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Psalm Study Thread
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Psalms 46:2 says "Therefore will we not fear,though the earth be removed,and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea."Wow thanks for this thread! I look forward to more Psalms.
Does that sound familiar? It should.Here are some lyrics from the song"Stand By Me."
the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
And the mountain should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry
No I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
And darling, darling stand by me
Oh, stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me, stand by me
Yes,many of our sayings and cliches come from either the Bible or from
Shakespeare's works.
Another note about Psalms 46. The word "shake" is in verse 3. The word "spear" is in verse 9.
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Psalm 79
A psalm of Asaph.
1 O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance;
they have defiled your holy temple,
they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.
2 They have left the dead bodies of your servants
as food for the birds of the sky,
the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.
3 They have poured out blood like water
all around Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury the dead.
4 We are objects of contempt to our neighbors,
of scorn and derision to those around us.
5 How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever?
How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out your wrath on the nations
that do not acknowledge you,
on the kingdoms
that do not call on your name;
7 for they have devoured Jacob
and devastated his homeland.
8 Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;
may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
for we are in desperate need.
9 Help us, God our Savior,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
for your names sake.
10 Why should the nations say,
Where is their God? Before our eyes, make known among the nations
that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.
11 May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.
12 Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times
the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.
13 Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will praise you forever;
from generation to generation
we will proclaim your praise.
Dreams and Happiness
Have you ever had a dream fall flat on it's face? Have you ever cried out this in the midldle of the night
When you read through this psalm and get to the final verse you want good to come in His conquering might so that the Israelies, like us, will glorify the Lord throughout the ages. They knew, just like we know, that if God just gives us what we want, the desires of heart, then we will never turn away from Him again. Through the current dramas we realise that we can't do it alone so we promise as long as God fixes this problem we will always proclaim His name.
I have been guilty of this way of thought. If God could just fix my life I will proclaim Him throughoutmy life. But God doesn't need my life to be proclaimed. Everything in this world speaks of Him. It is a blessing for Him to use me not a blessing for me to use Him.
A psalm of Asaph.
1 O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance;
they have defiled your holy temple,
they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.
2 They have left the dead bodies of your servants
as food for the birds of the sky,
the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.
3 They have poured out blood like water
all around Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury the dead.
4 We are objects of contempt to our neighbors,
of scorn and derision to those around us.
5 How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever?
How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out your wrath on the nations
that do not acknowledge you,
on the kingdoms
that do not call on your name;
7 for they have devoured Jacob
and devastated his homeland.
8 Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;
may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
for we are in desperate need.
9 Help us, God our Savior,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
for your names sake.
10 Why should the nations say,
Where is their God? Before our eyes, make known among the nations
that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.
11 May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.
12 Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times
the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.
13 Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will praise you forever;
from generation to generation
we will proclaim your praise.
Dreams and Happiness
Have you ever had a dream fall flat on it's face? Have you ever cried out this in the midldle of the night
I know that I have. But now I am beginning to wonder - do I really cry out like this for His name's sake or mine?
When you read through this psalm and get to the final verse you want good to come in His conquering might so that the Israelies, like us, will glorify the Lord throughout the ages. They knew, just like we know, that if God just gives us what we want, the desires of heart, then we will never turn away from Him again. Through the current dramas we realise that we can't do it alone so we promise as long as God fixes this problem we will always proclaim His name.
I have been guilty of this way of thought. If God could just fix my life I will proclaim Him throughoutmy life. But God doesn't need my life to be proclaimed. Everything in this world speaks of Him. It is a blessing for Him to use me not a blessing for me to use Him.
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Psalm 80
For the director of music. To the tune of The Lilies of the Covenant. Of Asaph. A psalm.
1 Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,
shine forth 2 before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Awaken your might;
come and save us.
3 Restore us, O God;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.
4 How long, LORD God Almighty,
will your anger smolder
against the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears;
you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.
6 You have made us an object of derision to our neighbors,
and our enemies mock us.
