Koinonia Bible Studies

“Robed in Majesty” from the lesson series Royal Psalms, October 2021

our Scripture

The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty;
The Lord is robed, enveloped in strength.
The world is firmly established;
it cannot be shaken.
² Your throne has been established
from the beginning;
You are from eternity.
³ The floods have lifted up, Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their pounding waves.
⁴ Greater than the roar of many waters—
the mighty breakers of the sea—
the Lord on high is majestic.

⁵ Lord, Your testimonies are completely reliable;
holiness is the beauty of Your house
for all the days to come.

Psalm 93:1-5

our lesson

The Psalms that are considered “royal” hold a magnificent place in the collection of Hebrew poetic literature. Almost every Jewish theologian agrees that these Psalms speak of things which will take place during the times of the Messiah. Ultimately, these psalms proclaim the fundamental principle that the Lord reigns.

The reign of the Lord is not a haphazard reign. His kingdom expresses a life of majesty. James Montgomery Boice says that majesty is “an attribute that links God’s holiness and God’s sovereignty.”

Messianic Themes

Let’s think back to the Messianic themes we discovered as we studied through the second Psalm. We will be looking for the development of these themes through each of the Royal Psalms. The themes may not be in this order, and they may not use the exact words.

• The Lord Reigns – the story of a King and His kingdom
• The nations oppose God and His people in rage
• The Lord sends His Anointed One
• The Lord’s people are blessed

The message of John the Baptist and indeed Jesus Himself proclaimed “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Matthew 10:5-8, 23 Mark 1:13-14, Luke 10:9). In the NIV translation of the Bible, Jesus mentions the kingdom (either of God or heaven) 106 times. The kingdom explains God’s presence with His people. It proclaims the leadership structure of His people. The kingdom presents God’s people with the territory ruled by its king.

Enthronement Psalms

As we read the idea of God reigning through each of the “enthronement psalms” (Psalm 47, Psalm 93, Psalm 94, Psalm 95, Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Psalm 98, Psalm 99) picture not just the nation of Israel which is the first scene of the kingdom we begin to understand. Notice also the ultimate presence of the church and a kingdom that knows no earthly territorial bounds. This kingdom finds the Lord reigning, a covenant with moral demands of justice and righteousness, centered upon Zion, and a call for all nations to tremble before God.

There is no certain indication how this 93^rd psalm was used.  Most commentators believe the Psalm was sung during the Festival of Booths (Sukkoth). The Septuagint has the title “For the day before the Sabbath, when the land was resettled; a hymn of praise by David.” The Talmud states that this psalm was used every Friday by Levites in the Temple. The rhythm and meter of the psalm changes from a 4+4 meter to a 3+3+3 meter. God’s glory is seen everywhere.

H.C. Leupold wrote, “This brief psalm is mighty in utterance, colorful in language, and a strong incentive to faith.” In a sense, Psalm 93 is an unfolding of the truth of a simple verse from Psalm 92:8. “But you, O Lord, are exalted forever.”

The Lord Reigns

“The Lord reigns.” You don’t have to say it in so many words to believe its truth and understand its implications. The phrase “The Lord reigns” is the cry at the outset of several of these psalms (Psalm 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1; compare with Psalm 47:8). There is a distinct difference in the flavor of these verses when compared to a timeless statement like Psalm 95:3. If nothing else, the phrase should end with an exclamation mark!

Some theologians have suggested these psalms have their origin in a festival celebrating the Lord’s position as Israel’s true king. These Jewish scholars see these psalms connected to the Feast of Tabernacles at the onset of the Jewish new year. They see these feasts celebrating God’s epiphany and enthronement. Their presuppositions connect these feasts with over 40 of the psalms. The Tabernacle feast would re-enact the drama of creation, culminating in a battle against the sea and its monsters (Psalm 89:9-11). In time, the Lord would ascend to the top of Mt. Zion in victory. The people would cry, “The Lord has become king!” This was considered “The Day of the Lord.”

Messianic Kingdom

Others see the psalms as a prophetic reference to the kingdom of the Messiah. If the phrase itself is Messianic, theologians would recognize a parallel with the phrase, “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17).

