I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
God knows every bird of the mountains and owns the wild beasts of the field, so every living creature belongs to Him. That ownership reaches to the whole earth and its fullness, with its gold and silver, houses and lands, cattle and natural wealth. Because all things are already His, He is not dependent on human gifts and does not ask for offerings because He is hungry or in need. People themselves and all they have are His, so they hold property, abilities, time, and strength only in trust to be faithfully used and increased for their rightful Owner. He purposely gives them part in advancing His cause for their own good, so that their gifts acknowledge that all comes from Him and keep benevolence, sympathy, and Christian character in exercise, while He has abundant means to supply His work and answer believing prayer at the right time.
God's Ownership and Knowledge
God knows every bird of the mountains and owns every wild beast of the field, so all living creatures belong to Him. The birds and the wild animals named in the verse illustrate that the world and its resources and abundance are the Lord's, and that He is not without means to provide for His work. With the whole world and its fullness belonging to Him He is not dependent on men for means to sustain His cause, nor does He ask for gifts because He is hungry or needy, for if He were hungry He would not need to tell men. He calls for human cooperation for man's own good, to develop Christian generosity and sympathy.
That ownership extends to the earth and its treasures, its fullness, resources, wealth, gold and silver, natural treasures, houses and lands, cattle and living creatures. He is not dependent on any man's gold or silver for the support of His cause, and He has resources to provide help for His work. He has placed abundance in the world in the hands of men so the hungry can be supplied with food, the naked with clothing, and the homeless with homes. Human beings therefore hold property only in trust and are responsible to use it faithfully rather than as their own ultimate property.
Jesus' command that a fish provide the tribute money reveals His divine glory and identifies Him with the God who owns the creatures and all the world. The psalm's setting declares God's greatness and His rule, under which men must take their stand in Christ rather than working on the side of Satan in anarchy, war, and strife. Failure to do so will be seen at the last great day in the fearful loss of souls caused by that failure.
God's Independent Provision
Because all birds and wild animals are His, with the world and its fullness, God is not dependent on any person's gold or silver to sustain His cause. He does not ask for gifts and offerings because He is hungry or needy, and if He were hungry He would not need to tell people. All creation and its abundance belong to Him, so He does not rely on human wealth to support His work.
He could have supplied His treasury directly from heaven if that had been best for people. He could have sent angels to publish the truth to the world without human agency. He could have written the truth upon the heavens to declare His requirements in living characters.
He is not without abundant means and resources to provide help for His work, for the earth with its treasures, its gold and silver, its cattle and natural wealth, and all its living creatures are the Lord's. Those perplexed about how to help missions should therefore pray, believe, and act as He gives wisdom, trusting Him with living faith that He hears and answers prayer and will send money and help at the right time to advance His work. The same confidence grounds the establishing of a school and the carrying of the message of mercy, since the silver and gold and all needed means are His.
He has placed abundance in the world in the hands of people so that the hungry can be supplied with food, the naked with clothing, and the homeless with homes, for houses and lands are truly His. The Lord will move upon worldly people, even idolaters and people in high places, to give of their abundance for the support of His work.
Human Stewardship and Giving
People and everything they possess belong to God, so human beings hold property only in trust and are responsible to use it faithfully rather than as their own. Their abilities, possessions, time, strength, intellect, and every power of mind and body, with body, soul, and spirit, are entrusted to them for service and are to be dedicated, consecrated, and used to honor Him and yield increase for their rightful owner. At the second coming of Christ He will call His servants to account for money entrusted to them and whether they used it for the extension of His kingdom, so money must not be spent needlessly or locked up in banks and investments but put to wise use, including providing a house of worship where believers in unpopular truth have a church home.
Whatever necessity exists for human agency in advancing His cause is purposely arranged by Him for people's own good, to honor them by making them coworkers with Him and to keep their benevolent affections in exercise and develop benevolence, sympathy, generosity, and Christian character. Offerings do not make Him richer but acknowledge that everything comes from Him and that people depend on Him. He calls for gifts and offerings to cultivate benevolence, values them as evidence of love and devotion with time and talents in service, asks for what is already His own, and will not accept offerings when people withhold themselves.
It is proper to approach people in high places wisely, give them opportunity and a fair chance to help, and receive what they give, while being in the world but not of the world, bringing truth before them and taking advantage of every opportunity to advance God's cause without sacrificing principle. Work must not be done from a human standpoint or finite judgment but with an eye single to His glory and after His order so His mold is upon it. If one person refuses to cooperate God will choose another willing and obedient person, and work done in righteousness in that way will endure as eternity.
