding the Sabbath has been removed. And the day has also changed. The Sabbath day is no longer the seventh day, but the first. The pattern of six and one remains, but the day has changed. And there is a very good reason for this! The Sabbath day has moved forward because the accomplishment of God’s plan of redemption has moved forward. The Christ has come. Unlike the first Adam, he accomplished the work that the Father gave him to do. He earned the salvation of God’s elect. He won the victory. He himself has entered into rest, being seated now at the Father’s right hand, and we have entered into his rest spiritually as we await the full and final consummation of all things in the new heaven and earth. In the meantime, we are to honor Sabbath day and keep it holy. But the Sabbath is to be kept on the first day (or the eighth day) and not the seventh, for the work of redemption has been accomplished by Jesus the Christ. And so now we work, not to enter rest, but out of the rest that Christ has secured for us. In other words, for those who live under the Covenant of Grace, our work (obedience) flows out of the work that Christ has done on our behalf. 

Five, the New Testament teaches that the Sabbath day remains for the New Covenant people of God. Christ did not throw the Sabbath away but taught us how to properly observe it. The Apostles of Christ and the early church did not abandon the Sabbath but kept it on the first day, which is called the Lord’s Day. And in Hebrews 4:9 we are explicitly told that a Sabbath-keeping remains under the New Covenant. There we read, “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,” (Hebrews 4:9, ESV). And if you follow along with the argument being developed in Hebrews, and carefully consider the Greek term, which is in the ESV translated as “Sabbath rest”, you will see that the writer to the Hebrews teaches that a Sabbath-keeping remains for the people of God. The Greek word is σαββατισμός. It refers to “a special religiously significant period for rest and worship—‘a Sabbath rest, a period of rest” (Louw Nida, 67.185). So then, Hebrews 4:9 teaches that a Sabbath resting, or a religious observance of the Sabbath day, remains under the New Covenant for the people of God. God’s people are to worship God, and one day in seven is still to be set apart as holy unto him. 

So, when we come to Psalm 92 we are not only to ask, what did the Old Covenant saints do on the Sabbath day? What was on their minds? And what was on their lips? No, we are to go beyond this and ask,  what are we to do on the Sabbath day? What should be on our minds and on our lips? For a Sabbath-keeping does in fact remain for the people of God today. Psalm 92 will be a great help to us, therefore, as we seek to align the themes of our heart to the themes of the Sabbath day.

Notice four things in Psalm 92. One, the Lord’s Day Sabbath is a day for giving thanks and praise to God. Two, it is a day for contemplating the marvelous works of God. Three, it is a day for gaining perspective. And four, the Lord’s Day Sabbath is a day for celebrating the salvation that is ours in Christ Jesus.  

*****

A Day For Giving Thanks And Praise To God (v. 1-3)

 In verses 1 through 3 we see that the Sabbath day is a day for giving thanks and praise to God. 

“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre” (Psalm 92:1–3, ESV).

Not only is it right to give thanks and praise to the LORD, but the Psalmist also says that it is good

One, it is good to thank the LORD for his kindness and to praise his most holy name, for this is right. It is wrong to live in God’s world, to enjoy his blessings, and fail to give him thanks. But it is right, and therefore good, to thank him for his loving-kindness and tender mercies. 

Two, it is good to give thanks and praise to the Lord, for this is pleasing to God. It is always pleasing to God when his people give him thanks and praise. But it is especially pleasing to him when his people give him thanks and praise on the Sabbath day, for he has set this day apart for this very purpose. It is a day for thanksgiving and for worship. 

And three, it is good to give thanks and praise to the LORD, because it is also good for us. It is good for the human soul, for we were made to worship our Maker, and indeed our hearts are kept healthy and pure when they are filled with gratitude towards God and kept from all covetousness and discontentment. 

Yes, we should give thanks to God always, but especially on the Lord’s Day Sabbath. When we come into the house of the Lord, and when we hear the call to worship read, it should remind us that this is a day for thanksgiving and for praise. 

