Sing to the Lord!

Psalm 147

Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

² The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.

³ He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

⁴ He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names.

⁵ Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite.

⁶ The Lord lifteth up the meek: He casteth the wicked down to the ground.

⁷ Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

⁸ Who covereth the heaven with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the earth, Who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

⁹ He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

¹⁰ He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

¹¹ The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy.

¹² Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

¹³ For He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; He hath blessed thy children within thee.

¹⁴ He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.

¹⁵ He sendeth forth His commandment upon earth: His word runneth very swiftly.

¹⁶ He giveth snow like wool: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.

¹⁷ He casteth forth His ice like morsels: who can stand before His cold?

¹⁸ He sendeth out His word, and melteth them: He causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

¹⁹ He sheweth His word unto Jacob, His statutes and his judgments unto Israel.

²⁰ He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for His judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.

This psalm starts with an injunction to God’s people to SING praises to Him! It is pleasant and comely, says David, to sing unto the Lord.

Christianity is a musical faith. Think of Paul and Silas, beaten, imprisoned, hurting; in chains, they sang praises to God. When you can find a song, in such dire circumstances, you have discovered one of the secrets of true praise. Music is a gift that God has given us.

As I write this morning, I’m listening to a CD of Andy Griffith singing hymns and gospel songs that I have known as long as I can remember. I’d say that well over half of my music collection is sacred music. It fills my head and my heart. There are many other musical genres that I enjoy, but for comfort and spiritual renewal you just can’t beat good praise music.

Verse 7 tells us not only to sing, but to use a harp as well. The harp was probably not like the one pictured, but smaller; it could beheld on one’s lap. Other musical instruments are mentioned in the Bible:. Daniel 3:5 mentions the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe,  I had to look up trigan. It’s another form of harp, like this picture:

Psalm 150 mentions the shofar, lyre, harp, drum, organ, flute, cymbal, and trumpet.

Ephesians 5:19 admonishes us to “speak among ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,”

One of the jobs of the tribe of Levi in the Old Testament was to provide music in the tabernacle and the Temple, both vocal and instrumental.

Job 38:7 says, “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” Science tells us that there is indeed sound emitted from the stars. God knew that long before scientists discovered it. He created the stars. He should know 🙂

Music can bring us together like nothing else can. It is a gift from God, Who is a musical being. I’ve said it before: I can’t wait to hear Him sing!

Our God Reigns!

Psalm 146.

Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.

² While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

³ Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

⁴ His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

⁵ Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

⁶ Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

⁷ Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:

⁸ The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:

⁹ The Lord preserveth the strangers; He relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked He turneth upside down.

¹⁰ The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.

This wonderful hymn of praise needs no commentary. Pleae, please read and meditate on every verse.

The Lord is Good!

Psalm 145:8-10.

The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

The LORD is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.

All Thy works shall praise Thee, O LORD; and Thy saints shall bless Thee.

Satan is always busy, doing his best to deny the goodness of God. Satan would love to paint God as nothing more than a celestial bully, taking delight in the miseries of mankind. It’s just another lie from the Father of Lies, Beelzebub.

God has not promised that the lives of all believers would be free of pain, heartache, sorrow and loss. Matthew 5:45 says, “That ye may be sons of your Father Who is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.”

He has promised, however, that He will never leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:6). He will be with us through every trial, every difficulty that we encounter during our time in this fallen world.

“But how could a perfect God create evil? If He created evil, then He can’t be such a wonderful God!”

Do you remember, in the creation story in Genesis, that God looked on all that He had created and said, “It is good!” What He created was not evil. He created mankind out of His desire for love and fellowship.

But Satan, the leader of the rebellious angels who fell from heaven, allowed pride and envy to crawl into his heart. He wanted to be greater than the God Who created him, and he is still doing everything he can to defeat God. God created Lucifer, but Lucifer nurtured the sin of pride. Lucifer knew exactly how to persuade Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. He appealed to her pride: “You will be just like God if you eat this delicious fruit! God doesn’t want that, so He said you couldn’t have it. Go ahead, it’s delicious!”

