Sunday June 21st, 2020 Sermons on the Reunion and Re-opening of Church Through Covid-19 Outline and Bible Study from a Hymn of Wisdom: Psalm 50

“Re-gather- The Summons to Zion!”

(Psalm 50:1-23)

Introduction: Where is God in this crazy world? This Psalm instructs us to…

I. Re-gather before who God is! (vs. 1-6)

5 ways that God has revealed Himself: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. (Antiphonal: A call and response of two groups in song or words with interaction that asks for a response.) An antiphonal chorus: “Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion!” (Isaiah 51:11)

II. Re-gather to know what God wants! (vs. 7- 15) 3 things God communicates to us: 1. 2. 3.

An antiphonal chorus: “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10)

III. Re-gather to know what we should do! (vs. 16-23)

2 things God wants all to know: 1. 2. An antiphonal chorus: “Whoso offereth praise glorifeth Me!” (Psalm 50:23).

Conclusion: “Enter His presence through Jesus who has taken the ‘sting’ of death.”

Psalm 50 Bible Study Guide and Question and Answer Please interact with your Bible open to sheet. Psalm 50. I enjoy many translations of this Psalm so take a moment and pair up with someone, and both read the Psalm from two different translations. Each read verse one, then take turns reading down through this Psalm of wisdom.

1. Notice the words above the Psalm. Who was Asaph who is mentioned in this Psalm? There are four people named Asaph in the : 1. Asaph, the father of Joah (2 Kings 18:18, 37). 2. Asaph, son of Berachiah the Gershonite (2 Chr. 20:14). 3. Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest under Persian times (Neh. 2:8). 4. The Asaph we want to talk about is: Asaph, a Levite descendent of Kohath who served and worked with King (1 Chr. 26:1). This man Asaph was from the tribe of Levites that King David assigned as worship leaders in the tabernacle choir, according to 1 Chronicles 6:31–32. Asaph was one of these men (1 Chronicles 6:39). David had a favorite worship leader. Can you picture Asaph and David working and playing praise and worship together? Asaph’s duties are described in detail in 1 Chronicles 16. According to 2 Chronicles 29:30, both Asaph and David were skilled singers and poets. Asaph is also mentioned as a “seer” or prophet. The “sons of Asaph” are mentioned in :1, 2 Chronicles 20:14, and Ezra 2:41. The sons of Asaph were likely a guild of skilled poets and singers who decended from the Asaph who knew David, modeling themselves musically after Asaph, their master. The church musicians of our day can be considered spiritual “children of Asaph.”

There are 12 Psalms that are entitled as written by Asaph. Psalms 50 and 73— 83 are called the “Psalms of Asaph” because his name appears in the superscription at the head of those psalms. Asaph’s name means: “a collector” or “gather”. It seems that Asaph wrote, and his children collected the Psalms. Asaph was a gifted individual. He understood where the gift came from, and he used his music to praise the Lord and communicate His Word to a needy world.

2. Who has spoken in verse 1 of this lesson? Take a moment and try to describe the different ways God is introduced to us in this Psalm. What are the three names of God in this Psalm? Yahweh (The Great I Am) = one time; Elyon (The Most High)= one time; Elohim (God of Salvation plural) = 12 times. What pictures of God are developed in verses 1-6?

3. Have you ever been summoned before a judge? What was that like? God’s people are being summoned to appear before Him. What kind of experience do you think that should be?

4. Notice the gathering of God’s people in verse 5. What is Zion symbolic of? You could say that the whole theme of the Bible is: “Creation, Corruption, Cross, Coming, Consummation!” God created us. We fell into sin through corruption. Jesus came as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of His people at the cross. We spread the message of redemption and help in the restoration until He comes again. Then God will remake the New Heaven and Earth and consummate the way life should be: a world without sin, and we as His people gathered to Him. The promise was through the Old Testament and extended to us through the church that God will regather His people in Zion. What is “Zion?” It is the “future” gathering of all the Old and New Testament saints together in Christ’s forever kingdom. Isaiah well predicted: “And the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10 NKJV). Psalm 50:6-7 reminds us that someday we will gather before the God the Mighty Judge- “‘Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.’ Let the heavens declare His righteousness. For God Himself is Judge. Selah.”

5. What could God really need from us? (Verses 7-14). Who is verse 7 of this lesson addressed to? How often do people do “outward” motions with no inner heart or desire to please God? If God were to address our church today through the Psalm, what would He more likely attack? a. Lip-service b. Empty prayers c. Offering defiled sacrifices (Mal. 1:7-8) d. Routine rituals (Isaiah 29:13) e. Little sacrifice and giving f. Pride seeking

6. Read verse 10. Do you know the Sunday School chorus “He Owns the Cattle on a Thousand Hills?” Sing it now! Lyrics: “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills The wealth in every mine, He owns the rivers and the rocks and rills, The sun and stars that shine, Wonderful riches more than tongue can tell He is my Father so they’re mine as well He owns the cattle on a thousand hills I know that He will care for me.” Take a moment and think of the ways God cares for you. I love the story of the early days of Dallas Theological Seminary, when they were in critical need of $10,000 to keep the work going. During a prayer meeting, renowned Bible teacher Harry Ironside, a lecturer at the school, prayed, “Lord, you own the cattle on a thousand hills. Please sell some of those cattle to help us meet this need.” Shortly after the prayer meeting, a check for $10,000 arrived at the school, sent days earlier by a friend who had no idea of the urgent need or of Ironside’s prayer. The man simply said the money came from the sale of some of his cattle! When the secretary brought the check to Ironside she said, “Mr. Ironside, the Lord sold the cattle!”

7. There is a contrast in verse 16. What is it? As you read through verses 16-21 write down the charges that God the “Judge” makes to unbelievers.

8. Read verses 15 and 23. What are the things that God wants from us? When do you often call on God? (vs. 15) What does it means to “order” our conduct? (vs. 23)

9. If you were called before God, what areas of your heart and life would you want to get straightened out? This Father’s Day I came upon the story from Paul Harvey of a young man who was to be sentenced to the penitentiary. The judge had known him from childhood, for he was well acquainted with his father--a famous legal scholar and the author of an exhaustive study entitled, "The Law of Trusts."

As the story unfolds- the young man was standing in front of the judge to receive his sentencing for his criminal behavior. "Do you remember your father?" asked the magistrate. "I remember him well, your honor," came the reply. Then trying to probe the offender's conscience, the judge said, "As you are about to be sentenced and as you think of your wonderful dad, what do you remember most clearly about him?" There was a pause. Then the judge received an answer he had not expected. "I remember when I went to him for advice. He looked up at me from the book he was writing and said, 'Run along, boy; I'm busy!' When I went to him for companionship, he turned me away, saying "Run along, son; this book must be finished!” Your honor, you remember him as a great lawyer. I remember him as a lost friend." The magistrate muttered to himself, "Alas! Finished the book, but lost the boy!" (Paul Harvey, Homemade, February, 1989.)

When God finishes our story, He doesn’t finish the story and lose us as His children. He sent His Son to die for us! Praise God!

10. What could you do this weekend to honor your earthly father? Write a letter? Place a phone call? Give a gift? Tell him you “love him and are proud of him?”