Truly, “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to [his] name”, for he is “Most High”. That is what the LORD is called at the end of verse 1. He is Most High. What a marvelous name for God! He is LORD Most High. He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth. None may be compared with him. What a fitting name for God, and especially on the Sabbath Day, for on this day we do assemble together to give praise to God who is Sovereign overall. 

In particular, we are to thank him for his steadfast love and faithfulness. “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High…”  Verse 2: “to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.”

God’s love is not like our love. Our love ebbs and flows, is sometimes hot and other times cold. But God’s love is steadfast and constant, for God is love. God hates with perfect and holy hatred all that is evil, and he loves with pure love all that is good. In his mercy and grace, he has determined to set his love on sinners such as you and me, having washed us clean by the shed blood of the Messiah. And his love is steadfast. God does not change his mind. He is faithful to his people and to keep all of his promises.  

The Lord’s Day Sabbath is a day to remember this and to give God thanks and praise. This we are to do “morning” and “night”. In other words, this we are to do all day on the Sabbath day. The day — the whole day — is to be set apart as holy unto the Lord. No, this does not mean that the whole day is to be spent with the church and in corporate worship, but it does mean that the whole day should be regarded as holy, that is, set apart as unique unto God. 

Our confession captures this idea when it says in 2LBC 22.8, “The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs a-forehand, do not only observe a holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employment and recreations, but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.”

Brothers and Sisters, the Lord’s Day Sabbath is a holy day ( is not a common day). It is a day to rest from our ordinary work and recreations. But it is also a day for worship, both public and private. We are to honor this day. We are to keep it holy. And this will require thoughtfulness and preparation. To prepare for the Lord’s Day Sabbath we must take care of business during the other days of the week. And thoughtfulness is also required. When planning activities besides corporate worship on the Lord’s Day we should ask, does this activity serve the purpose of the day, or does it detract and distract from it. 

The Lord’s Day Sabbath — all of it — is, among other things, a day for offering up thanksgiving and praise to our God. This we are to do in our minds and hearts. This we are to do in prayer. This we are to do in our conversations with one another. And this we are to do through song. “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre” (Psalm 92:1–3, ESV). We sing when we assemble. But we should also sing when we are alone and with our families. 

God’s people have always been a singing people. Yes, we are to pray. But we are also to sing. Singing engages the emotions and expresses the heart in a way that plain words do not. Think of it! Human beings can sing! What a marvelous ability this is! And we are to use this ability to offer up prayers of thanksgiving and praise to God from the depths of our soul. Sing, brothers and sisters. Sing every day, but especially on the Lord’s Day Sabbath, for this is a day for thanksgiving and praise.   

*****

A Day For Contemplating The Marvelous Works Of God (vs. 4-5)

Secondly, the Sabbath day is a day for contemplating the works of God. 

Look at verses 4 and 5. “For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!” (Psalm 92:4–5, ESV)

The Sabbath day is a day for contemplating the works of God. You know how life goes. On the other six days of the week, our heads are often down and our eyes fixated upon our own work. And yes, we should be disciplined to contemplate the works of God on those days too, but the Sabbath day was made for this. On the Lord’s Day Sabbath we are to cease from our work so that we might contemplate God’s work! And this song for the Sabbath encourages us to do that very thing. It is a day when we are invited to lift our eyes up from our worldly work and recreations (and no, worldly does not here mean sinful, but earthly and common), and to fix our eyes on God’s work. And God’s work must be considered in three ways.

 One, we must contemplate God’s work of creation. Lift up your eyes on the Sabbath day and consider the world that God has made. Indeed, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:1–2, ESV). Read God’s world-book on the Sabbath day and give God praise!  

Two, we must contemplate God’s work of providence and preservation. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and now he upholds it! God governs this world. He is accomplishing his eternal decree. And he is upholding life — all life, yours, and mine.  All of this he does according to his will and through Jesus Christ the risen Son, for “he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15–17, ESV). So, when you contemplate the works of God on the Sabbath day, do not forget about God’s work of providence.

