Title Blessed Man / 2 Timothy 2:20-26
The Psalms are the longest book in the Bible. There are up to 150 sheets. This psalm is a song sung individually or collectively. Most of the poems were written by David, but it can be seen that David edited songs that were sung to praise God at the time. Among them, 11 psalms from Psalms 73 to 83 were written by Asaph, a contemporary of David. Asaph was the chief of the musicians who sang in the temple.
Psalm 73, which we read today, is a psalm written with the theme of "Do not envy the prosperity of the wicked."
A poet is a person who tries to live a clean life before God, but he could not make a correct judgment because it seems that evil people are prospering.
Seeing the prosperity of the wicked, he looked at the arrogant with envy.
The wicked have no pain at death, their strength is healthy, and there is no affliction or calamity like others; He lived by oppressing them, and he ate so well that he lost weight. When I saw this, my mind was confused. So he himself was tempted to live like wicked people without God, but only when he entered the sanctuary of God did he realize the end of evil people. God doesn't punish the wicked, but it felt as if God closes his eyes and gives them away, but in the end he came to realize that God casts the wicked into ruin and punishes the wicked. Not knowing this, he confesses that he is ignorant like an animal. He repents of complaining to God and finally realizes that God has blessed him.
Until verses 23-28 of the text, he remembers and is moved by the grace that God has bestowed upon him.
In other words, I confess that God has supported my right hand.
I confess that you will guide me with Your precepts, and later you will receive me with glory.
Who has I in heaven but You, and on earth I have no one to long for but You.
I confessed that my body and my mind are fading, but God is the rock of my heart and an eternal portion. Here, the word portion means a place of happiness. The psalmist then concludes with the words of verse 28.
"It is my blessing to draw near to God. I will make the Lord GOD my refuge, and I will proclaim all your deeds."
It means that I have come to realize what kind of person a truly blessed person is.
Who is truly blessed?
Let us meditate on the conclusion drawn by the poet Asaph.
1. Blessed are those who draw near to God.
Asaph's first conclusion was that he realized that "those who are far from God will perish, but those who draw near to God are blessed."
In Luke 15, we find the parable of the prodigal son.
A man had two sons. The second said to his father, "Father, give me the portion of the estate to return to me." The father shared the household income, but within a few days, the second son gathered all his possessions and went to a distant country, squandering all his possessions there by debauchery. After the destruction, there was a great famine in the country. became destitute. I lived in the fields, herding pigs. They tried to fill their stomachs with the squash berries that pigs eat, but no one even gave them. This is the state of man who has departed from God.
The prodigal son finds himself here. How many laborers are there in my father's house, with plenty of food? But I am dying of hunger here. The second son decides. I got up, went to my father, and said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you, and I am no longer worthy of the name of your son. Make me one of the hired servants." So I got up and went back to my father. The father, who had been waiting outside the door all night even though it was still far away, saw his son and ran out with compassion, hugged his son's neck and kissed him. The son said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son." Put them on and put sandals on your feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill him. Let us eat and rejoice. This my son was dead and is alive again; I was lost and is found. This is the blessing given to those who draw near to Heavenly Father.
When the Lord is with us, our hearts are reassured.
When I am by your side, I am at peace
Lord, guide me while I am alive
Lord, Lord, guide me
In the fast world, Lord, guide me. (Hymns 457:1)
When the apostle Paul encountered a great storm called Euraculo, when the lives of 276 people in the same boat were in danger, an angel of God stood by him and encouraged him not to be afraid. That is why the Apostle Paul comforted and encouraged not only himself but all the people on the ship.
2. Blessed are those who take refuge in Jehovah God.
Psalm 46 says, "God is our refuge and strength, a great help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth changes, or the mountains shake and fall into the midst of the sea, whether the waters roar and roar, or the mountains tossed with their overflow. "He said.
In 2 Kings 19, when Jerusalem was taken captive by the Assyrian Sennacherib army, God miraculously killed 185,000 soldiers in one night.
Martin Luther is said to have loved Psalm 46. It is said that during the Reformation, when he was under fierce attack, he went to his friend Melanchthon and said, "Honey, sing Psalm 46 with us. The devil is at work now."
If we say that God is our refuge, we are safe.
God is our most secure and safest refuge.
He protects us as a hen gathers and protects her chicks under her wings.
In Psalm 17:8, he prayed, ?쏫eep me as the pupil of the eye, and hide me under the shadow of your wings, that I may be free from the wicked who oppress me, and from the bitter enemy that surrounds me.??
John Wesley believed that God is our refuge and sang the following hymn:
When it rains and winds and when the waves are high
my dear lord, embrace me
Hide me from the wind
Lord lead me to a place of rest
The only escape for my soul is Jesus
Drink alone and comfort me
Be the savior and help me.
Lord, protect the sinner who can't (Hymns 441)
3. Blessed are those who preach the Lord's deeds.
According to Isaiah 52:7
?쏦ow beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good news, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, Your God reigns!??
To preach the Lord's works here means to preach the gospel.
So Paul is going up to Jerusalem now, and he doesn't know what will happen there, but he says, "But the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city, saying, 'Bounds and afflictions await me. I do not count my life of any value, in order to finish the work of bearing witness to the gospel of God??(Acts 20:24).
Although sharing the gospel is difficult and difficult, it is a blessing because it saves lives.