Steve Webb 0:00 Corrupt and evil politicians say it isn't so. Steve Webb 0:11 This is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. I'm Euro g god castors. Steve Webb, welcome. I'm so glad you're here today. If you're new to the show, I want you to know that we don't have listeners, we have family, the Lifespring family. So if you're hearing my voice, you're a member of the Lifespring family. And I hope you'll be with us every day. Because this is the daily podcast where we are reading through the entire Bible in a year. We're a little bit more than halfway through. But you can jump in anytime, all of the past episodes from the beginning of the season. And this is season 12 are available at Lifespring media.com. So if you want to start with Episode One, you can do that too. Either way, I'm so glad you're here. And if you've been with me since the beginning or join sometime after, you know, I'm glad you're here, but I'll say it anyway, I'm so happy to have you along. Today we're read Psalms 81 through 83. And before I read each chapter, I'll give you a little bit of an introduction before the chapter afterwards, I'll have some thoughts on one of the songs. I'm calling today's episode accountability. The shownotes phase for the episode is Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 189. And my email address is Steve at Lifespring media.com. Let's begin. Steve Webb 1:27 The title of Psalm 81 is to the chief musician on the good Earth, a Psalm of asef. For those new to the show to the chief musician, his thought to mean to the leader of the choir in the temple or to the chief musician, God and ASAP was from King David and King Solomon's time and he was a great singer, musician and even a prophet in the music he wrote. He was what we call today, a worship leader. And the part of the title that says on the good earth. What is that? Well, the good Earth was most likely a musical instrument. But what a good Earth was we don't know for sure. I couldn't help but think of my Arkansas born grandfather when I read that name. Get it. He used to call a guitar a get fiddle. Well, here's what the Easterns Bible Dictionary says about the good Earth, a stringed instrument of music. This word is found in the titles of Psalm 881 and 84. In these places, the Septuagint renders the word by on the wine fats. That's different, isn't it? And then the target explains it by on the harp which David brought from GAF. It's the only stringed instrument named in the titles of the songs. Commentator Derek Kidner wrote, This powerful Psalm leaves no doubt of its festival character and little doubt of the particular feast. It was designed to serve, in all probability, the Feast of Tabernacles. This commemorated the wilderness journey and included a public reading of the law. Steve Webb 3:03 Psalms chapter 81. Steve Webb 3:05 Sing joyfully to God our strength, shout happily to the God of Jacob, begin a Psalm and strike a tambourine, play liars and harps with their pleasant music. Blow the ram's horn on the day of the new moon on the day of the full moon on our festival days. This is a law for Israel, a legal decision from the God of Jacob. These are the instructions God set in place for Joseph when Joseph rose to power over Egypt. I heard a message I did not understand. I removed the burden from his shoulder, his hands were freed from the basket. When you were in trouble. You called out to me and I rescued you. I was hidden in thunder. But I answered you, I tested your loyalty at the oasis of merubah Sayla. Listen, my people and I will warn you, Israel, if you would only listen to me. Never keep any strange god among you never worship a foreign god. I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. But my people did not listen to me. Israel wanted nothing to do with me. So I let them go their own stubborn ways and follow their own advice. If only my people would listen to me, if only Israel would follow me, I would quickly defeat their enemies, I would turn my power against their foes. Those who hate the Lord would cringe in front of him, and their time for punishment would last forever. But I would feed Israel with the finest wheat and satisfy them with honey from a rock. Steve Webb 4:40 The title of Psalm 82 is a Psalm of Asaph. Of this song Derek Kidner wrote, it takes us in a few words behind and beyond our present wrongs to portray God's unbounded jurisdiction. His delegation of power his diagnosis of our condition and his drastic intentions. Steve Webb 5:04 Psalms chapter 82. Steve Webb 5:06 God takes his place in his own assembly. He pronounces judgment among the gods. How long are you going to judge unfairly? How long are you going to side with wicked people? Sayla defend weak people and orphans protect the rights of the oppressed and the poor, rescue weak and needy people. Help them escape the power of wicked people. Wicked people do not know or understand anything. As they walk around in the dark, all the foundations of the earth shake. I said, You are gods, you are all sons of the Most High, you will certainly die like humans and fall like any prince. Arise, oh God, judge the earth because all the nations belong to you. Steve Webb 5:51 Psalm 83 is another Psalm of a South It is thought by some commentators to refer to the victory that took place during King Jehoshaphat reign as recorded in Second Chronicles 20. We'll read that in about three months. Other commentators believe that this psalm is about the constant and ongoing threat of extermination Israel faced then and now. Steve Webb 6:14 Psalms chapter 83. Steve Webb 6:16 Oh God, do not remain silent. Do not turn a deaf ear to me. Do not keep quiet. Oh god. Look, your enemies are in an uproar. Those who hate you hold their heads high. They make plans in secret against your people and plot together against those who treasure they say Let's wipe out their nation so that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered. They agree completely on their plan. They form an alliance against you the tents from Edom and Ishmael Moab and Hagar Giebel Amman and Hamelech Philistia along with those who live in Tyre, even a Syria has joined them, they help the descendants of Lot. C'est la. do to them what you did to Midian to Cicero and J been at the Kai Shan river. They were destroyed indoor, they became manure to fertilize the ground. treat their influential people as you treated orab and Z app, treat all their leaders like Zebah and Zalmunna. They said, Let's take God's pasture lands for ourselves. Oh my god, blow them away like tumbleweeds, like husks in the wind. Pursue them with your storms and terrify them with