psalm 120

1 In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
2 Deliver me, O Lord,
from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.

3 What shall be given to you,
and what more shall be done to you,
you deceitful tongue?
4 A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with glowing coals of the broom tree!

5 Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,
that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I had my dwelling
among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace,
but when I speak, they are for war!

- Psalm 120

psalm 119

Meditations and Prayers Relating to the Law of God.

Aleph.

1 How blessed are those whose way is blameless,
Who walk in the law of the LORD.
2 How blessed are those who observe His testimonies,
Who seek Him with all their heart.
3 They also do no unrighteousness;
They walk in His ways.
4 You have ordained Your precepts,
That we should keep them diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be established
To keep Your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be ashamed
When I look upon all Your commandments.
7 I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
8 I shall keep Your statutes;
Do not forsake me utterly!

Beth.

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.
10 With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
11 Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, O LORD;
Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have told of
All the ordinances of Your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts
And regard Your ways.
16 I shall delight in Your statutes;
I shall not forget Your word.

Gimel.

17 Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law.
19 I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20 My soul is crushed with longing
After Your ordinances at all times.
21 You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed,
Who wander from Your commandments.
22 Take away reproach and contempt from me,
For I observe Your testimonies.
23 Even though princes sit and talk against me,
Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
24 Your testimonies also are my delight;
They are my counselors.

Daleth.

25 My soul cleaves to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
26 I have told of my ways, and You have answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts,
So I will meditate on Your wonders.
28 My soul weeps because of grief;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
29 Remove the false way from me,
And graciously grant me Your law.
30 I have chosen the faithful way;
I have placed Your ordinances before me.
31 I cling to Your testimonies;
O LORD, do not put me to shame!
32 I shall run the way of Your commandments,
For You will enlarge my heart.

He.

33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall observe it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law
And keep it with all my heart.
35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies
And not to dishonest gain.
37 Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity,
And revive me in Your ways.
38 Establish Your word to Your servant,
As that which produces reverence for You.
39 Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your ordinances are good.
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me through Your righteousness.

Vav.

41 May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O LORD,
Your salvation according to Your word;
42 So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
43 And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I wait for Your ordinances.
44 So I will keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
45 And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
46 I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings
And shall not be ashamed.
47 I shall delight in Your commandments,
Which I love.
48 And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments,
Which I love;
And I will meditate on Your statutes.

Zayin.

49 Remember the word to Your servant,
In which You have made me hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction,
That Your word has revived me.
51 The arrogant utterly deride me,
Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.
52 I have remembered Your ordinances from of old, O LORD,
And comfort myself.
53 Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked,
Who forsake Your law.
54 Your statutes are my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
55 O LORD, I remember Your name in the night,
And keep Your law.
56 This has become mine,
That I observe Your precepts.

Heth.

57 The LORD is my portion;
I have promised to keep Your words.
58 I sought Your favor with all my heart;
Be gracious to me according to Your word.
59 I considered my ways
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
60 I hastened and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
61 The cords of the wicked have encircled me,
But I have not forgotten Your law.
62 At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You
Because of Your righteous ordinances.
63 I am a companion of all those who fear You,
And of those who keep Your precepts.
64 The earth is full of Your lovingkindness, O LORD;
Teach me Your statutes.

Teth.

65 You have dealt well with Your servant,
O LORD, according to Your word.
66 Teach me good discernment and knowledge,
For I believe in Your commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
68 You are good and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
69 The arrogant have forged a lie against me;
With all my heart I will observe Your precepts.
70 Their heart is covered with fat,
But I delight in Your law.
71 It is good for me that I was afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
72 The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Yodh.

73 Your hands made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
74 May those who fear You see me and be glad,
Because I wait for Your word.
75 I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
76 O may Your lovingkindness comfort me,
According to Your word to Your servant.
77 May Your compassion come to me that I may live,
For Your law is my delight.
78 May the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me with a lie;
But I shall meditate on Your precepts.
79 May those who fear You turn to me,
Even those who know Your testimonies.
80 May my heart be blameless in Your statutes,
So that I will not be ashamed.

Kaph.

81 My soul languishes for Your salvation;
I wait for Your word.
82 My eyes fail with longing for Your word,
While I say, “When will You comfort me?”
83 Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget Your statutes.
84 How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
85 The arrogant have dug pits for me,
Men who are not in accord with Your law.
86 All Your commandments are faithful;
They have persecuted me with a lie; help me!
87 They almost destroyed me on earth,
But as for me, I did not forsake Your precepts.
88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

Lamedh.