“You will be just like God” was the lie Eve believed. She believed it because she thought it would be pretty cool to be just like God. That one statement stirred the seed of rebellion and pride in her human nature.

Evil did not come from God. It comes from within us, as a result of that first sin of pride that Adam and Eve shared, hoping to be just like God.

He is gracious, compassionate, merciful, and slow to anger. He is not, and never was, evil.

What is Man?

Psalm 144

Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

² My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and He in whom I trust; Who subdueth my people under me.

³ Lord, what is man, that Thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that Thou makest account of him!

⁴ Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

⁵ Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

⁶ Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.

⁷ Send Thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;

⁸ Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

⁹ I will sing a new song unto Thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto Thee.

¹⁰ It is He that giveth salvation unto kings: Who delivereth David His servant from the hurtful sword.

¹¹ Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:

¹² That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

¹³ That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:

¹⁴ That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.

¹⁵ Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.

These final psalms are touching my heart so deeply. I;m having a hard time settling on just one verse.

For instance, v. 3 is a sermon all by itself! “Lord, what is man, that Thou takes knowledge of him?” Good question, especially in world that has become so humanistic that we want to elevate man to become god-like.

Of course, that desire is nothing new. You know, it wasn’t the fruit that Eve ate that was evil. The sin was in her prideful desire to be like God. Satan knew right where to put his scaly finger! In the 1800s, this desire was called Transcendentalism, and there was a great deal of literature and poetry that praised the ability of man to rise above his humanity and become like God. The famous poem Invictus! ends with the lines,

It matters not how strait the gate,

      How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

      I am the captain of my soul. (Henley)

When we choose to disobey God’s Word, and to deny the right to pray in schools and other public places, we are placing ourselves above Him. There is nothing but destruction in such evil.

I love v. 12. David prays that Israel’s sons and daughters be as strong plants and beautiful, polished cornerstones upholding the pillars of a palace. The plants give shade, wood for building, and food for sustenance. The cornerstones uphold entire buildings, and have great strength.

I heard a whole message, years ago, about the importance of women as cornerstones in the family and the church. God has given us such standing! Contrary to other religions that put women in complete subservience, having no legal rights or protections, God honors women as the strength of any society in which God is honored. What God honors, man should honor. There is NO place in God’s economy for the mistreatment of women.

This psalm ends with the words, “Happy is the people whose God is the Lord.” Amen.

Those Big Decisions

Psalm 143.

Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness.

² And enter not into judgment with Thy servant: for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.

³ For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.

⁴ Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

⁵ I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the work of Thy hands.

⁶ I stretch forth my hands unto Thee: my soul thirsteth after Thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

⁷ Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not Thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

⁸ Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee

⁹ Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto Thee to hide me.

10 Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God: Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

¹¹ Quicken me, O Lord, for Thy Name’s sake: for Thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

12 And of Thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am Thy servant.

As always, this entire psalm is well worth reading and pondering. David always wrote and sang from his deep need of God’s Presence and blessing. He is transparent in his own weakness, and strong in his dependence on God. He never pretends to be more than what he is.

There is no one verse here that is more important than another, but God almost always points me to what I need in my own life. Today, it was verse ten: “Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God: Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”

We oten struggle to know God’s will in our lives, making it a matter of daily worry and concern. I do not believe God intended for us to drive ourselves to distraction with wondering what His will is. There are some things about which the Bible is not specific: Whom should I marry? What should my career path be? Should I buy that dress I really like? Should I have chocolate ice cream, or strawberry? What college? Or should I even go to college?

We can waste a lot of time and energy fretting about things that have no specific answers in God’s Word. Sometimes the answer is simply common sense. For example, should I buy the dress? Well, do I NEED it? Can I afford it? Is it a good style and color for me? Maybe I should sleep on this question. See, there is no moral right or wrong, unless you simply have three closets already bursting with clothing you don’t use 🙂 Then, the clear answer is either NO, or, perhaps it’s time to clear out things you haven’t worn in 5-10 years!

