Play online chess!

From	Message
coram_deo 24-Aug-21, 12:01	Psalms Psalms is my favorite book of the Old Testament and it’s essentially a collection of prayers to God written from 1,450 B.C. to 450 B.C. Many of the 150 Psalms in the Holy Bible were written by King David, though authors also include Moses, Solomon and “priests or Levites who were responsible for providing music for sanctuary worship during David’s reign.” (www.gotquestions.org) I’ve memorized a few Psalms, and a few passages in other Psalms, and usually recite them every day as prayers and expressions of worship. Psalm 25 was the first Psalm I memorized, though I had to memorize it in sections before I had the whole Psalm memorized. King David is the author of this Psalm and it’s referred to as “A Prayer of Guidance, Pardon and Protection.” Psalm 25 “Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.” I’ve found verse 14 - “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant” - to be especially true. Those who have respect and reverence for the Lord will learn of and understand the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ.
coram_deo 24-Aug-21, 14:39	Pretty sure Psalm 23 was the second Psalm I memorized (it was either Psalm 23 or Psalm 91.) Psalm 23 is probably the most well-known of all the Psalms; it seems like even atheists and people who haven’t read the Holy Bible are familiar with it. It’s an easy Psalm to memorize ‘cause it’s only six verses long and the first verse is not only a great word picture, but a great promise from God as well. Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” Introductory passage from a commentary on this Psalm: “Like many others, this beloved psalm bears the simple title A Psalm of David. Most account it to be a psalm of David’s maturity, but with vivid remembrance of his youth as a shepherd. Charles Spurgeon wrote, ‘I like to recall the fact that this psalm was written by David, probably when he was a king. He had been a shepherd, and he was not ashamed of his former occupation.’ ‘It [Psalm 23] has charmed more griefs to rest than all the philosophy of the world. It has remanded to their dungeon more felon thoughts, more black doubts, more thieving sorrows, than there are sands on the sea-shore. It has comforted the noble host of the poor. It has sung courage to the army of the disappointed. It has poured balm and consolation into the heart of the sick, of captives in dungeons, of widows in their pinching griefs, of orphans in their loneliness. Dying soldiers have died easier as it was read to them; ghastly hospitals have been illuminated; it has visited the prisoner, and broken his chains, and, like Peter’s angel, led him forth in imagination, and sung him back to his home again. It has made the dying Christian slave freer than his master, and consoled those whom, dying, he left behind mourning, not so much that he was gone, as because they were left behind, and could not go, too.’ (Henry Ward Beecher, cited in Charles Spurgeon) ‘Millions of people have memorized this psalm, even those who have learned few other Scripture portions. Ministers have used it to comfort people who are going through severe personal trials, suffering illness, or dying. For some, the words of this psalm have been the last they have ever uttered in life.’ (James Montgomery Boice) enduringword.com And here’s an excerpt from a commentary on the first five words of Psalm 23: “iii. It’s remarkable that the LORD would call Himself our shepherd. ‘In Israel, as in other ancient societies, a shepherd’s work was considered the lowest of all works. If a family needed a shepherd, it was always the youngest son, like David, who got this unpleasant assignment…Jehovah has chosen to be our shepherd, David says. The great God of the universe has stooped to take just such care of you and me.’ (Boice) iv. ‘Saith Rabbi Joseph Bar Hamna, there is not a more contemptible office than that of a shepherd…. But God disdaineth not to feed his flock, to guide, to govern, to defend them, to handle and heal them, to tend and take care of them.’ (Trapp) v. David knew this metaphor in a unique way, having been a shepherd himself. ‘David uses the most comprehensive and intimate metaphor yet encountered in the Psalms, preferring usually the more distant ‘king’ or ‘deliverer’, or the impersonal ‘rock’, ‘shield’, etc.; whereas the shepherd lives with his flock and is everything to it: guide, physician and protector’ (Kidner) b. The LORD is my shepherd: David knew this in a personal sense. He could say, ‘my shepherd.’ It wasn’t just that the LORD was a shepherd for others in a theoretical sense; He was a real, personal shepherd for David himself. i. ‘A sheep is an object of property, not a wild animal; its owner sets great store by it, and frequently it is bought with a great price. It is well to know, as certainly as David did, that we belong to the Lord. There is a noble tone of confidence about this sentence. There is no ‘if’ nor ‘but,’ nor even ‘I hope so;’ but he says, ‘The Lord is my shepherd.’ (Spurgeon) ii. ‘The sweetest word of the whole is that monosyllable, ‘My.’ He does not say, ‘The Lord is the shepherd of the world at large, and leadeth forth the multitude as his flock,’ but ‘The Lord is my shepherd;’ if he be a Shepherd to no one else, he is a Shepherd to me; he cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me.’ (Spurgeon) iii. Overwhelmingly, the idea behind God’s role as shepherd is of loving care and concern. David found comfort and security in the thought that God cared for him like a shepherd cares for his sheep. iv. David felt that he needed a shepherd. The heart of this psalm doesn’t connect with the self-sufficient. But those who acutely sense their need – the poor in spirit Jesus described in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3) – find great comfort in the idea that God can be a shepherd to them in a personal sense. v. Spurgeon said that before a man can truly say, ‘the LORD is my shepherd,’ he must first feel himself to be a sheep by nature, ‘for he cannot know that God is his Shepherd unless he feels in himself that he has the nature of a sheep.’ He must relate to a sheep in its foolishness, its dependency, and in the warped nature of its will. vi. ‘A sheep, saith Aristotle, is a foolish and sluggish creature…aptest of anything to wander, though it feel no want, and unablest to return…a sheep can make no shift to save itself from tempests or inundation; there it stands and will perish, if not driven away by the shepherd’ (Trapp)” enduringword.com
coram_deo 24-Aug-21, 22:57	This may be the most popular Psalm. If you type the word “Psalm” into Google or YouTube, the first suggestion that appears is Psalm 91. I memorized this Psalm too and recite it nearly every day. Psalm 91 is often referred to as “The Prayer of Protection.” When one of my friends was making deliveries for Amazon, one of the houses she delivered to had a sign that said, “This house is protected by Psalm 91.” I thought that was pretty cool. Psalm 91 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” Here’s the introduction to a commentary on Psalm 91 from enduringword.com: “This psalm has no title, and therefore the author remains unknown. Because it shares some of the themes of Psalm 90, some think Moses was the author. Because it shares some of the themes and phrases of Psalms 27 and 31, some think the author was David. ‘Some of its language, of strongholds and shields, reminds us of David, to whom the Septuagint ascribes it; other phrases echo the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32, as did Psalm 90; but it is in fact anonymous and timeless, perhaps all the more accessible for that.’ (Derek Kidner) Many have noted the wonderful character of this psalm: ‘This psalm is one of the greatest possessions of the saints.’ (G. Campbell Morgan) ‘In the whole collection there is not a more cheering Psalm, its tone is elevated and sustained throughout, faith is at its best, and speaks nobly.’ (Charles Spurgeon) ‘It is one of the most excellent works of this kind which has ever appeared. It is impossible to imagine anything more solid, more beautiful, more profound, or more ornamented.’ (de Muis, cited in Spurgeon)” enduringword.com
coram_deo 25-Aug-21, 09:21	Psalm 117 was the fourth Psalm I memorized, and, being the shortest Psalm, it was also the easiest to memorize. Psalm 117 “O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.” This Psalm occurs at the midpoint of the Holy Bible (the Bible has 1,189 chapters and this Psalm is the 595th chapter.) Here are “Ten Short Truths About The Shortest Psalm” From gentlereformation.com: • Psalm 117 is the shortest psalm with only two verses. • This little psalm is bursting with praise to the Lord. As Spurgeon says in his Treasury of David, “This Psalm, which is very little in its letter, is exceedingly large in its spirit; for, bursting beyond all bounds of race or nationality, it calls upon all mankind to praise the name of the Lord.” Three times the psalmist calls us to praise or extol the Lord. • Psalm 117 is found right in the heart of the Bible. Interestingly, the Bible has 1189 chapters, meaning the 595th chapter is the middle chapter of the Bible. Which chapter is that? Psalm 117! Though certainly the chapter divisions are not inspired, as the original texts did not contain them, still the Lord was providentially in control of them. • God's presence is experienced in this chapter just as in any longer chapter of scripture. Again Spurgeon says, “The same divine Spirit which expatiates (writes at length) in the 119th psalm, here condenses his utterances into two short verses, but yet the same infinite fullness is present and perceptible.” • Psalm 117 is part of the Hallel of the Psalter. The Psalter has various collections of songs in it, and Psalms 113-118 form one section known as the Hallel, which means "Praise." These psalms praise God for his salvation from sin and death, and speak of one who will bring this salvation. The previous psalm, Psalm 116, says, "You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” The next psalm states, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” These clearly are prophecies of Christ's death and resurrection. • This psalm exchoes the covenant promises given to Abraham. God had promised Abraham he would be a blessing to all the nations of the earth, even changing his name to Abraham which means "Father of many people." In Genesis 18:18, the Lord said, “Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.” This psalms reminds us of God's promise made to Abraham and fulfilled in his seed of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:1). • Psalm 117 was sung by Jesus and the apostles the night before he died. Matthew tells us that at the conclusion of the Lord and the disciples observing Passover and the first Lord's Supper, they sang "a hymn" before departing to the Mount of Olives (Matt. 26:30). Most commentators tell us that this hymn would have been actually these particular psalms, sung especially by the Jews at Passover. In the midst of the psalms that Jesus was singing the night before he died, he calls all nations to praise the Lord for his great love. • Psalm 117 is quoted in the Book of Romans. Paul quotes from this psalm in Romans 15. In this part of Romans, he is section explaining that the gospel is for all people, Jews and Gentiles alike. “I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written (here then is the quote from Ps. 117), “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise Him.” So the early church saw this psalm fulfilled in God manifesting the gospel to the Gentiles. • This psalm finds its true fulfillment in the New Testament Church. Though given to the Jews, this psalm is certainly not limited to them. Rather, it is a call to all nations and peoples of the earth- in other words the Gentiles - to praise God. • Psalm 117 testifies to the everlasting love God has for the church throughout the world. The reason given for praising the Lord is for his great love that stands on his truth forever. Those redeemed by Christ will know of that love now and forever. How the church throughout the world should rejoice and sing these words together! gentlereformation.com And, from enduringword.com, is this introduction to a commentary on this Psalm: “This is the shortest song in the whole collection, but there is none greater or grander in its expression of praise.” (G. Campbell Morgan) “Martin Luther devoted thirty-six pages to this psalm, expounding it in four important categories: (1) prophecy (the Gentiles will participate in gospel blessings), (2) revelation (the kingdom of Christ is not earthly and temporal but rather heavenly and eternal), (3) instruction (we are saved by faith alone and not by works, wisdom, or holiness), and (4) admonition (we should praise God for such a great salvation).” (James Montgomery Boice) enduringword.com And an excerpt from the commentary: c. The truth of the LORD endures forever: God is to be praised not only for His loyal love, but also for His truth. His ever-enduring truth means that He will not change in His love and goodness to us. i. When mercy and truth are praised together like this, it reminds us that the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). ii. “If God stood for truth alone, there would be no hope for us. On the other hand, if the grace of God could act apart from truth, we should equally be without hope.” (Morgan) enduringword.com Lastly, I don’t play or watch hockey, but I like this commentary on Psalm 117 from hockeyministries.org: Psalm 117 is one of the shortest chapters in the whole Bible, but that doesn't mean it isn't full of some amazing truth. We will try to answer 3 questions today which will help us see the beauty found in Psalm 117. The first question --> "What? What are you supposed to do?" If you are ever wondering what to do in life….read Psalm 117. It makes things crystal clear in the first 3 words. It states, "Praise the Lord." The question is not whether or not you will praise or worship something. The question is what you will praise and worship. We were built to praise. This is the way God made us. The world is full of things and people to praise, but you will only find true joy, peace, hope, and love in praise of the LORD. Too often, we lose this focus and get sidetracked. Here are three things that will side track your worship if you are not careful: 1. Ourselves It can become easy to think the world revolves around you. The world will often tell you that you are your first priority. It seems good, but it is completely false. When you catch yourself saying things like, "I'm so much better than that guy. Or, If this team didn't have me they would stink. Or, I should get what I deserve. Or, look what I have done...." then you might want to rethink where your devotion lies. Making yourself the center of praise is a bad place to be! 2. Others There is a big difference between admiring an NHL star and worshipping an NHL star. You must keep in mind that when you strip away all the equipment, the TV, the uniform, and everything else, those NHL greats we all love are mere mortals like everyone else. They are human beings just like you and me. To place your complete devotion in another human being is a bad place to be! 3. Other Things The world is full of objects which call for our attention. When was the last time you went 24 hours without looking at a phone, TV, or computer? How often have you longed for the piece of equipment that would make all the difference? A new stick. A new pair of wheels. Those nice new gloves. More than that, are you completely consumed by hockey itself? Are you worshiping hockey above everything? If hockey or any other earthly creation comes before the CREATOR, this is a bad place to be! The second question --> "Who? Who is supposed to praise the Lord?" Psalm 117 does not give us too many options on this question. In fact, it only leaves one option. It states that, "all nations....all peoples" should praise the Lord. You are not exempt. There is no skipping out. Whether you think you should or shouldn't is not even a question. Psalm 117 reminds everyone they are to praise the Lord. This means whether you are in the midst of blessing or in the midst of suffering, you must praise the Lord. This means whether you think you need God or you don't, you must praise the Lord. There are no other options left. The third question --> "Why? Why would you want to praise the Lord?" God could have easily said...."Because I told you to", but he didn't! He gave us more than just obedience to draw us to praise and worship him. He gave us some beautiful reasons which should lead us to praise him because He is so awesome! Verse 2 of Psalm 117 gives us those reasons: 1. "Great is his steadfast love" When you think about the amazing love of God found in Jesus Christ, you can't help but to be drawn to praise and worship. God's love has been the same from the start. From day one until today and continuing until tomorrow, God will always Love you. He has proven it in the death of His Son Jesus Christ. Who else do you know would kill their own son for an enemy? Perhaps for a loved one, but never for an enemy. There is no one else on earth that will do that for you, but GOD DID! That is a thought which should lead to praise. 2. "Faithfulness endures forever" There are many things in life that will let you down. Truthfully, at the end of the day, everything on earth will let you down. No thing, no person, not even yourself, can be completely faithful to you. Only God is completely faithful. That is a thought that should lead to praise! www.hockeyministries.org
coram_deo 26-Aug-21, 05:47	Psalm 30 was the fifth Psalm I memorized and like the previous four Psalms, I say it aloud nearly every day, mostly when I’m in my car or preparing to leave for the day. Psalm 30 is a Psalm of thanksgiving and was written by David. Psalm 30 “I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”