89 Forever, O LORD,
Your word is settled in heaven.
90 Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations;
You established the earth, and it stands.
91 They stand this day according to Your ordinances,
For all things are Your servants.
92 If Your law had not been my delight,
Then I would have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have revived me.
94 I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.
95 The wicked wait for me to destroy me;
I shall diligently consider Your testimonies.
96 I have seen a limit to all perfection;
Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Mem.

97 O how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
98 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
For they are ever mine.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the aged,
Because I have observed Your precepts.
101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.
102 I have not turned aside from Your ordinances,
For You Yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are Your words to my taste!
Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 From Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.

Nun.

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
106 I have sworn and I will confirm it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.
107 I am exceedingly afflicted;
Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.
108 O accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD,
And teach me Your ordinances.
109 My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not gone astray from Your precepts.
111 I have inherited Your testimonies forever,
For they are the joy of my heart.
112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, even to the end.

Samekh.

113 I hate those who are double-minded,
But I love Your law.
114 You are my hiding place and my shield;
I wait for Your word.
115 Depart from me, evildoers,
That I may observe the commandments of my God.
116 Sustain me according to Your word, that I may live;
And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
117 Uphold me that I may be safe,
That I may have regard for Your statutes continually.
118 You have rejected all those who wander from Your statutes,
For their deceitfulness is useless.
119 You have removed all the wicked of the earth like dross;
Therefore I love Your testimonies.
120 My flesh trembles for fear of You,
And I am afraid of Your judgments.

Ayin.

121 I have done justice and righteousness;
Do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Be surety for Your servant for good;
Do not let the arrogant oppress me.
123 My eyes fail with longing for Your salvation
And for Your righteous word.
124 Deal with Your servant according to Your lovingkindness
And teach me Your statutes.
125 I am Your servant; give me understanding,
That I may know Your testimonies.
126 It is time for the LORD to act,
For they have broken Your law.
127 Therefore I love Your commandments
Above gold, yes, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I esteem right all Your precepts concerning everything,
I hate every false way.

Pe.

129 Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul observes them.
130 The unfolding of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
131 I opened my mouth wide and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
132 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
After Your manner with those who love Your name.
133 Establish my footsteps in Your word,
And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.
134 Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.
135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
136 My eyes shed streams of water,
Because they do not keep Your law.

Tsadhe.

137 Righteous are You, O LORD,
And upright are Your judgments.
138 You have commanded Your testimonies in righteousness
And exceeding faithfulness.
139 My zeal has consumed me,
Because my adversaries have forgotten Your words.
140 Your word is very pure,
Therefore Your servant loves it.
141 I am small and despised,
Yet I do not forget Your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And Your law is truth.
143 Trouble and anguish have come upon me,
Yet Your commandments are my delight.
144 Your testimonies are righteous forever;
Give me understanding that I may live.

Qoph.

145 I cried with all my heart; answer me, O LORD!
I will observe Your statutes.
146 I cried to You; save me
And I shall keep Your testimonies.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I wait for Your words.
148 My eyes anticipate the night watches,
That I may meditate on Your word.
149 Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
Revive me, O LORD, according to Your ordinances.
150 Those who follow after wickedness draw near;
They are far from Your law.
151 You are near, O LORD,
And all Your commandments are truth.
152 Of old I have known from Your testimonies
That You have founded them forever.

Resh.

153 Look upon my affliction and rescue me,
For I do not forget Your law.
154 Plead my cause and redeem me;
Revive me according to Your word.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
For they do not seek Your statutes.
156 Great are Your mercies, O LORD;
Revive me according to Your ordinances.
157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
Yet I do not turn aside from Your testimonies.
158 I behold the treacherous and loathe them,
Because they do not keep Your word.
159 Consider how I love Your precepts;
Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness.
160 The sum of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.

Shin.

161 Princes persecute me without cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your words.
162 I rejoice at Your word,
As one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and despise falsehood,
But I love Your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous ordinances.
165 Those who love Your law have great peace,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
166 I hope for Your salvation, O LORD,
And do Your commandments.
167 My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You.

Tav.

