A Love Song to His Majesty

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song.
1 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

2 You are the most handsome of the sons of men;
grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
in your splendor and majesty!

4 In your majesty ride out victoriously
for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.

6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

10 Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father’s house,
11 and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
12 The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
the richest of the people.

13 All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
14 In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
with her virgin companions following behind her.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.

16 In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.
17 I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

- Psalm 45

Psalm 45 contains a rich song pointed to an unknown or uncertain king at the time.  Evidently, the Sons of Korah were composing a love song to authority, recognizing their leadership, but even above that; giving glory to God who sits on His throne (Psalm 45:6).  It’s a great Psalm and I believe great way to kick off a weekend that is soon approaching.
 
Some claim this Psalm to be a Messianic (tying to Christ) in nature.  For example, Hebrews 1:8-9 cites Psalm 45:6-7.  There are evidences of Revelation 19 in here as well as we read about the glorious return of Christ.  From these 17 verses, I want to give you a challenge.  Today, sing or write a love song to His Majesty; the majesty of Christ.  Since I view Christ as my Savior King, I want to take this Psalm and apply it in a sense of composing a love song to Him.
 
Love songs are everywhere on the radio.  They seem to sell more than other types of songs because of the way they draw out the emotional side of people.  There’s just something about a new love song that hits the charts on itunes that draws people’s interest.  I can’t explain it, other than the fact that we are emotional creatures!  I know I don’t hold much stock in love songs for they don’t communicate to me a TRUE love, but rather a superficial love that will soon fade away.  I see such rubbish at times impact my students as they quickly use the words, “I love you” without realizing the impact of the words.  Do you really love that person?  Do you really love King Jesus?  Have you told Him?
 
Why can’t we pour out our emotions to Christ?  Why can’t we take an approach of writing love songs to our Savior?  Follow me with this thought.  Take Psalm 45:2, for example.  Here, the sons of Korah could easily be writing to a king of their time.  However, when I read Revelation 19 and see the amazing worship service that takes place when Christ returns, I can see these words, “You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips therefore God has blessed you forever” (Psalm 45:2), applied to the Son of Man who valiantly returns; fully clothed in majesty.  Take a look at Psalm 45:3-4, and see how they connect with Revelation 19 as well!  It seems to me that we can take a love song approach and praise our Wonderful Maker for the gift of His beautiful and marvelous Son.
 
Today, write a love song to your Savior.  Sing to His Name.  Sing of His infinite worth.  Allow your emotional creativity draw you to sweet worship and fellowship of His unchanging love for you.  Above any relationships you may have on this side of glory, pour even more emphasis and admiration to the King of Kings today.  May by His grace, you enjoy Him forever.
 
- From one who loves the Savior King.

poor Perspective

Former Deliverances and Present Troubles.
For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

    1O God, we have heard with our ears,
         Our fathers have told us
         The work that You did in their days,
         In the days of old.
    2You with Your own hand drove out the nations;
         Then You planted them;
         You afflicted the peoples,
         Then You spread them abroad.
    3For by their own sword they did not possess the land,
         And their own arm did not save them,
         But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence,
         For You favored them.
    4You are my King, O God;
        Command victories for Jacob.
    5Through You we will push back our adversaries;
         Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.
    6For I will not trust in my bow,
         Nor will my sword save me.
    7But You have saved us from our adversaries,
         And You have put to shame those who hate us.
    8In God we have boasted all day long,
         And we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah.
    9Yet You have rejected us and brought us to dishonor,
         And do not go out with our armies.
    10You cause us to turn back from the adversary;
         And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves.
    11You give us as sheep to be eaten
         And have scattered us among the nations.
    12You sell Your people cheaply,
         And have not profited by their sale.
    13You make us a reproach to our neighbors,
         A scoffing and a derision to those around us.
    14You make us a byword among the nations,
         A laughingstock among the peoples.
    15All day long my dishonor is before me
         And my humiliation has overwhelmed me,
    16Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles,
         Because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger.
    17All this has come upon us, but we have not forgotten You,
         And we have not dealt falsely with Your covenant.
    18Our heart has not turned back,
         And our steps have not deviated from Your way,
    19Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals
         And covered us with the shadow of death.
    20If we had forgotten the name of our God
         Or extended our hands to a strange god,
    21Would not God find this out?
         For He knows the secrets of the heart.
    22But for Your sake we are killed all day long;
         We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
    23 Arouse Yourself, why do You sleep, O Lord?
         Awake, do not reject us forever.
    24Why do You hide Your face
         And forget our affliction and our oppression?
    25For our soul has sunk down into the dust;
         Our body cleaves to the earth.
    26Rise up, be our help,
         And redeem us for the sake of Your loving-kindness.

