Day 295: Psalm 126-129 | Read The Bible In A Year | Bible Study with Commentary by Dr. Manny Arango

Welcome to the Bible Department podcast, powered by Arma. We are walking through the entire Bible in a year. You can go to the description or thebibledepartment.com to download a reading plan and join the journey. (upbeat music) - Family, welcome to day 295 here. I'm the Bible Department podcast. Today, we're looking at four Psalms. I know most days we look at three, but today we're looking at four. You know what I'm saying? Ain't nothing wrong with overachieving. So we're gonna look at Psalms 126 through 129. If you have not done the reading, hey, stop the video, pause the audio, go get the reading done. You're actually gonna recognize a lot of what I would say are familiar versus from the Bible as we go through the reading today. I almost knew all of Psalm 127. So yeah, go get the reading done. If you have done the reading, then you already know what we're about to dive into. We're gonna dive into context clues. I'm gonna try to give you as many nerdy nuggets as I can. And then we'll always close off the episode with a timeless truth because we are not here learning history. We are here learning theology.

We're here learning about the Bible. And what good is it if we know a lot about the Bible, but don't apply it to our lives. So we'll end the episode with the timeless truth. So happy that I get to hang out with you guys today. So happy that you get to hang out with me with no further ado, let's dive in. All right, reminder as we dive into our context clues that Psalm 120 all the way to Psalm 134 are what we call song of ascents or songs of ascent, okay? Collectively they are 15 songs of ascent but individually it's a song of ascents as you're ascending from wherever you are to Jerusalem. Everywhere pilgrims would be coming to Jerusalem from would require them to ascend, all right? They are ascending geographically and that these are the songs that they are singing as they are making their trek upwards towards Jerusalem. All right, that is the context for all of our Psalms today. Psalm 126, 127, 128 and 129. That was the context for our Psalms yesterday. That'll be the context for our Psalms tomorrow. All right, and so not a ton of context clues because we are looking at a mini collection that kind of share contextual themes, all right? So let's dive into some dirty nuggets and I'll try to give you a couple for each of the Psalms that we've got slated for today. All right, let's start with Psalm 126, okay? If you were here yesterday then you remember

that Psalm 125 was all about security, right? As pilgrims are approaching Jerusalem, they begin to realize man, Jerusalem is nestled in all these mountains, okay? So I'll remind you of what we looked at yesterday, Psalm 125, those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, okay? Mount Zion, that's a temple mount, that's where Jerusalem is. Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever as the mountain surround Jerusalem. So the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore, okay? So remember, as you are ascending up to Jerusalem, you would begin to be inspired by the landscape, be inspired by the geography and sing these words to the Lord, okay? Now, what is the fruit of that security? What happens when you are super, super, super secure? Well, what happens is that God begins to bring restoration, okay? Restoration is God has to secure you and then restore you. So Psalm 126 starts out with these words, "When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion." You gotta realize that that word Zion is gonna get written and spoken and sang over and over and over again. There are any Psalms that are the most pro Zion, which means pro Jerusalem, pro temple, okay? It's these right here because David is saying that, no, you're not just gonna make a pilgrimage to a tabernacle that's at a random location. No, you're making pilgrimage to the tabernacle that's set up here in Jerusalem, okay? David has required that all the tribes

have to travel to Jerusalem in order to worship Yahweh. Now, there are people who, I won't even say cynical, who just see the Bible less theologically and more just politically. power by making it so that all the other tribes have to travel to his tribal territory in order to worship Yahweh, right? So you can see this as political maneuvering, or you get to see this as obedience, okay? Depends on how cynical or, you know, cynical or not you'd like to be, okay? What happens when we prioritize Zion, there's restoration because there's security. Verse two, our mouths are filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said, "I'm on the nations, the Lord has done things for them, the Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap songs of joy." Okay? You've probably heard that verse tons of times, okay? That those who sow with tears will reap songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. All right, so the language here is actually going to tell us that there are two options for context, okay? There's clearly an emphasis on streams, seed, sowing, and sheaves, okay? This indicates that the Lord is restoring his people from what? From drought or famine or perhaps a siege on Jerusalem where people were starving or hungry, okay? So the salvation of Yahweh, the restoration of Yahweh, takes the form of food and water, all right? So, and people are coming into Jerusalem and they are rejoicing of the fact that God has restored us. There was a season of drought, there was a season of famine, there was a season of siege, but God is faithful, and the same God, that the definition of security is not that he keeps us from all hurt, harm, or danger, but that hurt, harm, and danger don't lead to death, and even if we've experienced suffering, that there is a God who's able to restore us from said suffering, to rescue us from that suffering, and to restore us, okay? So, we begin to see like aspects of God, Psalm 125, he's a God that brings security, Psalm 126, even if you feel like God wasn't the most secure thing in the world, he's also the God that brings restoration, okay? Which means that it was secure, all right, that's enough, nearly nuggets for Psalm 126, okay? Psalm 127, very, very, very ironic. Now, this is the second Psalm of Solomon that we have in the book of Psalms, okay? And it says this, "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain," now that's also going to be our timeless truth for the end of the episode,

