So, I’m stumped. This psalm is WAY far above my head! Like Chris with Monday’s entry, I have read and re-read, searched commentaries, notes in my Study Bible, prayed…nothing brought clarity. So, today’s blog is going to be even shorter than my last one. I feel like I’m shirking my responsibilities, but here is the bottom line of what I feel God is teaching me through this Psalm.
One things that did stand out to me is a comment in the “title” of the Psalm. It states that this is a poem by David to “record memorable thoughts and to teach.” So...what is David trying to teach?
My feeling is that he is trying to record an event (a military defeat), and show that even when it seems as if God has turned His back on us, we are still to go to Him. It’s okay to say to God, “Hey, where are you, Lord? I feel deserted and I need You! How am I supposed to make it through this battle without You? Look at what a mess I’m in, why have you allowed this to happen? What have I done that has caused this distance between us?”
After all, doesn’t God want us to bring everything to Him?
Then in verse 4 and 5, a glimmer of hope…recognition that even in the midst of disaster, even when things look hopeless, we need to remember God’s promises. We must remember that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Even when you can’t imagine that God can bring anything good out of what has happened in your “defeat”, remember that He can…and He will! It may not look like you want it to, it may not happen in the timing that you want…but by His right hand, we will be saved.
Thank you, Father, for Your promises!
(From the Amplified Bible)
To the Chief Musician; [set to the tune of] "The Lily of the Testimony." A poem of David intended to record memorable thoughts and to teach; when he had striven with the Arameans of Mesopotamia and the Arameans of Zobah, and when Joab returned and smote twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
1O GOD, You have rejected us and cast us off, broken down [our defenses], and scattered us; You have been angry--O restore us and turn Yourself to us again!
2You have made the land to quake and tremble, You have rent it [open]; repair its breaches, for it shakes and totters.
3You have made Your people suffer hard things; You have given us to drink wine that makes us reel and be dazed.
4[But now] You have set up a banner for those who fear and worshipfully revere You [to which they may flee from the bow], a standard displayed because of the truth. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
5That Your beloved ones may be delivered, save with Your right hand and answer us [or me].
6God has spoken in His holiness [in His promises]: I will rejoice, I will divide and portion out [the land] Shechem and the Valley of Succoth [west to east].
7Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is My helmet (the defense of My head); Judah is My scepter and My lawgiver.
8Moab is My washpot [reduced to vilest servitude]; upon Edom I cast My shoe in triumph; over Philistia I raise the shout of victory.
9Who will bring me [David] into the strong city [of Petra]? Who will lead me into Edom?
10Have You not rejected us, O God? And will You not go forth, O God, with our armies?
11O give us help against the adversary, for vain (ineffectual and to no purpose) is the help or salvation of man.
12Through God we shall do valiantly, for He it is Who shall tread down our adversaries.
Psalm 59
Psalm 59 is another psalm with a historical setting from the life of David. It is about the time “when Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.” Following David’s victory over Goliath, the women of Israel had been singing, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (1 Sam. 18:7). Saul was jealous. Twice he became so distraught that he threw his spear at David (1 Sam. 18:10-11; 19:9-10), but each time David escaped. After the second attempt on his life David thought it would be wise to leave Saul and his court and go to his own home, but that night the king sent soldiers to surround David’s house, watch it, and kill him in the morning. David was married to Saul’s daughter Michal at this time. She loved David and warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed” (1 Sam. 19:11). So that night Michal let David down through a window of the house and he escaped.
After David’s appeal, “Deliver me…O God” (vv. 1-5), and a description of his dog-like enemies (vv. 6-8), he says, “O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God” (v. 9). Next, he appeals to God a second time (vv. 10-13) and gives a second description of his foes (vv. 14-16). David then repeats verse nine, but, replaces “I watch for you” with “I sing praise to you”.
What strikes me here is that though David’s outward circumstances have not changed, David goes from watching for God to singing praise to Him. What has brought David to this point? It is because as he has been waiting and God has provided encouragement, though not yet the expected deliverance, that David can sing.
Do we lack joy? Is it hard for us to sing God’s praises? If so, it is probably because we are not watching for God. We are not looking to Him. David knew that “In Thy presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11). When we know this fullness we can’t help but sing God’s praises!
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:17-19)
After David’s appeal, “Deliver me…O God” (vv. 1-5), and a description of his dog-like enemies (vv. 6-8), he says, “O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God” (v. 9). Next, he appeals to God a second time (vv. 10-13) and gives a second description of his foes (vv. 14-16). David then repeats verse nine, but, replaces “I watch for you” with “I sing praise to you”.
What strikes me here is that though David’s outward circumstances have not changed, David goes from watching for God to singing praise to Him. What has brought David to this point? It is because as he has been waiting and God has provided encouragement, though not yet the expected deliverance, that David can sing.
Do we lack joy? Is it hard for us to sing God’s praises? If so, it is probably because we are not watching for God. We are not looking to Him. David knew that “In Thy presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11). When we know this fullness we can’t help but sing God’s praises!
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:17-19)
Psalm 58
I have read this Psalm nearly a dozen times this week and been clueless as to what I would write about it. It seems so - well... HARSH. I mean asking God to "break their teeth"? I did some research and found everything from a Charles Spurgeon exposition to a diatribe on why this Psalm negates the concept of original sin (I won't include that link).
At long last, I found a devotional by David Reid at GrowingChristians.org called PLEASE ZAP THEM, LORD! I've included the link to the full text, but will highlight the key points here. Quotation marks means excerpted from Dr. Reid's devotional. I hope you'll forgive my lack of original thoughts on this Psalm...
"Please zap them, Lord! That sure doesn't sound like a prayer from the Bible, does it? Isn't the essence of these prayers a request for zapping? But how could such prayer requests be included in the Bible? Didn't Jesus say, 'Love your neighbor as yourself' (Matthew 22:39)? How are we to explain this apparent inconsistency in the Bible?"
Psalm 58 is an imprecatory psalm. "To imprecate means to invoke evil upon, or curse. Psalms 7, 35, 55, 58, 59, 69, 79, 109, 137 and 139 all contain prayers for God's judgment on the psalmist's enemies. The imprecatory psalms have bothered many growing Christians in view of the New Testament's overwhelming emphasis on showing love to everyone--including our enemies (Matthew 5:44)."
"In order to adequately answer the difficult question of the imprecatory psalms, a number of points need to be considered...A very significant consideration to our question is the fact that none of the imprecations of the Psalms (or any other book of the Bible) is a request for personal revenge. When the context surrounding the imprecations is examined, we find that the psalmist is not involved in a personal vendetta but rather desires to see the righteous standards of God upheld by His judgment of the wicked for their sin."
"The desire for personal revenge is never an option for the Christian and we should always have the mind and heart of God 'not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance' (2 Peter 3:9). But at the same time we do not want the name and character of our God blasphemed. We long for and pray for the time when God's righteousness will be realized 'on earth as it is in heaven.' We pray these prayers knowing full well that in the final analysis the universal reign of righteousness by a holy God demands the eternal punishment of the wicked. The imprecatory psalms are the Old Testament expression of this godly attitude."
