Psalm 39

I said, “I will watch my ways
      and keep my tongue from sin;
   I will put a muzzle on my mouth
      while in the presence of the wicked.”
   So I remained utterly silent,
      not even saying anything good.
   But my anguish increased;
   my heart grew hot within me.
   While I meditated, the fire burned;
      then I spoke with my tongue:

   “Show me, LORD, my life’s end
      and the number of my days;
      let me know how fleeting my life is.
   You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
      the span of my years is as nothing before you.
   Everyone is but a breath,
      even those who seem secure.

   “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom;
      in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth
      without knowing whose it will finally be.

   “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
   My hope is in you.
   Save me from all my transgressions;
      do not make me the scorn of fools.
   I was silent; I would not open my mouth,
      for you are the one who has done this.
   Remove your scourge from me;
   I am overcome by the blow of your hand.
   When you rebuke and discipline people for their sins,
      you consume their wealth like a moth—
      surely everyone is but a breath.

   “Hear my prayer, LORD,
      listen to my cry for help;
      do not be deaf to my weeping.
   I dwell with you as a foreigner,
      a stranger, as all my ancestors were.
   Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
      before I depart and am no more.”

\o/ — Comments Psalm 39: Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure! — \o/

Thankfully, I do not know the desperation of the psalmist at this time in my life. But, for many who have been through severe trials, the feelings expressed at the end of the psalm unfortunately ring true. It feels as if the Lord's presence has brought the desperation they feel. They are trying to do what is right, but it doesn't seem to be "working for" them. Looking back at the two previous psalms help us put this in perspective — God will act, but sometimes we have to wait patiently for God to act. While not easy, the psalmist reminds us that we can speak openly with God about how we feel in our despair. This is truly an act of grace on God's part — He would much rather hear from us in our honest desperation than not hear from us at all. In fact, God gave us this psalm to help us express our desperation to Him.

The other thing that strikes me about this psalm, especially as I age, is the emphasis early in the psalm of how fast life goes by. We are but a breath and then are gone. Money, power, and apparent security cannot stop this relentless march toward the end of our lives. This challenges me to live with urgency and faithfulness. As a Christian, this is especially true (Romans 13:11-14).

Psalm 38

LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
   or discipline me in your wrath.
   Your arrows have pierced me,
      and your hand has come down on me.
   Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
      there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.
   My guilt has overwhelmed me
      like a burden too heavy to bear.

   My wounds fester and are loathsome
      because of my sinful folly.
   I am bowed down and brought very low;
      all day long I go about mourning.
   My back is filled with searing pain;
      there is no health in my body.
   I am feeble and utterly crushed;
   I groan in anguish of heart.

   All my longings lie open before you, Lord;
      my sighing is not hidden from you.
   My heart pounds, my strength fails me;
      even the light has gone from my eyes.
   My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;
      my neighbors stay far away.
   Those who seek my life set their traps,
      those who would harm me talk of my ruin;
      all day long they scheme and lie.

   I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,
      like the mute, who cannot speak;
   I have become like one who does not hear,
      whose mouth can offer no reply.
   LORD, I wait for you;
      you will answer, Lord my God.
   For I said, “Do not let them gloat
      or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”

   For I am about to fall,
      and my pain is ever with me.
   I confess my iniquity;
   I am troubled by my sin.
   Many have become my enemies without cause; 1
      those who hate me without reason are numerous.
   Those who repay my good with evil
      lodge accusations against me,
      though I seek only to do what is good.

   LORD, do not forsake me;
      do not be far from me, my God.
   Come quickly to help me,
      my Lord and my Savior.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 38: No soundness in my bones because of my sin! — \o/

James reminds us to confess our sins so we can be healed (James 5:16). Guilt is devastating to us and can have powerful physical and emotional consequences. And guilt, when it involves actual sin, is good. It convicts our hearts of our wrong and helps us realize we are in need of God. But God does not want us to remain in guilt. He has given us confession as way to be honest with Him about our rebellion and sin. He longs to enter into our world and bring forgiveness, healing, and restoration. However, the Father chooses to do this when we are honest with Him about where our hearts and actions have taken us and invite Him in to forgive, cleanse, heal, and restore. He wants us to face up to our failure and rebellion honestly. He wants us to develop character in the process.

As you read this psalm, you will recognize the emotional, physical, and social pain caused by the psalmist's sin — and through the psalmist, you may recognize the echoes of your own past sins that need forgiveness.

One of the incredible blessings promised us when we confront our own sin involves confession. God has promised that if we confess our sin — if we are truly honest with God about it — he not only forgives us, he also cleanses us of that sin. It's not just forgiven, it's gone!