One of the recent trends in interpreting and understanding the psalms is to accept that they are intrinsically tied to the liturgy of the worship experience.

Proclamation

“The Lord reigns” has the sound of a proclamation. Some compare it to a similar announcement in 2 Kings 9:13. A stronger parallel can be seen in Isaiah’s picture of an announcement of victory reaching a depressed and despondent Jerusalem through the shout of the running messenger (Isaiah 52:7).

The Lord reigns first over His kingdom but ultimately over the entire world. Messianic psalms or prophecy want us to see the ultimate story through the lens of history. The day will come when the lens is removed and we see only the Messiah and His kingdom. The power of the King of kings and Lord of lords, having overcome every darkness and enemy (Isaiah 24:23, Obadiah 1:21, Zechariah 14:9, Revelation 11:15-17, Revelation 19:6).

Reigns with Majesty

Kings in the ancient world served in leadership first representing the king’s reign to people. The king displayed his values and personality to his own people. He also served as the kingdom’s greatest ambassador to the outside world. The robe represented the attire of the king in this role with people.

The psalmist proclaims the Lord reigns while “robed in majesty” (Psalm 93:1). This expresses a Hebrew poetic idiom associating God with His glory and how He demonstrates that glory in His creation. Webster defines majesty as sovereign power, authority or dignity. The sovereignty of God is the teaching that God is the supreme authority of everything and that all things are under His control. Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines God’s sovereignty as His “absolute right to do all things according to His own good pleasure.” The question whether God’s sovereignty is consistent with the ability of humans to make meaningful decisions.”

Look at some other Scriptures referring to the majesty of God.

• 1 Chronicles 29:11, 25
• Psalm 21:5
• Psalm 45:3-4
• Isaiah 2:10, 21
• Psalm 96:6
• Psalm 104:1
• Micah 5:4
• Psalm 145:5, 12
• Hebrews 1:3

Such a Thing as Glory

Pause for a moment and ponder another word associated with majesty. The word “glory” walks hand in hand with majesty. We often speak of “giving God glory.” We think of glory as meaning dignity, honor, praise and worship. I cannot “give” God more dignity, He already has that in perfection. What I can do recognizes how His dignity affects me. The result understands how God’s glory impacts my life. I apply God’s reign to living.

But the king also served in leadership of the military of the kingdom. The king not only authored the strategy of the military, he led by example in championing the strength of the fight. When the kingdom would go to war, the king often physically led the battle. The king’s clothing represented his preparation for battle. The psalmist tells us the Lord has put on strength as His belt (Psalm 93:1). The belt held the weapons of the king.

Blessed by Majesty

One of the most incredible things about the Bible is its unexpected character and development of its content. Just when we think things are coming to an end, seemingly out of no where, the writer takes us to something that is fresh, that applies truth in a way that stretches us or takes us somewhere we didn’t expect to go. This is exactly what is before us in Psalm 93:5.

The rules you set down are completely reliable.

Holiness aptly adorns your house, O Lord, forever.

Following verse four, we expect the psalm to end around the throne of God. We expect a summary of praise upholding the Lord as King.

Instead, the psalmist points us to how the King effects the citizens of the kingdom. Both principles mentioned in verse five speak vibrantly into the world today. God’s rules – His Law, His plan – prove completely reliable. Do you see the contrast between this and the way of the world? The world right now does not know who or what to believe. Bombarded by “experts” contradicting one another regularly, the answer for many sees no absolute truth. Everyone’s answer promotes their own “truth.” But that approach leaves us confused and chaotic.

Reliable

God’s rules are reliable. Always. The same. You can walk with confidence when you follow His ways.

The last part of the verse makes your walk powerful to the world. “Holiness aptly adorns your house.” We understand that God is holy, but notice what the psalmist is really saying. He doesn’t affirm God’s holiness – he affirms that God’s house stands adorned (clothed or “robed”, right?) with holiness. What, or who, is God’s house? Gasp at how the Message translates Paul’s words:

You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God. and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred – and you, remember ARE the temple.

1 Corinthians 3:16 MESSAGE

Holy

Your character affirms the reliability of God’s words. Holiness – a God-like quality which demonstrates integrity not perfection in us – shows the world that our God reigns in a trustworthy manner. When the nations rage, fight the temptation to rage back. Demonstrate the truth of God by your holiness.