169 Let my cry come before You, O LORD;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
170 Let my supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
171 Let my lips utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
172 Let my tongue sing of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your hand be ready to help me,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
174 I long for Your salvation, O LORD,
And Your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live that it may praise You,
And let Your ordinances help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments.

Psalm 119 has a special place in God’s revelation, and among believers. It is known among the Germans as “The Christians’ golden A B C of the praise, love, power, and use of the Word of God.”  Each portion of the Psalm begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The first section (the first eight verses) begins with the letter aleph, the second with beth, the third with gimel, the fourth with daleth, and so on.

Charles Spurgeon says this psalm is a wonderful composition. Its expressions are many as the waves, but its testimony is one as the sea. It deals all along with one subject only; but although it consists of a considerable number of verses, some of which are very similar to others, yet throughout its one hundred and seventy-six stanzas the self-same thought is not repeated: there is always a shade of difference, even when the color of the thought appears to be the same. 

It is varied and glorious, and it is a testament to the love of the author for the subject, but what subject could manifest such devotion?  None exists but the Word of God. His statutes, His revelation, and His truth, so inspire the author that he wrote the single largest chapter in scripture. The author’s love for scripture is obvious, but more important is His love for truth and its affect on the lives of men. 

It is obvious as one reads that for the Psalmist, the Word of God holds a primary place in the life of believers. God’s word is not only primary; it is the sole source of authority for the life of the believer. It leads all who read it to look into the face of their Creator, and realize who He is. This ultimately leads the reader to realize what the reader himself is not; namely Holy. Like a lost sheep, we have all gone astray, but His word is strong enough to reconcile even the lost to Him. It is the source of salvation and it is the sum of all truth.

Are you in love with His word?  Do you know all its truths, its depths, its object? Ultimately, His Word points to Jesus, and when you get to Him, all joy exists. Do you know Him? Do you Love His Word?

The Stone the Builders Rejected

Psalm 118

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

 ¹ Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
   for his steadfast love endures forever!

 ² Let Israel say,
   ”His steadfast love endures forever.”
³ Let the house of Aaron say,
   ”His steadfast love endures forever.”
⁴ Let those who fear the LORD say,
   ”His steadfast love endures forever.”

 ⁵ Out of my distress I called on the LORD;
   the LORD answered me and set me free.
⁶ The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.
   What can man do to me?
⁷ The LORD is on my side as my helper;
   I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

 ⁸ It is better to take refuge in the LORD
    than to trust in man.
⁹It is better to take refuge in the LORD
    than to trust in princes.

 ¹⁰ All nations surrounded me;
   in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
¹¹They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
   in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
¹² They surrounded me like bees;
   they went out like a fire among thorns;
   in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
¹³I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,
   but the LORD helped me.

 ¹⁴The LORD is my strength and my song;
    he has become my salvation.
¹⁵Glad songs of salvation
   are in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,
 ¹⁶the right hand of the LORD exalts,
   the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!”

 ¹⁷ I shall not die, but I shall live,
   and recount the deeds of the LORD.
¹⁸The LORD has disciplined me severely,
   but he has not given me over to death.

 ¹⁹ Open to me the gates of righteousness,
   that I may enter through them
   and give thanks to the LORD.
²⁰This is the gate of the LORD;
    the righteous shall enter through it.
²¹I thank you that you have answered me
    and have become my salvation.
²² The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the cornerstone.
²³This is the LORD’s doing;
   it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴This is the day that the LORD has made;
   let us rejoice and be glad in it.

 ²⁵Save us, we pray, O LORD!
   O LORD, we pray, give us success!

 ²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
   We bless you from the house of the LORD.
²⁷The LORD is God,
   and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
   up to the horns of the altar!

 ²⁸You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
   you are my God; I will extol you.
²⁹ Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
   for his steadfast love endures forever!

Did you know you just read a record-breaking Psalm? We know Psalm 118 is a Messianic psalm because it is the MOST-QUOTED psalm by the New Testament, with references in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Hebrews, and 1 Peter. The historical significance of Psalm 118 is also interesting. Some scholars believe the Psalm could be from the time of Moses during the Exodus, and some content that is was written by Moses himself.

The repetition of phrases suggests that these are lyrics meant to be set to music, which might explain why so many have written songs with these words:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good / His love endures forever,”

“This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made,”

and others, including a less-familiar song from Jars of Clay:

“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. Hallelujah!”