 - Psalm 44

Have you ever felt like the world was crashing down around you?  Are you a faithful believer who goes to church every time the doors are open, yet nothing in your life is going right?  Is God to blame?  The psalmist seemed to think so, but he is wrong.  He is not looking at his life God’s eyes.

The psalmist opens with praise for the Lord, recounting the days of old.  He remembers hearing about how God USED to bless the people of Israel; how he used to fight for and protect them.  While these things may have been true, he seems to be relying on the memories of others, about how good things used to be. Notice how he does not remember the wanderings in the wilderness, the oppression under pharaoh, or any of the other failures of Israel on the battlefield.  We too often remember the good-ol’ days by looking through rose colored glasses.  Rarely were things as rosy as we remember them

The psalmist is not completely off base though.  He does recognize that with God on their side, that Israel is capable of anything. He extols the virtues, the strengths and the sovereignty of God. When things get bad, do you turn to God? Do you recognize that he is the source of everything good, and that he is more than capable to provide what you need?

Well, he should have stopped there.  Instead, he begins to complain that God has unjustly left them to the whims of their enemies.  He accuses God of selling His people cheaply, of actively participating in their demise, and passively turning His face from them and allowing their enemies to go unchecked. God’s seeming abandonment of his people made it appear that he was asleep and unaware of their plight, prompting the psalmist to ask, “Why do you sleep, O Lord?” This question is followed by the plea, “Awake; do not cast [us] off forever.” Thus the psalmist pleaded for God not to continue acting as if he had forsaken his people, failing to take note of their sad plight. For God to “awake” would denote his effecting their deliverance.

The psalmist could not understand why God hid his face and took no note of their poverty or affliction and distress. It seemed to him that the Most High paid no attention to their distressing circumstances. In not responding with needed aid, he appeared to have forgotten the hardships the people were facing.  We cannot know what has happened that God has seemingly left His people.  However, there is no track record of God acting unjustly, so while it may be difficult to accept, the people were getting what they deserved.  We sometimes get angry with God because we cannot understand why bad things happen.  This is never justified.  We are limited in our perspective, and in our motives.  God is righteous, and just and holy.  He and He alone knows what we need and how best to deliver it for us.

On the basis of God’s compassionate care, abiding loyalty, or steadfast love, the psalmist prayed for help and deliverance. Even when things seem to be going poorly, or especially then, we need to turn to God for his grace and mercy; however, not because we deserve it, but because it glorifies Him.

Deceit and complaints and praise

1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause
against an ungodly people,
from the deceitful and unjust man
deliver me!
2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling!
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

- Psalm 43

Injustice. The word itself gets my adrenaline flowing. I grew up watching Superman fight for truth, justice, and the American way, and I just don’t like it when someone is wronged. I want to jump to their defense, to take a stand against the injustice, to seek vindication. Maybe I should have been a lawyer!

Psalm 43 finds the injustice happening to the Psalmist himself. He cries out to the Great Vindicator for deliverance, and in verse 2 divulges his impatience. He sounds exasperated, and he’s complaining. Does he have that right? Complaint is a natural response in the face of injustice. Just last night I was complaining about a company that wouldn’t take a defective product back because it was past their scant 30-day warranty. Seemed unjust to me. However, we all know from experience that the “natural” response is not always the correct response.