coram_deo 27-Aug-21, 00:47	Psalm 121, which was written by David, is the sixth and final full Psalm that I’ve memorized and that I recite nearly every day. I’ve memorized sections of other Psalms (specifically verses 1 through 5 and 10 through 13 in Psalm 103, and verses 1 through 7 in Psalm 18) and recite those nearly every day too. God’s Word has power when spoken. I think praying is important and I try to do that every day as well, but I think speaking God’s Word is as beneficial and is a form of prayer as well. Psalm 121 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” This is an excerpt from an interesting article on the first verse of this Psalm, though my favorite verses are probably the last two. From heresthejoy.com: “Psalm 121:1 says in the King James, I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. But David’s help didn’t really come from the hills, of course. Verse 2 says: My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. Because of that confusion, later versions changed the punctuation. The ESV says, I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. That makes it a little clearer, but it doesn’t answer the question. Why did David lift his eyes to the hills? I remember growing up hearing the answer that the hills represented strength, and God was strong. And I accepted that answer, and maybe it’s right. But one time when I was reading Psalm 121, I began to think about David’s life. It appears that David wrote this psalm after he was king, which means it was after he had spent a lot of time in those hills, the ones to which he was lifting his eyes. What had happened in those hills? For years, maybe as many as ten or fifteen years, he had hidden in those very hills, from a maniacal king who was dead-set on killing him. When David lifted his eyes up to the hills, he didn’t just see a beautiful view. He saw his life flash before his eyes. He remembered moving from one hill to another, from one cave to another, hiding in the back of a cave while the king slept in the front, working his way around one side of the mountain while the king and his army marched inexorably around the other side. When David looked at those hills, he saw despair and grief and darkness and hopelessness. But when he looked at those hills, he saw something more. He saw protection. He saw deliverance. He saw safety in the cleft of the Rock. In those hills, David knew the presence of God. When David became king, he wanted to remember that even in the darkest places, God was still there, leading him, protecting him, fulfilling the promise He had given him when he was a youth, even when it seemed impossible. He wanted to remember, even as he sat on a throne, that the same Lord who had helped him when he was hiding in the hills—even in the times when he couldn’t perceive God’s help—would be helping him still. Lift up your eyes to your own ‘hills.’ What are your own hills? They are your time of greatest darkness and despair, when it seemed that God had forgotten you, but when afterwards you could look back to see that He was really holding you. He was there.” heresthejoy.com And here’s a commentary on those great last two verses: “a. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil: The singer had great confidence in God’s protecting power. Evil men may come and afflict the child of God, but the LORD shall preserve your soul. i. ‘All evil’ will be averted from him who has Jehovah for his keeper; therefore, if any so called Evil comes, he may be sure that it is Good with a veil on.’ (Maclaren) ii. ‘In the light of other scriptures, to be kept from all evil does not imply a cushioned life, but a well-armed one.’ (Kidner) iii. He shall preserve your soul: ‘Our soul is kept from the dominion of sin, the infection of error, the crush of despondency, the puffing up of pride; kept from the world, the flesh and the devil; kept for holier and greater things; kept in the love of God; kept unto the eternal kingdom and glory.’ (Spurgeon) iv. The LORD shall preserve…He shall preserve…. The LORD shall preserve: ‘Three times have we the phrase, ‘Jehovah shall keep,’ as if the sacred Trinity thus sealed the word to make it sure: ought not all our fears to be slain by such a threefold flight of arrows? What anxiety can survive this triple promise?’ (Spurgeon) b. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in: The promise is comprehensive. God’s people may trust in His preserving power for all of one’s activity (going out and coming in) and at all times (from this time forth, and even forevermore). i. ‘When we go out in youth to begin life, and come in at the end to die, we shall experience the same keeping. Our exits and our entrances are under one protection.’ (Spurgeon) ii. ‘Your going out and your coming in is not only a way of saying ‘everything’…in closer detail it draws attention to one’s ventures and enterprises (cf. Ps. 126:6), and to the home which remains one’s base; again, to pilgrimage and return.’ (Kidner) iii. ‘He has not led me so tenderly thus far to forsake me at the very gate of Heaven’ (Adoniram Judson, cited in Spurgeon)” enduringword.com
coram_deo 28-Aug-21, 02:56	Psalm 37 is a great Psalm and among my favorites. Its theme, similar to Psalm 73, which I’ll post next, is why the wicked often prosper while the good suffer. Psalm 37 is believed to have been written by King David in his old age. Psalm 37 “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous. The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” Here’s an excerpt from a commentary on this Psalm: “Whenever we face any crisis, it’s helpful to review God’s instructions for enjoying God and experiencing supernatural peace. Don’t worry about writing these 7 steps down. God already wrote them down for us, and we can turn back to Psalm 37 any time we need to. • Step 1: Don’t Fret. David knew that it is hard to avoid fretting. That’s probably why the words, ‘Don’t fret’ are recorded three times in the first eight verses of Psalm 37. David, Paul, and Jesus each command us not to fret, not to worry. Fretting—or worrying—is a sin. It’s a sin because God commands us not to do it. Fretting, or worrying, is a choice. We cannot control what thoughts enter our minds, but we can control which thoughts we dwell on. When I experience worry, I try to turn my worries into prayers. The best weapon against worry is trusting God. When we trust that God loves us… When we trust that God works for our good in all things, even in hurtful things… When we trust in God’s person, plan, power, and love, then we really have nothing to worry about. I expect that most of us will never completely stop worrying, but we can grow in faith. We can worry less and less. And when we do worry, we can repent… and try to do better. • Steps 2 and 3: Trust in the Lord… and do good. These two steps are inseparable; neither can exist without the other. Faith and trust are VERBS; faith and trust are a lifestyle, and they involve action. Real faith always includes obedience, and obedience includes doing the ‘good’ things God commands. That is why trusting God and doing good cannot be separated. • Step 4: Delight yourself in the Lord. What do you delight in? What is your greatest source of pleasure? If knowing God is not our highest joy and delight, then we do not know God very well. And if we do not know God very well, it is only because we have not invested enough time in developing our relationship with God. Speaking from his own experience, plus the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David says that when we delight in God, God gives us the desires of our hearts. This is a blank check… with one condition attached. Much like when we are ‘abiding in Christ’ …when we delight in God, then the desires of our hearts will be in line with God’s will. When we delight in God, the desires of our hearts are in line with God’s will… and when our desires are in line with God’s will, God can safely give us the desires of our hearts. In fact, when we delight in God, we desire increased intimacy with God…and God is happy to fulfill our desire for increased intimacy with Himself. • Step 5: Commit your way to the Lord. This one is tricky. It means more than we may think. Commitment is important. Deep, satisfying relationships—like marriage, friendship, and discipleship—require commitment. Our commitment to God is important… but, here in Psalm 37.5, being committed to God is not the point. We don’t have time to dig deep into the original Hebrew today, but please trust me when I say that the word translated as, ‘commit,’ means ‘to roll something onto something else.’ The Apostle Peter probably had Psalm 37.5 on his mind, when he wrote, ‘Cast all your anxiety on [God] because he cares for you.’ Casting our cares on God, rolling our burdens onto the Lord, that is what David means, when he tells us to commit our way to the Lord. Committing our way to the Lord includes going to God in prayer, taking our problems to the foot of the cross… and leaving our problems there, with God. Committing our way to the Lord includes seeking God’s presence… placing our problems in God’s hands… and then trusting God will… and God’s timing. • Step 6: Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him. Again, please trust me when I say that the original Hebrew includes the idea of sitting still with God in silence. David is telling us to tell God about our problems… and then to sit quietly with God. Let’s learn the lesson of the face. God gave us two ears and one mouth. We should listen twice as much as we talk, and this is especially true, in our relationship with God! Most of us, including me, could listen to God more, and if we did, our lives would be better! And just in case we forgot Step 1, David reminds us, saying, ‘Don’t fret…’ • Step 7: Refrain from anger and turn from wrath. We all get angry. The Apostle Paul gives us two especially helpful commands about dealing with the anger we all feel at times. ‘In your anger do not sin’ ‘Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry…’ (Ephesians 4:26) Don’t allow anger to lead us to do or say harmful things… and… let go of each day’s anger, before going to bed at night. If we sincerely desire God to help us to obey these two commands, then we can ask for… and receive God’s help. And lest we forget, for the third time, David reminds us, ‘Don’t fret — it leads only to evildoing.’ (Psalm 37:8) That’s it! Seven steps to stop fretting at the wicked… seven steps to survive the spin cycle… seven steps to enjoying God and God’s peace in the storms of life. These steps are not a one-time thing. Some days we need to go through these steps several times. Remember, the seven steps are right there in Psalm 37. We can review these seven steps whenever necessary. And as we practice these seven steps, we can enjoy God’s presence and God’s peace even in the storms of life. As we practice these seven steps, we can survive the spin cycle… and come out clean. And as we practice these seven steps, we can experience what Jesus was talking about, when He said,’Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you… Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.’ (John 14:27) Lord, help us to be doers of Your Word! Amen.” sermonwriter.com
coram_deo 29-Aug-21, 10:23	Psalm 73 is similar to Psalm 37 regarding the prosperity of the wicked, God’s faithfulness to provide for the needs of His children, and the ultimate fate of the wicked. This Psalm (like all the Psalms) was written many centuries before Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, crucifixion, Resurrection and, not only the establishment of the New Covenant and how salvation is achieved, but the gift of God’s Holy Spirit, which indwells those who accept and believe in Jesus Christ. Thus, when Psalm 73 was written, the wicked (and not those who specifically reject Jesus Christ) perish. Psalm 73 was written by Asaph, while Psalm 37, which I posted immediately above this Psalm, was written by David. Psalm 73 “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.” Here are excerpts from commentaries on this Psalm: “Theme: Faithful living in a corrupt and unfair world The theme of Psalm 73 is finding confidence to live faithfully in a corrupt and unfair world, one in which the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer, and God seems inactive. The psalm follows the palmist as he moves from ill-informed, angry frustration over his circumstances (vv.1-14), to experiencing a radical change in his perspective on his circumstances (vv.15-20), and finally to enjoying an enlightened worshipful confidence in spite of his circumstances (vv.21-28).” faithconnector.s3.amazonaws.com “a. Thus my heart was grieved…. I was so foolish and ignorant: Asaph confessed before the Lord his sinful lack of understanding before he went into the house of the Lord. He felt foolish that he had forgotten the obvious truths of eternity and God’s justice. b. I was like a beast before You: Asaph rightly observed that animals seem to have no concept of eternity. They live their lives for momentary pleasures, satisfying natural urges. When Asaph forgot about eternity, he was truly like a beast before God. i. ‘Hebrew, beasts, which may signify a great beast; a most stupid and sottish creature, like one not only void of grace, but of reason too…. I minded only present things, as the brutes do.’ (Poole) ii. ‘This was as far as Job got in his struggles with Asaph’s question. For when God finished interrogating Job, Job confessed that God’s ways were entirely beyond his understanding, and he despised his pride and repented.’ (Boice) c. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand: Asaph here declared both that he was with God, and that God was with him. It wasn’t enough for Asaph to know and to say that God was with him; he also had to confess that he was with God. d. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory: With the new perspective gained at the house of the Lord, Asaph knew that God would guide him in this life and ultimately receive him to glory. i. Significantly, Asaph expected God to guide him with His counsel. He expected to hear God’s wisdom and receive guidance through it. He didn’t expect to be guided primarily through feelings, circumstances, or experiences, but to be guided through counsel. ii. Asaph had the faithful expectation of an afterward of glory. This is a deliberate contrast with the end of the wicked mentioned in verses 17-19. As a godly man, Asaph has his afterward and the wicked will have quite another.” “a. Whom have I in heaven but You? This is the beautiful expression of a longing heart for God and for eternity. Intellectually, Asaph probably understood that there was much for him in heaven. There were angels and dwelling places and streets of gold and the companionship of the people of God throughout all generations. Yet all of that paled in the light of the presence of God. i. ‘There is none in heaven, with all its stars and angels, enough for thee but Him.’ (Maclaren) ii. ‘Let sinners have an earthly prosperity, I am satisfied with thee, and with thy favour. Since thou givest me support and conduct here, and carriest me safe from hence to eternal glory, what do I need more? Or what can I desire more?’ (Poole) iii. Boice notes, ‘Verse 25 is a particularly fine expression and has been a blessing to many over the ages. Charles Wesley (1707-1788), the great Methodist hymn writer, was thinking about it on his deathbed and actually composed a hymn based on it as his final testimony. Calling his wife to him, he dictated: ‘In age and feebleness extreme, What shall a sinful worm redeem? Jesus, my only hope thou art, Strength of my failing flesh and heart; O, could I catch a smile from thee, And drop into eternity.’ b. And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You: For Asaph, God was not only a heavenly hope but an earthly desire as well. God was both his inheritance in heaven and his earthly desire. c. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever: Asaph recognized both his weakness and the strength of God, and the enduring character of God’s strength.” “d. Indeed, those who are far from You shall perish: Asaph no longer had doubts about the destiny of the ungodly. With the eternal perspective gained at the house of the Lord, he understood that they would indeed perish. i. ‘No human spirit that is not united to God can be saved. Those who are FAR FROM THEE shall perish – they shall be lost, undone, ruined; and that without remedy. Being separated from God by sin, they shall never be rejoined; the great gulf must be between them and their Maker eternally.’ (Clarke) e. It is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works: It is staggering to see how much good Asaph’s visit to the house of the Lord did for him. It gave him understanding and an eternal perspective. i. He saw the great benefit in drawing near to God, which he doubted before (verse 13). ‘It may seem good in the worldling’s eyes to go his way to his wine cups, and to make merry in the dance; it may seem good to yonder truster in an arm of flesh, to seek out his friends and his kinsmen, and entrust his case to their discretion; it may seem good to the desponding to retire in melancholy to brood over his sorrows, and to the dissipated, to endeavor to drown all care in vanity, but to me, says the psalmist, it is good, preeminently good, that I should draw near unto God.’ (Spurgeon) ii. He saw the value of putting his trust in God, now understanding that God was reliable and could be trusted. iii. He had a passion to declare all God’s works. He would become a messenger of God’s goodness and of the eternal perspective he gained in the house of the Lord.” enduringword.com And here’s a little information on the writer of this Psalm and an overview of it: “The title of this psalm (A Psalm of Asaph) tells us that it was written by the great singer and musician of David and Solomon’s era (1 Chronicles 15:17-19, 16:5-7, 25:6). 1 Chronicles 25:1 and 2 Chronicles 29:30 add that Asaph was a prophet in his musical compositions. This wonderful psalm may be best understood by the dominant pronouns within. When Asaph is troubled by the fate of the ungodly (verses 1-12), the dominant pronoun is they. When he describes his own frustrated thinking leading to the resolution (verses 13-17), the dominant pronoun is I. When he finds resolution of the problem (verses 18-22), the dominant pronoun is You, in the sense of God. When He proclaims the assurance of his faith and fellowship with God (verses 23-28), the dominant pronouns are a mixture of You and I.” enduringword.com
