Psalm Study Thread

[Evie1980]

Psalm 43

1 Vindicate me, my God,
and plead my cause
against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are
deceitful and wicked.
2 You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?
3 Send me your light and your faithful care,
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

There are so many times I have wanted to lead myself. I have chosen a path for myself and gone for it only to find it ended in a dead end or worse. I have followed paths that have brought me back to the place I started from and then others that have ended up in heartbreak. I have had it all. This time, I am with David. I can't keep on going without the Lord. I am tired of running and ending up nowhere. I want to be where the Lord is. I want to be where He wants me to be. I want to go along the path that He wants me to take rather than one I have found for myself. I want His love and His Light to shine on me and guide me. There is nothing more that I want in this world than that.

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.

Then I will have a heart of joy. Then all my days will bring me peace. Then everything I want will be in Him.

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

I will yet praise the Lord. I will find Him and His path for my path. I will soon be doing His will and walking with Him. It will happen. Just you wait. I will soon be praising the Lord for the joy He has poured into my life!

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 44

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.

1 We have heard it with our ears, O God;
our ancestors have told us
what you did in their days,
in days long ago.
2 With your hand you drove out the nations
and planted our ancestors;
you crushed the peoples
and made our ancestors flourish.
3 It was not by their sword that they won the land,
nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face, for you loved them. 4 You are my King and my God,
who decrees victories for Jacob.
5 Through you we push back our enemies;
through your name we trample our foes.
6 I put no trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;
7 but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.
8 In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name forever.

There was a time that I thought that every victory had to be in me. That everything that I wanted I had to chase and do for myself. Then I read about the Israelites and all that the Lord did for them. They didn't rely on their own strength to win the victory because if they did they never would have won. They didn't trust in their own resources because if they did they never would have won. Many times we think that when we are smart enough, when we have the money, when everything is right then I will do what the Lord has asked of me but that is not how the Israelites won and it is not how we will win either. We choose what we put our trust in.

9 But now you have rejected and humbled us;
you no longer go out with our armies.
10 You made us retreat before the enemy,
and our adversaries have plundered us.
11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep
and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You sold your people for a pittance,
gaining nothing from their sale.
13 You have made us a reproach to our neighbors,
the scorn and derision of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations;
the peoples shake their heads at us.
15 I live in disgrace all day long,
and my face is covered with shame
16 at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me,
because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.
17 All this came upon us,
though we had not forgotten you;
we had not been false to your covenant.
18 Our hearts had not turned back;
our feet had not strayed from your path.
19 But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals;
you covered us over with deep darkness.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 would not God have discovered it,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?
22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
23 Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.
24 Why do you hide your face
and forget our misery and oppression? 25 We are brought down to the dust;
our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Rise up and help us;
rescue us because of your unfailing love.

Do we really cry out to the Lord like David did? I know that I have been down on my knees in the middle of the night with tears streaming from my eyes, begging for the Lord's help. I have cried out in pain not knowing what I had done to deserve what I was going through. I was so uncertain of what to do and why it felt that I was all alone. Somedays I still feel that way but I know the Lord is good. He will turn His face towards me and He will help me. I am certain that I will see His glory and love shine through my life. Why? Because the Lord loves me. His love is unfailing and His promises are true. I may not always feel like I am loved but that doesn't make it untrue. I am loved. God loves me. I am blessed woman because I am constantly reminded of this.

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 45

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song.

1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
2 You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.
6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
8 All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.
9 Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.

Now this is the man I want to marry! This is a man who is blessed by the Lord. He is not afraid to go into battle for truth, humility and justice. He is ready for it. He is a gracious speaker and he is clothed with splendour and majesty of the Lord. He is able to achieve amazing things. He is anointed. His throne will last forever, He is of course a king. Yes, Jesus is the perfect husband for me. I am willingly married to Him.
10 Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The city of Tyre will come with a gift,
people of wealth will seek your favor.
13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber;
her gown is interwoven with gold.
14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her—
those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,
they enter the palace of the king.

As a bride of Jesus what should I be like? I need to leave the ways of my family and those around me, and walk to Him. I need to be with Him and willingly stay with Him. I need to let my beauty shine. I need to honour and allow Him to be Lord of my life. I need to be full of joy and gladness for my King!