your wind storms. The way fire burns a forest in flames set mountains on fire. Let their faces blush with shame, oh Lord, so that they must look to you for help. Let them be put to shame and terrified forever. Let them die in disgrace so that they must acknowledge you. Your name is the Lord, you alone are the Most High God of the whole earth. Steve Webb 7:53 Beloved, in Psalm 82, you probably noticed in verse one where it said he pronounces judgment among the gods. And then in verses six and seven, you are gods, you are all sons of the Most High. Now, if you're not reading along with me with a printed or online Bible, I should probably point out to you that the word Gods here is written with a small g, meaning that God is not making them equal with himself. But besides that, what's going on here? Are there other gods? Well, of course, we make gods of many different things. Anything you put above the true Almighty God, capital G has become for you, a God, small g. And that can only spell trouble for you. And that's why Jesus told a rich young ruler in Matthew 1916, through 22, to go and sell everything. You remember that story? The young man asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life. And Jesus told him, keep the commandments. The man told him that he had and asked Jesus what he still lacked. Jesus told him to sell what he had, and give all the money to the poor, and then he would have treasure in heaven. Then after that he should go and follow Jesus. At that point, the young man went away grieving because he had great wealth. So this young man's God was his wealth. Beloved, we must guard against putting anything above Almighty God our Creator. But this isn't the small g god that is referred to here in Psalm 82. The word here refers to earthly magistrates and governors or politicians. We can tell this by the language, it says, How long are you going to judge unfairly? How long are you going to side with wicked people? And it goes on to tell them what they should be doing, like defending the weak and the defenseless. He's talking to those who were judges in Israel because he says, you are all sons of the Most High and he reminds them that they will be judged because of their own wickedness. In this Psalm, he says You will certainly die like humans and fall like any prince. Luke 1248 says, To whom much is given, much will be required. These small g gods were thinking way too highly of themselves, and it'd become corrupt and evil. The psalmist was passing along gods were approached to them. And this actually makes me think of another scripture, Ecclesiastes one nine says, Whatever has happened before will happen again. whatever has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun. corrupt and evil politicians say it isn't. So let us humbly thank God for the blessings and responsibility. He's given us, whatever they may be. And let us prayerfully consider how he wants us to use those things. We are only temporary custodians of whatever he's given us, including our responsibilities. If we're foolish enough to think that they come to us by our own efforts, or because we deserve them. We run the risk of a great fall. I would love to hear your thoughts, head on over to Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 189. And scroll to the bottom of that page and tell me what you think. You can also email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. Our reading tomorrow will be Proverbs chapter 10. Boost Steve Webb 11:32 Sean or San Pedro came in with a new boostagram today. He said. I just heard Sunday's episode. It's my new favorite. I think those verses have inspired some famous songs. Fantastic. Well, he's talking about the peace episode. And Shawn, thank you for that. I'm glad you enjoyed the episode. I enjoyed doing it. God bless you, Shawn, and thank you for the 1000 SATs you sent from the fountain app. That's all part of the value for value system, beloved, head on over to Lifespring media.com/support. To find out more. However you support the show time, talent, treasure, prayers, whatever it is. Thank you and God bless you. Steve Webb 12:25 All on this date in church history. March 9 1843, Scottish clergyman Robert Murray McShane Now isn't that a Scottish name? He wrote in a letter, you will never find Jesus so precious as when the world is one vast, howling wilderness. Then he is like a rose blooming in the midst of the desolation a rock rising above the storm. That's very good. And on this date in church history, march 9 1931. Clarence W. Jones and Reuben Larsen incorporated the world radio ministry fellowship in Lima, Ohio, it would become one of the widest reaching radio ministries broadcasting the Gospel in many countries. So you might call them early God casters. Steve Webb 13:23 Let's pray. Our gracious heavenly Father, we praise you now for who you are. We worship you, because you're worthy of worship. You are Creator of All That Is, and you sit on your throne with righteousness and majesty, you are holy, just and merciful. We adore you. Help us Lord, remember that we are accountable to you and whatever responsibilities you give us, whether in our employment, our business, school, church, or even at home. We are to do all things as unto you to the best of the abilities you've given us. And we're to do everything for your glory. Keep us mindful of that, Lord. I thank You, Lord, for each and every Lifespring family member. Each one is a blessing to me, and I pray that you'll bless them today. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise that you'd like to share with the Lifespring family, head on over to prayer dot Lifespring media.com, where you'll find a form that you can fill out it's easy, it's quick. And if you want to remain anonymous, not a problem. Just tell me as much or as little as you'd like. And I'll pray for you in my private prayer time, and we'll pray together on the show. Steve Webb 14:41 Share the show and comment at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 189. Email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com And by the way on that share the show, then that is the best way to grow the family. If you agree with me that the world needs to hear more of God's word share in the show One of the best things you can do, please support the show if you receive any value from it. Would you miss it if it didn't show up in your podcast app every day? Well, if you would, please support it at Lifespring media.com/support. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. Thank you for being here. My name is Steve Webb, work as unto the Lord. Bye Transcribed by https://otter.ai