So, is the Psalmist unjustified in his complaint to God? It’s important to note the distinction: he is complaining to God, not complaining about God. What follows is a beautiful picture of the “psychological healing” God can do in us when we are open with Him. The complaints of verse 2 turn not to rejection of God’s path, but in verse 3 to a renewed motivation to follow that very path.  This is exclamation point territory, and verses 3 and 4 are a beautiful passage to memorize. Notice: the path is not clear, but the destination is. The altar of God, our exceeding joy, the place at which we can praise Him, should be our target in any circumstance. Our Psalmist knows not how to get there, particularly in his present situation among the deceitful and unjust, but he is now reminded of where he wants to go and what it will take to get there: the leadership of God’s light and truth.

If only it were that simple. Difficult predicament + complaint to God = renewed praise and motivation. Alas, our carnal natures in this real world do not always follow the equation. Witness verse 5, an honest statement from a conflicted emotion that should resonate with all of us. We are a people of split personalities, and I picture the Psalmist, likely David, standing, pacing, speaking the words of verse 5 aloud to himself. If God is really my exceeding joy, and I know that, then why do I feel so… downcast. Continuing the psychological progression of these 5 verses, he concludes with a reminder to hope in God, knowing the praise will eventually return.

Oh, how we need those reminders to ourselves! Little coat hooks where we can hang our situations, our hopes, and yes, our complaints. Hope in God, for even if you don’t feel like you can do it right now, you shall again praise Him.

do you long for God?

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.
1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
a multitude keeping festival.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation 6 and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember You
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the roar of Your waterfalls;
all Your breakers and Your waves
have gone over me.
8 By day the Lord commands His steadfast love,
and at night His song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock:
“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my bones,
my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

- Psalm 42

In this rich Psalm, we see from the writer the great need to long for God.  I wonder if people in churches today truly long for God?  Do you long for God?  Lets take a look at just one word in the 11 verses here. 
 
Psalm 42:1 is beautifully stated, “As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, God.”  I’m using the Holman Christian Standard version with this verse because I agree with their wording.  The word `arag  (aw-rag’), meaning to long for — cry, pant, is used.  This animal is obviously on a tired journey that is in desperate need for refreshment.  His desire for satisfaction is found in the fact that his cry is heard, his panting is refreshed, his longing is found.  It’s not a once a week idea.  I believe this is a daily longing for survival.  We even see in verse 2 that the writer so boldly states, “I thirst for God, the Living God.”  What do you thirst for?  What do you long for?
 
I see much complacency today in the life of believers.  It seems that we have sold a Gospel that gives heaven but not God.  We offer the riches of heaven rather than the riches of God alone.  This deer wasn’t looking for a place that contains water… this deer was looking for water.  I see such a beautiful connection to what we are faced with today.  I’m about to say something that may shock you…but please read it a few times and allow it to process.  Are you ready?  Here it goes.  If you don’t want God, if you don’t long for God, if you don’t cry out and pant for God; than you will not experience the riches of heaven.  Does the deer want the location or the substance?  Does the deer want the location or the need? 
 
My challenge for you today is to live each step with a need and longing for God.  Treasure Him and praise Him for the riches of His grace found through Christ (read Ephesians…all of it).  Cry out to Him for mercy and steadfast love if depression is near (look at Psalm 42:6).  Praise Him for the love that He sends (look at Psalm 42:8).  As you need water to satisfy your thirst, you need living water to satisfy your eternal longing.
 
I pray today you will plunge into Emmanuel’s blood, taste His living water, and enjoy the gift of His Father…forever.  May your longing be satisfied today. 
 
- From one whose longing has arrived by the grace of God.

the Lord delights in us

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor!
In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;
2 the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;
he is called blessed in the land;
you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;
in his illness you restore him to full health.

4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against You!”
5 My enemies say of me in malice,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,
while his heart gathers iniquity;
when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
7 All who hate me whisper together about me;
they imagine the worst for me.

8 They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him;
he will not rise again from where he lies.”
9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
10 But You, O Lord, be gracious to me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them!

11 By this I know that You delight in me:
my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.
12 But You have upheld me because of my integrity,
and set me in Your presence forever.

13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.