Any other way trying to deal with our guilt is destructive — denial, further rebellion, frantic good works, hiding our sin, etc. Our only solution to the problems we have caused by our own sinfulness is the Father. The closing words of this psalm must be our heart's prayer:

   LORD, do not forsake me;
      do not be far from me, my God.
   Come quickly to help me,
      my Lord and my Savior.

When this is our heart's prayer, God is not only Lord, he is also Savior!

Psalm 37

Do not fret because of those who are evil
      or be envious of those who do wrong;
   for like the grass they will soon wither,
      like green plants they will soon die away.

   Trust in the LORD and do good;
      dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
   Take delight in the LORD
      and he will give you the desires of your heart.

   Commit your way to the LORD;
      trust in him and he will do this:
   He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
      your vindication like the noonday sun.
   Be still before the LORD
      and wait patiently for him;
   do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
      when they carry out their wicked schemes.

   Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
      do not fret — it leads only to evil.
   For those who are evil will be destroyed,
      but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

   A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
      though you look for them, they will not be found.
   But the meek will inherit the land
      and enjoy peace and prosperity.

   The wicked plot against the righteous
      and gnash their teeth at them;
   but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
   for he knows their day is coming.

   The wicked draw the sword
      and bend the bow
   to bring down the poor and needy,
      to slay those whose ways are upright.
   But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
      and their bows will be broken.

   Better the little that the righteous have
      than the wealth of many wicked;
   for the power of the wicked will be broken,
   but the LORD upholds the righteous.

   The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care,
      and their inheritance will endure forever.
   In times of disaster they will not wither;
      in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

   But the wicked will perish:
      Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
      they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
   The wicked borrow and do not repay,
      but the righteous give generously;
   those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
   but those he curses will be destroyed.

   The LORD makes firm the steps
      of those who delight in him;
   though they stumble, they will not fall,
   for the LORD upholds them with his hand.

   I was young and now I am old,
      yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
      or their children begging bread.
   They are always generous and lend freely;
      their children will be a blessing.

   Turn from evil and do good;
      then you will dwell in the land forever.
   For the LORD loves the just
      and will not forsake his faithful ones.
   Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;
      the offspring of the wicked will perish.
   The righteous will inherit the land
      and dwell in it forever.

   The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
      and their tongues speak what is just.
   The law of their God is in their hearts;
      their feet do not slip.

   The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
      seeking their very lives;
   but the LORD will not leave them in their power
   or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

   Hope in the LORD
      and keep his way.
   He will exalt you to inherit the land;
      when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

   I have seen the wicked and ruthless
      flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
   but they soon passed away and were no more;
   though I looked for them, they could not be found.

   Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
      a future awaits those who seek peace.
   But all sinners will be destroyed;
      there will be no future for the wicked.

   The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
      he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
   The LORD helps them and delivers them;
      he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
      because they take refuge in him.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 37: Wait patiently for him! — \o/

Repeatedly this psalm reminds us that if our hearts are set on the way of the Lord, He will give us the desire of our hart. For the psalmist and the people of his day, this clearly had to do with regaining control of their la nd — notice how often he talks about inheriiting the land, a phrase Jesus puts in His beattitudes: The meek will inherit the earth.

The tough and vital ingredient for us in these amazing promises, however, ar found in the troubling words, "Wait patiently for him." Like Isaiah's incedible promises in 40:28-31. But again, the key is waiting on the Lord. Even though I am getting older, like the psalmist describes himself, I find waitng is not easier, but harder and getting things done for the Kingdom seem even more urgent. Waiting is hard! How about you?

Why not pray for each other's patient endurance, our ability to be meek, to trust, to desire the things of God, and to ... wait!

Sorry for the Absence

I've been away for a bit on a spiritual reatreat to Alaska — some fishing and fellowship time with close spiritual partners. The views were breathtaking and the time with special brothers in Christ precious. I'll be back in the Psalms saddle this week. Thanks for your patience. I can truly say that I experienced both forms of God's great revelation mentioned in Psalm 19.

Grace for now,

Phil

Psalm 36

I have a message from God in my heart
      concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
   There is no fear of God
      before their eyes.

   In their own eyes they flatter themselves
      too much to detect or hate their sin.
   The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
      they have ceased to be wise and to do good.
   Even on their beds they plot evil;
      they commit themselves to a sinful course
      and do not reject what is wrong.

   Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
      your faithfulness to the skies.
   Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
      your justice like the great deep.
      You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.
   How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
   People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
   They feast on the abundance of your house;
      you give them drink from your river of delights.
   For with you is the fountain of life;
      in your light we see light.

