June 7/8 BIBLE BLOG
Psalms 37-41
Psalm 37 is David’s great teaching psalm. Search through it for lessons for faith and life. Some of my favorites are:
The Principle of Investment: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart!” (v. 4) If we invest our interest and delight in the Lord, the way we invest ourselves in our favorite hobbies, the more blessing we receive!
The Principle of Sabbath: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him…” (v. 7) Sometimes, we don’t hear from God, because we haven’t stopped to listen.
The Principle of Humility: “The meek shall inherit the land.” (v. 11; see also vv. 22, 29 & 34). Jesus reworked these words for one of His great “Beatitudes.” The lesson is everywhere in Scripture: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble!” (James 4:6).
What other lessons can you find in this teaching psalm?
Psalm 38 stands second only to Psalm 51 as one of David’s great psalms of repentance. Read it as a catalyst for your own confession of sin!
Psalm 39 dovetails with one of Pastor Paul Walles’ favorite quotes from George MacDonald, the 19th Century author: “There is nothing quite so beneficial to the soul as the contemplation of one’s own mortality.” David is silent before the Lord, and in his silence, becomes aware of how fleeting and often futile life is (vv. 4-6). In the face of this truth, David declares to the Lord: “My hope is in You!” (v. 7)
Psalm 40 is the happy result of David’s patient waiting in the previous three psalms: Psalm 37:24; 38:21-22; 40:1. Here he begins: I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction and out of the miry bog and set my feet upon a rock. (vv. 1-2) He goes on to say that God has given him a new song, a new witness (vv. 3,5), and a new desire to do God’s will (v. 8). May the Lord reproduce such fruit in our lives!
Psalm 41 concludes BOOK ONE of the Psalter. Most of these psalms were written by David and have a personal feel that makes them very pray-able. This final psalm of the first book begins with the blessings that come to those who care for the poor: deliverance, protection, healing, forgiveness and sustenance—especially when betrayed by a friend. This psalm pre-figures Judas’ betray in v. 9: Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. But the blessings of those who “consider the poor” outweigh the trials of life! What can we do today on behalf of the poor?
Monday, we begin BOOK TWO of the Psalter!
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Friday, June 6, 2014
JUNE 6 PSALMS 31-36
June 6 BIBLE BLOG
Psalms 31-36
Psalm 31 is another of David’s great songs to be birthed in trial. “Deliver me!” (v. 1) he says. “Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am in distress.” (v. 9) “My life is spent with sorrow.” (v. 10) And “I…said in my alarm: I am cut off from Your sight!” (v. 22) But, from beginning to end, this psalm is also peppered with words of faith, not the least of which Jesus himself quoted from the cross: “Into Your hand I commit my spirit.” (v. 5)
Psalm 32 is a maskil of David’s. Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term, but no one knows for sure. This psalm teaches us the potential connection between sin and sickness, and between finding forgiveness and healing. While David left his sins unconfessed, he was a physical wreck (vv. 3-4). But when he acknowledged his sin, blessing came (vv. 1-2; 10-11). With this psalm, David pleads with sinners like himself not to be stubborn as a mule (v. 9), but to trust the Lord (v. 10).
Psalm 33 extols the steadfast love of the Lord that we can experience through His creation. The psalm-writer makes the connection between God’s love and God’s creation in v. 5, then writes of how we can cooperate with God’s creative power. Some well-known phrases come from Psalm 33: By the word of the Lord were the heavens made (v. 6); Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (v. 12); and behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him (v. 18).
Psalm 34 is David’s song of gratitude for God’s protection when he pretended insanity among the Philistines (1 Samuel 21:10-15, I think). This is one of my favorites; it’s filled with promises and challenges for those who would seek the Lord. It also contains another Messianic prophecy. HINT: Check John 19:36!
In Psalm 35, David lets loose of all his pent-up frustration with his wicked adversaries, malicious witness (v. 11), that open wide their mouths against [him] (v. 21). This psalm is proof that God’s leaders are allowed to vent before the Lord and complain about difficult people.
In Psalm 36, David begins by describing a sinful man (vv. 1-4). But the rest of this short psalm (vv. 5-12) praises God for His steadfast love. Three of my favorite metaphors for the blessings of God’s love are in vv. 8-9: feast, river and fountain. Listen: They feast on the abundance of Your house, You give them to drink from Your river of delights. For with You is the fountain of life!