16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land. 17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 46

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

There may seem many moments in our lives where God is far away. It may seem at times that we have to find our own comfort and salvation but we don't. The Lord is with us at all times and He is willing to help us 24/7. We are not alone.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

I remember many years ago when my dad owned a book shop and I worked for him. The shop was in a valley and it was prone to flooding. One day, after it had been raining for many days, the news on the radio said it was time to think about evacuation as they were unsure the new levy would hold. My dad, who has worked in the automobile industry before the shop, said that we would wait until the car dealers moved their cars. Well they did so we moved all our stock as well. It was a day of moving and waiting. That day, with the help of many members of church, we cleared everything and just watched the waters rise. We were blessed - the water did not flood our shop. The levy held for us but not for the people on the other side of the river.
Floods are common problem in Australia. So are bushfires (have driven past and through a couple of them in my travels). In fact no where is safe. Tsunami warnings are not available where I am now though, living and working so close to a beach, I would apprecaite it. In amongst all these disasters and opportunities for disasters we live our daily lives. These opportunities for destruction of life and possessions are to have no consequnece to us. We have no fear. We can stand up in the midst of all this and keep going.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

We keep going without fear because we know of a place where the Lord is. We know there is a place that will never fail or destroyed. There is a place where we belong that will never be torn down.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

At the voice of our Maker and Creator the world changes. Things that we thought would live forever will disappear. As the world changes around us we have a place to go. We have Someone who is with us, who is in control. We have nothing to fear. We reside in a fortress. We have protection everyday of our lives.
8 Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.

The Lord can change the world. Just watch. He has control. We may not always understand but He is there. He can do the impossible (like bring about world peace). He is able. Just watch.

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

God will be exalted amongst the land. He will be exalted in your life too. He will change everything if we wait on Him. We don't have to find the answers ourselves. We can continue being who God made us to be whilst we wait for Him to change our circumstances and the world. It will happen. Just wait.

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

The Lord is with us. Is there anything else we need?

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 47

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.

I have an amazing class who are not quite normal (I guess having me for a teacher means that they never will be quite normal again). Somedays I do something that they think is amazing or interesting or something that they just can't do themselves and they start clapping. It is the stangest thing! Yet, it gives me a feeling that cannot be described. It is simply that they are taking joy in what I do and want to show their appreciation. There is not much they can do for me. The occasional picture, a doughnut, some coffee and a clap from time to time.
So as I sit here tonight I wonder - how often do I clap for the Lord. I know I do so in church but what about my day to day life. Do I clap and make known the joy I have in my life and this world the Lord has provided me? In the midst of the strange, bizarre and complicated areas of my life, do I find enough to rejoice and praise the Lord? Can I find joy in all things?


2 For the LORD Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise. 8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.

I don't know much but I do know that God is King. God is the Lord. God is worthy of my praise. I don't need to make it up. I remembering watching a show where they would get some to "fake it" i.e. pretend that they were someone/something else and then have them compete against people who really were who/what they said they were. They would get experts to guess who was real and who wasn't. Sometimes we fall into the trap of faking our love for the Lord. Or worse, we think that the Lord is faking His love for us. God is who He is. We can believe it or not. That is our choice but nothing will change God. We need to praise God because we recognise and know God as who he is. We cannot fake it for God will know.

 

[Reneemo4]

I don't know much but I do know that God is King. God is the Lord. God is worthy of my praise. I don't need to make it up. I remembering watching a show where they would get some to "fake it" i.e. pretend that they were someone/something else and then have them compete against people who really were who/what they said they were. They would get experts to guess who was real and who wasn't. Sometimes we fall into the trap of faking our love for the Lord. Or worse, we think that the Lord is faking His love for us. God is who He is. We can believe it or not. That is our choice but nothing will change God. We need to praise God because we recognise and know God as who he is. We cannot fake it for God will know.

'We can believe it or not. That is our choice but nothing will change God.'

I think I need to meditate on this today...thanks for posting...

 

[Evie1980]

I think I need to meditate on this today...thanks for posting...

May the Lord reveal His will in your life as you meditate. I pray that you will come into a closer relationship with Him and that you can start to fathom just how immense the Lord's love is for us.
Blessings

Psalm 48

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God, his holy mountain.
2 Beautiful in its loftiness,
the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,
the city of the Great King.
3 God is in her citadels;
he has shown himself to be her fortress.

Where is the Lord? He is in His place. He can be high on a mountain, He can be heaven, He can be in the hearts of man. Wherever He is His presence is made known to all. We can see Him in the lives of others, we can see Him in the beauty that surrounds us, we can see Him in our churches, He manifests Himself in this world in so many different ways. We often wonder where the Lord is but sometimes He is not hiding. He is with us and He has shown Himself to us.

