THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 30, 2014 - Day 58 - Psalm 58

The American Justice system declares itself to be the best in the world. If that is true what a sad statement on justice. Our system is filled with injustice. There is corruption. Justice for the poor is not the same as justice for the rich. Money cannot buy everything but it will make a huge difference when one has to face the courts. In Psalm 58 David is crying out to God about the wickedness of those who judge and rule. It is an imprecatory psalm, one that prays for judgment by God against these evil men in control.

David asks them a question. It is rhetorical in nature for in verse 2 he answers for them.

Psalm 58:1-2
Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge uprightly among men? No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

Nothing has changed even today in our courts and on our streets. But David provides the answer as to why justice seems so evasive. Hear his words.

Psalm 58:3-5
Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be.

Men are wicked by nature. They are liars from birth. The Bible is replete with teachings on the depravity of man. The Book of Romans tells us straight up of our depraved nature.

Romans 3:9-18
What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips." "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know." "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

The reason we have such a messed up justice system is because we have men (and of course women as well) ruling over us. And all of us are at the core liars and wicked people. Even us Christians are still sinners and we do not administer justice properly. Don’t believe me? Get involved in ministry at a high level and you will soon see the same fighting and backbiting going on there as you find in the world.

Man was not created to rule himself; he was created to be ruled by God. Period. Check out 1 Samuel 8. It was there when Israel rejected God and demanded a King. God warned them in what is the greatest example of be careful what you ask for.

1 Samuel 8:6-9
But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."

Man has rejected God. So David finds himself so frustrated over injustice, that he calls on God to act.

Psalm 58:6-9
Break the teeth in their mouths, O God; tear out, O LORD, the fangs of the lions! Let them vanish like water that flows away; when they draw the bow, let their arrows be blunted. Like a slug melting away as it moves along, like a stillborn child, may they not see the sun. Before your pots can feel [the heat of] the thorns-- whether they be green or dry--the wicked will be swept away.

That does not sound very Christian like, does it? But the truth is that this is a prophetic warning. Jesus is coming back and when He does this prayer will come to fruition.

Psalm 58:10-11
The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then men will say, "Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth."

Christian brothers and sisters, there is a God who judges the earth. But the time for that has not yet arrived. Instead God is exercising His wonderful patience as we live now in the age of grace. Our task is not to take matters in our own hands; it is to share to truth of Jesus Christ to the evil and wicked world. God will avenge; but in His time, not ours. This is the truth of scripture.

Follow the instructions of Jesus. We are His disciples now. Except for John and Judas, all the other original disciples died as martyrs doing the work of Christ. They suffered brutal deaths at the hands of man’s injustice. Are we willing to do the same?

I leave you with the words of Jesus.

John 15:12-14
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Are you His friend? Then leave justice to Him.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 29, 2014 – Day 57 - Psalm 57

September 29, 2014 – Day 57

Psalm 57

Where do you go when a storm catches you out in the open? When the rain begins to pour and the lightening starts striking all around us we need to find refuge. In Psalm 57 David teaches us where to find safe refuge in a storm.

Psalm 57:1
TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO DO NOT DESTROY. A MIKTAM OF DAVID, WHEN HE FLED FROM SAUL, IN THE CAVE. Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.

Sometimes the storms of life seem ready to destroy us. Our enemies and our friends often become hard to distinguish. David knew well of that feeling. He cried out to God.

Psalm 57:2-4
I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness! My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts— the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.

Though we usually think it is people who are our enemies, in truth it runs much deeper than that. There is spiritual aspect to the storms of lives that make it virtually impossible for us to go it alone. Ephesians 6:12 instructs us of this, saying, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

But we need not fear. Not if we put on Christ for in Him we have the ultimate protection in the armor He provides.

Ephesians 6:10-11
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Ephesians 6:13-18
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…

The world likes to talk about karma. Forget that. God is in control and nothing happens by chance. David saw God move.

Psalm 57:5-6
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah

God will handle it. Actually He already has. Jesus defeated Satan at Calvary. The war is won; we are merely fighting out the mop-up battles.

Take refuge in God. Pray that He keeps you under His wing during the storm. But even while the storm rages we can sing out in praise to the God who gives us life and gives it abundantly.

