Psalm 32

1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

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

5 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.

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

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 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.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! (KJV)

After you read this psalm go to psalm 51.  These psalms were written after David’s great sin.  These psalms show us the way we are to handle sin in your life.  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.  However, if I continue to hide my sin then: When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

Blessed is the theme of this psalm. The word is only used twice in this psalm; however, it describes the right relationship we must have with the Lord. Look at the four conditions to be blessed of the Lord:

          He whose transgressions are forgiven.

          He whose sins are covered.

          He who sin the Lord does not count against him.

          He in whose spirit is no deceit.

As you read this psalm realize how easy it is to be in a right relationship with God.

          God does pursue us when we go astray.

          When we go astray the peace of God leaves us.

When we acknowledge our sin, God forgives us, and we are at peace with God once more.

          We make God our hiding place our refuge.

          We let God teach us in the way, protect us, counsel us, and watch over us.

Then the Lord’s unfailing love will surround us, and we will be blessed.

This psalm points us back to the beginning of this book Psalm Chapter One.

As I was listening to my tapes on the New Testament I realized that Paul also explained these verses in Romans chapter four. Paul describes the blessings of this psalm as a blessing that comes from faith not by works or the keeping of the law. He also writes in Romans chapter four that this blessing of forgiven was not just to Abraham, but to all who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up for our trespasses and was raised for our justification. Also, like this psalm which describes the entire relationship that David could enjoyed with God, Paul goes on in Romans chapter five to explain the relationship that we could also enjoy with God. Paul states in verses one and two that we have peace with God as well as access to God unto life eternal.

However, we do not have to wait for death to enjoy an intimate relationship with Christ.  In John 14:9 Christ ask Philip this question “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me?”.  As I read this verse, I am reminded of my journey on developing an intimate relationship with Christ.  When I first believe in the work that Christ did on the cross to secure my salvation for me, I called him Lord.  He was this all powerful being who was far away in heaven.  He was the Savior for mankind, a great figure to me just like the President of the USA is to an American.  But, now after walking with him for over sixty plus years he is my friend, someone I know.  As Christ told his disciples in John 15:14 “You are my friends, if you do the things which I command you” is the same relationship we can have with Christ. 

Oswald Chambers describes this type of an intimate relationship in his devotional for January 7th:

The Christian who is truly intimate with Jesus will never draw attention to himself but will only show the evidence of a life where Jesus is completely in control. This is the outcome of allowing Jesus to satisfy every area of life to its depth. The picture resulting from such a life is that of the strong, calm balance that our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.

As we grow in the Lord, we realize that he will never leave us or desert us.  The more you walk with Christ the more you realized that people and friends will disappoint you.  Sometimes even your closest friends including your family or spouse will turn and become your enemies, but not Christ.  It was only after the person closest to me turned against me that I was about to have this calm and balance life that is in Christ.  However, this calm and balance life that is in Christ only came after a lot of heartache and a turning everything over to God to handle.

This psalm is the message of John 3:16; God’s love for the world by providing a way our transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  In John chapter seventeen the word world is used eighteen times in the King James Version of the Bible during the Lord’s prayer of intercession for his own before his crucifixion.  This chapter reveals to the believer the truth about the world.  Christ was with God before the world and his purpose in this world was to manifest God’s name to the world.  The world rejected his message, but for those who believe he prayed that God would keep them from the evil and sanctify them through thy truth.  He also adds that we like Christ have a mission to fulfill in the world and that is to proclaim to the world the gospel of John 3:16.

This psalm also reminds me of the song My Sins are Blotted Out, I Know written by Merrill Dunlop in 1927.  The words of this song puts the message of this psalm to music.

What a wondrous message in God’s Word!

My sins are blotted out I know!

If I trust in His redeeming blood,

My sins are blotted out I know!

Once my heart was black, but now what joy,

My sins are blotted out I know!

I have peace that nothing can destroy,

My sins are blotted out I know!

I shall stand some day before my King,

My sins are blotted out I know!

With the ramson host I shall then sing,

My sins are blotted out I know!

Having accepted Christ and making studying the Bible at an early age and making it the way I live my life; it is hard for me to understand how the eyes of the unbeliever could reject the gospel.  Yet your purpose on this earth is to be a light to this world to shine out the message to the world of God’ unfailing love to those who believe in Him.  Verse ten summarizes the different between the believer and unbeliever “Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.”   