"but unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain, and then we're going to drop down to verse three, children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him, like arrows in the hand of a warrior are children born in one's youth, blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them, they will be, they will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court." Okay, this is fascinating, it's fascinating because it's ironic, and it's ironic because who wrote it? Now, let's think about Solomon. There's two big focuses here in this Psalm, Psalm 127. It's house and children, house and children, okay? "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain," so the big theme at the front of the Psalm is the house. What house will get into that in a second? Second theme is children, okay? Offspring, children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from God. All right, so let's open up the house tab. When David says he wants to build a house for Yahweh, he means a literal house, a place for Yahweh to dwell. Then God responds back and says, "No, I'll build a house for you." What does God mean? Does he mean a literal house? No. He means a dynasty, a lineage. He means a metaphorical house, like if you watch Game of Thrones, which I didn't because I'm a Christian and I don't believe in watching that. But if you did, you know, house Targaryen, right? Or house Stark or house Lannister. It doesn't mean a literal house, it means everyone born to that house. It means a family, okay? So God blesses David's lineage, his family. David wants to build a literal house for Yahweh. So you first have to ask a question unless the Lord builds the house. What house? Well, both. The answer is both. Unless the Lord builds the temple where his presence is going to be and unless the Lord builds your good at prioritizing Yahweh's temple or his own family? And the answer to this question is no, not really. So let's think about this. First Kings chapter 6 tells us that it takes seven years to build the temple. God doesn't let David build it, but he allows Solomon to build it, and it takes seven years to build the temple. All right, on the surface, this doesn't seem like an issue. It takes seven years. It is what it is. But then first Kings chapter 7, one chapter later, kind of throw some shade without throwing shade. It says that it took 13 years to build Solomon's palace. It takes almost double the amount of time to build Solomon's house, as opposed to Yahweh's house. That Solomon builds Yahweh's house, but it would seem as if Solomon puts way more effort, way more energy, and way more focus into building his own house than into building Yahweh's house. That David really, really, really had the heart to build Yahweh's house.

But Solomon was allowed to build that house, which lets us know like, so what perspective is Solomon writing from when he says, "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it, labor and vain." Did he know that God wasn't really building the house? Was he talking about his own house? Was he saying that the reason it took double the amount of time to build my house is because God wasn't in it? Why wasn't God in it? Okay, next tab, children. Fascinating that Solomon has something to say about children because my brother had 700 wives and 300 concubines, 700 wives and 300 concubines. Now, the scriptures only record three or four children born to Solomon, but if you got 700 wives, which are like political marriages and 300 concubines, I don't know, brother. You probably got more than three or four kids, you know what I'm saying? And so I think we have to put Solomon's words into the category that we always have to put Solomon's words. It's kind of like my dad. My dad has been addicted to drugs for a long time. He's been a crack cocaine user and abuser for a long time. And there was a season of my life where I didn't take advice on my dad because I was like, what does he know? I mean, he's an addict. And then things switch. And I went, he probably actually has fantastic advice because he's an addict. There's two sides to the coin. So when my dad says, hey, man, never take drugs, am I supposed to not believe him? Am I supposed to say that his, you know, advice has no credibility because he's on drugs? Actually, no, his advice probably has more credibility because he's been on drugs. So is Solomon saying from a place of failure? Hey, unless you build the house with God, those who build it labor in vain. Hey, I should have valued my children. I should have involved God in the building of my house. I should have built Yaba's house for the right reasons. Is Solomon writing from a place of remorse, regret, wisdom? Or is he just writing, assuming that he made all the right choices? And I think, you know, you got to make that decision for yourself. And then that should be an interpretive lens that you use to like read the scriptures. Because if you read Ecclesiastes, you may ask like, okay, vanity is a theme. Vanity is also a theme here in Psalm 127 verse one. And who better to know about vanity than somebody who had every resource under the face of the planet? And I think sometimes we like discredit Solomon because of the 700 wives in the 300 Conchubines. But maybe just maybe he actually has something valuable to tell us because of the mistakes that he made. And I think sometimes we're really quick to jump to the conclusion that if someone's failed, they don't have wisdom for us. But recently, you know, I'm launching a church right now. And I've said to all the young guys who I think are dating

