Psalm 150
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Psalm 150:6
Psalm 150 is the last of the psalms. The final five (146-150) psalms have been building. Each is directed towards different people/groups of people. For example, in Psalm 146 an individual Israelite praises God. In Psalm 147 the people of Jerusalem praise Him. In Psalm 148 all creatures in heaven and earth praise the Lord. In Psalm 149 the saints praise Him. And, finally, in Psalm 150 EVERY CREATURE that has breath is to praise God EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING!
Psalm 150 tells us where, why, how, and who should praise God.
Where should "everything that has breath" praise God? Verse 1 tells us it is "in his sanctuary" and "in his mighty heavens." That is...EVERYWHERE!
Why should "everything that has breath" praise God? Verse 2 states that it is because of "his acts of power" and "his surpassing greatness." In other words, He is to be praised for who He is and what He has done.
How should "everything that has breath" praise God? Verses 3-5 answer this. James Boice says the answer to this question is, "With everything you've got. If you have a trumpet, use that. If you have a lyre, tambourine, stringed instrument, flute, or cymbals, use them. If all you have is a harmonica, play that! The list of instruments is not meant to be comprehensive, though it may be. We do not know what instruments the ancient Jews had. The point is actually that everything you have can be used to worship God."
Who should praise God? Everything and everybody! Boice states, "At the moment, we see God insulted, blasphemed, denied, and ignored. We see Christ rejected. But one day 'every knee [will] bow,' whether willingly or not (Phil. 2:10). As far as the saints are conderned, the apostle John wrote in Revelation, 'Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them singing:
To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!" (Rev. 5:13).
"What a great choir! What a great song! What a great privilege. It will be ours if we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who has indeed taken away the sin of those who trust him."
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. (Psalm 150:6)
Psalm 149
1 Praise the Lord.
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the saints.
I appreciate how James Montgomery Boice pointed out in his commentary on the psalms how singing is a natural way to express delight. He also notes that “not many people sing today, which is probably a reflection of the unhappy times in which we live. People used to sing in their homes as they gathered around the piano, or they sang together in clubs. That doesn’t happen much anymore. Someone has pointed out the possibility of tracing the changing mood of our century by remembering that the soldiers of the First World War sang as they marched to battle. The singing soldier was a heroic figure. The GI of the Second World War was not a heroic figure but a wise-cracking joker. He had nicknames for his officers and poked fun at them. By the time the Vietnam War came around, the typical fighting man neither sang nor joked. He took drugs instead.” Sad, but true, I’m afraid.
To sort of piggyback on the comments on Susan’s post last week, I think that this may be at least in part why God chose music for his prescribed form of worship. Singing is “the saints’” (vs. 1, 5, & 9) joyful response to the honor of being the recipient of God’s delight (vs. 4 & 5). God, our Maker (vs. 2), our King (vs. 2) and our Savior (vs. 4) delights in what HE has made, what HE rules over and what HE has saved. As Cindy reminded us last week, it’s not about us, but, all about HIM! What about you and me? Do you and I, if not on our lips, at least in our hearts, have a song of joyful praise to sing? Or, is your heart and mine so focused on grumbling and complaining that it has no energy left for praise?
Lord, turn our hearts toward you and the wonder of your delight in us so that they will sing in joyful praise to YOU.
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the saints.
I appreciate how James Montgomery Boice pointed out in his commentary on the psalms how singing is a natural way to express delight. He also notes that “not many people sing today, which is probably a reflection of the unhappy times in which we live. People used to sing in their homes as they gathered around the piano, or they sang together in clubs. That doesn’t happen much anymore. Someone has pointed out the possibility of tracing the changing mood of our century by remembering that the soldiers of the First World War sang as they marched to battle. The singing soldier was a heroic figure. The GI of the Second World War was not a heroic figure but a wise-cracking joker. He had nicknames for his officers and poked fun at them. By the time the Vietnam War came around, the typical fighting man neither sang nor joked. He took drugs instead.” Sad, but true, I’m afraid.
To sort of piggyback on the comments on Susan’s post last week, I think that this may be at least in part why God chose music for his prescribed form of worship. Singing is “the saints’” (vs. 1, 5, & 9) joyful response to the honor of being the recipient of God’s delight (vs. 4 & 5). God, our Maker (vs. 2), our King (vs. 2) and our Savior (vs. 4) delights in what HE has made, what HE rules over and what HE has saved. As Cindy reminded us last week, it’s not about us, but, all about HIM! What about you and me? Do you and I, if not on our lips, at least in our hearts, have a song of joyful praise to sing? Or, is your heart and mine so focused on grumbling and complaining that it has no energy left for praise?
Lord, turn our hearts toward you and the wonder of your delight in us so that they will sing in joyful praise to YOU.
Psalm 145
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas!!!
This is Psalm 145, my short form, beginning with v. 1-7:
(hint: WE do the green. God IS the blue. God PROMISES the purple.)
I will:
- Extol Thee, my King
- Bless Thy name every day--for ever & ever
- Praise Thy name forever & ever
GREAT IS THE LORD
His greatness is UNSEARCHABLE.
One generation shall
- praise thy works to another & declare Thy mighty acts.
I will meditate on
the splendor of Thy majesty & Thy wonderful works.
Men shall speak of the power of Thine awesome acts;
I will tell of Thy greatness.
They shall bubble over with the memory of Thine abundant goodness,
and shout joyfully of Thy righteousness.
Look at the descriptions in verses 8 - 20:
The Lord is:
- gracious and merciful
- slow to anger
- great in lovingkindness
- good to all.
His mercies are over all His works.
His works give thanks to Thee.