Psalm 31

1 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for a house of defense to save me.

3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore, for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.

4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.

5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord.

7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities.

8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.

9 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength fails because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.

12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.

15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake.

17 Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed and let them be silent in the grave.

18 Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.

22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless, thou heard the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.

23 O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserves the faithful, and plentifully rewards the proud doer.

24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. (KJV)

Reading this psalm, I can see this as a psalm that the Lord would prayer, since it reflects his life on this earth.   I King 1:29 is David’s testimony to this “And the king swore, and said, as Jehovah lives, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, verily as I swore unto thee by Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; verily so will I do this day.  David knew that his seed would reign after him as promised by God; however, his son Absalom try to take the kingdom from him by the use of force.  Adonijah try to take the kingdom when David was well stricken in years by using politics to arrange a collation that would make him king.  It is interesting that David did not interfere with Adonijah setting himself up as King.  I Kings 1:6 “His father (David) had never interfered with him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom”.  However, when informed of what was happening, he charged Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada to set up Solomon as king.  As I study David’s life, I see a pattern of how David waited on the Lord to make major decisions.  His indecision is sometimes viewed as not taking a stand, however the more I study David’s life I can see how this was his waiting on God to intervene. 

As I try to apply this principle of waiting in my own life over the past several years, I realized how strong my personal belief must be in God’s ability to take care of everything in our life.  What then is the role I take in making those major decisions in my life?

  Keys from this chapter:

• I have taken refuge in the Lord
• I let God lead and guide me
• Into God’s hands I commit my spirit
• I hate those who cling to worthless idols
• I trust in the LORD
• I will be glad and rejoice in your love
• I trust in the Lord
• I have cried out to the Lord
• I called to the Lord for help
• I will be strong and take heart
• I hope in the LORD
• And most important, I will leave the judgment of the wicked, proud and those who cling to worthless idols to the Lord.

So sometimes my waiting on the Lord may be viewed by others as indecisiveness, a weakness or not taking a stand on an issue, but like David I have learned to wait upon the Lord.

Studying this psalm, I look to it as a prayer that Christ would prayer during his ministry here on earth.  Verse eight “You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place” reminds me of the one enemy that all mankind faces and that is death.  As I studied this psalm this morning, I am reminded that Christ has conquered death.  In I Corinthians 15 Paul discuss the resurrection and how this is the heart of the gospel.  Without the resurrection there is not gospel.  As believers we must realize that the battles we face and the enemies we face are dominions, authorities, and powers in the heavenly realm.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death itself.  So, as we face the issues in life itself remember that the real battles are spiritual and not of things on this earth.  Do not let the events of today and our daily concerns over what we should eat wear or what other activities we should do guide your conversion.  Turn your eyes to Christ who set the example for all believers by depending on the Father to meet all his needs.  Study the gospels and learn of him, and your walk on this earth will be different.

Psalm 30

for the dedication of the temple. Of David.

1 I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

2 O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

3 O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

4 Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

5 For his anger endures but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

6 And in my prosperity, I said, I shall never be moved.

7 Lord, by thy favor thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.

8 I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication.

9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou, my helper.

11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness.

12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.  (KJV)

This psalm of dedication for the Temple came from David’s experiences of daily walking with God. Paul like David also had many incidents in his daily walk with Christ. Oswald Chamber’s devotional for February 6 centered on II Timothy 4:6 where Paul stated, “I am already poured out as a drink offering…”.  Paul knew that his time on earth was near, and that his work for Christ was almost finished.  In this devotional Oswald Chambers reveals three characteristics that will come from our experience of being broken bread and poured out wine.  First God will send you through an unexplainable crisis in private, one where no other person (even those close to you) can help you.  I believe God has given us the book of Job to help us through these times.  For then we go through a time of crisis it is usually like Job’s crisis where no one including Job himself could explain why it was happening.  The second characteristic of this crisis that we must understand is the way we must deal with the crisis.  Sympathy will be showered on us by others when we try to handle the crisis in our own strength.  However, the true work of the crisis does not come until we deal this the crisis with God and God alone.  This process is just like offering a sacrifice, it must go through the fire, be purified and set apart for God’s use.  The third and last characteristic that happens in your life is when another crisis arises, you now realize that God is always presence, even though you might not be able to see him.  Any crisis that is faced after going through this process will no longer touch us like they did in the past.  People will see the change in you but cannot usually explain it unless they have been through this process too.