Reading the psalms is like drinking from the Lord’s “river of delights.”
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
Psalms 31-36
Psalm 31 is another of David’s great songs to be birthed in trial. “Deliver me!” (v. 1) he says. “Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am in distress.” (v. 9) “My life is spent with sorrow.” (v. 10) And “I…said in my alarm: I am cut off from Your sight!” (v. 22) But, from beginning to end, this psalm is also peppered with words of faith, not the least of which Jesus himself quoted from the cross: “Into Your hand I commit my spirit.” (v. 5)
Psalm 32 is a maskil of David’s. Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term, but no one knows for sure. This psalm teaches us the potential connection between sin and sickness, and between finding forgiveness and healing. While David left his sins unconfessed, he was a physical wreck (vv. 3-4). But when he acknowledged his sin, blessing came (vv. 1-2; 10-11). With this psalm, David pleads with sinners like himself not to be stubborn as a mule (v. 9), but to trust the Lord (v. 10).
Psalm 33 extols the steadfast love of the Lord that we can experience through His creation. The psalm-writer makes the connection between God’s love and God’s creation in v. 5, then writes of how we can cooperate with God’s creative power. Some well-known phrases come from Psalm 33: By the word of the Lord were the heavens made (v. 6); Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (v. 12); and behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him (v. 18).
Psalm 34 is David’s song of gratitude for God’s protection when he pretended insanity among the Philistines (1 Samuel 21:10-15, I think). This is one of my favorites; it’s filled with promises and challenges for those who would seek the Lord. It also contains another Messianic prophecy. HINT: Check John 19:36!
In Psalm 35, David lets loose of all his pent-up frustration with his wicked adversaries, malicious witness (v. 11), that open wide their mouths against [him] (v. 21). This psalm is proof that God’s leaders are allowed to vent before the Lord and complain about difficult people.
In Psalm 36, David begins by describing a sinful man (vv. 1-4). But the rest of this short psalm (vv. 5-12) praises God for His steadfast love. Three of my favorite metaphors for the blessings of God’s love are in vv. 8-9: feast, river and fountain. Listen: They feast on the abundance of Your house, You give them to drink from Your river of delights. For with You is the fountain of life!
Reading the psalms is like drinking from the Lord’s “river of delights.”
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
Thursday, June 5, 2014
JUNE 5 PSALMS 25 - 30
June 5 BIBLE BLOG
Psalms 25-30
Psalm 25 is David’s humble (v. 9) and poignant prayer for God’s counsel and leadership. It’s an excellent psalm to pray as your own. In it, we express our faith (v. 1), confess our sins (vv. 7, 18), cry out for mercy (vv. 6, 16), and seek God’s guidance and care.
Psalm 26 is David’s plea for vindication and a promise of continued faithfulness; we can pray this psalm best when we are suffering for doing right.
Psalm 27 is one of my very favorite psalms. The glorious statements of faith at the beginning (vv. 1-3) and the end (vv. 13-14) are built upon David’s single-mindedness. He was, after all, a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). He shows his heart in the verses in between. I especially love the verse that begins, “One thing have I asked of the Lord…” What would your “one thing” be?
Psalm 28 is another of David’s beautiful cries for mercy. Notice how he moves from fear to faith and from a cry for help to a confession of God’s saving grace!
Psalm 29 is David’s call to extol the Lord. I imagine the setting of this psalm to be a particularly violent thunderstorm: The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders! (v. 3a). I remember another trip to the Boundary Waters when we faced such vicious weather. Just a few hundred yards from where we camped one night, straight-line winds leveled trees; The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars (v. 5a) and strips the forests bare (v. 9). During the storm that night, we felt the voice of the Lord shake the wilderness (v. 8). When we got up the next morning, one tree in our own campsite fell within inches of our campsite. We thanked the Lord for His protection!
Psalm 30 is a song David wrote for the dedication of the temple. Remember: he wouldn’t be there, so he must have written it for Solomon to use. Strangely, the psalm seems to have little to do with the temple and everything to do with God’s sovereign grace, working good from bad all the days of our lives. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning (v. 5b); You have turned my mourning into dancing (v. 11)! Maybe the temple connection is in David’s initial disappointment when God said NOT to build it and the subsequent joy when God renewed the COVENANT with him (2 Samuel 7).
