Psalm 24

Psalm 24

In this beautiful Psalm we find great hope and comfort.  First we do well to ask, “Who is really in charge?”  We are never far from bad news.  As we look around us, it seems the whole world is overrun by evil forces doing evil things for evil purposes.  But David reminds us that God is the true owner of all the world.

Because of that, David reminds us of our call to holy living.  Purity is the password to the holy place where the Lord is and is worshiped.  Being distressed about evil is one thing, but being holy in the midst of it is another and is our calling.  

The Almighty Righteous King arrives, and we are awestruck.  Originally this was about the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant at Jerusalem.  But we see here a picture of the Second Advent of Christ (His glorious return).  The city gates are not big enough to allow the heroic warrior king to enter.  The top of the city gate, the head, will have to move or be lifted up to make room for the king to enter.  Imagine a beleaguered city’s celebration as their hero, their king, returns in total victory with His army following.  We shall see this when Christ returns.  But the news gets even better: we get to join the victory parade because our holy lives are our admission to join the procession.

“Lord, help me live a holy life in anticipation of the victory celebration at Christ’s return. AMEN.” 

Psalm 23

 Psalm 23

A councilor once reported that when he treated patients with mild depression or anxiety, he prescribed reading Psalm 23 twice a day, mornings and evenings.  Patients were instructed to not memorize and recite the Psalm but to carefully, intentionally, and slowly read it.  He reported that the vast majority of those who did as directed experienced improvement or, in many cases, complete alleviation of their symptoms.

This ought not surprise us.  Peace of heart and soul would be the result as we realize that the Lord is in control (vs. 1-3).  He is not distant but close, and if we are close to Him, we are in a good place.  We also see He is actually actively caring for us (vs 4-5). Even in the worst of circumstances, He is actively shepherding us.  Beyond all this, He wants to keep us close and safe (v. 6).  “Goodness and mercy” follow us.  “Follow” is the word that can describe how a wolf tracks and pursues prey.  Think of ‘goodness’ and ‘mercy’ as two sheepdogs bringing us back to the shepherd when and if we wander off.  But we are not left in a pen but live in the house.  With such a life, how could depression and anxiety maintain their control?

“Lord, help me to realize the great life I have as a sheep in Your care. AMEN.”

Psalm 22

 Psalm 22

As we read the Psalm, it feels as if the writer was an eyewitness to the execution of Jesus. The actions of the religious leaders and even the Roman soldiers were described in amazing detail over a thousand years before the event. The suffering subject of this psalm describes himself as forsaken, a worm, a reproach, disjointed, pierced, and with his garments taken.

With this in mind, the second half of the Psalm makes no sense without knowing about Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection. The hopeful tones of verses 22 through 31 are incongruent with the suffering in verses 1 to 21. Until they are given meaning in the Lord's victory at the cross and on Easter. It is the death, burial, and resurrection that gives this psalm and all of scripture and all of life meaning. The last section, verses 25 to 31, is even descriptive of the establishment of the church and her worldwide expansion. The “rejected one” of the first verse results in all the world turning to the Lord in verse 27. How is this possible? Because this is about Jesus.

“Lord, thank you for the hope we have in Christ. AMEN.”

Psalm 21

 Psalm 21

We spend too much time worrying about the plans and activities of evil people. Fear seems to consume our political system and our religious conflicts. And while we are familiar with the picture of God burning up the evil, from verse 9 we get a different perspective. The enemies of God become a blazing oven. This is not a description of a fire put on a pile of rubbish in order to burn it. What is pictured here is a portable oven or fire pot.  There are three interesting implications. First, the actions of evil people are self-destructive. The burning wood in the oven will not and cannot last. The evil schemes of evil men will one day be of no more consequence than ash. Second, not only do evil people consume themselves, but they also consume each other. Evil people may plot against God and His people, but sooner or later they always turn on each other. Third, they are accomplishing God's purpose. The actions of evil people will ultimately be used by God for His glory and purposes. Rather than fretting about the evil forces, we ought to trust in God's authority and strength. 

“Lord, turn my heart away from fear of evil people to trusting You. AMEN.”