God knows every bird of the mountains and owns the wild beasts of the field, so every living creature belongs to Him. That ownership reaches to the whole earth and its fullness, with its gold and silver, houses and lands, cattle and natural wealth. Because all things are already His, He is not dependent on human gifts and does not ask for offerings because He is hungry or in need. People themselves and all they have are His, so they hold property, abilities, time, and strength only in trust to be faithfully used and increased for their rightful Owner. He purposely gives them part in advancing His cause for their own good, so that their gifts acknowledge that all comes from Him and keep benevolence, sympathy, and Christian character in exercise, while He has abundant means to supply His work and answer believing prayer at the right time.
God's Ownership and Knowledge
God knows every bird of the mountains and owns every wild beast of the field, so all living creatures belong to Him. The birds and the wild animals named in the verse illustrate that the world and its resources and abundance are the Lord's, and that He is not without means to provide for His work. With the whole world and its fullness belonging to Him He is not dependent on men for means to sustain His cause, nor does He ask for gifts because He is hungry or needy, for if He were hungry He would not need to tell men. He calls for human cooperation for man's own good, to develop Christian generosity and sympathy.
That ownership extends to the earth and its treasures, its fullness, resources, wealth, gold and silver, natural treasures, houses and lands, cattle and living creatures. He is not dependent on any man's gold or silver for the support of His cause, and He has resources to provide help for His work. He has placed abundance in the world in the hands of men so the hungry can be supplied with food, the naked with clothing, and the homeless with homes. Human beings therefore hold property only in trust and are responsible to use it faithfully rather than as their own ultimate property.
Jesus' command that a fish provide the tribute money reveals His divine glory and identifies Him with the God who owns the creatures and all the world. The psalm's setting declares God's greatness and His rule, under which men must take their stand in Christ rather than working on the side of Satan in anarchy, war, and strife. Failure to do so will be seen at the last great day in the fearful loss of souls caused by that failure.
God's Independent Provision
Because all birds and wild animals are His, with the world and its fullness, God is not dependent on any person's gold or silver to sustain His cause. He does not ask for gifts and offerings because He is hungry or needy, and if He were hungry He would not need to tell people. All creation and its abundance belong to Him, so He does not rely on human wealth to support His work.
He could have supplied His treasury directly from heaven if that had been best for people. He could have sent angels to publish the truth to the world without human agency. He could have written the truth upon the heavens to declare His requirements in living characters.
He is not without abundant means and resources to provide help for His work, for the earth with its treasures, its gold and silver, its cattle and natural wealth, and all its living creatures are the Lord's. Those perplexed about how to help missions should therefore pray, believe, and act as He gives wisdom, trusting Him with living faith that He hears and answers prayer and will send money and help at the right time to advance His work. The same confidence grounds the establishing of a school and the carrying of the message of mercy, since the silver and gold and all needed means are His.
He has placed abundance in the world in the hands of people so that the hungry can be supplied with food, the naked with clothing, and the homeless with homes, for houses and lands are truly His. The Lord will move upon worldly people, even idolaters and people in high places, to give of their abundance for the support of His work.
Human Stewardship and Giving
People and everything they possess belong to God, so human beings hold property only in trust and are responsible to use it faithfully rather than as their own. Their abilities, possessions, time, strength, intellect, and every power of mind and body, with body, soul, and spirit, are entrusted to them for service and are to be dedicated, consecrated, and used to honor Him and yield increase for their rightful owner. At the second coming of Christ He will call His servants to account for money entrusted to them and whether they used it for the extension of His kingdom, so money must not be spent needlessly or locked up in banks and investments but put to wise use, including providing a house of worship where believers in unpopular truth have a church home.
Whatever necessity exists for human agency in advancing His cause is purposely arranged by Him for people's own good, to honor them by making them coworkers with Him and to keep their benevolent affections in exercise and develop benevolence, sympathy, generosity, and Christian character. Offerings do not make Him richer but acknowledge that everything comes from Him and that people depend on Him. He calls for gifts and offerings to cultivate benevolence, values them as evidence of love and devotion with time and talents in service, asks for what is already His own, and will not accept offerings when people withhold themselves.
It is proper to approach people in high places wisely, give them opportunity and a fair chance to help, and receive what they give, while being in the world but not of the world, bringing truth before them and taking advantage of every opportunity to advance God's cause without sacrificing principle. Work must not be done from a human standpoint or finite judgment but with an eye single to His glory and after His order so His mold is upon it. If one person refuses to cooperate God will choose another willing and obedient person, and work done in righteousness in that way will endure as eternity.