Reading verse one the words “for you lifted me out of the depths” seem to describe those to whom the Lord uses for his special purposes on this earth.  It is the process of regeneration, of Christ living in us, that transforms us into an instrument that God can use for his ministry.  We are to present ourselves to God as a clean vessel fit for the Lord’s use. As you read this Psalm notice how it is God that makes things happen.  He is the one that lifts me up, heals me, brings me up from the grave, spares me from the pit, who favors me, makes me stand, who turns my wailing into dancing, and removes my sorrow and clothes me with joy.  This psalm reflects the life of one walking in God’s way, who has realized it was God that has given the victory over the ones that seek to destroy their life on this earth.  

Psalm 29

Of David

1 Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.

2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thunders: the Lord is upon many waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; yea, the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.

7 The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.

8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord makes the hinds to calve and discovers the forests: and in his temple doth everyone speak of his glory.

10 The Lord sits upon the flood; yea, the Lord sits King forever.

11 The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. (KJV)

Reading this psalm, I guess my life is not really “All about me”.  It is really all about my relationship to God and others.  This relationship could be understood and illustrated by studying the relationship the Sun has with the Moon, and the Earth.  Of these three the sun is the only source of power; the moon and the earth only receive their energy from the Sun. Our relationship with God can be seen as the same relationship that the Moon and the Earth has with the Sun.  My relationship to the people around me should be like the relationship that the moon has to the earth.  The light of the moon is nonexistence.  It has no light of its own.  It only reflects the light of the Sun.  Its presence can sometimes be seeming dimly in the daytime when its darkness is revealed in the light of the day.  But the glory of the moon is really revealing at night when it is reflecting the light of the Sun in the darkness that surrounds the Earth at that time.  It is the position of the Moon in its relationship to the Earth and the Sun that determines the brightness of the moon.

This is also true of the believer.  It is our relationship with God and the world that determines how bright our light shines for Him.  A Christian’s walk that is worldly can be compared to the moon when it is barely visible during the day and its present is usually not noticed at all.  However, it is in the darkness that sin brings into this world that God uses those who are in the right relationship with Him to reflect his glory and give light to a dark world.  As Christ reminded us of in Matthew 5:14-16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shine unto all that are in the house. Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”.  Yes, my life is really “All about Him” and He should receive all the glory.  So, the question I must ask myself daily is “Do I really live my life so that others see God working in my life, or do I try to take this glory and heap it on myself?”.

Verses three and four “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thunders: the Lord is upon many waters.  The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.” illustrates the times in our lives that the presence of God is made known.  As we go about the daily routine in your life the weather is usually just something we consider as being too cold or too hot for our liking.  But our attention to the weather chance when there is a big storm on the horizon.  All of a sudden, we become a lot more focus on our waiting and watching for the storm to come and hoping it will not have an effect on us. 

This is also true in a lot of believers today in their walk with God.  In their daily walk on their journey through life God is only an occasional thought in their busy life.  Like the seed that falls among the thorns and choke out the growth of the seed, so does the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke out the believers’ growth in their relationship to God.   It is only after a storm comes into their life that they turn to God and seek for His help.  Verse two describes the daily path that we as believers show take in our daily lives.  We must give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name every day for all the blessings as well as the trials that comes as we travel this journey on earth.  We must also worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and understand that this walk of worship requests of us to reflect His holiness by living a blameless lifestyle.

Psalm 28

Of David

1 Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.

4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.

5 Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them and not build them up.

6 Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore, my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song will I praise him.

8 The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

9 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever. (KJV)

Reading this verse today in relationship to Oswald Chamber’s devotion from August fourth I noticed that the Psalmist does not claim to have done anything great in these verses.  This point was also made in Oswald Chamber’s devotion from August 4th in that it is out of our poverty that God uses us for His purpose. As I read this devotion, I thought back to II Timothy 2:20-22 ” Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor.  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master’s use, prepared unto every good work. After righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart”.  So, as a believer we must present ourselves as a clean vessel for the master’s use.  Remember a vessel is empty, it is God that fills and uses the vessel.  All we must provide for God to use us for his purpose is a vessel of honor.  People who know not God who plot evil in their heart and show no regard for the things of God might not see the true believer as a vessel of God, but God does.  My prayer is for anyone that reads Psalms twenty-eight to see that the way of the wicked (see Psalms one) is the wrong path to travel.  The right path is for those who call on God out of a pure heart.

