The Set Time.

THE SET TIME.

Psalm 102:15-22.

The immediate context of these verses speaks of how the eternal LORD shall yet ‘have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come’ (cf. Psalm 102:13).

This anticipates more than the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. It anticipates the gospel age, when “the nations shall fear the name of the LORD, and all kings of the earth thy glory” (PSALM 102:15; cf. Psalm 72:19; Revelation 11:15).

It also anticipates the glorious coming of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ (PSALM 102:16; cf. Titus 2:13).

All this is in answer to the prayers of His people (PSALM 102:17).

This should encourage us to keep on praying. ‘Pray for the peace of Jerusalem’ (cf. Psalm 122:6). Pray that ‘the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea’ (cf. Habakkuk 2:14). Pray for revival (cf. Psalm 85:6).

“This shall be written for the generation to come.” A people as yet unborn “shall praise the LORD” on account of it (PSALM 102:18). Looking back, those who are alive when He comes will be able to acknowledge that, ‘as it was written, so it was done!’

What is written? That He has LOOKED down from the height of heaven, and HEARD the groaning of the prisoners that are appointed to death (PSALM 102:19-20; cf. Exodus 3:7).

Supremely, it was the Lord Jesus who ‘proclaimed liberty to the captives’ (cf. Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18-19).

Those of us who have ‘been born again of the Spirit of God’ (cf. John 3:3) need to remember that we have already been ‘delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God’ (cf. Romans 8:21).

And if we are thus saved, we need to bear witness to it, and give the glory to the LORD. Thus we “declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem” (PSALM 102:21).

Yet this is not to be done ‘in a corner’ (cf. Acts 26:26), in our cosy closets and assemblies. But it is a Word to be ‘proclaimed from the rooftops’ (cf. Matthew 10:27).

“The peoples” (PSALM 102:22) cannot but be impressed when they consider the great things that the LORD has done for Zion (cf. Psalm 22:27; Psalm 68:31-32; Psalm 72:11; Isaiah 49:6).

This speaks to us of end times blessings, when the gospel shall have been preached to ‘every tribe, and kindred, and tongue, and nation’ (cf. Revelation 14:6), and when “the full number of the Gentiles” have been gathered in, "and so all Israel shall be saved” (Romans 11:25-26).

Pray towards, look towards, hope towards the glorious coming of Jesus.