Psalm 127

This is the 8th psalm of the fifteen Song of Ascents psalms

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat for he grants sleep to those he loves. Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate. (NIV)

This Psalm focus on the theme of building. Verse one starts out with a bold statement states that the Lord must be the master builder. As I read this Psalm, I reflect on how this Psalm is used in seminars to teach biblical principles on how to build successful lives and families. Just do a Google search on the phase “how to build successful lives and families” and you will get over 426,000,000 hits. However, as I read this verse I reflect back on Genesis chapter eleven where mankind as a whole stated, “come let us build a city, and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth”. So, what did God do? He confused the language of men and scattered them abound. However, a simple review of history will reflect that the theme of making us a name has been goal of mankind ever since this event. If you Google the phase “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain” you will get over 694,000 hits. As I look at the websites, they use these verses to support an important part of their ministry, or belief system. However, as I study Genesis chapter eleven on how God separated the nations through the whole planet, I see how he used one family to create a nation that he would work through. In Genesis chapter twelve we read about the call of Abram. Abram was called to leave and follow the direction of God. God promise to bless him and make his house great. The key principle found in this Psalm is that you must make the Lord the builder and caretaker of your life.

Psalm 126

This is the 7th psalm of the fifteen Song of Ascents psalms
¹ When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed.
² Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
³ The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
⁴ Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev.
⁵ Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
⁶ He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

As one reads this verse look at your captivity as the bondage that sin had passed upon us and the freedom we have because of Christ. When Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden God did not leave them without hope since he promised a seed to woman that would someday bruise Satan’s head. He did the same with Judah when they were carried away by the Nebuchadnezzar’s army to Babylon. He promised that a remnant would return. This is also true of us as believers today. We are free from the penalty of death because of Christ and have the gift to walk in freeness of life from this sinful nature by the power of the Holy Spirit. This walk is outlined for the believer in Galatians chapter Five.

The fruit of the Spirit              The works of the flesh (sinful nature)

Love                                             Fornication               Factions

Joy                                                 Uncleanness               Divisions

Peace                                            Lasciviousness           Parties

Longsuffering                             Idolatry                       Envying

Kindness                                      Sorcery                       Drunkenness

Goodness                                      Enmities                   Reveling

Faithfulness                                 Strife

Meekness                                    Jealousies

Self-Control                                Wraths

As I read the second half of verse two “Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” I have to go to the prophecy found in Ezekiel 37:28 “Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.” This is probably one of the prophecies that the writer of this Psalm was thinking of when he wrote this Psalm. We also as believers have this hope and promise of a new heaven and a new earth found in Revelation chapter twenty-one. The beauty of this new heaven and new earth is that God dwelling is with man and he will live with us. The old order of things will be passed away. Who will make up this new environment? The answer is found in verse twenty-seven. “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” So until then, live a blameless life so that people around you can see that your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life and that the peace this gives you in your daily walk will also become the peace that they desire to have in their life.

Psalm 125

This is the 6th psalm of the fifteen Song of Ascents psalms

¹ Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
² As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.
³ The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil.
⁴ Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart.
⁵ But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.

As I consider verse three “for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil” I recall Ephesians 2:1-22 and Ephesians 6:11,12. In Ephesians 2:1-22 Paul reminds us that our walk before coming to Christ was according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that works in the sons of disobedience. However; after coming to Christ, we are now fellow citizens with the saints and belong to the household of God. However, because of our change in citizenship we are now in a battle against the world of our past. As Paul states in Ephesians 6:11-18 we must stand against the wiles of the devil. Our warfare is no longer a struggle against the things in our life that keeps us away from God, but it is against the principalities and powers of wickedness in the heavenly places. As our country moves farther away from God it becomes easier for the righteous to turn and use their hands to do evil. However, Christians must remember that in these times we must do good and remain upright in heart. Remember that it is the Lord who judges the ways of the wicked and banish them from his presence; and that the task we must seek is not judgment but to do good and be upright in heart. Our battle is against the principalities and powers of wickedness in the heavenly places not trying to correct the evils of this world. We are not of this world but like Abraham we are looking for the new heaven and the new earth.