“Blessed Are All Nations” from the lesson series Royal Psalms, October 2021

our Scripture

Why do the nations rebel
and the peoples plot in vain?
² The kings of the earth take their stand,
and the rulers conspire together
against the Lord and His Anointed One:
³ “Let us tear off their chains
and free ourselves from their restraints.”

⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord ridicules them.
⁵ Then He speaks to them in His anger
and terrifies them in His wrath:
⁶ “I have consecrated My King
on Zion, My holy mountain.”

⁷ I will declare the Lord’s decree:
He said to Me, “You are My Son;
today I have become Your Father.
⁸ Ask of Me,
and I will make the nations Your inheritance
and the ends of the earth Your possession.
⁹ You will break them with a rod of iron;
You will shatter them like pottery.”

¹⁰ So now, kings, be wise;
receive instruction, you judges of the earth.
¹¹ Serve the Lord with reverential awe
and rejoice with trembling.
¹² Pay homage to the Son or He will be angry
and you will perish in your rebellion,
for His anger may ignite at any moment.
All those who take refuge in Him are happy.

Psalm 2:1-12 NET

our Lesson

In some ways, the Messianic Psalms are a devotional delight. They allow us to focus on an aspect of the Messiah or His kingdom with either a magnifying glass or a telescope. Psalms invite us to make an application that has been tailored just to fit our form and life.

Let’s look at a powerful example of a Messianic Psalm, the second Psalm. Examining this psalm will give us some insights into the kind of language we will meet throughout our study.

While the Nations Rage

The psalm begins with a haunting question, one that thinking believers ask in their hearts if not from their lips. “Why do the nations rage?” A distinguishing mark of Hebrew poetry appears in the opening verses. The contrast between the ways of the nations and the way of God is brought into the light for us to consider.

Christian singer/songwriter Rich Mullins asked the question in the opening words to his song, “While the Nations Rage,”

Why do the nations rage?

Why do they plot and scheme?

The nations represent those who are opposed to God’s people and plans. The antagonism toward God runs deep in many people. Studies have been done to determine why people are opposed to the faith. A few common threads include:

• Growing up in a faithless family. One study showed that 32% of all atheists said they grew up in a home that did not believe in God. It is difficult to break trends that are established and engrained early in life.
• College experiences. Many atheists determined that teachers and lifestyles at college emphasized the irrelevance of God. The attitude also caused many to doubt the intellectual validity of God’s existence.
• Difficult life questions. Circumstances in life cause philosophical and intellectual questions to be pondered. Many cannot find answers so they turn away from faith. Some of the examples of these questions include:
  • “If God is so loving, why is there evil in the world?”
  • “If God created the world in six days, what about evolution and dinosaurs?”
  • “Why would a good God send people to hell?”
  • “I prayed hard and bad things (death of spouse, etc) happened anyway.”
• Sexual issues. Surveys show that the amount of sexual abuse within church leadership has caused many to leave the church. Others have left because of the negative teachings and treatment regarding homosexuality. They see these Christians as too mean and judgmental.
• Political issues. Some stay away from God because they believe that Christians are too into politics. Many sense that Christians have selected political issues over character.

Paul tells Titus to “make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:10). To the Colossians, he advises, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6).

The apostles and the early church saw this psalm as predicting how the world would reject Jesus. The psalm was recorded in one of their prayers, seeing Calvary as the fulfillment. Both Herod (Jewish leadership) and Pilate (Roman leadership) are mentioned. Both the Gentiles and the Israelites come under criticism.

Listen to the chorus of the same Rich Mullins’ song.

Where are the nails that pierced His hands?
Well the nails have turned to rust
But behold the Man
He is risen
And He reigns
In the hearts of the children
Rising up in His name
Where are the thorns that drew His blood?
Well, the thorns have turned to dust
But not so the love
He has given
No, it remains
In the hearts of the children
Who will love while the nations rage

What should be our response “when the nations rage?” Many theologians see a biblical truth that the powers of this political world will “set themselves against the true Lord of the universe.” How do we continue to show love when the world is violently opposed to God and His ways?