7 Restore us, God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.
8 You transplanted a vine from Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it,
and it took root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 Its branches reached as far as the Sea,
its shoots as far as the River. 12 Why have you broken down its walls
so that all who pass by pick its grapes?
13 Boars from the forest ravage it,
and insects from the fields feed on it.
14 Return to us, God Almighty!
Look down from heaven and see!
Watch over this vine,
15 the root your right hand has planted,
the son you have raised up for yourself.
16 Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire;
at your rebuke your people perish.
17 Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,
the son of man you have raised up for yourself.
18 Then we will not turn away from you;
revive us, and we will call on your name. 19 Restore us, LORD God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.
Who Can Come?
Psalmist is calling on the Lord to save them but He is not asking God to send the angels, more money, an army, or anything else for that matter. He is asking God to send Jesus. He is asking God to send His Son.
Many times we think that we know the answers to our own problem. If you send me some money, if you send me a husband, if you send me angels to protect me I will be able to achieve. But what if we asked God to send Jesus?
Now I know you are all going to say that I have already asked Jesus to save me but have you aksed Jesus to be part of your daily life? It is so easy to fall into the trap to think that we only ask one for Jesus and that is it. It would be like me only talking to a friend once. I ask them out to coffee, ask them to be my best friend, then never talk to them again or only talk to them when I am happy. It doesn't really work out. We can call on the name of Jesus whenever we need Him. He is our salvation. When we need Him, He will be there. Some days our problems are so big that we can ask God to send Jesus Himself into the midst of it. After all, He can do all things.
For the director of music. To the tune of The Lilies of the Covenant. Of Asaph. A psalm.
1 Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,
shine forth 2 before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Awaken your might;
come and save us.
3 Restore us, O God;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.
4 How long, LORD God Almighty,
will your anger smolder
against the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears;
you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.
6 You have made us an object of derision to our neighbors,
and our enemies mock us.
7 Restore us, God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.
8 You transplanted a vine from Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it,
and it took root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 Its branches reached as far as the Sea,
its shoots as far as the River. 12 Why have you broken down its walls
so that all who pass by pick its grapes?
13 Boars from the forest ravage it,
and insects from the fields feed on it.
14 Return to us, God Almighty!
Look down from heaven and see!
Watch over this vine,
15 the root your right hand has planted,
the son you have raised up for yourself.
16 Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire;
at your rebuke your people perish.
17 Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,
the son of man you have raised up for yourself.
18 Then we will not turn away from you;
revive us, and we will call on your name. 19 Restore us, LORD God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.
Who Can Come?
Psalmist is calling on the Lord to save them but He is not asking God to send the angels, more money, an army, or anything else for that matter. He is asking God to send Jesus. He is asking God to send His Son.
Many times we think that we know the answers to our own problem. If you send me some money, if you send me a husband, if you send me angels to protect me I will be able to achieve. But what if we asked God to send Jesus?
Now I know you are all going to say that I have already asked Jesus to save me but have you aksed Jesus to be part of your daily life? It is so easy to fall into the trap to think that we only ask one for Jesus and that is it. It would be like me only talking to a friend once. I ask them out to coffee, ask them to be my best friend, then never talk to them again or only talk to them when I am happy. It doesn't really work out. We can call on the name of Jesus whenever we need Him. He is our salvation. When we need Him, He will be there. Some days our problems are so big that we can ask God to send Jesus Himself into the midst of it. After all, He can do all things.
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Psalm 81
For the director of music. According to gittith.Of Asaph.
1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!
2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel,
play the melodious harp and lyre.
3 Sound the rams horn at the New Moon,
and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
4 this is a decree for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 When God went out against Egypt,
he established it as a statute for Joseph.
I heard an unknown voice say:
6 I removed the burden from their shoulders;
their hands were set free from the basket.
7 In your distress you called and I rescued you,
I answered you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.[c]
8 Hear me, my people, and I will warn you
if you would only listen to me, Israel!
9 You shall have no foreign god among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
11 But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices. 13 If my people would only listen to me,
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes!
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.
And then there is hope....