Psalm 57:7-11
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

Our hearts can be steadfast when we trust in Christ. He is our refuge in the storm but we must be in the shadow of His wings. That means we must stay near Him. We do that through prayer and worship. Are you in a storm? Seek refuge in Him and sing out as you ride it out in the safety of His wings.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 27, 2014 – Day 56 - Psalm 56

I God I Trust. Psalm 56 is a song written by David at a time when he was in a very dangerous place. He was afraid. Fear can paralyze us. But the Bible is clear that God’s children should not be afraid. Scripture instructs us to not fear at least 365 times. That means there is never a day that fear should paralyze us if we are trusting in God. We must sing out in prayer to God when we are afraid.

Psalm 56:1-3
Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled upon me; Fighting all day long he oppresses me. My foes have trampled upon me all day long, For they are many who fight proudly against me. When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.

Hebrews 13:5-6 quotes this psalm saying “…be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?"

Jesus expounds on this in the Gospel of Luke with a promise.

"I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! "Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” - Luke 12:4-7

David knew in whom to trust.

Psalm 56:4
In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?

His enemy was real. His enemy told lies about him and then plotted to kill him.

Psalm 56:5-6
All day long they distort my words; All their thoughts are against me for evil. They attack, they lurk, They watch my steps, As they have waited to take my life.

He prayed God would take action, action in anger.

Psalm 56:7
Because of wickedness, cast them forth, In anger put down the peoples, O God!

David knew God watched over him. God knows where we are. God loves us so much He even keeps our tears in bottle. He knows our sorrows.

Psalm 56:8
You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?

God is faithful and like David we can live our lives free of fear no matter where we are or what we face.

Psalm 56:9-11
Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, In the LORD, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

David believed God’s promises. We have the same promises and God has given us His Holy Word to look back on when we start to waver. We must read, study, and commit to memory His Word. Faith is our end of the bargain; God will handle the rest. He has put His Holy Spirit within us to guide and lead us. We must follow Him into the light. We must praise Him always even when we feel the most fear.

Psalm 56:12-13
Your vows are binding upon me, O God; I will render thank offerings to You. For You have delivered my soul from death, Indeed my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of the living.

Trust in God. In God we trust. He will help us walk in the light of the living.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 25, 2014 – Day 55 - Psalm 55

The most pain is the hurt we receive at the hands of those we trusted most. David knew betrayal from both family and friend. Psalm 55 is a lesson that reveals 4 approaches to handling pain in the battles of life.

The first approach is that of our trusting our feelings towards our problems. Listen to David as he tells God how he feels.

Psalm 55:1-5
Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me. My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me.

David finds himself feeling restless, oppressed, in anguish, and is feeling overwhelmed with fear and horror, which makes him tremble. Who hasn’t been there? In this state we can develop an attitude of hopelessness. Not a good place to be.

Because of this hopeless feeling David just wants out. Oh, how often I have felt that way. The world will sell you the lies of escape. Alcohol, drugs, sex, pornography, food are just some of the things the world will put in front of us. Suicide for some becomes the ultimate choice of escape. Escape is the second approach to our problems.

Psalm 55:6-8
And I say, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest."

The third approach often taken in times of trouble is to dwell on the circumstances. Every day this world seems to get worse. David’s writings sound very familiar.

Psalm 55:9-15
Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace. For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him. But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng. Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.

Violence and strife in the city, oppression and fraud, evil seems to lurk at every corner and even those we go to church with cannot often be trusted. David, like us, could get lost in his circumstances. But David knows better than to dwell in his feelings, in his pipe dreams of escape, and in his circumstances. He turns to God through prayer.

Psalm 55:16-19
But I call to God, and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God.

Even if our most trusted friends or our own family betray us or hurt us we have a God who never leaves nor forsakes us.

Psalm 55:20-23
My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.

The Lord will sustain you. Jesus promised to help us in these times. He says this in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Put your trust in Christ for He is the fourth approach David considers in this psalm. When you are tempted to look to the hopeless things of the world “cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” God is there. Cry out to Him today.  

