God bless you in the name of Jesus Christ, who left a legacy of believing and integrity for us to follow (I Peter 2:21).
I enjoy listening to contemporary Christian music very much. However, I have developed the habit of screening what I hear with what the Word says. One of my favorite groups is Casting Crowns. They have a song I enjoy called, “Only Jesus.” However, I have an issue with their statement, “I don’t want to leave a legacy.” I know the main point of the song is that they want people to remember Jesus rather than themselves. I certainly agree with that sentiment. However, I feel obliged to say, “I don’t care what you want ― you are going to leave a legacy.” The question is will it be a good one or a bad one.
Psalms 78 is called a Maschil of Asaph. “Maschil” means “instructing,” and it occurs in the title of thirteen Psalms. It denotes an instructive Psalm enforcing an important lesson. The first eight verses of this Psalm are an introduction to the important lesson it has to teach.
Psalms 78:1: {Maschil of Asaph.}
Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
Inclining the ears does not denote an ordinary sort of hearing, but such as a disciple renders to the words of his master, with submission and reverence of mind. It is focused and accompanied by silence so that the instruction may be heard and properly understood. There’s effort and focus involved so that nothing is allowed to escape.
Psalms 78:2-8:
I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: 3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. [It was passed down to us. Will we similarly pass it down to our children?] 4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. 5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: [Both “testimony” and “law” are words used for God’s Word in Psalms 119. It’s a Hebrew poetic parallelism with the same thought repeated in different words.] 6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: 7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
Our children will be much more likely to have the absolute certainty that comes with trusting God’s Word, if we ourselves are certain and communicate the same to them. This, of course, is a lesson that bears repeating over and over again. God’s Word is the living word of a Living God. Martin Luther certainly understood it as the living word of a living God. He said, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me. The Bible is not antique or modern. It is eternal.” We have an eternal Word that is settled in heaven (Psalms 119:89).
Some people think the Bible is too outdated to be useful in dealing with the complexities of modern life, but they are wrong. God’s truth is the same today as it was when it was first written. Nothing has changed since the days of the New Testament. We don’t need new truth, we only need to believe and obey the old truth, the eternal truth. God’s Word isn’t new or old. It’s eternal.
Psalms 119, the great acrostic Psalm of God’s Word, speaks directly to the unchanging nature of the truth. Verse 152 says, “Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.” Verse 160 says, “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.” This same assurance is given by Psalms 111:7-8 which says, “The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.” Jesus using one of those “verily I say unto you” statements for emphasis, said in Matthew 5:18, “For, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
There are few things that delight me more than declaring what I see in the Bible. I love it. I savor it. The Bible is the only completely true book in the world. It is inspired by God. Rightly divided (which means both rightly understood and practiced) it will make God known.
The Bible tethers us to reality. We are not free to think and speak whatever might enter our minds. We have a duty of disciplined thinking. We are responsible to know and do the will of God which requires that we know the Word of God. It’s not grievous (I John 5:3); it’s the joy and rejoicing of our hearts (Jeremiah 15:16). Enjoy your day as you acknowledge the eternal truth of God’s Word, and build a legacy for your progeny.