Psalm 20

Psalm 20

Taken out of context, verse 4 sounds like a blank check from God or perhaps a vague wistfulness that is actually without substance. What if my heart's desire is to rob a bank and never get caught, to find an illicit lover that will never betray me, or to kill someone I hate and never be convicted?  But the context of verse 3 is about acceptable worship. Worship and prayer cannot be separated. Worship is more than just a proper ritual. Right worship always begins with a right heart.

We treat prayer as an irrefutable wish by which we can have God's power at our disposal. Frankly, that is foolishness from an evil heart. Our approach needs to be that we have our hearts so aligned with God that the desire of our hearts is the same as the desire of His. When we want what he wants and worship, ask, seek, and knock for it, he moves. Our problem is that we don't want what God wants. Our sinful nature wants to use God's power to satisfy itself, so we pray for these kinds of things, and then we wonder why God doesn't move on our behalf. 

“God, make my heart like Yours so that I will ask for what You want. AMEN.”

Psalm 19

 Psalm 19

There are two witnesses to testify to our God: creation and covenant. Both are praised and examined in this Psalm. In verses one through six, David speaks of creation, specifically the heavens and their witness to the Creator. In this half of the poem, God is referred to as Elohim, the name associated with creation. Both day and night speak without words or specific language, but with wonderful eloquence about God and His greatness. The vastness of the universe alone boggles the mind. The power of the sun with trillions of other stars out in the universe overwhelms us. All this was made out of nothing without struggle. How great is the Creator that made this existence?

All creation speaks of His glory and power, but it tells us nothing of His character. The second part of this poem tells us about God via His covenant. This is more than, but not less than, the word of God.  Which at the time of the composition was incomplete. We will not belabor at this point the beauty of the life described in verses 7 through 13, which is the relationship with God that comes by following the word of God. We see six descriptions of the word of God, and we see six benefits that flow from it. So great is the word of God lived out in a covenant that it protects us from the sins we are unaware of and from the sins, known to us, that would presume upon God’s mercy.

Verse 14 is a beautiful and powerful prayer. But how can our hearts and words be pleasing to God? By filling them both with the thoughts and the beauty of God’s creation and covenant.

“Lord, help me to stand in awe of You as I learn from creation and covenant. AMEN”

Psalm 18:20-50

 Psalm 18:20-50

In hindsight we realize doing the right thing is always best.  How often do we look back on our righteous good behavior and say, “I wish I had been a lowlife”? In retrospect we see the goodness and beauty of righteousness.  We have a little more trouble seeing it in the future.  Psalm 18 is written from the hindsight perspective.  In verses 20 to 45, David recalls his righteous behavior, God's holiness, and God's provision for David's victory. and in verses 46 to 50 there is a brief but beautiful song of praise for God's deliverance.

All this is possible because David took a view of the beauty of righteousness in advance. There is a single line so small that it might escape our notice if we are not careful. In verse 23 David says he was blameless or complete or living in integrity, and he has kept himself from iniquity. Notice that David is self-aware; he knows where his problems lie. He is taking responsibility to be righteous. He isn't trusting society, circumstances, or people; he says, “my iniquity.” At this point perhaps David was acutely aware of a flaw in his character. Before we can enjoy the beauty of righteousness in hindsight, we have to see ourselves honestly.

“Lord, give me clarity as I look at myself. AMEN.”

Psalm 18:1-19

 Psalm 18:1-19

Many people, especially those with an ax to grind with God, say unimaginably stupid things like, “When I see God, I'm going to ask Him…” or “When I see God, I'm going to tell Him…” In the first half of this Psalm, the veil between the physical world and the rest of the universe is lifted for a moment, and quite frankly, it is terrifying.

After opening with his worship of God, David moves on to the reality of the extra-physical universe. David is convinced that he is at death's door and is about to be pulled into another world. Then God makes His presence known, and while He is good and holy, He is no less terrifying. The passage of verses 7 to 15 is a description of what we shouldn't read too quickly. We are terror-stricken by nature in a tornado or lightning storm. What if we saw mountains rolling like waves at the beach, or creatures we might call monsters being ridden like a horse, and a sky of fire, smoke, and oppressive darkness? 