Thy Godly ones shall:
- bless Thee
- speak of the glory of Thy kingdom
- talk of Thy power
- make known Thy mighty acts & glory of Thy kingdom.
The Lord:
- sustains all who fall.
- raises up all who are bowed down.
- gives, to all who look to Thee, food in due time.
- opens Thy hand & satisfies the desire of every living thing.
- is righteous in all His ways.
- is kind in all His deeds.
- is near to all who call upon Him in truth.
- will fulfill the desires of those who fear Him.
- will hear their cry and save those who fear Him.
- keeps all who love Him.
- will destroy the wicked.
David ends with v. 21:
My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord;
And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.
Reading this Psalm makes me aware once more that it is so not about me, and all about Him. Without Him we are nothing. Our only hope is in Him. We can bless, praise, declare, tell, speak, shout,--- really, that is all that is left for us to do, because He has done everything for us.
Thank You Father for the completeness of Your provision for us. Thank you for Your Son, the One whose birth we celebrate today. We are in awe of You.
Psalm 144
David begins with praise and a statement of faith (vss 1-2)
Praise be to the Lord my Rock…my Fortress…my Stronghold…my Deliverer
David acknowledges to God his weakness, his sinful humanity (vss 3-4, see also Psalm 8)
But, who is man that You care for him? Man is like a breath…a fleeting shadow
David asks God to come destroy his enemies and rescue him (vss 5-8)
Part Your heavens and come down…send lightning and scatter my enemies…shoot arrows and rout them…deliver and rescue me
David's response to his anticipated deliverance is music! (vss 9-10)
I will sing a new song…I will make music to the One Who gives victory
David reiterates his request for deliverance (vs 11)
Deliver me and rescue me from the hands of foreigners…who are deceitful
David looks forward to the abundant life that God will give when He proves His Sovereignty to the world by setting all things in order (vss 12-14)
Then our sons and our daughters will be [strong and beautiful]…our barns will be filled…our sheep will increase…our oxen will be strong…there will be no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets.
David concludes with the obvious (vs 15)
Blessed are the people of whom this is true: Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.
Praise be to the Lord my Rock…my Fortress…my Stronghold…my Deliverer
David acknowledges to God his weakness, his sinful humanity (vss 3-4, see also Psalm 8)
But, who is man that You care for him? Man is like a breath…a fleeting shadow
David asks God to come destroy his enemies and rescue him (vss 5-8)
Part Your heavens and come down…send lightning and scatter my enemies…shoot arrows and rout them…deliver and rescue me
David's response to his anticipated deliverance is music! (vss 9-10)
I will sing a new song…I will make music to the One Who gives victory
David reiterates his request for deliverance (vs 11)
Deliver me and rescue me from the hands of foreigners…who are deceitful
David looks forward to the abundant life that God will give when He proves His Sovereignty to the world by setting all things in order (vss 12-14)
Then our sons and our daughters will be [strong and beautiful]…our barns will be filled…our sheep will increase…our oxen will be strong…there will be no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets.
David concludes with the obvious (vs 15)
Blessed are the people of whom this is true: Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.
Psalm 143
This psalm is a prayer of David, as many psalms are. His prayers are so beautiful. His prayers are serious and thoughtful. David is crying out to God, realizing that He is the only One he needs in the midst of his troubles.
He prays that God would:
1. Hear him (vv.1-7).
2. Not deal with him according to his sins (v.2).
3. Not hide his face from him (v.7).
4. Pour out His favor upon him (v.8).
5. Guide and direct his path & strengthen him (v.8,10,11).
6. Deliver him out of his troubles (v.9,11).
7. Conquer his enemies (v.12).
To Quote Matthew Henry's Commentary: We may more easily accommodate this psalm to ourselves, in the singing of it, because most of the petitions in it are for spiritual blessings (which we all need at all times), mercy and grace.
Lord, may I be like David by seeking you continually through prayer and petition. May I find rest in You and You alone and "hide myself in you (v.9).
He prays that God would:
1. Hear him (vv.1-7).
2. Not deal with him according to his sins (v.2).
3. Not hide his face from him (v.7).
4. Pour out His favor upon him (v.8).
5. Guide and direct his path & strengthen him (v.8,10,11).
6. Deliver him out of his troubles (v.9,11).
7. Conquer his enemies (v.12).
To Quote Matthew Henry's Commentary: We may more easily accommodate this psalm to ourselves, in the singing of it, because most of the petitions in it are for spiritual blessings (which we all need at all times), mercy and grace.
Lord, may I be like David by seeking you continually through prayer and petition. May I find rest in You and You alone and "hide myself in you (v.9).
Psalm 142
Early in my Christian walk I heard someone say something to this effect, “When I looked up and realized that God was all I had, it was then that I realized that God was all I needed. David found himself alone and in trouble and said, “no one is concerned for me…no one cares for my life. (vs. 4)” No human that is, because in the next verse he obviously knows of God’s presence with him because he says, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” David saw that he wasn’t alone after all and realized that God was all that he really needed in his trouble. As Christians, like David, we can know that although others may desert us in our troubles, we are never deserted by Jesus, who knows us thoroughly, understands all we are going through, and supports us in it.
One time when I was struggling with feelings of being alone, God graced me with a book called, The Cross Centered Life, by C. J. Mahaney (I HIGHLY recommend it!). In it were the following words that put my aloneness in perspective (It’s a little long, but, I hope that it grips you as it did me). C. J. had just described a time in his life when he had felt alone, and he followed with these words:
And yet, even in comparison to such unbearable experiences, there’s Someone else whose pain of isolation and abandonment goes infinitely deeper.