   Continue your love to those who know you,
      your righteousness to the upright in heart.
   May the foot of the proud not come against me,
      nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
   See how the evildoers lie fallen —
      thrown down, not able to rise!

\o/ — Comments Psalm 35: Continue your love to those who know you! — \o/

We could call this psalm the collision of two ways.

One way, the first way emphasized, is the way of the wicked. They continually do evil and plot to do more. Their way is wicked, vile, and arrogant. It is everything that God is not and love everything that God detests. The psalmist recognizes the truth about those who are wicked!

The other way, the way emphasized second, is the way of the LORD. Notice how God's way is described: love, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice. Those who are the LORD's people are blessed by these qualities of God and find delight in His presence — the light of God.

So what am I to make of this? How does this psalm intersect my life? I join the psalmist plea for God to be God and pledge to align my heart and my life with His character. Rather than being deceived by the temporary "success" of those who are evil, I remember the long faithfulness of God. Rather than being "co-opted" by their evil and deceptive ways, I choose to trust that God will act in behalf of His people. I trust to see the defeat of the wicked even before the first steps of their defeat are visible, for I know that the LORD, and those who honor Him, will ultimately triumph.

Psalm 35

Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me;
      fight against those who fight against me.
   Take up shield and armor;
      arise and come to my aid.
   Brandish spear and javelin
      against those who pursue me.
   Say to me,
      “I am your salvation.”

   May those who seek my life
      be disgraced and put to shame;
   may those who plot my ruin
      be turned back in dismay.
   May they be like chaff before the wind,
      with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
   may their path be dark and slippery,
   with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

   Since they hid their net for me without cause
      and without cause dug a pit for me,
   may ruin overtake them by surprise —
      may the net they hid entangle them,
      may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
   Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
      and delight in his salvation.
   My whole being will exclaim,
      “Who is like you, LORD?
   You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
      the poor and needy from those who rob them.”

   Ruthless witnesses come forward;
      they question me on things I know nothing about.
   They repay me evil for good
      and leave me like one bereaved.
   Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
      and humbled myself with fasting.
   When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
   I went about mourning
      as though for my friend or brother.
   I bowed my head in grief
      as though weeping for my mother.
   But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
      assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
      They slandered me without ceasing.
   Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;
      they gnashed their teeth at me.

   How long, Lord, will you look on?
      Rescue me from their ravages,
      my precious life from these lions.
   I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
      among the throngs I will praise you.
   Do not let those gloat over me
      who are my enemies without cause;
   do not let those who hate me without reason
      maliciously wink the eye.
   They do not speak peaceably,
      but devise false accusations
      against those who live quietly in the land.
   They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
   With our own eyes we have seen it.”
   LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent.
   Do not be far from me, Lord.
   Awake, and rise to my defense!
   Contend for me, my God and Lord.
   Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God;
      do not let them gloat over me.
   Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
      or say, “We have swallowed him up.”

   May all who gloat over my distress
      be put to shame and confusion;
   may all who exalt themselves over me
      be clothed with shame and disgrace.
   May those who delight in my vindication
      shout for joy and gladness;
   may they always say, “The LORD be exalted,
      who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

   My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
      your praises all day long.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 35: You rescue the poor from those too strong for them! — \o/

This psalm is a bit hard me. Thankfully, the words about being hounded and pursued don't apply to me right right now. But as one who has been pursued, I can imagine the feelings behind the cry for God's help and vindication.

However, I can understand the God who helps the helpless, that lifts up the downtrodden, that defends the fatherless, and helps the widow. This God is the LORD, and He asks me to share both character and compassion (James 1:27). May God help me more passionate about both as I declare His praises and display His His heart in this broken world.

Psalm 34

I will extol the LORD at all times;
   his praise will always be on my lips.
   I will glory in the LORD;
      let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
   Glorify the LORD with me;
      let us exalt his name together.

   I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
      he delivered me from all my fears.
   Those who look to him are radiant;
      their faces are never covered with shame.
   This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
      he saved him out of all his troubles.
   The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
      and he delivers them.

   Taste and see that the LORD is good;
      blessed are those who take refuge in him.
   Fear the LORD, you his holy people,
      for those who fear him lack nothing.
   The lions may grow weak and hungry,
      but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
   Come, my children, listen to me;
   I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
   Whoever of you loves life
      and desires to see many good days,
   keep your tongue from evil
   and your lips from telling lies.
   Turn from evil and do good;
      seek peace and pursue it.

   The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
      and his ears are attentive to their cry.
   The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
      to blot out their name from the earth.