This is the verse (v. 22) that gets me. Such glorious praise, ascribing to God his strength, such honest confession (v. 18) and recognition of the untouchable righteousness of God, and then this verse about the stone! Like so many Messianic verses, it had a dual application to its contemporary context and to the coming Messiah. The stone was Moses, rejected by his people but used to establish a nation and foretell the Messiah (Deut. 18:15). The stone was that nation, Israel, rejected by her neighbors but steadfast as a covenant people chosen by God. And the stone is Israel’s spotless lamb, Jesus (Acts 4:11, 1 Pet 2:7). The Messiah the people rejected, the one worthy of all this praise, has become the cornerstone, the foundation upon which our very lives are built because of our new standing with God!

It is another layer of revelation of the humility of Christ to know that He, a mighty stone, worthy of prominence as the most important stone in the most important building, allowed Himself to be rejected for the sake of the very ones purporting to construct the building.

A Short Reminder

1 Praise the Lord, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!

- Psalm 117

This is the shortest psalm in the Bible but the reader can still be benefited greatly by it. Note the simple command given by the psalmist. Sometimes we miss the simplicity of a verse because we read through it too quickly. Sometimes we miss the meaning of a verse because of the presuppositions we have and sometimes we miss it because of our New Testament mentality. When reading this psalm we must remember that the Israelites were the exclusive people of God at the time of the writing. Yet, the command is not to the Israelites (alone) but to all people. It is directed to all nations to praise the Lord.

How often do we have the mentality that salvation is for us- that we are the exclusive people of God and that others are not bound by the commands of God? The second verse reemphasizes this by using the inclusive term “us”. The danger for us today is that we may fall into the same mentality as the Israelites. That God is our God and ours alone is something that we should not hold on to. He is the God of all peoples and His praises will be sung by all as emphasized in Philippians 2:9-11.

So what can we learn from this psalm? We need to be on guard not to adopt the attitude of the other brother in the parable of the prodigal son. There is no person who is so far fallen that they are beyond the grace of God. Because of this, we should be more encouraged to proclaim His glory to all the nations in the hope that some will come to recognize the steadfast love that He has for us. Praise the Lord!

what shall I offer?

1 I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
2 Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

8 For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.

10 I believed, even when I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 I said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”

12 What shall I render to the Lord
for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord,
14 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints.
16 O Lord, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!

- Psalm 116

Humble Anyone?

1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2 Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord,
both the small and the great.

14 May the Lord give you increase,
you and your children!
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

16 The heavens are the Lord’s heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17 The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

- Psalm 115

I love this Psalm.  When I read this text, I’m drawn to the reality of my sinfulness and God’s glory.  I’m reminded that God is on His throne in perfect glory.  I’m reminded that the depravity of man will lead to idolatry, and blinded pursuit of God.  Friend, we must humble rejoice that God has pursued us with an everlasting love and joy.  The Word tells us that the love and joy of God has been demonstrated on the cross of Jesus (Romans 5:8). 
 
With a Biblical understanding of the Gospel, we can boast in Psalm 115:1.  In our walk, our talk, our singing, our leading, our practicing, our serving, and our witnessing; we must submit to the reality that all we do is not for our glory.  All we do is for His glory.  He is the One that makes the dead come to life.  He is the One that brings the lost to salvation.  He is the One that has faithfully given us the divine command to preach and proclaim His heavenly kingdom on the earth. 
 
We must strive for humility daily.  My favorite definition of humility is simply our understanding of our sinful nature and our joy to His perfect nature.  I believe that living daily with this understanding will draw us naturally to seek His fame (v.1), His honor (v.13), His blessing (v.15), and His eternal praise (v.18).  Let us draw together with great humility to His Name, not our own.
 
From one who strives for the glory of His name and not my own..

take notice of the power of God

1 When Israel went out from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.

3 The sea looked and fled;
Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like lambs.

5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
O Jordan, that you turn back?
6 O mountains, that you skip like rams?
O hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turns the rock into a pool of water,
the flint into a spring of water.

- Psalm 114

Psalm 114 is a psalm which celebrates the power of God over all of natural creation and the care that God provides for His chosen children.  As the reader views how the earth trembles, the only appropriate response is to praise Him for the care He provides for us. 

The psalmist paints the imagery of the sea fleeing from God during the parting of the Red Sea and Jordan River; and the mountains skipping like rambs while the Lord was at Sinai. He shows us that all of creation fears the power of the Lord and moves at His whim.  No aspect of creation can sway His hand.  Everything trembles, and so should we!  