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
Psalms 25-30
Psalm 25 is David’s humble (v. 9) and poignant prayer for God’s counsel and leadership. It’s an excellent psalm to pray as your own. In it, we express our faith (v. 1), confess our sins (vv. 7, 18), cry out for mercy (vv. 6, 16), and seek God’s guidance and care.
Psalm 26 is David’s plea for vindication and a promise of continued faithfulness; we can pray this psalm best when we are suffering for doing right.
Psalm 27 is one of my very favorite psalms. The glorious statements of faith at the beginning (vv. 1-3) and the end (vv. 13-14) are built upon David’s single-mindedness. He was, after all, a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). He shows his heart in the verses in between. I especially love the verse that begins, “One thing have I asked of the Lord…” What would your “one thing” be?
Psalm 28 is another of David’s beautiful cries for mercy. Notice how he moves from fear to faith and from a cry for help to a confession of God’s saving grace!
Psalm 29 is David’s call to extol the Lord. I imagine the setting of this psalm to be a particularly violent thunderstorm: The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders! (v. 3a). I remember another trip to the Boundary Waters when we faced such vicious weather. Just a few hundred yards from where we camped one night, straight-line winds leveled trees; The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars (v. 5a) and strips the forests bare (v. 9). During the storm that night, we felt the voice of the Lord shake the wilderness (v. 8). When we got up the next morning, one tree in our own campsite fell within inches of our campsite. We thanked the Lord for His protection!
Psalm 30 is a song David wrote for the dedication of the temple. Remember: he wouldn’t be there, so he must have written it for Solomon to use. Strangely, the psalm seems to have little to do with the temple and everything to do with God’s sovereign grace, working good from bad all the days of our lives. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning (v. 5b); You have turned my mourning into dancing (v. 11)! Maybe the temple connection is in David’s initial disappointment when God said NOT to build it and the subsequent joy when God renewed the COVENANT with him (2 Samuel 7).
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
JUNE 4 PSALMS 19-24
June 4 BIBLE BLOG
Psalms 19-24
Psalm 19 is a paean of praise and gratitude for God’s revelation. It’s a two-parter! Part one (vv. 1-6) extols God’s self-revelation through nature. Haven’t you sensed the power and majesty of God gazing at the night sky or an incoming thunderstorm? Once, one night, on the south shore of Rainey Lake in Voyageurs National Park, we noticed strange, dancing, fingers of light in the northern sky. We called the whole crew out of their tents to watch God paint the sky with “northern lights.” God gifted us that night with wonder! Part two (vv. 7-13) of this psalm extols God’s revelation through the written words of God’s Law. The Scriptures are perfect, sweet, enlightening, enduring, convicting and desirable. Psalm 19 concludes with David’s holy desire that His words and thoughts always reflect God’s!
Psalm 20 is a prayer David wrote for the people to pray on behalf of their king. Try praying through this psalm on behalf of our president and other leaders!
In Psalm 21, David speaks of himself in the third person: O Lord, in Your strength the king rejoices… He does this, perhaps, in the hope that future kings of Israel will adopt this psalm for themselves.
Psalm 22 is one of the most remarkable Messianic psalms in Scripture. In it, David—who must have been experiencing a time of persecution and suffering himself—writes of his experience in such a way that he prefigures or prophesies the suffering of his descendant, Jesus! Count how many details of Jesus’ passion you can find in this psalm. Allow it to increase your faith in the supernatural prophetic power of God’s Word!
Psalm 23 needs no introduction. David’s shepherd psalm looks back to David’s days as a shepherd of sheep, before he became the shepherd of Israel. In it, he sees God as the ultimate Shepherd, guiding, caring, nourishing and disciplining His people, as a good shepherd cares for the sheep. NOTE David’s hope for eternal life in v. 6!
Psalm 24 is a coronation song! In it, David recognizes that that though he is a king, God is the King of all, and is coming in all His glory! It teaches us to be watchful for the King’s coming!
These last three psalms (22-24) could all be called “messianic,” for they give us three glimpses of God’s Anointed One, our Lord Jesus: The Suffering Servant (22), the Good Shepherd (23), and the Coming King (24). It’s fun and enriching to read the psalms with a watchful eye for the Lord Jesus!