At long last, I found a devotional by David Reid at GrowingChristians.org called PLEASE ZAP THEM, LORD! I've included the link to the full text, but will highlight the key points here. Quotation marks means excerpted from Dr. Reid's devotional. I hope you'll forgive my lack of original thoughts on this Psalm...
"Please zap them, Lord! That sure doesn't sound like a prayer from the Bible, does it? Isn't the essence of these prayers a request for zapping? But how could such prayer requests be included in the Bible? Didn't Jesus say, 'Love your neighbor as yourself' (Matthew 22:39)? How are we to explain this apparent inconsistency in the Bible?"
Psalm 58 is an imprecatory psalm. "To imprecate means to invoke evil upon, or curse. Psalms 7, 35, 55, 58, 59, 69, 79, 109, 137 and 139 all contain prayers for God's judgment on the psalmist's enemies. The imprecatory psalms have bothered many growing Christians in view of the New Testament's overwhelming emphasis on showing love to everyone--including our enemies (Matthew 5:44)."
"In order to adequately answer the difficult question of the imprecatory psalms, a number of points need to be considered...A very significant consideration to our question is the fact that none of the imprecations of the Psalms (or any other book of the Bible) is a request for personal revenge. When the context surrounding the imprecations is examined, we find that the psalmist is not involved in a personal vendetta but rather desires to see the righteous standards of God upheld by His judgment of the wicked for their sin."
"The desire for personal revenge is never an option for the Christian and we should always have the mind and heart of God 'not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance' (2 Peter 3:9). But at the same time we do not want the name and character of our God blasphemed. We long for and pray for the time when God's righteousness will be realized 'on earth as it is in heaven.' We pray these prayers knowing full well that in the final analysis the universal reign of righteousness by a holy God demands the eternal punishment of the wicked. The imprecatory psalms are the Old Testament expression of this godly attitude."
Psalm 54
1. Save me, O God, by Thy name.
And vindicate (judge) me by Thy power.
2. Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.
3. For strangers have risen against me,
And violent men have sought my life (soul);
They have not set God before them.
4. Behold, God is my helper;
The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.
5. He will recompense the evil to my foes;
Destroy them in Thy faithfulness.
6. Willingly I will sacrifice to Thee;
I will give thanks to Thy name, O Lord, for it is good.
7. For He has delivered me from all trouble;
And my eye has looked with satisfaction upon my enemies.
The green is what David asks of God:
- save him
- vindicate me
- hear me
- listen to my words
- help me
- sustain me
- return the evil to my foes
- destroy my enemies
- deliver me from all trouble
The blue is David's actions:
- I will sacrifice to Thee
- I will give thanks to Thy name
- I will look with satisfaction on my enemies
I wondered what David was meaning when he wrote in the last verse, 'And my eye has looked with satisfaction upon my enemies.' Is he satisfied because he trusts God to judge his enemies? Is he satisfied because he thinks God is going to destroy his enemies really soon? That is an interesting phrase...
So what do I learn from this Psalm?
1. I don't bring anything to the table. It is all God. He is my only hope. I am only able to respond to His goodness, His provision, His protection...
2. I can ask God to examine me for sin. He sees me most clearly and He will show me my sin (v.1). He hears my cry (v.2).
3. As a Christian, I must expect opposition. (v.3.)
4. I can ask and then trust God to sustain me and take action against those who are my enemies. (v.4 &5.)
5. I am in relationship with God Almighty. I need to respond to Him with sacrifice and thanksgiving (v.6)
6. I need to be satisfied with His plan for my life and for those who oppose me.
What did you learn from this Psalm?
Psalm 53
As I read over this psalm, I kept feeling a connection to Romans. Initially, I had feelings of desperation, hopelessness, conviction and shame. After all, in the sight of God, without Christ, this is all of us… so I went to Romans and paralleled. Tell me what you see…
Read Psalm 53:1-5, and then read Romans 3:9-20.
This is us, folks. Then I personalize the verses. I say in my heart, there is no God…I am corrupt, my ways are vile. I have turned away, will I ever learn??? See where those initial feelings that I had came from??? Sheesh!
BUT, now read Psalm 53:6, then Romans 3:21-26.
Christ IS that salvation longed for!
Now I am overwhelmed by grace. That God would reach down to us in this condition, that He would send Christ, His own Son, to pay the penalty of such a wayward and wicked people. I personalize the verses again. I am justified freely by His grace. What more is there? My feelings change, and move from thankfulness, and then to worship.
Thank you, Father, for sending salvation in Christ. May I never boast, for it is NOTHING that I have done, but only You. Thank you for reminding me that my hope and my strength is in You. Find me rejoicing in You today. Amen.
Read Psalm 53:1-5, and then read Romans 3:9-20.
This is us, folks. Then I personalize the verses. I say in my heart, there is no God…I am corrupt, my ways are vile. I have turned away, will I ever learn??? See where those initial feelings that I had came from??? Sheesh!
BUT, now read Psalm 53:6, then Romans 3:21-26.
Christ IS that salvation longed for!
Now I am overwhelmed by grace. That God would reach down to us in this condition, that He would send Christ, His own Son, to pay the penalty of such a wayward and wicked people. I personalize the verses again. I am justified freely by His grace. What more is there? My feelings change, and move from thankfulness, and then to worship.
Thank you, Father, for sending salvation in Christ. May I never boast, for it is NOTHING that I have done, but only You. Thank you for reminding me that my hope and my strength is in You. Find me rejoicing in You today. Amen.
Psalm 52
This psalm is written with a particular man in mind. As the heading states, it was Doeg the Edomite who went to Saul and told him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.” As a result of this report and at Saul’s command, eighty-five of the priests of Nob together with their wives, children, and other citizens of the town were killed by the evil man Doeg. Psalm 52 is David’s response to this atrocity.
Psalm 52, like Psalm 1, contrasts the way of the righteous with the way of the wicked. Verses 1-4 describe this wicked man who loved evil rather than good (v. 3). Verses 5-7 prophecy judgment on his wickedness, and verses 8 and 9 give a contrasting portrait of the righteous man.
Whereas the wicked God will bring down to everlasting ruin (v. 5), the righteous are like “an olive tree flourishing in the house of God.” (v. 8) Do you and I believe that? Do we believe that God really is in control of this world and that evil will be judged and righteousness will be rewarded in the end, even if not openly in every case right now? If we do, then the last verse of Psalm 52 describes what we will do and be like. In it David does three things. First, he praises God (“I will praise you forever for what you have done,” v.8). Second, he trusts God for the future (“I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever and in your name I will hope, for your name is good,” vv. 8-9). Third, he bears witness of these truths before others (“I will praise you in the presence of your saints,”
v. 9).
Lord, help me to rest in the knowledge of your sovereign control even over the evil all around me that seems to flourish. Help my response to be praise, trust and bearing witness to these truths.
Psalm 52, like Psalm 1, contrasts the way of the righteous with the way of the wicked. Verses 1-4 describe this wicked man who loved evil rather than good (v. 3). Verses 5-7 prophecy judgment on his wickedness, and verses 8 and 9 give a contrasting portrait of the righteous man.