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 24, 2014 – Day 54 - Psalm 54

Sometimes it seems as if the world is against us. But even worse is when we are betrayed by those we thought were our friends. David knew the pain of betrayal, but He knew there was one upon whom he could always trust. In Psalm 54 during a fearful time of betrayal David turns to the one in which he knew would never forsake him. When betrayal hits and we are afraid we must cry out to God. Learn from David as he calls on his Lord.

Psalm 54:1
O God, save me, by your name, and vindicate me by your might. O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves. Selah

Who can uphold us when our lives are in the greatest peril? Even when it was our closest ally who has struck against us.

Psalm 54:4
Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.

David knew the answer; let God be the avenger.

Psalm 54:5
He will return the evil to my enemies; in your faithfulness put an end to them.

We can trust in God. Because of His faithfulness we can give back to Him and offer our praise for He will bring victory over all that come against His children.

Psalm 54:6-7
With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good. For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

God is our helper. He will vindicate us. He will uphold our lives. He will return the evil to our enemies. He will bring them to their end.

Our part? Pray to him. Sacrifice to Him out of our freewill. Give thanks to Him. Maybe God has not yet brought vindication to us and maybe He has not yet put an end to our enemies. But they, too, are God’s. Have patience and wait upon Him.

2 Peter 3:8-9
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Our part? Pray for those who are our enemies.

Matthew 5:44-45
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Our part? Be salt and light. Even to our enemies.

Matthew 5:11-16
"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

 Our part? Glorify our Father.

Hard words? Yes, they are. It is not easy. That is why we pray.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 23, 2014 – Day 53 - Psalm 53

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” We all know at least one; the dreaded atheist who always wants to find some way to take away our hope and to destroy our faith in Christ. But there is little difference between him and us without our faith in Christ for it is only by His grace and His mercy that we also would not be fools.

None of us are righteous. The Bible speaks clearly to this fact. When God says something once it is important, if He says it twice then obviously He really wants us to get it. But when God says something 3 times in scripture we need to take extra care to keep that thought always in our in minds. Listen to God speaking:

Psalm 14:1
The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.

Psalm 53:1
The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God," They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good.

Romans 3:10-11
…as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.

Three times God has stated this fact, no does good or seeks after God. Not on their own, for we have a sin nature that pulls us away from God. If you are Christ’s then praise Him now. He has snatched you from the grave where you were dead in your sin and raised you to new life in Him.

Psalm 53 teaches us this fact. It is called a “maskil of David”. A maskil is a psalm that teaches us something. But there is also a prophetic sense to this psalm that I believe should help us as we watch world events unfold.

Psalm 53:2-4
God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Have those who work evil no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God?

There is a day coming when Jesus will return. Bible prophecy warns us that as we get closer to the end times, evil will rise up. We see the beginning of the end coming. Jesus said this in Matthew 24:6-8, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains”

Psalm 53 speaks of these end times. But Christians we have nothing to fear. We are covered by the blood of Christ. We are His bride; He will protect us. Like He does for Israel, God has a plan for us. Jeremiah 29:11 is but one of the many promises we can stand upon. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

But for those who reject Him and remain a fool, God also has a plan. Those who come after God’s people will be defeated.

Psalm 53:5-6
There they are, in great terror, where there is no terror! For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you; you put them to shame, for God has rejected them. Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Yes, things look scary sometimes. But if you are Christ’s you can rest in Him. In truth we can rejoice for we know the ending. Learn from this psalm. Praise Him today.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 22, 2014 - Day 52 - Psalm 52

Psalm 52 is a contrast; the wicked vs. the godly. Verse 1 asks this question of the wicked, “Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?” Then follows up with a simple truth upon which those who are Christ’s disciples build their lives. “The steadfast love of God endures all the day.”

Describing the wicked it says this about them.

Psalm 52:2-4
Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit. You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.

Then a warning comes.

Psalm 52:5
But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

When David wrote this song he was apparently a bit angry. But as he considered the truth of eternity he turns to laughter at the folly of the wicked. He understands that God will handle the business of their evil acts. In due time unless they repent they shall reap what they have sown.

Psalm 52:6-7
The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, "See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!"

Maybe today there are those whose tongue has hurt you. Lies and gossip, verbal abuse, and even downright bullying happen to us. It starts in grade school and often follows into the workplace and even sometimes at home. Find your self-worth in who you are in Christ. David expresses it perfectly as he wraps up this psalm. Why not join him in singing this out. If you are God’s, then you have reason to sing.

