What He Offers

Psalm 49

In the New Testament letters to assemblies of the Way we are encouraged to be speaking to each other in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. (e.g. Colossians 3:16). As many say often the book of Psalms is a collection of songs, songs that were common to be sung among the Jewish people, then to the chuch or assembly Christ founded. We are told that after what is commonly known as the last supper "when they had sung a hymn they went out" (Matthew 26). Another later specific note of interest is when Paul and Silas were in the jail in Philippi they prayed and sang at midnight (Acts 16). Though actual singing isn't acknowledged much in Scripture more importantly we are encouraged to sing with understanding that though not often pointed out singing was a common practice among the believers.

I will incline mine ear to a parable, and utter my grave matter upon the harp. Wherefore should I fear in the evil days, when iniquity shall compass me about, as at mine heels? They trust in their goods, and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches. Yet a man can by no means redeem his brother: he can not give his ransom to God, (So precious is the redemption of their souls, and the continuance for ever)

Psalms 49:4 - 8 GNV

"Utter my grave matter upon the harp"? Rather than the joyous repeated multiline church songs sometimes heard today that sounds more like the ballads like J.R. R. Tolkien interwove in the Lord Of The Rings novels, the art of narratives in song. When presented with these thoughts in Psalm 49 , "Wherefore should I fear in the evil days, when iniquity shall compass me about, as at my heels?" Then I look at what we as humans encounter as fully man and then I compare with what Jesus encountered also as fully man. A quick dozen scenarios come to mind that may trigger a less than perfect response from someone like myself.

"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"

"We have fished all night and caught nothing, nevertheless at your word."

They led Him out to the top of the hill to cast him headlong from it.

"How is it that you as a Jew ask water of me, a woman of Samaria ?"

And looking around in anger He said to the man, rise up and walk."

"My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves."

"You have made void the law of God by your traditions."

"Wherefore did you doubt O ye of little faith?"

When He saw all those crying with Martha and her sister, He groaned within Himself."

"Go cast a hook. When you've caught the fish, take the piece pf gold out of its mouth and pay for the tax."

Jesus asked His disciples, "Will you also turn away?"

When Jesus said to him"Get thee behind me Satan.'

Did Jesus as a man think how much in these instances that He was surrounded by iniquity? Everyday when He entered what we like to call "real life" did He feel Himself as always surrounded by iniquity knowing His disciples sinned daily, uncertain sinners listened to Him to see whether, in their estimation, if what He had to say was worth their time, those who knew they sinned, those who thought they didn't sin, yet others who had no clue what sin is, all sorts of very different viewpoints regarding sin and iniquity, but nevertheless iniquity. More often when we think of Jesus as a man we think of only three years of His life. Yes, we have recorded exchanges with many rich and powerful religious leaders during those three years, but for thirty three years He encountered these people at all ages of His life and at different ages of their lives. And His first temptation wasn't when He went to the wilderness after He was baptized. He encountered many temptations throughout all of His life. It wasn't easy to live and have a perfect life, a sinless life.

We may never think it (O no, never!) much less say it (God forbid!), but we live like and consider it like a given that He was fully God and didn't encounter times of "real life" in the "real world"as we know it except for the specific times we read in the Bible, that He even struggled facing “real life”. Two very important facts that we do know about Jesus “real life” are found in two places in Scripture.

Now there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written every one, I suppose the world could not contain the books that should be written, Amen.

John 21:25 GNV

and

Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth the story of those things, whereof we are fully persuaded, As they have delivered them unto us, which from the beginning saw them their selves, and were ministers of the word, It seemed good also to me (most noble Theophilus) as soon as I had searched out perfectly all things from the beginning, to write unto thee thereof from point to point, That thou mightest acknowledge the certainty of those things, whereof thou hast been instructed.

Luke 1:1 - 4 GNV

So not everything about Jesus was written, it couldn't be. And what was written was by those who were eyewitnesses theirselves and ministered the word theirselves. Those who were eyewitnesses weren't eyewitnesses of his life as a boy, a teenager, a business man, but of the ministry He had teaching of His Father and His kingdom.

This meditation has very personal significance to me. One of the reasons I ask "What did Jesus do?" is for understanding how did Jesus live on this earth as fully man and yet be without sin? Praying this psalm has brought out the need for understanding exactly this. Jesus surrounded by sinners daily and yet He taught early on in His ministry,

Ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father which is in heaven, is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 GNV

A better translation due to better understanding of Greek verb tenses since 1599 is "Ye shall therefore be being perfect". Then Jesus later on in that same message said,

But why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I speak?

Luke 6:46 GNV

Some may argue, But He was fully God too so He could live with sinners daily and yet still be being perfect, without sin. That nulifies the whole point of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. Yes, for us to behold His glory as of the only begotten of the Father is of great importance. But to be in all points tempted and yet without sin, that requires the Word being fully man. That required a full dependence upon His Father. In this Jesus demonstrated two things. First what Jesus taught Nicodemus about the Spirit in John chapter 3, but more specific of Jesus what John said about Jesus in John chapter 3:

For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God: for God giveth him not the Spirit by measure.

John 3:34 GNV

Jesus was not limited in His dependence of the Holy Spirit, He had the same unlimited Holy Spirit He sent to all believers after He went back to heaven.

But the second point is found in His actions. When I ask myself, “did Jesus pray this psalm?” the “this psalm” isn't the important part of my question. The important part what we know without question that Jesus did do was praying, seeking His Father's face for, among other things, that daily strength living among sinful man to overcome the evil He was tempted by with good. Among so much more written in this psalm is the example He offers living life daily facing temptations and yet not sinning, that can only come from His Father.