2 Samuel 22:32-51 - Kindness to the Lord's Anointed

2 Samuel 22:32-51

He is a tower of deliverance to His king, and shows lovingkindness to His anointed, To David and his descendants forever. (verse 51)

Message: Kindness to the Lord's Anointed

Time: Second Samuel is set in the land of Israel during the reign of David and follows the course of his forty years as king of Israel (1011–971 BC). It chronicles the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the expansion of Israel under God’s chosen leader. 

What the Lord is Saying: The author of 2 Samuel starts to conclude the life of David by offering here a song of praise with God as David's deliverer, fully expressing God's intervention in David's life. David continues his song to God showing how his righteous living results in good outcomes. And now in today's lesson is the conclusion of this song or hymn to the Lord. 

We express our thanks to God. As we walk with God in life, we recognize His hand of providence and for this we express our thanks. 

"For who is God, besides the Lord? And who is a rock, besides our God? God is my strong fortress. And He sets the blameless in His way. He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me on my high places." I can navigate difficulties in my life because God is God. Because he is my rock, my strong fortress. He anchors me. I can navigate difficulties because God is present. I have His support. The difficult terrain is there and part of my journey, but God stabilizes me. He will lift me up. 

"He trains my hands for battle, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation, and Thy help makes me great. Thou does enlarge my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped. I pursued my enemies and destroyed them, and I did not turn back until they were consumed. And I have devoured them and shattered them, so that they did not rise, and they fell under my feet. For thou has girded me with strength for battle; Thou hast subdued under me those who rose up against me. Thou hast also made my enemies turn their backs to me, and I destroyed those who hated me." David recognizes that he is strong because of the Lord God. That God makes him great. That God prepares him on his path so that his feet do not slip off target. That he is victorious over his enemies because of God's strength. That they fell under his feet because of His working. He places enemies below him and those that hate him are destroyed. Thus, David constantly is thankful to God for any and all victories in his life. God is the reason for his greatness and doing great. Lord, help me be more thankful in life for all that you are doing. 

"They looked, but there was none to save; even to the Lord, but He did not answer them. Then I pulverized them as the dust of the earth. I crushed and stamped them as the mire of the streets. Thou hast also delivered me from the contentions of my people; thou hast kept me as head of the nations; a people whom I have not known serve me. Foreigners pretend obedience to me; as soon as they hear, they obey me. Foreigners lose heart, and come trembling out of their fortresses." There are those that are chosen by God and there are those that are not. God saves some and some He does not. David is a chosen one and with God by His side he delivers him from the contentions of his people. People might look like they are on David's side but He can only count on God. 

"The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock; and exalted be God, the rock of my salvation, the God who executes vengeance for me, and brings down peoples under me. Who also brings me out from my enemies; thou dost even lift me above those who rise up against me; thou dost rescue me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the nations, and I will sing praises to Thy name. He is a tower of deliverance to His king, and shows lovingkindness to His anointed, To David and his descendants forever."  Once again, David returns praise to God. Blessed be God. Exalted be God. God who takes care of my enemies. God who pulls me from my enemies. God rescues me. Therefore I give thanks to Him. He sings praises to His name. He shows me lovingkindness, both for me and all His anointed. 

Summary: God stabilizes me. I am only strong because of God. David is one of his chosen one's, but not all are chosen. David praises God. I give thanks to Him. 

Promise: In this life, we will have trouble, but God is with us. 

Prayer: Lord, you make me stand firm. You stabilize me. You work out my good and you protect me from those that are against me for there are always. Lord, it is true that not all are your chosen ones and some are not in your favor. You defeat them and I return my praise to You always. Your name is great. I praise You. I thank You. In life there will be trouble but You are with me. Thank you God and praise You God. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

2 Samuel 7:18-29 - David Thanks the Lord

2 Samuel 7:18-29

Now therefore, O Lord God, the word that Thou hast spoken concerning Thy servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do as Thou hast spoken, that Thy name may be magnified forever, by saying, 'The Lord of hosts is God over Israel'; and may the house of Thy servant David be established before Thee. (verse 25-26)

Message: David Thanks the Lord

Time: Second Samuel is set in the land of Israel during the reign of David and follows the course of his forty years as king of Israel (1011–971 BC). It chronicles the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the expansion of Israel under God’s chosen leader. 

What the Lord is Saying:

David responds to the Lord with a praise to God. "Who am I" stating that he is only a man. This is our response always. God is great and who am I that God would call me to be His forever and to be His vessel and ambassador. His love is extravagant. "Thou art great, O Lord God; for there is none like Thee and there is no God besides thee." He says, "Thou hast established for Thyself Thy people Israel as Thine own people forever." 

God would allow David to plan for a temple for Yahweh, and Solomon would build it. God promises here with David something that will be fulfilled later. As was done with Abraham. The temple is only built when the people fully rest.

In verse 19, David states, "And this is the custom of mankind, Lord God." It is one thing crazy enough that God would bless David and his descendants, but it is something every greater and surprising to him that God would choose to bless those that come after him. Some extend this to Jesus Christ and that seems too radical to lend itself to this statement. And yet the Lord does use some radical language in verse 13 when he states, "I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." He first speaks of his son (Solomon) but then extends it to forever. So the idea of David being part of that lineage and spring boarding something that will have eternal benefits for many is not too alarming. 

And here is the thing - God works. He has a plan for His people, but the people do something in response to this - they thank God and praise God for His greatness. "For this reason You are great, Lord God; for there is no one like You." We are a people of thankfulness. 

It is normal for us in life to often want more. It is normal for us to not be satisfied and think there is always something more or better that we should have. Contentment is always a challenge. But we need to be thankful. We need to respond to God with thankfulness and appreciation. David does this. 

And after David does this, he then wants confirmation of it happening. We are a forgetful people. We need to reminded and told again and again. The world is hard and tough and we need that reminder from Him that all will work out. "The word that You have spoken about Your servant and his house, confirm forever." Keep confirming it. Keep reminding me. But not so that I am simply satisfied, though I will be, but ultimately for God to be praised, "so that Your name may be great forever." 

God is going to build David a house. It is needed and God will provide. And praise God that He is doing this. Keep reminding. And I will keep praising. 

Great words. God did it. I thank Him. Tell me again. And I will keep praising Him. 

Summary: David Thanks the Lord for wanting to build him a house, a temple. David asks God to remind him of this blessing God has for him and his descendants and David will continue to give thanks. 

Promise: As we seek the Lord, it is for Him to be glorified while He also provides for us. 