As I study this psalm today the phase found in verse one “For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit” revealed how strong my relationship with God must be.  I searched and realized this is the first psalm that uses the word pit to refer to the grave.  Without God in our life, we are dead.  If you jump over to Psalm 88 you will read a psalm that is probably one of the hardest psalms to understand.  The reason is that we look for hope when we read the Psalms.  There is no hope in Psalm 88.  This psalm ends with the verse “you have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend. This I believe was the psalmist greatest fear in his life, a life without God.  Yet how many people do we meet daily who are living in the pit and living the lifestyle of the wicked.  Verses three and five sums up the characteristic of the wicked “those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts, they show no regard for the works of the Lord”,  Study the makeup of the pit as the Lord gives it in Luke 16:19-27 and as I believe Psalms 88 portrays it.  Yes, there is a hell (the pit where God’s presence cannot be found) as well as a heaven (where the dwelling of God is with men).  The choose of your final resting place depends on your answer to one question.  What will you think of Christ?

As I study this psalm, I noticed that verse three starts out with the phase “Do not drag me away with the wicked with those who do evil” and verse seven ends with the phrase “he has heard my cry for mercy”.  This is the message of the gospel. We are all guilty before God, but he does extend to us mercy.  As I read Oswald Chambers devotional for November 5, he brings out the role of Jesus in our life. He illustrated how Mary believed that Jesus had a special intimacy with God, and that whatever He asked of God, God would do. However, he brought out the point that Mary realized that she needed a closer personal intimacy with Jesus.  In verse two we see that this is also what David wanted.  His desire was to have a closer personal intimacy to God.  This Psalm contains the gospel message of God. We are all guilty before God, however God does extend his mercy to us.  Once this happens, we are changed and see the old, wicked way in which we walked for what it was and turn from that way.  We then find our strength in the Lord and our desire than focus on become more like God.

Psalm 27

Of David

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall, I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore, will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me and answer me.

8 When thou said, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of my enemies.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of my enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. (KJV)

This is another one of David’s prayers that we encounter on our journey of studying the book of Psalms over a hundred and fifty days.  These prayers were recorded during the up and downs that he faced during his seventy plus years of his life on this earth.  Having finally reach the age of seventy plus years myself and having known the Lord from an early age I can relate to David’s question in verse one.  “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall, I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”  Looking back on my time on this earth I realize how blessed I have been having the Lord in my life from an early age and being able to deliver my daily prayers to Him.

As I read verse four, I am drawn to John 14: 2-3 “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”  American society is overexposed to the daily outlet of media broadcasting that has had a great impact unto our lifestyle.  This media overexposure impacts many believers with a great desire to live for today and building a brighter future for living their life on this earth than seeking heavenly treasure.  However, the true believer’s focus should also be looking for the Lord’s coming and the arrival of the New Jerusalem and the New Heaven and the New Earth.

Key points from this chapter:

   Can you state the same truths in your life with the (I) statements as David did in this psalm?

• whom shall, I fear?
• whom shall I be afraid?
• I ask of the LORD that I may dwell in his house.
• I seek that I may gaze upon his beauty.
• I seek him in his temple.
• I sacrifice with shouts of joy.
• I will sing and make music.
• I call on the Lord.
• I will seek his face.
• I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Can you state the same truths in your life with the (me) statements as David did in this psalm?

• LORD is my light.
• LORD my salvation
• LORD is the stronghold of my life.
• He will keep me safe in his dwelling.
• He will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle.
• He set me high upon a rock.
• my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me.
• Hear my voice when I call.
• LORD; be merciful to me.
• Lord answers me
• Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
• Teach me your way.
• lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
• Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes.
• false witnesses rise up against me.

Can you wait for the LORD, and can you be strong and take heart?

A text sent to me:

Sincerely the Fallen

At what point in our life do we reach the crossroads?

How do we determine which path to follow?

Do we follow our heart or our ambitions?

Why is there enough religion to insight war, but not enough to find peace?