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
Psalms 19-24
Psalm 19 is a paean of praise and gratitude for God’s revelation. It’s a two-parter! Part one (vv. 1-6) extols God’s self-revelation through nature. Haven’t you sensed the power and majesty of God gazing at the night sky or an incoming thunderstorm? Once, one night, on the south shore of Rainey Lake in Voyageurs National Park, we noticed strange, dancing, fingers of light in the northern sky. We called the whole crew out of their tents to watch God paint the sky with “northern lights.” God gifted us that night with wonder! Part two (vv. 7-13) of this psalm extols God’s revelation through the written words of God’s Law. The Scriptures are perfect, sweet, enlightening, enduring, convicting and desirable. Psalm 19 concludes with David’s holy desire that His words and thoughts always reflect God’s!
Psalm 20 is a prayer David wrote for the people to pray on behalf of their king. Try praying through this psalm on behalf of our president and other leaders!
In Psalm 21, David speaks of himself in the third person: O Lord, in Your strength the king rejoices… He does this, perhaps, in the hope that future kings of Israel will adopt this psalm for themselves.
Psalm 22 is one of the most remarkable Messianic psalms in Scripture. In it, David—who must have been experiencing a time of persecution and suffering himself—writes of his experience in such a way that he prefigures or prophesies the suffering of his descendant, Jesus! Count how many details of Jesus’ passion you can find in this psalm. Allow it to increase your faith in the supernatural prophetic power of God’s Word!
Psalm 23 needs no introduction. David’s shepherd psalm looks back to David’s days as a shepherd of sheep, before he became the shepherd of Israel. In it, he sees God as the ultimate Shepherd, guiding, caring, nourishing and disciplining His people, as a good shepherd cares for the sheep. NOTE David’s hope for eternal life in v. 6!
Psalm 24 is a coronation song! In it, David recognizes that that though he is a king, God is the King of all, and is coming in all His glory! It teaches us to be watchful for the King’s coming!
These last three psalms (22-24) could all be called “messianic,” for they give us three glimpses of God’s Anointed One, our Lord Jesus: The Suffering Servant (22), the Good Shepherd (23), and the Coming King (24). It’s fun and enriching to read the psalms with a watchful eye for the Lord Jesus!
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
JUNE 3 PSALMS 13-18
June 3 BIBLE BLOG
Psalms 13-18
Psalm 13 is a short, poignant cry to God, “How long?” I’ve made marvelous progress with my knees, but nevertheless, there are times I feel like David in this psalm. How long till I can drive, O Lord? How long till I can resume something like my old schedule? Psalm 13 concludes with the best advice: I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalm 14 is famously dubbed “the atheists’ psalm,” for it begins with the words: The fool says in his heart: “There is no God!” But lest we think that David is pointing fingers, his next thought indicts us all. He says that God is looking for anyone who seeks him, but, instead, “All have turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none that does good, not even one!” (v. 3) There is a sense in which all of us live as though there is no God. This is why Psalm 14 ends with a cry for salvation!
Psalm 15 describes the sort of person God is looking for, who might “dwell on His holy hill,” that is, in His presence. Read this psalm as a tool for measuring your own heart. How well do I walk with God, speak his truth, show kindness to others and handle money for His glory?
Psalm 16 gives us a second glimpse of the Messiah in the psalms. David writes, overwhelmed by God’s grace, of the blessing of His relationship with God, the satisfaction of his inheritance in God, and the assurance of God’s counsel. Then, for a moment, his experience of God’s power and presence moves him to speak in the place of his greatest descendant, Jesus: For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your Holy One see corruption. (v. 10) As Peter preached the very first sermon on Pentecost, he quoted these words (Acts 2:25-28), saying that David is dead and spoke ahead of time concerning Jesus’ resurrection!
Psalm 17 is a prayer of David’s worthy of our imitation. It contains some of the most beautiful metaphors for our relationship with God, two of them in one verse (v. 8): Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings!
