Future Grace, by John Piper

The amount of references to scripture alone makes this book a great read.  John Piper is one of my favorite authors because of his commitment to write from conviction that is based on the Word of God. This is a lofty read but recommended to anyone who longs to take a deep look into the grace of God that is lavished on His children.

Chosen by God, by R.C. Sproul

This book is honest and refreshing.  R.C. Sproul opens us up to his struggle with the doctrine of predestination and teaches with clarity and passion.  I would encourage anyone to pick this book up.

John Calvin’s Sermons on Ephesians

Written by a preacher, these sermons are helpful for anyone who longs to dive deep into the letter to the church at Ephesus.  John Calvin has called the letter of Ephesians his favorite letter and this work is an excellent read.  Charles Spurgeon comments, “Not the same as the exposition. The sermons are priceless.”

a day of reading

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
2 covering yourself with light as with a garment,
stretching out the heavens like a tent.
3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
he makes the clouds his chariot;
he rides on the wings of the wind;
4 he makes his messengers winds,
his ministers a flaming fire.

5 He set the earth on its foundations,
so that it should never be moved.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they fled;
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.
8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down
to the place that you appointed for them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass,
so that they might not again cover the earth.

10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
they flow between the hills;
11 they give drink to every beast of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
they sing among the branches.
13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
15 and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.

16 The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 In them the birds build their nests;
the stork has her home in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;
the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;
the sun knows its time for setting.
20 You make darkness, and it is night,
when all the beasts of the forest creep about.
21 The young lions roar for their prey,
seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they steal away
and lie down in their dens.
23 Man goes out to his work
and to his labor until the evening.

24 O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the sea, great and wide,
which teems with creatures innumerable,
living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships,
and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.

27 These all look to you,
to give them their food in due season.
28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
when you take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.
30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works,
32 who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke!
33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the Lord.
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord!

- Psalm 104

The East, the West, and the Bracha

 Psalm 103

Bless the LORD, O My Soul

Of David.

 ¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul,
   and all that is within me,
   bless his holy name!
² Bless the LORD, O my soul,
   and forget not all his benefits,
³who forgives all your iniquity,
   who heals all your diseases,
⁴who redeems your life from the pit,
   who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵who satisfies you with good
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 ⁶The LORD works righteousness
   and justice for all who are oppressed.
⁷He made known his ways to Moses,
   his acts to the people of Israel.
⁸The LORD is merciful and gracious,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹ He will not always chide,
   nor will he keep his anger forever.
¹⁰He does not deal with us according to our sins,
   nor repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
   so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
¹²as far as the east is from the west,
   so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
¹³As a father shows compassion to his children,
   so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
¹⁴For he knows our frame;
   he remembers that we are dust.

 ¹⁵As for man, his days are like grass;
   he flourishes like a flower of the field;
¹⁶for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
   and its place knows it no more.
¹⁷But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
   and his righteousness to children’s children,
¹⁸to those who keep his covenant
   and remember to do his commandments.
¹⁹The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
   and his kingdom rules over all.

 ²⁰Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
   you mighty ones who do his word,
   obeying the voice of his word!
²¹Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
   his ministers, who do his will!
²² Bless the LORD, all his works,
   in all places of his dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Psalms 103 and 104 go so well together, it might be wise to pause here and read ahead for tomorrow. The resounding theme so poetically delivered calls upon us to bless the Lord for what He has done and who He is. Personally, my study of this Psalm has been of great benefit; it has freed me from a curious little textual hangup I’ve had for some time. The issue I’ve had is with the word “Bless”.

I’ve heard people say, and pray, and sing the first lines of this Psalm, “Bless the Lord,” and always been a little bothered. The Lord has blessed me, more than I can say. I have blessings beyond measure. How, then, can I bless the Lord? Really, I have nothing to offer Him that He hasn’t given me in the first place.