Prayer: God, you are great and worthy of my praise. You promise me much and in response I praise Your name. But I want to hear again what you have promised. And for this I will praise Your name more. And this will continue God. Let more see that life is not about toil and giving and being behind and catching up but there is also reward and God giving us what we need and my response is to keep praising Him. I praise You God. I thank you. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Psalm 101:1 - Music and Theology

Psalm 101:1 

I will sing of lovingkindness and justice, to Thee, O Lord, I will sing praises. 

Message: Music and Theology

Time: Psalms, a collection of lyrical poems, with multiple authors. David wrote 73 Psalms, though for 50 or so the author is unknown. Psalms means songs of praise. The writings span 1,000 years. They encourage us to praise God, illuminate the greatness of God, affirm His faithfulness in times of trouble, and remind us of the absolute centrality of His word. 

What the Lord is Saying: In addition to being a great theologian, Martin Luther also wrote hymns. He realized that hymns were important for the development of our faith. His hymns were often written around different themes, like Advent, Christmas, Easter or on topics of the Ten Commandments. Wikipedia lists 41 hymns he wrote in German. His best known hymn is a Mighty Fortress is our God based after Psalm 46 and written in 1529. 

It is interesting that music and hymns can be used to communicate to us truths of God but can also teach us theology. I read through the Lyrics of a Mighty Fortress is our God and was shocked a little and interested to read how much it speaks of the Satan and the Prince of Darkness and devils filled. 

There have been arguments in the church about music and hymns or more contemporary songs. Hymns were contemporary songs in their days and perhaps we need to focus more on what the song is saying than the form. On my home yesterday from work, I heard this song by REM called Everybody Hurts. I've read a little about the song and its writing and it is hard to tell if it was written with much meaning as it simply chronicles the hurt we all experience in life and that we are not alone. Now God is never mentioned, but as I listened I was reminded of the meaning and that I am not alone. 

I have not spent much time going over hymns and studying them. I always remember my mom in church and hearing her sing and how she often knew so many of the hymns. She sang so much by memory. These were her songs that she sung to God. I grew up with the Baptist Hymnal. Here is a copy of one with songs from 1991. It also reminds me of how organs are often accompanying hymns. 

Many songs written are based upon the Psalms. For me, I love tunes from scripture and where I can see the link of why it was written. For praise songs, I do like the one's that speak of God's attributes, like Great is thy Faithfulness, but also like songs that are sung directly to God. There is a recent song I heard by Kristian Stanfill (worship pastor at Passion City Church) that fits this:

I want to love You with all of my heart 

I want to love You with all of my soul 

Jesus you’re my one ambition 

With every breath You give I’ll give You 

Another praise, another praise, another praise

I need help speaking to the Lord and praising Him and I appreciate these lyrics that help me direct my thoughts toward Him. 

Summary: Good worship music invite us to move deeper into God's word to learn more and more about Him. In all of its forms, hymns, contemporary songs, our hearts can be focused on him. 

Promise: The biblical psalms model the kind of complexity that good sacred music has to offer.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for music again and specifically the music that we have sung in the church. I appreciate the choruses that I have sung growing up and then in small groups like at Chi Eta that helped define my faith and my praise of You and then all the songs of the day now that offer praise to You but also can help define my dependence on You. Thank you for being present and speaking to Me in so many different ways through these writers. Help me to continue to give praise to You in these ways and to sing from my heart. Thank you for giving me such a great Mom who patterned this in my life and gave me such a great example of praising You and Singing to You. It is great to see this carried on in my brother. 

Psalm 145:3 - Our Incomprehensible God

Psalm 145:3
Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.

Message: Our Incomprehensible God

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Now the study shifts a little from the doctrine of God to thinking about God's attributes. As this study continues it is hard to not think of our culture and the way in which it approaches God.

As I look at these verses, they express words of God's character. I understand this. I notice often that I often come to God and the study of Him as to what I will get out of that study. Worship in church often is words towards God that connect how He has impacted us. But simply expressing these words - Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised and His greatness is unsearchable - are words I don't think I often express because these words describe a God that is out there. I know that God is meant to be praised but I often still think about Him only in understanding how he affects me.

So I will try to pause this morning to exclaim - Great is the Lord and highly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable. As I do this, I will continue to reflect on the writings of men that have come before me.

The phrase - Great is the Lord - appears 10 times, all in the Old Testament, though 2 times it refers to the greatness of the Lord's anger. Like this verse in Psalm 145, what follows is the words that He is therefore highly to be praised. Lord here is Yahweh.

This is an interesting progression. The Lord is Great and therefore highly to be praised. This greatness is not so much unknowable for we are witnesses every day of the way we encounter His greatness. But it seems to me this idea of unsearchable means that we can never find or locate the end of his greatness. It is unsearchable in that it never ceases, it never stops.

I just wonder if I don't talk about God's greatness very much because I am being affected by the world in which I live that all to often is questioning God and His relevance to our lives. So my focus remains there and somehow defending this rather than taking the time to simply praise Him.

I don't think it is impossible to understand God and what He has done. We know God is great by what we have seen Him, yet the extent of His greatness will never be found out completely. I remember reading that in Genesis 1 all of the creation that God made was considered good. Man and his creation is good, but God is great.

Promise: God is unlike any other subject as we can never master the Lord. And we can never master how great He is and His greatness throughout our world.

Prayer: Lord, you are great. My words to You need to be more expressive. Yes, I am thankful for a new day and for all that you have done for me. I am so thankful for Your hand of providence in my life. But, I am also reminded Lord today of simply pausing expressing that You Lord are great. Your greatness is to be praised. Your greatness is without end. People everywhere comment of your greatness and Your impact on our lives and therefore, how that greatness is visible to us. I'm thankful that I can hear from people throughout this land, from people like Shiva and Martha and James - your greatness is far reaching. Lord, you are great. I see so much that You have done but there is so much more I do not see.

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.

I Chronicles 16:25-26 - Yahweh and the gods of the peoples

I Chronicles 16:25-26
25 25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
He also is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.

Message: Yahweh and the gods of the peoples

Time: 1 Chronicles has a mystery writer and focuses on David's reign though doesn't repeat David's sin with Bathsheba. It was written in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah or 538-333 BC while the Jews were dispersed throughout Persia, some having returned from Israel. The book lists genealogies, priests, Levites, armies, temple officials, and other leaders of various ministries and devotes significant attention to proper worship of Yahweh and adherence to the regulations of the Law. It focuses on obedience that results in God’s blessing, the priority of the temple and priesthood, and the unconditional promises to the house of David.

What the Lord is Saying:

Contrary to other belief systems, Christianity (as well as Judaism and Islam) hold to a belief of one God. But, other religions one God is different from the biblical God. So it begs the question are there other gods? This verse in 1 Chronicles states that the Lord is to be feared above all gods for all the gods of the peoples are idols. It seems that there are other gods that people to try to worship. Idols are images such as wood or a statue that people worship. But these are not to be worshiped as God. It is true that people do recognize other gods but these gods are not real.