Whereas the wicked God will bring down to everlasting ruin (v. 5), the righteous are like “an olive tree flourishing in the house of God.” (v. 8) Do you and I believe that? Do we believe that God really is in control of this world and that evil will be judged and righteousness will be rewarded in the end, even if not openly in every case right now? If we do, then the last verse of Psalm 52 describes what we will do and be like. In it David does three things. First, he praises God (“I will praise you forever for what you have done,” v.8). Second, he trusts God for the future (“I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever and in your name I will hope, for your name is good,” vv. 8-9). Third, he bears witness of these truths before others (“I will praise you in the presence of your saints,”
v. 9).
Lord, help me to rest in the knowledge of your sovereign control even over the evil all around me that seems to flourish. Help my response to be praise, trust and bearing witness to these truths.
Psalm 51
This Psalm is the "go-to" Psalm when a person wants to confess their sin. David's words provide an amazingly thorough example of asking God for forgiveness and cleansing.
The first few verses acknowledge the presence of sin and confess that sin. In verses 10-13 David starts to "turn" the proverbial corner and begin to look forward to healing and restoration. If you've never really messed up, you may not appreciate the resorative power of these words. But, for me, I've had times where these healing, cleansing words were my lifeline.
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You."
These three short verses capture the essence and purpose of the whole redemptive process. God cleanses our hearts. He holds us, walks with us, and sustains us with His Holy Spirit as we submit our hearts and will to Him. THEN, as that takes place, we are used by Him to teach others and bring others to saving knowledge of Him.
Awesome -- Amazing!
Yet, before all this can take place, a person must become convicted of their sin. I've been struck lately (burdened, even) at just how obtuse we humans can be when it comes to acknowledging our own sin. Truly, only the Holy Spirit can convict a person of sin and I believe that Satan wages his fiercest battles on this front. If he can convince us that we're "OK" and our sin is not really, technically sin, per se (after all, "everyone is doing it", "it's pretty normal", "it's not THAT bad", "I can stop when I want to", "it's not really hurting anybody", "I deserve to live a little", etc. etc.), then what do we need to be redeemed from? By deceiving us on this issue, he attempts to obviate our need for a savior.
Oh Lord, show us our own hearts and the ways that we sin against you. Convict non-believers of their sin against a Holy God who created and loves them, so that all may come to a saving knowledge of your Son.
The first few verses acknowledge the presence of sin and confess that sin. In verses 10-13 David starts to "turn" the proverbial corner and begin to look forward to healing and restoration. If you've never really messed up, you may not appreciate the resorative power of these words. But, for me, I've had times where these healing, cleansing words were my lifeline.
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You."
These three short verses capture the essence and purpose of the whole redemptive process. God cleanses our hearts. He holds us, walks with us, and sustains us with His Holy Spirit as we submit our hearts and will to Him. THEN, as that takes place, we are used by Him to teach others and bring others to saving knowledge of Him.
Awesome -- Amazing!
Yet, before all this can take place, a person must become convicted of their sin. I've been struck lately (burdened, even) at just how obtuse we humans can be when it comes to acknowledging our own sin. Truly, only the Holy Spirit can convict a person of sin and I believe that Satan wages his fiercest battles on this front. If he can convince us that we're "OK" and our sin is not really, technically sin, per se (after all, "everyone is doing it", "it's pretty normal", "it's not THAT bad", "I can stop when I want to", "it's not really hurting anybody", "I deserve to live a little", etc. etc.), then what do we need to be redeemed from? By deceiving us on this issue, he attempts to obviate our need for a savior.
Oh Lord, show us our own hearts and the ways that we sin against you. Convict non-believers of their sin against a Holy God who created and loves them, so that all may come to a saving knowledge of your Son.
Psalm 48
Psalm 48.
'Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion in the far north, the city of the great King' --(v. 1-2. NASV)
'God is in her palaces, He is known as her refuge' (v. 3 NIV).
The Psalm continues to state that other kings gathered, passed by, saw it and their reaction was 'amazed, terrified, fled in alarm, panicked and in pain as a woman in childbirth.' (v. 4-6).
Every country has its palaces, monuments, cathedrals: The Louvre. Westminster Abbey. The Taj Mahal. The Eiffel Tower. Machu Pichu. The Pyramids. Stonehenge. St. Paul's Cathedral. Notre Dame. So many places to see, but none can claim verse three...
"God is in her palaces, He is known as her refuge."
The refuge of Mount Zion, the holy city, is God Himself!!
Verse 8 continues: ' As we have heard, So we have seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God, God will establish it forever. Selah.'
In verses 9-11, the psalmist relates the experience of being in God's temple, and meditating on God's lovingkindness and righteousness.
Pay particular attention to the last verses (NASV then NIV):
Walk about Zion, and go (all) around her.
Count her towers; Consider (mark well) her ramparts (bulwarks); Go through (consider) her palaces;
That you may tell it to the next generation.
For such is (this is) God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will guide us until death.
Thoughts:
As Christians, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He chooses us as His Temple. We are the embodiment of verses 1-2: We are His. He makes us holy. He makes us beautiful. We are the joy of the whole earth. We are His palace.
He is our refuge (3).
When He is seen (4-7), emotions of the unbeliever can range from marvel, unrest, fear, to pain and agony.
God establishes his city forever (v.8). Christians have citizenship in His heavenly city (Phil. 3:20)...the same city that Abraham hoped in: 'for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.' (Hebrews 11:10).
So, what are we to do?
Walk around God. Spend time on this walk.
See Him. Know Him.
Count His attributes.
Consider, trust, believe in His character.
Remember His faithfulness.
See His strength, His unlimited resources to defend.
Review the evidence, His Word, His faithfulness in your life, and tell your children until they remember.
This is the only God.
Our God forever.
He is our guide until death.
Psalm 47
How do you worship with music?
At our church, we mostly worship corporately in a subdued fashion, the intent being that worship not be a "show," but be between the person and God, in a thoughtful, respectful manner. Fine.
We don't want to use the time to artificially build up a reverie or an emotional outburst. We don't want to sing to God in too casual a style that is disrespectful, or too simplistic or too confusing a style that does not honor our Mighty God appropriately. Good.
However…have you ever wondered where our clapping or dancing or hand raising is? I mean, it mentions them in connection with praising God in the Psalms. Yes, some of it is simply cultural, and if it is our culture to not do that in corporate worship, OK.
But how about in private worship? Again, I don't mean that we should artificially manufacture a physical response that isn't authentic-from-you worship, but I do mean that we can look for opportunities to use more physical means of expressing our joy to God.
Do you sing Christian songs with children? Have you danced with them lately? Many children haven't learned to be restrained as an adult has, so they freely dance and clap. How about we dance and clap—frolic, even—with them? There is so much good Christian music for children out there. I suggest that you get some, and I can offer specific suggestions, if you'd like. I think you might even find that you enjoy it all by yourself. And you might even find yourself dancing to it when no one is looking.
No one but God, that is, who will take delight in your honest, joyful, dancing worship in His goodness.