Psalm 124

This is the 5th psalm of the fifteen Song of Ascents psalms

¹ If the LORD had not been on our side let Israel say
² if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us,
³ when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive;
⁴ the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us,
⁵ the raging waters would have swept us away.
⁶ Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
⁷ We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.
⁸ Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

As I read this Psalm, I reflect back to one of the darkest moments of my life. It was at this time in my life I had to make some major decisions. One of those decisions lead to the creation of the website my5dailypsalms. Having been in a Christian environment all my life some of the greatest truths of the scripture escape me. One of these truths is how much the Word speaks to the individual who daily studies the scriptures.

In this 5th psalm of the Song of Ascents the psalmist focuses on the phase “if the Lord had not been on our side”. This psalm does not focus on victory, but on protection and the deliverance from evil. It was in my darkest moment that I realized that I had been fighting for the things in life that I desired and not the close relationship to God that He desires for my life. As I reflect upon this Psalm, I realize how important the Bible as well as the great songs of the faith have been in my life.

One of the greatest joys I had at church in my youth was the music and the lyrics of these songs. One of these song Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus written by Helen Lemmel reflects how our Christian walk should be like in this world:

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!

Refrain

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Refrain

The closer the relationship we have with God the farther the desires of the world will be in our life; however, the closer the relationship we have with the things of this earth the farther our relationship becomes with God. So, as we stay in His Word and reflect upon the great hymns of the faith we will realize that the things of this world will grow strangely dim as we grow in our relationship with Him.

Psalm 123

This is the 4th psalm of the fifteen Song of Ascents psalms

1 I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven.
2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.
3 Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
4 We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much contempt from the arrogant.

As I read this psalm today, I realized how simple our prayers should be. With all the issues of life that we face daily we must realize in the end that it is only our tunnel vision that can get us pass the clutter that these issues place in our daily life. Jesus during his time on earth faced many of the same distractions that we face in our everyday existence. However, Christ ministry was only focused on one purpose and that purpose was the cross for the glory of God. Paul writes about this in Philippians chapter two verses five through eleven:
Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Also, from these verses in Philippians we observe that we need to be like Christ who took on the role of a servant and not that of the master. Therefore, today no matter what happens in the daily events of your life focus your vision to God’s throne. Become a servant that God can use and obedient to Him. In other words, learn the simple rule of trust and obey. Live a blameless life and God will open doors of opportunities for you to serve.

Psalm 122

This is the 3rd psalm of the fifteen Song of Ascents psalms

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
2 Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together.
4 That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel.
5 There the thrones for judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure.
7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.”
8 For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.

As I read verse one, I reflect back to my early years that I went to church as a young child. As a child, church was a place of worship and this was an event that we treasured every Sunday. It was a day set aside to worship the Lord and to praise him. As a child I was sheltered from most of the problems of this world, and not aware of any of the issues that were in the world around me. I was allowed to enjoy life as a child.
There is comfort in being surrounded by those who have the same belief system as you do. However, as our country moves away from any association with God, I find it harder to be surrounded by those who have my belief system. And yet with a welcoming statement such as “How is it going this great and beautiful and wonderful day that God has given us” does open conversions about the Greatness of our God.
Is God in your everyday conversations? Do you let the world know how much he means to you? I may not be a preacher or a minister; but I will always be a witness to the glorious power of an ever-loving Lord in my life. I will let the world know Christ lives in me and the life I now live is a life that reflects Christ in my daily to daily activities.

Psalm 121

This is the 2nd psalm of the fifteen Song of Ascents psalms

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

This psalm shows us how much God watches over us. Yes, we do have angels that attend to our needs, but it is the Lord that watches over us not his angels. Read Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not look down on these little ones.” “For I tell you that their angels in heaven always look to the face of my father in heaven.” and you will see that it is God who watches over us not angels. The angels are looking to God for directions. With this in mind shouldn’t we also be looking to God for directions in everything we do as we walk the path of life that he has placed before us.
In a world of uncertainty ask yourself where is the answer to your problems and the issues you face in life? Do we really look to the Lord to meet our everyday needs? As I was reading Psalms 119 yesterday verse one introduces the reader to the true purpose of this Psalm. The purpose is to help and strengthen the one who wants to live a blameless life and who wants to walk in the way of the Lord.
This psalm helps illustrates the personal relationship an individual can have with God. The individual relationship that David had with God can be seem throughout his writings as well as the other authors of the Psalms. Yet it is not only an individual relationship that we share with God, but also a national relationship as seen by verse four of this Psalm. God does watch over the nations. This Psalm illustrates the importance of looking to God for deliverance. But what do we do then our nation as a whole rejects God ways? Christ gives us the answer is given in Luke chapter thirteen verses one through nine:
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. He spoke also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbered it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shall cut it down.
In these verses we are given two events, one political and one natural where Christ was asked the reason why these happened. His reply was simply, do not worry about why these events are happening, or what caused them, but instead make sure you repent. In other words, we need to focus on our relationships with God and our fellowmen. The parable of the fig tree also shows how much the servant is willing to just do to save the tree under his care. This is the same care Christ has for us when we place ourselves under his leadership.