Before being nailed to the cross, Jesus already knew what it meant to be forsaken; He had become intimately acquainted with being rejected or abandoned by men. Yet whenever it happened, He could always say, “Though forsaken by men, I am not alone, for My Father is always with Me.”
But not now.
He who for all eternity has never been alone is now wholly abandoned. Such utter desolation has never even existed before in all eternity, because of the infinite love and fellowship of the Trinity, which can never be broken. But now the incarnate Son must be forsaken by the Father…because the Father is holy and there in the Father’s sight is “the most grotesque display of ugliness imaginable,” as R. C. Sproul termed it. It’s the monstrous sight of the unbounded totality of human sin resting upon one Man.
Therefore that Man must be utterly removed from the presence of the holy God, utterly separated, as far as the east is from the west.
Jesus doesn’t just feel forsaken; He is forsaken. In an unfathomable mystery, at that moment, as God’s wrath is poured upon Him as the substitute for our sin, Jesus is rejected by God. His Father turns away from Him. It isn’t a deceptive feeling; its reality.
In Gethsemane, when Jesus looked into the cup, this is what He had seen. This is what had staggered Him.
What could possibly be more amazing? And what greater reason can there be for you and me at this very moment to praise and thank Him?
The personal desolation Christ is experiencing on the cross is what you and I should be experiencing – but instead, Jesus is bearing it, and bearing it all alone.
Why alone?
He’s alone so that we might never be alone.
He cries out to God, “Why have You forsaken Me?” so that you and I will never have to make a similar cry. He was cut off from His Father so that we can boldly say, “Nothing shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.”
Jesus, thank you for experiencing the desolation of the cross so that I will never have to be alone.
One time when I was struggling with feelings of being alone, God graced me with a book called, The Cross Centered Life, by C. J. Mahaney (I HIGHLY recommend it!). In it were the following words that put my aloneness in perspective (It’s a little long, but, I hope that it grips you as it did me). C. J. had just described a time in his life when he had felt alone, and he followed with these words:
And yet, even in comparison to such unbearable experiences, there’s Someone else whose pain of isolation and abandonment goes infinitely deeper.
Before being nailed to the cross, Jesus already knew what it meant to be forsaken; He had become intimately acquainted with being rejected or abandoned by men. Yet whenever it happened, He could always say, “Though forsaken by men, I am not alone, for My Father is always with Me.”
But not now.
He who for all eternity has never been alone is now wholly abandoned. Such utter desolation has never even existed before in all eternity, because of the infinite love and fellowship of the Trinity, which can never be broken. But now the incarnate Son must be forsaken by the Father…because the Father is holy and there in the Father’s sight is “the most grotesque display of ugliness imaginable,” as R. C. Sproul termed it. It’s the monstrous sight of the unbounded totality of human sin resting upon one Man.
Therefore that Man must be utterly removed from the presence of the holy God, utterly separated, as far as the east is from the west.
Jesus doesn’t just feel forsaken; He is forsaken. In an unfathomable mystery, at that moment, as God’s wrath is poured upon Him as the substitute for our sin, Jesus is rejected by God. His Father turns away from Him. It isn’t a deceptive feeling; its reality.
In Gethsemane, when Jesus looked into the cup, this is what He had seen. This is what had staggered Him.
What could possibly be more amazing? And what greater reason can there be for you and me at this very moment to praise and thank Him?
The personal desolation Christ is experiencing on the cross is what you and I should be experiencing – but instead, Jesus is bearing it, and bearing it all alone.
Why alone?
He’s alone so that we might never be alone.
He cries out to God, “Why have You forsaken Me?” so that you and I will never have to make a similar cry. He was cut off from His Father so that we can boldly say, “Nothing shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.”
Jesus, thank you for experiencing the desolation of the cross so that I will never have to be alone.
Psalm 141
The more I read this Psalm, the more I decided it contained all the essentials for instruction on Christian living. Verses 1,2 and 8 emphasize that our hearts and eyes need to be ever focused on God and that our relationship with Him must be cultivated through prayer.
On the extremely practical side, verses 3, 4 and 5 identify the ways we usually fall into trouble and bring distance to our relationship with God. First (v3), we tend to fall into trouble with what we say. This verse asks God to help guard our mouths. Keeping our lips shut is often a good solution. Second, the writer asks God to help him not be attracted by what is evil (v4). That solution to temptation seems so elementary, but I have to admit, I've seldom asked God to help me in my effort to resist certain things (thinking it was MY job --in the strength of my own flesh-- to resist). And then, in verse 5, the clincher... asking God to use righteous men and women as instruments of correction. Doesn't this concept fly in the face of everything in our gut? I never desire to be rebuked! Yet, how many of life's big mistakes can be avoided if we do accept instruction from others? I can think back to the big doozies in my life and with each one, I can see/hear/picture a soundbite playing alongside with someone giving me a warning regarding that issue.
Like Cindy pointed out on Friday, this journey called life puts us constantly in the presence of trouble (whether we realize it or not). We need all possible methods to avoid the snares and traps of the evil one so that we can "pass by in safety." (v10)
Psalm 141
1 O LORD, I call to you; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to you.
2 May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.
5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers;
6 their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs, and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
7 They will say, "As one plows and breaks up the earth, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave."
8 But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.
9 Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, from the traps set by evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety.