coram_deo 29-Aug-21, 23:43	At one time, I planned to memorize Psalm 46, which was written by the sons of Korah, but got sidetracked and didn’t do it. But this Psalm has great memory verses in the first through third verses and the tenth verse. Psalm 46 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” The word “Selah” means “pause and reflect.” Here’s a good commentary on this short and powerful Psalm: “Where do you run for refuge when life gets overwhelming? What truths to do you turn to? I have always loved Psalm 46. How often I have read, quoted, or shared with someone in a counseling situation. As I have been reading the CSB over the past months, I have enjoyed seeing this familiar psalm in a new light—it’s been reminding me of how this psalm can redirect our efforts and help us rest in God. Here’s what I mean: 1. Stop Your Fighting Psalm 46:10 is rendered in the CSB as ‘Stop your fighting, and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.’ ‘Stop your fighting’ is somewhat unique among translations of this verse. Many Bible translations render the imperative as ‘Be still.’ This is then applied along the lines of ‘we need to come aside from the hustle and bustle of daily life and get alone with God.’ Certainly that is true, but there’s more going on this verse. Since verse 10 falls in the third and final strophe of the Psalm, verses 8-12, the context of those verses is important for understanding verse 10. Notice how verses 8, 9, and 11 reference some aspect of war and fighting. The traditional translation of ‘be still’ appears too tame for this context. ‘Stop your fighting’ fits the context better. Sometimes I need to be reminded that I may not only be fighting the Lord’s battles, but I may be fighting against the Lord Himself! There comes a time to lay down your arms and know that He is God—He will do as He wills with me and with the other guy. Psalm 46 begins with the words: ‘The Lord is my refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way … The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.’ This means that you and I can stop fighting in our own strength and rest in Him. 2. Take Refuge in God Luther’s ramshackle cart wobbled its way to Worms, Germany, in April of 1521. He had been summoned to appear before the Emperor and Catholic prelates to give an account of this new ‘heresy’ he was teaching called ‘justification by faith alone.’ The learned Johann Eck laid out all of Luther’s writings and then asked Luther if he was prepared to recant. Luther retired to his room that night to think over his answer. His Bible fell open to Psalm 46. Luther returned the next morning to stand before his detractors. In response to their call to recant, Luther responded: ‘Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.’ The Reformation was off and running. Psalm 46 was Martin Luther’s favorite Psalm. During the dark and dangerous periods of the Reformation, Luther would turn to his trusted friend Philip Melanchthon and exclaim: ‘Let’s sing the 46th Psalm, and let the devil do his worst!’ It inspired his great hymn ‘A Mighty Fortress is Our God.’ No Psalm in all the Psalter expresses the tremendous truth that God’s presence and power are with us in all circumstances more than Psalm 46. We need to know God offers us two kinds of help: a stronghold into which we can flee and a source of strength by which we can face the uncertain future. 3. Pause and Think About That Psalm 46 is divided into three stanzas, each ending with the mysterious Hebrew word ‘Selah.’ ‘Selah’ was most likely originally a musical notation indicating a pause in the music for contemplation on what was just sung. You might translate it ‘Pause and think of that!’ When the mountains quake, the Lord is my refuge and strength…Selah! When nations are in uproar and kingdoms fall, the Lord almighty is with us…Selah! ‘Stop your fighting, and know that I am God, exalted among the nations…the Lord of Armies is with us…Selah!’ Every new year brings us 365 days of uncertainty. Every new day brings us 24 hours of uncertainty. But every second of every hour of every day, God’s presence and power in our lives is available to us. What does the future hold? It really doesn’t matter, does it, as long as Psalm 46 is true! His Kingdom is forever! So, every day, let’s reflect on Psalm 46:10 or on another passage of Holy Writ and ‘Selah!’—pause and think of that!” csbible.com And here are some excerpts from David Guzik’s commentary: “a. God is our refuge and strength: Many of the other psalms begin with a description of the psalmist’s crisis. In Psalm 46, the poet begins with God’s provision. He looked to God for help in difficult times and found it.” “i. A very present help: ‘The secret of the confidence is the consciousness of the nearness of God.’ (Morgan) ii. This has nothing to do with the safety or strength inherent in the creature. ‘We may be as timid by nature as the coneys, but God is our refuge; we are as weak by nature as bruised reeds, but God is our strength.’ (Spurgeon)” “b. Therefore we will not fear: The psalmist applied the logic of faith. If God is a real refuge, strength, and help to His people, then there is no logical reason to fear – even in the biggest crisis (though the earth be removed). i. ‘Its robust, defiant tone suggests that it was composed at a time of crisis, which makes the confession of faith doubly impressive.’ (Kidner) c. The earth be removed…the mountains carried…the waters roar…the mountains shake: The psalmist considered the most frightening, humbling natural phenomenon imaginable. He then made the reasoned estimation that God was greater than them all, and fear before these in some way robbed God of some of His honor.” “d. The nations raged…He uttered His voice, the earth melted: As in Psalm 2, God pays no regard to the rage of the nations. At His mere voice the earth melts away.” “a. Be still, and know that I am God: The idea is not that the faithful reader should stop activity and stand in one place. The sense is more that argument and opposition should stop and be still. This is done in recognition of God’s glory and greatness, as mentioned in the previous verse. i. ‘In this verse there is a change of person, and Jehovah himself is introduced, as commanding the world to cease its opposition, to own his power, and to acknowledge his sovereignty over all the kingdoms of the nations.’ (Horne) ii. The idea is something like this: ‘As you know the glory and greatness of God, stop your mouth from arguing with Him or opposing Him. Simply surrender.’ iii. ‘Be still…is not in the first place comfort for the harassed but a rebuke to a restless and turbulent world: ‘Quiet!’ – in fact, ‘Leave off!’ (Kidner) iv. ‘In this setting, ‘be still and know that I am God’ is not advice to us to lead a contemplative life, however important that may be…. It means rather, ‘Lay down your arms. Surrender, and acknowledge that I am the one and only victorious God.’ (Boice) v. Know that I am God: ‘Our submission is to be such as becomes rational creatures. God doth not require us to submit contrary to reason, but to submit as seeing the reason and ground of submission. Hence, the bare consideration that God is God may well be sufficient to still all objections and oppositions against the divine sovereign.’ (Edwards, cited in Spurgeon) b. I will be exalted among the nations: The appropriately silenced man or woman of God can glory in God’s exaltation. God’s triumph will extend far beyond Israel to all the earth.” enduringword.com
coram_deo 01-Sep-21, 09:12	I received a devotional from Joseph Prince Ministries about Psalm 34 the other day so figured I’d share both the Psalm and devotional. Here is the Psalm, which was written by David (I believe David wrote about half of the 150 Psalms in the Holy Bible.) Psalm 34 “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.“ And here is the devotional: Choose to Bless the Lord “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:1–4 Psalm 34, one of David’s most powerful psalms, was written by him in the cave of Adullam. I find it really interesting that David wrote it during one of the most challenging seasons in his life. It’s by no stretch of the imagination for us to see that this was one of the lowest points in David’s life—on the run from King Saul, full of fear and groveling in the presence of the king of Gath, then hiding in a cave. How the mighty had fallen! After such a demeaning episode, in his darkest hour, David could have indulged in self-pity and condemnation, but instead he chose not to be defeated by his circumstances. Rather, he chose to bless the Lord and let the praises of the Lord be continually in his mouth. Was he fearful? Absolutely! However, despite his fear that King Saul would capture him or that the king of Gath would slay him to avenge Goliath, he sought the Lord in worship in that cave. And God in His faithfulness did not just deliver David from all his fears, but He also transformed all the men who were gathered in the cave with him. They went from being distressed, in debt and discontented to becoming fearless warriors, giant-slayers in their own right, and faithful, mighty men who served David all the days of their lives (see 2 Sam. 23:8–39). Today, do you believe that God loves you and is faithful to deliver you? It doesn’t matter if you are feeling fearful, if you are in distress, in debt, or discontented. Believe right. Believe that when you seek the Lord in worship as David did, the Lord will indeed hear you, deliver you from all your troubles and transform you. Worship is one of the easiest, yet most powerful ways of being free from self-occupation. Look away from the painful symptoms or the fearful circumstances that are bothering you, and worship Jesus. Be occupied with Him and everything will work together for your good. Would you do me a favor? I would like you to visit josephprince.com/power, where I have included a worship video of me leading my church in singing the words of David in Psalm 34. I want to demonstrate to you through the video how worship is one of the quickest ways for you to focus on Jesus and overcome your feelings of defeat. I am believing that as we worship the Lord, you will be completely free from any trouble or area of defeat that you are struggling with today. Let’s agree together that your body will be healed, that all your fears will disappear, and that all your addictions will be gone in the mighty name of Jesus. Come magnify the Lord with me, come worship Jesus with the words of David, and experience His goodness and deliverance! <<Note: The wording of verses 1-4 in the Psalm I quoted is different than the wording of verses 1-4 in the devotional because I quoted from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, while Pastor Prince quoted from the New King James Version.>>
coram_deo 05-Sep-21, 22:00	Psalm 51 was written by King David after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed by having him sent to the front line of a battle. David realized how grievous his sins were after a prophet went to him and asked him a relevant but indirect question. The passages about David’s sin and the prophet are worth quoting before quoting the Psalm. This passage from 2 Samuel describes what David did: “And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house. And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house. And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also. (2 Samuel 11:1-17) And the aftermath… “And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” (2 Samuel 11:26-27) And the prophet goes to David… “And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” (2 Samuel 12:1-12) David then wrote this Psalm. Psalm 51 “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.” I don’t think I have room to post a commentary but two things that seem interesting to me: Verse 10 - “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” - is a great memory verse. And the next verse - “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” - is interesting because God’s Holy Spirit wasn’t given to men as a permanent possession until after Jesus Christ established the New Covenant through His crucifixion, Resurrection and ascension into Heaven. In the Old Testament, God’s Holy Spirit was upon people, such as prophets, only temporarily. But under the New Covenant established by Christ, God’s Holy Spirit indwells everyone who accepts and believes in Jesus Christ and the indwelling is permanent. The influence God’s Holy Spirit has on a believer’s life is tied (imo) to how much time a believer spends communing with God through reading the Bible, praying, hearing Grace-based sermons, etc. In the Holy Bible, God describes David as “a man after mine own heart” because (I think) of how much David trusted and relied on God. Remember David slew Goliath when David was just a shepherd and no one else in Israel had the courage to fight Goliath. Here’s the passage where God says David is a man after His own heart: “And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” (Acts 13:22) That phrase also appears in 1 Samuel before God makes David the king of Israel: “But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.” (1 Samuel 13:14)
coram_deo 07-Sep-21, 12:05	Psalm 27, written by King David, likely will be the next Psalm I memorize; it’s a great one! Psalm 27 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Here is a short commentary on Psalm 27: From bibleref.com: What does Psalm chapter 27 mean? This psalm begins with David's expression of confidence in God as his source of joy and life, his deliverer, and protector. The first verse incorporates the concept of light. This was the Hebrew people's ideal for truth and goodness. David also depicts God as a fortress, or stronghold, meaning a place of safety and security. The question asked is rhetorical: there is no one who "should" frighten a person who trusts in God (Psalm 27:1). David lays out his reasons for confidence in God using several images. He believes God will protect him even if an army of malicious adversaries surround him. He longs to spend his life in worship in the tabernacle, where he can gaze on the Lord's beauty. He is certain the Lord will preserve him when trouble strikes. He will keep him safe on a high rock. The rock will serve as a fortress. He will once again offer sacrifices in the tabernacle, where he will sing joyfully to the Lord (Psalm 27:2–6). At this point in the psalm, David's tone seems to change. After describing God's security so eloquently, he now fervently prays for rescue and deliverance. This is a very human, very normal experience. David "knows" he can trust God, but that knowledge does not make a person perfectly immune to fear. Rather than panicking or despairing, David reminds himself of God's goodness and trusts the Lord to provide. David remembers the Lord's command to seek His face, therefore he will seek the Lord (Psalm 27:7–8). In his anxiety, David calls on the Lord not to forsake him. Still, he is confident that even if his own family were to desert him, God would not. David's writing often requests that God lead him into spiritual truth (Psalm 4:3; 25:5; 86:11). In this case, the language of those prayers also implies a request for physical safety. David's enemies—either Saul or David's rebellious son, Absalom—were lying in wait for him. He asks the Lord not to let his enemies have their way with him, and he says false witnesses have risen up against him (Psalm 27:9–12). David concludes this psalm on a high note. He believes he will survive, so he encourages himself to wait on the Lord and to be strong and courageous. This last note of assurance might have been directed also at David's soldiers, or the people of Israel (Psalm 27:13–14). www.bibleref.com What does it mean to “wait on the Lord,” which David repeats in the final verse. It’s not a passive waiting, but neither is it the kind of active waiting one might expect. This commentary is one of many that identify what waiting on the Lord means: “c. Wait, I say, on the LORD: As in Isaiah 40:31, the idea behind wait…on the LORD is not a passive sitting around until the LORD does something. Yes, God gives us strength; but we don’t expect it to come as if He were pouring it into us as we sit passively. He brings it to us as we seek Him, and rely on Him, instead of relying on our own strength. If we are weak, it is because we do not wait…on the LORD.” enduringword.com We “wait on the Lord” by seeking Him! In reading and meditating upon the Holy Bible (Psalms is a great book of the Bible for that, and especially Psalm 91 and Psalm 23,) prayer and relying on God and His promises, many of which are in the Psalms. Here is a Q+A from gotquestions.org about waiting on the Lord: What does it mean to wait on the Lord (Psalm 27:14)? In the Psalms, Proverbs, and many other books of the Bible, we find commands to “wait on the Lord” like this one: “Wait on the LORD: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the LORD” (Psalm 27:14, KJV). Most modern translations use “wait for the Lord.” To English readers, the idea of waiting on the Lord might seem like a passive exercise, but a closer study reveals that it’s nothing of the sort. Patient, confident trust in the Lord is the central idea of the exhortation to wait on the Lord. The entire Psalm 27 is a prayer to God for help. It beautifully illustrates the meaning of waiting on the Lord. Throughout the psalm’s eloquent lines, David expresses authentic faith and courageous trust in God, based on his confident expectation that the Lord will rescue and save him in his time of trouble. First, we see that we can wait on the Lord by trusting in Him. David expressed great confidence in the Lord, who was his light, salvation, and stronghold (Psalm 27:1–2). This kind of dynamic trust dispels fear and despair: “When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident” (verses 2–3). We can wait on the Lord by seeking Him. David conveyed his trust in the Lord by longing to be with Him, to commune in God’s presence and worship in His temple: “One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple” (Psalm 27:4). In God’s dwelling place, praising and worshiping the Lord, David felt safe and secure: “For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD” (verses 5–6). We can wait on the Lord through prayer, as David did in eager expectation of deliverance (Psalm 27:7–14). David asked God for wisdom, direction (verse 11), and protection (verse 12), wholly believing he would “see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” (verse 13). Those who wait on the Lord can fully expect Him to fulfill their hope: “Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame” (Psalm 25:3, ESV). Waiting on the Lord involves the confident expectation of a positive result in which we place a great hope. This expectation is based on knowledge of and trust in God. Those who do not know the Lord will not wait on Him; neither will those who fail to trust Him. We must be confident of who God is and what He is capable of doing. Those who wait on the Lord do not lose heart in their prayers: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14). Waiting on the Lord renews our strength (Isaiah 40:31). Waiting on the Lord by trusting, seeking, and praying establishes our faith and brings serenity and stability: “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 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. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him” (Psalm 40:1–3). As this passage affirms, waiting on the Lord is also a testimony to others who will see our faith and, as a result, put their trust in God. Waiting on the Lord brings God’s blessings: “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him” (Isaiah 64:4; see also 1 Corinthians 1:7). Sometimes we might feel as though the Lord does not see or hear us—that He’s not answering our prayers. During these moments, we can put our complete faith and trust in the living God. We can wait on the Lord in eager anticipation, knowing that He is with us and in control of our lives. He will do what He has promised. He will rescue and save us. He is always working for our good, even when we don’t feel Him (Romans 8:28). Through patient, courageous, active trusting, seeking, and prayer, we can learn to wait on the Lord. www.gotquestions.org
coram_deo 09-Sep-21, 11:53	Psalm 22, written by King David about 1,000 years before Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, Resurrection and ascension into Heaven, is considered a Messianic Psalm because so many verses and elements in it are about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ - which was 1,000 years in the future! Psalm 22 “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.” This is a great commentary on Psalm 22 by Jews for Jesus, which is one of the charities I donate money to. From jewsforjesus.org: The Messiah would be forsaken and pierced, but vindicated Reference: Psalms 22:1-31 [Hebrew, 1-32] Fulfillment: Matthew 27:35, 39, 43-44, 46; Mark 15:34; John 19:23-24, 30; Hebrews 2:11-12 The first half of Psalm 22 is the psalm of a righteous sufferer, derided by his enemies and feeling forsaken by God. From verse 22 (Hebrew, 23) on, the tone changes radically as the sufferer is vindicated by God and the Lord reigns over all the earth. Beginning with a despondent tone, the psalm ends on a note of triumph. The New Testament shows Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of this psalm. In Matthew 27:46 we read, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (See also Mark 15:34.) Jesus is not crying out spontaneously in despair, nor was he calling out for Elijah to come and rescue him, as some bystanders thought; he is actually quoting the beginning of Psalm 22. This is for several reasons: (1) many understand that on the cross, as Jesus took on the sins of all humanity, he was momentarily abandoned by God, who cannot look on sin. This is possible, though the text does not say so directly. (2) He was identifying as the righteous sufferer of Psalm 22. It was typical in quoting a verse or two of Scripture to imply the entire passage; and so though Jesus quotes the beginning of the psalm, it implies the end as well, when the sufferer is vindicated by God. Jesus, then, was drawing attention to the entirety of Psalm 22 — suffering, but ultimately vindicated, as was seen shortly after at the Resurrection. Matthew 27:39 and 43 also uses the language of Psalm 22 to describe the reactions of those standing around: And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads… (Matthew 27:39) All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads… (Psalm 22:7 [Hebrew, 8]) “He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” (Matthew 27:43) “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” (Psalm 22:8 [Hebrew, 9]) The Psalm goes on to describe graphically the sufferings of this righteous person: I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; (Psalm 22:14-17 [Hebrew, 15-18] Commentators have noted the resemblance of this description of what takes place during crucifixion: the perspiration, the bones being pulled out of joint as the body fatigues on the cross; the possible rupture of the heart; the extreme dehydration. Verse 16 [Hebrew, 17] has been controversial: Most English translations say, “they have pierced my hands and feet,” while the Jewish Publication Society translation reads, “Like a lion, [they maul] my hands and feet”—literally, “like a lion, my hands and feet.” However, the Septuagint—the Greek translation of the Old Testament made in the first few centuries before Jesus—has “pierced.” And the Hebrew words for “they have pierced” (kaaru) and “like a lion” (kaari) differ by one letter, both similar to the other, so that a scribe could easily have made a mistake in copying the passage. Psalm 22:18 (Hebrew, 19), includes this: “they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” Matthew 27:35 says about the Roman soldiers, “And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.” Similarly, John 19:23-24 reads: When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things… The correspondences between Jesus’ crucifixion and Psalm 22 are remarkable. Either this was a direct prophetic inspiration on the part of David, or if he was referring in an exaggerated way to his own sufferings, his words went far beyond his own situation to be fulfill in a very literal and exact way in the events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion. Moving to the second part of the psalm showing how God vindicated the sufferer, in verse 22 (Hebrew, 23) the psalmist says, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you…” Hebrews 2:11-12 refers this to Jesus: “That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, ‘I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.’” In Hebrews 2:9-10 he refers to Jesus’ suffering and death; now he uses the vindication portion of the psalm to explain that Jesus shares our humanity, calls us his brothers, and stands vindicated by God. As verses 14-15 of Hebrews says, Jesus took on our humanity “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” It is the same story as Psalm 22—suffering and death, then vindication and victory. Finally, in John 19:30 we read, “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” This could allude to the final verse of Psalm 22: “They shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.” He has done it — it is finished — the crucifixion gives way to the victory of the Resurrection! jewsforjesus.org Regarding verse 17 - “I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.” - Jesus Christ was whipped with a Roman flagellum (likely) 39 times *before* His crucifixion. One can only imagine the condition of His body when He was nailed to the Cross. From gotquestions.org Just before His crucifixion, Jesus was scourged by the Romans (John 19:1). The Bible does not directly indicate how many lashes Jesus received. Deuteronomy 25:3 states that a criminal should not receive more than forty lashes. In order to avoid possibly accidentally breaking this command, the Jews would only give a criminal 39 lashes. The Apostle Paul mentioned this practice in 2 Corinthians 11:24, “five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.” Again, though, Jesus was scourged by the Romans, not by the Jews. There is no reason to believe that the Romans would follow a Jewish tradition. Scourging was the punishment ordered for Jesus by Pontius Pilate: He was to be flogged (Matthew 27:26) but not killed in that way. His death was to be carried out by crucifixion after the scourging. It is hard to imagine the level of hatred necessary to consign an innocent man to such a fate. Yet the Jewish leaders and Pilate did this very thing, knowing Jesus was innocent. Worse, the man they sent to be flogged and crucified was the Son of God. We hear and refer to the story of Jesus’ death so often that sometimes we fail to stop and think about how evilly He was treated by those He came to save. The torment He endured was prophesied in Isaiah: “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). The “stripes” referred to in this prophecy are a direct reference to the lashes Jesus received. Whether there were 39 lashes or 40 or some other number, the scourging was a terrible, painful ordeal. And, in a very real way, the death of Christ effected spiritual healing for those who would believe. Isaiah compares humanity to a flock of sheep that has turned away from the Shepherd, each animal going its own way—a picture of disharmony and danger. But “the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). The pure, perfect innocence of Jesus Christ, His wisdom and creative power, were all present in His human body. The flawless Shepherd chose to accept an undeserved, cruel death in order to save His sheep. This, too, was prophesied by Jesus. Before His arrest He said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . . . I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. . . . For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:11, 15, 17–18). Jesus chose to take our punishment. The Father chose to send Jesus to the cross. They conspired to save all who would believe and to show by Jesus’ terrible wounds both the seriousness of our sin and the depth of His love. www.gotquestions.org This excerpt talks about what Jesus was whipped with; it wasn’t an ordinary whip. “The Scourging of Jesus It is fairly clear that Pontius Pilate tried to save Jesus by offering the crowd an unattractive alternative, Barabbas. As we know, this ploy failed. Now he tried another. He had Jesus savagely flogged, and then paraded before the crowd in an attempt to gain pity. It was clear to him, and he reasoned it should be clear to the crowd, that this pitiable object before them could not be taken seriously as a king. Scourging was a brutal punishment, but it was standard practice before a crucifixion. The whip, the flagellum, had several thongs, each one of which had pieces of bone or metal attached. It made a bloody pulp of a man’s body. The person to be whipped was stripped of his clothing, tied to a post or pillar, and beaten until his flesh hung in shreds. There was no maximum number of strokes: the whipping could go on as long as the soldier administering it wished. Men frequently collapsed and died as the result of a flogging. The Jewish historian Josephus says with some pride that he had whipped rebels in Galilee until their entrails showed. The following passage is interesting because it shows what Pilate may have intended when he had Jesus scourged: ‘…And when their leaders came into the house, Josephus drew them to the most private part of the house and shut the door, and then had them whipped till every one of their inward parts appeared naked. In the meantime the multitude stood around the house and supposed that he was having a long discourse with those that were gone in, about what they claimed of him. He then had the doors set open immediately, and sent the men out all bloody, which so terrified those that had before threatened him, that they threw away their arms and ran away.’ Josephus, Wars, Book 2, 21:5” www.jesus-story.net
coram_deo 10-Sep-21, 11:10	Psalm 145 - A Praise of David Way back when (few years ago lol) I used to search for praise Psalms that I could memorize and recite as a form of thanks and worship to God for all He’s done for me. I did find Psalm 117, but that’s a very short Psalm (only two verses.) Somehow I missed Psalm 145, which is a much longer, and, in my view, greater praise Psalm. This Psalm was written by King David and is believed to be the final words of his that appear in the Holy Bible. How fitting that the final words of King David, described by God as “a man after mine own heart,” would be such a beautiful Psalm of praise. Psalm 145 “I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.” Here are some excerpts from enduringword.com on this great Psalm: This psalm is titled A Praise of David. Though Psalms 17 and 86 were also called A Prayer of David, this is the only one titled A Praise of David, and it is a high point of praise. “Psalm 145 is indeed a monumental praise psalm, a fit summary of all David had learned about God during a long lifetime of following hard after the Almighty.” (James Montgomery Boice) Psalm 145 is the last psalm attributed to David in the collection of psalms, and it is the last of the nine psalms using some kind of acrostic pattern (9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, and 145). Five of these acrostic psalms are attributed to David. “In Jewish practice this psalm was recited twice in the morning and once in the evening service. The Talmud commends all who repeat it three times a day as having a share in the world to come.” (Willem VanGemeren) a. I will extol You, my God, O King: To extol is to praise, to lift high, to exalt. David honored and promoted the name of God in the most personal of ways: · He did it with a direct address (You). · He did it with a personal reference (my God). · He did it with a surrendered heart (O King). · He did it unendingly (forever and ever…every day). ii. O King: “This is a significant statement from the mouth of Israel’s king, for it acknowledges that although David may have been king of the elect nation of Israel, God is nevertheless the King of kings and therefore David’s king too.” (Boice) iii. Every day I will bless You: “To bless God is to praise him with a personal affection for him, and a wishing well to him; this is a growingly easy exercise as we advance in experience and grow in grace.” (Spurgeon) iv. “Observe that David is firmly resolved to praise God. My text has four ‘I wills’ in it. Frequently it is foolish for us poor mortals to say ‘I will,’ because our will is so feeble and fickle; but when we resolve upon the praise of God, we may say, ‘I will,’ and ‘I will,’ and ‘I will,’ and ‘I will.’” (Spurgeon) b. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: David piled praise upon praise, declaring God’s greatness and great worthiness to be praised. We get the feeling that David felt it would be dishonorable to withhold his praise to God or to give Him half-hearted praise. a. One generation shall praise Your works to another: David looked for God’s people to encourage each other in praise. An older generation might inspire a younger generation to praise by remembering God’s mighty acts in the past. A young generation might stir praise in an older generation by declaring the fresh and new things God was doing. i. “God’s praises are many, and man’s life short, and one generation succeedeth another: let them relate God’s wonderful works one to another, and so perpetuate his praises to all posterity.” (Trapp) ii. “The generations shall herein unite: together they shall make up an extraordinary history. Each generation shall contribute its chapter, and all the generations together shall compose a volume of matchless character.” (Spurgeon) b. I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works: Praise comes not only from emotion, but from careful thought – from careful meditation. David meditated not only on the great things God did (His wondrous works), but he also paid attention to God’s glorious splendor. The idea is of the glory and wonder of who God actually is. i. “It seems, then, dear friends, that David studied the character and doings of God, and thus praised him; knowledge should lead our song. The more we know of God the more acceptably shall we bless him through Jesus Christ.” (Spurgeon) ii. When we think of the aspects of God’s glorious splendor – His majesty, His wisdom, His constant presence, His complete knowledge, His unlimited power, His loving and wise plan and purpose – all this should stir up praise within us. iii. When we think of God’s wondrous works – His works of planning, His works of creation, His works of providence, His works of rescue, His works of salvation now and in the age to come – all this should stir up praise within us. iv. “Here are [assorted] words heaped together, to intimate that no words were sufficient to express it.” (Poole) v. The glorious splendor of Your majesty: “The flashing brightness with which, when gathered, as it were, in a radiant mass, they shine out, like a great globe of fire.” (Maclaren) ii. I will declare Your greatness: “All men are enamoured of greatness. Then they must seek it in God, and get it from God. David did both. All history shows the creature aspiring after this glory. Ahasuerus, Astyages, Cyrus, Cambyses, Nebuchadnezzar, were all called the great. Alexander the Great, when he came to the Ganges, ordered his statue to be made of more than life size, that posterity might believe him to have been of nobler stature. In Christ alone does man attain the greatness his heart yearns for – the glory of perfect goodness.” (Le Blanc, cited in Spurgeon) a. The LORD is gracious and full of compassion: David echoed the self-description of Yahweh to Moses: The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth (Exodus 34:6). i. “But greatness, majesty, splendour, are not the Divinest parts of the Divine nature, as this singer had learned. These are but the fringes of the central glory. Therefore the song rises from greatness to celebrate better things, the moral attributes of Jehovah.” (Maclaren) b. The LORD is good to all: David expressed the idea sometimes called common grace – that God spreads some of His goodness to all humanity. Jesus said, He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45). i. Is good to all: “…not to Israel only, but to all mankind, whose hearts he fills with food and gladness, as it is said, Acts 14:17.” (Poole) c. His tender mercies are over all His works: David saw the beautiful care of God pressed upon all that He did. All creation and all the wise plan of God were demonstrations of the greatness and goodness of God. i. “The original word for ‘his tender mercies’…signifies the ‘womb.’ The ‘mercies’ of God toward men are, therefore, represented by this word, to be like those of a mother towards the child of her ‘womb.’” (Horne) d. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom: One reason why praise should continue forever (as in verse 2) is because God’s kingdom will last forever. His dominion is unending, lasting throughout all generations. i. “Men come and go like shadows on the wall, but God reigneth eternally. We distinguish kings as they succeed each other by calling them first and second; but this King is Jehovah, the First and the Last.” (Spurgeon) ii. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom: “These words are engraven on the door of a mosque in Damascus, which was formerly a Christian church. Originally they were plastered over by stucco; but this has dropped away, and the words stand out clearly defined. They seem to be contradicted by centuries of Mohammedanism; but they are essentially true.” (Meyer) a. The LORD upholds all who fall: God’s compassion is especially evident toward those who fall and fail. He does not despise or reject them; there is a sense in which He specially draws near them to hold them up. If they allow their fall to rightly humble them, God will draw near and uphold them. i. The LORD upholds all who fall: “The phrase, all who are falling, is unusually expressive; and this timely help at an early stage is coupled with God’s power to revive lost hope and failed abilities: cf. New English Bible, ‘and straightens backs which are bent’.” (Kidner) ii. “Many are despondent, and cannot lift up their heads in courage, or their hearts with comfort; but these he cheers. Some are bent with their daily load, and these he strengthens.” (Spurgeon) iii. “The last portion of the psalm is marked by a frequent repetition of ‘all,’ which occurs eleven times in these verses. The singer seems to delight in the very sound of the word, which suggests to him boundless visions of the wide sweep of God’s universal mercy, and of the numberless crowd of dependents who wait on and are satisfied by Him.” (Maclaren) b. They eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season: The humble put their expectation on God, looking to Him for their needs. They pray, give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11), and God answers their prayer in due season. i. Most commentators connect this with the words every living thing that follow, and see that all creation is in view. “What a fine figure! The young of all animals look up to their parents for food. God is here represented as the universal Father, providing food for every living creature.” (Clarke) ii. “He condescends to the needs of his creatures…[this shows] the beauty of Yahweh’s condescension to the needs of his people.” (VanGemeren) c. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing: God’s care for creation extends beyond His provision for men and women. As Jesus would later say, God also cares for the birds and the grass of the field (Matthew 6:26-30). God does this with a wonderfully open hand and heart to His creation. i. As we take in David’s amazing description of God, we see how different Yahweh (the true and living God) is compared to the idols of the nations. Those supposed gods were often angry and petulant, caring little for either humanity or creation. We are surprised and grateful for the love and care from the God who is really there. b. The LORD is near to all who call upon Him: God’s responsiveness to His praying people demonstrates the graciousness mentioned in the previous lines. He will fulfill the desire and hear the cry of His people. i. “Since the Lord is so good to his creation, how much more does he care for his covenant people! This is essentially what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 6:25-34).” (VanGemeren) ii. To all who call upon him in truth: “…because there is a counterfeit and false sort of worshipping, and calling upon God, which is debarred from the benefit of this promise.” (Dickson, cited in Spurgeon) iv. “They who long for God will always have as much of God as they long for and are capable of receiving.” (Maclaren) c. The LORD preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy: David gave a further example of God’s graciousness in action (preserving all who love Him), along with His righteousness in action (all the wicked He will destroy). i. “Preserves may be a little misleading, as though it promised the godly a charmed life. ‘Watches over’ (New English Bible) is better; see again Luke 21:16-18.” (Kidner) d. My mouth shall…bless His holy name forever and ever: We sense that David meant this as a declaration. Having written so eloquently about who God is and what He has done for His people, David’s firm decision was to use his mouth to praise and bless God again and again. i. “Whatever others may do, I will not be silent in the praise of the Lord, whatever others may speak upon, my topic is fixed once for all: I will speak the praise of Jehovah. I am doing it, and I will do it as long as I breathe.” (Spurgeon) ii. “So ends David’s contribution to the Psalter, on a note of praise which is wholly his own (21a), yet as wide as mankind and as unfading as eternity.” (Kidner) iii. “The last verse of Psalm 145 is the last word we have from David in the Bible. It is his last will and testament. If he had said nothing else in his long life, these words would be a fine legacy for future generations. In it he praises God and invites others to praise God also.” (Boice) enduringword.com
coram_deo 14-Sep-21, 22:24	Psalm 1 Psalm 1 is a great Psalm and speaks to the benefits of staying immersed in, and meditating on, God’s words in the Holy Bible. The imagery in Psalm 1 of a tree planted by rivers of water is similar to one of my favorite passages in the Old Testament: “Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:5-8) Though at least one source online attributes Psalm 1 to King David, who wrote about half of the 150 Psalms in the Bible, the general consensus seems to be that the author of Psalm 1 is unknown. Psalm 1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” Here’s a commentary on what it means to delight oneself in the law of the Lord. From gotquestions.org: How do we delight in the law of the Lord (Psalm 1:2)? Psalm 1 contrasts the destructive “way of sinners” (verse 1) with the successful “way of the righteous” (verse 6) and extols the blessings of godliness. According to the psalmist, happiness, joy, and success come to those “whose delight is in the law of the Lord” (Psalm 1:2, ESV). The righteous person “walks not in the counsel of the wicked” (verse 1). In other words, he does not follow the world’s advice but takes pleasure in obeying God and His Word. The word law here means “a collection of teachings, instruction, or direction.” The “law of the Lord” is often associated with the Ten Commandments or the books of Moses (the first five books of the Old Testament called the Pentateuch). Yet the term can also encompass the whole revelation of truth in the Word of God, as in Psalm 119:1: “Blessed are those . . . who walk according to the law of the LORD”; the “law” here broadly refers to “the precepts and revealed will of the LORD,” according to the Amplified Bible. The author of Psalm 1 appears to have the same expanded meaning in mind. A godly person receives instruction and direction from the full counsel of God’s Word. The original Hebrew word translated as “delight” indicates “a feeling of extreme pleasure, satisfaction, or joy.” Reading, studying, and applying God’s truth to one’s life is the pleasure and joy of the righteous. A godly person’s relationship with the Word of God should be like being in love. People who are in love delight in each other. They want to spend time together. They drink in every word they speak to each other. When they are apart, they long to be in each other’s company. That is an illustration of how we should feel about God’s Word. Believers delight in the law of the Lord by meditating on God’s Word day and night (Psalm 1:2; Joshua 1:8). We consult it often, letting it become a guiding light and roadmap for our journey (Psalm 119:35, 105). We delight in God’s Word because we know it has the power to sustain us with joy through times of despair (Psalm 119:92); to give comfort (Psalm 23:4; 27:13–14), hope (Psalm 119:81), protection (Psalm 119:114), and victory over sin (Psalm 119:11); and to lead us securely to our eternal home (Psalm 32:8; 37:23). Delighting in the law of the Lord means honoring and cherishing God’s Word (Psalm 119:47–48, 159) because it is an irreplaceable treasure more precious than “thousands of pieces of silver and gold” (Psalm 119:72); an ever-present companion and friend (Proverbs 6:20–22); the theme of our song throughout life (Psalm 119:54); sweet and satisfying nourishment for the soul (Psalm 119:103; Job 23:12); a light in the darkness (2 Peter 1:19); “my heritage forever” and “the joy of my heart” (Psalm 119:111); and a life-giver (Psalm 119:25, 93; 1 Peter 1:23), life-sustainer (Matthew 4:4), powerful force (Hebrews 4:12), liberator (John 8:32; James 1:25), and teacher of wisdom (Psalm 119:66, 98–100). We delight in the law of the Lord by making God’s Word a daily part of our lives; by receiving its “message with great eagerness” (Acts 17:11); reading our Bibles (2 Timothy 3:16); studying and searching “the Scriptures day after day” (Acts 17:11, NLT); letting the Word “correct us when we are wrong” and teach us “to do what is right” (2 Timothy 3:15–17, NLT); hiding it in our hearts to keep us from sinning (Psalm 119:11); trusting in it (1 Thessalonians 2:13); and obeying it (Psalm 119:4; James 1:22). Love is at the core of delighting in the law of the Lord as God and His Word become what we are most passionate about in life: “Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long” (Psalm 119:97, NLT). God desires to capture our whole hearts with His Word (Deuteronomy 30:6; Psalm 119:10; Matthew 5:8; 22:37; James 4:8). The picture is one of mutual joy and pleasure in our relationship with the Lord. God delights over His people by blessing them with spiritual abundance and prosperity, “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers” (Psalm 1:3). And we, in turn, delight in God by loving Him with all our hearts and doing what He says in His Word. www.gotquestions.org
coram_deo 18-Sep-21, 10:43	Psalm 14, written by King David, is a short but great Psalm whose first sentence is eternally true. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord. There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous. Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge. Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.” (Psalm 14) Excerpts from a great commentary on Psalm 14. From enduringword.com: a. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God”: David looked at those who denied the existence of God and came to the conclusion that they are fools. The idea behind this ancient Hebrew word translated fool is more moral than intellectual. David did not have in mind those not smart enough to figure God out (no one is that smart); he had in mind those who simply reject God. i. From the italics in the New King James Version we can see that what the fool actually says is, “No God.” “That is, ‘No God for me.’ So his is a practical as well as theoretical atheism. Not only does he not believe in God, he also acts on his conviction.” (Boice) ii. David says this because of the plain evidence that there is a God: evidence in both creation and human conscience that Paul described in Romans 1. The fact that some men insist on denying the existence of God does not erase God from the universe; it instead speaks to their own standing as fools. As Paul wrote in Romans 1:22, Professing to be wise, they became fools. iii. “The Hebrew word for fool in this psalm is nabal, a word which implies an aggressive perversity, epitomized in the Nabal of 1 Samuel 25:25.” (Kidner) iv. The God-denying man is a fool because: · He denies what is plainly evident. · He believes in tremendous effect with no cause. · He denies a moral authority in the universe. · He believes only what can be proven by the scientific method. · He takes a dramatic, losing chance on his supposition that there is no God. · He refuses to be persuaded by the many powerful arguments for the existence of God. v. There are many powerful arguments for the existence of God; among them are these: · The Cosmological Argument: The existence of the universe means there must be a creator God. · The Teleological Argument: The existence of design in the universe means there must be a designer God. · The Anthropological Argument: The unique nature and character of humanity means there must be a relational God. · The Moral Argument: The existence of morality means there must be a governing God. <<EDIT: I would add the Resurrectiom of Jesus Christ - and all the evidence for it - proves the existence of God and specifically the love of God for humanity.>> vi. “Which is cause, and which is effect? Does atheism result from folly, or folly from atheism? It would be perfectly correct to say that each is cause and each is effect.” (Morgan) b. The fool has said in his heart: David not only found what the fool said to be significant; where he said it is also important (in his heart). The God-denying man David has in mind is not merely troubled by intellectual objections to the existence of God; in his heart he wishes God away, typically for fundamentally moral reasons. i. John 3:20 explains it this way: For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. ii. This means that the man David had in mind is not an atheist for primarily intellectual reasons. “Honest intellectual agnosticism does not necessarily produce immorality; dishonest emotional atheism always does.” (Morgan) iii. When we speak with one who denies God, we should not only – or even primarily – speak to his head, but also to his heart. “Let the preacher aim at the heart, and preach the all-conquering love of Jesus, and he will by God’s grace win more doubters to the faith of the gospel than any hundred of the best reasoners who only direct their arguments to the head.” (Spurgeon) iv. The phrasing of said in his heart also reminds us that it is possible for one to say in his mind that there is a God, yet deny it in his heart and life. One may believe in God in theory, yet be a practical atheist in the way he lives. v. 1 Samuel 27:1 tells us what David said in his heart on one occasion: Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.” Was this not David, in some sense, also denying God and speaking as a fool? vi. “Practical denial or neglect of His working in the world, rather than a creed of negation, is in the psalmist’s mind. In effect, we say that there is no God when we shut Him up in a far-off heaven, and never think of Him as concerned in our affairs. To strip Him of His justice and rob Him of His control is the part of a fool. For the Biblical conception of folly is moral perversity rather than intellectual feebleness, and whoever is morally and religiously wrong cannot be in reality intellectually right.” (Maclaren) c. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works: David here considers the result of denying God. It leads men into corruption and abominable works. This isn’t to say that every atheist lives a dissolute life and every God-believer lives a good life; yet there is a marked difference in moral behavior between those who take God seriously and those who do not. d. There is none who does good: As David considered the sin of the God-denier, he looked out over the landscape of humanity and concluded that there is none who does good. He did not mean that there is no human good in this world, but that fallen man is so fallen that he does not by instinct do good, and even the good he may do is tinged with evil. · We are born with both the will and the capacity to do evil; no one has to teach a child to do bad things. · The path of least resistance usually leads us to do bad, not to do good. · It is often easier to encourage others to do bad things, instead of good things. · Many of our good deeds are tinged with selfish, bad motives. i. “This is no exaggeration, since every sin implies the effrontery of supposedly knowing better than God, and the corruption of loving evil more than good.” (Kidner) a. The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men: While man may wish to forget about God, God never forgets about man. He is always observing man, looking down from heaven upon the children of men. i. In man’s rejection of God, there is often the wish that God would just leave us alone. This is an unwise wish, because all human life depends upon God (Acts 17:28; Matthew 5:45). This is an impossible wish, because God has rights of a creator over His creation. ii. “The words remind us of God descending from heaven to observe the folly of those building the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:5) or looking down upon the wickedness of the race prior to his judgment by the flood.” (Kidner) b. To see if there are any who understand, who seek God: When God does look down from heaven, one thing He looks for is if there is any understanding or seeking among humanity. i. God looks for this not primarily as an intellectual judgment; He doesn’t wonder if there are any smart enough to figure Him out. He looks for this more as a moral and spiritual judgment: if there are men who understand His heart and plan, and who seek Him for righteousness sake. iii. “You have gone through this form of worship, but you have not sought after God. I am sick of this empty religiousness. We see it everywhere; it is not communion with God, it is not getting to God; indeed, God is not in it at all.” (Spurgeon, from a sermon on Romans 3) c. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt: When God looks, this is what He finds. He finds that man has turned away from God and has therefore become corrupt. i. Poole on turned aside: “Or, are grown sour, as this word signifies.” ii. “The Hebrews have the same word for sin and a dead carcase; and again the same word for sin and stench.” (Trapp) d. There is none who does good, no, not one: When God finds none who does good, it is because there are none. It isn’t as if there were some and God couldn’t see them. David here observes and remembers that man is truly, profoundly, deeply fallen. i. David’s use of “there is none who does good” suddenly broadens the scope beyond the atheist to include us. “‘After all, we are not atheists!’ we might say. But now, as we are let in on God’s perspective, we see that we are too included. In other words, the outspoken atheist of verse 1 is only one example of mankind in general.” (Kidner) ii. “What a picture of our race is this! Save only where grace reigns, there is none that doeth good; humanity, fallen and debased, is a desert without an oasis, a night without a star, a dunghill without a jewel, a hell without a bottom.” (Spurgeon) <<EDIT: Remember this Psalm was written many centuries before Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and Resurrection. Today, those who have accepted and believed in Jesus Christ a la John 3:16 and Romans 10:9 are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. See 2 Corinthians 5:21.>> a. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge: David first considered the profound fallenness of man; now he deals with the fate of God’s people in such a fallen world. God’s people might seem like the weak fools, but David understood that it is the workers of iniquity who have no knowledge. i. “The question has almost a tone of surprise, as if even Omniscience found…wonder in men’s mysterious love of evil.” (Maclaren) b. Who eat up my people as they eat bread: It looks like the workers of iniquity are strong and have the upper hand. David wondered if the people of God are abandoned to the fools and the corrupt of this world, to those who do not call on the LORD. i. “As they eat bread, i.e. with as little regret or remorse, and with as much greediness, and delight, and constancy too, as they use to eat their meat.” (Poole) ii. And do not call on the LORD: “Practical atheism is, of course, prayerless.” (Maclaren) c. There they are in great fear, for God is with the generation of the righteous: After asking the question, David now answers it with great wisdom. The workers of iniquity seem strong and confident, but they are actually in great fear, because they can’t erase the consciousness that God is with the generation of the righteous. i. “A panic terror seized them: ‘they feared a fear,’ as the Hebrew puts it; an undefinable, horrible, mysterious dread crept over them. The most hardened of men have their periods when conscience casts them into a cold sweat of alarm.” (Spurgeon) ii. As strong as they may wish to deny it, they live under the cloud of knowing that they are battling against God, and can therefore never win. d. You shame the counsel of the poor, but the LORD is his refuge: David here announces it to the workers of iniquity previously mentioned – that they may work against the poor, but God has a refuge for them that cannot be breached. They are fighting against God and will never succeed. i. Spurgeon considered the ways that the poor takes counsel. · He takes counsel with his own weakness and sees that he must depend upon God. · He takes counsel with his observations and sees the end of the wicked. · He takes counsel with the Bible and trusts it to be the word of God. · He takes counsel with his own experience and sees that God answers prayer. iii. “‘Oh! but they will point at you.’ Cannot you bear to be pointed at? ‘But they will chaff you.’ Chaff – let them chaff you. Can that hurt a man that is a man? If you are a molluscous creature that has no backbone, you may be afraid of jokes, and jeers, and jests; but if God has made you upright, stand upright and be a man.” (Spurgeon) enduringword.com
coram_deo 27-Sep-21, 06:32	Psalm 53, also written by King David, is very similar to Psalm 14, which I posted above. Psalm 53 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God. There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them. Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.” Here is an article on the differences between Psalm 14 and Psalm 53. From gotquestions.org: Why are Psalms 14 and 53 nearly identical? Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 are nearly identical. Only a slight change of thought near the end of each psalm differentiates the two. Why would the Bible include two psalms that are very nearly the same? A close look at Psalms 14 and 53 offers some insight in this matter. Although subtle, three distinctions are observable in these two psalms. First, each has a different title. Psalm 14 begins, “For the director of music. Of David.” In contrast, the title of Psalm 53 is “For the director of music. According to mahalath. A maskil of David.” Though both psalms contain similar lyrics, they seem to have had different tunes associated with them. Second, there is one clear difference toward the end of each psalm. Psalm 14:5–6 states, “But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, / for God is present in the company of the righteous. / You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, / but the Lord is their refuge.” By contrast, Psalm 53:5 says, “But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, / where there was nothing to dread. / God scattered the bones of those who attacked you; / you put them to shame, for God despised them.” What is the difference? Psalm 14 focuses more on God’s deliverance of the righteous, while Psalm 53 focuses more on God’s defeat of the wicked. It is possible that one of the songs is an adaptation of the earlier song, and the change in lyrics commemorates a specific event. The third difference between the two psalms regards the use of God’s name. Psalm 14 uses “the Lord” (Yahweh) in verses 2, 4, 6, and 7. Psalm 53 uses “God” (Elohim) in all seven places where God is mentioned. Psalms 14 and 53 are very similar in content, but they were likely very different musically. In today’s culture, singers commonly record “remakes” of older songs that may be slightly different lyrically and feature completely new musical settings. This was likely the case in these two psalms. The musical differences would have been in sound and not words, and we only see the similarities. However, those originally singing these two psalms would have likely sung them very differently. The theme in both psalms is the salvation of God. Both psalms end with these words: “Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! / When the Lord restores his people, / let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!” (Psalm 14:7; cf. 53:6). www.gotquestions.org
coram_deo 28-Sep-21, 14:19	Psalm 92, whose author is unknown, is a great praise Psalm and is the only Psalm whose title says it’s to be sung on the Sabbath. Psalm 92 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever: But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore. For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil. Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” I couldn’t find a commentary on Psalm 92 that I liked, but here are two Devotionals based on this Psalm: “Another great Psalm of encouragement for the Christian. Look at what God says about us; We shall flourish like a palm tree, we'll grow like a cedar in Lebanon, we'll flourish in the courts of our God, and we'll still bear fruit in old age. God places a great barrier between the Christian and the non-Christian. This becomes really obvious when we ponder verses 12 to 15. Your heart just skips a beat when you think of all Christ does for you. The wicked, however, don't have a clue. God calls them senseless in verse 6 because they just don't understand what we see in the Bible and they don't understand how much we love God. Our love for our Lord is greater than any other love we can experience on earth. Thank God for His salvation. We are no better than the non-Christians; we are not saved because God just had to save us because we were so good. It is only the grace of God that has opened our eyes to see and accept the salvation Christ has provided for us. Pray today in thankfulness, as you remember Psalm 92, for the salvation God has granted to you, and pray also that all those around you would come to Christ as well.” www.devotional-reflections-from-the-bible.com “You might be surprised to hear that the most common command in the bible isn’t prohibitive. Rather, scripture urges us again and again to DO something. Over 70 times in the New Testament, we are commanded to give thanks and praise to our God. In the book of Psalms alone, it is thought that there are around 36 references to thanksgiving, occurring in 24 different Psalms. So why is thankfulness so important? The truth of the matter is, there are infinite reasons to give thanks and praise to our God – and it would be impossible to list them all, but here are three to get you started! BEING THANKFUL IS GOOD Psalm 92 opens with these words: It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Thy name, O Most High, to declare Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness by night. Giving thanks is good! The word good here could be interchanged with ‘right’ or ‘fitting.’ Thankfulness is the only appropriate response to a God whose lovingkindness we wake up to each and every morning, and whose faithfulness we can sing of night after night. Thanksgiving is the only fitting response to Jesus, who laid down His life to save us. Thankfulness, particularly when spoken out loud, is good for the soul, and edifies those around us. Thankfulness carries a lovely fragrance, which always beautifies and edifies the atmosphere. Thankfulness is good. BEING THANKFUL LEADS US TO JOY Psalm 16:11 tells us that in God’s presence there is fullness of joy. So how do we get into God’s presence? It can be all too easy to wake up in the morning and immediately begin to focus on our problems or the long list of things we need to get done. This doesn’t make for a very joyful day. Psalm 100:4 exalts us to ‘enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise!’ We come into God’s presence through the gateway of thankfulness and praise. Thankfulness can sometimes feel a bit like climbing up a hill. When we first come to God, we may be feeling anxious, stressed, or even just empty. But as we begin to release our praise and thankfulness to God, we ascend higher and higher, until sooner or later we get a new sense of perspective. As we declare God’s lovingkindness, as we speak out His precious and magnificent promises, it’s like standing and gazing over the panoramic horizon of God’s grace and goodness, which stretches endlessly before us. BEING THANKFUL IS GOD’S WILL FOR US 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us this: ‘Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’ I often used to ponder what the will of God was for my life. Well, this verse takes the mystery right out of that! God’s will for me is to be the kind of person who rejoices – a lot – in fact, in every circumstance! To be someone who abides in communion with God, in whose presence there is fullness of joy. And to be the sort of person, that in a world filled with much moaning and complaining, exudes thankfulness. Thankfulness brings glory and honor to God the Father. ‘It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and your faithfulness every night.’ Psalm 92:1-2 (NKJV)” devotableapp.com
coram_deo 03-Oct-21, 10:19	In Psalm 139, King David expresses his love for God and his hatred for those who hate Him. Psalm 139 “O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Here is a commentary on Psalm 139. From crosswalk.com: Psalm 139 is a psalm of prayer, meant to be sung in praise at worship services. When we seek to learn, when we look for help or healing, when we express gratitude or anxiety, and when we celebrate blessings … we pray. Prayer is conversation with God, layered with all of these intricate levels which contribute to our relationship with God our Father. The NIV Study Bible shares, “Nowhere (outside of Job) does one find expressed such profound awareness of how awesome it is to ask God to examine not only one’s life but also one’s soul.” Life within the love of Christ further amplifies what the psalmist poured from his heart. We have been created by God, purposefully. He knows us, intimately better than we know ourselves! He is mighty to save and always good. He is all-knowing and everywhere. Because of who He is, we are always loved and never alone. What Is the Purpose of Psalm 139? Psalm 139 reflects David’s prayerful meditation of God’s omnipresence and omniscience, and the effect those characteristics of God have on the human heart. Omnipresence means God is everywhere, simultaneously. Omniscience means that God is all-knowing, His knowledge is not limited. Knowing God creates gratitude and praise for who He is and what He does for us. We were made to glorify God. Knowledge of God directly affects our reactions, especially in times of hardship, injustice, and pain. David’s heartfelt journey with God, through the good, bad, challenging, and unbelievable, remains alive and relatable throughout Psalm 139. “It sings the omniscience and omnipresence of God, inferring from these the overflow of the powers of wickedness,” Charles H. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David explains, “since he who sees and hears the abominable deeds and words of the rebellions will surely deal with them according to his justice.” Who God is, allows us to understand who and Whose, we are. Life within the love of Christ Jesus, Immanuel (God with us), changes our hearts forever and continually until we arrive home in heaven. The journey of each human heart is unique, purposed, and intimately known by the One True God. Here Are 5 Lessons from Psalm 139 to Strengthen Your Heart: Lesson 1 — We Are Intimately Known “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” - Psalm 139:13 Before we were known to our mothers, God was forming every intricate detail and fabric of who we are. We often default to a critical view of ourselves and others. Psalm 139 helps us to see ourselves and others through God’s perspective. Color, ethnicity, disability …every trait and characteristic were crafted by our purposeful God. We are crafted personally and purposefully, to bring glory to God. Nothing about us is accidental. God doesn’t simply allow us to be a certain way or carry a certain trait - every cell of our being is intentional. When I became a mother, I experienced love on another level. Yet, I only carried my babies into this world. God gave them life and cares for them infinitely more. We are all loved by God this way. “God has perfect knowledge of us,” Matthew Henry wrote, “and all our thoughts and actions are open before him.” We cannot control the thoughts popping into our minds all day long, every day. But we do have some say over what happens to them once they arrive. Scripture advises to take our thoughts captive. Some of the rogue thoughts that enter our minds are absolutely crazy! God sees every one of them. He knows our words before we let them exit our mouths. He knows what we will do. He’s numbered our days. We are intimately known by God, not just outwardly, but inwardly. When the heart is mentioned in Scripture, it often refers to the seat of our souls, and the place from which we make decisions and harbor our beliefs. God is there. He is not surprised by our physical or mental struggles! Being intimately known by our sovereign God means we are not hidden, nor should we feel compelled or convinced by guilt or shame to hide from Him in any way. The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross negated the shame which compelled Adam and Eve to hide from God in the garden. Though the curse of sin we live under compels us to do the same—run and hide when we sin—God made a way for us, through Jesus, to bring our sin to His feet and confess and repent of it. God’s forgiveness, His mercies, and the grace available to us through Christ Jesus, are new each day. Lesson 2 — We Are Purposefully Made “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” - Psalm 139:14 We were made with purpose, to bring glory to God. Each talent, gift, and occupation have a place in the workforce of the Kingdom of God. Who we are is meant to bring reverence to God. Not a fear to be afraid of, but a respectful, reverence for God. When people look at the lives of those who follow