When is it time to give up on the world and seek a better place?

Only the truth will set you free.

Where do you find it in a world of lies?

God have pity on the fallen.

May you find peace in this life for it has failed me.

Sincerely the Fallen

My reply:

At what point in our life do we reach the crossroads?

This crossroad is reached when you must decide which path you desire to follow, the way of the wicked or the way of God.

How do we determine which path to follow?

You make this choice.  Do I travel and walk with the wicked, stand with the sinners, and sit with the mockers or do I travel and walk, stand, and sit with the righteous?  The choice is yours.

Do we follow our heart or our ambitions?

Neither we follow Christ.

Paul states that we should have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had in our relationship to others.  Christ was Lord, yet he humbles himself and died as a criminal on the cross.  The human nature struggle with the issues of pride and humility daily.  To aid us in this struggle Paul gives us this advice: don’t be selfish, do not try to impress others, think others as better than yourself, do not look to your own interest but take an interest in others.

Why is there enough religion to insight war, but not enough to find peace?

You must realize that religion is man-made and attempts to find peace.  Real peace only comes when we have a true relationship with God.

When is it time to give up on the world and seek a better place?

Christ stated it as simply “Come unto me all who are weak and heavy laden, and I will give you rest”.

Only the truth will set you free.

Ask must add to this statement “free from what?”.  As I look at John chapter 18 in the discourse between Pilate and Christ:

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then. Jesus answered; thou say that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hearth my voice.  Pilate said unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find no crime in him.  But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the Passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? They cried out therefore again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

I once heard of a man that that went searching for Truth, met Truth and turned and walked away.  This is what Pilate did.  Yes, Truth can set you free, but only if you face it.

Where do you find it in a world of lies?

In Christ who is the truth, the life, and the way and the only way to the Father.

God have pity on the fallen.

He has for we are all fallen creatures.  However, God so loved us that he sent his only son into this world to die on the cross to pay for my sins.  In his love he pitied us, but also made a way out in Christ.

May you find peace in this life for it has failed me.

Read Psalm 88.

Psalm 26

Of David

1 Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in my integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore, I shall not slide.

2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. 

3 For thy lovingkindness is before my eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.

5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.

6 I will wash mine hands in innocent: so, will I compass thine altar, O Lord:

7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.

8 Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwell.

9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:

10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

12 My foot stands in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord. (KJV)

As I look at this Psalm written by David, I see a Psalm of prayer.  The word I is used in this Psalm thirteen times and the word me or my is used fourteen times.  Usually when we focus on how many times a person uses the word I in their conversation it portrays a sense of self-confidence in their abilities which leads to pride and the desire to live a life without God.  But here in this Psalm David’s I’s focus on his walk with God and his desire separation from the way of the wicked, by looking at the words I and me we can get an idea of how David leads a blameless life.  He starts out with the request to the Lord of vindicate me.  He is asking the Lord to clear him of either some accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments stating he has led a blameless life. He is asking the Lord to defend, maintain, or insist on the recognition of his blameless life because he trusts in the Lord without wavering.    In other words, his faith did not move unsteadily back and forth his faith remains unchanging.  Unchanging faith in the Lord is a characteristic that David learned at an early age in his life.  It was this faith in the Lord that kept him going when he was running from Saul.  David’s faith knew who God was, knew the nature of God, knew the nature of man, and knew how-to walk in the truth.  This walk of truth that David had is the same walk that we need to follow in our walk on this earth.

Paul gives us the fruits that are a characteristic of this walk in Galatians 5:

• love
• joy
• peace
• long suffering
• kindness
• goodness
• faithfulness
• meekness
• self-control.

He goes on in this chapter to state that the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.

David asks the Lord to test him, try, him, and examine his heart and his mind.  When you ask for a procedure that includes a critical evaluation and a means of determining the presence, quality, or truth about your statement that will led to a blameless life; then I hope you are ready for the real test.  This will put you in the same league as Job, Joseph, and David himself.  However, David was sure of two facts: that God’s love is forever, and David’s walk was a regular daily walk which was not interrupted and was steady according to God’s truth. 

Verses four and five reminds me of Psalm one.  David refused to sit with deceitful (deliberately misleading) men, nor to keep company or be in accord or agreement with those that pretend to practice the beliefs, feelings, and virtues of godliness but who do not hold or possess these qualities.  He also hated the assembly of those that performs evil acts and refused to be in the company of those who were evil by nature and who had destructive, troublesome and corrupt practices.