Ever had that moment when clouds in the sky slowly break up and you see the sunshine burst through? It is like that when we remember the promises of the Lord. When we pour our His promises in our lives it does not automatically mean everything is going to change but what it is does mean is our perspective will change. We will find a hope that we never felt possible.
So today I am going to worship and praise the Lord. For He has done and will continue to do amazing things in my life according to the promises in His Word.
For the director of music. According to gittith.Of Asaph.
1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!
2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel,
play the melodious harp and lyre.
3 Sound the rams horn at the New Moon,
and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
4 this is a decree for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 When God went out against Egypt,
he established it as a statute for Joseph.
I heard an unknown voice say:
6 I removed the burden from their shoulders;
their hands were set free from the basket.
7 In your distress you called and I rescued you,
I answered you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.[c]
8 Hear me, my people, and I will warn you
if you would only listen to me, Israel!
9 You shall have no foreign god among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
11 But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices. 13 If my people would only listen to me,
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes!
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.
And then there is hope....
Ever had that moment when clouds in the sky slowly break up and you see the sunshine burst through? It is like that when we remember the promises of the Lord. When we pour our His promises in our lives it does not automatically mean everything is going to change but what it is does mean is our perspective will change. We will find a hope that we never felt possible.
So today I am going to worship and praise the Lord. For He has done and will continue to do amazing things in my life according to the promises in His Word.
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Psalm 82
A psalm of Asaph.
1 God presides in the great assembly;
he renders judgment among the gods:
2 How long will you defend the unjust
and show partiality to the wicked?
3 Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5 The gods know nothing, they understand nothing.
They walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I said, You are gods;
you are all sons of the Most High.
7 But you will die like mere mortals;
you will fall like every other ruler. 8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are your inheritance.
God's of This World
In anceint times many people thought that the ruler of the day was also a "god". The Romans, Egyptians and other civilistaions placed their king above them as a god also to make them seem more powerful. The truth is, just because you think that something is a god doesn't actually mean that it it. The rulers had no more power as a god than when they were just a king. It was all in the mind of the people.
The same can be said today. Just because we think that something or someone is all-powerful doesn't mean that it is. Sometimes we give people too much power. We start worshipping them and idolising them. However, they are just people and they too will die like the rest of us.
Be careful where you put your hope. There is only one true Judge of this earth and one day He will come to judge all the things in this world including the people we think are indestructable.
A psalm of Asaph.
1 God presides in the great assembly;
he renders judgment among the gods:
2 How long will you defend the unjust
and show partiality to the wicked?
3 Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5 The gods know nothing, they understand nothing.
They walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I said, You are gods;
you are all sons of the Most High.
7 But you will die like mere mortals;
you will fall like every other ruler. 8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are your inheritance.
God's of This World
In anceint times many people thought that the ruler of the day was also a "god". The Romans, Egyptians and other civilistaions placed their king above them as a god also to make them seem more powerful. The truth is, just because you think that something is a god doesn't actually mean that it it. The rulers had no more power as a god than when they were just a king. It was all in the mind of the people.
The same can be said today. Just because we think that something or someone is all-powerful doesn't mean that it is. Sometimes we give people too much power. We start worshipping them and idolising them. However, they are just people and they too will die like the rest of us.
Be careful where you put your hope. There is only one true Judge of this earth and one day He will come to judge all the things in this world including the people we think are indestructable.
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Thank you again! I cannot wait for Psalm 119, my favorite!
You're welcome my friend!
Thanks for all your encouragement. 
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Psalm 83
A song. A psalm of Asaph.
1 O God, do not remain silent;
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,
how your foes rear their heads.
3 With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.
4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation,
so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”
5 With one mind they plot together;
they form an alliance against you—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Byblos, Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia, with the people of Tyre.
8 Even Assyria has joined them
to reinforce Lot’s descendants.
9 Do to them as you did to Midian,
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
10 who perished at Endor
and became like dung on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us take possession
of the pasturelands of God.”
13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your storm.
16 Cover their faces with shame, LORD,
so that they will seek your name.