Christ, they should witness the blood He shed dripping from our daily lives. According to Biblestudytools.com, wonderfully means “to be distinct, marked out, be separated, be distinguished.” We aren’t made wonderful in the eyes of world, but from the heart of God, to bring glory to His name. We have each been intentionally set apart, different from the world. “In the midst of daily life, Christians do well to remind themselves of the Good Shepherd’s knowledge and provision,” wrote Jason Helopoulos for Ligonier, “most of the doubts, anxieties, and fears that occupy the Christian soul can be attributed to a lack of trust in Christ as the Good Shepherd.” Even though David penned this psalm before Jesus walked the earth, everything in Scripture points to God’s greatest expression of love for us in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Living in the New Covenant, we can read this psalm knowing Jesus has defeated death and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Those who follow Christ will be welcomed into heaven for eternity upon death on this earth. God moves through our earthly lives to spread the gospel. His desire is not to leave behind even one! Lesson 3 — God Is in Control “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” - Psalm 139:16 There is infinitely more happening in the world and our lives than we can plausibly see. But God’s view is limitless, transcending time and space. He has numbered our days, and nothing can change or alter His good plan for our lives. His will trumps what we want. It’s hard to comprehend God is in control of a world spinning off its rails. So much injustice, unfairness, tragedy and heartbreak surround everyday circumstances world-wide. Even devout Christ-followers gaze up to wonder where God is during tumultuous seasons. “God’s sovereign control is complete, not partial,” John Piper explains on desiringGod, “Whether it’s more or less direct or more or less indirect, more or less by active intrusion or more or less by tactical permission- however it is, God controls it, and the control is complete and pervasive. Nothing in the universe is random without divine design and purpose.” Lesson 4 — We Are Never Alone “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” - Psalm 139:7 One of the biggest tricks and deceits of our enemy is to isolate and convince us we are alone. Especially in today’s society, as the world endures a global pandemic, isolation has become a reality we experience for long periods of time. Even when we are out in society, masks and plastic barriers isolate us from each other. Quarantine puts us in our rooms alone for half a month’s time! But even when the physical presence of other people is absent from our lives, we are never alone. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are always and forever with us. God is impossible to escape from. And He is mighty to save. David knew these qualities of God well, as he was chased down by a crazed King Saul and exiled to hide in a cave! God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit encompass the One True, Triune God. God is everywhere, all at once. The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary explains, “Not a part but the whole of God is present in every place. This is true of all three members of the Trinity. They are so closely related that where one is the other can be said to be also.” Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven, interceding for us. Through His sacrifice on the cross, the Holy Spirit dwells in every Christ-follower. Lesson 5 — Judgment Belongs to God Alone “If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!” - Psalm 139:15 Judgment belongs to God alone. Much of the Psalms teach us to love our enemies and pray to God on their behalf. What does David mean, then, when he wrote verses 15-22? David’s pen was divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. God’s Word is Truth, and in its entirety points to Christ Jesus. Sensibly, these verses are followed by: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:24) When we pray this verse, God faithfully answers! We are to pray for our enemies and the enemies of God and beseeching, He searches our souls as well. He knows our enemies, and ourselves, better than we do. “Paul read the imprecatory Psalms as the words of Christ, spoken prophetically by David… The implication, then, is that David spoke in these Psalms as God’s inspired anointed king, prefiguring the coming King and Messiah, who has the right to pronounce final judgment on his enemies and will do so, as the whole Bible teaches,” explains John Piper for desiringGod. He continues, “This is not personal vindictiveness. It is a prophetic execution of what will happen at the last day when God casts all his enemies into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).” Psalm 139 is a personal prayer and song of praise to God. Though Author and Creator of the entire universe, and each of us, God is personally in touch with every single one of our lives! He cares deeply and compassionately for us, not only as a whole but individually. The NIV Study Bible relays, “This final Davidic collection contains the Psalter’s two most magnificent expositions of the greatness and goodness of God, one of them (Ps 139) focusing on his relationship with an individual…” Because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we are able to come freely to God through Christ. In prayer, praise, and everyday life, He is our constant companion. Jesus calls us friends. What a God we serve! A God who saves! We are known, loved, and never alone. A Prayer after Reading Psalm 139 Father, Our Lord, Yahweh! Savior, Jesus! Spirit, Advocate! One True Triune God. Glory be to You for all You are and all You have made. From the creation surrounding us to each hair on our heads, Your intentionality is unmatched. Your care and love for us is like nothing else. Thank You, Jesus, for leaving heaven to defeat death on the cross. You sit at the right hand of God and will again return to right all wrongs. Holy Spirit, You are our Advocate and Comforter. Praise and glory and honor to the God who formed us and rescued us. Though the world is hard and dark at times, You can only be light. You can only be good. It’s who You are, and we are Yours. May we remember these truths David divinely penned in Psalm 139. Cover our lives with them like a blanket of comfort on a cold, dark night. You are our strength, God. In You, and You alone, we find peace, love, joy, forgiveness, and mercy. May our lives bring glory to Your name. Bless our enemies and search our hearts. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen. www.crosswalk.com
coram_deo 05-Oct-21, 09:05	Psalm 123 is a short but meaningful Psalm whose author is unknown and which is apparently a rare case of a Psalm that rhymes in its original language (Hebrew.) Psalm 123 “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.” Here is a devotional that speaks highly of Psalm 123: “Psalm 123 is just four verses, but it is deeply profound in its meaning. Here the Psalmist paints a picture that we can all understand in illustrating our relationship to God as a true believer: we are servants. That is not a very popular picture in our politically correct world. What an insult that is to the unbeliever, where man is at the center and everything else revolves outward from him. What do you think, dear Christian? Is it an insult to be a servant to God? I shudder at the thought. No, it is a privilege to be a servant of God, and not one that we deserve at all. Only the grace of God, through the blood of Christ that He shed for us, allows us to be raised up to the postion of a servant! Think of the blessings we have as God's servant that are mentioned in this Psalm. We look to God for mercy and are completely confident that He will provide it for us. What does that mean, and why do we need it? There is only one man who ever lived who was perfect: the God-man, Jesus Christ. God requires complete perfection, He cannot even look upon sin. Because of this we are born condemned! What are we to do? We fall down before our Lord and plead for mercy from this condemnation; mercy that will allow us to live instead of being eternally condemned. How can that be? This mercy doesn't make us perfect, does it? No, not until we are in heaven with the Lord. Christ came to this earth to die for His people. He was perfect as a man and as God, and as such was worthy to die in our place and take that condemnation upon Himself. Now, when God looks upon those who have cried out for mercy, instead of seeing their sin, He sees the perfect blood of Christ. What do we gain from our fellow man? We gain contempt and scorn. That will never change, no matter how nice they are to us. Unless they have cried out to God for mercy, their hearts are proud and arrogant. Remember, we see people on the outside only, but God looks upon their heart. What incredible mercy we receive from God! Mercy we never truly deserve. Do you understand that? Neither do I. God could have left us all condemned, but He chose to save a people for Himself. Does that make us proud because we were worthy to be chosen? No, we were never worthy to be chosen. Instead, we fall on our face before God in humility and thankfulness. Psalm 123 just has four short verses, but what marvelous truths it expresses! Pray today that God will have mercy on you and would save you from the condemnation of your sins.” www.devotional-reflections-from-the-bible.com Not a fan of the last line of this devotional because if you’re a Christian (and this devotional appears to be addressed to Christians) God already has saved you from the condemnation of all of your sins (past, present and future.) See Romans 8:1, what may be the greatest verse in the Holy Bible. From bibleref.com: What does Romans 8:1 mean? Romans 8 is one of the most powerful and popular chapters in all the Bible. In it, Paul describes with great detail what it means to live as Christian, both now and for eternity. The chapter begins, as well, with one of the most comforting statements in all the Bible. The previous chapter ended with Paul crying out in frustration about his wretchedness and asking who would deliver him from his "body of death." He answered by giving thanks "to God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 7:25). Now he states absolutely why the gospel is such good news for all who believe. The Greek words translated as "there is therefore now no," as in the ESV, are very emphatic. The literal phrasing is Ouden ara nyn katakrima, which accomplishes two things. First, it ties this statement to the claim made in Romans 7:25, according to the word "therefore." Second, it definitively states a permanent, present, and complete lack of "condemnation," from a Greek word meaning "a sentence" or "penalty." In crystal-clear language, the Bible indicates there is absolutely no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus. None. Zero. Paul's statement leaves no room for even a tiny bit of condemnation to sneak in. In short, if you are "in Christ Jesus," God will never, ever condemn you for any sin whatsoever. The condition of this statement, however, is crucial: salvation is for those who place their faith in Christ (Romans 3:23–26). There is no other way (Acts 4:12), and those who reject this salvation will not be rescued from condemnation (John 3:18). How can this be? Paul has already built the case in chapters 3—5 of this letter to the Romans. When we place our faith in Christ, God so closely identifies us with His Son that He gives us credit for Jesus' sinless, righteous life, and He accepts Jesus' death as payment for our death-deserving sin. Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:21: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." So if God is judging us on the basis of Jesus' righteousness, how could we ever be condemned? God would never condemn Jesus, so He will never condemn those who are seen by God as being in Christ. And how do we come to be "in Christ"? Only by faith (Romans 5:1, Ephesians 2:8–9). Context Summary Romans 8:1–11 begins with an enormous declaration about the grace of God: There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. After describing how this is possible, thanks to the life and death of Jesus, Paul compares two kinds of life. One is life in the Holy Spirit, for those who are in Christ, the other is a life lived according to the flesh. Those in the flesh, meaning non-Christians, are hostile to God. Christians have the Spirit; those who do not are not Christians. Because the Spirit is in us, we will be resurrected from the dead as Jesus was. Chapter Summary Romans 8 begins and ends with declarations of the Christian's absolute security before God. There is no condemnation for those in Christ, and nothing will ever be able to separate us from His love. Having believed the gospel, we now live in the Spirit of God. That allows us to call God Abba Father. We suffer with Christ, and we suffer along with all creation while we wait for God to reveal us as His sons. With the help of the Spirit, we are confident that God is for us and loves us in Christ. www.bibleref.com
coram_deo 09-Oct-21, 08:49	The author of Psalm 94 is unknown but it’s a great one. I especially like verse 19 - “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94 “O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law; That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it. Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. But the Lord is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge. And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off.” Here’s a commentary on this Psalm. I especially like the end of this commentary, where the writer quotes one of my favorite verses from Isaiah (which I have yet to memorize!) and offers the great advice of opening the Holy Bible in times of trouble. From desiringgod.org The Sweetest Words for the Deepest Wounds When conflict arises in our lives, the Bible often comes alive with fresh meaning and power. The Bible was born in conflict: from slavery in Egypt to wandering (and grumbling) in the wilderness; from living under wicked and oppressive kings to the worse horrors of invasion and exile; from the apostles being persecuted, imprisoned, and martyred to the Son of God himself being brutally crucified. We shouldn’t be surprised when Scripture feels more familiar when our circumstances feel more difficult. God doesn’t only give us his word to carry us through our trials; he also gives us trials to open our eyes to his word. When opposition comes, or plans fall apart, or relationships fracture, or peace collapses, his words swell with unusual strength and sweetness. As the psalmist says, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul” (Psalms 94:19). When our wounds are deep, God’s healing goes deeper. When our troubles are broad, his help runs broader. When our cares are many, his consolations are more. The Most Painful Wounds Psalm 94 was written by and for a suffering community. God’s people were assaulted by the wicked, and then watching their assailants seem to get away with it. O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult? They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. They crush your people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage. They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless. (Psalm 94:3–6) These people are evil beyond anticipation, plundering widows and murdering orphans, but the next verse may be the most haunting: “They say, ‘The Lord does not see” — using the covenant name God gave to Israel — “‘the God of Jacob does not perceive’” (Psalm 94:7). The proud, the evildoers, the murderers, the wicked — they were among God’s own people. These are not the jealous and godless enemies of Israel. They’re part of the family. We expect wickedness from the world. The most painful attacks are often those that come from the places we least expect them: in our case, from within the household of faith. Instead of warm sympathy, we receive harsh scrutiny. Instead of rallying to support us in our time of need, they heap heavier burdens on our shoulders. Instead of help, abandonment. Instead of forgiveness, bitterness. Instead of purity and self-control, indulgence. Instead of peace, strife and conflict. Instead of patience, anger and irritability. Instead of kindness and gentleness, abuse. Instead of honesty, duplicity. Instead of love, hostility. Where do we stand when we are wearied and wounded from within the camp? We stand on promises, like these four below, that were strong enough to hold, protect, and sustain God’s people long before our trials began. 