4 When the kings joined forces,
when they advanced together,
5 they saw her and were astounded;
they fled in terror.
6 Trembling seized them there,
pain like that of a woman in labor.
7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish
shattered by an east wind.

Many people think that they can overpower the Lord. They work hard at being better than the Lord. Some even think they are. But there will come a time in everyone's life that they will see the glory of God revealed and they will have no answer but to fall onto their knees. They will try to run from the truth but that doesn't make it any different - God is who He is.

8 As we have heard,
so we have seen
in the city of the LORD Almighty,
in the city of our God:
God makes her secure
forever.
9 Within your temple, O God,
we meditate on your unfailing love.
10 Like your name, O God,
your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;
your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Mount Zion rejoices,
the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
count her towers,
13 consider well her ramparts,
view her citadels,
that you may tell of them
to the next generation.
14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end.

We have the opportunity to know the Lord and have Him live in us. He can build His city within our lives. He can be our God and Ruler. He can provide all His love and righteousness. He can make us safe. We can rejoice knowing that He has control over everything. He will guide our lives life a King guides his people. He can provide for us the kind of life we would willingly share to the next generation. What a glorious life we can live!

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 49

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,
2 both low and high,
rich and poor alike:

It is not only the rich that are obsessed with money - the poor can be just as fixated on it. Many times we think "when I have enough money I will do what the Lord asks". I know - I have fallen into this trap. We hide behind having not enough money to give to charity, we hide behind it when God asks us to step out in faith, we hide behind it when we don't want to give offerings or tithes. Money is not the problem - it is the way we think of it. We can spend too much time worrying about than meditating on the Lord. Be careful of this trap.

3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:
5 Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?

It is funny how quick we will jump when someone tells us to. We are surrounded by people so willing to deceive us into believing they are more prowerful, they are better, they are more successful, they are more ________ (fill in the blank with whatever someone is making you feel). They make us feel inferior because they have more than we do but why so we have to believe them? Why do we fear when someone is telling us that we are less than what the Lord describes us as?

7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
9 so that they should live on forever
and not see decay.
10 For all can see that the wise die,
that the foolish and the senseless also perish,
leaving their wealth to others.
11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had named lands after themselves.
12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure;
they are like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
14 They are like sheep and are destined to die;
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.

Wealth is great in this lifetime. From the day that you are born to the day that you die it is great to have money but there will come a time when money no longer has its use. You cannot buy extra life. You can leave a legacy, a place where your name will endure, but that is all that will remain of you on this earth. Though you may try to avoid it (and a lot of money goes into looking, feeling and being less close to death) it will be your guide in this life. When we fixate on money we are really fixating on death.

15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;
he will surely take me to himself.

But God can and will redeem us if we focus on Him. He has provided a way to overcome death through His Son, Jesus. We no longer have to worry about saving enough to redeem ourselves as Jesus has already paid the ransom. He paid the price that noone could pay. When we focus on Him we are focusing on a wealth beyond what we could ever imagine.

16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,
who will never again see the light of life.
20 People who have wealth but lack understanding
are like the beasts that perish.


When we focus on wealth, on having things, our life is the same as the animals. We toil only for our daily lives. Do not the animals also do that? They spend their days finding food and trying to save themselves from any attacks or disasters that may cost them their lives. The truth is - people do the same when they focus on money. They spend their days buying the things they need to keep them safe and provide for their daily needs.

True, our needs are a little more sophisticated now days but it is still the same. We have the things that people want, they think that we are awesome and then we die just like everyone else. In a developing nation I am starting to see Hummers, BMW convertibles, nice flashy cars that you are not sure how they are going to make it over the potholes. My friend has been asked to buy ipods for her Timorese assistants when she is in the US. We all want the latest things. And the more you have, the better you look, the more people want to be you, the better life you have. It is a trap that everyone falls into. But that doesn't mean it is the right way to live. Life is more than wealth, more than things, more than that. God made it more. God made it so much more for us and if we are willing, He will give us a life beyond this one on earth.

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph.

