新視域的力量
萬古磐石

經文
詩篇二十八1-9
1(大衛的詩。)耶和華啊,我要求告你!我的磐石啊,不要向我緘默!倘若你向我閉口,我就如將死的人一樣。
2我呼求你,向你至聖所舉手的時候,求你垂聽我懇求的聲音!
3不要把我和惡人並作孽的一同除掉;他們與鄰舍說和平話,心裡卻是奸惡。
4願你按著他們所作的,並他們所行的惡事待他們。願你照著他們手所作的待他們,將他們所應得的報應加給他們。
5他們既然不留心耶和華所行的和他手所作的,他就必毀壞他們,不建立他們。
6耶和華是應當稱頌的,因為他聽了我懇求的聲音。
7耶和華是我的力量,是我的盾牌;我心裡倚靠他就得幫助。所以我心中歡樂,我必用詩歌頌贊他。
8耶和華是他百姓的力量,又是他受膏者得救的保障。
9求你拯救你的百姓,賜福給你的產業,牧養他們,扶持他們,直到永遠。
信息分享
現在詩人的信心不再受物質因素影響,他滿有信心地安息在神裡面,他說了一句有趣的話:「我的肉體和我的心腸衰殘;但神是我心裡的力量,又是我的福份,直到永遠」(詩七十三26)。有些聖經學者認為他的意思是,在他年老時肉體將會敗壞,另一些人則說他當時正經歷某些身體的毛病。兩者都有可能。當他瞻望未來時,他知道當自己成為老人的時候,他的心和肉體都會衰殘。他將不能照顧自己,但那也沒有問題,他說:「因為無論發生什麼事,神仍然是我心裡的力量。」
另一種解釋認為詩人的話是指他當時的身體狀況,該學者說:「假若你沒有受過身體的苦楚,就沒法經歷他的屬靈經驗。因著疾病,他的神經可能處於惡劣的狀況,而他的心也會受這壓力所影響。然而他仍然肯定神是他的力量。」
一般人都同意翻譯為「力量」的詞,與「石頭」是同一個字,因此這節經文可以翻譯為:「神是我心裡的石頭和我的福份,直到永遠。」這是多麼懾人的思想──神是我的磐石。正如一位威爾斯講員說:「我很多次站在磐石上顫抖,但卻從來沒有一次是磐石在我下面顫抖的。」
「神是我內心的磐石」
進深研究
賽四十21-31,四十一10;弗三16-17
1. 我們要怎樣得到力量?
2. 保羅怎樣為以弗所人禱告?
祈禱
天父,求您今天幫助我進入生命,讓我察覺到也許我對石頭的年代所知不多,但對萬古磐石卻有很深的認識,這令我感到極之安穩。我非常感謝您。阿們。
The Power of a New Perspective
The Rock of Ages

Bible reading:
Psalm 28:1-9
1 To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit.
2 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.
4 Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back on them what they deserve.
5 Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.
6 Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.
8 The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
9 Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.
Message
Now that the psalmist's faith is no longer conditioned by material factors, and he is confidently resting in God, he makes this interesting statement: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever" (Psa. 73:26). Some commentators say he is referring here to the time when his flesh will decay through old age, while others say he was experiencing some physical problems at that very time. Both may be right. When he looks into the future he knows a time will come when he will be an old man when his heart and flesh will fail. He will be unable to look after himself but it will still be all right, says this man, "For whatever may happen, God will still be the strength of my heart."
A commentator who feels the psalmist's words have a direct bearing on his physical condition at that time says this: "You cannot pass through a spiritual experience such as this man passed through without your physical body suffering. His nerves would be in a bad state and his heart would have been affected by the strain. Nevertheless he still affirms that God is his strength."
It is generally agreed that the word which is translated "strength" is the word for "rock", and so the verse may justifiably be translated: "God is the rock of my heart and my portion for ever." What a thrilling thought this is God is my Rock. As one Welsh preacher put it: "There are many occasions when I tremble as I stand upon the Rock, but there are never any occasions when the Rock trembles under me."
"God is the rock of my heart"
Prayer
O Father, help me this day to go out into life aware that although I may not know much about the ages of the rocks I know much about the Rock of Ages. And everything I know makes me feel deeply, deeply secure. I am so grateful. Amen.
Further study
Isaiah 40:21-31; 41:10
Ephesians 3:16-17
1. How are we to receive strength?
2. What was Paul's prayer for the Ephesians?
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