people that maybe they shouldn't go talk to some of the divorce guys on our team. They'll sober you up. Divorce doesn't mean that their advice is not credible. And actually means that their perspective is way more credible because they've experienced the pain, the heartache and the turmoil of divorce. And maybe just maybe who better to caution you and to make you walk in wisdom than someone who has failed in an area or come up short in an area. With that said, let's move to a nerdy nugget from Psalm 128, where wisdom is the theme that's a wisdom Psalm family. The weight is over. My brand new book, Crushing Chaos is out. and I signed a bunch of copies at a physical location. So you can grab this book at a physical Barnes & Noble or you can go to a book's a million or Amazon or anywhere books are sold and grab a copy if you enjoy reading the Bible from an ancient perspective. If you understand that the beauty of scripture is actually knowing it in context, then you'll love this book and if there's any chaos in your personal life, I think that reading the Bible from an ancient perspective can actually help to crush the chaos in your life. I think this book is going to be a New York Times bestseller. I really do. I think we wrote a good one. I think you should get a copy today. All right, back to the episode. Psalm 128 is a wisdom psalm and the big emphasis of the psalm is those who harmonize, order, align their life with the fear of the Lord and the source where he blesses people will be blessed. And where does he bless people from? You guessed it. Zion, it's a pro-Zion psalm. It's pro-Zion because the psalms are pro-David. And it's pro-David because God chose David and David then chose Jerusalem because Yahweh chose Jerusalem. And so the psalms are going to say, you're not going to be blessed if you go offer sacrifices somewhere else. That's not Zion. Blessing flows from Zion. So therefore submit, get your life in order, harmonize your life, which then leads us to Psalm 129. This is an antiphonal psalm, antiphonal. We've had a couple of antiphonal psalms, but sometimes I just forget to let you know. That simply means call and response, call and response. So Psalm 129, you can tell that it's antiphonal because it says let Israel say at the end of verse 1, let Israel say. So there's something that the choir master is supposed to say and then that call is supposed to lead to a response, which means that it is antiphonal. Two big movements for Psalm 129. The first movement is from verses 1 to 4, which talks about the history of oppression that we're not just blessed because we just like poof in here we are, we're blessed. No, real blessing is that God has delivered us from setbacks. God has delivered us from oppression. And there's vengeance on those who hate Zion. That's right. The Psalms are pro Zion.

And those who hate Zion, God will punish them, which leads us into our timeless truth for the day. I love this because this is from Psalm 127 verse 1. "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain." The builders labor in vain. I don't want to build anything in vain. I don't want to build this podcast in vain or the garden in vain, by the way, the garden is the name of the church that we're planting right now. I don't want to build many or equal ministries in vain. I don't want to build the orango home in vain. I don't want to build anything in vain. I think that this Psalm, Psalm 127 and Solomon's life should cause all of us to take a long hard look. They're like, how are we building and what are we building? And has God really involved or are we building it for our own glory and for our own pride? And most scholars would say, took seven years to build Yahweh's temple, took 13 years to build your palace. Solomon, if you're this concerned with your house and you're more concerned with your house than Yahweh's house, then did you really build Yahweh's house for Him or did you build it for you? And I think that a lot of us have to answer that question. Are we building companies for ourselves? Are we actually building them to glorify the Lord? Are we building churches so that we can have a place to preach? Are we actually building them for the Lord? And I'm not saying I'm perfect. I'm saying that we have to continue to keep one Psalm 127 before us because I don't think that you fix your motives and then they're changed forever. I think that you have to keep surrendering your motives to the Lordship of Jesus. Say, Lord, unless you build it, I'm doing this in vain because the grass will wither, the flower will fade, but the word of the Lord is going to last forever. And I want to build stuff that stands to test the time, which means God is going to have to build it with me and God's going to have to build it with you. And I don't think that's just true for Solomon. I don't think that's just true for the troop of returned exiles who are rebuilding Jerusalem or for the pilgrims who are ascending to Jerusalem. No, I think that that's Time will see true for me and for you. building stuff for the Lord or for ourselves. Because if we're building it for ourselves, then we're laboring in vain. And that is our timeless truth for today. All right, tomorrow we're still gonna be in the songs of ascent tomorrow.

We are gonna be looking at Psalms 130, 131, 132, and 133. We got four more Psalms tomorrow for day two, 96 on the Bible Department, bobbering plan. Love you guys so much, proud of you. I'll see you right here tomorrow, same time, same place. Peace! - Thanks so much for joining us on the Bible Department podcast. If this episode was helpful, how about you leave a comment? Share with a friend and subscribe so that you never miss an episode. To learn more about the show, head to thebobbledepartment.com. We'll see you right back here tomorrow.