Friday, 4th March 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-4 God is the Ruler of the Earth
What is rest? It’s not doing nothing but to relax and let God take over. When we can really rest then we will know God is God and we will let God be God. When we share the Word of God, we need to meditate if what we share can change how others think and to impact their lives through God. V1 ‘Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!’ How do we see God’s miracles? Do we let the miracles bring changes to the lives of people? Or do we let it pass in front of us and miss out this chance to recognise God’s wonders and works in our lives?
V2 ‘For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.’ What is the Gospel? What is the Word of God? To bring people back from the wrong path, to break through, and to make a difference. But this decision is up to us, we can hear the Word and makes changes, or we can choose to stay on the same path and walk the old way. Are we willing to humble and obey? This is our decision.
V3 ‘He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet.’ We must declare, in trouble times God is our refuge, we don’t need to work so hard, but to partnership with God and let Him be in control. God brings us to New Zealand for us to have a new beginning, but do we really see God behind all this? Or do we take we have what we have for granted? New Zealand is a new name for this nation just like how God Jacob a new name, Israel.
V4 ‘He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah’ God prepares His abundance treasures for His people, He is our stronghold, why do we need to worry? We tend to live in a life of slavery, working hard, worrying about many things, trying to please this world, and we will never be happy. Because if our attitude is not right and no matter where we go, we will not feel right. We will end up with bitterness, burdens, anger, and shame.
Section Two V5-7 To Praise and to Sing
V5 ‘God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.’ God took us through mountains and valleys, we have already overcome, and we must praise! We cannot just stop here but to continue to praise, to share the Good News, and to witness for God! When we blow the trumpet, we declare victory.
V6-7 ‘Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding.’ When we see a blessing, we must enlarge it and share God’s works in everything we do. When we see the attitude of people we can easily see if they are praising and giving thanks with all their hearts. We must praise God with audible voice, so that we know God is worthy of all our praises! We must sing out and speak out, because our voice is full of power and authority, therefore we should praise and sing out loud our praises to the Ruler of the earth!
Section Three V8-9 All is to be the People of God
V9 ‘The princes of the people have gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.’ Are we willing to stand up for God, witness Him and show people that He is the Ruler of the earth?
诗篇 47 – 要赞美见证神
2022年3月4日 星期五
潘锡安牧师
诗篇46和47是相关联的。诗篇46篇教导我们要休息，不让外界的新闻影响我们，不然就忙得不可开交，无法思考前方的路。真正的休息是克制己身、叫身服我 – 这个“我”就是圣灵的带领。当我们不是随从自己肉体，而是凡事寻求神的时候，我们就知道神是神。在如今这样动荡不安、疫情加重的时候，我们要用什么态度去面对？今天的经文告诉我们要赞美、见证神。我们是否能观察到神的作为，并感恩赞美? 我们要学习在平凡生活、甚至艰难的环境中看到神迹奇事，才能见证神。
一、v.1-4 神是全地的王
V1 这篇诗篇是“可拉后裔”写的。“可拉”是利未支派的领袖，在当初以色列人出埃及时带头出来反对摩西和亚伦，因此死在旷野。然而，神仍然使用他的后裔。我们的父母、家族可能是悖逆神的，但福音帮助我们能从错误中出来。是否要继续跟着家族传统，还是愿意突破自己、谦卑顺服跟从神，这在乎我们的选择。可拉的死很羞愧，但他们的后裔用正面积极的态度跟从神，呼召“万民”来“拍掌”、“向神呼喊”！在疫情中，我们看到的是否是确诊数字的升高和通货膨胀？这样的看见促使我们用doing来回应，只想着赶紧多赚一点钱，就无法真正的休息、突破，所以无法拍掌、呼喊。我们是否愿意看到自己的思想模式是有问题的，还是继续用习惯当借口？要有归零的心态，才能发出夸胜的声音，看到在神没有难成的事！
V2 神是“可畏的”，所以我们要俯伏在神面前 – 就是全身贴在地上，代表着人愿意承认自己是尘土，若没有神的一口气，我们仍是泥土。我们的态度决定我们属灵的高度，从我们的行动可以看出是否尊敬神和我们的权柄。我们若知道神是治理全地的大君王，唯有他能够胜过地上的掌权者，胜过疫情，我们才能拍掌、用夸胜的声音欢呼。
V3 可拉的后裔知道耶和华神不是叫他们羞愧的。当我们愿意认罪悔改、谦卑回转向神的时候，神就让我们有权柄，“叫万民服在我们以下，又叫列邦服在我们脚下”。“万邦万民服在我们脚下，就是服在我们的权柄之下。我们是怎么看自己的？是否看自己是一个失败的、做什么都不行的人？我们也不是要夸耀自己，而是在这个动荡不安的环境让人看到我们的喜乐、平安。
V4 新西兰是神给我们这里每一个人的“产业”，是给我们的祝福，我们在这里要有一个“新”的开始，不要再用过去的思维模式来生活。要愿意放下过去，心意更新而变化。“雅各”就是以色列，神给他新的名字，是“荣耀”的，是十二支派得地为业的祝福。我们是否愿意成为这地的一个公民，是否看这是荣耀的？我们有这样厉害的“后台”，还能不赞美敬拜神吗？我们若用过往的眼光来看新西兰，就只能活在为奴为仆的生活里。神要给我们的是雅各的祝福。
二、v.5-7 要欢呼、要歌颂
V5 神造访我们，陪伴我们走过高山低谷，所以神“上升”就说明我们已经得胜了。当我们经历神的祝福，就要用得胜的声音为神作见证。要看到生活中神的作为，从生活中的小事放大神的恩典！我们的见证可以改变别人的思想，带出行动。
V6 神创造我们都是美好的，不要看任何人是五音不全的。人若经历了神，用新的眼光看自己，就不会在乎别人怎么看自己，才能全心来歌颂神。在敬拜赞美的时候，我们的声音是如何的？是否连周围的人都听不到？还是充满欢呼？我们的行动代表了我们的内心。我们要大声赞美神，提醒我们自己，神是值得赞美的! 当我们“歌颂”的时候，代表我们承认他是我们的王！
V7 可拉的后裔被人耻笑，但他在这里鼓励人“用悟性歌颂”神。我们要能将头脑里的知识说出来歌颂神，他是全地的王，我们的敬拜也要让他听到。
三、v.8-9 世人都要做神的子民
神不只是处理蒙召的人，他还能治理万国。在世界上的国家之间还有很多争斗的时候，他依然做王。在恐慌当中，我们反要歌颂赞美主，对人讲见证。列邦都要“做亚伯拉罕之神的民”，因为我们不是靠任何资源或哪一个国家，“世界的盾牌是属神的，他为至高”。我们是否能在平凡生活中看到神的祝福和保守，并向人作见证吗？人在黑暗中，他们都需要看见光，我们愿意成为黑夜中的星星吗？