No man will approach God and anything less than terror. The only defense we have is to see Him as our hero and rescuer rather than the One who will treat us as our sins deserve.

“Lord, help me to stand in awe of You. AMEN.”

Psalm 17

 Psalm 17

One of the most difficult challenges we face is that of the apparent injustice of the universe. Why do bad things happen to good people while good things happen to bad people? David is wrestling with this question but is looking for a different kind of answer.

We tend to want to have the answer to the question “why?”—a cause-and-effect answer. David wants to know something else. In the first section, verses 1-5, David asserts the innocence of the righteous person, namely himself. In the next section, verses 6-12, he is honest about the painful reality of evil people. Their good life is admitted in verse 14. In the final section, verses 13-15, David asked for justice.

 A couple of points for us. Prosperity is not proof nor the purpose of God's favor. Just as hardship is not proof of His disfavor. Second, David asked for justice but not from his own hand. Perhaps most important, David is not looking for a cause-and-effect kind of answer. That approach is more Newtonian than Biblical. David is not asking “why?” but is apparently asking “who?” It is the relationship with the One who can bring about real justice and not the circumstances that dominates his thinking.

“Help me, Lord, to see beyond circumstance into my relationship with You. AMEN.” 

Psalm 16

 Psalm 16

The words of verse 6 are beautiful and almost without comparison, something we all want to say: “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.” It is important to note that this description is in the middle of the Psalm. The context here is very powerful. In verses 1-5, David declares his absolute loyalty to the Lord and the Lord's people. He has rejected false gods and committed himself to the Lord as his chief end.

The verses following the beautiful promise of verse 6 are no less powerful. We see David is worshiping and rolling over in his heart and mind who the Lord is. It is loyalty and worship that make life pleasant and delightful. This Psalm includes a Messianic prophecy of Jesus: the most perfectly loyal and the one who most loved the Father was not rich in this world. The promise of verse 6 is not specifically about property. But loyalty and worship make any place a delight. 

“Lord, give me the grace to love and worship You and there find my delight. AMEN.”

Psalm 15

Psalm 15

We are pretty good at vague ethics and morality. We can recite and even harp on widely connected descriptions of what people are supposed to be like or do. But we get a little more uncomfortable with specifics of moral conduct. Should someone suggest any sort of specific moral behavior, they run the risk of being labeled narrow-minded or some sort of phobic or, in religious circles, a legalist. Please note a legalist believes they earn right standing by good works, while a disciple practices good works as a loving response to God's grace.

This Psalm in no way condones our sloppy, shallow, silly, vague morality. In fact, specific moral and ethical behaviors are prerequisites for the joy and privilege of being in God's company. In fact, this high moral standing not only describes positive action but also takes a negative view of the reprobate, the vile, or those who reject God. The confidence of verse 5c is reflective of specific, not general, morality.

“Help me, Lord, to pursue holiness. AMEN”

Psalm 14

 Psalm 14

It is wise to have low confidence in our fellow human beings. But because people are near and tangible, we tend to think that with the right leaders, friends, bosses, spouses, or employers, everything will be fine. Our trust is misplaced. Our society will often say, “People are basically good.” God has a much more pessimistic view of people. Verse 1 is pretty negative about the condition of humanity. Verses 2-3 tell us that this negative description is universal.

While those who have given themselves to wickedness lack understanding about their actions and their consequences, what is the righteous generation to do? While not focusing on the oppression of the wicked, the righteous take refuge in the Lord. The refuge is a safe place. Like a roof during the rain, so is the Lord during the schemes and actions of the wicked. The less we focus on the plans of the evil and the more we focus on the Lord, the safer we are.

“Help me, Lord, to keep my focus on You. AMEN.”

Psalm 13

 Psalm 13

Sometimes we feel abandoned by God. We seek, but it seems there is nothing to find. We ask and all we receive is silence. We knock on the door that is locked, barred, and sealed, and so like the psalmist, we say, “God, will you forget me forever?” Like a hamster running on its wheel, our minds race for a solution, for hope, for an answer, but there seems to be nothing.