On the extremely practical side, verses 3, 4 and 5 identify the ways we usually fall into trouble and bring distance to our relationship with God. First (v3), we tend to fall into trouble with what we say. This verse asks God to help guard our mouths. Keeping our lips shut is often a good solution. Second, the writer asks God to help him not be attracted by what is evil (v4). That solution to temptation seems so elementary, but I have to admit, I've seldom asked God to help me in my effort to resist certain things (thinking it was MY job --in the strength of my own flesh-- to resist). And then, in verse 5, the clincher... asking God to use righteous men and women as instruments of correction. Doesn't this concept fly in the face of everything in our gut? I never desire to be rebuked! Yet, how many of life's big mistakes can be avoided if we do accept instruction from others? I can think back to the big doozies in my life and with each one, I can see/hear/picture a soundbite playing alongside with someone giving me a warning regarding that issue.
Like Cindy pointed out on Friday, this journey called life puts us constantly in the presence of trouble (whether we realize it or not). We need all possible methods to avoid the snares and traps of the evil one so that we can "pass by in safety." (v10)
Psalm 141
1 O LORD, I call to you; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to you.
2 May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.
5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers;
6 their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs, and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
7 They will say, "As one plows and breaks up the earth, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave."
8 But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.
9 Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, from the traps set by evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety.
Psalm 138
Directions:
1. Ask God to speak to you.
2. Read the Psalm. Pause between verses.
3. Read the green--that is what we are to do.
4. Read the purple--that is God's part.
5. Read the Psalm again.
6. Answer the questions at the end.
Psalm 138 (NIV)
1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise. 2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. 3 When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted. 4 May all the kings of the earth praise you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth. 5 May they sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great. 6 Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. 8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.
1. How do I give thanks with all my heart (v. 1)? What "gods" are in my life? Do they affect how/when/how often I praise God?
2. How does God "exalt His Name and His Word above all things"? If He does this, how much of a priority should this be in my life?
3. Am I willing to allow Him to make me "bold with strength in my soul?" (v.3 NASB) What might I do if He did this?
4. The kings of the whole world will acknowledge Him and praise Him one day, yet today He is willing to "regard the lowly" (v. 4-6 NASB). Do I minister to the "lowly"? How do I define the "lowly"? How does God?
5. Notice that verse 7 does not say "When I walk in the midst of trouble..." By saying "Though I walk in the midst of trouble...", I believe that the Psalmist is indicating that we are constantly in the presence of trouble--it is not just a possibility, we should count on trouble. But we can also count on the last part of the verse just as much: "Thou will revive me; Thou wilt stretch forth Thy hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Thy right hand will save me."
6. What a promise we end with!The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.
Thank you Jesus for your obedience to come and be my Savior. Thank you for knowing what I am and choosing to love me and give your life for me. Thank you for your Word that allows us to know you more and love you more deeply. Amen.
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your love, O LORD, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands.
Thank you Jesus for your obedience to come and be my Savior. Thank you for knowing what I am and choosing to love me and give your life for me. Thank you for your Word that allows us to know you more and love you more deeply. Amen.
Psalm 136
HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER
Endures ~ "To continue in the same state."
Forever ~ "For a limitless time; continually"
At the end of each verse in Psalm 136 the refrain, His love endures forever is sung. In looking at the definitions above, we can better understand what this phrase means. It's as if it should read: "His love continues in the same state for a limitless time" at the end of each verse. Verse 1 would read:
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love continues in the same state for a limitless time.
I view verse one as an "umbrella" verse for the chapter. The remaining verses fall under this one and are more specific by focusing on the Lord's great acts.
First of all, he is the GOD OF GODS & LORD OF LORDS! What are some of His great acts specified in this psalm?
1. He made the heavens (Genesis 1:1).
2. He spread out the earth upon the waters (Genesis 1:9).
3. He made the great lights (Genesis 1:14&16).
4. He made the sun to govern the day...the moon and stars to govern the night (Genesis 1:16).
5. He struck down the firstborn of Egypt (Exodus 12:29).
6. He brought Israel out from among them (Exodus 6:6, 12:51).
7. He divided the Red Sea and brought Israel through the midst of it (Exodus 14:21-22).
8. He swept Pharoah and his army into the Red Sea (Exodus 14:27).
9. He led his people through the desert, where they killed mighty kings (Shihon and Og) and gave their land as an inheritance (Exodus 13:18; Deut. 29:7; Numbers 21:21-25; Joshua 12:1).
10. He remembered us in our low estate (Psalm 113:7).
11. He freed us from our enemies (Psalm 107:2).
AND...
12. He gives food to every creature (Psalm 104:27; 145:15).
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
Lord, I give thanks to you!
Endures ~ "To continue in the same state."
Forever ~ "For a limitless time; continually"
At the end of each verse in Psalm 136 the refrain, His love endures forever is sung. In looking at the definitions above, we can better understand what this phrase means. It's as if it should read: "His love continues in the same state for a limitless time" at the end of each verse. Verse 1 would read:
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love continues in the same state for a limitless time.
I view verse one as an "umbrella" verse for the chapter. The remaining verses fall under this one and are more specific by focusing on the Lord's great acts.
First of all, he is the GOD OF GODS & LORD OF LORDS! What are some of His great acts specified in this psalm?
1. He made the heavens (Genesis 1:1).
2. He spread out the earth upon the waters (Genesis 1:9).
3. He made the great lights (Genesis 1:14&16).
4. He made the sun to govern the day...the moon and stars to govern the night (Genesis 1:16).
5. He struck down the firstborn of Egypt (Exodus 12:29).
6. He brought Israel out from among them (Exodus 6:6, 12:51).
7. He divided the Red Sea and brought Israel through the midst of it (Exodus 14:21-22).
8. He swept Pharoah and his army into the Red Sea (Exodus 14:27).
9. He led his people through the desert, where they killed mighty kings (Shihon and Og) and gave their land as an inheritance (Exodus 13:18; Deut. 29:7; Numbers 21:21-25; Joshua 12:1).