17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;
may they perish in disgrace.
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD—
that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.
Enemies
We all have them. People who just don't wnat the best for you. People who ignore you. People who got out of their way to make your life harder. People who will be rude and slanderous to your face and sometimes, to the people that are important to us. Imagine if all the people you ever would have classified as an enemy, even on a minor scale, got togethter and decided to make your life a misery. That is what happened to Israel. And you would want revenge too right?
Revenge is not always a good thing. Revenge is self-seeking and requires us to put our needs before the needs of others including God. We enable others to dictate who we think and feel, and then follow along in a game of cat and mouse. In the end there will always be a winner but there may not be a victory.
The psalmist here realised that, although they wanted the Lord to exact revenge for Isreal's mistreatment, there should only be one purpose - for the Lord's name to be praised by all. He wanted God's revenge to turn his enemies towards the Lord so that they would know of Him. The psalmist wanted the Lord's name to be praised. So before we start praying for our enemies to be vanquished we need to ask ourselves - is this for me or is it for the Lord?
A song. A psalm of Asaph.
1 O God, do not remain silent;
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,
how your foes rear their heads.
3 With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.
4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation,
so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”
5 With one mind they plot together;
they form an alliance against you—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Byblos, Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia, with the people of Tyre.
8 Even Assyria has joined them
to reinforce Lot’s descendants.
9 Do to them as you did to Midian,
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
10 who perished at Endor
and became like dung on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us take possession
of the pasturelands of God.”
13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your storm.
16 Cover their faces with shame, LORD,
so that they will seek your name.
17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;
may they perish in disgrace.
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD—
that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.
Enemies
We all have them. People who just don't wnat the best for you. People who ignore you. People who got out of their way to make your life harder. People who will be rude and slanderous to your face and sometimes, to the people that are important to us. Imagine if all the people you ever would have classified as an enemy, even on a minor scale, got togethter and decided to make your life a misery. That is what happened to Israel. And you would want revenge too right?
Revenge is not always a good thing. Revenge is self-seeking and requires us to put our needs before the needs of others including God. We enable others to dictate who we think and feel, and then follow along in a game of cat and mouse. In the end there will always be a winner but there may not be a victory.
The psalmist here realised that, although they wanted the Lord to exact revenge for Isreal's mistreatment, there should only be one purpose - for the Lord's name to be praised by all. He wanted God's revenge to turn his enemies towards the Lord so that they would know of Him. The psalmist wanted the Lord's name to be praised. So before we start praying for our enemies to be vanquished we need to ask ourselves - is this for me or is it for the Lord?
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Thanks for sharing! I think we should pray for our enemies to know Jesus. I really like how you word things because you keep it real and make it easy to understand. Also, you admit when you get certain feelings relating to the Psalms and that helps me to be more open.
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Ahhh! Once again I have been distracted for a little and fogotten where I am up to. Please accept my apologise. My internet is not very good at home so I will have to play catch up at work. I am currently working on leaving my situation in Timor and stepping out into faith back home so please forgive me if it happens again.
Blessings
Evie
Blessings
Evie
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Psalm 84
For the director of music. According to gittith. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
LORD Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young
a place near your altar,
LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless. 12 LORD Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.
What timing the Lord's word has in our lives! I was thinking of this psalm just last night and here I am writing about it. The Lord is good and His guides us to every moment in our lives including this one I am in right now.
I highlighted the things that are really reflacting in my daily struggles right now. It seems to me that I am forever trying to find that perfect place to live on this earth. I move so quickly from one place to another without so much as a second glance. I have lived in some of the most amazing places and yet, I still feel uncomfortable in them. why? Because my heart yearns for something better than is available here on this earth.
But the journey through this life is what brings us closer to God and in turn brings us closer to His dwelling place. We were not called to this life to simply settle into it. This is a pilgrimage of the heart. It is a pilgrimage to a place of wisdom, love, joy, peace, happiness, contentment and self-control. It is a pilgrimage of strength and discovery in the Lord so that when we finally come into His presence we can say confidently "here I am Lord. I am Yours."