- Psalm 41

Psalm 41 begins, in verses 1-3, by proclaiming the blessings poured out from the Lord upon those who consider the poor. The kindness of those towards the lowly does not go unnoticed by the Lord.  The poor is a reference to those who cannot care for themselves, whether it be through financial means or protection from the wicked. Just as the saints of old cared for the poor and lowly we too should care for them, especially those that are apart of the body of Christ.  Notice the blessings of the Lord, He delivers him, protects him, and sustains him on his sick bed.  The Lord cares for those in their time of need who have cared for others.  Let us emulate the psalmist life and have our lives marked by the care we give to those who are in need of the most care. 

his presents distress (4-10)

Then he moves again to his present distress which involved his enemies seeking to cause him harm.  He describes how they are coming to him on his sick bed and uttering empty words.  They are pretending to care and be concerned but are only seeking to gather more against the psalmist to spread it abroad (gossip was just as present and harmful then as it is today). The psalmist even tells us that his close friend is rising up against him.  This is to show the severity of the pain he is going through.  Jesus actually references verse 9 while talking about the betrayel of Judas.  This give us a visual image of the pain Jesus went through by being betrayed by one of his disciples. 

                   Man of sorrows, what a name!
                                For the Son of God, Who came
                         Ruined sinners to reclaim.
                                  Halleluiah! What a Savior!

                     Bearing shame and scoffing rude, 
                                In my place condemned He stood;
                         Sealed my pardon with His blood.
                                    Halleluliah! What a Savior!

his hope is in the Lord

But the psalmist does not despair from the pain and turmoil but trusts in the Lord for deliverance.  His hope and confidence stands firm in the Lord to deliver him because of his faith and integrity.  He has faith in the Lord because he has cared for the poor and lowly.  He knows that the Lord delights in him because of his integrity and has set him in His presence. 

Can you pray with the same confidence?  Do you know that the Lord delights in you? 

The glorious truth for us today is that the Lord does delight in us, not because of our integrity, but rather the integrity and righteousness of the spotless Lamb, Jesus Christ.  And the Lord, who is ”from everlasting to everlasting,” hears our prayers (1 Jn 5:14-15) and is faithful to sustain us and deliver us in our time of need.  

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.”

- one overwhelmed with joy because he knows the Lord takes delight in him

His help and His rescue

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
He inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.

4 Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
Your wondrous deeds and Your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with You!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.

6 In sacrifice and offering You have not delighted,
but You have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
You have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
Your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as You know, O Lord.
10 I have not hidden Your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness
from the great congregation.

11 As for You, O Lord, You will not restrain
Your mercy from me;
Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek You
rejoice and be glad in You;
may those who love Your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!

- Psalm 40

This beautiful Psalm is easily one of my favorites in the entire collection.  I love the division it contains, focusing on 2 major sections: thanksgiving for the Lord’s history of His provision, and a refreshing reliance on His current mercy.  In other words, the writer boasts in how through patience and resting in God’s presence, he has found comfort in His sweet rescue.  The writer then continues on with the idea that he will continue to trust and give His allegiance to the majesty of YHVH.

Think with me for a moment about a time in your life in which you’ve discovered the gracious hand of the Lord rescuing you from trial or tribulation.  Think with me of the pain you endured but then the victory you discovered in the end.  We often times look at suffering in a sense of a momentary discomfort and a blinded awareness of His control.  However, when we look at the beauty He gives us in waiting patiently for Him and seeking His pleasure, we in turn receive the greatest news of all; His mercy and grace!

Lately, I’ve been reading Job.  It’s amazing to me that we read this book with the lens of the outcome.  We know that in the end, Job will be blessed richly for His patience and waiting in the Lord’s presence.  Even with lousy advice from friends and a hurt spouse, Job perseveres.  However, one thing that has challenged me is the understanding that Job doesn’t know the outcome at the present time.  His patience in suffering and joy in the Lord sustains him during difficult days.  What faith!  What trust and satisfaction he presents as a testimony to us!

Do you wait patiently today?  Do you cling to His rescue?  Do you rejoice in the new song He puts in your mouth daily (Psalm 40:3)? Do you make Him your trust (Psalm 40:4), your subject to proclaim (Psalm 40:5), your delight in worship (Psalm 40:16)?  I want to encourage you to read all 17 verses today of Psalm 40 and rejoice in the Lord, your help and your deliverer.

-from one who finds all his hope and rescue in Him

for what, or rather whom, do you wait?