10. He remembered us in our low estate (Psalm 113:7).
11. He freed us from our enemies (Psalm 107:2).
AND...
12. He gives food to every creature (Psalm 104:27; 145:15).
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
Lord, I give thanks to you!
Psalm 135
Today’s psalm begins the final section of the Psalter. It emphasizes the worship or praise of God. Psalm 135 is the start of this new section and begins with the words “Praise the Lord.” These three words occur seven times in this psalm, twice at the beginning (vv. 1, 3) and five more times at the end (vv. 19-21) Since the psalm begins and ends with these words it is a way of saying that all of life should be filled with praise to God.
Since these last psalms that we will be looking at focus on the worship or praise of God, I would like to begin by quoting James Montgomery Boice on the subject of worship:
Worship means to attribute worth. To worship God rightly is to ascribe to him supreme worth, for he alone is supremely worthy. To worship is to honor God supremely…Worship also has bearing on the worshiper, however, which means that it changes him or her. No one ever truly comes to know, honor, or worship God without being changed in the process. The best definition of worship I have come across is from the pen of former Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple: “To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.”
Why worship God? “Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good. (v. 3)” God is good in all things and in all ways. His wisdom is good. His knowledge is good. His judgments are good. His power is good. His works are all good. Verses 4-14 tell of God’s great works, both past (4-12) and future (13, 14).
How often we try to satisfy our empty souls with false gods and worship them instead. They don’t look like the ones in verses 15-18, (ie., silver and gold made by the hands of men with mouths, eyes, and ears; but we have them nonetheless.) Boice’s comment on this is:
If we worship things that people produce, we will become as impotent and empty as those things, but if we worship God, by the grace of God we will become like God, and we will both “glorify God and enjoy him forever.”
Lord, help me to worship you alone and in the way that honors you.
Since these last psalms that we will be looking at focus on the worship or praise of God, I would like to begin by quoting James Montgomery Boice on the subject of worship:
Worship means to attribute worth. To worship God rightly is to ascribe to him supreme worth, for he alone is supremely worthy. To worship is to honor God supremely…Worship also has bearing on the worshiper, however, which means that it changes him or her. No one ever truly comes to know, honor, or worship God without being changed in the process. The best definition of worship I have come across is from the pen of former Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple: “To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.”
Why worship God? “Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good. (v. 3)” God is good in all things and in all ways. His wisdom is good. His knowledge is good. His judgments are good. His power is good. His works are all good. Verses 4-14 tell of God’s great works, both past (4-12) and future (13, 14).
How often we try to satisfy our empty souls with false gods and worship them instead. They don’t look like the ones in verses 15-18, (ie., silver and gold made by the hands of men with mouths, eyes, and ears; but we have them nonetheless.) Boice’s comment on this is:
If we worship things that people produce, we will become as impotent and empty as those things, but if we worship God, by the grace of God we will become like God, and we will both “glorify God and enjoy him forever.”
Lord, help me to worship you alone and in the way that honors you.
Psalm 134
Psalm 134
1BEHOLD, BLESS (affectionately and gratefully praise) the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, [singers] who by night stand in the house of the Lord.
2Lift up your hands in holiness and to the sanctuary and bless the Lord [affectionately and gratefully praise Him]!
3The Lord bless you out of Zion, even He Who made heaven and earth." (Amplified version)
Verse 1 asks God to bless His servants who stand by night in God's house. My mind went immediately to Chestnut Mountain's youth group and the dessert theater that they put on last Friday night. They performed "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" in dessert theater format to over 500 people from our community as a way to raise funds for an orphanage in Manila. I am dedicating this Psalm to them and asking God to truly bless them individually and to bless their efforts to raise money for Ang Bahay Parola.
What an tremendous amount of work went into that event! I'd love to know the number of hours invested by everyone who rehearsed, organized, baked, served, set-up, cleaned up, etc. I remarked to my husband that I can't imagine having the "umph" to undertake such an endeavor. I am so thankful for their willingness to serve and give us the opportunity to serve together with them.
I am dedicating this Psalm to them and asking God to truly bless them individually and to bless their efforts to raise money for Ang Bahay Parola - for His glory.
1BEHOLD, BLESS (affectionately and gratefully praise) the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, [singers] who by night stand in the house of the Lord.
2Lift up your hands in holiness and to the sanctuary and bless the Lord [affectionately and gratefully praise Him]!
3The Lord bless you out of Zion, even He Who made heaven and earth." (Amplified version)
Verse 1 asks God to bless His servants who stand by night in God's house. My mind went immediately to Chestnut Mountain's youth group and the dessert theater that they put on last Friday night. They performed "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" in dessert theater format to over 500 people from our community as a way to raise funds for an orphanage in Manila. I am dedicating this Psalm to them and asking God to truly bless them individually and to bless their efforts to raise money for Ang Bahay Parola.
What an tremendous amount of work went into that event! I'd love to know the number of hours invested by everyone who rehearsed, organized, baked, served, set-up, cleaned up, etc. I remarked to my husband that I can't imagine having the "umph" to undertake such an endeavor. I am so thankful for their willingness to serve and give us the opportunity to serve together with them.
I am dedicating this Psalm to them and asking God to truly bless them individually and to bless their efforts to raise money for Ang Bahay Parola - for His glory.
Psalm 131
I read through this concise and succinct Psalm and wondered about the "great matters" and the "weaned child." These two versions added a lot of clarity for me:
Psalm 131 (The Message)
1. GOD, I'm not trying to rule the roost,
I don't want to be king of the mountain.
I haven't meddled where I have no business
or fantasized grandiose plans.