Yet this is not always easy in the daily struggles. I fall victim daily to my selfish desires and my longings to be in this world for my own gain. I fall victim to the sins that so quickly entice me and I am led into the tents of the wicked.
So I remind myself it is better to be a servant of the Most High than to dwell in the house of sinners. Through all this struggle I have learnt that my King is worthy and I am willing. As my journey continues outside of where I am right now, I know that God is faithful to my needs. I may fear the changes and challenges that lay ahead for me but God will continue to walk with me until I see this journey through,
Blessings
For the director of music. According to gittith. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
LORD Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young
a place near your altar,
LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless. 12 LORD Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.
What timing the Lord's word has in our lives! I was thinking of this psalm just last night and here I am writing about it. The Lord is good and His guides us to every moment in our lives including this one I am in right now.
I highlighted the things that are really reflacting in my daily struggles right now. It seems to me that I am forever trying to find that perfect place to live on this earth. I move so quickly from one place to another without so much as a second glance. I have lived in some of the most amazing places and yet, I still feel uncomfortable in them. why? Because my heart yearns for something better than is available here on this earth.
But the journey through this life is what brings us closer to God and in turn brings us closer to His dwelling place. We were not called to this life to simply settle into it. This is a pilgrimage of the heart. It is a pilgrimage to a place of wisdom, love, joy, peace, happiness, contentment and self-control. It is a pilgrimage of strength and discovery in the Lord so that when we finally come into His presence we can say confidently "here I am Lord. I am Yours."
Yet this is not always easy in the daily struggles. I fall victim daily to my selfish desires and my longings to be in this world for my own gain. I fall victim to the sins that so quickly entice me and I am led into the tents of the wicked.
So I remind myself it is better to be a servant of the Most High than to dwell in the house of sinners. Through all this struggle I have learnt that my King is worthy and I am willing. As my journey continues outside of where I am right now, I know that God is faithful to my needs. I may fear the changes and challenges that lay ahead for me but God will continue to walk with me until I see this journey through,
Blessings
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Sorry lost power last night and they didn't turn on the back generator and the internet doesn't work at home and... well my apologise.
Psalm 85
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 You, LORD, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people
and covered all their sins.
3You set aside all your wrath
and turned from your fierce anger.
4 Restore us again, God our Savior,
and put away your displeasure toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, LORD,
and grant us your salvation.
8 I will listen to what God the LORD says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants
but let them not turn to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 The LORD will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.
It is amazing how good the Lord is and how quickly we forget it. There are many times that I think that there is nothing good in this world. The stress overwhelms me and I end up confused as to which direction I need to go. Then something comes along and reminds of God's goodness and graciousness.
God did restore His people through the life of Jesus. He restored His love and relationship with His people. He turned away from anger and enabled all of us to have an open and honest relationship with Him.
So even though today may not be what you wanted it to be, know that the Lord is with you. Know that He is walking by your side and soon you will see a time of harvest. God is preparing many awesome things in your life as well as mine.
Psalm 85
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 You, LORD, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people
and covered all their sins.
3You set aside all your wrath
and turned from your fierce anger.
4 Restore us again, God our Savior,
and put away your displeasure toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, LORD,
and grant us your salvation.
8 I will listen to what God the LORD says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants
but let them not turn to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 The LORD will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.
It is amazing how good the Lord is and how quickly we forget it. There are many times that I think that there is nothing good in this world. The stress overwhelms me and I end up confused as to which direction I need to go. Then something comes along and reminds of God's goodness and graciousness.
God did restore His people through the life of Jesus. He restored His love and relationship with His people. He turned away from anger and enabled all of us to have an open and honest relationship with Him.
So even though today may not be what you wanted it to be, know that the Lord is with you. Know that He is walking by your side and soon you will see a time of harvest. God is preparing many awesome things in your life as well as mine.
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Psalm 86
A prayer of David.
1 Hear me, LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, LORD;
listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, LORD,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths,
from the realm of the dead. 14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill me
they have no regard for you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
show your strength in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
just as my mother did.
