Studies In Psalms – Psa 102:19-28 “Thou Shalt Arise, And Have Mercy Upon Zion” – Part 4
Psa 102:19-28 “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion” – Part 4
Psa 102:19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
Psa 102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
Psa 102:21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
Psa 102:22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
Psa 102:23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
Psa 102:24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
Psa 102:25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
Psa 102:26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:
Psa 102:27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
Psa 102:28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
This particular Psalm 102 starts in verse 1 with a declaration that this chapter is a prayer: “A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee” and then proceeds to show us how God is going to answer that prayer in the life of all of His children in due time.
It is the broken and contrite heart which is acceptable to God, and we are accepted through Christ who enables us to endure and bear the cross of this life that we must bear if we are going to be that broken and contrite seed that dies daily and falls into the ground to “be established before thee” of verse 28 of our study tonight.
Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
That affliction which God brings upon us is needful and necessary in order for us to come to learn that His grace is sufficient for us, and that thorn that we’re each given is the means to the end to “make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” so you can rule over your heavens today, and ultimately as kings and priests under Christ rule over the outward heavens of peoples’ minds according to the counsel of God’s will.
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
2Ti 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
With these things in mind, we will look at the joy-filled conclusion of our four-part study entitled “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion” and see once again how God looks down from heaven to earth as stated in verse 19 to establish the workmanship of his hands through the humbling process of grace and faith by which all men will be saved.
1Ti 2:4 who desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
Psa 102:19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
Our Father “hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary” and sees the living stones which He is fashioning to create a foundation for His truth, His eternal words, to go forth unto all nations, to judge all nations, typified by the breastplate of judgment worn over the ephod on the high priest:
Exo 28:15 And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
Exo 28:16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.
Exo 28:17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.
Exo 28:18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
Exo 28:19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
Exo 28:20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.
Exo 28:21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes. [Luk 10:20 1Co 6:3, Exo 28:15]Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Each row of gemstones has (3) stones reminding us of the process of judgment which must be upon the house of God (1Pe 4:17) if we are going to bear this judgment within us spiritually. Then there are four rows of three to remind us that all the world (4) will learn righteousness when his judgements are in the earth (Isa 26:9). All the various different types of precious stones (12 = foundation) remind us that we are not all the same in the body of Christ, and yet we are of the same spirit, and that it takes all the many members to effectively judge all nations both within initially and then without.
Exo 28:21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Co 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
The parallel verses in Revelation 21:12-16 remind us that “the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it” which resides on the high priest, who represents Christ, keeps us close to his heart and that closeness is paralleled with the temple which we are who have the hope of glory within this temple (Col 1:24, Rev 21:12-16). It is a temple with a “wall great and high” symbolizing the wisdom of Christ whose wisdom is too high for us at first (Pro 24:7, Rev 21:27).
Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Rev 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Rev 21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
Rev 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
There are twelve gates, and twelve angels, with names written on them just as the stones on the breastplate are connected to the twelve tribes of Israel who are the type and shadow of the Israel of God who we are (Gal 6:16). On the east side three gates, again showing the judgment that was needed to establish the temple just as the three rows of stones on the breastplate symbolize. The twelve foundations of the temple represent the pillars that God’s elect are for the kingdom of God to be established upon (1Ti 3:15, Gal 2:9). The golden reed represents Christ who enables us to “measure the city”(Rev 11:1). God’s judgments are all right and just, and “The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.” This reminds us that there is one event unto all men who will all eventually come to know and perceive that all His judgments are done in righteousness and that the breastplate of judgment with cunning work is all symbolic language of the judgment that must occur upon the body of Christ in order for the stones to be fitly framed upon the breastplate of the high priest. The symbolic colors of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet of (Exo 28:15) remind us that the “fine twined linen” which is symbolic of Christ righteousness (Rev 19:8) can only be formed through trials of our faith that are precious unto God (Ecc 9:11, Mal 3:18, Psa 145:17, Pro 25:11).
1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; [all of those precious stones on the breastplate are yours, and we belong to one another and Christ is our head]
The light of Christ will break forth through the body of Christ (the temple of God) who are the light of the world, and the world will not comprehend it. It will take not only the symbolic removing of the veil of Moses to see the light of Christ from an outward perspective, but also and most importantly the ripping of the veil within our hearts (the greater glory of the sun), the circumcision of our flesh that must miraculously occur for all men to one day see the true glory of God that we experience and grow in as we go from glory to glory in our Lord. Unless the Lord builds that house, and constructs that intricate garment within the body of Christ there would be no way established to save the world, but alas He is making the bride ready and preparing our hearts through judgement and fiery trials to do just that (1Pe 4:17, 1Pe 4:12).
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
1Co 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
2Co 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
2Co 3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
2Co 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
2Co 3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
2Co 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Everything discussed thus far is really showing us how “from heaven did the LORD behold the earth“. He abides within us through the earnest of the spirit (2Co 1:22-24) that initially was typified in all the old covenant types and shadows, and is now being shown within the temple that we are through Christ our hope of glory.