The bigger questions that don’t have clear biblical answers aren’t as easy to solve. My go-to verse here is Micah 6:8. “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

So, how did I–we–decide whom to marry? I knew sooner than Terry did, because he is more of a “what if” thinker than I am. I knew very shortly after we met that he was THE ONE 🙂 Why? Well, he was a new believer, and very serious about the things of the Lord. We spent many of our dates discussing scriptural things, praying together, and discussing what we both wanted in marriage. He was already established in a job, although he wasn’t crazy about it. He was a mature adult, not a college boy. I was just finishing up with college, and was eager to move on with becoming a full-fledged adult, getting past the college thing and doing whatever came next. And there was no doubt about our strong attraction. Others saw it even before we did, and the approval of our friends was unanimous. My dad went so far as to set us up before we even really knew each other, which was an earth-shaking event. Terry was the first guy I dated that got my dad’s 100% approval. And my mom adored him because he had an insatiable appetite for her excellent cooking 🙂

So here’s a helpful set of standards in making a decision of importance: Strong interest; mutual interest in spiritual things; approval of your friends and family, no biblical grounds against what you are thinking of doing. Prayer. Always pray over a major decision.

When I was thinking of going back to school for a master’s degree, at age 50, I first approached Terry. He was behind me 100%. Then I went to my pastor, who also was wholly supportive. Terry and I talked, prayed, planned. The next step was application to the school I wanted to attend, and after an interview and a personal letter, I was accepted. There were no roadblocks, no impediments. Oswald Chambers, in his little book My Utmost for His Highest, said that when you don’t know what to do, you pray and do the next thing. The next thing may be as mundane as dusting the furniture or doing the dishes, but as you work, you can pray about whatever decision you are trying to make.

Look for the Philippians 4:7 “peace that passes understanding.” When you have that deep, settled sense of the rightness in what you are thinking of doing, you can move forward with confidence.

One last thought: Don’t spend much time in “but what if” thinking. It will keep you from moving forward, and you could miss out on something wonderful!

Oh, Yes! He Cares!

Psalm 142.

 I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.

I poured out my complaint before Him; I shewed before Him my trouble.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

I cried unto Thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for Thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

Did you ever feel like that? Absolutely no one cares! Here I am, suffering and alone, and no one cares or even notices! If you are an eternal optimist, you may not have any idea how that feels. Most of us, however, have gone through days, or maybe just moments, when we have felt isolated from the world, alone, perhaps under attack in some way, and there is no one who seems to care for our souls.

David was most likely hiding in a cave when he wrote this song. Saul was chasing him. David didn’t have his band of faithful men around him yet, and he was really just a kid trying to hide from a sullen and angry king.

I love the way David often starts a psalm with his heartbroken cry for help from God, and then ends it just a few short verses later praising God. “Thou shalt deal bountifully with me!” What a triumpant ending after saying, “No man cared for my soul.”

An Excellent Oil

Psalm 141:3-5.

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

I suppose I could honestly say that my worst “besetting sin” is my mouth. What is a besetting sin?

“Besetting sins are those which cling close to us and are easily committed by us. • Besetting sins may be those indulged before obeying the Gospel; easily falling back into old, familiar patterns.”

(unknown source)

I have struggled with my words for a very long time. Sarcasm comes eaily. Cutting humor? Oh yes, and often used in self-defense when I feel I’m being unfairly attacked. This particular weakness accompanies a quick temper. Especially when one makes a living with words, as I did, they can become tools to hurt, not help. An old expression that I used to think was funny was, “He told So-and-So off up one side and down the other.” It’s not funny. It’s harmful and self-serving and certainly does not accomplish the purpose of helping another person. It only causes hurt and resentment, to be so poorly treated.

