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Scripture Reading: Psa. 102:12-16, 19-22, 24-27; 104:35b; 105:45b; 106:1, 47-48
Now we come to the last few psalms of Book Four.
Book Four of the Psalms is a short book, and there are just three main points: first, how the saints take God as their dwelling place, thus making them practically one with God (Psa. 90 to 92); second, the recovery of God’s title over the earth through Christ in the house and city of God. This second point, though quite simple, is exceedingly strategic. It is nearly the ultimate concept of the whole of the Psalms, and it is the main thought in Book Four. Book One is mainly for Christ and the house; Book Two is mainly for Christ and the city; Book Three is mainly for the recovery of the house and the city; and Book Four is mainly for the earth. It is vital that we be impressed with all these main points. The third point of Book Four is a further revelation of Christ. Book One has something about Christ, Book Two has something more about Christ, Book Three has something further concerning Christ, and Book Four has still an additional unfolding of Christ. Eventually, as we will see, Book Five also has something concerning Christ. We have seen Christ already in the first section of Book Four: how He was identified with the saints in taking God as His dwelling place. We have also seen Christ in the second section of Book Four: how He is the King to reign over the entire earth for the recovery of God’s title. Christ is the center: Christ takes God as His dwelling place, and Christ reigns for God over the entire earth.
Now at the end of Book Four, we have these five psalms, Psalms 102 to 106, revealing something more concerning Christ. Psalm 102:25-27 is quoted at the end of Hebrews 1, which applies all these verses to Christ. Hence, we see that Psalm 102 is also a psalm concerning Christ. This psalm is clearly divided into three sections: the first section, from verse 1 to 11, portrays the sufferings of Christ. This passage depicts Christ’s suffering in a way in which no other chapter in the entire Bible does. He was afflicted, forsaken and cast down by God. When I was a young Christian, verse 7 impressed me deeply: “I watch, and I am like / A lone sparrow on a housetop.” Christ Himself was continually watching, without sleeping, just as a lonely sparrow on a housetop. The houses in the Holy Land have flat roofs, and frequently the people go there to pray. Peter was engaged in prayer on the housetop in Acts 10. We believe that Christ also was there many times, watching, without sleeping, praying to God. This verse shows how Christ behaved in His suffering.
The second section of Psalm 102, verses 12 to 22, tells us how Christ is the Lord who has compassion on Zion, who has built up Zion, and who is declared in Zion and praised and served in Jerusalem. The psalm begins by telling of Christ’s suffering and then turns suddenly to the house and the city of God. Verse 13 says, “You will arise and have compassion on Zion, / For it is time to be gracious to her; the appointed time has come.” I do believe that this was a time when the house and the city were in desolation, and the saints desired to see the restoration. “For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, / And show favor to her soil” (v. 14). Do not forget that this is poetic expression. The stones mentioned here are the believers, and the soil refers to the ground of Zion. The servants of the Lord take pleasure in the members of God’s house, and they show favor to her soil. Verse 15 says, “The nations will fear the name of Jehovah, / And all the kings of the earth, Your glory.” Again, you see the relation between the house, the city, and the earth. When the city is in the proper situation before God, then the earth may be gained by the Lord. It is through Zion, through the church, that the nations will turn to the Lord and the kings give glory to the Lord. When we love the church, when we take pleasure in her stones and show favor to her soil, these things will occur. The turning of the earth to the Lord depends upon our attitude toward the house of the Lord.
I say again that this is poetry. We must understand what it means to take pleasure in all the stones of Zion and to show favor to her soil. It is not easy for most Christians to understand these words. I believe that before we came into the local church, we could not understand the meaning of showing favor to the soil of Zion. But today we have the position, and we are in the position to understand this poetry and to have such an experience. We take pleasure in the stones of Zion, and we show favor to her soil. We are so happy with all the dear ones in the local church, and we are standing upon the ground of the church.
Why do the nations “fear the name of Jehovah, / And all the kings of the earth, Your glory”? The answer is in verse 16: “For Jehovah has built up Zion; / He has appeared in His glory.” Again we see that when the church is built up, the earth will be gained by the Lord. The nations will fear the Lord, and all the kings give glory to the Lord, for He has built up Zion and has appeared in Zion in His glory. For the Lord to take full possession of the earth requires the building up of Zion.