These emotional pains are firmly rooted in reality. They do not grow out of silly sentimentalism or a momentary flurry of hysteria. It is in the real suffering extended over time and circumstances with difficult people that causes us to fill a deep and abiding loss.

The solution is not a facade or a plastic smile we force on ourselves. Rather, in the last two verses, there are three behaviors or actions that are rooted in one fact. In the darkness we trust, rejoice, and sing, not for the moment we suffer but in God's history of dealing bountifully.

“Lord, help me to be real about my pain and my hope. AMEN”

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Born in the first week of January.  Which means they will be the ideal butcher size in October, between 200 and 300 pounds live weight. This will depend greatly on how you feed them.  Their parents have been pasture-fed with supplemental high-quality local mill feed.  The mom is very sweet and could be made a pet; however, a 300-pound lap pig might not be a great idea.  Both parents are docile and friendly. 

Available after February 15.  These pigs will be available the week after Valentine's Day. Talk about a great Valentine's gift!  By this time they will have been wormed, and the males castrated.  Intact males and rings are available upon request.

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Psalm 12

 Psalm 12

We have a tendency to believe what we hear. All the advice to the contrary, we tend to be shaped by conversations around us. David is distressed because the godly man is no more. Surrounded by the conversations of those who speak what is false and flatter each other, the godly are gone. Perhaps they have moved away; more likely, they have conformed to the wicked talk around them. Consider our day: popular media spouts all sorts of wickedness and then congratulates or flatters those who talk this way.

The righteous man will always be oppressed in such an environment or culture. But God sets the righteously oppressed in a place of safety. He sets him in safety both by and in His words. These words are pure. Pure beyond the capacity of the wicked to understand. The righteous, in these words, will be preserved from this generation, even as the wicked continue to strut about.

“Lord, preserve me even if I stand alone. AMEN”

Psalm 11

 Psalm 11

There are many voices that tell us to be afraid and to flee like a bird. These voices tell us there's good reason to be afraid. They tell us the forces of evil will try to destroy us. That they set up an ambush and shoot us in the dark. The voices tell us that the very foundations of culture, faith, and hope are about to be destroyed. What do we do then?

David begins with taking refuge in the Lord. Rather than the facts being what happens around us, the true fact is that God is on his throne, and His watchful eye is on all mankind. Beyond the pitiful verdict of popularity, culture, or polls, there is the judgment of God. He sees not just what happens but also the motivations behind those behaviors. He also brings judgment and wrath on the actions of the wicked. All of this is true because the Lord is righteous; His very nature is holy. Because of this, the Lord loves righteous conduct. so much so that those who do right need not fear but anticipate with hope seeing His face.

“Lord, help me to hear the message of faith and not the voice of fear. AMEN”

Psalm 10

 Psalm 10

It is not difficult to feel discouraged or frustrated as we consider the evil in our world. This is especially the case as we experience and think about the apparent inactivity of God in response to evil that is running amok. The psalmist feels the same way. He begins with the great and terrible question, "Why?" God's apparent inactivity is powerfully contrasted with an extensive description of evil. We can see the cycle today as well: moral darkness leading to oppression leading to poverty, which circles back to moral darkness. If not outright atheism, there is an utter lack of concern about God. In verses 12 through 15, this psalmist pleads for God to do something. It is worth noting he doesn't call for men to form a political party and solve the problem. He does offer a veiled call for patients. In verses 16 through 18 we are reminded who is King and that entire nations have perished according to God's will. We can be confident that justice will prevail. 

Lord, bring Your justice to our world. AMEN”

Psalm 9

Psalm 9

The Lord has a history of caring for and working out the details for the righteous who are oppressed. David has seen and bears witness to the Lord's justice, and it is a beautiful thing. But sometimes His faithfulness in the past, His role as judge, and His promise of justice for the future seem far away. So at the heart of the psalm, David reminds us of God's good care and promise. The second half of verse 10 is a sweet refreshment for those in the midst of any struggle. "For You, oh Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You." Appearances and circumstances may say something different, but the promise is that God has not forsaken this special group of people. But this is not a generalized promise for all of mankind, or the person who only calls to God in the moment of crisis. This is specifically for those who seek the Lord. That is not a reference to those who ignore Him and suddenly are in trouble. The one who seeks the Lord is not forsaken even in the depths of suffering.

