THE PERFECTING WORK OF GOD

This psalm of David, like so many others, was written during a period of pressure, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me”, v. 7. These words remind us of the more famous ones, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me”, Psa. 23. 4.

Verse 1 implies that David was in the company of pagan idolaters, “before the gods will I sing praise unto thee”. An idolater could not sing praises, for “Dead gods have dumb devotees” (Maclaren).

Twice in the psalm we find distinct prophecies, one concerning the world, and the other concerning David.

1. “All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord”, vv. 45. This prediction has stood for many centuries, but its fulfilment is not in doubt; see also Psalm 72. 11. The millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ will witness the literal realization of these and similar promises.
2. “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever”, v. 8. Paul supplies three N.T. counterparts of this prediction in his letter to the Philippians: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”, 1. 6; “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”, 2. 13; “The Lord Jesus Christ … shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself’, 3. 20, 21.

There is a doctrine of perfection in the Scriptures, for we read ofthe gift of perfection, Heb. 10. 14, the thirst for perfection, Phil. 3. 12, and the call to perfection, Matt. 5. 48. God is at work in our lives, moulding us and fashioning us into the likeness of Christ.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”, Eph. 2. 10.