   The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
      he delivers them from all their troubles.
   The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
      and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

   The righteous may have many troubles,
      but the LORD delivers them from them all;
   he protects all their bones,
   not one of them will be broken.

   Evil will slay the wicked;
      the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
   The LORD redeems his servants;
      no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 34: His praise will always be on my lips! — \o/

As Paul begins the majestic letter we call Ephesians, he opens with a burst of praise (Ephesians 1:3-14). The whole of it is one burst of praise and it defies punctuation. However, it does have a chorus or refrain that is repeated in verses 6, 12, and 14: to the praise of glory or something very similar. Paul's point? To emphasize that all of life is to be focused on bringing glory to God.

This point of view shouldn't surprise us. Paul told the Romans that they were to be living sacrifices, using their bodies to bring God acceptable worship (Romans 12:1-2). He reminded the Corinthians that they were bought with the price of Jesus' crucifixion, so they should use their bodies to bring glory to God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). After the Holy Spirit challenges Christians to worship God acceptably, with reverence and awe, he lists all sorts daily activities in which this worship was to be lived (Hebrews 12:28-13:16).

Tonight, after a hard meeting with concerns for people in spiritual trouble, I am thankful for the reminder that praise for the God of grace and glory should always be on my lips. Glorifying God for all that he has done for me is not hard ... and this praise for what the Father has done should always be reflected in my life and emanating from lips.

Psalm 33

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
      it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
   Praise the LORD with the harp;
      make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
   Sing to him a new song;
      play skillfully, and shout for joy.
   For the word of the LORD is right and true;
      he is faithful in all he does.
   The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
      the earth is full of his unfailing love.

   By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
      their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
   He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
      he puts the deep into storehouses.
   Let all the earth fear the LORD;
      let all the people of the world revere him.
   For he spoke, and it came to be;
      he commanded, and it stood firm.

   The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
      he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
   But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
      the purposes of his heart through all generations.

   Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
      the people he chose for his inheritance.
   From heaven the LORD looks down
      and sees all humankind;
   from his dwelling place he watches
   all who live on earth —
   he who forms the hearts of all,
   who considers everything they do.

   No king is saved by the size of his army;
      no warrior escapes by his great strength.
   A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
      despite all its great strength it cannot save.
   But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
      on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
   to deliver them from death
   and keep them alive in famine.

   We wait in hope for the LORD;
      he is our help and our shield.
   In him our hearts rejoice,
      for we trust in his holy name.
   May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
      even as we put our hope in you.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 32: May your unfailing love be with us, LORD! — \o/

This psalm stirs several emotions in my heart and thoughts in my mind. I'll share two of them here.

First, in the week we have celebrated Independence Day in the U.S., I'm struck and reminded by the often forgoten admonition in Scripture that the security of a nation is not assured by its military might. The prophets, supported by the book of Deuteronomy, repeatedly remind us of this principle. Psalm 33 is emphatic and clear: No king is saved by the size of his army ... God is looking for people who revere Him and reflect both His character and His compassion — people who live with holy character in their morals and who also live justice for all people, rich and poor alike, as well as care about the orphan, the widow, and alien in the land rather than trusting in political alliances, military might, and national wealth. (Read Amos, Isaiah, and Jeremiah for a good dose of these principles!) I fear as the U.S. is being ripped apart by the winds of partisanship in its two party system, with neither party seems to get both of these pieces and placing trust in the wrong things while posturing in the name of goodness. This is a strong reminder to me that our national hope and world hope does not spring from a political solution, but from the people of God living the life of the Kingdom, now.

Second, the character and compassion of the LORD is the basis of my hope ... our hope. God is both holy — we trust in His holy name — and also full of compassion — unfailing love — so we put our hope and rejoice in the LORD. As I seek to be a Kingdom person, I know my life and my character must be focused on the LORD as my hope and tuned to His character and compassion as my ethic for living. In this, Jesus who is Lord, becomes my model, my mentor, and my message as I seek to make this lifestyle real in me, my family, and my fellowship with believers.

Despite my political pessimism, however, the psalm calls me to worship God with joy, because my future ... our future, is in the LORD's hands. Despite our human weaknesses, God is faithful and His word is true. I can trust in His promises and His unfailing love. And in those moments when I doubt such things, I just need to remember Jesus!

Psalm 32

Blessed are those
      whose transgressions are forgiven,
      whose sins are covered.
   Blessed are those
      whose sin the LORD does not count against them
      and in whose spirit is no deceit.