At our church, we mostly worship corporately in a subdued fashion, the intent being that worship not be a "show," but be between the person and God, in a thoughtful, respectful manner. Fine.
We don't want to use the time to artificially build up a reverie or an emotional outburst. We don't want to sing to God in too casual a style that is disrespectful, or too simplistic or too confusing a style that does not honor our Mighty God appropriately. Good.
However…have you ever wondered where our clapping or dancing or hand raising is? I mean, it mentions them in connection with praising God in the Psalms. Yes, some of it is simply cultural, and if it is our culture to not do that in corporate worship, OK.
But how about in private worship? Again, I don't mean that we should artificially manufacture a physical response that isn't authentic-from-you worship, but I do mean that we can look for opportunities to use more physical means of expressing our joy to God.
Do you sing Christian songs with children? Have you danced with them lately? Many children haven't learned to be restrained as an adult has, so they freely dance and clap. How about we dance and clap—frolic, even—with them? There is so much good Christian music for children out there. I suggest that you get some, and I can offer specific suggestions, if you'd like. I think you might even find that you enjoy it all by yourself. And you might even find yourself dancing to it when no one is looking.
No one but God, that is, who will take delight in your honest, joyful, dancing worship in His goodness.
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
Sorry for the late post today, but I’m just having a hard time even getting my mind and thoughts around this Psalm. Perhaps it is because this is such a well-known and well used psalm. What I mean is that it is a “go to” psalm when faced with difficult circumstances. And that is GREAT…but what is God really trying to tell us here…outside of those difficult circumstances? I hope you can follow me…because I’m having a hard time putting to words what I feel that God is teaching me, simple as I feel is it!
We’ve all had our share of heart aches, difficulties, tragedies, etc. And during those times I’m sure many of us have leaned on these promises (and many others found in the Bible). But what are we really leaning on? The words and promises? The thoughts and ideas? Our friends who have been there for us, prayed with and for us, cried with us during those times? Our spouses? Our pastor or other church leaders? I could go on…but you get the idea. These are all “tools” to be used of God, certainly…but is God using them or are we seeking them before we even seek Him? These tools should always lead us back to God, because HE is the Refuge.
What this psalm is saying to me is that God is our refuge and strength…not that “God will provide a refuge for us” or that “God will give us strength”….I need to stop looking for what God will provide for me…I just need to look for God. Or, as the psalm concludes …”be still and know that I am God (v10)…and He is with us (v11).”
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
Sorry for the late post today, but I’m just having a hard time even getting my mind and thoughts around this Psalm. Perhaps it is because this is such a well-known and well used psalm. What I mean is that it is a “go to” psalm when faced with difficult circumstances. And that is GREAT…but what is God really trying to tell us here…outside of those difficult circumstances? I hope you can follow me…because I’m having a hard time putting to words what I feel that God is teaching me, simple as I feel is it!
We’ve all had our share of heart aches, difficulties, tragedies, etc. And during those times I’m sure many of us have leaned on these promises (and many others found in the Bible). But what are we really leaning on? The words and promises? The thoughts and ideas? Our friends who have been there for us, prayed with and for us, cried with us during those times? Our spouses? Our pastor or other church leaders? I could go on…but you get the idea. These are all “tools” to be used of God, certainly…but is God using them or are we seeking them before we even seek Him? These tools should always lead us back to God, because HE is the Refuge.
What this psalm is saying to me is that God is our refuge and strength…not that “God will provide a refuge for us” or that “God will give us strength”….I need to stop looking for what God will provide for me…I just need to look for God. Or, as the psalm concludes …”be still and know that I am God (v10)…and He is with us (v11).”
Psalm 45
I learned much from a commentary written by James Montgomery Boice on this psalm. He said that the poet here is “writing of a specific Jewish king, whose identity is unknown, but that he is also looking ahead and upward to that ideal promised King whose perfect and eternal reign was foreshadowed by the Jewish monarch.” Boice pointed out that this is one of five psalms (2, 16, 22, 45, and 110) that all or most of the material in the psalm refers to Jesus Christ. He divided the psalm this way: “This psalm has a short introduction (v. 1) and a short conclusion (vv. 16-17) in which the poet speaks in the first person. These bracket the main body of the psalm (vv. 2-15), which is divided between an address to the groom (vv. 2-9) and an address to the bride (vv 10-15).”
In his commentary Boice subtitled the section on the poet’s address to the bride (vv. 10-15), “Comfort for the King’s Bride”. I would like to share excerpts from it that were most encouraging to me and I hope will be to you as well. He said:
"While the groom has been on his way to the bride’s home with his attendants, the bride has been waiting in joyful expectancy, but also with just a touch of anxiety since the arrival of the groom will mean leaving her family and ancestral home forever. Therefore, in what is surely one of the psalm’s most engaging touches, the writer turns to the bride in a fatherly manner to reassure her that the future is bright. There are three parts to his counsel (vv. 10-12)"
1. Forget the past…
Boice says the idea here is that “If we would be Christ’s bride, we must leave all other loyalties behind.” He quotes Walter Chantry:
It is painful to leave behind mother and father, son and daughter. We are attached to the beauties and friendships of this world. “Forget” them all! The King will more than make up for all. Some day you will look back upon the parting with temporal things and think your hesitation silly and ill-founded. When you sit in the ivory palace, arrayed in the gold of Ophir, at the right hand of the eternal King, you will wonder what you saw in those former things. You will never regret it!...Carry through with your discerning choice….The King must be your one and only love henceforth.
2. Honor (obey) your lord. Boice again quotes Chantry:
If a marriage union is to endure, the husband must express his love to his wife by tenderly cherishing her as part of his own body, by considerateness, by sharing all the goodness of God in his life with her. She in turn must express love by holding her husband in high esteem and by submitting to him in all things. Thus the church must bow down to Christ both because he is her Lord and Sovereign and because he is her Lord and Husband. Since the bride loves her Lord, it is a pleasant thing to serve his interests. She desires to bring Christ honor, to fulfill his will, to worship his name.
3. Look ahead.
The last word of advice this wise counselor has for the bride of the psalm is to look to what the future holds for her as the bride of the great king, knowing that her choice of him was the right choice to have been made. The writer sees three things in her future: first, the love of her king (v. 11); second, the honor that will be given her because of her relationship to him (v. 12); and third, “joy and gladness” that will be hers with him forever.
Father, help us to forsake all, to bring Christ honor and fulfill his will, and to look ahead to our future of joy and gladness with you forever. Amen
In his commentary Boice subtitled the section on the poet’s address to the bride (vv. 10-15), “Comfort for the King’s Bride”. I would like to share excerpts from it that were most encouraging to me and I hope will be to you as well. He said:
"While the groom has been on his way to the bride’s home with his attendants, the bride has been waiting in joyful expectancy, but also with just a touch of anxiety since the arrival of the groom will mean leaving her family and ancestral home forever. Therefore, in what is surely one of the psalm’s most engaging touches, the writer turns to the bride in a fatherly manner to reassure her that the future is bright. There are three parts to his counsel (vv. 10-12)"
1. Forget the past…
Boice says the idea here is that “If we would be Christ’s bride, we must leave all other loyalties behind.” He quotes Walter Chantry:
It is painful to leave behind mother and father, son and daughter. We are attached to the beauties and friendships of this world. “Forget” them all! The King will more than make up for all. Some day you will look back upon the parting with temporal things and think your hesitation silly and ill-founded. When you sit in the ivory palace, arrayed in the gold of Ophir, at the right hand of the eternal King, you will wonder what you saw in those former things. You will never regret it!...Carry through with your discerning choice….The King must be your one and only love henceforth.