I Corinthians 8:4-6 states - Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

It seems clear that on one hand there is only one true God and the other gods mentioned in history are another sort of supernatural being, a pretender to the throne of the Almighty. There may be other gods mentioned but they are not the same as the one God. So if there is only one God and yet these other gods are mentioned then what are these other gods? They are demons. I Corinthians 10:20 - the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. So demons are worshiped under such names as Krishna, Baal, and even Allah. Thus Allah is not God. It may be touted as the same god just with a different name but it is in fact a different god. There is no god equal to the God of the Bible.

While the Bible does acknowledge other gods that man attempts to worship, these gods are not real because they are not the one true God. They are instead impostors and instead demons. The worship of idols is actually the worship of devils. The devil has set up these alternate forms of worship in order to distract people from the one true God. Again, our culture often doesn't view this. In the name of tolerance in our day and age, we therefore think that all of the gods of this world are equally valid and all end up in the same place. But, the God of the Bible is unique and set apart and therefore separate from all other claimed gods and in face those gods are not gods in the same sense because again there is only one God. It's really a sobering truth because I think I have a hard time seeing all of these people and there are millions, if not billions in history that worship these other gods. Even in the world of Catholicism that seems to add physical people and rise them to the level of an idol.

But there is only one creator. And that creator is to be worshiped. People everywhere are caught up in the supernatural. It is a hard line to stand at times because we struggle more and more stating that so many people have false beliefs.

Couched in these verses are the words For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised and the Lord made the heavens. These verses represent a Psalm of David found here in I Chronicles 16:8-36.

Promise: As Christians we serve the only true God and need never fear the enemy.

Prayer: God, you are it. You are the only God. I give thanks to You and I call upon Your name. Lord, I want to make known your deeds, your work to all. I sing to You and sing Praises to you. What you have done I sing. I glory in Your holy name. I see You and therefore am glad. I see you Lord. You are strong. I look to You continually. Lord, remove the blinders that are on so many people. So many have been trained to think a way that is not true. As I sat in church yesterday I thought of how many came come to church, go through confession and worship and yet never really look inward and see that the Christian is not simply worship but it is admitting a need for life change. We come to You Lord to get a right understanding of who we are. We need You. I need to change. I need daily to be different. Lord, there is such a danger today of people thinking they don't need change. But when we see Love as it is, we see that we are not true people of love. O God, you are the only God and I worship You. Help me be true to Your name as I live in this world.

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.

Jesus Calling: April 10

     Trust Me in every detail of your life. Nothing is random in My kingdom. Everything that happens fits into a pattern for good, to those who love Me. Instead of trying to analyze the intricacies of the pattern, focus your energy on trusting Me and thanking Me at all times. Nothing is wasted when you walk close to Me. Even your mistakes and sins can be recycled into something good, through My transforming grace.  

     While you were still living in darkness, I began to shine the Light of My Presence into your sin-stained life. Finally, I lifted you up out of the mire into My marvelous Light. Having sacrificed My very Life for you, I can be trusted in every facet of your life. 

Jeremiah 17:7
English Standard Version (ESV)

     “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
         whose trust is the Lord.

Verse Thoughts
I think of this often that I am to live and be all that I can be, trusting in God's statutes and following His ways, but in all my circumstances, I am to rest in His outcome for my life and all it's parts. He is sovereign and He will do what is best in me. I tend to grade those outcomes and decide if I like them, but I rather must trust Him.

Romans 8:28
Amplified
     We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

Verse Thoughts
I need to remember the context of this passage because "working together for good" is a thought that is based upon "present sufferings (v.18)", "frustration (v. 20)", "bondage (v. 21)", "groaning (v.22)", "wait patiently (v.25)", "our weakness (v.26)". Help me remember this Lord because I tend to think good is material wealth, happiness, career acclaim, but it seems to be more about the assurance that the finish line awaits as I go through present sufferings.

Psalm 40:2
ESV

     He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
         out of the miry bog,
     and set my feet upon a rock,
         making my steps secure.

I Peter 2:9
New King James Version
     But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 

My Prayer
Help me find reason and comfort in each moment of my day. I can give a timely word to people in need. I want to trust in You Lord. Help me to see that the mistakes I make, the anger, the impatience, can be used by you to transform me. Your grace is amazing. Thank You for lifting me up from the pit of destruction and setting my feet upon a rock and making my steps secure. Thank You for choosing me and making me holy and setting me a part to be Your special people. Lord, I praise You and praise You again. I once was blind, but now I see. And it's all because of You. 

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Psalm 144:9-15 - The Blessings of Having the Lord God

Psalm 144:9-15

9 I will sing a new song to You, O God;
Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 Who gives salvation to kings,
Who rescues David His servant from the evil sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me out of the hand of aliens,
Whose mouth speaks deceit
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
12 Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants,
And our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace;
13 Let our garners be full, furnishing every kind of produce,
And our flocks bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
14 Let our cattle bear
Without mishap and without loss,
Let there be no outcry in our streets!
15 How blessed are the people who are so situated;
How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

Message: The Blessings of Having the Lord God

Time: Based upon authorship and subject matter, Psalms cover a range of centuries. David is mentioned 73 times, Solomon 2, Moses 1, and 50 designate no specific person. It is believed they were compiled around 537 BC. The psalms deal with such subjects as God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.

What the Lord is Saying:

In review of the first 8 verses of this Psalm, David is crying out to the Lord recognizing first that God is great and the reality that he is small. God is the reason people see him as great. God is the reason he is a warrior in battle and is the reason he is the leader over his people. David also can't quite understand why God would even consider him of value. I know many times I have wondered why God would choose me. The peace I have seems almost unfair to what others have in our world. In light of this perspective, David calls on God to work in a mighty way.

This perspective or view point of God being the one that is capable of delivering and rescuing David continues in verse 9 forward.

His Determination
I will sing a new song to You, O God; upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You. Here is David's crescendo proclamation that the Lord God is in charge. His song, his new song, his forever song to he Lord is to sing his praises. Victory is in Jesus, now and forever.

His Discernment: Destroys Them
Who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David His servant from the evil sword. David had been in many battles and yet he is not ever testifying of his own greatness, but all of his praise of being rescued from the evil sword resides in the Lord.

His Discernment: Defame Them
Rescue me and deliver me out of the hand of aliens, whose mouth speaks deceit and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. David has clearly seen the evil present in many people's lives. It is no fun to witness evil, but it is there. He may have even been thinking of the murder of Amasa by Joab recorded in 2 Samuel 20. Joab was a cold-blooded murderer. Just as there are truly good people we want to emulate their are bad people we detest. But being rescued and delivered belongs in the hands of God.