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Psa 102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
Psa 102:21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
Psa 102:22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
We’ve answered this question already, but why does God look down from heaven to earth and how is that supposed to affect us as the body of Christ? These three above verses explain that God understands “the groaning of the prisoner” and has a set time “to loose those that are appointed to death”, and that is why it is written “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion”.
Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Zion is first judged at the appointed time, and it is as God’s people that we “declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem”. We praise him for the wonderful works that we know are needed to establish a right relationship with Him that will bless all the world.
We will look at the blessings that God gives his people who are being visited in this age in the verses of (Mat_5:3-16). These blessings are the foundation that he is laying in the hearts of his people so that we can “declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem”:
Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
We are all so incredibly blessed to have His judgments in our earth that are forming His righteousness within us, as the nations within us are brought into subjection unto Christ and it is “When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms [within], to serve the LORD” that we experience that blessing today, being “gathered together”, in that singleness that we have in Christ.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicityG572 that is in Christ.
G572 haplotēs Total KJV Occurrences: 8
– Original: αu788 πu955 οu769 τu951 ςpar – Transliteration: Haplotes
– Phonetic: hap-lot’-ace
– Definition:
1. singleness, simplicity, sincerity, mental honesty
a. the virtue of one who is free from pretence and hypocrisy
2. not self seeking, openness of heart manifesting itself by generousity
– Origin: from G573 [1. simple, single 2. whole 3. good fulfilling its office, sound a. of the eye]
Psa 102:23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
Psa 102:24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
God makes His strength perfect through our weakness, and so we must rest in the fact that we are not here on this earth to offer God anything in our flesh, but rather are presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice that is only acceptable through Christ (Rom 12:1). That sacrifice has been predestined from the foundation of the world to understand the process of grace and faith by which we are to be saved (Eph 2:8). His grace is sufficient for us, he will get the job done and boasting will be excluded by the law of faith and we will eventually esteem all men higher than ourselves and see every single soul as a precious stone of the field that we are connected to just as the breastplate of judgement represents (Php 2:3).
We are weakened through the chastisement and judgement on our flesh and the shortening of my days has everything to do with that judgement. Both the HebrewH7114 and the GreekG2856 refer to to a vexing/grieved/chastised state when referring to the english word “shortened”
Psa 102:23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortenedH7114 my days.
Job 21:4 As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubledH7114?
Jdg 16:16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexedH7114 unto death;
Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortenedG2856, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortenedG2856.
We will initially cry out “take me not away in the midst of my days” which could be thought of as the Psalmist crying out in type and shadow, “please don’t take your spirit away from me, and please finish the work which you have started within me” as David also cried out (Psa 51:11). The word “days”H3117 in these two verses are even defined by Strong as having its origin “from an unused root meaning to be hot”. That is the fiery judgment at the house of God (1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 4:17)!
God’s existence is not bound by time, and He has already declared the end from the beginning so it is true “thy years are throughout all generations”, but are we of the generation that “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon”? Are we “Zion”? If we see that judgment as His visitation upon Zion today, then blessed are we if we don’t despise that judgment and “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy”.
Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Mat 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Psa 107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
Psa 102:25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
Psa 102:26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:
These verses coincide nicely with the thought that Christ “calleth those things which be not as though they were” of (Rom 4:17). Christ “laid the foundation of the earth” and “the heavens are the work of thy hands” but notice in the next verse what happens to all of these type and shadow events that God creates through Christ. “They shall perish, but thou shalt endure” because he has the words of eternal life and God is using the physical creation to bring us to understand the spiritual relationship we have with each other as those words are purified within us (Joh 6:68, Psa 12:6).
Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Simply put (the simplicity in Christ), the physical creation is what God has given us to compare spiritual with spiritual as we go from glory to glory (1Co 2:13, 2Co 3:18). As we go through this process of having his silver purified within us “all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed” another way of saying that God is going to burn away all the dross within us (Pro 25:4, Isa 1:25). And that vesture will be changed into something extraordinary as we are fashioned together into that intricate pattern being weaved into the white linen, multi-coloured ephod, and gem-studded breastplate.
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psa 102:27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
Psa 102:28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
These last two verses of our study bring to mind these verses in Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8 which tell us that Christ does not change. Christ and His Father are one, and it has always been God’s intention to have us become as He is, through judgment, so that we also change not, to the end that the world can learn of His holiness through the chaste bride of Christ who understands that singleness of Christ intimately. How else can “The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee” happen unless we have this spiritually chaste and close relationship with Christ and Christ’s body?
Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
“Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion” is the means to the end that will produce a holy “seed that shall be established before thee”, and we know that seed is going to be all the world in time as this promise to Abraham foreshadows and is the reason it is written “The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee”.
Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Gen 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
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