Welcome to Day 2747 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2747 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 97:1-12 – Daily Wisdom

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2747 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred forty-seven of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Cloud Rider Reigns – A Fire Before the King Today, we are continuing our ascent up the high peaks of the Royal Psalms. We have arrived at Psalm Ninety-seven, and we will be exploring the entire text, verses one through twelve, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm Ninety-six, we heard the joyous, missionary call to "Sing a new song" and to declare to the nations that "The Lord Reigns!" We saw the invitation for all the families of the earth to abandon their worthless idols—their elilim—and bring their tribute to the true Creator. It was a psalm of invitation and anticipation, looking forward to the coming Judge. Psalm Ninety-seven takes a half-step forward. It moves from the announcement of the King to the actual appearance of the King. The tone shifts from joyful invitation to awe-inspiring majesty. Here, Yahweh is not just invited to reign; He has taken His seat. He is actively asserting His dominion over the cosmos, and the reaction of the universe is a mixture of trembling and rejoicing. This psalm plunges us deep into the Divine Council worldview. It depicts Yahweh as the Cloud Rider, the Divine Warrior who marches out to reclaim His territory from the rebel gods who have corrupted the nations. It is a psalm of spiritual warfare and ultimate victory. So, let us shield our eyes, for the glory of the King is about to shine forth. The first segment is: The Arrival of the Cloud Rider. Psalm Ninety-seven: verses one through two. The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad.  Dark clouds and deep darkness surround him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. The psalm opens with the foundational shout of the enthronement festival: "The Lord is king!" (Yahweh Malak). Because He is King, the command goes out: "Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad." The "farthest coastlands" (or "many islands") refers to the ends of the known world—the Gentile nations. Under the rule of the rebel elohim (the lesser gods), the nations have been in darkness and chaos. But the ascension of Yahweh is good news for the geography of the earth. His rule brings order, life, and stability. However, the appearance of this King is terrifyingly majestic: "Dark clouds and deep darkness surround him." To the modern ear, "dark clouds" might sound gloomy or depressing. But in the Ancient Israelite worldview, this is Theophany language—the language of God appearing in visible form. It harkens back to Mount Sinai in Deuteronomy Four and Five, where God descended in thick darkness, gloom, and storm to give the Law. Furthermore, this imagery claims a specific title for Yahweh: The Cloud Rider. In the ancient Near East, the god Baal was worshipped as the "Rider on the Clouds," the master of the storm. The psalmist is making a polemical statement here. He is saying, "No, Baal is not the master of the storm. Yahweh is." Yahweh is the One who wraps Himself in the storm clouds as His royal robe. The darkness represents His transcendence—He is so holy, so heavy with glory (kavod), that He must veil Himself, or creation would be consumed. Yet, within this terrifying storm, there is a solid core: "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne." We saw this same pairing in Psalm Eighty-nine. Unlike the pagan gods, who were capricious, violent, and unpredictable like the weather, Yahweh’s storm is controlled by ethical perfection. His power is infinite, but it is always tethered to what is right (tsedeq) and what is just (mishpat). He does not use His power to bully; He uses it to establish order. The second segment is: The Divine Warrior Conquers the Rebel Gods. Psalm Ninety-seven: verses three through six. Fire goes before him and burns up his enemies all around.  His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles.  The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.  The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation sees his glory. The King begins to move, and He moves as a Man of War: "Fire goes before him and burns up his enemies all around." Who are these enemies? In the immediate context, they are the wicked on earth, but in the cosmic context, they are the spiritual forces of darkness. Fire is the traditional weapon of the Divine Warrior. It cleanses, it consumes, and it purifies the land. God is marching out to reclaim the earth from the usurpers. "His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles." Creation itself reacts to the presence of its Maker. The physical world convulses when the spiritual dimension breaks through. Then we have a vivid, terrifying image: "The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth." In the ancient world, mountains were considered the most stable, unmovable things in existence. They were the pillars of the earth. Moreover, mountains were often viewed as the dwelling places of the gods (like Mount Zaphon or Mount Olympus). For the mountains to "melt like wax" means that the very seats of authority of the rival gods are dissolving in the presence of Yahweh. Their fortresses are turning into liquid. Nothing can stand before Him. He is called "The Lord of all the earth" (Adon kol ha-arets). This is a claim of universal jurisdiction. He is not just the God of a localized hill in Judah; He owns the whole planet. "The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation sees his glory." Here, "The heavens" likely refers to the members of the heavenly host—the loyal members of the Divine Council. The angelic armies look at Yahweh’s conquest and shout, "He is Righteous! His judgments are just!" And down below, "every nation"—not just Israel—is forced to witness His "glory" (kavod), the heavy, radiant weight of His presence. There is no hiding from this King. The third segment is: The Humiliation of the Idols and the Exaltation of Yahweh Psalm Ninety-seven: verses seven through nine Those who worship idols are disgraced— all who brag about their worthless gods— for every god must bow to him.  Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced, and all the towns of Judah are glad because of your justice, O Lord!  For you, O Lord, are supreme over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. The arrival of the True King brings an immediate verdict on false religion: "Those who worship idols are disgraced—all who brag about their worthless gods." When the Real Thing appears, the counterfeits are exposed. Those who trusted in carved images or the spiritual powers behind them are "disgraced" or ashamed (bosh). They realize they bet their lives on a lie. Then, the psalmist issues a command to the spiritual realm: "for every god must bow to him." The New Living Translation translates this well, but let’s look deeper. The Hebrew says, "Bow down to Him, all you elohim." This is a crucial verse for the Divine Council worldview. The psalmist is not talking to blocks of wood or stone statues; statues cannot bow. He is addressing the spiritual beings, the elohim, the "sons of God" who were allotted the nations but rebelled. This verse is quoted in Hebrews Chapter One, verse six, where it says, "Let all God’s angels worship him." The Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) translated elohim here as "angels." The point is clear: every spiritual power, whether loyal or rebellious, whether angel, demon, or territorial spirit, must prostrate themselves before Yahweh. He is the Species Unique; they are merely created beings. While the idolaters are ashamed, God's people are thrilled: "Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced, and all the towns of Judah are glad because of your justice, O Lord!" Zion rejoices because God's "justice" (His judgments/rulings) involves the overthrow of evil. The defeat of the dark powers is the liberation of the saints. The section concludes with the theological summit of the psalm: "For you, O Lord, are supreme over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods." He is "Supreme" (‘Elyōn—Most High). This title signifies that He is the Most High God, the Presider over the Council. He is "exalted far above" (na‘ălêtā) all elohim. There is no equality here. There is no dualism where good and evil are fighting on equal footing. God is infinitely above the competition. The fourth segment is: The Ethical Response: Hate Evil, Love Light.   Psalm Ninety-seven: verses ten through twelve. You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked.  Light is sown like seed for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart.  Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name. The psalm ends by turning to the congregation. If Yahweh is the King who melts mountains and demands the worship of angels, how should we respond? The response is ethical: "You who love the Lord, hate evil!" You cannot be neutral. If you align yourself with the King of Righteousness, you must despise what He despises. You must hate the chaos, the injustice, and the idolatry that He has come to destroy. Loyalty to Yahweh requires a rejection of the "throne of destruction" we saw in Psalm Ninety-four. In exchange for this loyalty, the King offers protection: "He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked." He is the "keeper" (shamar) of the souls of His hasidim (faithful ones). Because He is the Most High over all gods, He has the power to rescue us from any hand, human or spiritual. Then, the psalmist uses a beautiful agricultural metaphor: "Light is sown like seed for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart." Usually, we think of light as shining down from above. But here, Light is treated like a seed. It is planted in the dark soil of our lives. This implies a process. When we choose righteousness, we are planting seeds of light. We may not see the harvest immediately. There may be a season of waiting in the dark soil. But because God is King, that seed will sprout. It will yield a harvest of Light and Gladness. For the wicked, their "flourishing" is like grass that is quickly cut down (Psalm Ninety-two). But for the righteous, their gladness is a sown crop that grows, matures, and yields an enduring harvest. The psalm closes with a final command to worship: "Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name." Literally, we are to give thanks to the "memorial of His holiness." We are to remember that He is separate, He is clean, and He is the Victor. Psalm Ninety-seven is a tonic for a fearful heart. It reminds us that the world is not spinning out of control. There is a King. He is riding the clouds. The mountains of human pride and spiritual rebellion are melting like wax before Him. Our job is not to fret; our job is to hate evil, plant seeds of light, and rejoice. We are on the winning side of history because we serve the Most High over all the earth. If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of, ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.   As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Liv Abundantly.   Love Unconditionally.   Listen Intentionally.   Learn Continuously.   Lend to others Generously.   Lead with Integrity.   Leave a Living Legacy Each Day. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to’ Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday! See you next time for more daily wisdom!