Psalm 18 is the longest psalm we’ve encountered so far. As the inscription describes, it is David’s Song of Victory when God delivered him from his enemies, chiefly, the sinful Saul. Every line of this great hymn is worthy of our attention, but I want to highlight one verse, a verse that contains a theme that is repeated again and again in the pages of Scripture, a principle for life with God: David prays: For You save a humble people, but the haughty eyes, you bring down! (v. 27) This dovetails with my life verse: God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)
If we come to the psalms (or any portion of God’s Word) humbly, ready to be fed, with a sense of our need, we can count on His grace and mercy. If we come with pride to the Word, we’ve put ourselves in a place of opposition to God! Let’s walk through the Psalms with humility;
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
Psalms 13-18
Psalm 13 is a short, poignant cry to God, “How long?” I’ve made marvelous progress with my knees, but nevertheless, there are times I feel like David in this psalm. How long till I can drive, O Lord? How long till I can resume something like my old schedule? Psalm 13 concludes with the best advice: I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalm 14 is famously dubbed “the atheists’ psalm,” for it begins with the words: The fool says in his heart: “There is no God!” But lest we think that David is pointing fingers, his next thought indicts us all. He says that God is looking for anyone who seeks him, but, instead, “All have turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none that does good, not even one!” (v. 3) There is a sense in which all of us live as though there is no God. This is why Psalm 14 ends with a cry for salvation!
Psalm 15 describes the sort of person God is looking for, who might “dwell on His holy hill,” that is, in His presence. Read this psalm as a tool for measuring your own heart. How well do I walk with God, speak his truth, show kindness to others and handle money for His glory?
Psalm 16 gives us a second glimpse of the Messiah in the psalms. David writes, overwhelmed by God’s grace, of the blessing of His relationship with God, the satisfaction of his inheritance in God, and the assurance of God’s counsel. Then, for a moment, his experience of God’s power and presence moves him to speak in the place of his greatest descendant, Jesus: For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your Holy One see corruption. (v. 10) As Peter preached the very first sermon on Pentecost, he quoted these words (Acts 2:25-28), saying that David is dead and spoke ahead of time concerning Jesus’ resurrection!
Psalm 17 is a prayer of David’s worthy of our imitation. It contains some of the most beautiful metaphors for our relationship with God, two of them in one verse (v. 8): Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings!
Psalm 18 is the longest psalm we’ve encountered so far. As the inscription describes, it is David’s Song of Victory when God delivered him from his enemies, chiefly, the sinful Saul. Every line of this great hymn is worthy of our attention, but I want to highlight one verse, a verse that contains a theme that is repeated again and again in the pages of Scripture, a principle for life with God: David prays: For You save a humble people, but the haughty eyes, you bring down! (v. 27) This dovetails with my life verse: God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)
If we come to the psalms (or any portion of God’s Word) humbly, ready to be fed, with a sense of our need, we can count on His grace and mercy. If we come with pride to the Word, we’ve put ourselves in a place of opposition to God! Let’s walk through the Psalms with humility;
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
Monday, June 2, 2014
JUNE 2 PSALMS 7 - 12
June 2 BIBLE BLOG
Psalms 7-12
Psalm 7 was birthed when “Cush, a Benjaminite,” made accusations against David. Have you been the brunt of such hateful accusations? Then join David in this psalm that takes him from a place of fear (They may tear my soul apart! v. 2) to a place of praise!
Psalm 8 is a famous psalm of pure praise and wonder at the majesty of God. It seems to have been triggered by David’s enthrallment with the night sky! When was the last time you were out of doors on a cloudless night far from the infringing light of the city to gaze into the awesomeness of God’s creation?
Psalm 9 sounds like a victory song. King David secured the united nation of Israel from all the warring nations round about. Here, David writes a song of thanksgiving. Is Muth-Labben a tune? Possibly.
Psalm 10 begins with “Why?” Why do you stand afar off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (v. 1) As I read the psalm, it seems like the psalmist’s biggest question is “Why do the godless think they can stand against the Lord?” The psalm concludes with a call, “Arise, O Lord!” and a statement of faith, “The Lord is King forever and ever!”
Psalm 11 continues the same sentiment as we read in Psalm 10. The faith statement is in v. 4: The Lord is in his holy temple! The Lord’s throne is in heaven! Even if the temple were never built, God is present in power!
Psalm 12 is another set of lyrics, perhaps, for Sheminith! (Remember Psalm 6?) Here David cries in despair that it seems as though “the faithful have vanished from among the children of humankind.” Do you ever feel alone in your devotion to God or God’s righteous words? Then this psalm is for you!