   When I kept silent,
      my bones wasted away
      through my groaning all day long.
   For day and night
      your hand was heavy on me;
   my strength was sapped
      as in the heat of summer.

   Then I acknowledged my sin to you
      and did not cover up my iniquity.
   I said, “I will confess
      my transgressions to the LORD.”
   And you forgave
      the guilt of my sin.

   Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
      while you may be found;
   surely the rising of the mighty waters
      will not reach them.
   You are my hiding place;
      you will protect me from trouble
      and surround me with songs of deliverance.

   I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
   I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
   Do not be like the horse or the mule,
      which have no understanding
   but must be controlled by bit and bridle
      or they will not come to you.
   Many are the woes of the wicked,
      but the LORD’s unfailing love
      surrounds those who trust in him.

   Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
      sing, all you who are upright in heart!

\o/ — Comments Psalm 32: Surround me with songs of deliverance! — \o/

Few things wilt a heart, undermine a relationship, and destroy a sensitive spirit quite like hidden sin. Our hidden, unconfessed sin poisons us. The longer we incubate it, the more dead and broken we become inside.

In relationships, there is no integrity, no genuine intimacy when hidden sin separates a husband and wife or two close friends. A close friendship is rendered false and shallow because of secrets and sin. A person's own heart is chewed up with real guilt and the toxic shame of unconfessed rebellion. Our hidden, unconfessed sin poisons our relationship. The longer we incubate it, the more dead and broken the person we love becomes, poisoned of heart by our own hand.

The psalmist's graphic description of sin's power to rot a person physically as well as spiritually is powerfully described here.

BUT GOD ...!

Ah, what sweet reversal the simple words "But God ..." can bring. Confession, honesty, a genuine and thorough audit of our hearts opens the door to for hope to say, "But God can bring healing, health, hope, forgiveness, deliverance, righteousness, and songs of joy.
He can restore heart, soul, mind, and strength ... and sometimes ... in fact often times ... He helps to restore the broken relationship.

As James said so long ago, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" (James 5:16).

Psalm 31

I can't imagine living in a city under siege in the ancient world. The terror of being surrounded by your enemies and cut off from the outside world would be awful. Knowing that they were going to wait and starve you until you were too weak to fight would rattle even the strongest warrior. But many of us, at one time or another, has clearly felt under siege by the evil one. Everywhere we turn there is a new problem. Each time we look up there seems to be another physical affliction. We got to bed wondering who would be the latest loved wounded, injured, attacked or stricken. We're not talking about depression or pessimism, we're talking about spiritual attack. There is only one place to go. There is only one source of hope. As I visited recently with a friend under such attack, her faith in God -- the rock, the fortress the God of the Mountains -- was stronger than her enemies. This Psalm is for her!

---

In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.
  Turn your ear to me,
    come quickly to my rescue;
  be my rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress to save me.
  Since you are my rock and my fortress,
    for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
  Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
    for you are my refuge.
  Into your hands I commit my spirit;
    redeem me, LORD, my faithful God.

  I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
    as for me, I trust in the LORD.
  I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
    for you saw my affliction
    and knew the anguish of my soul.
  You have not given me into the hands of the enemy
    but have set my feet in a spacious place.

  Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress;
    my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
    my soul and body with grief.
  My life is consumed by anguish
    and my years by groaning;
  my strength fails because of my affliction, 1
    and my bones grow weak.
  Because of all my enemies,
    I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
  I am a dread to my friends —
    those who see me on the street flee from me.
  I am forgotten as though I were dead;
    I have become like broken pottery.
  For I hear many whispering,
    “Terror on every side!”
  They conspire against me
    and plot to take my life.

  But I trust in you, LORD;
  I say, “You are my God.”
  My times are in your hands;
    deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
    from those who pursue me.
  Let your face shine on your servant;
    save me in your unfailing love.
  Let me not be put to shame, LORD,
    for I have cried out to you;
  but let the wicked be put to shame
    and be silent in the realm of the dead.
  Let their lying lips be silenced,
    for with pride and contempt
    they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

  How great is your goodness,
    which you have stored up for those who fear you,
  which you bestow in the sight of all
    on those who take refuge in you.
  In the shelter of your presence you hide them
    from all human intrigues;
  you keep them safe in your dwelling
    from accusing tongues.

  Praise be to the LORD,
    for he showed me the wonders of his love
    when I was in a city under siege.
  In my alarm I said,
    “I am cut off from your sight!”
  Yet you heard my cry for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

  Love the LORD, all his faithful people!
    The LORD preserves those who are true to him,
    but the proud he pays back in full.
  Be strong and take heart,
    all you who hope in the LORD.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 31: My times are in your hands! — \o/

When we are in distress, when we feel that all of life is under siege, then we can begin to truly confess that our lives are in God's hands. Without Him, apart from Him, is no lasting good thing. However, because the LORD is with us, we can be strong and take heart even during life's most challenging times.