Verses six and seven gives us a key to David’s blameless walk.  He includes in these verses the act of washing his hands in innocence as he states in Psalm 51 “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” which refers to his knowing he is not perfect.  This is the beauty of God’s Word for it is like a mirror which when we look into it, we get a sense of Christ’s nature and this similarity in appearance and character will become more of our nature the more we stay in His Word.  This was fact number two; fact number one is David’s proclaiming aloud the praises of God and the telling of His wonderful deeds.  Question, do you let others know how great God is to you?   David did.

As I look at verse four “I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites”I must stop and think about what groups would other people around me associate me with?  As we investigate God’s Word (the true mirror to our inward self) it should reveal to us our true intent of our hearts.  However, how do I appear to others?  Can they see the true intents of my heart?  It depends upon what their true intents are.  Remember, a person’s view of God does not reveal to them what God is but what that person wants to believe about God.  This is the same view they have about me and anyone else they are around.  Just as people can reject or accept God’s true nature so they can reject or accept our true nature.  Look at verse four in this light then and ask yourself which group you associate yourself with, deceitful men or men of true.     

In I Samuel 12:20-25 Samuel gives the children of Israel the desire of their heart, a king.  They recognized this as an act of adding to their sins but ask Samuel to pray for them so that they might not die.  Samuel’s answer was “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.”  David was not even born when Samuel gave this warning to the children of Israel and when he stepped aside and let them, have Saul as their king.  After Saul’s failure to follow the Lord and his ways, the Lord rejected him.   I Samuel 15:30 “Then he said “I have sinned, but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord your God” illustrates the true abandonment of Saul’s association with God and God’s association with Saul.  David did not want this abandonment.  To David the words of Samuel from the past “Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things He has done for you”, became the guiding light to the blameless walk that David led.

Psalm 25

Of David

1 Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. 

3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

4 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.

5 Lead me in thy truth and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

6 Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.

8 Good and upright is the Lord: therefore, will he teach sinners in the way.

9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11 For thy name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity; for it is great.

12 What man is he that fears the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

15 Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.

17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.

18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.

19 Consider my enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.

20 O keep my soul and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.

21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. (KJV)

When I was in the third grade, I had a teacher who share his belief about God with the entire class.  He told us we needed to grow up and take control of our life and leave the notion that we are special before God behind.  God gave us a brain and we should rely on thinking abilities to make our decisions since the notion of a personal God was a myth.  However, my fourth-grade teacher believed in a personal God in which you could have a personal relationship with, and her life reflected that relationship.  As I look back to these two teachers, I realize that one of the first steps in understanding the book of Psalms is knowing that the loving God of the universe has not only reached out to mankind; but he has reached out to each individual to have this personal relationship that was reflected in Mrs. Wilson’s life.  So, as we study this psalm we need to focus on David’s actions and the request that he is requesting from his personal Lord.

                                         Actions:

• I lift up my soul.
• I trust in God.
• I desire honor not shame.
• I desire victory over my enemies.
• I hope in the Lord.
• I desire to be a student of the Lord’s ways.
• I desire to be guided into truth by the Lord.
• I desire redemption from my rebellious ways.
• I desire to keep our ways.
• I take refuge in the Lord.

We can also see some of God’s attributes in this psalm:

• God honors those who hope in him.
• The Lord has great mercy and love.
• The Lord is good and upright.
• The Lord guides and instruct the humble
• All the Lord’s ways are loving and faithful for those who keeps the demand of his covenant.
• The Lord confides in those who fear him.
• The Lord makes known his covenant to those who know him.
• Only the Lord can release me from the snares of the wicked.

Now the real focus of this psalm “David’s request before the Lord”

• Do not let me be put to shame.
• Do not let my enemies’ triumph over me.
• Show me your ways.
• Teach me your paths.
• Guide me in your truth and teach me.
• Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways.
• Forgive me my iniquities.
• Release me from the snares of the wicked.
• Lord turns to me and be gracious to me.
• Free me from the anguish of my troubles
• Guard my life and rescue me.
• May your integrity and uprightness protect me, since my hope is in you.
• Redeem Israel (USA) from all their troubles.