Welcome to Day 2745 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2745 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 96:1-13 – Daily Wisdom

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2745 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred forty-five of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today's Wisdom-Trek is: A New Song for a Reclaimed World – The Lord Reigns Over the Nations Today, we are setting out on a trek that expands our horizon from the borders of Israel to the very ends of the earth. We are exploring Psalm Ninety-six, covering the entire hymn, verses one through thirteen, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm Ninety-five, we stood in the holy assembly of Israel. We heard the invitation to bow before our Maker, but we also heard the stern warning from the Shepherd-King: "Don’t harden your hearts." That psalm ended with a somber reminder of the wilderness generation who failed to enter God's rest because they refused to listen to His voice. It was a call to the insider to stay faithful. Psalm Ninety-six flings the doors of the temple wide open. It turns away from the failure of the past and looks forward to a glorious future where all nations—not just Israel—are invited to worship Yahweh. It is a missionary anthem. It is a coronation hymn. It declares that the God of Israel is not a tribal deity, but the rightful King of the Cosmos who is reclaiming the nations from the lesser spiritual beings that have held them in bondage. So, let us lift our voices and join the global chorus, declaring that the Lord reigns! The first segment is: The Command to Sing a New Song Psalm Ninety-six: verses one through three Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!  Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.  Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. The psalm opens with an explosion of joy and a threefold command: "Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name." Why a "new song"? In the Psalms, a new song is often required because God has done a new thing. The old songs were about the Exodus from Egypt, about God delivering one nation from another. But this new song is about something far greater. It is about God delivering all nations. The scope has shifted from the local to the universal. The invitation is no longer just for the children of Jacob; it is for "the whole earth." The instruction is specific: "Each day proclaim the good news that he saves." This phrase, "proclaim the good news," is the Hebrew verb basar. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, this word is euangelizo—the root of our word "Evangelism" or "Gospel." The psalmist is telling us to evangelize the world! We are to announce, daily, that Yahweh is the source of salvation (yeshû‘â). This salvation is not just a private spiritual safety; it is a cosmic victory over the forces of evil. The mission is clear: "Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does." We are to be the heralds, the town criers of the Kingdom. We are not keeping this wisdom a secret. We are publishing it. The "glorious deeds" are the proofs of His Kingship. In the Ancient Near East, a king's glory was defined by his military victories and his ability to provide order. We are telling the nations—who are currently serving other masters—that the true High King has arrived, and His resume of "amazing things" proves He is worthy of their allegiance. The second segment is: The Theological Conflict: Yahweh vs. The Gods Psalm Ninety-six: verses four through six Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods.  The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens!  Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary. Now, the psalmist explains why this message must go to the nations. He enters into a direct theological confrontation with the spiritual powers of the world: "Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods." Here, we must apply our Ancient Israelite worldview lenses again. When the text says God is to be feared above all "gods" (elohim), it is not merely using a figure of speech. It is acknowledging the reality of the spiritual hierarchy. Since the Tower of Babel (Deuteronomy Thirty-two: eight), the nations were placed under the administration of lesser spiritual beings, the "sons of God." But these beings rebelled; they became corrupt and demanded worship for themselves (as we saw in Psalm Eighty-two). The nations are currently in spiritual bondage to these rebel entities. The psalmist is declaring that Yahweh is "feared above" them. He is the Supreme Authority. Verse five contains a powerful pun in the Hebrew: "The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens!" The Hebrew word for "gods" is elohim. The Hebrew word translated as "idols" is elilim. It sounds similar, but elilim means "worthless things," "weak things," or literally, "nothings." The psalmist is saying: "The elohim of the nations are actually elilim!" They are spiritual zeros compared to Yahweh. Why? Because "the Lord made the heavens!" This is the distinguishing mark of the True God: Creation. The gods of the nations are created beings; they are part of the furniture of the universe. Yahweh is the Architect and Builder of the house. Because He is the Creator, He has the right to reclaim the nations from the usurpers. The atmosphere of His true throne room is described in verse six: "Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary." The rebel gods offer chaos and fear. Yahweh offers "strength and beauty." This combination is vital. Strength without beauty is tyranny; beauty without strength is sentimentality. God possesses absolute power (oz) and absolute splendor (tiphereth). His sanctuary is not just a place of religious ritual; it is the command center of a beautiful, orderly universe. The third segment is: The Invitation to the Table of Nations Psalm Ninety-six: verses seven through nine O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.  Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts.  Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him. Having established Yahweh’s supremacy over the rebel gods, the psalmist now issues a direct summons to the people living under those gods: "O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong." The phrase "nations of the world" is literally "families of the peoples" (mishpachot ammim). This harkens back to the promise given to Abraham in Genesis Twelve: "In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." This is a call for the reunification of the human family. The nations that were scattered at Babel and disinherited are now being called home. They are told to "recognize" (literally, "ascribe" or "give") glory and strength to Yahweh. They are being asked to switch their allegiance. They must stop giving credit to their local, territorial spirits and acknowledge the One True Source of power. The invitation is liturgical: "Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts." In the ancient world, you only brought tribute to your suzerain, your king. Bringing an "offering" (minchah) into Yahweh's courts was an act of political and spiritual submission. It meant, "I belong to You now." The psalmist invites the Gentiles into the very courts of the Temple—a radical concept! He envisions a day when the barriers are removed, and the nations stream to Zion to worship. "Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him." The proper response to this invitation is "trembling" (chîl—to writhe or shake). This is not the trembling of a victim before a predator, but the trembling of a creature realizing it stands before the Infinite Creator. It is the awe of realizing that the gods we used to fear are nothing compared to Him. The fourth segment is: The Gospel of the Kingdom and the Joy of Creation Psalm Ninety-six: verses ten through thirteen Tell all the nations, "The Lord reigns!" The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly.  Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!  Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy  before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth. The psalm moves to its climax with the core message we are to carry to the world: "Tell all the nations, 'The Lord reigns!'" This is the gospel of the Old Testament. Yahweh Malak—The Lord is King. Because He reigns, the cosmic order is secured: "The world stands firm and cannot be shaken." Just as we saw in Psalm Ninety-three, God’s Kingship is the only thing that prevents the universe from dissolving into chaos. And the hallmark of His reign is justice: "He will judge all peoples fairly." For the nations who have lived under the corrupt rule of the rebel gods (as described in Psalm Eighty-two, where those gods judged unjustly), this is the best news imaginable. The new King is not a tyrant; He is fair. He brings equity (meysharim). He fixes what is broken. The reaction to this news is so overwhelming that human voices are not enough. The psalmist calls on the creation itself to join the choir: "Let the heavens be glad... earth rejoice... sea shout... fields burst out... trees sing." We see a total personification of nature. The "sea," which was once a symbol of chaos and rebellion, is now shouting praise. The "fields" and the "trees" represent the restoration of Edenic abundance. Why is nature so happy? Because, as Romans Eight tells us, creation has been groaning under the curse, waiting for liberation. When the True King returns, the curse is lifted. The land itself knows its Master. The reason for this universal joy is repeated for emphasis: "before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth." In our modern thinking, we often fear the idea of "judgment." But in the Psalms, judgment is something to celebrate. It means putting things right. It means the end of oppression, the end of corruption, and the restoration of truth. "He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth." God’s Truth (’ĕmûnâ—faithfulness) is the standard. He will be faithful to His promises to Abraham to bless the nations. He will be faithful to His creation to liberate it from decay. He will be faithful to His own character. Psalm Ninety-six leaves us with a mandate and a melody. The mandate is to be Kingdom Heralds. We live in a world that is still confused about who is in charge. People fear political powers, economic forces, and spiritual darkness. Our job is to go into the "families of the peoples" and announce, "Your gods are weak nothings. The Creator is the King. He is coming to set things right." The melody is the New Song. It is a song that isn't just about my personal comfort, but about cosmic restoration. It is a song that harmonizes with the trees and the oceans. It is the song of a world being reclaimed by Love. So today, as you walk your trek, look at the world around you—the people, the nations, even the nature in your backyard. Remember that it all belongs to Yahweh. And let your life be a verse in that New Song, proclaiming His salvation day after day. If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of, ‘Wisdom-Trek,   Creating a Legacy.’ Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.   As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Live Abundantly.   Love Unconditionally.   Listen Intentionally.   Learn Continuously.   Lend to others Generously.   Lead with Integrity.   Leave a Living Legacy Each Day. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to’ Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day, Everyday! See you next time for more daily wisdom!