1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
2 From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
3 Our God comes
and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him,
and around him a tempest rages.
4 He summons the heavens above,
and the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me this consecrated people,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for he is a God of justice.
7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak;
I will testify against you, Israel:
I am God, your God.
8 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices
or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
9 I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,
10 for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird in the mountains,
and the insects in the fields are mine.
12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
14 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15 and call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
16 But to the wicked person, God says:
“What right have you to recite my laws
or take my covenant on your lips?
17 You hate my instruction
and cast my words behind you.
18 When you see a thief, you join with him;
you throw in your lot with adulterers.
19 You use your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue to deceit.
20 You sit and testify against your brother
and slander your own mother’s son.
21 When you did these things and I kept silent,
you thought I was exactly like you.
But I now arraign you
and set my accusations before you. 22 “Consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:
23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,
and to the blameless I will show my salvation.”

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 51

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

What do you do when you are confrounted by your own sin? David chose to talk to God about it. We should do the same.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.

No excuses here - David is guilty. It is so easy for us to justify our sin. I know that I fall into that trap all the time. There is always a good, solid reason to do it. Well so I thought at the time but then, when I see what I have done, I reaalise there is no excuse for defying the word of the Lord. Sin is evil. When we go against the will of the Lord, it is evil. God is allowed to judge our sins but He is also able to wash it away. He can cleanse our sins from our life is we ask Him to, otherwise our sin will always go before us into our relationship with God.

5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

I used to ask how long I had to stop smoking before I was quit? How long did I have to stop smoking before I could start again? We are an impatient people. We want to get it over and done with quickly. Then we can move onto the next thing. But God wants dedication all the days of our life. From before we are born, He has plans for our lives and wants us to be devoted to Him. There is no end to our faithfulness to the Lord.


7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

How far will you go in your dedication to the Lord? David asked for a pure heart. He knew that he had to go right to the centre of his being and start all over again. He knew he had to change his thoughts and his emotions before he could change his behaviour and sinful ways. David knew that all of his days he wanted to be with the Lord and have the Holy Spirit in him. He knew to have these things he would need to change. He also knew that it would be worth it. David knew that above all that he had to have a willing spirit. There are many things I want in this world but I am not sure I am willing to do it. I want to learn to ride a motorbike but I am not sure I am willing to do it. There is a difference between willing and wanting. We have to WILLING to follow the word of the Lord, not just wanting to.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.

I have learnt many things through my trials and errors. I have learnt from my sins and am still walking with the Lord. I now have a choice - I can pretend I didn't do what I did or I can share what I have done to teach others the ways of the Lord. Everything can be used to God's glory in our lives if we let it.

14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.

I can give up everything that I own and give all my money as a sacrifce to the Lord and it wouldn't matter. God doesn't need my things (though He does ask me to give freely to those in need). What He wants is my love and my willingness to sacrifce my own sinful desires to follow Him. I could be living a totally different life right now if I wanted to but I chose to sacrifice my own desires. He wants my life not my things. It is not easy but I love and trust God enough to know that it is worth it.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 52

For the director of music. A maskil of David. When Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

1 Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
Why do you boast all day long,
you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
2 You who practice deceit,
your tongue plots destruction;
it is like a sharpened razor.
3 You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth.
4 You love every harmful word,
you deceitful tongue!

When I was younger I thought that it was "cool" to do things that I would never dream about doing now. In fact we had a specail list of people who we knew had done specific things. We boasted in our sin! It is shameful to admit now but at the time it was our pride. However, it is shameful to admit that I still boast in things I ought not. I was reminded today that I am quick to judge people on a professional basis. A series of incidents at work have left me with "I am better than them" attitude. It has also led to resentment and other vicious sins that we sometimes mistake as normal. I am ashamed to say that I am becoming rather bitter in some ways. Praise the Lord I have a vacation soon though I know that I am going to need more accountability in the future to stop if resurfacing.

Sin is sin. We may not think that it is harmful but it is. I may be justified in what I am saying but, in saying it, I could be leading other people down the same path as me or I could be flaming a fire that doesn't need any more help burning. Remember, as the Psalm says, it is not only the wicked that plot evil. Sometimes the hero of the story is equally guilty in sinning against the Lord.

5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent;
he will uproot you from the land of the living.
6 The righteous will see and fear;
they will laugh at you, saying,
7 “Here now is the man
who did not make God his stronghold
but trusted in his great wealth
and grew strong by destroying others!”