As we look at Messianic psalms, expect to see the trouble presented to God and the gospel by leaders of the nations of the world.

You Are My Son

The New Testament teaches the wrath against man is harnessed to redemption. God’s plan confounds the wise (1 Corinthians 1:20) and triumphs over the arrogant (Colossians 2:15, Revelation 11:18, Revelation 18:20). The only laughing matter is the arrogance.

Verses six and seven are the centerpiece of the psalm. The anointing of the King is a process known to Israel from the days of King Saul. Some theologians see significance in the use of the term “Zion” instead of Jerusalem. Many see Zion as a term carrying more eternal significance.

David’s king ruled in Zion, God’s chosen dwelling place (Psalm 132, Deuteronomy 12:14-18). God had sanctified the city by His presence. The people understood that God could not be limited to a city, but saw this holy hill as the location of His throne. Indeed the earth was God’s footstool (1 Kings 8:27) as was Zion (1 Chronicles 28:2, Psalm 99:5, Lamentations 2:1, Matthew 5:35). Zion expresses the hope of the people of the covenant, reminding them of the promises made to David.

This language and imagery is fluid in the psalms. Consider the words of Psalm 18.

For this I will praise you, O Lord,

Among the nations, and sing to your name.

Great salvation he brings to his king,

And shows steadfast love to his anointed,

To David and his offspring forever (Psalm 18:49-50 ESV).

The decree of the Almighty God announces a special relationship with this King. He is by birth and by promise the son of God. His commission is to make the reign of God visible to those on the earth. Jesus is the Messiah, the “Son” of God by the Father’s booming message (Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22). He is seated at the right hand of the Father, the position of authority and enthronement (Acts 2:33 and Hebrews 1:3).

The psalms will affirm this reign and further our understanding.

Kiss the Son

One of the marks of Hebrew poetry is the incredible imagery it creates. Verse twelve provides for us one of those amazing pictures. The term “kissing” is common in the Bible, with the verbs and nouns occurring about 50 times in the Scriptures.

Of the references, here are some interesting facts.

• 93% of kissing happens outside of marriage
• 73% of kissing happens between two men
• There is one reference to kissing an idol (Hosea 13:2)
• Jesus was kissed twice – one a sign of devotion, one a sign of betrayal

Another psalm creates a vivid imagery regarding kissing. The 85^th Psalm is considered a psalm of the sons of Korah.

Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,

That his glory may dwell in our land.

Love and faithfulness meet together;

Righteousness and peace kiss each other (Psalm 85:9-10 NIV).

 

The culture of the Bible created a picture of the kiss that is beyond today’s limited understanding of romance, though affection and relationship were threaded into the image. Here are a few more of the important concepts.

A Kiss of Friendship

A kiss was a common way of showing friendship in the Old Testament. Parents kissed their children (Genesis 27:27). The Bible contains several examples of relatives greeting one another with a kiss, as well as offering a kiss when the two parted (Genesis 29:10-15, Genesis 31:55, Genesis 33:4, Genesis 45:15, Exodus 18:7, Ruth 1:9). This type of kiss was offered to everyone throughout the extended family.

In addition, the kiss was common in other friendships. A great example of this was between Jonathan and David (1 Samuel 20:41). Paul encouraged Christians to “greet one another with a holy kiss (Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20).

The kiss of betrayal, portrayed forever by the lips of Judas, was the kiss of a friend, a friend turned. Judas went up to the Lord and greeted Him and kissed Him. Jesus’ first words in reply were “Friend, why have you come?”

A Kiss of Reconciliation

The kiss was a symbolic act that what separated the two had been removed. When Jacob met Esau after years of separation, the hearts of the brothers were softened. They ran to each other and both kissed and wept. The KJV uses a very descriptive phrase, Esau “fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Genesis 33:4). Culture dictated the first kiss was to be on the neck. If the other person accepted and reciprocated, the kiss of response was to be on the lips.

Upon the son’s return home, the father runs to the son, kissing him. Before the feast, before the music and celebration, before the calf was slain, the father accepted the son home with a kiss.

A Kiss of Homage

The kiss was also seen as an act of homage or allegiance. The Mediterranean custom was to kiss the feet of the king. There are references in history where the subject in fact kissed the dust beneath the feet. Others offer their kiss on the steps to the king’s throne. The act signified and understanding, acceptance and obedience of service and loyalty to the king.