2. I've kept my feet on the ground,
I've cultivated a quiet heart
Like a baby content in its mother's arms,
My soul is a baby content.
3. Wait, Israel, for GOD. Wait with hope.
Hope now; hope always!
Check out the same Psalm in the Contemporary English Version:
1. I am not conceited, LORD,
and I don't waste my time
on impossible schemes.
2. But I have learned to feel safe
and satisfied,
just like a young child
on its mother's lap.
3. People of Israel,
you must trust the LORD
now and forever.
This week, I wondered what this Psalm might look like if it was written by me...
God. Somehow, it is still hard for me to trust You, to really let you lead my steps. I don't follow well. I get sidetracked by pride, wanting to be right, and the unexpected.
I am trying to stay steeped in Your Ways.
I try to be quiet so I can hear you speak.
In the whirlwind of days and duties,
I think of you
and that calms me.
As a tired and cranky child finally gives that long sigh and releases into the calmness of sleep in his mothers' arms,
I long to rest in You the same way.
I can trust You.
I rest in the Hope of You, Lord Jesus.
I do that today, tomorrow and forever.
Father, help us to trust you more. Amen.
Psalm 130
Hope, according to Merriam-Webster:
1 : to desire with expectation of obtainment
2 : to expect with confidence : TRUST
Psalm 130
"Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord: O Lord, hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness; therefore, You are feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love, and with Him is full redemption. He Himself will redeem Israel from all their sins."
Who could ask for anything more?
1 : to desire with expectation of obtainment
2 : to expect with confidence : TRUST
Psalm 130
"Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord: O Lord, hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness; therefore, You are feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love, and with Him is full redemption. He Himself will redeem Israel from all their sins."
Who could ask for anything more?
Psalm 129
In this Psalm, the Jews give an account of the afflictions they have endured (v.1-3). They thank God for their deliverance (v.4). And they discuss the judgment that should occur against their enemies (v.5-8).
One thing that they wish upon their enemies:
May they be like grass on the roof,
which withers before it can grow;
with it the reaper cannot fill his hands,
nor the one who gathers fill his arms.
Psalm 129:6&7
"As in the east the roofs of the houses were flat, seeds of various kinds falling upon them would naturally vegetate, though in an imperfect way; and, because of the want of proper nourishment, would necessarily dry and wither away. If grass, the mower cannot make hay of it; if corn, the reaper cannot make a sheaf of it. Let the Babylonians be like such herbage-good for nothing, and come to nothing." (www.godrules.net)
This analogy of grass that can not grow because it isn't able to take root on a roof (and therefore is useless) reminds me of a passage in John. John 15:1-8 identifies followers of Christ as "branches" that bear fruit. Adversely, if one is not in Christ, then they are cut off of the vine/unable to bear fruit. Verse 4 says, "No branch can bear fruit by itself." In the same way, in Psalm 129, the grass can not grow on a rooftop, without soil to develop its roots.
So, in order to better understand and apply this Psalm personally, I can compare these two passages. Those that would be "grass on the roof" have no relationship with Christ. In fact, they were enemies of/hated the Jews. By remaining in Him and by His grace, we are able to grow! Whether it is growing grass or growing fruit from our branches!
One thing that they wish upon their enemies:
May they be like grass on the roof,
which withers before it can grow;
with it the reaper cannot fill his hands,
nor the one who gathers fill his arms.
Psalm 129:6&7
"As in the east the roofs of the houses were flat, seeds of various kinds falling upon them would naturally vegetate, though in an imperfect way; and, because of the want of proper nourishment, would necessarily dry and wither away. If grass, the mower cannot make hay of it; if corn, the reaper cannot make a sheaf of it. Let the Babylonians be like such herbage-good for nothing, and come to nothing." (www.godrules.net)
This analogy of grass that can not grow because it isn't able to take root on a roof (and therefore is useless) reminds me of a passage in John. John 15:1-8 identifies followers of Christ as "branches" that bear fruit. Adversely, if one is not in Christ, then they are cut off of the vine/unable to bear fruit. Verse 4 says, "No branch can bear fruit by itself." In the same way, in Psalm 129, the grass can not grow on a rooftop, without soil to develop its roots.
So, in order to better understand and apply this Psalm personally, I can compare these two passages. Those that would be "grass on the roof" have no relationship with Christ. In fact, they were enemies of/hated the Jews. By remaining in Him and by His grace, we are able to grow! Whether it is growing grass or growing fruit from our branches!
Psalm 128
This psalm poses a similar problem for me as last week’s psalm did. I can take verse one as a promise, knowing that God truly does bless every one who fears him and walks in his ways with a relationship with himself that begins at the point of salvation and continues forever, as well as countless other blessings. But, what about the rest of the psalm that seems to promise both 1) personal blessing such as prosperity, a reproducing partner, flourishing offspring (verses 2, 3 and 6), and, 2) national blessing (verse 5)? Allow me to give you what James Montgomery Boice has to say about this in his commentary on the Psalms:
Are there exceptions? Yes, otherwise every child who disobeys his
or her parents and dishonors the family could be excused on the grounds
that the failure was that of the child’s father or mother. Nor is every
loud, ignorant, crude, or disagreeable wife the husband’s failure. This
is wisdom literature, after all. It is in the same category as Proverbs
22:6, which says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he
is old he will not turn from it.” This verse does not mean that no properly
raised child will ever rebel against his or her background. The children
of godly parents can and often do rebel. What it does mean is that as a
rule godly training issues in godly lives. As the twig is bent, so grows
the tree. That is the kind of thing being said in this psalm: As a rule
the person who is God-fearing and tries to obey God will be blessed
with a God-fearing and obedient family.