Is your God a God that just lives way up there and looks down at the world and treats each of us as if we were but ants on an anthill; or is your God a God that knows your name and knows the count of every hair on your head?

As I observe the events around me, I must realize that all things are in the Lord’s hands.  Even when the rulers of this earth do not realize that the Lord is the one in charge. We can choose to be like the seven thousand who have not bowed down to the gods of this world, but who remain faithful to God (I Kings 19:18).  So, as I read Psalms twenty-one through twenty-five today, I will choose to make my God a personal God and follow after Mrs. Wilson’s example instead of the example of my third-grade teacher who by the way his name I have long forgotten.

Psalm 24

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

2 For he hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the floods.

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.  (KJV)

How would you answer the following questions?

• Who is he this King of Glory in your life?
• Are you watching for his coming?
• How do you react to the news in today’s media?
• Do your reactions to this news reflect your desire to see Christ coming?
• Is he the king of your life?
• Have you open the doors to your heart to this King?
• Are you ready to ascend the hill of the Lord and stand in his holy place?

You only have two chooses: The Lord or the idol of the god you have created.

When I am studying the Psalms, I realize that my focus turns back to my creator.  This psalm helps me realize that everything was created by the Lord and for the Lord.  Therefore, when I focus on my daily activities, I must realize that God is still in control.  Also, in verse four we have been given a way to walk in this world, we are to have clean hands and a pure heart, and not to lift our soul to an idol or swear by what is false.   To have clean hands and a pure heart cover both our actions and our thoughts.  If we live this way God will bless us and our generation; however, if we do not live this way, we as well as our generation will lose the blessings of the Lord. 

Those without a pure heart are characterized in Romans 1:19-22 “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” (KJV) The ungodly are those that change the truth of God into a lie.  They are the ones that take the things that are clearly revealed in nature and change these truths into a lie.  Their focus is worshiping the creation (man) more than God.  Their idols change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man.  The division of the ungodly (those who reject God in their life) and the godly (whose who seek God in their life) will become wider in the last days. 

Psalm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies: thou anoint my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (KJV)

This is one of the first psalms that many young people memorize and place in their heart.  It is a simple psalm yet rich in meaning.  The relationships are simple.  The Lord is the shepherd, and we are his sheep.  He leads and we follow.  He takes care of us, and we enjoy the life he gives us.  Our companions are goodness and mercy, and they will be with us along the entire journey.  Our dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.

I could go deeper with this psalm as many other writers have in the past.  However, this is a personal psalm, a psalm of a personal relationship between the Lord (shepherd) and the believer (sheep).  Once you know the Lord and walk with Him then these words will have a special meaning to you.  You will recall times in your past walks that he gave you rest, times in the past that he had to restore you, times in the past when everything seem too far gone to be save and yet he rescued you, times that he blessed you as your enemies were watching and observing how great God rewarded you, times when the peace of God that passes all understanding came over you and finally you truly realized that this world is not your home but heaven is and you enjoy your life on this as a journey with friends and family.  If you don’t know the Lord and you are going about this journey on earth alone, then you are missing the most precious relationship that you could have on this earth.

As I read this Psalm, I realized that it is a Psalm that I have hidden in my heart.  As I journey daily on this life, I must realize that this shepherd in Psalms twenty-three is also the one who opens and closes the doors of opportunity for me as I continue on this journey of life on this earth.  Verse six which states “surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life” should be the goal we pursue daily.  It is easy for us to want more.  I remember a picture of four cows divided into four pastures with each cow reaching between the barbwire into the pasture of the other cow.  The words underneath this picture were “The grass is greener on the other side”.   Ask yourself this question today, “are you happy to be in the green pastures that the Lord makes you lie down in today”?  Remember it is the shepherd that leads you in the path of life.  Stay on the path and Goodness and Mercy will follow you all the days of your life. 

Reading these verses today I was reminded from my readings about Dwight Moody of an elderly woman that approached him one Sunday morning after his Sunday morning message.  She felt that someone was following her around and she was very concerned about her safety.  He pointed her to this psalm and reminded her that it was Goodness and Mercy that God had placed in her life to make it better.  She felt blessed knowing that she had great companions on her life’s journey.  Like this elderly woman, once we also have Goodness and Mercy traveling with us we know we also have great companions with us on our journey on this earth.