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The Lord's Character
Today we strike gold in two of the most wonderful descriptions of the Lord in the Old Testament: Psalm 93 and its chiastic partner-opposite Psalm 103 – for many Christians their very favourite psalm.
Psalm 93 is brief, punchy, and riveting. It declares the sovereignty and majestic power of the reigning Lord over all evil for all eternity and time. Written in the apocalyptic genre, it is objective, impersonal, total, eternal, absolute, and final.
It directly addresses the central issue of all creation: evil’s opposition to the Lord’s holy righteousness.
Just stand up and recite this psalm aloud dramatically in next Sunday’s worship, and watch what happens! The last time it did this, a man rushed out, hugged me, and would not let go! He kept on saying, ‘My brother, my brother, my brother.’
Why?
Because the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword piercing to the division of joints and marrow, soul, and spirit and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart!
Psalm 103 complements Psalm 93 with a moving description of this reigning Lord. What is he like?
He is the Lord who forgives, … who heals, … who redeems, …who crowns you with love and compassion, … who satisfies your desires, … who renews your youth like the eagle’s.
And then follows the most beautiful elaboration of his character beginning in v8 with the great revelation of his nature to Moses (after Moses had yet again lost his temper in Exodus 32 and 33), … ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished …’ Exodus 34:6-7.
Look how Moses’ troubled description of the brevity of human life in 90:9-10 changes for those who live with him in covenant obedience, v15-18.
Yes, he is the supreme sovereign, eternal holy Lord of Psalm 93, ruling untainted by evil.
But this holy Lord is compassionate and gracious. He does not treat us as our sins deserve. His love for us is as great as the highest heavens. He removes our sins from us. His love is with those who fear him, his righteousness to their children’s children.
Here is the chiastic structure:
90: Man’s pitiful sinful existence in the face of the eternal God.`
91: The Lord protects those who dwell in Him
92: The righteous life will be vindicated, but the wicked will perish
93: The sovereign Lord reigns
94: A call to the God who avenges
95: Calling God’s people to worship
96: Calling the Nations to worship
97: Celebrate: The righteous judge is coming
98: God comes: Saviour, King & Judge
99: 1st response – Holy awe and wonder
100: 2nd response – Outrageous Praise
101: 3rd response – I will live righteously
102: The penitent sinner
103: The eternal Lord is merciful and gracious
104: The Lord: creator and sustainer
105: The Lord faithfully keeps his covenant promise to Abraham
106: The desperate sinfulness and failing of the Lord’s people
Scripture
About this Plan
The 150 Psalms are arranged in five collections, or ‘books.’ The fourth book of Psalms contains 17 Psalms, Psalms 90-106, arranged in a sequence called a ‘Chiasm,’ a literary structure that Jewish authors occasionally used to present their material. The message of these psalms is presented not only through each individual psalm but also through engaging with the development of ideas and truths through the sequence of the psalms and their ‘partner-opposites’.
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