1. God knows more than we do. When life is especially hard, we sometimes suspect that we see more than God does. That all would be made right if only we could give him our full report, or pronounce the judgment ourselves. Sadly, self-pity often makes us into fools: Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see? He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke? He who teaches man knowledge — the Lord — knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath. (Psalm 94:8–11) How could we see more than God when he formed our retinas, designed our corneas, and placed our irises? How would we hear more than God when he tuned the songs of the birds, caused our vocal cords to vibrate with meaning, and planted the wonder of hearing through small holes in our heads? Whatever we see, he sees more. Whatever we have heard, he has heard more. He knows more about this situation — far more — than we do. 2. Even our worst trials are filled with his love. The wickedness of the wicked not only serves to demonstrate God’s justice, wrath, and power, but in his unsearchable wisdom, it also serves to grow, mature, and even secure us. Even as God’s chosen people attacked their own, the psalm boldly declares, “Blessed” — happy! — “is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble” (Psalm 94:12–13). Blessed is the godly man who is mistreated, because this suffering will train him in righteousness and prepare him for a far deeper rest. We often want to think of ourselves as victims and survivors in these situations, simply waiting for God to fall on our enemies. But God often defeats and humiliates our perpetrators in a more profound way. He makes even their worst and most wicked efforts serve his love for us. He not only gives us the victory, but he makes us “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37). When God deals finally with the wicked, he will wipe them out forever (Psalm 94:23), but when he comes to us, “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:10). If we are his, hidden in his Son, not one ounce of our pain is punishment. Proverbs says, My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:11–12) If we are his children, any pain we are feeling is ultimately our Father’s loving kindness meant to lead us into righteousness, peace, and joy. Even in our worst trials, when someone we love wants to do us harm, God relentlessly wields every moment, every conversation, every injustice in love for us — and not against us. 3. God will judge every offense — and right every wrong. No matter how good and loving and sovereign God is, wrongs are still wrong. His love doesn’t make the wrong any more right. But he will eventually right every wrong. One day soon enough, “he will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the Lord our God will wipe them out” (Psalm 94:23). We won’t be left to deliver the judgment and execute the sentence. Instead of seeking retribution for ourselves, we run into the arms of a far better judge: “O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!” (Psalm 94:1–2). The apostle Paul also knew the temptation to harbor bitterness, nurture anger, and seek revenge. “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19). God will repay in full every offense committed against you. If he does not hurl your perpetrators into hell, he will have sent his Son to the cross for them. He will have been willing to die to repay any harm against you. If we doubt God’s justice when we’ve been wronged, we say that either hell itself or the cross of Christ are less than sufficient. Therefore, as those for whom Christ died, we will not curse (Romans 12:14). We will not be proud (Romans 12:16). We will strive for peace (Romans 12:18). We will even care for those who harm us (Romans 12:20). We will overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). We will trust God to right everything done wrong against us. 4. Even when we want to give up, God will not. When we’re under attack, especially from others who claim the name of Christ, we may want to give up and walk away. It will always be easier to opt out of conflict, out of painstaking reconciliation, out of dying for the sake of others (especially others who have hurt us). We all grow weary in relationships. But God never grows weary in loving us, and he never considers walking away. The psalmist says, “The Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it” (Psalm 94:14–15). He will not forsake you. He will not abandon you. Justice is coming. Trust him, and follow him into the flames before you. He will not give up loving you, and he will not let you be burned. The Lord of the universe, who planted the ear and formed the eye, who gives to all mankind life and breath and everything, who can do all things and whose purpose can never be thwarted, that God says to you, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” (Isaiah 43:2–3) You may feel weak, fragile, and unstable for now, but God will be strong for you. You will be able to say, “When I thought, ‘My foot slips,’ your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up” (Psalm 94:18). When conflict comes, and your soul weighs heavy, and the heartache stands tall, don’t let your Bible lie closed. Expect the words of God to hold you up like nothing else can. www.desiringgod.org
coram_deo 16-Oct-21, 02:47	Psalm 8, written by King David, asks an important question whose answer can only be found in the reality and majesty of God. Psalm 8 “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” Here’s a good commentary on this Psalm and the question King David asks in it. From gotquestions.org: Why does the psalmist ask, “What is man that you are mindful of him” (Psalm 8:4)? When we consider Psalm 8:4 along with its surrounding verses, we see that the psalmist (King David) is praising the Lord for granting humans such a superior position in His creation. He writes, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3–4, ESV). In this passage, the Hebrew word translated as “man” refers to humanity in general and emphasizes the transience and weakness of humankind. When David looks at the vastness and splendor of the universe, human beings appear small and insignificant. Considering the majesty and permanence of the moon and stars God has created, David wonders, “What do human beings amount to, that You, O God, should take them into account?” Then he answers his own question: “Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority” (Psalm 8:5–6, NLT). In view of God’s handiwork and the limitlessness of His creation, David is awestruck by the Lord’s concern for human beings and the position He gave them to rule over creation. The all-powerful God of the universe cares so deeply for us that He made us only slightly lower than Himself (or, as some translations have it, than the angels) and gave us authority over His creation. Psalm 8:4 echoes Genesis 1:26 and the triune Godhead’s decision to create humans in His own image and likeness and give them authority over all of God’s creation. Both passages communicate a biblical doctrine—that from the beginning God made humans to be His representatives on the earth and to have dominion over every other creature in His name. In the mind and heart of God, people are His foremost concern. Job makes the same observation, but with a different emphasis. Rather than being captivated by God’s attention, Job—caught up in his misery and suffering—wishes the Lord would leave him alone: “What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention, that you examine them every morning and test them every moment? Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant?” (Job 7:17–19). The book of Hebrews makes striking use of Psalm 8:4: “For in one place the Scriptures say, ‘What are mere mortals that you should think about them, or a son of man that you should care for him? Yet for a little while you made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them authority over all things.’ Now when it says ‘all things,’ it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position ‘a little lower than the angels’; and because he suffered death for us, he is now ‘crowned with glory and honor.’” (Hebrews 2:6–9, NLT). The writer of Hebrews references the Old Testament passage to show that Jesus was truly human, God incarnate. Psalm 8:4 was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus humbled Himself and became a human being. In His earthly ministry, He was “a little lower than the angels” (Hebrews 2:7, 9). As a man, He willingly experienced suffering and death, just as we do. But Jesus “tasted death for everyone” (verse 9, NLT). He took on our nature and became like us, but without the sin and rebellion that tarnish our existence. Through His death, Jesus broke the power of death for us: “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying” (Hebrews 2:14–15, NLT). Jesus became a human and died to set us free from death. Who are we mere humans that the supreme God of creation involves Himself so intimately with us? What do we learn from the psalmist’s question? “What is man that you are mindful of him?” celebrates the dignity and esteem of humans in the eyes of God despite their seeming insignificance. Even in our lowly state, God honors us greatly, so much so that He gave us authority over creation. What’s more, we learn that we are the center of His attention, the apple of God’s eye (see Deuteronomy 32:10; Zechariah 2:8; Psalm 17:8). We are the Lord’s ultimate creation and masterpiece, created “anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT). www.gotquestions.org And here’s an excerpt from enduringword.com’s commentary on this Psalm: a. When I consider Your heavens: David knew the value of simply considering the glory of God’s creation. He knew what it was like to look up into the starry sky and consider what a great God had made this vast, wonderful universe. i. With the naked eye, one can see about 5,000 stars. With a four-inch telescope, one can see about 2 million stars. With a 200-inch mirror of a great observatory, one can see more than a billion stars. The universe is so big that if one were to travel at the speed of light, it would take 40 billion years to reach the edge of the universe. Considering the heavens makes us see the greatness of God. ii. These great heavenly objects such as the moon and the stars are the work of God’s fingers. “Notwithstanding the amazing magnitude of the sun, we have abundant reason to believe that some of the fixed stars are much larger: and yet we are told they are the work of GOD’S FINGERS! What a hand, to move, form, and launch these globes!” (Clarke) b. What is man that You are mindful of him: Considering the greatness of the heavens also made David consider the relative smallness and insignificance of man. David wondered why such a big, great God would be mindful of such small beings. i. “We gave you but a feeble image of our comparative insignificance, when we said that the glories of an extended forest would suffer no more from the fall of a single leaf, than the glories of an extended universe would suffer though the globe we tread upon, and all that it inherits, should dissolve.” (Chalmers, cited in Spurgeon) ii. God is so big that He makes the universe with His fingers; man is so small that he is dwarfed by the universe. Yet David did not doubt that God was mindful of man; he simply said “You are mindful of him” and only wondered why. Before we share David’s question, we should first share his assured confidence that God is mindful of us; He thinks of us and considers what we do. iii. “Sorry, sickly man, a mass of mortalities, a map of miseries, a mixture or compound of dirt and sin…and yet God is mindful of him.” (Trapp) iv. “David’s question can be asked with many nuances. In Psalm 144:3-4 it mocks the arrogance of the rebel; in Job 7:17 it is a sufferer’s plea for respite; in Job 25:6 it shudders at human sin. But here it has no tinge of pessimism; only astonishment that thou are mindful and thou dost care.” (Kidner) c. And the son of man that You should visit him: Indeed, using the poetic method of repetition, David repeated the idea in a stronger way. Son of man is a title that emphasizes the “humanness” of man, and we might say that visit him is yet stronger than are mindful of him. i. David was confident that God not only carefully thought about man, but that He had some kind of personal connection and contact with men (that You visit him). He thinks about us and acts in our lives. ii. Morgan considered the use of the terms manand son of man as a “contrast between the stately splendor of the moon and the stars, and man – Enosh – frail man – and the son of man Ben-Adam – of apparently earthly origin. The contrasts are graphic.” (Morgan) d. For You have made him a little lower than the angels: David saw that God made man a little lower than the angels, and this is evident in the way that man is beneath the angels in present glory, power, and nearness to God. i. The word translated angels is Elohim, and most often refers to God Himself. There are some (such as Boice) who believe that David meant to say that man is a little lower than God, stressing the idea that man is made in God’s image. ii. Yet the ancient translators of the Bible from Hebrew to Greek understood elohim here to speak of angelic beings; more importantly, that was how the writer to the Hebrews understood it. “The Hebrew for [angels] is simply ‘God’ or ‘gods’ (‘Elohim’). It may refer to angelic beings.” (VanGemeren) iii. Significantly, David did not say that man was “a little higher than the beasts,” though one could say that is true. Theologians since Thomas Aquinas have noted that man is in a middle position between the angels and the animals: lower than the angels yet higher than the animals. Yet David rightly makes us look upward and not downward, though many think of mankind as more animal than angelic, David wrote that You have made him a little lower than the angels. iv. “Although made in God’s image and ordained to become increasingly like the God to whom they look, men and women have turned their backs on God. And since they will not look upward to God, which is their privilege and duty, they actually look downward to the beasts and so become increasingly like them.” (Boice) enduringword.com
coram_deo 01-Nov-21, 23:02	Psalm 61 was written by King David during a desperate time in his life, and this Psalm’s opening verses are sung by campers in Wyoming to this day. Isn’t it amazing that a Psalm written 3,000 years ago by a king of Israel is sung and contemplated by children from a distance of thousands of miles away and thousands of years into the future? God’s Word is timeless, and as Jesus Christ Himself said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” (Mark 13:31) Psalm 61 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations. He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.” Here’s a short devotional on this Psalm. Click the link at the end of this post to hear campers singing the opening verses to this Psalm. From campwyoming.net Hear my cry, O God Attend unto my prayer From the ends of the earth My cry comes unto Thee And when my heart is overwhelmed Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I That is higher than I For Thou has been A shelter unto me A strong tower From the enemy And when my heart is overwhelmed Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I That is higher than I These are the words to a beloved camp song, and they are also the words to Psalm 61. Hundreds, probably thousands, of campers have come to Camp Wyoming in the summer and sat around the campfire, singing these words and reflecting on their meaning. Psalm 61 was written by David at a time when he was far from home and safety. It begins with his desperate cry to God. He is despairing, lost, and struggling. “My heart is overwhelmed!” he tells the Lord. If we are honest, many of us can relate to the feelings of David. We know what it is like to sit in darkness and wonder if light will ever come. In his sorrow, David calls out to God in prayer. He knows that the only way he can rest and find safety in the Rock of Salvation is if God reaches down and places him atop the rock. In God, David has always found shelter. He has found rest, comfort, and retreat. So why would he not, in his darkest moments, cry out to the God who is his “rock,” his hiding place, and his fortress? And as he cries out, David finds comfort in God’s grace and care. Sometimes, when our hearts are overwhelmed, all we need do is cry out to God and ask that in our desperation and fear, God would place us on stable ground. God would comfort us and lead us to safety. God would shelter us and deliver us. What is overwhelming you in this season of cold and winter and taxes and activity? What weighs heavy on your heart? Hopefully, the words of this song and Psalm will bring you comfort and a small amount of peace as you remember that when your heart is overwhelmed, you can always find rest in God, your rock. campwyoming.net Brief excerpts from a commentary on this Psalm. From enduringword.com: David was often in trouble; we don’t know the life circumstances which prompted this psalm. It does seem to come after he came to the throne. Because of a reference to the end of the earth, some have thought it comes from the time of Absalom’s rebellion or on his military campaign near the Euphrates (2 Samuel 8:3-4). Those are possible, but by no means certain settings for this psalm. a. Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer: This was wise praying from David. He understood that though God hears all prayer in one sense, in the sense of answering and responding favorably, God does not hear or attend to all prayer. Opening his prayer this way, David did not presume a response from God, but actively asked for the response. i. “Pharisees may rest in their prayers; true believers are eager for an answer to them: ritualists may be satisfied when they have ‘said or sung’ their litanies and collects, but living children of God will never rest till their supplications have entered the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth.” (Spurgeon) b. From the end of the earth I will cry to You: From what we know, David did not travel far outside the Promised Land. Yet figuratively he was at the end of human understanding and strength and resources; there was a real and powerful sense in which this prayer was offered from the end of the earth. i. “Though the phrase ‘from the ends of the earth’ may denote a geographical distance away from the land (cf. Psalm 46:9; Deuteronomy 28:49), it is also a metaphor for despair, alienation, and spiritual distance from the Lord.” (VanGemeren) ii. David did not say, from the end of the earth I will give up hope or from the end of the earth I will deny that You love me. At the limit of his wisdom, endurance, and ability, David said, I will cry to You. iii. “Observe that David never dreamed of seeking any other God; he did not imagine the dominion of Jehovah to be local: he was at the end of the promised land, but he knew himself to be still in the territory of the Great King.” (Spurgeon) enduringword.com

GameKnot: play chess online, monthly chess tournaments, chess teams, Internet chess league, chess clubs, online chess puzzles, free online chess games database and more.