Psalm 30

I will exalt you, LORD,
    for you lifted me out of the depths
    and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
  LORD my God, I called to you for help,
    and you healed me.
  You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
    you spared me from going down to the pit.

  Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people;
    praise his holy name.
  For his anger lasts only a moment,
    but his favor lasts a lifetime;
  weeping may remain for a night,
    but rejoicing comes in the morning.

  When I felt secure, I said,
  “I will never be shaken.”
  LORD, when you favored me,
    you made my royal mountain stand firm;
  but when you hid your face,
    I was dismayed.

  To you, LORD, I called;
    to the Lord I cried for mercy:
  “What is gained if I am silenced,
    if I go down to the pit?
  Will the dust praise you?
    Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
  Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me;
  LORD, be my help.”

  You turned my wailing into dancing;
    you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
  that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
  LORD my God, I will praise you forever.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 30: You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy! — \o/

What is the basis of my happiness?
What is the basis of my esteem?
What is the basis of my health?
What is the basis of my security?

I am reminded as I read Psalm 30 that all of life is dependent upon my walk with the LORD and His presence and grace in my daily routines. His attentive care can turn the most desperate situation into a time of joy and dancing. His intervention in my life can turn sickness into health, defeat into victory, despair into confidence.

This realization challenges me to "hang in there" during times that are difficult knowing that they will pass and that the LORD will lead me to a better place. This realization reminds me to go to the Father in prayer with my every care and trust Him with my concerns. Most of all, this realization drives me to praise God and celebrate His goodness, His involvement, His grace, His listening ear, His mercy, and His love for mere mortals like me. With the psalmist, I cry out with confidence:

You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
    that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever.

Psalm 29

Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings,
    ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
  Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
    worship the LORD in the splendor of his 1 holiness.

  The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.
  The voice of the LORD is powerful;
    the voice of the LORD is majestic.
  The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
    the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
  He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
  Sirion like a young wild ox.
  The voice of the LORD strikes
    with flashes of lightning.
  The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
    the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
  The voice of the LORD twists the oaks 3
    and strips the forests bare.
  And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

  The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
    the LORD is enthroned as King forever.
  The LORD gives strength to his people;
    the LORD blesses his people with peace.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 29: The LORD blesses his people with peace! — \o/

Having spent the last week in a part of the country where floods have raged, lightning has sent it's jagged crackles of electricity across the sky, thunder has rolled across the heavens, and torrential rains have caused flooding, this is a welcome and challenging psalm.

Like the psalmist, I'm reminded of the LORD's indescribable power and my small place in the universe by such a massive display of natural power. Knowing God's power if infinitely greater than these limited, but overwhelming displays of power, is both astounding and at the same time comforting. Clearly, I cannot control my own destiny. In the face of natural power, I am small and insignificant. Yet, the LORD chooses to know me and care about me and include me in His people. Because of this grace from the LORD, the LORD who sits enthroned above the flood, the LORD who is enthroned as King forever, I can trust that He will give me the strength I need and the peace I crave.

To this God, the only true and living God, belongs all glory, honor, and praise!

Psalm 28

To you, LORD, I call;
    you are my Rock,
    do not turn a deaf ear to me.
  For if you remain silent,
    I will be like those who go down to the pit.
  Hear my cry for mercy
    as I call to you for help,
  as I lift up my hands
    toward your Most Holy Place.

  Do not drag me away with the wicked,
    with those who do evil,
  who speak cordially with their neighbors
    but harbor malice in their hearts.
  Repay them for their deeds
    and for their evil work;
  repay them for what their hands have done
    and bring back on them what they deserve.

  Because they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD
    and what his hands have done,
  he will tear them down
    and never build them up again.

  Praise be to the LORD,
    for he has heard my cry for mercy.
  The LORD is my strength and my shield;
    my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
  My heart leaps for joy,
    and with my song I praise him.

  The LORD is the strength of his people,
    a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
  Save your people and bless your inheritance;
    be their shepherd and carry them forever.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 28: Be our shepherd and carry us forever! — \o/

In Psalm 23, David speaks of the LORD as his shepherd. I love that imagery. Even more, I love that reality. God shepherds his people. One of the great passages of comfort for God's people is found in Isaiah:

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young. (Isaiah 40:11)

The image of God carrying us, of holding us close to His heart in His strong arms is comforting. Even more than just comforting, this assurance of His constant and tender care should inspire us to trust in Him and move our hearts to leap for joy.

