Psalm 92

This is the quintessential psalm of praise. For a day of Sabbath rest, what could bring more peace to the soul than a proper celebration?

So we begin with a declaration of how pleasant it is to lose yourself in God’s glory. Whether in daylight or in darkness, it is always the right time to worship Him. Pick an instrument because anything can be used for His glory. Just consider for a moment all the great things He has done on this earth for those He favors and you’ll think of blessings worthy of your praise.

Something is lost in translation when we see mention here of His works and thoughts. It’s more like his handiwork in Creation as a whole, and the manifestation of His plans. We marvel at how it all fits together as an expression of His divine character. The image of someone who has use only of his flesh and poor benighted intellect is appropriate for people who lack the awareness of their heart-minds, equivalent to lacking faith-as-faculty for perception. So perhaps these fools do seem to flourish for a season, but it’s only so they can be mowed down like hay for straw or fertilizer. The idea here is that they get to rise up just long enough to be noticed before removal. They think they know what’s going on, but have no clue how God’s Creation works.

God is totally the opposite, exalted beyond this universe entirely. How could anyone possibly resist Him? There is a double expression that emphasizes just how amazing and emphatic it is: Those who reject Jehovah as God are dust in His hands. The phrase typically translated “workers of iniquity” paints the image of someone who strives without rest, but to no effective purpose. They have no power to accomplish anything; it’s all in vain.

Contrast that with we who celebrate His reputation. The horn here symbolizes a purposeful effort, something that everyone can see and recognize for what it is. Thus, like the horns of an ox, a threat to anything that stands in the way, God empowers us to push through everything He calls us to do. No power on earth can resist the will of God manifested in His obedient people.

And contrasted with the grass and flowers in previous verses, so easily mowed or trampled, we who serve Him are solid trees like the cedars of Lebanon, so massive and so very useful. The image is someone whom God takes into His imperial service as a talented and honorable figure elevated to noble status. He nurtures our lives so that by the time we should be too old for adventure, we’ll bear some other kind of fruit that blesses everyone around us. At the very least, we will join the chorus who praise His name as the most trustworthy of all.