In Hebrew Psalm 103:1 reads Barakhi Nafshi et Adonai. Related Hebrew words - barukh (blessed), berekh (knee), and b’rakha (blessing), paint a picture of gratitude and humility in the face of all God has done for us. Hebrews recite “brachas” to acknowledge God as the source of all blessing. When we recite a bracha to God, we do not try to imply that we are capable of giving Him a tangible blessing; instead, we humbly acknowledge what He has given us and reflect it back to Him. In fact, some translations render the word in this Psalm as “praise”. I now like the idea of the bracha, though, and consider it a privilege to celebrate the blessings I’ve received from God along with Him.

Finally, we could not mention this Psalm without also celebrating verse 12, which extols our remission of sin. Enjoy these additional verses as you reflect on a God who has put away our sin forever: 2 Samuel 12:13, Isaiah 38:17, Isaiah 43:25, Zechariah 3:9, Hebrews 9:26.

Introduction (Ephesians 1:1-2)

A BRIEF OVERVIEW:

Why we are studying this letter

I have titled this series “To The Church” because of the uniqueness of the letter of Ephesians. The letter of Ephesians is unique and a powerful letter for a couple of different reasons. First, unlike the letters to the church at Corinth or the church at Philippi, this letter contains very little personal addresses.  In fact, the only name mentioned in the entire letter is Tychicus, who is sent by Paul to tell them about how Paul is doing as he is writing from a prison in Rome and deliver the letter to them. Because of the lack of personal addresses, it requires very little understanding of the history of the church in Ephesus in order to gain deep truths from the letter.  Where letters like Galatians, Philippians, 1-2 Thessalonians, and 1-2 Corinthians all have more depth to them when you understand the background of what is going on; Ephesians allows for the reader to dive straight in without having a good knowledge of the history of the church at Ephesus. This does not mean that the letter is not deep but the depth is not caused by knowledge of the church itself. It is packed full of both rich doctrine and gospel centered practical application. Because of the lack of expression of personal touches in the letter, many believe this is a circular letter sent to the Asian churches surrounding Ephesus and that the church of Ephesus was a very influential and therefore the first to receive the letter. What this tells us is that this letter is a powerful letter that any church can pick up and immediately relate to. It is a beautiful letter with Gospel saturated truth.  

What we are going to study

We are going to take our time through this letter because of the depth it contains. It packed full of both rich theological truths and solid practical application.  One of the things I love about this letter is the commitment of Paul to show how everything flows through our faith in Christ.  Chapters 1-3 show the doctrine of salvation, how it was through the grace of God that He chose to draw to Himself a people by redeeming them through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.  Chapters 4-6 then move in to the practical applications to what it looks like to be the church and how everything we do flows from us being “In Christ.”  There are two main themes in the letter of Ephesians.

1. Christ has reconciled all creation to Himself and to God, and
2. Christ has united people from all nations to Himself and to one another in His church

These themes are going to guide us as we walk through the letter run.  There are also a few extra interesting notes to make about truths that run through the letter as well:

1. The “will of God” is mentioned more times in Ephesians than any other letter (4 times in the opening paragraph alone)
2. The letter is replete with references to the working of the triune God. Throughout the letter of Ephesians we are going to see the ways the Father, Son, and Spirit work in salvation and sanctification.
3. We are “in Christ.” Our salvation, unity, fellowship, strength, love, etc exists because we are “In Christ”

So, as we dive in, keep in mind these truths that will serve as a guide as we study and praise God for His glorious grace

.               Ephesians 1:1-2

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
     To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The temptation when studying any letter of scripture is to rush through it.  Often we are lazy as pastors or pushed by the nature of the impatience of Americans to move at a fast pace through a letter.  I remember the fight that went on in my soul to just be done with the letter when we studied 1 Corinthians last fall.  I want to start by encouraging you to commit to this study with us and my prayer is that you will long for the rich truths that are presented to radically change the direction of your life.  I pray you will passionately pursue the depth of God’s word and long for it to move within your soul, drawing you closer into fellowship with Him. I have heard stories of Pastors spending years in the letter on Romans alone.  One, whom I admire greatly, spent 8 years walking his church through Romans.  I can feel the impatience inside of me say, “I couldn’t imagine sitting through that long of a study of one letter.  What about the rest of the Bible?” But let’s begin by seeing our tendencies (probably driven by our fast food societal nature) and strive against them.  Let’s take this letter and love the truth that is in every word and every verse.  With that said, the rest of our night tonight is going to be a carefully study of the introduction in verse 1-2. I will try not to keep you here too late. 