His Desire: For A Magnificent Population 
Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants, and our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace. David envisions a nation of youth drawing their strength from the Lord. These are people sure of their foundation. May we have youth in our country proud of our country, proud of our nation.

His Desire: For a Manifest Prosperity
Let our garners be full, furnishing every kind of produce, and our flocks bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields; Let our cattle bear. He thinks of a nation with a healthy economy, where production is high and the gross national product beyond all normal expectation. In many ways this is modern day America.

His Desire: For a Meaningful Peace
Without mishap and without loss, let there be no outcry in our streets! Here there are no invasions of our country by a foreign foe. Are we a nation of peace? Unfortunately, we have lost our way as a nation from this with the many killings that occur at our schools, our military bases, businesses -- there is nothing that is truly safe now. 9/11 also showed that we can be attacked. For a moment, after that, people returned to the Lord, but it was momentary. Afterwards, they returned to their ways. What is missing from people? A right relationship with the Lord.

His Desire: For a Mirthful People
How blessed are the people who are so situated; how blessed are the people whose God is the Lord! We have all the resources to be content, but somehow we aren't. We are often a people still wanting more or being told we need more. And being taught that our economy is focused on people getting more. We have a lot but in order to get it we must borrow. It's amazing where we are at.

Here is the statement that should be the hallmark of our lives -- How blessed (happy) are the people whose God is the Lord. We think we have made it on our own, but actually, our praise belongs to the Lord. We need to return to this.

Promise: David recognizes in this Psalm that the secret to life is no secret. It is very apparent that God is to be our Lord and King and we are happiest in all of life with him at the center. This psalm declares that everything good about man is from God. Our positions, our roles, our jobs, our families, our money, our possessions is all there when we place him in charge. Evil men will continue, but we an rest in the Lord being our rescuer and deliverer.

Prayer: Thank You God for saving us. Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for giving me life, abundance life, and peace, abundant peace. Help me to declare you and praise your name and acknowledge you as the reason for it all. I pray that you would be our peace. I pray that you would train us in how to be content and not simply focused on having more. Daily, bring back the joy of our salvation so we never lose that perspective of making you known in our world. Save me and save my family and friends. I praise you. And I thank you for what you have done so far. You are great.

Psalm 150 - A Call to Praise the Lord

Psalm 150

1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.
3 Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.
4 Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.
5 Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
Message: A Call to Praise the Lord

Time: Based upon authorship and subject matter, Psalms cover a range of centuries. David is mentioned 73 times, Solomon 2, Moses 1, and 50 designate no specific person. It is believed they were compiled around 537 BC. The psalms deal with such subjects as God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.

What the Lord is Saying:

One of the great things that has happened over the last 20 years in Christian circles and people of faith in Jesus is the emphasis and love for praise and worship music. In the 80s Hosanna Music were really the primary offerings of praise and worship music, but a few contemporary groups began to have praise and worship albums in the early 90's and these morphed into churches singing more contemporary songs from songwriters expressing themselves via praise. 20 years later it seems that most of the top selling Christian music on the various charts are primarily praise and worship offerings. 10 years ago most churches had a contemporary and traditional service but of late churches are more and more combining the two. My church had separate services, but in the last 7 years went to the both structure.

For me, it is a good reminder that my life needs to be about praise because often I have a tendency to be more selfish in my relationship with God and focused on how this is benefiting me. In the previous church we attended I noticed that the idea of worship was included in all the aspects of the church service, reminding us that worship is not only singing songs, but it is also how we live; so, the offering was an expression of worship as was the sermon, as was all the components of the service and our lives. The idea of grace living is that Jesus did it all and so in response to what he has done for us, we live a life of obedience to him because we desire to praise him and thank him for what he has done. We cannot help living this life of faith. And this life should manifest it throughout our lives. Thus, worship should be a component of our lives.

Everywhere
Praise God in His sanctuary; From these verses is the idea that we are to Praise God in His sanctuary, in the church, in the temple. I was reminded recently that the stable in which Jesus was born was a place of worship. It was a temple of sort where Jesus is embodied and was a place set aside for him. This is a reminder that sanctuaries are everywhere. They are in coffee shops where men and women gather to pray and keep one another accountable. They are in rooms of houses where families come together to pray. They are in rooms of churches. Thus, we can praise God throughout our worlds as we gather together.

Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Beyond this earth, in the heavens, in the mighty expanse we will praise the Lord. Praise is one of those acts that we will be doing for all eternity. In some ways I think of heaven as being mostly about praise. We are living but we are face to face with our God and just as I can't get too much time with Him and His Word, when given the opportunity to not have the encumbrance of work here, I imagine that life will be completely fulfilling and busy in worship and praise of God for eternity.

Thanksgiving for what He has done
Praise Him for His mighty deeds. This is where I struggle because I am so much about tomorrow and the future and going forward and often not about looking back at what has occurred. Our pastor is leaving. He announced he is moving on to another church back in his homeland - California. He has been at the church 7 years and the tendency for all of us is to say - what next. But one of the pastor's reminded us of the need to take a moment and think about all that God has accomplished in the last 7 years. And he has accomplished a lot through the service of this man and his family. We need to look back at times and be reminded of the sweet victories we have been able to experience.

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Not only has he done great deeds in our lives, but He is great. I try to think of the attribute of God: His faithfulness, His mighty hand, His order of this world, His providence, His kindness, His healing touch, His presence, His leading, His hearing our prayers, His acting -- these are all examples of How great He is. Once again, there is so much to praise Him about.

Praise beyond our own words
Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals.  I remember the words of Russ Taff from an interview in the late 80s in which he said, "Music has a way of speaking to us like nothing else." As we are praising God, we are moved beyond just our voices, but there is also the desire to pick up instruments, whatever they are and play them before Him. I am truly amazed at the different types of music that are in the world. Often we gravitate towards a specific style, but it amazes me in the Christian music world that Rap, Hard Rock, Soft Rock, Alternative, Swing, Praise, Celtic, Pop, Anthems -- there are so many different styles and they all come together in praise and worship. The focus here is not simply the words. Instrumental music obviously can praise God. Again, we go beyond the singing and words and express praise with different kinds of instruments.

Everything
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! The crescendo of this Psalm is rather obvious, but still needs to be said. Let Everything that has breath praise the Lord. Thus, musical instruments have breath and humans have breath. Let it all praise the Lord. As we live and work and shop and worship and talk and fellowship; in all of our activities, we are to worship and praise the Lord.

Promise: Worshiping God in spirit and truth must be the goal of our lives.