Welcome to Day 2743 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2743 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 95:1-11 – Daily Wisdom

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2743 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred forty-three of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The King, The Shepherd, and The Warning – A Trek Through Psalm 95:1-11 Today, we are lacing up our boots to climb a new peak in the Psalter: Psalm Ninety-five. We will cover the entire psalm, verses one through eleven, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm Ninety-four, we stood in the courtroom of the cosmos. We saw God as the Judge of the Earth and the God of Vengeance, dismantling the "throne of destruction" and promising to wipe out the wicked who oppress the innocent. It was a psalm of justice, a cry for the legal intervention of Heaven. Psalm Ninety-five shifts the scene dramatically. We move from the courtroom to the Throne Room, and then to the Wilderness. This psalm serves as the grand entrance hymn to the collection of Royal Psalms that celebrate Yahweh's Kingship. It is a psalm of invitation—an invitation to shout, to bow, and, crucially, to listen. It is structured in two distinct movements: a jubilant call to worship the Supreme King, and a somber, prophetic warning from that same King. It teaches us that true worship is not just about loud songs; it is about a soft heart. So, let us heed the call and approach the Rock of our Salvation. The first segment is: The Call to Cosmic Worship: The King Above All Gods Psalm Ninety-five: verses one through five Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.  For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.  He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains.  The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land. The psalmist begins with an imperative, a command to the congregation that bursts with energy: "Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation." We saw in Psalm Ninety-four that God is our "fortress" and "mighty rock" of refuge against the wicked. Now, in response to that protection, the only appropriate reaction is volume. The phrase "shout joyfully" (rûa‘) is the same word used for a war cry or the blast of a trumpet hailing a monarch. We are not mumbling prayers in a corner; we are hailing the Victor. We approach His presence with "thanksgiving" (tôdâ), bringing an offering of gratitude before we even ask for a thing. But why is this enthusiasm required? Verse three gives us the theological bedrock of the entire psalm: "For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods." Here, we must put on our Ancient Israelite worldview lenses. When the modern reader sees "gods" (lowercase 'g'), we often think of stone idols or imaginary characters from mythology. But for the psalmist, and for the ancient world, the elohim (gods) were real, created spiritual beings. They were the members of the heavenly host, the Divine Council. However, the nations surrounding Israel worshipped these lesser spiritual beings as supreme. They worshipped Baal, Asherah, Chemosh, and others. The psalmist is making a polemical declaration of Yahweh’s absolute supremacy. He is not just "a" god; He is the Great King over the entire spiritual realm. He is the CEO of the cosmos; the unmatched Creator who presides over every other spiritual power. No other entity in the spiritual world rivals Him. This supremacy is proven by His ownership of the extremes of creation: "He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains." In ancient cosmology, the "depths of the earth" were mysterious, dangerous places, often associated with the realm of the dead or the foundations of the world that only a deity could access. The "mightiest mountains" (or peaks) were traditionally the dwelling places of the gods (like Mount Zaphon or Olympus). By claiming that Yahweh holds both in His hands, the psalmist is effectively saying, "From the lowest dungeon to the highest palace of the divine beings, Yahweh owns it all." He is the landlord of reality. "The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land." We remember from Psalm Ninety-three that the "Sea" represented chaos and rebellion. Here, the psalmist reminds us that the Sea is not a rival deity; it is merely God's property. He made it. He owns the wet and the dry, the chaos and the order. This first section establishes the Vertical Axis of worship: we look up to the King who towers over all creation and all spiritual powers. The second segment is: The Call to Submission: The Shepherd and the Sheep Psalm Ninety-five: verses six through seven Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,  for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. Now, the tone shifts. The loud shouting of the war camp turns into the hushed reverence of the throne room. "Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker." The body language changes from standing and shouting to kneeling and bowing. This is the physical posture