It is easy to skip the introductions of the Epistles and say, “this is not where the meat is, show me the meat.” But, when we do this, we miss out on something that will drive us through the rest of the letter. These are not merely literary devices but are placed there for a specific reason and aid in our understanding of every verse that we will study. As I sat down this past week to begin the study, I was captivated by the depth of the first two verses so we are going to tackle these each sentence at a time. 

We are shown the FOUNDATION from the beginning

Paul writes, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.” Here, Paul uses the same terminology he uses in Col. 1:1 and 1-2 Cor. 1:1. This is different from how he opens up the letter of Romans or 1 Timothy. I was us to look closely at the focus Paul starts with as this will lay the foundation of the whole letter.  As I mentioned earlier, Paul uses this concept more times in Ephesians than any other Epistle he writes, he will use this 4 times alone in the next paragraph.  His use of this here is to show his readers that his call to be an apostle is by the same plan and purpose that God has for all of salvation, by “the will of God.”  The idea is not a divine will that we are to determine, but the idea of God’s eternal plan and purpose of salvation which He has had before the foundation of the world.  Paul’s emphasis on all of salvation being according to His divine plan and purpose begins here in Paul’s very introduction of the nature of his apostleship. He shows us that:

EVERYTHING WORKS ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD, TO BRING GLORY TO HIMSELF THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

Paul is going to show us throughout this letter that this “will” is not defined by anything we do but everything that God does.  In Gal. 1:15, Paul tells us that his apostleship and his salvation was given to Him by the will of God before he was even born, “But when He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by His graces.” What this FOUNDATION tells us is that we are about to be shown the “will of God” so we need to pay attention. This is amazing! Think about it, how often do we look for the “will of God?” I feel like every time I turn around I hear another believer talk about how they are still searching for the will of God for their lives. It is something we all long to know. Beloved, this letter will show you the will of God! Don’t let this statement pass you by.  Dive in, search for it, and see what God reveals to you.

The next thing we are shown is the INTENDED RECIPIENTS

Paul goes on to write, “To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus.” He is showing us that the intended recipients of this letter are the “saints in Ephesus that are faithful in Christ Jesus.”

THE SAINTS – Paul regularly uses this term to refer to all believers.  The Greek word here “hagios” refers to our separation rather than our purity. It has in view the position of the believer as being set apart and sanctified. It implies that those who are intended to receive this letter have been set apart by God and declared holy.   

Paul is about to open up the doors to the mystery of the Gospel, showing us of how salvation is brought about and he intends to do this so that those that are set apart will be strengthened and challenged by their understanding of what has happened. While this letter can be used by the Spirit to draw an unbeliever into salvation, it is primarily intended for the redeemed to know who they are and what has taken place in their lives.  This is why I titled the series, “To The Church.” This is something we will see this often throughout the letter and will understand the depth that this carries better as we go along.   

FAITHFUL IN CHRIST – But Paul also qualifies this with the words “who are faithful in Christ.” Why does he add this to his introduction?  I believe this is intentional and carries a lot of weight to it. Therefore, this is vitally important as we begin our study.  The word he uses for faithful is the Greek word “pistos.” Dr. Sam Storms, pastor of Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City, writes, “the term translated “faithful” refers not so much to reliability or trustworthiness (a passive meaning, pointing to their character) but to belief or faith (an active meaning, pointing to their activity).”  It is our faith and trust in Christ acting itself out.  And Paul also reminds us that our faith needs to be found in Christ. While I did mention earlier that you don’t need a thorough background understand of this history behind this letter to comprehend it’s depth but for this point it would help for us turn to 1 Timothy 1:3-5,