We can make anything our stronghold. We often make fame, money, social standing, popularity etc our strongholds. We rely on them to make us happy and content. We would do anything to protect them even things we know are wrong. When we hold up anything other than God as our stronghold we end up in sin. God is the only thing in this world that is free from sin. Even our families can lead us into sin. When we lean on other things to gain our strength, hope and love to overcome the daily srtruggles we end up living a sinful life and there is only one certain end to that life.
8 But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
for ever and ever.

When the Lord is our stonghold we are like a tree surrounded by a fortress. The tree has everything it needs to grow and live. It is safe and protected from the outside world. Trusting in the Lord will enable you to live like this.

9 For what you have done I will always praise you
in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
for your name is good.

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 53

For the director of music. According to mahalath. A maskil of David.

1 The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.

I know it sounds harsh but how often do you really seek God? I am not talking about in church or during your quiet times of the day. I mean when you are out and about, doing your daily business? Or when you are sitting have a coffee with a mate? Buying new clothing, a new computer game or a book? When you at home watching tv, cooking dinner, cleaning the house or doing your favourite hobby? Do you think "if Jesus joined me right now He would be happy with the choices I am making"? The truth is I am not sure if I ever really seek the Lord in all that I do. I would like to hope I make wise decisions but are wise decisions the same as seeking the Lord? True, I don't buy offensive clothes or watch movies that are too vulgar but that doesn't mean I am seeking the Lord's advice either.

3 Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.

We may not think that we are corrupt but we are. We do things not because the Lord declares it of us but so that we can get recognition or so that we can get something out of. We are easily led astray by our own desires, needs and wants so that we longer seek the Lord first but we seek what we think we need to survive and live in this world.


4 Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on God.
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
where there was nothing to dread.
God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
you put them to shame, for God despised them.
6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

But we are now part of the hope - we have Jesus. He is our salvation and protection from our selves and other. We should be glad that we no longer need to follow our desires and plans. We are able to trust in the Lord and He will provide for us all that we need to do. We can seek first the Lord's will in our lives and know that He is enough to sustain us.

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 54

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”


1 Save me, O God, by your name;
vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.
3 Arrogant foes are attacking me;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
people without regard for God.
4 Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.
5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness destroy them. 6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, LORD, for it is good.
7 You have delivered me from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

Dear Lord God,
Listen to my words. I hear my cries for help. I know that things haven't been going the way that I had planned for a long time now. It seems no matter what I do I just can't seem to get it right. My friends are turning into enemies and my enemies are staying enemies. It seems like noone wants to be on my side.
Lord, right now there is not much I can do but to trust in You. You are my help. You are the one that will see me through all of this. You will conquer all those who do evil and those who are mean to me will be repaid by You.
Lord, I surrender my life to You. All that is good and all that is bad. I will praise your name for You deliver me. You rescue me from my foes and I am triuphant in all that I do. My success is in You.

 

[Evie1980]

Hey All,

Sorry to kind of fall off the face of the earth. I have been in transit to Australia and then home for the last couple of days. Last week at school was very busy and I was going to be prepared for it but alas I was not. I am so sorry. I hope and pray that the Lord has blessed you in all that you have done as He has me. I am so happy to be safely back in NSW with my parents.

Blessings,
Evie

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 55

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David.
1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;
2 hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught

How would you finish this sentence - my thoughts are ...
David said his thoughts were distraught and that was why he was pleading with the Lord. Many times we forget that it is in our thoughts that we make our choices. We need to protect our thoughts and ask God to direct them. When our thoughts start and end with Him then we will find peace. However, if we are like David and have our thoughts on our enemies, we too will be distraught.

3 because of what my enemy is saying,
because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me
and assail me in their anger.
4 My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen on me.
5 Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.

When our thoughts are no longer on the Lord we start to let in other feelings. Our peace is going, our mind becomes distraught and we start to feel like there is no hope. We turn into a nervous wreck and we are scared to live.

6 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
7 I would flee far away
and stay in the desert;
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,
far from the tempest and storm.”

Fight or flight - which do you prefer? I am a flight person. I would love to have the wings of a dove and fly myself out of my troubles. Some days I do. Not literally of course but I shut the world out and resolve not to resolve my problems. But that is not the way of the Lord. I may not want to resolve my issues and problems but I have to.


9 Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,
for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls;
malice and abuse are within it.
11 Destructive forces are at work in the city;
threats and lies never leave its streets.
12 If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
I could hide.
13 But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
at the house of God,
as we walked about
among the worshipers.

Friends make the worst enemies. They are the people we love and trust. To find out that they are less than perfect is hard. It is even harder to accept them when they no longer agree with us or want to be around us.