2. Honor (obey) your lord. Boice again quotes Chantry:
If a marriage union is to endure, the husband must express his love to his wife by tenderly cherishing her as part of his own body, by considerateness, by sharing all the goodness of God in his life with her. She in turn must express love by holding her husband in high esteem and by submitting to him in all things. Thus the church must bow down to Christ both because he is her Lord and Sovereign and because he is her Lord and Husband. Since the bride loves her Lord, it is a pleasant thing to serve his interests. She desires to bring Christ honor, to fulfill his will, to worship his name.
3. Look ahead.
The last word of advice this wise counselor has for the bride of the psalm is to look to what the future holds for her as the bride of the great king, knowing that her choice of him was the right choice to have been made. The writer sees three things in her future: first, the love of her king (v. 11); second, the honor that will be given her because of her relationship to him (v. 12); and third, “joy and gladness” that will be hers with him forever.
Father, help us to forsake all, to bring Christ honor and fulfill his will, and to look ahead to our future of joy and gladness with you forever. Amen
James Montgomery Boice, An Expositional Commentary on Psalms, vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 1996), 384
Psalm 44
This week, and this week only, HisGloriousRiches.com is offering a MOGO deal. Memorize one verse and get one --no, make that two!!-- FREE! Why? Because God caused David to write the same refrain three times within the span of two short chapters, so by memorizing it, you've really memorized 3 verses. I'm persuaded that if God thought it worthy of repeating three times, I should definitely memorize it!!
"Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God."
Now, I realize that I am supposed to be talking about Chapter 44 and this verse is from Chapters 42 and 43. But, there is a connection I'd like to make between these Chapters regarding one of the ways that the writer overcomes his dejection. In the verse above, we see that David is telling himself to hope in God. On what does he base his hope?
One of the prominent and practical things on which he bases his hope is God's past faithfulness to him. In verse 6 of Chapter 42, he says "O my God, my soul is in despair within me; Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan..." In Chapter 44, he begins the Chapter by saying "O God, we have heard with our ears, Our fathers have told us the work that You did in their days, In the days of old."
There is so much power in reminding ourselves of God's past faithfulness to us. Don't you have stories? Do you talk about them with your family? Do you get excited about how God was faithful to His promises? Your biggest "stories" may have been 10 years or 10 minutes ago, but they are signposts in our life journey. I have a story from college where God miraculously prevented me from going on a date with a young man who had, unbeknownst to me, committed a violent crime against another student.
Sometimes, when life gets busy, the many, many compelling stories of God's faithfulness slip to the recesses of my mind. When that happens, my thankfulness, my faithfulness and my obedience slip. Shame on me!!
I'd love to hear ideas of how you keep the stories alive and fresh within your own heart as well as interesting ways to pass them to your children. In Genesis 28, Jacob turned the rock that he had slept on into a pillar at Bethel - what's your method?
Oh, and feel free to share the stories too...
"Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God."
Now, I realize that I am supposed to be talking about Chapter 44 and this verse is from Chapters 42 and 43. But, there is a connection I'd like to make between these Chapters regarding one of the ways that the writer overcomes his dejection. In the verse above, we see that David is telling himself to hope in God. On what does he base his hope?
One of the prominent and practical things on which he bases his hope is God's past faithfulness to him. In verse 6 of Chapter 42, he says "O my God, my soul is in despair within me; Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan..." In Chapter 44, he begins the Chapter by saying "O God, we have heard with our ears, Our fathers have told us the work that You did in their days, In the days of old."
There is so much power in reminding ourselves of God's past faithfulness to us. Don't you have stories? Do you talk about them with your family? Do you get excited about how God was faithful to His promises? Your biggest "stories" may have been 10 years or 10 minutes ago, but they are signposts in our life journey. I have a story from college where God miraculously prevented me from going on a date with a young man who had, unbeknownst to me, committed a violent crime against another student.
Sometimes, when life gets busy, the many, many compelling stories of God's faithfulness slip to the recesses of my mind. When that happens, my thankfulness, my faithfulness and my obedience slip. Shame on me!!
I'd love to hear ideas of how you keep the stories alive and fresh within your own heart as well as interesting ways to pass them to your children. In Genesis 28, Jacob turned the rock that he had slept on into a pillar at Bethel - what's your method?
Oh, and feel free to share the stories too...
Psalm 41
How blessed is he who considers the helpless (poor):
- The Lord will (1.) deliver him in a day of trouble (evil).
- The Lord will (2.) protect him and keep him alive.
- He shall be called blessed (or be blessed) upon the earth.
- You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.
- The Lord will sustain (strengthen) him upon his sickbed.
- (In his illness, Thou dost restore him to health.--in NASV)
*Notice that the only action of the individual (1) is to consider the poor, the responding actions (7) are God's to that individual.
The next few verses describe something quite different.
David asks for:
- the Lord to be gracious (merciful)
- healing of his soul
- because David has sinned against Him.
Then David tells about the persecution he is experiencing:
- enemies speaking evil against him
- enemies anticipating his death and the memory of him fading away.
- people talking to him and speaking lies and telling others those lies.
- people whispering (gossip) together against David intentionally trying to hurt him ("against me they devise my hurt").
- people spreading lies that an "evil disease clings to him" and he is near death.
Then David tells God this:
"Even my close friend, in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me."
I don't know about you, but for David's enemies to do the actions in verses 5- 8 fits with the typical actions of an enemy... The "ouch" here is when he says that a "good, trusted friend" has joined his enemies. That is the ultimate betrayal!
In the last section, David has returned to looking at God instead of his circumstances.
"Be gracious to me, raise me up that I may repay them." (no, the scripture does not say HOW he intends to repay them...)
"I know that Thou are pleased with me, because my enemy does not (shout in--advertise?) triumph over me."
"You uphold me in my integrity and You set me in your presence (before Your face) forever."
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
Amen, and Amen."
In reading this, I noticed a few things David left out:
- I really did not see a list of what David has done for God--I read about what God has done for David.
- I did not see David claiming innocence--in fact, David claims his sin.
- I did not see David whining and asking God "Why Me?"/"How long?"--David keeps to the facts of what his enemies are doing and saying.
- Even when David tells about the betrayal of his friend (unnamed), he doesn't dwell on it, but keeps pretty much to the facts.
- David didn't ask God to wipe his enemies from the face of the earth.
He did not tell God what to do to his enemies.
David did not ask God to relieve him from his troubles.
David asked God for deliverance, protection, his life to be spared, to not be given to his enemies, to sustain him physically, for God's grace, healing for his soul, to be raised up, to be upheld in his integrity, to be in His presence forever. WOW.