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope to Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

Timothy was charged to teach those at Ephesus not to teach a doctrine different than the gospel of Jesus Christ. We also see in Revelation 2 that Jesus commends this church for its stance against false prophets.  So it is safe to say that when Paul writes this letter to the saints in Ephesus he is fully aware of the false teachings that are going on in Ephesus.  He qualifies the saints to remind them that the only salvation is faith in Christ.  They are not saved by anything other than belief and faith in Christ Jesus, and their active faith reveals that they are truly “in Christ.” This carries so much challenge to those of us that read this letter.  This letter is for you if you are indeed “faithful in Christ.”  If you are not, everything about this letter will be confusing.  Apart from our being in Christ we will not know the mystery of salvation.  It is through Christ that we have the Spirit and therefore have the ability to know the mind of God (1 Cor. 2).  Don’t miss this:

 YOU CANNOT PURSUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD WITHOUT GOING THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life!  

This also provides us with confidence because we are found in Christ.  It reminds of our true citizenship.  It screams at us to show us our place in this world.  While teaching at Wheaton College in Kansas City, Dr. Sam Storms writes about this and says,

“No matter where you are geographically and physically, what you are spiritually will never change. You may be at work, at play, overseas, under the weather, out of money, but you are always and unchangeably in Christ! You may be down in the dumps, over the hill, or beside yourself, but you are always and unchangeably in Christ! You may be at paradise or in prison, at the movies or in Belton, but you are always and unchangeably in Christ! Your geographical, earthly, physical location has no affect on your spiritual identity. But the reverse is different. It is precisely because you are in Christ that wherever you live and work and play, you make an impact, you carry an influence, you make a difference. Your spiritual identity as one in Christ must control and characterize how you live, wherever you live. And remember: it is in Kansas City that you are in Christ. They are true simultaneously. You do not live in Christ only while you are at church or in class or in a home group, then to return to being simply in Kansas City when you leave that more ‘holy atmosphere.’ Your ‘in-Christness’ is not simply a heavenly reality that obtains only somewhere up there. You are ‘in Christ’ even when you are ‘in sin!’”

Child of God, know that no matter where you are in life, know that you are IN CHRIST. You are set apart by God to be” in Christ.”  What a glorious redemption we have!

Finally we are shown the BLESSING PAUL PRAYS FOR US TO RECEIVE as we read

It is easy to skip over the quick blessing Paul gives in this letter, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  You hear it so often in the New Testament and probably sometimes in the local church that you attend. Actually, Paul writes this very blessing (or some variation of it) in every one of his Epistles. The sad thing is when we read this we skim right over it. It has lost all the power that was intended behind it.  Let’s take some time as we close this first study to try to open our hearts and ears to see the fullness of this blessing. 

GRACE TO YOU – This is not just a standard greeting or a simple blessing. It is one that is meant to bring power with it.  Think about it, “Grace to you.”  In these 3 simple words there is the prayer for the divine power of grace to flow to those who read this letter. Paul wants to begin by letting the recipients of the letter know he wants this letter to be a way in which the grace of God is lavished on us.  He wants for the truths of this letter to pour out on you in grace. “Grace to you” is powerful! “Grace to you” is magnificent! The most wonderful thing we can ever wish on a person is the grace of God.  Here those words, let them resonate in your heart and cherish them. It is also worthwhile to note that not only do we read “grace to you” In the beginning of all Paul’s letters but at the end of Paul’s letters we read “grace be with you.” John Piper makes an interesting note about this in his book Future Grace. He writes,