Two convictions spring out of this that are important for me. First, my request for the LORD's care and help are not vain wishes; they are cries for help based on what God has done in the past. Second, knowing God's demonstrated love and care for us, I should praise Him in anticipation of His action and not simply wait till I see things happen the way I want them to happen.

Psalm 27

The LORD is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?
  The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?

  When the wicked advance against me
    to devour 1 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.

  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.
  For in the day of trouble
    he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
  he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
    and set me high upon a rock.

  Then my head will be exalted
    above the enemies who surround me;
  at his tabernacle I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
    I will sing and make music to the LORD.

  Hear my voice when I call, LORD;
    be merciful to me and answer me.
  My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
  Your face, LORD, I will seek.
  Do not hide your face from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;
    you have been my helper.
  Do not reject me or forsake me,
    God my Savior.
  Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the LORD will receive me.
  Teach me your way, LORD;
    lead me in a straight path
    because of my oppressors.
  Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

  I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the LORD
    in the land of the living.
  Wait for the LORD;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the LORD.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 27: I will see the goodness of the LORD! — \o/

The LORD is my light, my salvation, and the stronghold of my life. I believe that. I build my life upon that assurance. I trust this is true.

Even in times of distress, I want to be able to say with integrity and confidence, just like the psamist here, I will see the goodness of the LORD in the Land of the living. I believe the Father not only has a place prepared for me with Him eternally, I also believe that the LORD is working in my life to bless me now. Sometimes, however, I miss seeing those blessings because I am impatient or want them to come to me in different ways.

Yet for me to fully appreciate God's blessings, I must be willing to wait on the LORD's timing and grace. I need to be strong and take heart. I can do this, because just like the apostle Paul, I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day (2 Timothy 1:12 TNIV).

So the challenge for me today is to wait ... to trust ... and to be faithful, all while anticipating the LORD's blessings in my life. I will wait on the LORD!

Psalm 26

Vindicate me, LORD,
    for I have led a blameless life;
  I have trusted in the LORD
    and have not faltered.
  Test me, LORD, and try me,
    examine my heart and my mind;
  for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love
  and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.

  I do not sit with the deceitful,
    nor do I associate with hypocrites.
  I abhor the assembly of evildoers
    and refuse to sit with the wicked.
  I wash my hands in innocence,
    and go about your altar, LORD,
  proclaiming aloud your praise
  and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

  LORD, I love the house where you live,
    the place where your glory dwells.
  Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
    my life with those who are bloodthirsty,
  in whose hands are wicked schemes,
  whose right hands are full of bribes.
  I lead a blameless life;
    redeem me and be merciful to me.

  My feet stand on level ground;
    in the great congregation I will praise the LORD.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 26: My feet stand on level ground! — \o/

Okay, I admit I would like to be able to recite the words to this Psalm as my own. BUT, to put it in cornbread English, I just aint that good. I love the LORD and want to serve Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. However, I fall so short. I could never make these boasts before the LORD. The only righteousness I can claim has been given me by Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21).

So what I take from this Psalm — very much a claim to live the life advocated in Psalm 1 — is a desire to be more what the Father wants me to be and do what the last line of the Psalm says, "In the great congregation I will praise the LORD" for God has been so gracious and loving and merciful to me.

Psalm 25

In you, LORD my God,
  I put my trust.
  I trust in you;
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.
  No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,
  but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous without cause.

  Show me your ways, LORD,
    teach me your paths.
  Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.
  Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
    for they are from of old.
  Do not remember the sins of my youth
    and my rebellious ways;
  according to your love remember me,
    for you, LORD, are good.

  Good and upright is the LORD;
    therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
  He guides the humble in what is right
    and teaches them his way.
  All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
  For the sake of your name, LORD,
    forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

  Who, then, are those who fear the LORD?
  He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
  They will spend their days in prosperity,
    and their descendants will inherit the land.
  The LORD confides in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known to them.
  My eyes are ever on the LORD,
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.

  Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.
  Relieve the troubles of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.
  Look on my affliction and my distress
    and take away all my sins.
  See how numerous are my enemies
    and how fiercely they hate me!

  Guard my life and rescue me;
    do not let me be put to shame,
    for I take refuge in you.
  May integrity and uprightness protect me,
    because my hope, LORD, is in you.

  Redeem Israel, O God,
    from all their troubles!