of submission. It is an acknowledgment that while He is the "King above all gods," He is also "our maker." This implies intimacy. He fashioned us. We belong to Him by right of creation. The relationship deepens in verse seven: "for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care." The Cosmic King is also the Tender Shepherd. In the ancient world, kings were often referred to as "shepherds" of their people, but Yahweh takes this metaphor to a level of personal covenant care. We are the sheep of His hand. This transitions the psalm from the Vertical Axis (God's power) to the Relational Axis (God's care). It sets us up for the shock of the second half of the psalm. Because He is our Shepherd, and because we are His sheep, the most important thing we can do is listen to His voice. The third segment is: The Warning: The Danger of a Hard Heart Psalm Ninety-five: verses seven through eleven If only you would listen to his voice today!  The Lord says, "Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.  For there your ancestors tested and tried me, though they had seen everything I did.  For forty years I was angry with them, and I said, 'They are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.'  So in my anger I took an oath: 'They will never enter my place of rest.'" Suddenly, the singing stops. The voice of the psalmist fades, and the Voice of God breaks through the worship service. "If only you would listen to his voice today!" This creates a tension. Worship is not just about expressing our feelings to God; it is about positioning ourselves to hear from God. And what God has to say is a warning: Do not repeat the past. God reaches back into Israel's history to two infamous locations: Meribah (Quarreling) and Massah (Testing). These events are recorded in Exodus Seventeen and Numbers Twenty. In these places, the Israelites, despite having seen the Red Sea part and the manna fall, accused God of trying to kill them with thirst. They put God on trial. God says: "For there your ancestors tested and tried me, though they had seen everything I did." This is the tragedy of a hard heart. A hard heart is not an atheistic heart; the Israelites knew God existed. They saw the miracles! A hard heart is a resistant will. It is an insulation against faith. It is seeing the hand of God but refusing to trust the heart of God. It is demanding that God prove Himself over and over again on our terms. The consequences of this hardness were catastrophic: "For forty years I was angry with them... So in my anger I took an oath: 'They will never enter my place of rest.'" To understand the weight of "My Rest" (mĕnûḥâ), we need to look again at the Ancient Israelite worldview. "Rest" does not mean taking a nap. In the ancient world, a god "rested" when he had conquered chaos, established order, and took his seat in his temple to rule. For Israel, entering God's "Rest" meant entering the Promised Land, the place where Yahweh would rule in their midst. It meant participating in the Kingdom governance of God. It was the restoration of Edenic order. By swearing that that generation would never enter His rest, God was excluding them from the Kingdom project. They would remain wanderers, disconnected from the place of God's presence and rule. They were disinherited. Why? Because "They are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them." It wasn't a lack of information; it was a refusal of ways. They wanted God's miracles, but they didn't want God's path. Psalm Ninety-five leaves us with a sharp edge. It brings us into the church with singing, shouting, and high theology about the King of the Universe. It brings us to our knees in recognition of our Maker. But then, it leaves us with a choice. "Today"—this very moment—is the decisive moment. The psalmist (and the author of Hebrews in the New Testament, who quotes this extensively) is telling us that the invitation to God's Rest is still open. But the condition for entering that rest is a soft, listening heart. We cannot worship the "King above all gods" on Sunday and then live with a "Meribah heart"—a heart of quarreling and distrust—on Monday. True worship involves hearing His voice and trusting His character, even when we are in the wilderness. So, as we trek through life, let us sing loudly to the Rock of our Salvation. Let us bow low before our Maker. But most importantly, let us keep our ears open and our hearts soft. Let us not test the One who holds the depths of the earth in His hands. Let us trust the Shepherd, so that we may enter His Rest. If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of, ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.   As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Liv Abundantly.   Love Unconditionally.   Listen Intentionally.   Learn Continuously.   Lend to others Generously.   Lead with Integrity.   Leave a Living Legacy Each Day. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to’ Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day,   Everyday! See you next time for more daily wisdom!  