“Lord, help me remember Your faithfulness even in the most difficult moments. AMEN”

Psalm 82

Psalm 82

This Psalm may have been composed during the reign of Jehoshaphat.  It marks the central role of leadership among a people.  In a republic or democracy, we might have a hard time understanding this psalm.   In a monarchy a judge stood in the court as the representative of the king.  Verse 1 literally says, “God stands in the assembly of God.”  In other words, God is present in the proceedings of those who represent Him and conduct His affairs.  

How much more so for those of us who are adopted into the royal family and who have living within us, by faith, the Holy Spirit.  We live in God's world with His Spirit in us as we conduct His affairs.  The warning to not grieve the Holy Spirit comes to mind.  Without a deep commitment to the authority of the Lord in our lives, we might be prone to selfishness and use our positions and advantages for our own ends.  Today I will conduct the business of God’s rule on earth, all while God is present, and He will hold me accountable for that.

“Lord, help me to make every decision, take every action, and say each word as Your agent in Your Kingdom. AMEN.”

Psalm 8

 Psalm 8

We have allowed our world to become too small. So much of our lives is focused on a screen, often not more than a few inches diagonally. This Psalm reminds us to marvel at the power of God displayed in the wonder of creation.

Only a heartless person is unmoved by the sweet, affectionate babbling of a toddler. In contrast to the tiny voice, consider the cosmos. If the universe is beyond comprehension, how much more is the universe's Creator? But to stack marvel upon wonder, God made an image bearer that would be just beneath Himself. The word "Elohim" appears in verse 5. The word sometimes refers to angels, sometimes to God Himself. In either case, human beings are far above the material creation. This being called man is marked by glory and majesty and given stewardship over creation. It is our great privilege to look over his creation in wonder and care, all for one purpose: that His name would be held in honor and majesty all over the world.

“Thank you, Lord, for who you made me to be and for the role You have given to me. AMEN”

Psalm 7

 Psalm 7

There is a perception or accusation that Christianity is weak. People imagine that because as disciples we do not seek revenge and turn the other cheek, we are soft and weak. They also accuse the God of Christianity as being a weakling because He wants men to repent, and He doesn't desire the destruction of those who hate Him. The characterization of a passive God and a non-assertive disciple gives some the feeling that we have a pushover faith.

But verse 6 tells a different story. It tells of an appointed judgment. Think about it: no one hates the evil done to the innocent more than God. Even if I gave full vent to my fury, it would be nothing compared to God's holy wrath. Also, it takes greater strength to hold back or save up wrath than to let it go. The person who feels he must express his rage immediately is in fact very weak. God's patience and Christian self-control are markers of great power. If we think about it, restrained wrath is more terrifying than expressed rage. In the coming judgment, there is perfect justice. Verses 14 to 16 tells how every crime receives justice.

“Grant me, Lord, the faith and patience to wait for Your perfect justice. AMEN”

Psalm 6

 Psalm 6

The psalmist, David, is in deep trouble. He is afraid that his circumstances will lead to death. David's deep concern about death might be useful for us to consider. In verse 5, David says, "For there is no mention of thee in death. And in Sheol, who will give you thanks?" This is not referring to the ultimate punishment of sinners at the judgment. The Jewish concept of Sheol was emptiness. A vast cave that was a storage facility for the dead. The dead are without the capacity to see, hear, think, reason, or know. They were personal nothings. They are the sort of thing that a rock might dream about. What terrified David is that if he became like them, he would lose the capacity to worship. 

The point of verse 5 is not that if we die, God will lose our worship. God doesn’t need our worship. Angels already worship Him better than we. What terrified David was that he will no longer be able to worship. The great joy of his life would be lost if he died and could no longer worship.  The point is about the delight of worshiping God.