Prayer: O Lord, I praise You and thank You for the reminder and proclamation of your Word, showing me that my entire life is a way to worship You. That is goes beyond church or Sunday's and permeates all of life. Help that to be so in my life. Thank you for all that you have done for me and for creation. I love music and praise you for it. Sometimes the artist I am listening to does not have an intent to be praising you, but in listening to it, I can praise You still. Thank you for living and breathing in all people. You are everyone's God, but not everyone calls you God. I praise You. Help me to know how to better praise you and take time specifically to remember all that you have done and thank you for what you are going to do.

Psalm 119:169-176 - Crying Out To Understand

Psalm 119:169-176

169 Let my cry come before You, O Lord;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
170 Let my supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
171 Let my lips utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
172 Let my tongue sing of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your hand be ready to help me,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
174 I long for Your salvation, O Lord,
And Your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live that it may praise You,
And let Your ordinances help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments.

Message: Crying Out to Understand 

Time: Based upon authorship and subject matter, Psalms cover a range of centuries. David is mentioned 73 times, Solomon 2, Moses 1, and 50 designate no specific person. It is believed they were compiled around 537 BC. The psalms deal with such subjects as God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.

What the Lord is Saying:

This is the concluding passage of Psalm 119. There have been 22 lessons I have done on this Psalm. The Blessedness of keeping God's Law, God's Word in the Heart, A longing for God's Word, The Power and desire to obey, A heart inclined to God's Law, Saved to Testify, The Word of God in Times of Trouble, Not forgetting God's Law, The Word of God and Affliction, God's Word, Affliction, and Glory, God's Sustaining Word, God's Fixed and Enduring Word, Love for God's Law, The Joy of God's Law, A Lamp to our Feet, The Single-Minded Law of God, When Others Don't Keep God's Law, Faithful Obedience, The Nearness of God in His Word, Seeking God's Statutes, The Treasure of God's Word.

So just looking at those titles is clear to see that this Psalm has been about the high honor we place on God's Word and hiding it in our heart. It lasts the test of time. It endures for all time and we are to be near to it, inclining our heart to it continually. 

I need to be near it. It needs to continue to be the center of my life. As I look out at my study of this, I see it started in August 2015, so I've been at it over 2 years. Honestly, that is too long. I am a little saddened that this tells me that for a tabletalk reading of 250 readings, I've been at it over 750 days, which is 1 every 3 days. The only good news is I haven't given up and continue to persevere. 

In addition to Tabletalk, I have also relied on various commentaries, including lately the books I have on the Psalms by John Phillips, copyright 1987. John Phillips (1927-2010) served as assistant director of the Moody Correspondence School as well as director of the Emmaus Correspondence School, one of the world’s largest Bible correspondence ministries. He also taught in the Moody Evening School and on the Moody Broadcasting radio network.

LORD, HEAR ME (169-172)

The Prayer: For Enlightenment (169)

Let my cry come before You, O Lord; Give me understanding according to Your word.  As I have even said in this reading earlier, I'm been on a quest for knowledge, but it is really for understanding. It is better to understand, as is clearly shown here, than simply amass more knowledge. In understanding, the Word becomes part of me, not just a reference book. And I want to be changed by the Word of God. Here in this verse is the cry of the Psalmist - O Lord, Give me understanding according to Your Word. That is profound. Again, my favorite verse of Proverbs 3:5 that says, Lean not on my own understanding. I don't want to be trained and live by my own understanding, but rather I want my understanding to be according to God's Word. 

The Prayer: For Enablement (170)

Let my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your word. He cried for understanding and then also brought his request before Him to be delivered. He had a thirst for the Word taking up ownership in His life. Here, he mentions needing to be delivered, not just from circumstances, but from his doubts. He had cried, he had prayed, and yet change had not occurred. Perhaps he was holding onto God's promises, acting his life in a way that honored God, praying, fasting, and praying again and yet, through these actions, the results did not come. Could something be getting in the way, perhaps even a darkness and wicked spirit getting in the way. He pleaded that he needs his supplication to come before God. The Devil is scheming and we need protection of the Word of God in our life. 

The Promise: He Would Praise the Lord (171)

Let my lips utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes. O the joy that I receive when I understand the statutes, the words of God. I have seen it in my family as well, in Pamela, in Megan, and in Tyson. Derek, I am waiting. It will come. But, there is such excitement and joy and praise to God as the Spirit intercedes and interprets the Bible sometimes directly, sometimes through a preacher or a commentary, or a song or even a person, but the Joy that I receive when it comes into my life. How exciting when I discover a truth that is in the Bible? Where did that come from? Wow. This book is incredible. 

The Promise: He Would Proclaim the Word (172)

Let my tongue sing of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.  I have seen in the last 24 hours the destructiveness of my tongues. How I need to be silent more, praying more, and expounding less. I need to keep myself quiet and not try so hard to make sense of things. Instead, let it sing of God's word. My brother does such a great job with this. Bobby, my friend, does as well. That is what I need to be boasting about - God's word and not leaning on my own understanding. It starts with verse 169 - Give me understanding. I want it to move from a text to an understanding. Maybe it is, through my mistakes. As I said earlier, it is the word of God that I need to meditate on. It and it alone.

LORD, HELP ME (173-176)

Lord, Save Me: The Ground of the Appeal (173b)

For I have chosen Your precepts. I choose God's word. I'm not choosing to be guided by anything else in life. I come before the Lord, expecting him to act and word, not because of another philosophy but because I have chosen His Word

Lord, Save Me: The Greatness of the Appeal (173a)

Let Your hand be ready to help me. I am not asking help from a pastor, a saint, Mary, a statue, or any other form. I want Your Hand. I want You Lord. I come before the Throne room of God and beseech You O God. 

Lord, Satisfy Me (174)

I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight. It is clear from the preceding verses that the Psalmist is not getting what he desires. He is asking and is not receiving. He thinks something is obstructing his asking and yet in spite of all of this he continues with the plea to the Gospel of Salvation and continues to proclaim that the Law is his delight. What a great encouragement and challenge to us today. Society is replete with people who punt God because he does not supply their every need. Many get the comforts of life, and good job, good family, healthy for a while, a nice house, all the time thinking those things come their way but when something bad happens and they call on God and don't get what they want, they throw up their arms in disgust and leave. O Lord, I don't want to be this type of person. I don't want to be that person that thinks I must get my way, all the time, and when I don't, I abandon you. 

Lord, Strengthen Me: Wrought in Him (175a)

Let my soul live. He pleads once again to the Lord to let his soul live. Bring me alive God. 