Psalm 52:8-9
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.

People are just people. As hard as we might try we don’t always treat each other as we should. Our love is not yet perfect. But as Christians our work is to move past how others treat us and treat them as Christ has treated us. He forgives us and He loves us in spite of our sinful nature. The steadfast love of God endures all day. That must be our goal.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 19, 2014 – Day 51 - Psalm 51

 

As Christians we like to declare ourselves saved. But do we fully grasp just what it is we are saved from? The Gospel is good news but first one must understand the bad news before fully taking hold of the good news. David wrote Psalm 51 as the horrors of his own sinfulness brought him deserved shame, guilt, and anxiety. First he cries out to God with a repentant heart.

Psalm 51:1-2
TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN NATHAN THE PROPHET WENT TO HIM, AFTER HE HAD GONE IN TO BATHSHEBA. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

Notice the three words David uses for sin. First he calls it a transgression. Transgression carries the meaning of rebellion and a breach of trust. Next he calls it iniquity. The word iniquity speaks of perversity and depravity. Then the final word he uses is simply sin. Sin speaks of missing the mark; a falling short of what God requires of us.

Then David recognizes a very important truth about sin. It goes much farther than hurting another person; when we sin it is most of all an iniquity against God and His holiness.

Psalm 51:3-4
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

Even if no one sees our sin it us always with us and God sees every act we both do and think. From birth we arrive into this life as sinners.

Psalm 51:5
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

David does not excuse his sin; he owns up to it in this psalm. He recognizes sin runs deep in us; it is a matter of the heart.

Psalm 51:6
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

As David continues to cry out to God we find in his prayer for cleansing 6 effects of sin.

First sin defiles us and makes us dirty. We need cleansing.

Psalm 51:7
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Secondly sin will make us deaf. Sin will prevent us from hearing from God and we will miss out on joy.

Psalm 51:8
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

Thirdly sin brings disgrace. We find ourselves far from God because we do not want Him to see our sin. We are ashamed.

Psalm 51:9
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Fourth sin damages our heart and it breaks our spirit down.

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

The ultimate fear of the sinner is to be separated from God and to have the Holy Spirit leave us. The promises of the New Testament are that Jesus will never leave us and His Spirit will abide in us forever (see John 14:16). But sin will cause us to doubt the promises of scripture.

Psalm 51:11
Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Sin will cause depression. Your therapist and your psychiatrist won’t tell you this. They will sell you pills and tell you alright and a good person. Scripture paints a different picture. It tells us we are sinners and need a savior. Yes your sin will bring depression.

Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

But through those six effects of sin David knew the answer was to be found in God’s renewing work. He knew there was more to all this than the law; there was grace to be found in the coming messiah.

Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

David knew that the Gospel was the answer. He knew that God would renew his spirit and that he could share the good news.

Psalm 51:13-14
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

David knew the first sacrifice to be offered to God must come from a humble heart that is broken over its own sinfulness. He understood confession and dependence on God was the path to salvation.

Psalm 51:14-17
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

David understood that once we come to God in heartfelt repentance and sorrow over our sin that God would then heap mercy and grace on him and then he could find joy in praise and in service to God.

Psalm 51:18-19
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Come to Jesus today and confess your sin and your need for His salvation. Praise Him for his grace and mercy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 18, 2014 – Day 50 - Psalm 50

Our path to God should be paved in thankfulness. Psalm 50 is prophetic look at God’s judgment to come particularly related to Israel. In it we see a charge against heartless and hypocritical worship. First the psalmist gives a glimpse of the judgment to come.

Psalm 50:1-3
The LORD, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets. From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance. Our God approaches and he is not silent. Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around him.

We hear God’s charge against His chosen people.

Psalm 50:6-7
Then let the heavens proclaim his justice, for God himself will be the judge. Interlude “O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God!

Though God is speaking directly to Israel for they are the people of sacrificial law; in it we can test our own hearts to see if we are worshipping him as we should. Are we prideful in our religion? Do we think our offerings to God meet His needs?

Psalm 50:8-13
I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats?

Thankfulness must drive our worship and our prayers. This brings glory to God.