It is far too easily dip out of worshiping God. When we are comfortable with a life that is without worship; in that way we are sort of dead already.

“Lord, help me to worship You with clarity of mind and passion of heart. AMEN”

Psalm 5

Psalm 5

Can you imagine that there is a place for the wicked in our lives?

We are sometimes like little children who wish that bad people would go away like rainy days when we want to play. But there is a role or use for the wicked person in our lives. Because of the wicked, we can be led in the right way. In verses 1-3, David focuses on morning prayers. He wants his life ordered. What is the source of his distress? Evil people

In verses 4-7, David looks at evil people, and how does he respond? With worship! Have we ever thought of evil people as a prompt to worship God? In a world of evil, our response can and ought to be to worship.

In fact, in verse 8 we see the evil calls David to want to be in the ‘right way’. Often our approach to evil is to become angry or harsh, to plan a campaign to oppose them, or to try to beat them at their game. David sees the evil, but notes it is against God ultimately. For us, evil should want us to pursue and desire what is right. For example our response to hate should always be love.

Righteousness is so powerful that in verses 11 and 12 we see that in the delight of God's company, evil is all but forgotten. 

“Lord, turn even the darkness of evil to be a reason to worship You. AMEN”

Psalm 4

 Psalm 4

This Psalm asks a question in verse 6 that resonates and resounds in every generation and with every person, “Who will show us any good?”  Every man-made attempt at utopia, at good, at the brave new experiment that improves man’s situation by his own goodness and great ideals has been a house built on sand.  On the back of a U.S. one dollar bill is the motto "Novus ordo seclorum," Latin for "New order of the ages."  From our founding, we in America have believed that we have given birth to a new epic in human history.  We believed it would be better than all those that preceded it.  But like all great epics there are cracks forming, signs of erosion, and fears that the “New Order” of the ages might be just one of many.  Witness the mass shootings, a highly divided and hostile people, the inadvertent worship of the gods Himeros, Ares, Hedone, and Ploutos (sexual pleasure, war, enjoyment, and wealth), and the near absence of compassion as a few of these signs that our epic, this New Order of the Ages, is in trouble.  What are the alternatives?

The answer is the God; who is both the source of righteousness and who is perfectly righteous and who is actively involved in the life of the righteous person.  Verses 2-3 describe the two options.  The first option is men and their plans, which, by the way, treat God’s servant’s ethic as a reproach or a mockery.  The other option is life under God’s special attention. The reasonable and wise response to these options is to conform our lives to the will of God.  It begins with the command to “Tremble and do not sin.”  The word "tremble" would be better translated as "be angry."  Sin ought to make us angry, so angry that we want to do something about it.  We have often become so familiar with sin, both our own and that of the world around us, that we have developed a certain comfort level or numbness to it.  

We need to think about what is happening in our lives, to have a time of serious introspection.  Not in a morbid or self-absorbed way, but to contemplate the terrible cost of sin.  David calls for sacrifices.  As Christians our sacrifice has been made, but the worship of the One who made that sacrifice is our response as we meditate on our sin and His grace.  That, by the way, is the beauty and power of the Lord’s Supper.  Appropriate meditation brings us to the right conclusion, which is trusting God.  Our works can never make things right.  But trusting God for the grace He provides is the only life that is worth living.

Verses 6-8 show us a picture of the good life.  It is a life of God’s blessing.  He smiles on us, which is better than a bumper crop of grain.  No new order for the ages, no plan of governments, and no great new epic can provide for us what being under God’s care gives.  In confidence and contentment we rest, being assured of His protection. 

“Lord, guide me not to man made solutions but to a return to Your ways and will. AMEN”

Psalm 3

 Psalm 3

When Absalom began his rebellion, there were many that jumped on the bandwagon. Popular opinion and the possibility of personal advancement are powerful motivators. Some of those who followed Absalom believed and said that God no longer supported David. This may have been their heart's conviction or merely a smear campaign. David heard and felt their derision.