Lord, Strengthen Me: Brought from Him 

Let my soul live that it may praise You Why does he want his soul to live? In order to Praise God. Let me wake up in order to praise You. I don't want to resent or be angry God at you, so wake me up to praise You. 

Lord, Strengthen Me: Taught to Him (175b)

And let Your ordinances help me. He wants God's word to be the help and the vehicle to help him Praise Him. He asks God to have his soul live, being aided by God's word. 

Lord, Seek Me: Straying

There have been 175 verses sung to this point, exemplifying and extolling the great Word of God and leaning on the Law of God and how does this Psalmist Conclude? Maybe not as I would expect. I see honesty. I have gone astray like a lost sheep. What honesty. The standard is there, but his life remains, he knows, absent from what he has read and memorized and taken to heart. He voices that he has gone astray. 

Lord, Seek Me: Praying

Seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments. He is lonely, vulnerable, afraid. After all that he has seen, there is the reality that he still struggles. And He sort of pleads to God, that still he will not forget Your commandments. He shows himself to be vulnerable, a sinner, and yet still a Christian desiring obedience in his life.

Promise: As the Word of God is preached and studied, the Spirit brings His people to salvation and by the supernatural gift of wisdom enables us to live in a way that pleases Him, moving us to a life of worship and praise.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your word and hearing me, saving me, strengthening me and seeking me. Lord, thank you that you are there. As I turn to you, remove the barriers and may the spiritual forces not get in the way of my petitions. Thank You God for loving me and knowing my needs. You God are in Control. I am a sinner, daily in need of You. Thank you for the beauty of Your word and I praise you for it. 

Psalm 115:9-18 - Blessing The Lord Now and Forever

Psalm 115:9-18

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear the Lord,
The small together with the great.
14 May the Lord give you increase,
You and your children.
15 May you be blessed of the Lord,
Maker of heaven and earth.
16 The heavens are the heavens of the Lord,
But the earth He has given to the sons of men.
17 The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor do any who go down into silence;
18 But as for us, we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
Praise the Lord!

Message: Blessing The Lord Now and Forever

Time: Based upon authorship and subject matter, Psalms cover a range of centuries. David is mentioned 73 times, Solomon 2, Moses 1, and 50 designate no specific person. It is believed they were compiled around 537 BC. The psalms deal with such subjects as God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.

What the Lord is Saying: 

As I continue to look at this Psalm, I saw in the first 8 verses a contrast between all praise to God and the folly of replacing God or instead worshiping idols. To God be the glory. He is the patient one despite many questioning that He is even there. But, God does as he wishes and He is to be glorified; He doesn't need me and He is sovereign over all. How narrow it is those that people can choose instead to worship a man-made idol and in so doing they get completely off track. It amazes me in life how easily we got off track and begin living for things that just don't matter. The Lord is to be praised above all. Daily I need reminders to remember God, seek Him, thank Him, praise Him.

People appraise God as being helpless and the Psalmist responds to show the stupidity of idolatry and finding rest in man-made things.

Appeal - The Covenant People
O Israel, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield. The first 8 verses sound like a prayer of praise to God, but verse 8 makes a shift to words maybe from a leader to the people, such as a choir leader to the congregation appealing to them to trust in the Lord. He is Israel's help and Israel's shield. He helps us and he protects us. Those are words I must not forget. Sunday, a man walked into a church service in Sutherland Heights, Texas and opened fire on a small church gathering killing 26 and wounding more. This tiny church now has lost half of its membership. It's hard to fathom, but it should remind us that people need the help of God daily in their lives. Without that help, we do not think properly. In all of life's situations he is our help and our shield. This doesn't mean that nothing bad will happen to us; his protection lasts for eternity.

Appeal - The Consecrated Priest
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield. Verse 9 appealed to Israel and this verse appeals to the priest. The people are to trust in the Lord, but also the priests. The priests should set the example for the masses that it is God who is our help and shield.

Appeal - The Converted Pagan
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield. From Israel, to the Priest, to the person, or the pagan, all are to trust in the Lord. He is our help and shield no matter where we are at in life.

Application - Assurance of Blessing
The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the Lord, the small together with the great. Our Lord is the business of blessing. And I need to be in the business of recognized those blessings. This doesn't mean everything will work out the way I want it. Help me, Lord, to see where you are working and thank you for it. You are mindful of me. You have given me Life, eternal life. You have given me breath. All the good that I have in my life is a gift from You. Each day that I can live is a gift from You. And my faithfulness, my measure of my fear is not contingent on the degree of blessing that I will receive. God simply blesses His people.

Application - Assessment of the Blessing
May the Lord give you increase, You and your children. May you be blessed of the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth. The Lord is able to bless anyone at anytime. Nothing is too difficult for Him. I need to trust in this each day. Forgive me Lord for thinking you are done with me.

Applause - The Globe
The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth He has given to the sons of men. Heaven is the home of the Lord. It is his home right now. Any time Scripture attempts a description of Heaven it resorts to symbolic language. The earth has been given to human beings. God came to this earth to redeem it. It needs redeeming, continually.

Applause - The Grave
The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence; At this time, Jesus had not yet brought life to those in the grave. The Old Testament shares a gloomy picture of the grave. In contrast, the living are to praise the Lord.

Applause - The Godly

But as for us, we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forever. Praise the Lord! We are to bless the Lord forever. He is to be praised at any time, at all times. 

Promise: The Lord is about blessing His people and we are about blessing the Lord, praising His name forever.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that we are able to put our trust in You. Thank you for being our help and our shield. Help me to believe this each day and trust in You no matter what comes. As we experience difficulties and trials that we think are too big for us to deal with, remind us that we can trust in You, remain in You and you will help us and shield us from the world and its messages. Thank you for the way you have blessed me. I don't understand it, but I continually thank you for it. Help me to continue to recognize this in my life.

Psalm 149 - Our Duty to Rejoice in Our King

Psalm 149
¹ Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
His praise in the congregation of the godly ones.
² Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.
³ Let them praise His name with dancing;
Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.
⁴ For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.

⁵ Let the godly ones exult in glory;
Let them sing for joy on their beds.
⁶ The high praises of God in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
⁷ To execute vengeance on the nations
And punishment on the peoples,
⁸ To bind their kings with chains
And their nobles with fetters of iron,
⁹ To execute on them the judgment written;
This is an honor for all His godly ones.

Praise the Lord!

Message:  Our Duty to Rejoice in Our King

Time: Based upon authorship and subject matter, Psalms cover a range of centuries. David is mentioned 73 times, Solomon 2, Moses 1, and 50 designate no specific person. It is believed they were compiled around 537 BC. The psalms deal with such subjects as God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.