Tomorrow, we continue our trek through the Psalms.
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
Psalms 7-12
Psalm 7 was birthed when “Cush, a Benjaminite,” made accusations against David. Have you been the brunt of such hateful accusations? Then join David in this psalm that takes him from a place of fear (They may tear my soul apart! v. 2) to a place of praise!
Psalm 8 is a famous psalm of pure praise and wonder at the majesty of God. It seems to have been triggered by David’s enthrallment with the night sky! When was the last time you were out of doors on a cloudless night far from the infringing light of the city to gaze into the awesomeness of God’s creation?
Psalm 9 sounds like a victory song. King David secured the united nation of Israel from all the warring nations round about. Here, David writes a song of thanksgiving. Is Muth-Labben a tune? Possibly.
Psalm 10 begins with “Why?” Why do you stand afar off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (v. 1) As I read the psalm, it seems like the psalmist’s biggest question is “Why do the godless think they can stand against the Lord?” The psalm concludes with a call, “Arise, O Lord!” and a statement of faith, “The Lord is King forever and ever!”
Psalm 11 continues the same sentiment as we read in Psalm 10. The faith statement is in v. 4: The Lord is in his holy temple! The Lord’s throne is in heaven! Even if the temple were never built, God is present in power!
Psalm 12 is another set of lyrics, perhaps, for Sheminith! (Remember Psalm 6?) Here David cries in despair that it seems as though “the faithful have vanished from among the children of humankind.” Do you ever feel alone in your devotion to God or God’s righteous words? Then this psalm is for you!
Tomorrow, we continue our trek through the Psalms.
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
JUNE 1 PSALMS 1 -6
June 1 BIBLE BLOG
Psalms 1-6
If you look at the hymnals of the early 19th Century, you’ll see that few of them had any music. People were taught tunes, and poets wrote verses to fit them. When people got together for camp-meetings or outdoor “brush arbor services” on the Prairie, they already knew the tunes and were taught the new lyrics line by line.
Today we enter Israel’s songbook. It began with King David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, and was continued by the Levite musicians who continued the temple worship that David and Solomon began. These are the words of their worship songs, Hebrew poetry, 150 of them arranged into 5 books (possibly to imitate the holy nature of the first five books of the Bible); they represent the widest range of human emotion, proving, once-for-all, that God has broad enough shoulders to receive our cries and complaints, our anger and frustration, as well as our praise and joys.
Psalm 1 is uniquely placed at the beginning as one of the great songs of praise for the Law of God. Meditate on God’s Law and you will be like a well-rooted “tree planted by streams of water.” Ignore God’s Law and you will be like “chaff that the wind drives away!”
Psalm 2 is the first great Messianic psalm; the word “Anointed” in verse 2 refers to Him. This psalm asks “Why do the nations rage against the Messiah, who is God’s Son and should be worshipped (kissed; v. 12)?
Psalm 3 is the first of the psalms directly attributed to David, though he wrote it in later in life, when, as king, his son Absalom rebelled against him. Anyone in stressful times can read this and find hope!
Psalm 4 is also a cry of David. It begins with stress and uncertainty and ends with peace and confidence in God’s sovereignty! (NOTE: the inscription “to the choirmaster” in this and other psalms!”)
Psalm 5 is one of Pastor Paul’s favorites, especially the paraphrase written by Eugene Peterson called The Message. Find a copy and read the first three verses. I love the covering and protection promised in the last 2 verses, as well!
Psalm 6 is the first, we think, to mention one of the tune names I was talking about; it is inscribed to the choirmaster with stringed instruments according to the Sheminith. I’d love to hear that tune; maybe we will in heaven. This psalm is another of David’s pleas to God for deliverance. Is your soul “greatly troubled?” (v. 3) Do you find yourself flooding your bed with tears? (v. 6) Then this psalm is for you!
Tomorrow, we continue our trek through the Psalms;
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
Psalms 1-6
If you look at the hymnals of the early 19th Century, you’ll see that few of them had any music. People were taught tunes, and poets wrote verses to fit them. When people got together for camp-meetings or outdoor “brush arbor services” on the Prairie, they already knew the tunes and were taught the new lyrics line by line.