15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;
let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,
for evil finds lodging among them.
16 As for me, I call to God,
and the LORD saves me.
17 Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
18 He rescues me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.

As for me.... we all have choices in our life how we deal with the hard times, how we deal with our enemies, how we endure lost friendships and shattered dreams.
As for me... I have my choice. I know what I am goind to do.
As for me, I will praise the Lord.
As for me, I will call on His name.
As for me, I will wait for Him.
As for me, I will not lose sight of my Saviour.
As for me, I will be a strong disciple of the Lord.
As for me, I will chose to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul.
For He rescues me.
For He saves me.
For He loves me.
For He does not change.
For He is my hope.
For He is my love.
For He is my God.

19 God, who is enthroned from of old,
who does not change—
he will hear them and humble them,
because they have no fear of God.
20 My companion attacks his friends;
he violates his covenant.
21 His talk is smooth as butter,
yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
yet they are drawn swords.

Sometimes with people what you see is not what you get but God will is. People lie, people deceive, people say one thing but really mean another thing. God is never like that. We need to remember that, even though people may fail us, God never does. He never has and He never will. God doesn't change who is but people can. That is why we trust in Him.

22 Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.

I am going to wrap up all my worries and send them to the Lord. I will not think about them again. It is hard. I have tried many times and failed this but I am learning to let go. I am learning to give everything. I need to stop talking about the past. I need to stop worrying about the future and allow God to live with me here right now.

23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked
into the pit of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful
will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you.

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 56

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

1 Be merciful to me, my God,
for my enemies are in hot pursuit;
all day long they press their attack.
2 My adversaries pursue me all day long;
in their pride many are attacking me.
3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?

Do you worry about other people more than you trust in God? It is so easy to worry about what other people think and forget that it is in God that we trust. It is in God we are not afraid. We don't need to worry about what others will think and feel about us when we completely trust in the Lord.

5 All day long they twist my words;
all their schemes are for my ruin.
6 They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
hoping to take my life.
7 Because of their wickedness do not let them escape;
in your anger, God, bring the nations down. 8 Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll—
are they not in your record?

Let me count the ways that someone can burt me... there are so many ways we come under pressure within our relationships.

9 Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.

10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the LORD, whose word I praise—
11 in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me? 12 I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 57

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam. When he had fled from Saul into the cave.

1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.

The safest plcae I can be, O Lord, is under your wing. Lord, protect me until this time of uncertainty has passed. You are my refuge and strength. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I need you in all that I do.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who vindicates me.

Lord, you release me from my guilt. You clear me of blame and make me righteous.

3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me—
God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

God you pour down your love on me from Heaven. Your faithfulness and love is evident here on earth every day.


4 I am in the midst of lions;
I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.

Lord some days I go to places I don't want to be and have to live with people I don't want to. They attack me and make me there prey. I don't want to be their victim but Lord I don't have the strength to overcome them alone.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

Lord let yourself be known throughout the earth. Show us who you are. Be evident here on earth.

6 They spread a net for my feet—
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.

They want me to be a victim of their plans but they only entrap themselves.
7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.

Because my life is in you. I can't be a victim for you are with me. I live every day for you. My path never changes. I rejoice knowing that I am with you and you make me a conqueror.

8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.

I will start everyday rejoicing in you. I will sing and dance for you Lord everyday of my life.

9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.

Wherever I am in this world Lord my heart belongs to you. I will rejoice and sing of you with everyone I meet. They will see you in who I am.

10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Lord you are known throughout this world and throughout this universe. There is nowhere I can everybe where you are not present. Your love is everywhere.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

Be praised my God and my King! Let your glory be known throughout this world. Let your glory be known throughout my life.

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 58

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.

1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge people with equity?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
5 that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skillful the enchanter may be.
6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
LORD, tear out the fangs of those lions!
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.
8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.
10 The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Then people will say,
“Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth.”

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 59

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam. When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.

1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
2 Deliver me from evildoers
and save me from those who are after my blood.

There are going to be times in our lives that we are going to have to pray. That is all that we can do. We will be surrounded by despair and we can perceive only one outcome and it isn't good. In those moments all we can do is pray and trust in the Lord. That is what David had to do. That is what we have to do. It may not be the way we would like to solve our problems but we don't always have the choice to do things our way. Pray and let God have control. Explain to Him your fears and anxiety. Explain to Him your situation and then wait for His resolution.