If God chooses to bless us here on this earth with earthly gifts such as those pictured in this psalm, do you and I say with James that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights” and focus on the Giver of those gifts rather than the gifts themselves?
And, what if God chooses to give us little in the way of earthly gifts? Can you and I say with the prophet Habakkuk:
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though
there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will
rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior?
Or, with Job after he was stripped of all his earthly blessings, can you and I say, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and
Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised”.
Lord, thank you for your many blessings. Help me to love and worship You above them all.
Are there exceptions? Yes, otherwise every child who disobeys his
or her parents and dishonors the family could be excused on the grounds
that the failure was that of the child’s father or mother. Nor is every
loud, ignorant, crude, or disagreeable wife the husband’s failure. This
is wisdom literature, after all. It is in the same category as Proverbs
22:6, which says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he
is old he will not turn from it.” This verse does not mean that no properly
raised child will ever rebel against his or her background. The children
of godly parents can and often do rebel. What it does mean is that as a
rule godly training issues in godly lives. As the twig is bent, so grows
the tree. That is the kind of thing being said in this psalm: As a rule
the person who is God-fearing and tries to obey God will be blessed
with a God-fearing and obedient family.
If God chooses to bless us here on this earth with earthly gifts such as those pictured in this psalm, do you and I say with James that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights” and focus on the Giver of those gifts rather than the gifts themselves?
And, what if God chooses to give us little in the way of earthly gifts? Can you and I say with the prophet Habakkuk:
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though
there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will
rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior?
Or, with Job after he was stripped of all his earthly blessings, can you and I say, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and
Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised”.
Lord, thank you for your many blessings. Help me to love and worship You above them all.
Psalm 127 - A Personal Story
Psalm 127
Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
This is a Psalm that God used several years ago to challenge me about where I was placing my trust. We had two young children and lived in the middle of a large parcel of land. We were fairly isolated and did not have a security alarm. I would sometimes get a little (ok, a lot) fearful, especially at night and especially if I had heard a scary news story about a home invasion. I used to prop a chair up under the front door. The kids would ask me "why are you doing that momma, are you afraid bears will come in?". I would say "oh yes, I don't want the bears to come in".
A couple of years (and another child) later, we moved into a house in a subdivision with an alarm system. I was fanatical about setting the alarm before retiring at night. A couple of times, a window popped open during the night and I wouldn't let my husband go back to sleep until he had figured out the problem and re-set the alarm. It was becoming an issue...
Around that time, I read Psalm 127 and the words "unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain" stuck out in a way they never had before. I knew instantly that I had two problems: 1) I had an unhealthy level of fear and, 2) I was putting my sense of security in an alarm system instead of God.
Over the months that followed, I had to confront my fear and learn to trust God with my safety and the safety of my family. I had to get to the point where I determined that I would trust God, even if the worst circumstances materialized. As Oswald Chambers says "Unless we can look the darkest, blackest fact full in the face without damaging God's character, we do not yet know Him." Thankfully, God has not yet tested me on trusting Him in the "worst circumstances" and I certainly don't try to put my family or myself in harms way. But, since recognizing and working through my fears, our family has been able to enjoy an occassional spring or fall night with the windows open and the alarm OFF!
Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
This is a Psalm that God used several years ago to challenge me about where I was placing my trust. We had two young children and lived in the middle of a large parcel of land. We were fairly isolated and did not have a security alarm. I would sometimes get a little (ok, a lot) fearful, especially at night and especially if I had heard a scary news story about a home invasion. I used to prop a chair up under the front door. The kids would ask me "why are you doing that momma, are you afraid bears will come in?". I would say "oh yes, I don't want the bears to come in".
A couple of years (and another child) later, we moved into a house in a subdivision with an alarm system. I was fanatical about setting the alarm before retiring at night. A couple of times, a window popped open during the night and I wouldn't let my husband go back to sleep until he had figured out the problem and re-set the alarm. It was becoming an issue...
Around that time, I read Psalm 127 and the words "unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain" stuck out in a way they never had before. I knew instantly that I had two problems: 1) I had an unhealthy level of fear and, 2) I was putting my sense of security in an alarm system instead of God.
Over the months that followed, I had to confront my fear and learn to trust God with my safety and the safety of my family. I had to get to the point where I determined that I would trust God, even if the worst circumstances materialized. As Oswald Chambers says "Unless we can look the darkest, blackest fact full in the face without damaging God's character, we do not yet know Him." Thankfully, God has not yet tested me on trusting Him in the "worst circumstances" and I certainly don't try to put my family or myself in harms way. But, since recognizing and working through my fears, our family has been able to enjoy an occassional spring or fall night with the windows open and the alarm OFF!
Psalm 124
This Psalm was written by David to Israel reminding them of God's protection and provision. How might this Psalm read if David was writing it to you or me personally?
Circle the choices or add other ones that most apply to you:
If God hadn't been for me when:
- I/my husband lost my/his job,
- my friends disappeared,
- me/my husband/child made some major bad decisions,
- my marriage failed,
- a family member became disabled,
I would have been swallowed alive by:
- anger,
- regrets,
- bitterness,
- depression,
- loneliness.
Swept away by the flood of "why me?" and "what if's",
Drowned in the torrent of self pity, blame & despair.
I would have lost my:
- mind,
- life,
- purpose,
- hope
in the turbulence of worldly advise to:
- "meet your own needs first because no one else is going to",
- "never let them see you sweat",
- "just do it",
- "live for today",
- "do whatever it takes".
OH, THANK GOD!
He did not:
- run away from me,
- make promises He couldn't keep,
- see my sin and decide it was too much!