Psalm 120

A Song of ascents.

1 I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.
2 Save me, O LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.
3 What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue?
4 He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom tree.
5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.
7 I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

This is the 1st of the fifteen Song of Ascents psalms. This psalm can have a special meaning to those individuals who have faced a time in their life where the lies and deceitful actions of others has caused and created destructive circumstances in their life. In verses one and two the psalmist calls to the Lord in his distress with the request to deliver him from lying lips and deceitful tongues. One of the pitfalls I now realized in dealing with people who use deceptive practices is the idea that the truth will prevail. Verse two describes these people as having lying lips and a deceitful tongue. These people use the same methods as Satan practices. Paul states this same type of description of the false prophets in the early church found in II Corinthians 11:13-15 “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”. The pitfall that we face is that we expect that truth will prevail over deceitful tongues and lying lips almost immediately. That is not the case. If this is true, then the real question we must face is how do we deal with people in our life you use lies and deceitful actions to get their way. The answer is not easy.
One of the issues I discovered is that people who used deceptive ways are cunnings. Psalm 64 describes their ways as a perfectly devised plan. So be careful in dealing with people in your life those that use lies and deceitful actions to get their way. It is better to turn the issue over to the Lord then to handle it yourself. This is the action that the psalmist is describing here in verse three when he states, “What will he (the Lord) do to you and what more besides”. Leaving judgment in God’s hands may seem impossible at the time, however, this is the action that David practiced in dealing with people who use lies and deceitful actions to get their ways.
One of the timeless truths that comes from this psalm is the wonder of God’s grace in our life. By waiting on God to take action we will not only see righteousness prevail, but we can also experience the peace that his grace affords use. The words of the song He Giveth More Grace by Annie J. Flint described to us how boundless his grace ready can be.
1. He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.
2. When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.
3. Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.
4. His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again
So, wait on the Lord and watch his grace grow in your life which will give you a much richer life.

Thy word
11 I have laid up thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.
16 I will delight in thy statutes; I will not forget thy word.
17 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live and observe thy word.
25 My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to thy word!
28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to thy word!
42 then shall I have an answer for those who taunt me, for I trust in thy word.
49 Remember thy word to thy servant, in which thou hast made me hope.
57 The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep thy words.
65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according to thy word.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in thy commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now I keep thy word.
74 Those who fear thee shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in thy word.
81 My soul languishes for thy salvation; I hope in thy word.
89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is firmly fixed in the heavens.
101 I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep thy word.
103 How sweet are thy words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
107 I am sorely afflicted; give me life, O LORD, according to thy word!
114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield; I hope in thy word.
130 The unfolding of thy words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
139 My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget thy words.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in thy words.
160 The sum of thy word is truth; and every one of thy righteous ordinances endures for ever.
161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of thy words.
162 I rejoice at thy word like one who finds great spoil.
169 Let my cry come before thee, O LORD; give me understanding according to thy word!
170 Let my supplication come before thee; deliver me according to thy word.

Thy ordinances

7 I will praise thee with an upright heart, when I learn thy righteous ordinances.
13 With my lips I declare all the ordinances of thy mouth.
20 My soul is consumed with longing for thy ordinances at all times.
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness, I set thy ordinances before me.
39 Turn away the reproach which I dread; for thy ordinances are good.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in thy ordinances.
52 When I think of thy ordinances from of old, I take comfort, O LORD.
62 At midnight I rise to praise thee, because of thy righteous ordinances.
102 I do not turn aside from thy ordinances, for thou hast taught me.
106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe thy righteous ordinances.
108 Accept my offerings of praise, O LORD, and teach me thy ordinances.
160 The sum of thy word is truth; and every one of thy righteous ordinances endures for ever.
164 Seven times a day I praise thee for thy righteous ordinances.
175 Let me live, that I may praise thee, and let thy ordinances help me.