3 See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire against me
for no offense or sin of mine, LORD.
4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
Arise to help me; look on my plight!
5 You, LORD God Almighty,
you who are the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
show no mercy to wicked traitors.

Remember who God is and who your enemies are. God is bigger than them not the other way round. God is able to conquer everyone and everything in this world.

6 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
7 See what they spew from their mouths—
the words from their lips are sharp as swords,
and they think, “Who can hear us?”

An easy trap to fall into is the one where we think that there is no God or He is not listening. God can see and hear all that goes on in our lives. There is no moment when we are without Him. Even if we don't recognise Him, He is still with us. Be careful what you think, do and say. God is always near.

8 But you laugh at them, LORD;
you scoff at all those nations.
9 You are my strength, I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,
10 my God on whom I can rely. God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

God will provide. There is no question. God will be with us. There is no question. God is reliable. There is no question. Pray as though you know who God is not what you hope He is. God is all of this. David knew it, but do you?

11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,
or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them
and bring them down.
12 For the sins of their mouths,
for the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
13 consume them in your wrath,
consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob.

How easily we can forget God's goodness and mercy in our daily lives. We see and learn today, then forget tomorrow. We need to learn the lesson over and over again before we really start to understand just how amazing He is. David wanted the people to remember God's power, strength and deliverance. David wanted God to reveal Himself when defeating David's enemies so that the people would remember God. Sometimes we just want the end of the story in our lives so that we can move on rather than allow for God to revealed in it. Our life story is only part of God's story not God's story part of ours. I am learning to be greatful in the moments where God is revealing Himself in my life. No greater honour will I ever have than revealing who God is in my life.


14 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food
and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.
17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.

There are many people who aren't satisfied in this world. They are constantly longing for something more but not me. I am satisfied because I have God. True, my air-con in my car takes so much power out of the engine that I have to make a choice of either getting to where I am going or being cool (and trust me it is not fun in a tropical climate to have no air-con). True, I my flatmate has driven me to the brink of insanity (and yes, she is a Christian). True, I am not sure why I live in a developing nation and with the strong Australian dollar my income is so much lower now than when I started (I get paid in US dollars). Discontentment surrounds me everyday and so everyday I need to make a choice - do I praise the Lord or not? It is not easy to live. It is not easy to be thankful. It is not easy to be content. BUT God is good. God is so good that He is worthy of praise. He is reliable, He is a shield, He is strength, He is a fortress, He is provision. He is everything we need and that is why He is to be praised.

 

[Evie1980]

Psalm 60

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

1 You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us;
you have been angry—now restore us!
2 You have shaken the land and torn it open;
mend its fractures, for it is quaking.
3 You have shown your people desperate times;
you have given us wine that makes us stagger.
4 But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner
to be unfurled against the bow.

Ever felt like God has rejected you? I have and it is not fun. I have felt the pain of trying to get through all the emotions and turmoil on my own but David was a little smarter than I am. He went straight to God and talked to Him about it. We all known the quickest way to resolve a conflict is to talk to the people involved but when we have a conflict with the Lord we just pretend that it never happened. God can restore lands, He can restore nations and civilisation. He can also restore us if we willingly talk to Him about it. God will raise His banner for us and lead us into restoration and hope if we let Him. He is willing to do this for us but are we?
5 Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.
6 God has spoken from his sanctuary:
“In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah is my scepter.
8 Moab is my washbasin,
on Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

God has all His enemies in the palm of His hand. He has control over them. Does He not have control over yours as well. Many times I forget that my enemies are not stronger than my God. It is hard see how big God really is in the midst of pain and anguish. He will deliver me and save me. This is the hope and joy I have. There is nothing more that I can ask for.

9 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?
11 Give us aid against the enemy,
for human help is worthless.
12 With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.

My help is in God. My parents wrote this verse in a Bible that they gave me as a gift Mark 10:27 "Jesus turned to them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God. All things are possible with God."" I know it but I don't always live by it. I was brought up with the "white knight syndrome" thinking that there was someone going to come along and save me from this life I am living. I thought that someone will come along with all the answers to my problems. The truth is Someone already came to my life. Someone has already shown me the answers to my problems. I was just not willing to listen. Human help is worthless like David said because somethings are just impossible for men (people) to do like Jesus said. I am not reliant on humans to answer my problems. I am reliant on God. He alone will help me to overcome. He always has, I just wasn't willingly to see it.