These verses from Psalm 141 have become embedded in my heart and mind. I don’t remember when the Lord put blinking asterisks around them, but I do remember reading them over and over, realizing that it was past time for me to be more careful with my words. Which meant, of course, being more careful with my thinking.

I especially love verse 5. The loving reproof of a godly friend certainly IS an “excellent oil.” Those words made me think of my collection of essential oils, most of which have a wonderful aroma. I have an oil of roses that I like to just take the cap off and sniff now and then. The picture I used today has special appeal because I love yellow tea roses.

Healing oils were often used by shepherds when a sheep was hurt, poured onto the head and massaged into the wound. The process was soothing, healing, and calming. The reproof of a godly person is like that. I have to smile at the phrase “it shall not break my head.” Sometimes, when we are reproved, we are also deeply offended because the person who spoke to us was right and we resent it! Still, words will not break my head. They may break my heart, or my stubborn reaction, but they don’t do permanent damage.

Of course, the best way to avoid reproof is to clean up one’s act 🙂

Give Thanks to God!

Psalm 140: 12-13,

I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto Thy name: the upright shall dwell in Thy Presence.

This psalm begins with David’s prayer for protection. He had a lot of enemies, including some of his own children, who longed to see him deposed so they could assume his powerful throne. He refers to his enemies as serpents, adders with poison under their tongues. They set traps and gins (snares) for him, and sought his death.

Through it all, David had to deal with his own sinful nature, repenting and grieving over his sin throughout his long life.

At the end of the psalm, he turns to praising God for His strength and salvation; and in the last two verses he praises God for His care over the poor and the oppressed. He declares that God will dwell with the righteous, who will not forget to give thanks to God.

Don’t Worry!

Psalm 139:23-24.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Glenn Payne and George Younce are in heaven now, rejoicing with the Lord and joining in the heavenly choir.

This psalm is a favorite of mine. I love the verses that tell about how we are fearfully and wonderfully made; how God knew us in our mother’s womb. The final two verses, though, are the ones I love the most.

David pleaded with God to search his heart and show him if there was sin hidden there. We need to do that, too, because our hearts, according to Jeremiah 17:9, are deceitful and desperately wicked; we can’t know the depths of our own sin nature. The popular advice these days is to follow our hearts. Doing so will get us into a heap of trouble! We need to follow God’s heart, which is pure and untouched by sin.

I’m pretty sure I’ve pointed out before that when David said, “See if there be any wicked way in me,” the Hebrew word is more accurately translated anxious. See if there be any anxiety in my heart. Anxiety is just another word for fear, and God addressed fear over 350 times throughout His Word. II Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Philippians 4:6 tells us to “be anxious (worried, fearful) about nothing!”

Isaiah 41:10 urges, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.”

Contrary to what some people think, anxiety is not a virtue. Worry, fear, doubt–all of these things take up way too much of our time and our thinking. It is futile to worry about something we can’t fix–it’s a waste of time and energy. And if you CAN fix it, then why worry about it? Just do what needs to be done!

One last thought: Planning and preparing are not the same as worry or fear.

God Respects the Humble

Psalm 138.

 I will praise Thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto Thee.

I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth: for Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy Name.

In the day when I cried Thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

All the kings of the earth shall praise Thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of Thy mouth.

Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.

Though the LORD be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me.

The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of Thine own hands.

David was bountiful if praise and thanksiving to the God he served and worshiped all his life. Of course, David didn’t know the story of the self-important Pharisee who praised himself, while the poor man spoke humbly to the Lord. That is the story that came to mind for me when I read v. 6 of this psalm.

In Luke 18:11-12, we read what the Pharisee thought of himself: “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”

But in v. 13 we read, “And the publican (tax collector), standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

Apparently the Pharisee didn’t need God’s approval, since he already thought so highly of himself. The publican, though, was not so self-important, and he is the one that won the regard of Jesus.