Father, help us to focus on you during times of testing. Help us to seek you, to worship you, to allow your will to totally have our compliance and obedience. Thank you for David and how his words teach us. Amen.
Psalm 40
I waited patiently for the Lord;
He turned to me and heard my cry. (verse 1)
Don’t you just love colorful imagery? I do. Sometime it's the pictures that stick with me even more than the words themselves. David felt that because of his sin, God had turned His back on him. So when he experienced God’s forgiveness and care, he imagines God re-turning His back around to pay attention to David.
And what can you imagine were in God’s “eyes”? (I know I risk reading too much into the completeness of these verses or creating an inappropriate image of God, but knowing what God has told us about His character, consider this continued anthropomorphic description.) When David imagined God turning to him and hearing his cry, God’s “father eyes” might have been full of…compassion? Knowing? Humor?
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
Out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock
And gave me a firm place to stand. (verse 2)
God lifted David out of his smelly and slippery sin, and set his feet on a rock, giving him sure footing, a firm place on which to build everything else.
Firm place? God’s rightness, faithfulness, surety, and the ability to have faith in that.
He put a new song in my mouth,
A hymn of praise to our God. (verse 3a)
We’ve all noticed how David’s songs have been full of angst, fear, desire for retribution. But there’s none of that here. He mentions only his own sinfulness, and then God’s lifting him out of it.
I enjoy a lot of different kinds of music, but I know that like TV and movies and friends, music influences me. It’s what swirls around in my mind during the night and the day, even when I’m concentrating on something. What kind of music do I let in? Songs of sadness, angst, dissatisfaction? Or songs that praise God and his goodness? David sees his sin, sees God being a firm, dependable rock, and realizes that songs of praise are his only reasonable response.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. (verse 3b)
And when we realize our sin and trust in God as our strong Savior, many will see the difference in us and put their trust in Him, too.
He turned to me and heard my cry. (verse 1)
Don’t you just love colorful imagery? I do. Sometime it's the pictures that stick with me even more than the words themselves. David felt that because of his sin, God had turned His back on him. So when he experienced God’s forgiveness and care, he imagines God re-turning His back around to pay attention to David.
And what can you imagine were in God’s “eyes”? (I know I risk reading too much into the completeness of these verses or creating an inappropriate image of God, but knowing what God has told us about His character, consider this continued anthropomorphic description.) When David imagined God turning to him and hearing his cry, God’s “father eyes” might have been full of…compassion? Knowing? Humor?
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
Out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock
And gave me a firm place to stand. (verse 2)
God lifted David out of his smelly and slippery sin, and set his feet on a rock, giving him sure footing, a firm place on which to build everything else.
Firm place? God’s rightness, faithfulness, surety, and the ability to have faith in that.
He put a new song in my mouth,
A hymn of praise to our God. (verse 3a)
We’ve all noticed how David’s songs have been full of angst, fear, desire for retribution. But there’s none of that here. He mentions only his own sinfulness, and then God’s lifting him out of it.
I enjoy a lot of different kinds of music, but I know that like TV and movies and friends, music influences me. It’s what swirls around in my mind during the night and the day, even when I’m concentrating on something. What kind of music do I let in? Songs of sadness, angst, dissatisfaction? Or songs that praise God and his goodness? David sees his sin, sees God being a firm, dependable rock, and realizes that songs of praise are his only reasonable response.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. (verse 3b)
And when we realize our sin and trust in God as our strong Savior, many will see the difference in us and put their trust in Him, too.
Psalm 39
David was suffering. The notes in my Bible say from an illness. This week, I was suffering…from the sickness of sin. Here is the ESV translation of Psalm 39:
1I said, "I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence."
2I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse.
3My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:
4"O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
5Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!
Selah
6Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
7"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.
8Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it.
10Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
11When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath!
Selah
12"Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.
13Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!"
Here we go with “Selah” again…I guess the Lord really wants me to “pause, and calmly think of that”. And I think I know why. This past week, I have been faced with a situation where I said to myself, “Angie, just bite your tongue…you might say something you’ll regret.” And guess what…the more I thought about “it”, the angrier I got…until I let it out. Ugh. Sin. Wait, what was it Psalm 39 said??? Uh-oh. Verse 4 and 5. Time to pause and think.
As I thought and prayed about this situation, I realized (the Lord showed me) how sinful I had been. I was only seeing my side of the story…I was not putting others first. I was not giving the benefit of the doubt. I was not being humble and I was certainly not being Christlike. I was just wading around in sin…and it multiplied. (Philipians 2:1-18)
So, as I reflected on the events that unfolded in this “circumstance”, I prayed and asked the Lord to show me MY sin (not the other persons!), and what He would have me do. I confess that I asked for a mustard seed, because I figured that was all I was capable of. Well, honestly, I’m not even capable of that…but Christ is fully capable…of way more. (1 Peter 4)
Thank you, Father, for the reminder of Who I live for…and where my strength comes from.
1I said, "I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence."
2I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse.
3My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:
4"O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
5Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!
Selah
6Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
7"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.
8Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it.
10Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
11When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath!
Selah
12"Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.
13Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!"
Here we go with “Selah” again…I guess the Lord really wants me to “pause, and calmly think of that”. And I think I know why. This past week, I have been faced with a situation where I said to myself, “Angie, just bite your tongue…you might say something you’ll regret.” And guess what…the more I thought about “it”, the angrier I got…until I let it out. Ugh. Sin. Wait, what was it Psalm 39 said??? Uh-oh. Verse 4 and 5. Time to pause and think.
As I thought and prayed about this situation, I realized (the Lord showed me) how sinful I had been. I was only seeing my side of the story…I was not putting others first. I was not giving the benefit of the doubt. I was not being humble and I was certainly not being Christlike. I was just wading around in sin…and it multiplied. (Philipians 2:1-18)
So, as I reflected on the events that unfolded in this “circumstance”, I prayed and asked the Lord to show me MY sin (not the other persons!), and what He would have me do. I confess that I asked for a mustard seed, because I figured that was all I was capable of. Well, honestly, I’m not even capable of that…but Christ is fully capable…of way more. (1 Peter 4)
Thank you, Father, for the reminder of Who I live for…and where my strength comes from.
Psalm 38
In this psalm, David is suffering both physically and mentally as a consequence of his sin. The fact that his suffering is due to his sin is indicated by the phrases “because of my sin” in verse 3 and “because of my sinful folly” in verse 5. Behind all sickness is finally the sovereign hand of God and it is up to Him what His purposes may be in it. The question is what are we going to do in it? Are we going to, like David, cry out to God and ask him to “be not far from me……come quickly to help me” (verses 21 & 22), or are we going to question his goodness to us?
I was helped by a sermon by John Piper on this. Concerning God’s purposes in suffering he says, “All the affliction that comes to the children of God, whether through persecution or sickness, is intended by God to increase our holiness by causing us to rely more on the God who raises the dead (2 Cor. 1:9). If we get angry at God in our sickness we are rejecting his love. For it is always in love that he disciplines his children. It is for our good and we must seek to learn some rich lesson of faith from it.” He also says, “God’s goal for his people in this age is not primarily to rid them of sickness and pain, but to purge us of all the remnants of sin and cause us in our weakness to cleave to him as our only hope.”