“Without exception the apostle Paul begins and ends each of his thirteen New Testament letters by blessing his readers with future grace…at the beginning of his letters Paul has in mind that the letter itself is a channel of God’s grace to the readers. Grace is about to flow ‘from God’ through Paul’s writing to the Christians. So he says, ‘Grace to you.’ That is, grace is now active and is about to flow from God through my inspired writing to you as you read—‘grace [be] to you.’ But as the end of the letter approaches, Paul realizes that the reading is almost finished and the question rises, ‘What becomes of the grace that has been flowing to the readers through the reading of the inspired letter?’ He answers with a blessing at the end of every letter: ‘Grace [be] with you.’ With you as you put the letter away and leave the church. With you as you go home to deal with a sick child and an unaffectionate spouse. With you as you go to work and face the temptations of anger and dishonesty and lust. With you as you muster courage to speak up for Christ over lunch. . . . [Thus] we learn that grace is ready to flow to us every time we take up the inspired Scriptures to read them. And we learn that grace will abide with us when we lay the Bible down and go about our daily living” (Future Grace, 66-67).

Grace is opened up for us as we read the word of God.  Grace extends to us through the Son and the inspired words of God that we will be studying in this letter.  May grace come to you as you read and may grace be with you as you place the Bible down and live a life that is “faithful in Christ.” 

AND PEACE – Now we turn to the word “peace.” This closes out our study of the introduction and is a vital blessing prayed for by Paul for us.  This is because Paul is not only going to communicate the mystery of the Gospel to us but he is going to show us that there is a bond, a unity, which is a result of lives that are “faithful in Christ.” There is a unity that should exist between those that are “in Christ” that is unique and powerful. So, when he prays for “peace,” he is laying the foundation for the charge of unity he is about to express.  He is acknowledging that our unity will only exist as the peace of Christ rules our lives. This peace is the “shalom” of God. And my prayer is for this peace for all who read this letter, the peace that comes through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I long for our unity to be magnificent and our bond to be unique and inviting.  I know that it will only come through the peace of Jesus Christ. Grace and peace will come up often in this letter so it is only fitting that they are prayed for in the beginning.

So I say with Paul, “Grace to you and peace for God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!”

A Psalm of Affliction

A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord.
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry come to you!
2 Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call!

3 For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
4 My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my flesh.
6 I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,
like an owl of the waste places;
7 I lie awake;
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
8 All the day my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
9 For I eat ashes like bread
and mingle tears with my drink,
10 because of your indignation and anger;
for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
11 My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.

12 But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever;
you are remembered throughout all generations.
13 You will arise and have pity on Zion;
it is the time to favor her;
the appointed time has come.
14 For your servants hold her stones dear
and have pity on her dust.
15 Nations will fear the name of the Lord,
and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16 For the Lord builds up Zion;
he appears in his glory;
17 he regards the prayer of the destitute
and does not despise their prayer.

18 Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:
19 that he looked down from his holy height;
from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to set free those who were doomed to die,
21 that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord,
and in Jerusalem his praise,
22 when peoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.

23 He has broken my strength in midcourse;
he has shortened my days.
24 “O my God,” I say, “take me not away
in the midst of my days—
you whose years endure
throughout all generations!”

25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you will remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27 but you are the same, and your years have no end.
28 The children of your servants shall dwell secure;
their offspring shall be established before you.

- Psalm 102

In reading this Psalm I can’t help but be captivated by the attitude of the psalmist. He is afflicted. His suffering makes me think that perhaps I have never experienced true suffering. Note that his enemies taunt him and that he eats ashes and tears are mingled with his drink. A bleak picture of sorrow and distress is painted for the reader. But even in his distress he calls out to God. The pleas for mercy in verse 2 are so powerful that the reader is left with the impression that the psalmist was insisting that God come to his rescue.

One must wonder just how the psalmist ended up in such a pitiful state. But wait, the psalmist himself tells us. In verse 10 he states that his plight is because of the Lord. It is the Lord’s anger and indignation that has caused the psalmist to fall on such bleak and sorrowful times. He has been cast down by the Lord. Why is it that he has returned to the Lord for help if the Lord is his source of suffering? Could it be that the divine wrath that had been meted out to the psalmist and indeed the entire nation of Israel was justified?