He didn't:
- kick me when I was down,
- close His eyes to my pain,
- stop listening to me,
- leave me in my sin.
Instead, He gave me His:
- Word as my defense and comfort,
- Life that I might live,
- Promises I can trust,
- Presence in my life.
I am free!
I am free from the trap of:
- crippling guilt,
- revolving sin,
- hopelessness,
- bitterness.
I am not chained anymore by the weight of my:
- most recent parenting mishap,
- failed relationships,
- sin that I just cannot stop doing.
As I see the birds winging up into the sky, I know I am like them--Thanks to God, I am free to lift away from my sin and be:
- new,
- clean,
- set free,
- able to be in God's presence.
The same God who made
- daisies,
- mountain ranges,
- thunderstorms &,
- rhinos.
also made
- sunsets,
- toenails,
- peaches, &
- babies who burp and grin.
That totally creative God, His name is my Help.
He is:
- accessible to me,
- willing to hear me when I cry to Him,
- present when everything is going "totally wrong".
Father, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for not withholding Your Son from us. Thank you for your protection and provision in our lives before we knew we needed You. Amen.
Psalm 123
Who is the person of most humble position? A slave, a servant. He knows that without his master, he has no power to provide food, clothing, protection for himself. He is, for all independent practical purposes, powerless.
And when he is ridiculed or treated with contempt by the arrogant, he looks to his master for help, for protection.
And he knows that he will receive it.
Why?
Because he knows that he is valued. He has been bought with a price, bought for a purpose.
And so it is for the Child of God. Knowing our sin, we see our humble position. Without our Master, we are powerless to provide for ourselves. And when we are ridiculed and treated with contempt by the arrogant, the ones who think they are powerful of themselves, we, too, look to the Master for help and protection.
And we know that we will receive it.
Why?
Because we, too, have been bought with a price. We were created and then redeemed for a purpose, that being to have a relationship with the Father. He desires us and our well-being, and He will provide. He will prove Himself worthy of our trust, and will be faithful to show us His mercy both now and forever.
And so when I am feeling insecure, I must remember that it is without basis. Yes, I am humble and in low position, but I have a Master who controls all things and proves my value to Him by His faithful love.
And when he is ridiculed or treated with contempt by the arrogant, he looks to his master for help, for protection.
And he knows that he will receive it.
Why?
Because he knows that he is valued. He has been bought with a price, bought for a purpose.
And so it is for the Child of God. Knowing our sin, we see our humble position. Without our Master, we are powerless to provide for ourselves. And when we are ridiculed and treated with contempt by the arrogant, the ones who think they are powerful of themselves, we, too, look to the Master for help and protection.
And we know that we will receive it.
Why?
Because we, too, have been bought with a price. We were created and then redeemed for a purpose, that being to have a relationship with the Father. He desires us and our well-being, and He will provide. He will prove Himself worthy of our trust, and will be faithful to show us His mercy both now and forever.
And so when I am feeling insecure, I must remember that it is without basis. Yes, I am humble and in low position, but I have a Master who controls all things and proves my value to Him by His faithful love.
Psalm 122
This Psalm is about worship. This being the main theme of this psalm, I decided to look up the word in the dictionary online. Here's what it came up with:
1. idolize: love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess; venerate as an idol.
2. show devotion to (a deity)
3. Worship literally means "worth-ship". Giving worth to something. In its older sense in English of worthiness or respect (Anglo-Saxon,worthscripe), worship may on occasion refer to an attitude towards someone of immensely elevated social status.
4. a feeling of profound love and admiration
The people in this psalm are excited about worship (vs. 1-2)...excited about approaching Jerusalem (vs. 3-5)...excited about praying for Jerusalem and its welfare (vs. 6-9)!
What about me? Is this the heart attitude that I have when approaching CMPC? When entering the LORD's house for worship on Sunday morning? When praying for our city and our members? I am convicted because I realize how unfocused my mind is when I enter His house. How the so called "important" things tend to drown out the invitation to come and spend quality time with the Savior. This occurs not only on Sunday morning, but each day when I am tempted to put those "important" things before my time with Him.
Some verses on worship:
Come, let us bow down in worship.
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. Psalm 95:6
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.
Bring an offereing and come befoe him;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. 1 Chronicles 16:29
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts. 1 Chronicles 16:9
Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his footstool;
he is holy. Psalm 99:5
Father, forgive me for allowing the things of this world to crowd You out. Show me what it means to truly worship You.
1. idolize: love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess; venerate as an idol.
2. show devotion to (a deity)
3. Worship literally means "worth-ship". Giving worth to something. In its older sense in English of worthiness or respect (Anglo-Saxon,worthscripe), worship may on occasion refer to an attitude towards someone of immensely elevated social status.
4. a feeling of profound love and admiration
The people in this psalm are excited about worship (vs. 1-2)...excited about approaching Jerusalem (vs. 3-5)...excited about praying for Jerusalem and its welfare (vs. 6-9)!
What about me? Is this the heart attitude that I have when approaching CMPC? When entering the LORD's house for worship on Sunday morning? When praying for our city and our members? I am convicted because I realize how unfocused my mind is when I enter His house. How the so called "important" things tend to drown out the invitation to come and spend quality time with the Savior. This occurs not only on Sunday morning, but each day when I am tempted to put those "important" things before my time with Him.
Some verses on worship:
Come, let us bow down in worship.
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. Psalm 95:6
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.
Bring an offereing and come befoe him;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. 1 Chronicles 16:29
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts. 1 Chronicles 16:9
Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his footstool;
he is holy. Psalm 99:5
Father, forgive me for allowing the things of this world to crowd You out. Show me what it means to truly worship You.
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