Today we enter Israel’s songbook. It began with King David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, and was continued by the Levite musicians who continued the temple worship that David and Solomon began. These are the words of their worship songs, Hebrew poetry, 150 of them arranged into 5 books (possibly to imitate the holy nature of the first five books of the Bible); they represent the widest range of human emotion, proving, once-for-all, that God has broad enough shoulders to receive our cries and complaints, our anger and frustration, as well as our praise and joys.
Psalm 1 is uniquely placed at the beginning as one of the great songs of praise for the Law of God. Meditate on God’s Law and you will be like a well-rooted “tree planted by streams of water.” Ignore God’s Law and you will be like “chaff that the wind drives away!”
Psalm 2 is the first great Messianic psalm; the word “Anointed” in verse 2 refers to Him. This psalm asks “Why do the nations rage against the Messiah, who is God’s Son and should be worshipped (kissed; v. 12)?
Psalm 3 is the first of the psalms directly attributed to David, though he wrote it in later in life, when, as king, his son Absalom rebelled against him. Anyone in stressful times can read this and find hope!
Psalm 4 is also a cry of David. It begins with stress and uncertainty and ends with peace and confidence in God’s sovereignty! (NOTE: the inscription “to the choirmaster” in this and other psalms!”)
Psalm 5 is one of Pastor Paul’s favorites, especially the paraphrase written by Eugene Peterson called The Message. Find a copy and read the first three verses. I love the covering and protection promised in the last 2 verses, as well!
Psalm 6 is the first, we think, to mention one of the tune names I was talking about; it is inscribed to the choirmaster with stringed instruments according to the Sheminith. I’d love to hear that tune; maybe we will in heaven. This psalm is another of David’s pleas to God for deliverance. Is your soul “greatly troubled?” (v. 3) Do you find yourself flooding your bed with tears? (v. 6) Then this psalm is for you!
Tomorrow, we continue our trek through the Psalms;
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
MAY 31 JOB 40-42
Job 40-42
GOD COMMANDS CENTER STAGE
Yesterday, I wondered: what affect will these questions have upon Job? At the outset of today’s reading, we get an answer. After two chapters full of rhetorical questions, God says, “It’s time for the one who argues with God to answer God!” (Job 40:2) Job has enough sense to say this (my paraphrase): “How can I answer? I am of no account. I’ve said too much already. I’m covering my mouth!”
This may have been an appropriate response; it’s certainly a humble one, but God wants more and presses on. There follows two more chapters of rhetorical questions and statements; they must have seemed an endless bombardment to Job. This time they seem a bit more to the point, such as: Will you even put Me in the wrong? Will you condemn Me that you may be in the right? Can you draw out Leviathon with a fishhook? Can you put a rope in his nose? Will you put him on a leash? Then who can stand before Me? Who has first given to me that I should repay him?
Job’s second response (Job 42:2-6) shows how far God wanted to push him. The first four verses of this second response repeat and intensify the humility in Job’s first response. I have uttered what I do not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know (Job 42:3b). But, by the end, Job says this: Therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes (Job 42:6).
Now, Job is—for the most part—over. But what about the “friends?” What about Job’s losses? God instructs the three “unwise” men to ask Job to pray for them, which Job does. Once Job had prayed for his friends, God goes about the process of restoring Job’s fortunes through the grace gifts of loved ones, a restored relationship with Mrs. Job, ten more children (7 boys and 3 beautiful girls!) and many godly generations. When Job died, he died “an old man and full of days.”
What do we learn from Job? Though it’s certainly not wrong to ask God questions, we cannot always expect to hear the sort of answer we’re looking for. In the end, when God appears on the scene, he does not answer even one of Job’s questions. By presenting to Job His majesty, power and presence, God might be saying, “Here I am, Job; am I enough for you?” If I am, repent!
Tomorrow, we begin the Psalms!
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
GOD COMMANDS CENTER STAGE
Yesterday, I wondered: what affect will these questions have upon Job? At the outset of today’s reading, we get an answer. After two chapters full of rhetorical questions, God says, “It’s time for the one who argues with God to answer God!” (Job 40:2) Job has enough sense to say this (my paraphrase): “How can I answer? I am of no account. I’ve said too much already. I’m covering my mouth!”
