Psalms 92

The major theme is the sovereign rule of God, as stated in verse 8, which is the central verse of the psalm. It proclaims that God is most high (kjv), He is on high (), and He is exalted forever (niv). The covenant name Jehovah (Lord) is used seven times; Elyon (Most High) is found in verse 1 and Elohim in verse 13. The inscription relates the psalm to the Sabbath Day worship at the sanctuary. During the week, a lamb was sacrificed each morning and another in the evening, but on the Sabbath Day, those sacrifices were doubled (Ex. 29:38–46; Num. 28:1–10). Because our God reigns supremely, and always will, we can be the people of God that He wants us to be. The psalm describes the characteristics of believers who trust a sovereign God.

A part of Israel’s covenant relationship with the Lord was their honoring of the weekly Sabbath. It was a special sign between Israel and the Lord (Ex. 20:8–11; 31:12–17; Neh. 9:13–15) and reminded them that God had delivered them from Egypt (Deut. 5:12–15). But the Sabbath also reminded them of God the Creator (Gen. 2:1–3; Ex. 20:8–11), and seven times in Genesis 1 we are told that what God made was “good.” The psalmist added an eighth “good thing”—it is “good to give thanks [praise] unto the Lord.” Believers today can praise the Lord for His generous creation gifts, His salvation through the blood of the Lamb, and His gracious covenant with us because of what Jesus did on the cross. Worship ought to be the natural outflow of a heart that loves the Lord and appreciates who He is and what He has done for His people.

Whether we use voices alone or voices accompanied by instruments, we can express our praises to God and focus on His wonderful attributes. We can worship all day long, from morning to evening. We can begin the day assured of His love and end the day looking back on His faithfulness. We can look around and marvel at His works, including His providential care and leading in our own lives, and we can look into His Word and probe the depths of His great thoughts (Rom. 11:33–36). Whether we are stirred by the creation around us or the Scriptures before us, we have every reason to worship and praise God, for He is reigning above us! The prayer of 90:15–16 is answered in verse 4.

The psalmist shifts our attention to the enemies of the Lord who make life difficult for God’s people. The Authorized Version calls them “brutish,” which means “beastly, lacking values and discernment, savage, living only to satisfy the appetite.” Other translations use “stupid, senseless, rude, uncultivated.” The fool in Psalm 14 would qualify, and see also 49:10–12, 20; and 94:8–11. These people are like grass; they have no deep roots and their luxuriant growth passes quickly (90:5–6). God’s faithful people, however, are like palm trees and cedars (v. 12). The “horn” is a symbol of power (v. 10), and God gives His people power to overcome their foes (75:4–5, 10; 89:17, 24; 1 Sam. 2:1, 10; Luke 1:69). Oil was used to anoint special people— kings, priests, and prophets—but the anonymous psalmist rejoiced because the Lord had anointed him with fresh oil. He may also have been speaking for all Israel and praising God for a special victory He had given them. God wants His people to be overcomers (Rom. 12:21; 1 John 2:13–14; 4:4; 5:4–5; Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7), and this comes when first we are worshippers.

The senseless brutish crowd is like grass (v. 7), but the righteous are like trees (see 1:3; 52:8; Prov. 11:30; Isa. 1:30; 61:3; Jer. 11:16; 17:8). The wicked may look like sturdy trees, but they don’t last (37:35–36; 52:5). The word flourish in verse 7 means “to be conspicuous, to shine,” while the word in verses 12–13 means “to be vigorous, to flourish richly.” The stately date palm and cedar were highly valued by people in the Near East, the palm for its fruit and the cedar for its wood. Both were appreciated for their beauty, and both trees can survive for many years. Not all godly people live long; some, like Robert Murray M’Cheyne and David Brainerd, die very young. But generally speaking, those who obey God avoid a great deal of the danger and disease that can cause an early death. The promise in 91: is still true, and so is the picture in 92:13–14. To stay “fresh and green” in old age and not spend one’s life complaining and demanding is a mark of God’s special blessing. (See Ps. 71 for a description of an older saint who is fresh, fruitful, and flourishing.) We change as we grow older, but the Lord never changes. He is our Rock (32:4, 15, 18, 30–31), and what He wills for us is perfect, so we will not complain.