To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1 I said, “I will guard my ways,
that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
2 I was mute and silent;
I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
3 My heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:

4 “O Lord, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
5 Behold, You have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing before You.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.
Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
for it is You who have done it.
10 Remove Your stroke from me;
I am spent by the hostility of Your hand.
11 When You discipline a man
with rebukes for sin,
You consume like a moth what is dear to him;
surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and give ear to my cry;
hold not Your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with You,
a guest, like all my fathers.
13 Look away from me, that I may smile again,
before I depart and am no more!”

- Psalm 39

This is another challenging psalm for us to consider the way the psalmist carries himself inside of suffering.  The psalmist begins by describing how he has watched his tongue in the presence of the wicked.  He is referring to how he is concerned of how he might react in his suffering and what that would say to the wicked.  Even in his suffering he longs for the Lord to be glorified. But as he can’t contain himself, he releases his tongue in the form of prayer and worship.  Notice just what he says though…

enlighten us to our life span (4-6)

David asks for the Lord to make known to him the brevity of his life.  He does this so he will know the fleeting pleasures of this life and understand the sinful desire to store up wealth on this earth.  He does not start by asking for the suffering to be removed but rather starts by asking to understand the significance of the suffering.  When we understand that our life is but a vapor (James 4:14) and the Lord is the one who numbers our days (4) then the suffering we face will not be as severe as we might make it out to be.  Then we will long for the Lord and not just a better life on this earth. Notice the transition into verse 7…

for what do we wait

After seeking to know the number of his days the psalmist shows what is in his heart, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). David writes, “O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You” (7). He waits for restoration with the Lord.  David sees that his suffering is a result of the discipline of the Lord (11) and therefore waits for the Lord to remove His hand (13). The psalmist does not accuse the Lord of acting unjustly but rather knows that “the Lord disciplines the one He loves” (Hebrews 12:6).  He sees his sin and grieves not just because of his suffering from it but also the place in which he now stands with the Lord.  He longs to dwell in the house of the Lord (Psalm 27:4) and knows that his fellowship is disrupted by his sin. May we all come to realize the breadth of what our sin does to us. 

For what, or rather whom, do we wait for when we are suffering?  Do we long for the mere relief of the suffering or the presence and fellowship of the Lord?  Are we the first to curse the Lord or the first to watch over the use of our tongues? Do we recognize that the discipline of the Lord is the result of His love for us? Learn from David and this psalm.  Speak in your time of need but let it be utterances of worship and adoration. 

- one who waits for the Lord

the crushing weight of sin

A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.
1 O Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger,
nor discipline me in Your wrath!
2 For Your arrows have sunk into me,
and Your hand has come down on me.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh
because of Your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds stink and fester
because of my foolishness,
6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
all the day I go about mourning.
7 For my sides are filled with burning,
and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and crushed;
I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

9 O Lord, all my longing is before You;
my sighing is not hidden from You.
10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
and my nearest kin stand far off.

12 Those who seek my life lay their snares;
those who seek my hurt speak of ruin
and meditate treachery all day long.

13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14 I have become like a man who does not hear,
and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

15 But for You, O Lord, do I wait;
it is You, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16 For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,
who boast against me when my foot slips!”

17 For I am ready to fall,
and my pain is ever before me.
18 I confess my iniquity;
I am sorry for my sin.
19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20 Those who render me evil for good
accuse me because I follow after good.

21 Do not forsake me, O Lord!
O my God, be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!

- Psalm 38

This is a piercing psalm.  As I read this psalm (over and over) I was pierced by the anguish in the psalmist heart over his own sin.  I found myself wondering if I ever feel this same type of anguish over my sin.  Notice the plea of the first two stanzas:

“O Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger, nor discipline me in Your wrath! For Your arrows have sunk into me, and Your hand has come down on me. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.” (1-3)

The psalmist is pleading with the Lord to remove His anger.  He understands the gravity of His sin and what it means.  Often times I feel as though sin is much less serious to us than it was in the patriarch’s of old.  Yes, we have been bought with the blood of Christ and our sin is covered by that blood but when we sin we need to experience the same grief that the psalmist does over it.  For sin disrupts our intimate fellowship with our God and that should grieve us in the same way that it does David.  Listen to his grief:

” My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness, I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning. For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart.” (5-8)

He is “utterly bowed down and prostrate” and goes about mourning “all day.” His view of his sin is real and grievous. He longs for the day when he is reconciled to the Lord.  He realizes the full effect of his sin and mourns over it.  Our sin should be no less grievous to us.  We have been given so much in Christ and our sin should devastate us.  Granted, we should always lean on the grace of Christ, but our sin should pierce our hearts and leave us prostrate before a holy God seeking repentance.  And just like David our confidence should be in the Lord’s answer:

” O Lord, all my longing is before You; my sighing is not hidden from You” (9) ”But for You, O Lord, do I wait; it is You, O Lord my God, who will answer.” (15) “Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!” (21-22)

David closes this psalm by speaking of how even his closes friends have deserted him in his time of need.  But this turmoil does not devastate him because he knows the Lord hears his voice and it is the Lord that he waits for.  Then he cries out for the Lord to make haste and come to him.  What a beautiful psalm of repentance! May we all grieve over our sin in the same way David does here and may we seek the Lord only for relief. 

a side challenge

When you read a psalm like this that has so much passion and emotion in it, it is easy to just read it.  I challenge you to think of the emotion behind a passage when reading it.  Try to read the psalm or passage of scripture with the desire to know the emotions of the writer.  Then read the passage with the passion that is behind it.  Let the scripture become real to you as you read. 

- one who grieves over his sin

finding delight

 Of David.
1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose way is upright;
15 their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.

16 Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.

18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
in the days of famine they have abundance.

20 But the wicked will perish;
the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;
they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord upholds his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good;
so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice;
he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
and dwell upon it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not slip.

32 The wicked watches for the righteous
and seeks to put him to death.
33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power
or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
though I sought him, he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

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

Psalm 37

While examining this Psalm, I was struck by how different it is from most of the other Psalms I have been reading lately. Although David wrote it, this Psalm may seem more at home amongst the Proverbs for it carries words of wisdom for our instruction. I would like to focus today on three simple concepts from the first few verses.

1. Trust in the Lord

This is the ultimate exhortation to faith. Whether we are struggling with issues of doubt or issues with sin, it all comes down to whether or not your trust is in Him. The life of the Christian is built around trust. We trust that whatever needs that we may have that He will provide. We trust that He is faithful and that He will hold to His promise for those that Love Him. But most of all, we trust in His grace. That He will provide even the means in us to trust in Him when we are lacking.

2. Delight yourself in the Lord

This is not the theology of the church of today that gives us riches by proclaiming His name. No, it is far better than that. The second half of the verse promises “the desires of your heart”. What are the desires of the heart for those that delight in the Lord? Well, it is to live a life that is pleasing to him. It is not riches of this earth that we truly desire but to know and be known by Him that gave us life. That is the desire of my heart and I delight in the thought that He has promised to give that to me.

3. Commit your way to the Lord

I can not help but think of James 4:8 and Zechariah 1:3 when I read this. But perhaps it is better captured by what Jesus said in John 15:14- “You are my friends if you do what I command.” I like the way this is phrased as well. The writer has not asked us to commit our hearts or ourselves but our way. Walk as He walked and do as he did and the Lord will act. In this we can be true followers of “the way”.

Lord, I pray today that I can trust in You in all that I do and that I can find all my delight in You. Help me to commit my way to You Lord and give me the strength necessary to walk as You have shown us.

- BDS

let us just read

To the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of the Lord.
 1 Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in his heart;
there is no fear of God
before his eyes.
 2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes
that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
 3 The words of his mouth are a trouble and deceit;
he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
 4 He plots trouble while on his bed;
he sets himself in a way that is not good;
he does not reject evil.

 5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
 6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
Your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast You save, O Lord.

 7 How precious is Your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
 8 They feast on the abundance of Your house,
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
 9 For with You is the fountain of life;
in Your light do we see light.

10 Oh, continue Your steadfast love to those who know You,
and Your righteousness to the upright of heart!
11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the evildoers lie fallen;
they are thrust down, unable to rise.

- Psalm 36

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