Verse 21 says, “The name of Jehovah may be declared in Zion, / And His praise, in Jerusalem.” This verse mainly stresses the city rather than the house. The city is greater than the house, although within it is the house. If we still conduct our meetings in the old way of Christianity with the silence, the pews, the forms, and the special speakers, I do not think that is a declaration of the name of the Lord or of His praise. Rather, when we proclaim, “O Lord, Amen, Hallelujah!” we are, at least to some extent, declaring the name of the Lord and His praises. “Jesus is Lord! Hallelujah!” This also is a declaration of the name of the Lord and of His praise. Men must declare the name of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem.
After going through all the psalms, I cannot find a single verse which says that the house or the city is a place to receive teachings. But there are many verses in the Psalms which tell us that the house or the city of God is the place to praise the Lord. “Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; / They will yet be praising You” (84:4). We must not only praise Him but declare His praises. We must make our praises a kind of declaration.
When will we do this? “When the peoples are gathered together, / And the kingdoms, to serve Jehovah” (102:22). Again we see how the Lord needs Zion in order to recover the earth. When men declare the name of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem, then the peoples and the kingdoms will be gathered together to serve the Lord. All these verses show us in poetic language how the recovery of the Lord’s right over the whole earth depends upon the situation of the local churches. It is not a small matter. When we as the local church come together and call, “O Lord, Amen, Hallelujah!” it is not a light thing. It is very much related to the Lord’s recovery and His right over the entire earth.
My wife and I were walking a few blocks from the meeting hall one day when a little girl surprised us by saying so sweetly, “Hallelujah!” We had never met her before, and she had never met us, yet somehow she knew that we are the “Hallelujah people.” O brothers and sisters, let us say more and more, “Hallelujah,” and, “Jesus is Lord.” Let us declare His name and His praise. We are in the heart of Satan’s kingdom. To say “Hallelujah” and “Jesus is Lord” in such a place is full of significance and impact.
It is due to Christ and the building up of the house of God that peoples will be gathered and the kingdoms will serve the Lord. We all must be turned from the religious concept of keeping the law to Christ Himself, that the house and the city may be built up. Then we may declare His name and His praise, the peoples will be gathered to serve Him, and God’s legal right over the earth will be recovered.
The last section of Psalm 102, verses 23 to 28, is concerned with the eternity of Christ. In the first section of this psalm, He was the suffering and afflicted man, but at the end of the psalm, He is the eternal One, the very God, from eternity to eternity, the everlasting One, who will never change. “Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, / And the heavens are the work of Your hands. / They will perish, but You endure; / Indeed all of them will wear out like a garment; / Like clothing You will change them, / And they will be changed. / But You are the same, / And Your years are without end” (vv. 25-27).
Following Psalm 102, we have Psalm 103, concerning Christ the Lord as the Redeemer. “He redeems your life from the pit; / He crowns you with lovingkindness and compassions” (v. 4). Next, in Psalm 104, we see Christ the Lord as the good and kind Creator of so many things. The last two psalms of Book Four, Psalms 105 and 106, tell us that Christ is the very Lord who has made a covenant with His people and who is continually dealing with His people according to His covenant. He is the Redeemer (Psa. 103), He is the Creator (Psa. 104), and He is also the Maker and Keeper of the covenant with His people (Psa. 105—106).
Notice now that by the end of Book Four the “Hallelujahs” have begun, with the first instance at the end of Psalm 104. At the end of Psalm 105 we have another “Hallelujah,” and at the beginning of Psalm 106, still another. Then at the end of Psalm 106, that is, at the close of the entire Book Four of the Psalms, there is the fourth “Hallelujah.” Hallelujah is not used in Book One, in Book Two, or even at the end of Book Three. At those stages the earth had not yet been fully recovered. But now in Book Four, because the earth has been fully recovered by God, the psalmists break forth with four “Hallelujahs.” Not only has Christ been given His rightful position and the church built up as the house and the city, but the earth has been recovered by the Lord and brought fully under Christ’s dominion. There is nothing to say but “Hallelujah!” At the end of Psalm 106 we have to say with the psalmist, “Amen. Hallelujah.”
Later, in Book Five, we will see many more “Hallelujahs.” Now we are only at the end of Book Four. But, Hallelujah, Christ is here in the church as the house and the city, and the recovery of God’s title over the earth has been accomplished. Now the earth is the Lord’s, and all the peoples are gathered with the kingdoms to serve Him. Amen, Hallelujah!