Psalm 50:14-15
Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”

In this rebuke where do we fall?

Psalm 50:16-21
But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant? For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash. When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers. Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies. You sit around and slander your brother— your own mother’s son. While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn’t care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you.

The patience of God is made evident in how rarely our sin brings immediate consequence. God is so patient with us, rather than bring quick judgment, He waits on us to cry out in repentance. Do not mistake that for apathy towards sin. Judgment will come. But first He sent His Son to give us opportunity to repent and receive salvation. For that he deserves our worship and it must be filled with thankfulness.

Psalm 50:23
But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”

Today give thanks to God. Pave your path with it and receive His salvation.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 17, 2014 - Day 49 - Psalm 49

Even the wise and the rich die and leave their wealth to others. Psalm 49 is a warning to the rich to be careful upon what they place their trust in. It reminds me of a story from my days as a telephone installer back in the late 70’s.

I worked a strange territory that covered parts of the worst ghetto to parts of the richest of St. Louis. One night I was running late on my work and showed up at a house, no not a house, a mansion up near Forest Park. I was to install another phone jack. The home owner, a very wealthy man, took me upstairs to this beautiful bedroom in this 30 plus room mansion and pointed to a spot next to the bed and said he needed a jack installed right next to the bed. In the bed a woman was sleeping so I advised him that I was going to be a bit noisy and was afraid I would awaken her. He told me that it was ok; she was heavily sedated and would sleep right through my work. I will never forget the look of hopelessness on his face as he proceeded to tell me that his wife was terminally ill with cancer and in her final days. He wanted a phone as close to her as possible should she need to call anyone during the day when he was away at his job. I was not a Christian at the time. He spoke nothing of hope for eternal life nor did I. Tears accompanied his sorrow. His heart was broken. I left that night with a complete understanding that money cannot buy happiness. Money cannot bribe death. Money provides no hope for life after death.

Psalm 49:1-4
TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together! My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

The psalmist has great wisdom and he shares it in this psalm.

We should not envy nor be afraid of the rich.

Psalm 49:5-6
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

To the Christian eternity is what really counts. Riches nor those who wield their power on this earth can affect our eternal destination nor their own.

Psalm 49:7-9
Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit.

All of us will die and face the judgment of God.

Psalm 49:10-14
For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.

Rich or poor, Hell awaits those who reject God’s Son. But to all who receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, to them eternal riches await.

Psalm 49:15
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah

Do not envy the rich. Do not fear them. Death will not pass them by and they will leave this earth with nothing.

Psalm 49:16-19
Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed, —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.

Pray for the rich who have placed their trust in their wealth. Preach to them the Gospel and in your life let them see the truth in your joy of knowing Jesus, for they do not understand. It does not matter that they hold a doctorate from Harvard or Yale, or that they wear fancy suits and drive expensive cars, for without knowledge of the Gospel they will perish for all eternity into the horrors of hell.

Psalm 49:20
Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Paul said this in Ephesians 3:7-8, “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ…”

Christians we, too, are servants of the Gospel. We must go out into the world and preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. I leave you with the great Words of Jesus.

Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - September 16. 2014 - Day 48 - Psalm 48

Historically Psalm 48 is the third psalm celebrating the victory God gave His people Israel over the Assyrians in their siege on Jerusalem. Jerusalem is God’s city. It cannot be overrun by an enemy unless that is God’s desire usually as a response to Israel’s rejection of Him. Spiritually now as New Testament believers, God has chosen to dwell in us, making us the temple in which the Holy Spirit resides. Our enemy, the devil, cannot overrun us anymore than the Assyrians could take Jerusalem. Praise God for this truth.

Psalm 48:1-8
A SONG. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress. For behold, the kings assembled; they came on together. As soon as they saw it, they were astounded; they were in panic; they took to flight. Trembling took hold of them there, anguish as of a woman in labor. By the east wind you shattered the ships of Tarshish. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God, which God will establish forever. Selah

The greatness of God’s love and protection is ever worthy of not only our praise, but also of our declaration to all who come after us.

Psalm 48:9-14
We have thought on your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with righteousness. Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments! Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.

He will guide us forever. The answer to life is simple. Let God be our guide. Let His Word reign in our hearts, our speech, and our actions.