As I read this, I was both encouraged and challenged.  My view of God’s power over creation is often smaller than it should be.  Far to often, I fail to realize the control He has and because of this I fail to rejoice in His care and take courage in His power.  My prayers are weak because my understanding of God’s sovereign reign is weak. I hope that you will join me in asking the Lord to strengthen our understanding of His power. Pray with me that He will show us the work of His hands. Let us sing the words the psalmist writes. Let us rejoice in the power and care of our great God. 

- one who is amazed at the reign and power of the Lord.

Two Women and an Expanse of Praise

Psalm 113

Who Is like the LORD Our God?

 ¹ Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD,
   praise the name of the LORD!

 ² Blessed be the name of the LORD
   from this time forth and forevermore!
³ From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the LORD is to be praised!

 ⁴The LORD is high above all nations,
   and his glory above the heavens!
⁵ Who is like the LORD our God,
   who is seated on high,
⁶who looks far down
   on the heavens and the earth?
⁷He raises the poor from the dust
   and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
⁸to make them sit with princes,
   with the princes of his people.
⁹He gives the barren woman a home,
   making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the LORD!

The phrase that bookends this Psalm, “Praise the Lord”, might ironically be more familiar and more meaningful in its original Hebrew: “Hallelu Yah.” We’ve taken it as hallelujah, a powerful one-word expression of our praise and esteem for Almighty God. The rest of the Psalm takes the single-word expression and gives it even more meaning by trying to describe the utter expanse of God and the resulting expanse of our praise for Him. This expansiveness is illustrated several ways:

Temporal: “From this time forth and forevermore”

Spatial: “From the rising of the sun to its setting”, or all the way around the world
                “Glory above the heavens”, or higher than we can comprehend

Authority: “High above all nations”, “Seated on high”

Our God is so completely boundless that all of His children are compelled to praise Him at all times in all places.

A more subtle illustration considers the timelessness of God. The text of verses 7 and 8 were uttered in a beautiful prayer by Hannah in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 2:8), and the theme was reiterated in another beautiful prayer by Mary in the New Testament (Luke 1:46-55). Take a moment right now to expand this timeless expanse of praise by one more day in your own life by offering to Him in prayer your description of our exalted, expansive God.

Praise the Lord

1 Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
the desire of the wicked will perish!

- Psalm 112

In this short Psalm the reader can note three things. First is the exhortation to praise the Lord. This is followed by the blessings of the righteous. The psalm ends with the condemnation of the wicked.

Three simple words- praise the Lord! This is both a command and an exhortation. It can not be stated too often in the life of a believer. As a command, it is a reminder to all that praises are due to the one who created us. Praise Him for His holiness. Praise Him for His righteousness. Praise Him for His mercy. Praise Him for His love. Praise Him for who He is. As an exhortation, it reminds the believer to return the praises to God that He deserves. How often do we sing our own praises for the good things in our lives? Perhaps it is telling that this exhortation is followed by a list of blessings. We often depend on God in our times of need but when things are going well we have a tendency to rely on our own provision.

The list of blessings encompasses most of the psalm. There are several things that stood out to me in this list. First is the promise to the believer. The believer can know that he will be blessed. This reminds me of Romans 8:28-30. Although I am not a believer in material blessings that were a sign of God’s blessings in the Old Testament for the New Testament believer, I can still take comfort in the fact that God is His infinite wisdom will provide me with blessings. Note that the mention of blessings even in this psalm are of eternal nature and not temporal. The second thing that stands out to me is the mention of light dawning in the darkness. How appropriate for the believer who has been called out of darkness into the light. It is a new dawn indeed. The third thing that stands out to me is the trust in God and not in the temporal as noted in verse 7. Even in times of trouble the believer can hold fast to the hope of Him who has called Him and to the promises noted above.

Finally we come to the condemnation of the wicked. Having spent considerable time witnessing to atheists on internet forums I can testify to the truth of the hatred that they have for those who have been called by God. Yet even when confronted with this, it is our duty to continue to proclaim the wonder of Him who called us out of darkness and into the light. I for one, since I formerly walked in darkness, pray for the calling of those that continue to walk there. My hope is that the Spirit will convict them of the truth that changed my life. Praise the Lord continually.

a day of reading

1 Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy;
8 they are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name!
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!

- Psalm 111

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