Welcome to Day 2742 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2742 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 94:12-23 – Daily Wisdom

Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2742 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2742 of our trek. The purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The School of Discipline and the Throne of Destruction. Today, we continue our journey through the courtroom of the cosmos in Psalm 94, covering the second half of this intense psalm, verses 12-23, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek, we stood with the psalmist as he presented his case against the "practical atheists"—the wicked rulers who crush the widow and the orphan, arrogantly claiming, "The Lord isn’t looking." We used the logic of creation—the Eye and the Ear—to dismantle their foolishness. We established that the God of Vengeance is not blind; He is simply waiting for the proper time to shine forth. Now, in this concluding section, the tone shifts dramatically. The psalmist turns from addressing the wicked fools to addressing the faithful sufferer. He moves from the external problem of evil to the internal solution of divine discipline. He asks a fundamental question: How do we survive while we wait for justice? The answer lies in the distinction between punishment and instruction. We will see that while the wicked are digging their own graves, God is building a fortress for His people through the hard lessons of life. We will also see a stark confrontation between the corrupt thrones of men and the righteous throne of God. So, let us settle our hearts and learn why correction is actually a blessing in disguise. The first segment is: The Blessing of the School of God. Psalm 94: 12-15 Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions. You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug to capture the wicked. The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession. Judgment will again be founded on justice, and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it. The psalmist begins with a beatitude, a statement of blessing that seems contradictory to our human nature: "Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions." We usually equate joy with ease, comfort, and the absence of struggle. But here, the psalmist connects joy (’ashrê, or blessedness) directly with discipline (yāsar). This word, yāsar, implies correction, chastisement, and instruction. It is the loving but firm hand of a father guiding his child. Why is this a cause for joy? Because it signifies relationship. God ignores the wicked for a season, allowing them to pile up guilt, but He actively engages with the righteous. He takes the time to "teach" them from His "instructions"—literally, His Torah, His law. When we go through hardship, if we belong to God, we are not being punished as criminals; we are being educated as sons and daughters. The purpose of this education is revealed in the next verse: "You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug to capture the wicked." This is a profound insight into the timing of God's justice. There is a "pit" being dug. The destruction of the wicked is certain; it is currently under construction. But digging a pit takes time. While the wicked are busy arrogantly strutting about, unwittingly excavating their own grave, God uses that waiting period to give His people "relief" (šāqaṭ—quietness or rest) through His Word. The discipline of God settles our hearts. It teaches us patience. It gives us the internal stability to endure the "troubled times" without losing our faith. If we were not disciplined, we might become like the wicked, or we might despair. But God’s instruction keeps us steady while the trap is set. The psalmist then anchors this stability in the covenant: "The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession." This language draws deeply from the Ancient Israelite worldview regarding the nations. In Deuteronomy Thirty-two, God disinherited the nations, assigning them to lesser spiritual beings, but He chose Jacob (Israel) as His "special possession" (naḥălâ—inheritance). Even though the world seems chaotic and unjust rulers seem to dominate, Yahweh will never walk away from His portion. He is legally and relationally bound to them. The result is the eventual restoration of order: "Judgment will again be founded on justice, and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it." Right now, the legal systems of the world—the "thrones" of men—are often divorced from true justice. But the psalmist promises a return to alignment. There is a day coming when Judgment (mishpat) will return to Righteousness (tsedeq). They will be reunited. And when that happens, the "virtuous hearts"—the upright—will no longer be marginalized; they will follow in the train of that victorious justice. The second segment is: The Personal Testimony: Comfort in the Anxiety. Psalm 94: 16-19 Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers? Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, "I am slipping!" but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. The psalmist now moves from general theology to intense personal experience. He asks a rhetorical question that highlights his isolation: "Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers?" He looks around at the human landscape. There are no allies. The courts are corrupt (as we will see in a moment). The rulers are "practical atheists." Society is indifferent. He is alone in the arena. His conclusion is stark: "Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave." This is not a poetic exaggeration. He was on the brink of death. The Hebrew phrase for "silence of the grave" is dûmâ—a place of absolute stillness, the silence of Sheol. Without Yahweh’s intervention, the wicked would have silenced him permanently. God was not just a helper; He was the only helper. He recalls the visceral sensation of falling: "I cried out, 'I am slipping!' but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me." We have all felt this. The ground gives way. Stability vanishes. It is that stomach-churning moment of losing your balance on a cliff edge. Notice that he didn't have time for a long, theological prayer. He just cried, "I am slipping!" And immediately, God's Unfailing Love (ḥesed)—His covenant loyalty—propped him up. God’s hand is faster than our fall. The psalmist then addresses the internal battle that accompanies external pressure: "When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer." The Hebrew word for "doubts" (sar‘appîm) refers to anxious, disquieting thoughts—the kind that branch out and multiply in the middle of the night, keeping you awake with "what-ifs." "What if the wicked win? What if I lose everything?" In the midst of this mental storm, God provides "comfort" (tanḥûm). But notice the effect of this comfort. It doesn't just calm him down; it gives him "renewed hope and cheer" (literally, "delight"). God doesn't just tranquilize our anxiety; He replaces it with joy.   Even while the pit is being dug for the wicked, and the battle rages, the soul that is "disciplined" by the Lord finds actual delight in His presence. The third segment is: The Verdict: The Throne of Destruction vs. The Fortress of God. Psalm 94: 20-23 Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—leaders whose decrees permit injustice? They gang up against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide. God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The Lord our God will destroy them. The psalm concludes by confronting the source of the societal evil: the corrupt government. The psalmist asks: "Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—leaders whose decrees permit injustice?" The NLT translates this dynamically, but the literal Hebrew is fascinating: "Can the throne of destruction be allied with You?" (kissē’ hawwôt). This connects powerfully to the Divine Council worldview.   A "throne" represents authority, governance, and legislation.   In the ancient world, kings claimed to rule as sons of the gods, enacting the will of heaven.   The psalmist is looking at the human rulers who are "framing mischief by statute"—legalizing sin, codifying oppression—and he asks, "Can Yahweh have any fellowship with this throne?" The answer is an emphatic NO! Just because a government has power does not mean it has God's sanction.   When a throne creates laws that "permit injustice," it becomes a "throne of destruction." It aligns itself with the forces of chaos rather than the Order of Yahweh. It becomes an enemy combatant against the Kingdom of Heaven. The actions of this corrupt throne are brutal: "They gang up against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death." They use the legal system ("condemn") to commit murder. This is the ultimate perversion of the justice God demanded in Psalm 82. In the face of this legalized evil, where does the believer go? "But the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide." The believer secedes from the "throne of destruction" and takes up citizenship in the Fortress of Yahweh. God is not just a concept; He is a "high tower" (misgāḇ) and a "rock of refuge" (tsûr maḥseh). When the laws of the land turn against the righteous, the presence of God becomes their asylum. Finally, the psalmist pronounces the sentence. The God of Vengeance (from verse one) shines forth: "God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The Lord our God will destroy them." This is the principle of lex talionis (divine retribution). God often judges evil by letting it boomerang. He "turns their sins back on them." The pit they dug for the righteous (verse 13) becomes their own grave. The violence they plotted consumes them. The psalm ends with a definitive, repetitive declaration: "He will destroy them...The Lord our God will destroy them." This is not a wish; it is a prophetic certainty. The "throne of destruction" will be destroyed by the King of Righteousness. The silence they tried to impose on the innocent (verse 17) will become their own eternal silence (verse 23, implied "cut off"). Psalm 94 leaves us with a stark choice. We can align with the "throne of destruction"—the systems of this world that rely on power, arrogance, and the exploitation of the weak—or we can submit to the School of God. If we choose God, we accept His discipline. We accept the waiting. We accept that we may "slip" and feel anxiety. But in exchange, we get a Fortress. We get Unfailing Love. We get the comfort that brings joy in the midst of sorrow. And ultimately, we get to see the victory of the God who hears, sees, and acts. If you found this podcast insightful, subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy. Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this trek together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you next time for more wisdom from God’s Word!