17 Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
Have you forgotten how to pray?
Somedays I struggle with prayer. I am not sure what the right words to say are but I am pretty sure David never struggled the same way I do. David has a real sense of why he needed to pray -
(a) he needed God to do things like guarding his life and taking care of him
(b) he could call on God whenever he needed (all day long)
(c) God is merciful, forgving and good
(d) God answers
(e) there is nothing tat compares to Him (I feel a little Sinead sing-a-long coming on)
(f) God loves us and delivers us
(g) God is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, faithful, full of love, helpful and comforting.
All in all, He is perfect and everything that we need.
And what do we pray?
That we know the way of the Lord for our life. That we walk with Him and talk with Him the way that Adam did in the beginning. That we live a life for Him and allow His to show us His ways. That we have an undivided heart toward doing His will.
A prayer of David.
1 Hear me, LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, LORD;
listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, LORD,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths,
from the realm of the dead. 14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill me
they have no regard for you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
show your strength in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
just as my mother did.
17 Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
Have you forgotten how to pray?
Somedays I struggle with prayer. I am not sure what the right words to say are but I am pretty sure David never struggled the same way I do. David has a real sense of why he needed to pray -
(a) he needed God to do things like guarding his life and taking care of him
(b) he could call on God whenever he needed (all day long)
(c) God is merciful, forgving and good
(d) God answers
(e) there is nothing tat compares to Him (I feel a little Sinead sing-a-long coming on)
(f) God loves us and delivers us
(g) God is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, faithful, full of love, helpful and comforting.
All in all, He is perfect and everything that we need.
And what do we pray?
That we know the way of the Lord for our life. That we walk with Him and talk with Him the way that Adam did in the beginning. That we live a life for Him and allow His to show us His ways. That we have an undivided heart toward doing His will.
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Psalm 87
Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.
1 He has founded his city on the holy mountain.
2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are said of you,
city of God:
4 I will record Rahab and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me
Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush
and will say, This one was born in Zion.
5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
This one and that one were born in her,
and the Most High himself will establish her.
6 The LORD will write in the register of the peoples:
This one was born in Zion. 7 As they make music they will sing,
All my fountains are in you.
In my world, where do you come from is a very important question. I am a foreigner. I don't come from here. I am a "mal-i" here in Timor. I know it because I am called that on a regular basis. My old passport number I knew by heart. I have a new passport number that, in time, I will also know. I have a traveller's heart but there is one place I always reside in no matter where I am in the world - Zion.
I am a daughter od Zion. I claim my birth right every where I go. Because God claims me as one of His citizens I am able to do all things. He establishes me where ever I am. He provides for me. He establishes favour in this world for me - in hearts of people as well as in my daily circumstances.
It is, however, very easy to forget where you come from when you are a foreigner. Some days I forget that I am Australian and different to the people around me. I do things that I think are "normal" only to find out differently. Sometimes I even end up taking on the the culture of where I am. I get "taught" how to do things differently and not always for the better. When I forget where I come from, I forget my mum and my dad, my family and friends. I forget the wonderful gift they are to me from God. Then I remember I don't belong here and, to be honest, I don't belong in Australia either. I belong in Zion. I belong to the Lord. No culture can ever override the culture of the Lord - to love all people at all times. When we abide in this, there is no need for individual differences.
So today don't forget where your real home is - Zion. We will get there one day. Your Father in Heaven will call you home one day. Until that day let us remember to live as foreigners here on earth.
Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.
1 He has founded his city on the holy mountain.
2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are said of you,
city of God:
4 I will record Rahab and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me
Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush
and will say, This one was born in Zion.
5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
This one and that one were born in her,
and the Most High himself will establish her.
6 The LORD will write in the register of the peoples:
This one was born in Zion. 7 As they make music they will sing,
All my fountains are in you.
In my world, where do you come from is a very important question. I am a foreigner. I don't come from here. I am a "mal-i" here in Timor. I know it because I am called that on a regular basis. My old passport number I knew by heart. I have a new passport number that, in time, I will also know. I have a traveller's heart but there is one place I always reside in no matter where I am in the world - Zion.