Three, we must also contemplate God’s work of redemption on the Sabbath day. Yes, Adam and Eve were to keep the Sabbath day holy in the garden before sin entered the world. When they kept the Sabbath they were to contemplate God’s work of creation and providence. And yes, they were to look forward to the rest — the eternal and consummate rest — that God had offered to them in the Covenant of Works. But this rest was to be earned by them. So no, they did not contemplate God’s work of redemption on the Sabbath day, for redemption presupposes sin. But Adam and Eve, and all of the faithful who descended from them, did contemplate God’s work of redemption on the Sabbath day beginning with that first proclamation of the gospel in the curse that was pronounced upon the serpent in the words, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15, ESV). So at that moment, the Sabbath was imbued with new significance. Man fell into sin and death, but by God’s grace, eternal rest was still available. It was available, not through the work of man, but through the work of God in the accomplishment of our redemption. When Adam kept the Sabbath day on the seventh day he was reminded of what he came short of, and he was also reminded of the gracious promise of God concerning a redeemer. 

This was true for all of the faithful who honored the Sabbath day from Adam to Christ. They were reminded of what Adam came short of, but they were also reminded of the redemption that promised. And as God’s redemptive purposes unfolded in human history the people had more and more to contemplate regarding God’s work of redemption. Once God called Abraham and transacted that covenant with him, there was more to contemplate. And once God led Israel out of Egypt through Moses and entered into covenant with them, there was more to contemplate. And when God set David on the throne and transacted a covenant with him, there was more to contemplate. Ever since man’s fall into sin the Sabbath day has been a day to contemplate the works of God — his work of creation, providence, and also redemption. 

But think of how blessed we are, brothers and sisters, to live on this side of the accomplishment of our redemption by Jesus the Christ! Yes, all of the faithful living before Christ were able to contemplate God’s work of redemption on the Sabbath day. But they knew so very little compared to what we know. How exactly God would accomplish our redemption through the Christ was mysterious to them. But for those living after Christ, the mystery has been revealed. We can see with perfect clarity the work that God has done, for Christ has accomplished it, and we have his Word and Spirit. What exactly our eternal Sabbath rest will be like is still a mystery to us. Do you know what the new heavens and earth will be like? I don’t. The scriptures tell us some things, but it is hard for me to imagine. But our redemption in Christ has been accomplished. The work of our redemption has been done, and we are to contemplate it on the Lord’s Day Sabbath, for he is risen… he is risen indeed.   

As I was writing this portion of the sermon I was struck again by how tragic it is that Christians today are taught that there no longer remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Think of what these Christians are missing out on when they neglect the Sabbath day! They have gotten ahead of themselves. They have stopped observing the Sabbath day before entering into the eternal rest of which the Sabbath is a sign. And when they do, they miss out on something truly wonderful — an opportunity to contemplate the work of God in creation, providence, and redemption, and to delight in his power and wisdom. 

Indeed, the Sabbath day is a day for singing these words: “For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!” (Psalm 92:4–5, ESV).

*****

A Day For Gaining Perspective

Thirdly, the Sabbath day is a day for gaining perspective.

I have used this little phrase to sum up all that is said in verses 6 through 9. There we read, “The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O LORD, are on high forever. For behold, your enemies, O LORD, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.” (Psalm 92:6–9, ESV)

Stated differently, on the Sabbath day we consider in a positive way God’s eternal rest and how those who take refuge in the Messiah will enter into and enjoy God’s eternal rest forever and ever. But in a negative way the faithful of God also remember that the wicked will not enter into his rest. 

As I have said, the Sabbath day cuts in both ways. When we observe it we remember the rest that is to come. It is the rest that Christ has entered into and secured for us. But when we observe the Sabbath day, we are also reminded that we have not yet entered into this rest, and the wicked will never enter in. 