But this hardship in public opinion of his enemies did not drive David to doubt but to confidence. Trusting God and good times is easy; trusting God and the circumstances of misery is truly strong faith. When we are living fateful lives and everything seems to be against us, it is easy to give in to doubt. In verses 3-6 David makes four wonderful declarations we need to adopt.  In verse 3 he declares his confidence in the one he knew was able to rescue him.  In verse 4 he continued to speak to God and was so confident that in that moment he used a past tense about God’s answer.  In verse 5 David realized that God’s protection was over him even while he slept, that it was God who preserved and protected him. In verse 6 David articulates that the person who is with God is never outnumbered. In these four principles we find an expression of a strong faith, not a silly putty, Pollyanna denial of hardship but a realization that God is bigger than the hardship.

David leaves revenge to God and in verse 7 speaks of God’s action on his behalf. The use of the past tense indicates a reference to either of David’s past help from God or a prophecy about the current crisis but spoken of in the past tense to indicate certainty. In verse 7 David’s enemies are slapped on the cheek and have their teeth shattered. In their culture, to slap was the insult of the most aggressive nature. The shattered teeth may refer to the enemy as a wild beast who has their weapons broken. Whatever the nuance may be, the revenge belongs to and comes from the Lord.

“Lord, in difficult moments help me to trust in Your care. AMEN”

Psalm 2

 Psalm 2

This song is a great comfort in the world of powerful leaders who reject God’s authority.  Since the Garden of Eden, man has tried to throw off God’s authority. Men have tried to establish their own laws, independent of and in defiance of God. From the eating of the forbidden fruit to the rewriting of the laws of nature about life, sex, or righteousness, man has tried to reorder the universe according to his own will.

While those of us who are followers of God may fret and fuss, at such action God laughs derisively. God looks down on these puny men and scoffs, holding them in contempt. These men may strut like a rooster or a bully in the schoolyard for a moment, but wait till something happens.

A hurricane and earthquake are disasters that are completely beyond their control, and man is reminded of how small he really is. What would you do if you directly faced God’s displeasure in power, and not the power veiled in nature? That person, those people, that nation that lives in defiance of the King of glory and God’s chosen One will be like a clay pot beaten by an iron club.

The reasonable thing to do is to turn to God while there is opportunity, to come to the Anointed One with worship, joy, reverence and fear. Those who do not are on tenterhooks. They are living on borrowed time and are slipping on the thin ice. Use whatever metaphor you like; there will come a moment when His fury will erupt and sudden doom will come.

“Thank You, Lord, that You are the King who is just. AMEN”

Psalm 1

 Psalm 1

There is no spiritual Switzerland; there is no place for neutrality. We see here two groups, and there is no third option. The person who would be blessed cannot keep company with the wicked. There’s a common recurring theme of “beware of who is influencing you” throughout scriptures. That theme is the point of this Psalm. But there is an additional warning here about the danger of progression.  Notice the three stages of progression in this Psalm. The first warning is about walking in or taking the advice of the wicked. But then it moves to taking a stand with the wicked.  The person has for so long taken their advice from the ungodly that he now takes his stand with them.  This progression concludes with him sitting in their seat. He has become a member of the council of the wicked and is the one giving advice. The subtle progression begins with taking advice, moves to identifying with, and finally ends with giving advice. Darkness is always progressive.

The righteous man is different. He may grow slowly, but he is always steadfast and consistent like a tree. We find three descriptions of the tree: first, consistent or faithful; second, fruitful in season; and finally, leaves that show evidence of life within. Faithfully, fruitfully, and displaying the life of Christ results in all his ways; he prospers.  This is because all he pursues is righteousness; should he pursue something other than what is righteous, he would fail to be among the righteous, and that endeavor would not prosper.

In contrast to the living tree, the wicked are described as chaff and are driven by the winds and are useless. They can’t stand in judgment, nor in the assembly of the righteous. Their opinion is not worth having or hearing; the wicked man is best never seen nor listened to. The final verse is a great contrast. God knows who is right and wrong. He is not going to be confused or deceived about the righteous and the wicked. He knows our way, so we are not alone.

"Lord, help me to choose those who will influence me toward a holy progression. AMEN."