I would think that if I were in that position my despair would be unending. To whom could I turn if the Lord Himself had left me to be ravaged by other nations? Indeed, where else could one turn but to the only one that could alleviate the suffering? If the Lord has led me into captivity, then I must trust that the Lord will lead me out of captivity. What an amazing promise we have in verses 18-20. The Lord has looked down upon the earth not to see the wonders of man, or the works of His own hands, but to hear the groans of the prisoners. He has come to set free those that were doomed to die.

This is not just a psalm of affliction but the Gospel! We who are held captive by sin must turn to the one who has justly appointed our afflictions. We must join with the saints in groaning to Him for our freedom and return to Him even when (and especially when) it seems that the Lord has appointed us to suffer. Then we too can dwell secure in the hope that is in Him. Praise be to God.

do we need to be this bold?

A Psalm of David.
1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
to you, O Lord, I will make music.
2 I will ponder the way that is blameless.
Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
within my house;
3 I will not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
it shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will know nothing of evil.

5 Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly
I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart
I will not endure.

6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he who walks in the way that is blameless
shall minister to me.

7 No one who practices deceit
shall dwell in my house;
no one who utters lies
shall continue before my eyes.

8 Morning by morning I will destroy
all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all the evildoers
from the city of the Lord.

- Psalm 101

At first, when I read this psalm, I found myself going “mmhm, mmhm,” but then when I kept going a subtle hesitancy began to creep into my thoughts. I found myself thinking, ”I am not sure about that David. Don’t you think that is a little too bold? What about forgiveness and acceptance?” David seems to go a little bit to the extreme to me.  But as I meditated on the word, I started wondering, is it something we should consider more? Should we take a stance against evil and perversion similar to the one David takes? 

David starts with things we can easily agree with, notice the progression, ”I will sing, I will ponder, and I will walk” (1-2).  These are all positive statements about what David will do.  They are easy statements for us to say we will do as well. 

“I will sing of steadfast love and justice” (1) Yes!
“I will ponder the way that is blameless” (2a) Yes!
“I will walk with integrity of heart within my house” (2b) Yes! 

All these things are things can we all agree we should strive to do each and every day.  Imagine if our lives were filled with this singing, pondering, and walking.  What would it look like?  Well, we are shown what it looks like in the next 6 verses. David first shifts from positive statements to negative statements in verses 3-4:

“I will not before my eyes anything that is worthless” (3a) “I can did it!”
“I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me” (3b) “Hate is a strong word David.”
“A perverse heart shall be far from me” (4) “Just how far, David?”

As he sings and ponders and walks in integrity the automatic result is his disgust for those things that are worthless and perverse.  He has “spiritual taste buds.”  He knows the things that don’t satisfy and therefore, he despises them.

He, then, continues to move back and forth between these positive and negative statements through verses 5-6.  He says that he will “destroy whoever slanders” and “not endure a haughty and arrogant heart” (5). That just seems a little extreme, doesn’t it? He continues to say he will “look with favor on the faithful” allowing them to dwell with him and be ministered to by those who “walk in the way that is blameless” (6). What we are shown is that he has developed a disgust towards those things that the Lord detests. And, he loves the things that the Lord loves. He enjoys the fellowship of the blameless and hates the fellowship of the wicked. 

Do we need to be this bold?  Should we detest the things that are adamently against the Lord?  Yes, we should! We should “abhore what is evil” and “hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9). Do we do this? Is our life filled with songs and meditation of the Lord? Then, and only then, will we stand as bold as David. Strive to sing, ponder and walk in the same way as David and let the Spirit rise up in you.

I think the last two verses could easily come straight from the mouth of God,

7 No one who practices deceit
shall dwell in my house;
no one who utters lies
shall continue before my eyes.

8 Morning by morning I will destroy
all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all the evildoers
from the city of the Lord.

- one who is learning how to sing, ponder and walk

to The Church

join us on Sunday nights for our study through the letter of Ephesians called “to The Church.”

let us rejoice!

A Psalm for giving thanks.
1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

5 For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

- Psalm 100

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