What the Lord is Saying:
The Song (1-3)
The Theme (1a)
Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, I've read this before in various Psalms and scripture and have never thought that the new song is a new and distinct song from the other songs. And the song has a special point of emphasis that is possibly different from the other songs, perhaps. In the book of Psalms there are 6 new songs (33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1 144:9, 149:1). New songs anticipate the millennial reign of Christ. 

The Throng (1b-3)
     The Great Congregation is Assembled (v1b)
His praise in the congregation of the godly ones. Congregation could mean many different types of groups, but I think what is significant is it is a group of the godly ones. This group is separate and distinct and it should confirm the importance of assembling together. It saddens me to hear of people that suddenly find no time for church or regular community with other Christians. To me, it seems that when this occurs Satan is winning and pulling apart this formidable force. But, it also makes me think about the church as it assembles. Are we simply walking into a movie theater and watching a show or are we building community in the body to wage war against the darkness. 

     The Great Creator of Israel is Acclaimed (v.2-3)
Our Great God adopted the nation of Israel as His own
Let Israel be glad in his Maker; Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.
Here is a Levite prayer on behalf of the nation in regards to sealing the covenant in the days of Nehemiah:

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:
Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them. For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.
Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it: And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

Zion is the poetical name for Jerusalem and proverbial name for the city as the center of all political power in the coming millennial age. Thus, Israel's King (Maker) is to be rejoiced in as he is higher than any other king. 

Let them praise His name with dancing; Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.
When a person dances, there entire body moves and thus in praising God with our dance, every part of us is moving and focused on Him. Their voices are singing praises with music instruments. It is good to see the encouragement to praise the Lord with song.

The Saints (4-5)
Their Blessing (4a)
For the Lord takes pleasure in His people. Much of the Bible is not simply about God but how God relates to people and people's worship of God. 75% of the book of Genesis speaks of Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph and God's pleasure in his people.

Their Beauty (4b)
He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. He will deliver those that are afflicted. Society likes the person that returns a tough word with a tougher word. We love to watch debates where people respond from an attack with a good defense or insult even. But, we are reminded often in scripture to let God take care of the outcomes and he mentions the beauty here of those that have been afflicted. And this is the picture of Jesus and his life because he willingly went to the cross rather than fight back when he was accused. 

Their Bliss (5)
Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds. The Psalmist believes that people should be happy and they should be rejoicing even as they go to bed, thankful for the day and what the Lord has provided and then awaken with happiness as seeking to praise God. We have much to be praising God for. 

The Sword (6-9)
There is victory in the Lord

Trusting in that Sword (v. 6)

The high praises of God in their mouth. I am to be a person that is praising God. We are to be a people that praise Him. It seems in recent years as worship music becomes more popular, I tend to be moving away from it and yet, the Christian music I grew up on is worship music. The song we sang in church Sunday was unstoppable God. His Glory goes on and on. There is much we can praise God for. He is eternal, uncreated, self-existing, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, holy, just, true, tender and living, gracious and kind. 

And a two-edged sword in their hand. The Word of God is a our sword in all of life. We use it to meet all attacks. In the list of Christian armor, it is the only weapon of attack, all other weapons are for defense (Ephesians 6:17). When Satan attacked Adam and Eve, what he attacked was the reliability of the Words of God. In his hour of temptation with Satan, Jesus' only defense was the word of God. The Word of God needs to be our defense. 

Trusting with that Sword (v.7-9)

To execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with chains
And their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute on them the judgment written; This is an honor for all His godly ones. Praise the Lord! In Revelation 19:15, when the Lord descends out of the sky to engage the enemy, it is the sword that comes out of his mouth. Could these verses be thinking of that moment? The remaining Gentiles on the earth here are the nations and peoples of verse 7. The restored Hebrew people will execute judgment in honor of all His Godly ones. Once again, the Word of God will be feared as we all Praise the Lord. 

Promise: No matter how we feel, no matter what is going on in our life, there can always be time to stop and Praise the Lord. 

Prayer: Praise the Lord, Sing to the Lord. Lord, revitalize Your church and the people of God. Help all people of God and Christians to put aside their differences and assemble together each week at church, supporting it with financial gifts and continuing to give glory to You. Lord, you are higher than any other. You are there for the afflicted ones, providing deliverance. Let the people of God continually praise you, at morning and night. I want to praise you more. May the people of this earth recognize the holiness of the Word of God. In the end, as in the beginning, the Lord will be praised. 

Psalm 119:161-168 - The Treasure of God's Word

Psalm 119:161-168
¹⁶¹ Princes persecute me without cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your words.
¹⁶² I rejoice at Your word,
As one who finds great spoil.
¹⁶³ I hate and despise falsehood,
I love Your law.
¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous ordinances.
¹⁶⁵ Those who love Your law have great peace,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
¹⁶⁶ I hope for Your salvation, O Lord,
And do Your commandments.
¹⁶⁷ My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.
¹⁶⁸ I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You.

Message:  The Treasure of God's Word

Time: Based upon authorship and subject matter, Psalms cover a range of centuries. David is mentioned 73 times, Solomon 2, Moses 1, and 50 designate no specific person. It is believed they were compiled around 537 BC. The psalms deal with such subjects as God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.

What the Lord is Saying:
The Persecuted Man (v. 161)
Men can do harm to us for only so long. But those people are temporary. God's word is eternal. So my heart stands in awe of Your words. It is somewhat hard for me to write these words and really understand their meaning because attending church has always been lawful for me; to worship God has always been my choice; I live in comfort, in security and freedom to worship what I wish. I haven't been placed in a position where I've had to choose. I can only pray and hope that, given the choice, I would hold to the Word of God. 

But there are also little ways I can do this as well. There are conversations I could go along with, that don't glorify God. I do have opportunities to choose God and not the world. And I know there are times I've failed at this in order to keep the applause of men predominant in my life. 

The Praising Man and What He Discovered (v. 162)
How do I treat God's Word in my life. Is it more important than anything else? Do I count it as the highest treasure in my life? Would I trade all I have, the worldly wealth, my earnings, my possessions for it - if that was the choice that was presented to me that I had to take? Again, I hope I would. I hope that I would rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great spoil. I do know that I need to continue to look to it and study it.. I never graduate from the Word of God. I never reach a point in my life when I know it all, It remains a needed part of my day to return to it. 

The Praising Man and What He Detested (v. 163)
If I love God's word and set it on high, then inversely I detest what is not God's word. I hate and despise falsehood. What is the common phrase today: Coexist. It is the idea that all spiritual roads are equal, that they all lead to the same destination. What is important is something not nothing. But I am not to tolerate those beliefs that don't agree that Jesus is God and his sacrifice on the cross is the only way. And I also believe that I should not argue with those other denominations that agree in Jesus but practice in a different way. On that front, I need to stand with them. But, I need to be clear that what is good is not just doing something. The other day I met a person and he made the comment that as long as a person finds what he believes to be his faith then that is fine. It's as if, it doesn't matter what you believe, just as long as you believe in something. But, this is not what is meant here. 