This may have been an appropriate response; it’s certainly a humble one, but God wants more and presses on. There follows two more chapters of rhetorical questions and statements; they must have seemed an endless bombardment to Job. This time they seem a bit more to the point, such as: Will you even put Me in the wrong? Will you condemn Me that you may be in the right? Can you draw out Leviathon with a fishhook? Can you put a rope in his nose? Will you put him on a leash? Then who can stand before Me? Who has first given to me that I should repay him?
Job’s second response (Job 42:2-6) shows how far God wanted to push him. The first four verses of this second response repeat and intensify the humility in Job’s first response. I have uttered what I do not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know (Job 42:3b). But, by the end, Job says this: Therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes (Job 42:6).
Now, Job is—for the most part—over. But what about the “friends?” What about Job’s losses? God instructs the three “unwise” men to ask Job to pray for them, which Job does. Once Job had prayed for his friends, God goes about the process of restoring Job’s fortunes through the grace gifts of loved ones, a restored relationship with Mrs. Job, ten more children (7 boys and 3 beautiful girls!) and many godly generations. When Job died, he died “an old man and full of days.”
What do we learn from Job? Though it’s certainly not wrong to ask God questions, we cannot always expect to hear the sort of answer we’re looking for. In the end, when God appears on the scene, he does not answer even one of Job’s questions. By presenting to Job His majesty, power and presence, God might be saying, “Here I am, Job; am I enough for you?” If I am, repent!
Tomorrow, we begin the Psalms!
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
MAY 30 JOB 38-39
Job 38-39
GOD ENTERS (Elihu has disappeared!)
After all Job had been through—the inexplicable loss of his possessions, his children and his health—you’d expect God to say something, even if it’s something short of the whole account of God’s “bargain” with Satan. That might be what we call nowadays TMI (Too Much Information!). But surely God would say something comforting about Job’s losses, something encouraging about Job’s future, something applicable to Job’s situation. But He doesn’t, at least, not directly.
Instead of answering questions, God asks them. And nowhere does God pause long enough for Job to attempt any answers. In fact, these questions that need no answers fall under the category of questions we call “rhetorical.” God asks questions, you will remember, NOT because God needs answers, but because of something good God designs to do in us through the questions themselves.
The only slight reference God makes to Job’s specific situation is right at the start: Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge (Job 38:2). In other words, “You really don’t know what you’re talking about, Job!” Sound tough? It only gets tougher. God goes on to say, “Gird your loins like a man, and I will question you! (Job 38:3) In other words, “Fasten your seatbelt, Job, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!”
Then, the barrage hits; question after question, such as: Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Who determined its measurements? Who laid its cornerstone? Who set limits for the seas? What is the way to the dwelling of light? Has the rain a father? Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Can you send forth lightnings? Is the wild ox willing to serve you? Do you give the horse his might?
Had Job time to say so, his answers would either be: I don’t know; or No!
What affect will these questions have upon Job? How would you feel? See you tomorrow, as we finish Job.
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
GOD ENTERS (Elihu has disappeared!)
After all Job had been through—the inexplicable loss of his possessions, his children and his health—you’d expect God to say something, even if it’s something short of the whole account of God’s “bargain” with Satan. That might be what we call nowadays TMI (Too Much Information!). But surely God would say something comforting about Job’s losses, something encouraging about Job’s future, something applicable to Job’s situation. But He doesn’t, at least, not directly.
Instead of answering questions, God asks them. And nowhere does God pause long enough for Job to attempt any answers. In fact, these questions that need no answers fall under the category of questions we call “rhetorical.” God asks questions, you will remember, NOT because God needs answers, but because of something good God designs to do in us through the questions themselves.
The only slight reference God makes to Job’s specific situation is right at the start: Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge (Job 38:2). In other words, “You really don’t know what you’re talking about, Job!” Sound tough? It only gets tougher. God goes on to say, “Gird your loins like a man, and I will question you! (Job 38:3) In other words, “Fasten your seatbelt, Job, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!”
Then, the barrage hits; question after question, such as: Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Who determined its measurements? Who laid its cornerstone? Who set limits for the seas? What is the way to the dwelling of light? Has the rain a father? Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Can you send forth lightnings? Is the wild ox willing to serve you? Do you give the horse his might?
Had Job time to say so, his answers would either be: I don’t know; or No!
What affect will these questions have upon Job? How would you feel? See you tomorrow, as we finish Job.
Your brother in the Word,
Pastor Gary
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