Verse 6 says, “The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this…” (Psalm 92:6, ESV). The word “stupid” here is not being used as an insult, but to describe one who is foolish or senseless. The “stupid man” is the man or woman who is blind to these spiritual and eternal realities. He is the “fool” who lacks understanding.

And what does the fool not understand? That “though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever…” (Psalm 92:7, ESV).

I have said that the Sabbath day is a day for gaining perspective. And here is the perspective that people of God must gain and maintain as they sojourn in this world: the wicked will sometimes prosper. Evildoers sometimes flourish. But they will soon come to an end, and they will be doomed to destruction forever. Therefore, “Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb” (Psalm 37:1–2, ESV).

Just a month or so ago the grass was green on the hills surrounding our town, but after just a few days of hot weather, the grass withered. And so it will be with the wicked. Learn this lesson, brothers and sisters. Do not envy the wicked when they prosper! Learn this lesson, young people. Do not be fooled by the rich and famous. They will soon go down into the grave. And if they are not in Christ, they will be tormented forever in hell. Do not envy them. Do not be enticed by them. Do not be afraid of them. Fear the Lord and honor him. Go the way of the righteous who, though they may suffer in this world, will flourish in God’s house forever and ever. 

Gain this perspective, brothers and sisters. And what better day to get it than the Sabbath day! For on this day we remember God’s eternal rest, how mankind has failed to enter it, but that God has graciously provided a way.

*****

A Day For Celebrating The Salvation That Is Ours In Christ Jesus (vs. 10-15)

And that brings us quite naturally to the last point of this sermon. The Lord’s Day Sabbath is a day for celebrating the salvation that is ours in Christ Jesus. 

Now, this last point does overlap a bit with the point that was made earlier regarding the contemplation of God’s work of redemption on the Sabbath day, but it is not exactly the same. Here I wish to be even more specific. On the Sabbath day, we are to remember that our salvation has been earned by Jesus Christ, God’s anointed King. And we are to look forward to the full and final enjoyment of our salvation in the new heavens and new earth. 

Verses 10 through 15 speak to these things. 

In verses 10 and 11 we are reminded that our salvation is accomplished by God’s anointed and victorious King. 

There we read, “But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil. My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants” (Psalm 92:10–11, ESV).

This is kingly language. These are the words of a king of Israel (perhaps David) speaking of the victory he has won over his enemies. His horn is exalted like that of the wild ox. This means that he is powerful and victorious. He says that the LORD poured fresh oil over him. This is the language of anointing. David was anointed as King of Israel, and the Savior of God’s people would be the Anointed One, the Christ, or Messiah). And this Anointed King of God has “seen the downfall of [his] enemies” and has “heard the doom of [his] evil assailants.” 

In verses 10 and 11 the victory of God’s anointed King is contrasted with the doom and destruction of the wicked as described in verses 6 through 9. So the wicked, though they may prosper momentarily, will be destroyed in the end. And they will be destroyed by this Anointed One of God. 

Who is this Anointed One? Well, typologically he is King David, or some other King of Israel who descended from him. But ultimately, the Anointed King is Jesus Christ, the promised son of David. When Zechariah gave praise to God concerning the birth of his son, John the Baptist, and the arrival of Israel’s Messiah, he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David…” (Luke 1:68–69, ESV). Yes, David was anointed as Israel’s king. Yes David’s horn was exulted “like that of the wild ox”. Yes, David won the victory over all of his and Israel’s earthly enemies. But David did not earn our salvation. David did not defeat sin, Satan, and death. But his Son would, Christ Jesus the Lord. And that is what this Psalm is about, ultimately. 

And it is because Christ has won the victory that (verse 12) “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him” (Psalm 92:12–15, ESV).

Here the flourishing of God’s people is contrasted with the doom of the wicked. The wicked flourish for a time, but in the end they wither away. But God’s people — those made righteous through faith in the redeemer — “flourish like the Palm tree and grow like a ceder”. What a contrast to the seasonal grasses which cover the hills is Israel just as they cover ours. The wild grasses are green, but only for a very short time. The heat of summer consumes them. But the palm and cedar are ever green. The Palm bears fruit in old age, and the cedar is ever full of sap and strength. 