I think the difficult is the world views hatred toward falsehood as hatred toward people that put forth the falsehood. And so they don't believe that the two can, coexist. But, as I learned years ago, hate the sin, love the sinner. I think I need to love people with the Gospel of Jesus and seek to always bring it before them. But, I also need to be clear that I hate sin and hate the culture of sin that I often live in. I am not to be a friend to the world. I need to be more careful of this because the ways of the world continue to seep more strongly into all of life. 

The Praising Man and What He Did (v. 164)
Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous ordinances. What an encouragement this is to pray like this each day. If I did this each day, wouldn't it change my perspective throughout the day. One of the things I think I struggle with each day is praise and thanking God for what He has done in my life. If I took the time to praise Him, maybe as I eat, wake up, morning, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack, bed time - and that would be seven times. "Thank you Lord for this new day and for all I shall learn today of Thy wondrous love and care." 

The Peaceful Man (v. 165)
Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble. Everyone is looking for peace and here is a formula, per se, for peace in our life. We are to love the Law of God. Laws of this land, we often think, are there to constrain us and keep us from enjoyment. But they are to protect us and how good it is then to love the law. Do I love God's laws and commandments? Do I love the Gospel and seek to follow it carefully all of my days? 

The Patient Man (v. 166)
 I hope for Your salvation, O Lord, and do Your commandments. There is something sweet about doing the right thing and then stepping back and saying, "Yes, I did it." Last night I stayed at work later than normal, like 3 hours later, but it felt good. There wasn't much going on at home, but it sure felt good to get the weight of work just out of the way. I hate living a life of regrets and missing out. I want so much more to be able to do the right thing and then enjoy the peace of having done it. And so any time I do anything for the Lord, once again, there are no regrets. 

The Passionate Man (v. 167) 
My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. Keeping the law can often be done out of duty. But, this says that my soul keeps...and i love them. The innermost part of my being desires to keep the promises that God has extended to us, what he holds dear. Again, as I have seen, doing the will of God, when it is not out of guilt, yields peace. And in this phrase the Psalmist reminds me that that practice of doing it is out of not just love, but exceeding love. 

On this earth, I see this exceeding love with my wife. The joy of being with her yields a desire to do anything for her. I see this in my kids in my desire to want them to have the best yields a desire to do anything for them. Thus, acts of service seem easy, so why is it with me that giving at times seems hard. Maybe God it is because I am a pleaser, meaning I like to please people. And I get caught sometimes wanting to please my family and yet wanting to please those that need it as well, and often need it more. 

The Lord spoke to Moses to ask the children of Israel for funds in regards to building the tabernacle and he didn't just want givers, but wanted every man that giveth it willingly with his heart (KJV). Just like doing the work of the law exceedingly, I am to give willingly. 

The Perfect Man (v. 168) 
I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You. Nothing is not seen by Him. His ways are ever before Me. Lord, if I could continue to live life with no regrets, it would be a beautiful thing. And Lord, it seems to be that the hallmark of doing that, at least by this text, is begin a person that keep your precepts and your testimonies. In the previous verse the motivation was from the heart and now it is motivation from the head, from the logic that God already sees all that I do anyway, so I might as well do it right the first time. 

Promise: The Word of God is nothing more than a great treasure. And with its practice yields great peace. I ask the Holy Spirit to remind me of this continually, all my days. 

Prayer: Lord, I want to continually stand in awe of You and Your words, more than any other power in this present life. Lord, I want the Word of God to the highest and most valued treasure in my life today. I ask that as I love your word, I would make it clear that I stand in opposition to that which is not your word and is falsehood. I don't want to play both sides of the fence. Lord, I want to praise you and think of praising you more each day. Help me to take a moment to praise you 7 times a day. Lord, I need a smile on my face each moment of each day. I need to be happier in the moment and excited about what you have before me. Help me Lord to love your law. Lord, there is such great reward in doing the right thing. Help me Lord to do that each day, to choose the good. Lord, you have shown me how easy it is to love exceedingly and serve others and do things for others in service to  you, but I also want to be a cheerful giver. Teach me this Lord. Teach me to give in peace with no regrets. Remind me that you are watching anyway and I can always know that I will please you. 

James 5:13-18 - Persevere through Prayer

James 5:13-18
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

Message: Persevere through Prayer

Time: James is thought to be the brother of Jesus. It is written about AD 45.

What the Lord is Saying: 

1. The Call to Prayer

There are 3 anyone statements: Is anyone suffering? Is anyone cheerful? Is anyone sick? I recalled that James 1 started with the idea that we have trials and the first action to the trial is asking God for wisdom. When we are going through a difficulty, the first response is to talk to God and ask him for help. In this scenario the response to each statement is prayer. Our focus remains on the Lord and looking to Him for help. This idea is central to our faith - we depend on God. We trust in Him. We rely on Him. 

2. The Character of Prayer

The final statement is in response to sickness and calling on the elders of the church to come and pray over the person. He calls on leaders of the church and they anoint him with oil. Oil in Bible times was medicinal and was used to treat lacerations, like the parable of the Samaritan in Luke 10:34. It is used to express concern and it strengthens. Symbolically it is the filling of the Holy Spirit. Is this a practice still today, that is, to anoint people with oil? According to our church, it is still a practice. James is encouraging us in the practie of church leaders interceding for one another. 

We are to have faith, a fervent energetic spirit, and righteousness.

a. Faith is the means of the power of prayer (v. 15 - prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick). Faith is conviction, it is trust, full confidence, and no doubting. Personally, I think it is very hard to pray without any doubt. 

b. Fervent energetic spirit (vs. pray for one another as effective prayer (v. 15-16) we are passionate about what God wants. 

c. A righteous individual (vs. the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much v. 16)

3. The Consequence of Prayer

v. 15 - faith will restore the one who is sick
v. 15 - they will be forgiven him if he committed sins
v. 16 - mutual confession provides healing - confess to one another
v. 16 - prayer can accomplish much 

example is Joni and we are not to put faith in faith; result is a transformed life.


Promise: Prayer can accomplish much, in my life, in other lives.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to learn how to continually pray. Thank you for Hope Church and their pastors and bringing the Word through them. Thank you for Pastor Roy and this message he gave this morning. Teach me now to continue to depend on You and trust you throughout all of life's circumstances. Help me to pray more for in doing this I trust you for the outcomes of life and acknowledge that I am not in control.