Concerning our response he says, “…we should therefore pray for God’s help both to heal and to strengthen faith while we are unhealed. It is fitting that a child ask his father for relief in trouble. And it is fitting that a loving Father give his child only what is best. And that he always does: sometimes healing now, sometimes not. But always what is best for us….So let us not be proud and stand aloof from God stoically bearing what fate has brought. Rather let us run to our Father in prayer and plead for help in time of need.”
Lord, thank you that I am your child and that I can trust that all you bring into my life is filtered through your hands of love.
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByScripture/10/243_Christ_and_Cancer/
I was helped by a sermon by John Piper on this. Concerning God’s purposes in suffering he says, “All the affliction that comes to the children of God, whether through persecution or sickness, is intended by God to increase our holiness by causing us to rely more on the God who raises the dead (2 Cor. 1:9). If we get angry at God in our sickness we are rejecting his love. For it is always in love that he disciplines his children. It is for our good and we must seek to learn some rich lesson of faith from it.” He also says, “God’s goal for his people in this age is not primarily to rid them of sickness and pain, but to purge us of all the remnants of sin and cause us in our weakness to cleave to him as our only hope.”
Concerning our response he says, “…we should therefore pray for God’s help both to heal and to strengthen faith while we are unhealed. It is fitting that a child ask his father for relief in trouble. And it is fitting that a loving Father give his child only what is best. And that he always does: sometimes healing now, sometimes not. But always what is best for us….So let us not be proud and stand aloof from God stoically bearing what fate has brought. Rather let us run to our Father in prayer and plead for help in time of need.”
Lord, thank you that I am your child and that I can trust that all you bring into my life is filtered through your hands of love.
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByScripture/10/243_Christ_and_Cancer/
Psalm 37
Psalm 37: 3-9
Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.
Along with Proverbs 3:5-6, these verses constitute my "life verses". Regardless of where I am emotionally or spiritually, these verses give me the direction I need to move forward. Here are the above verses re-written as my "To Do" list.
1. Trust in the Lord.
2. Do good things for other people.
3. Really "BE" where you are, knowing that God put you there.
4. Work on being faithful.
5. Take delight in God, His mercies, and His provisions throughout each day.
6. Commit each day to God.
7. Wait patiently for God to work.
8. Trust in the Lord.
And, since I need a "Don't" list just as much as a "Do" list, here is the "Don't" list.
1. Don't fret.
2. Don't rush God.
3. Don't be angry or full of wrath, even when evil seems to be prevailing.
4. Don't forget that God is victorious.
5. (and, since God said it twice, I will too...)Don't fret.
Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.
Along with Proverbs 3:5-6, these verses constitute my "life verses". Regardless of where I am emotionally or spiritually, these verses give me the direction I need to move forward. Here are the above verses re-written as my "To Do" list.
1. Trust in the Lord.
2. Do good things for other people.
3. Really "BE" where you are, knowing that God put you there.
4. Work on being faithful.
5. Take delight in God, His mercies, and His provisions throughout each day.
6. Commit each day to God.
7. Wait patiently for God to work.
8. Trust in the Lord.
And, since I need a "Don't" list just as much as a "Do" list, here is the "Don't" list.
1. Don't fret.
2. Don't rush God.
3. Don't be angry or full of wrath, even when evil seems to be prevailing.
4. Don't forget that God is victorious.
5. (and, since God said it twice, I will too...)Don't fret.
Psalm 34
It is Friday and since many of us remember all the tests that seemed to occur on Fridays, today's devotional is in the format of a multiple choice test. It is an open book test. Enjoy.
Multiple Choice: Choose the answer that fits most closely to David's writings. There may be more than one correct answer. :)
a. tomorrow
b. at all times
c. when things settle down
His praise shall _______be in my mouth.
a. occasionally
b. continually
c. naturally
My soul shall make its boast in _________;
a. my children/husband/family
b. how much I accomplished today at my job
c. the Lord
d. how clean my house is
The humble shall hear it and rejoice.
O magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
I sought the Lord, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my _______.
a. problems
b. pain
c. fears
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces shall never be ashamed.
The ______ man cried and the Lord Heard him.
a. poor
b. afflicted
c. hurting
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and _____ them.
a. talks to
b. encourages
c. rescues
O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
O fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him, there is no _______.
a. struggle
b. want
c. pain
The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of ______.
a. friends
b. a job
c. any good thing
Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is the man who desires life,
And loves length of days that he may ________?
a. enjoy his retirement
b. make more money
c. see good
Keep your tongue from _________,
a. chocolate
b. evil
c. gossip
And your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil and do good;
Seek ______, and pursue it.
a. justice
b. peace
c. truth
The eyes of the Lord are toward the ___________.
a. Jews
b. evildoers
c. righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
The ______of the Lord is against evildoers.
a. mind
b. will
c. hand
To cut off the _______ of them from the earth.
a. evidence
b. heads
c. memory
The righteous cry and the Lord _______,
a. sighs
b. hears
c. ignores them
and ______________________.
a. delivers them out of all their troubles
b. lets them reap what they sow
c. lets natural consequences run its course
The Lord is _______ the brokenhearted,
a. listening to
b. near to
c. hiding from
And saves those who are ________ in spirit.
a. crushed
b. contrite
c. helpless
_____ are the afflictions of the ________;
a. Few / righteous
b. Many / wicked
c. Many /righteous
But the Lord delivers him out of _______.
a. some of them
b. none of them
c. all of them
He keeps all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked;
And those who hate the righteous will be ________.
a. held guilty
b. condemned
c. promoted
The Lord redeems the soul of His _________.
a. people
b. servants
c. children
And _____ of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.
a. some
b. most
c. none
David's actions: bless the Lord continually, praise the Lord, boast in the Lord, magnify the Lord, exalt His name, seek the Lord, look to the Lord, cry to the Lord, taste (try) the Lord, take refuge in Him, fear the Lord, depart from evil, do good, seek/pursue peace.
The Lord's actions: the Lord answered, He delivered, He heard, He saved, His angel encamps those who fear Him and He rescues them, He gives until there is no want, He sees the righteous, He listens for our cry, He is against the wicked, He hears and delivers, He is near when we are brokenhearted, He saves us when we are deeply wounded, He delivers us from our afflictions, He treasures us, He redeems us, He allows us refuge in Him and promises us restoration to Himself.
Father, help us to love you more. Help us to give you the glory for all good things. Give us the wisdom to see your Hand. Thank you for delivering us. Amen.
Psalm 33
Sound bites grab our attention by throwing a strong statement at us without including the mush of explanation or context. Psalm 33:12 has often been used in church-speak as a sound bite, particularly around July 4 and voting time. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." Let's look for a moment at the context.
Verses 1-3 start with what is to be our response. It tells us to sing joyfully…praise the Lord…play instruments skillfully with joy. But…response to what?
Verses 4 and 5 begin with a why. "Because the Word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all he does…"
Verses 6-11 tell us the what -- what God did to create this world and us, and how He continues to work all things and all people according to His plan, a plan, by the way, which cannot be thwarted despite the attempts made by sinful people. (For more on this moving topic read God's speech to Job in Job chapters 38-41.)