I am a daughter od Zion. I claim my birth right every where I go. Because God claims me as one of His citizens I am able to do all things. He establishes me where ever I am. He provides for me. He establishes favour in this world for me - in hearts of people as well as in my daily circumstances.
It is, however, very easy to forget where you come from when you are a foreigner. Some days I forget that I am Australian and different to the people around me. I do things that I think are "normal" only to find out differently. Sometimes I even end up taking on the the culture of where I am. I get "taught" how to do things differently and not always for the better. When I forget where I come from, I forget my mum and my dad, my family and friends. I forget the wonderful gift they are to me from God. Then I remember I don't belong here and, to be honest, I don't belong in Australia either. I belong in Zion. I belong to the Lord. No culture can ever override the culture of the Lord - to love all people at all times. When we abide in this, there is no need for individual differences.
So today don't forget where your real home is - Zion. We will get there one day. Your Father in Heaven will call you home one day. Until that day let us remember to live as foreigners here on earth.
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Psalm 88
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 LORD, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troubles
and my life draws near to death.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
8 You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help, LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, LORD, do you reject me
and hide your face from me? 15 From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor
darkness is my closest friend.
Stories
Stories is the song by Toby Mac that is floating through my head right now. Stories, as Toby Mac sang, are when "We've been down to the bottom, Stories we got 'em, when we hit rock bottom." Yes, we all have a story. Some are easy to understand. Some are complicated. Some are from our own doing, some from others and some just happen. They are moments when we are unsure what to do.
I have more stories than you can poke a stick at. In fact, if you want a story of awkward, embarassing, strange, impossible, annoying etc I have one for each category. I can tell you about confusion, heart ache, misinterpretation, co-dependency and addiction. Some stories make you laugh, some make you cry and others make you wonder what really is going on in this world. As my aunt says my stories are very real. I am so human that sometimes it surprises myself.
You see, just when I think I can do it or just when I think I have it sorted out, something else comes along to change my view. The road to the Lord is filled with incredible moments when I feel like I could reach out my hand and touch Him. Then, in an instant, it feels like all the water on this earth is seperating me from Him. There is a gap that I can't even begin to fathom how to cross.
God knows the journey isn't easy. He knows that there will be moments when we just want to let go. Those are the moments He holds us the tightest. We make our way through those moments not by our own strength and walking closer to God. It is ok to acknowledge that you are unsure where your life is going as long as you still recognise God is in the midst of it all.
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 LORD, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troubles
and my life draws near to death.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
8 You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help, LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, LORD, do you reject me
and hide your face from me? 15 From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor
darkness is my closest friend.
Stories
Stories is the song by Toby Mac that is floating through my head right now. Stories, as Toby Mac sang, are when "We've been down to the bottom, Stories we got 'em, when we hit rock bottom." Yes, we all have a story. Some are easy to understand. Some are complicated. Some are from our own doing, some from others and some just happen. They are moments when we are unsure what to do.
I have more stories than you can poke a stick at. In fact, if you want a story of awkward, embarassing, strange, impossible, annoying etc I have one for each category. I can tell you about confusion, heart ache, misinterpretation, co-dependency and addiction. Some stories make you laugh, some make you cry and others make you wonder what really is going on in this world. As my aunt says my stories are very real. I am so human that sometimes it surprises myself.
You see, just when I think I can do it or just when I think I have it sorted out, something else comes along to change my view. The road to the Lord is filled with incredible moments when I feel like I could reach out my hand and touch Him. Then, in an instant, it feels like all the water on this earth is seperating me from Him. There is a gap that I can't even begin to fathom how to cross.
God knows the journey isn't easy. He knows that there will be moments when we just want to let go. Those are the moments He holds us the tightest. We make our way through those moments not by our own strength and walking closer to God. It is ok to acknowledge that you are unsure where your life is going as long as you still recognise God is in the midst of it all.
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