\o/ — Comments Psalm 25: In You, my LORD and God, I put my trust! — \o/

We have all sorts of ways of trying to find significance, fulfillment, and meaning in life. Reading this Psalm reminds me of all the ways I need to turn to the LORD for my identity and security. I am vulnerable and in need in so many areas — physical safety, physical health, spiritual health, spiritual correction, spiritual nurture, spiritual growth, ... the list could go on and on. Yet when I am honest with myself, I realize that I cannot manage, much less fix, any of these situations. I am profoundly dependent upon the LORD and His care. My cries in this honesty are very much the same as the psalmist:
    &nbs;... show me Your ways!
    &nbs;... guard my life!
    &nbs;... do not let me be put to shame!
    &nbs;... be gracious to me!
    &nbs;... free me from anguish!
    &nbs;... forgive my iniquity!

Now if I can with full heart put my trust in God and have my hope fixed on Him! Ah, this is my goal form this day forward ... to rely on the LORD, His grace and strength, and not rely on my own ways, but tune my heart and life to honor Him.

Psalm 24

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;
  for he founded it on the seas
  and established it on the waters.

  Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
  Who may stand in his holy place?
  Those who have clean hands and a pure heart,
    who do not put their trust in an idol
    or swear by a false god.

  They will receive blessing from the LORD
    and vindication from God their Savior.
  Such is the generation of those who seek him,
  who seek your face, God of Jacob.

  Lift up your heads, you gates;
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
  Who is this King of glory?
    The LORD strong and mighty,
    the LORD mighty in battle.
  Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
  Who is he, this King of glory?
    The LORD Almighty —
    he is the King of glory.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 24: The earth is the LORD's! — \o/

The wind whispers through the trees, hummingbirds and butterflies float on the breeze, while a rock squirrel scurries from plant to plant eating and drinking water off the leaves of his favorite plants. A few hours earlier, the rain came down with a steady patter of refreshing grace. The land is green and hillsides are splashed with the color of wildflowers.

The earth is the LORD's! Everything in it belongs to Him! It was designed to be His voice to the world, pointing out to all His creativity, kindness, power, and divine nature (Psalm 19; Romans 1:19-20). On good days, this voice can still be heard. ON days like I'm experiencing, the majestic and creative goodness of God are on full display.

But, we live in a fallen and broken world. Sometimes the decay at work in creation deals with us harshly and we are reminded that even God's incredible creation suffers from humanity's rebellion (Romans 8:22-25). So where can God's praise be heard clearly? Where can God's majesty be honored completely?

Our Psalm today is split in two pieces, but held together by one central thought. The first part is about those who love God and seek to honor him. They are entering His Temple to praise and worship Him. The second part is about the Ark of the Covenant — the sign of God's presence among His people, Israel — is about to enter the Temple. For the people of God in ancient times, these were the great moments of celebration — times when God would be praised and His majesty honored!

What holds these to parts together is the conviction that the LORD is the King of Glory, the LORD God of Hosts (translated Almighty by the TNIV), the God of heaven's armies. He is our God! He goes with us to meet our foes! He is mighty and majestic and present. How can we not praise Him?

Whether it is the whispering wind or God entering His holy temple — which for Christians is God's presence among us and within us (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19-20) — our hearts should stir to the thought that the majestic and mighty God would choose to share Himself with us, the fragile lumps of clay He lovingly formed and gave His breath of life.

Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
  He makes me lie down in green pastures,
    he leads me beside quiet waters,
    he refreshes my soul.
  He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
  Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley, 1
  I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
  your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

  You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
  You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
  Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
  and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
    forever.

\o/ — Comments Psalm #23: He leads me beside quiet waters! — \o/

Some Psalms are so rich and well-known that they cry out for contemplation rather than comment. So for today, I simply want to thank the LORD for being my Shepherd, and especially want to thank Him for placing me beside quiet waters on my sabbatical this week!

Psalm 22

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me,
    so far from the words of my groaning?
  My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
    by night, but I find no rest.

  Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
    you are the praise of Israel.
  In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.
  They cried to you and were saved;
    in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

  But I am a worm, not a human being;
  I am scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
  All who see me mock me;
    they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
  “He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
    “let the LORD rescue him.
  Let him deliver him,
    since he delights in him.”

  Yet you brought me out of the womb;
    you made me feel secure on my mother’s breast.
  From birth I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
  Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near
    and there is no one to help.

  Many bulls surround me;
    strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
  Roaring lions that tear their prey
    open their mouths wide against me.
  I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.
  My heart has turned to wax;
    it has melted within me.
  My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
    you lay me in the dust of death.
  Dogs surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce my hands and my feet.
  All my bones are on display;
    people stare and gloat over me.
  They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.

  But you, LORD,