And so we come to verse 12. "Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord."
Blessed are those people who are chosen and cared for by this Almighty God (verses 12-19), this God Who watches us from above, Who provides hope for us in the midst of the actions of those who try to harm us.
Verses 20-21 draw the conclusion from these proofs of God's might and care saying, "We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name."
The author finishes with his prayer in verse 22 (and one that makes a nice refrigerator magnet): "May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You."
Amen.
Verses 1-3 start with what is to be our response. It tells us to sing joyfully…praise the Lord…play instruments skillfully with joy. But…response to what?
Verses 4 and 5 begin with a why. "Because the Word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all he does…"
Verses 6-11 tell us the what -- what God did to create this world and us, and how He continues to work all things and all people according to His plan, a plan, by the way, which cannot be thwarted despite the attempts made by sinful people. (For more on this moving topic read God's speech to Job in Job chapters 38-41.)
And so we come to verse 12. "Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord."
Blessed are those people who are chosen and cared for by this Almighty God (verses 12-19), this God Who watches us from above, Who provides hope for us in the midst of the actions of those who try to harm us.
Verses 20-21 draw the conclusion from these proofs of God's might and care saying, "We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name."
The author finishes with his prayer in verse 22 (and one that makes a nice refrigerator magnet): "May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You."
Amen.
Psalm 32
Sometimes I am amazed at how much God can teach me in just 11 short verses. I hope you can follow my “journaling” through Psalm 32. Know that there is NO way for me to write all that God has taught me, but that's okay. I pray that you were as blessed by today’s passage as I was.
I did a little research in the different ways that Selah has been defined/translated and discovered that there is quite a broad range of opinion. The one that challenged me while reading this Psalm is one that I found in Wikipedia. Of course, I struggled with the fact that there are countless other more “sound” references which I should probably use instead. But again, this is the one that I found most helpful. Is it wrong? I don’t know. Wikipedia give a very long list of references and links, different translations (including some that are DEFINITELY not very sound!), but the one little sentence that spoke to me was this one:
It “is translated into today's general language with the meaning: think about it or praise [the Lord].”
Then I read the Amplified Bible translation, and it confirmed that translation/definition. It blessed me…read with me…
1BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, to be envied) is he who has forgiveness of his transgression continually exercised upon him, whose sin is covered.
2Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3When I kept silence [before I confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long.
4For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer.
Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
Think about it…truly sit and meditate on how blessed we are, Children of the Living God, that our sins are not counted against us…that we have Jesus, who has paid that price for us, and that because of Him, we are forgiven and counted as righteous…continually. It’s just that simple, and yet it is unfathomable…it’s overwhelming.
Think about that anguish spoken of in verses 3-4, how heavy our hearts feel when we are caught in sin…the weight of it. While yes, we are forgiven and blessed, we also are human and still sin…and it weighs on us. Keep reading…
5I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told]--then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin.
Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
Think about confession…when you realize that the weight you have been carrying…the burden, the pain…is because of sin. Finally, you have clear vision…God, in His tender grace and mercy, reveals that sin to you…and you fall down on your face before Him and beg for forgiveness. Instantly, you are forgiven. Instantly… (1John 1:9)
6For this [forgiveness] let everyone who is godly pray--pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters [of trial] overflow, they shall not reach [the spirit in] him.
7You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance.
Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
Think about that forgiveness. It should motivate us. God is always ready to hear from us…we do not have to make an appointment, we don’t have to wait until our quite time, bed time…or wait for a time of trial. He is available 24/7…He surrounds us. As He surrounds us, protecting and loving us…pray...just pray...always…(Hebrews 4:16; 1Thess. 5:17; James 5:13)
8I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9Be not like the horse or the mule, which lack understanding, which must have their mouths held firm with bit and bridle, or else they will not come with you.
10Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on the Lord shall be compassed about with mercy and with loving-kindness.
11Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you who are upright and in right standing with Him]; shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Father, I fall down on my knees this morning thanking You for Your mercy on me, a sinner. Thank You that You have provided a way for me to know You. Thank You for loving me…and for making the Gospel real to me again. Help me to never lose sight of it’s simplicity…nor it’s enormity. Thank You for picking me up when I fall…daily; thank You that I can always count on You. Lead me, I beg…give me understanding for today and help me keep my eyes focused on You. Amen.
I did a little research in the different ways that Selah has been defined/translated and discovered that there is quite a broad range of opinion. The one that challenged me while reading this Psalm is one that I found in Wikipedia. Of course, I struggled with the fact that there are countless other more “sound” references which I should probably use instead. But again, this is the one that I found most helpful. Is it wrong? I don’t know. Wikipedia give a very long list of references and links, different translations (including some that are DEFINITELY not very sound!), but the one little sentence that spoke to me was this one:
It “is translated into today's general language with the meaning: think about it or praise [the Lord].”
Then I read the Amplified Bible translation, and it confirmed that translation/definition. It blessed me…read with me…
1BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, to be envied) is he who has forgiveness of his transgression continually exercised upon him, whose sin is covered.
2Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3When I kept silence [before I confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long.
4For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer.
Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
Think about it…truly sit and meditate on how blessed we are, Children of the Living God, that our sins are not counted against us…that we have Jesus, who has paid that price for us, and that because of Him, we are forgiven and counted as righteous…continually. It’s just that simple, and yet it is unfathomable…it’s overwhelming.
Think about that anguish spoken of in verses 3-4, how heavy our hearts feel when we are caught in sin…the weight of it. While yes, we are forgiven and blessed, we also are human and still sin…and it weighs on us. Keep reading…
5I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told]--then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin.
Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
Think about confession…when you realize that the weight you have been carrying…the burden, the pain…is because of sin. Finally, you have clear vision…God, in His tender grace and mercy, reveals that sin to you…and you fall down on your face before Him and beg for forgiveness. Instantly, you are forgiven. Instantly… (1John 1:9)
6For this [forgiveness] let everyone who is godly pray--pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters [of trial] overflow, they shall not reach [the spirit in] him.
7You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance.
Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
Think about that forgiveness. It should motivate us. God is always ready to hear from us…we do not have to make an appointment, we don’t have to wait until our quite time, bed time…or wait for a time of trial. He is available 24/7…He surrounds us. As He surrounds us, protecting and loving us…pray...just pray...always…(Hebrews 4:16; 1Thess. 5:17; James 5:13)
8I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9Be not like the horse or the mule, which lack understanding, which must have their mouths held firm with bit and bridle, or else they will not come with you.
10Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on the Lord shall be compassed about with mercy and with loving-kindness.
11Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you who are upright and in right standing with Him]; shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Father, I fall down on my knees this morning thanking You for Your mercy on me, a sinner. Thank You that You have provided a way for me to know You. Thank You for loving me…and for making the Gospel real to me again. Help me to never lose sight of it’s simplicity…nor it’s enormity. Thank You for picking me up when I fall…daily; thank You that I can always count on You. Lead me, I beg…give me understanding for today and help me keep my eyes focused on You. Amen.
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