A Kiss of Worship

It was the custom of the culture to kiss the idols representing the gods you worshipped. Many instances are given in history of the worshipers of Baal kissing the calves. It is interesting that after the Israelites were caught worshipping the golden calf (Exodus 32:20), Moses broke the tablets (symbolic of the people breaking the covenant relationship with God) and had the idol melted down, ground to dust and mixed with water. The people were required to drink the mixture, separating the faithful from the unfaithful.

The words “drink” and “kiss” are related words, emphasizing the degree of the process.

A Kiss of Gratitude

Perhaps this kiss can best be seen in the kiss of Mary as she anointed the feet of Jesus. A woman in a man’s world, an immoral woman in a legalistic world, Mary would not have found a welcoming place in a spiritual or social circle. Before the cultural nuances, Mary first found forgiveness at the feet of her Lord and Savior. Her kiss was a kiss of unending gratitude.

Blessed Are Those Who Take Refuge in Him

The psalmist leaves a powerful choice. If you take refuge in the Messiah, you will be blessed. If you choose to defy God, you will be broken. The blessing was a concept that Israel understood from the days of the patriarchs. Blessings were given to the eldest, signifying the important status within the family.

Blessings are also a part of the teaching and ministry of Jesus. Consider the importance placed upon the beatitudes.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3-10 NIV).

There are times when our Bible study simply needs to point us to the Messiah. In many ways Jesus can be seen in every book of the Bible. But studies often focus on topics like prayer, faith or the fruit of the Spirit and it is easy to not look for the Messiah. Together, twenty-five different Psalms – one out of every six – include at least one Messianic prophecy. Messianic psalms are quoted in eleven New Testament books, especially in the Gospels and the book of Acts. About ten psalms are known as Royal Psalms, looking to the king and his kingdom. Theologians find between seventy and a hundred references to the Messiah in the Psalms which are fulfilled in the New Testament.

The Royal Psalms deal with Israel’s king as God’s anointed or chosen leader. While these psalms find immediate fulfillment in the kings of Israel, the psalms are often prophetic in nature and they also point to an ideal King in the future who will reign as both King of kings and Lord of lords.

Our study begins with a brief overview of the second Psalm. Of the twenty-some Messianic psalms, Psalm 2 is quoted seven times in the New Testament. There is no inscription in the Old Testament about its author, but when Peter quotes from it (Acts 4:25-27) he credits the psalm as being one of David’s. This psalm is considered the first of the Messianic psalms.

Following a lesson in Psalm 2, the study will pursue Psalm 93 through Psalm 99 in the remaining nine lessons. These psalms are considered the Royal Psalms. Many are prayers or songs for the wisdom of the king. Other verses petition for the long life of the king or his success in battle. The psalmists wrote about actual kings, but the New Testament writers help us understand these words actually gazed forward to the days of the coming Messiah.

The links below take you to the webpage of the lesson, to the weekly handouts, and to pages focused on Mediterranean Moments. Click on the picture under the lesson title to be taken to the lesson’s webpage. Some exciting news is coming as our study moves into its final month.

Lesson Web Pages

Prelude       Blessed Are All – Psalm 2 Robed in Majesty – Psalm 93 God Who Avenges – Psalm 94 Rock of Our Salvation – Psalm 95 Great is the Lord – Psalm 96 Reigning Now – Psalm 97 Shout for Joy – Psalm 98 Speaking from the Pillar – Psalm 99 Coda – Psalm 100

Lesson Handouts

Lesson One: Blessed Are All [doc id=5504] Lesson Two: Robed in Majesty [doc id=5561] Lesson Three: God Who Avenges [doc id=5602] Lesson Four: Rock of Our Salvation [doc id=5605] Lesson Five: Great is the Lord [doc id=5648] Lesson Six: Reigning Now [doc id=5651] Lesson Seven: Shout for Joy [doc id=5652] Lesson Eight: Speaking from the Pillar [doc id=5653]

Mediterranean Moments

Classifying the Psalms Messianic Psalms Characteristics of Messianic Prophecies