And where are these trees said to be planted? “In the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God”. And what do they do there? They give glory to God, declaring “that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” 

Again, this must be interpreted on two levels. One, we are to think of the Kingdom of Israel under David. It is right for us to consider the way that the righteous did prosper in David’s victorious kingdom. In those days the righteous flourished in the house of the LORD, in the courts of God. But that king, kingdom, and tabernacle were prototypes of a much greater King, Kingdom and Temple that was to come. Christ is the victorious King. His is the Kingdom of Heaven. And the Temple wherein the righteous will flourish forever and ever is the new heavens and earth, which he has secured by his shed blood and his resurrection from the dead.        

Stated succinctly, on the Lord’s Day Sabbath we are to remember and celebrate God’s anointed and victorious King, and what it is that he has earned for us: eternal life in God’s eschatological temple wherein we will rest in him for all eternity, offering up to God the fruit of praise, declaring that he is upright, he is our rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.      

*****

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, keep the Lord’s Day Sabbath holy. Set this day apart for rest and for worship. From morning to night make this song the song of your heart.  Giving thanks and praise to God on this day. Contemplate God’s marvelous. Get perspective. And celebrating the salvation that is ours in Christ Jesus. For he is risen… he is risen indeed. 

Posted in Sermons, Joe Anady, Psalm 92, Posted by Joe. Comments Off on Morning Sermon: Psalm 92, A Song For The Sabbath

Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #60 & 61

Doctrinal Standard #60-61

  • Q. How do we keep the Sabbath holy?
  • A. We keep the Sabbath holy by resting the whole day from worldly affairs or recreations, even ones that are lawful on other days. Except for necessary works or acts of mercy we should spend all our time publicly and privately worshipping God.
  • Q. What does the fourth commandment forbid?
  • A. The fourth commandment forbids failing to do or carelessly doing what we are supposed to do. It also forbids treating the day as unholy by loafing, by doing anything in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thinking, talking about, or working on our worldly affairs or recreations.

Memory Verses

  • “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night” (Psalm 92:1–2, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Acts 20:6-12
  • Support Passages: Exodus 16:22-30; Psalm 92; Isaiah 66:23; Luke 4:16; Leviticus 23:3; Ezekiel 23:36-39; Colossians 3:16-17
  • Bible Story: Nehemiah 13:15-22

Thoughts

  • “8. The Sabbath is kept holy to the Lord by those who, after the necessary preparation of their hearts and prior arranging of their common [ordinary or domestic] affairs, observe all day a holy rest from their own works, words and thoughts about their worldly employment and ­recreations,30 and give themselves over to the public and private acts of worship for the whole time, and to carrying out duties of necessity and mercy.”[1]  Isa 58.13; Neh 13.15-22. Matt 12.1-13.
  • “When the catechism speaks of ‘worldly employments and recreations,’ it simply means those things that God calls us to do on the six days of the week appointed for this purpose. These things are the things that we do to fulfil our task in the world – the task that we will one day lay down never to resume, because it is appointed to us to die and then be judged.” [2]

Discussion Questions

  • What type of things should we avoid on the Sabbath?
  • What things should we do on the Sabbath?
  • Why do you think God gave mankind a Sabbath?
  • Do you think the Sabbath is a curse or a gift for man? Explain
  • God tells us in six days we shall do our work. What does this teach us about procrastination?

 



[1] Masters, Peter (1982). The Baptist Confession of Faith 1689 – Notes by Peter Masters. Ashland, Ohio, USA; BookMasters, Inc.

[2] Williamson, C.I. (2003). The Westminster Shorter Catechism – 2nd Edition. Phillipsburg, New Jersey, USA; P&R Publishing Company.



"Him we proclaim,
warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone mature in Christ."
(Colossians 1:28, ESV)

© 2011-2022 Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church