Psalms « SHCOC Daily Bible Reading

Archive for the ‘Psalms’ Category

Day 237: Psalm 56 — Security in God

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

In recent weeks I have found myself involved with conversations as diverse as homosexuality, to the Mosque that is to be built in New York. In all of this I have tried to view the subject from a Biblical perspective. I have found it odd that many in the conversation have no wish to know what the Bible says other than “Love your enemies” and “Judge not”. If I were corresponding with complete unbelievers this would be no surprise but my contact has been with people who claim an allegiance to God.

You can imagine the charges that have been levied against me. I have been accused of hating homosexuals. All I did was point out scriptures that condemn the practice. I hate them no more than God does, who by the way loves them enough to forgive them if they repent and turn to Him. I have been accused of judging the world by my standards. Fact is, I can set no standards; only God can do that.

Every time we stand for God someone is waiting to beat us down, ready to distort anything we say in order to make us look bad and narrow-minded. How do we handle this? We really only have two choices: 1. Sit and do nothing, which is what Satan wants, or 2. Stand for God no matter the cost to us. Isn’t that what Peter and John did? (Acts 4:19-20)

In Psalm 56:11 we find this principle articulated. It has strengthened God’s people in their time of distress over the centuries. It’s now time for it to strengthen His church today. The only thing man can do to us is send us home early.

Father, give me the strength today to hide myself in You.

Tags: in not of the world, judge not
Posted in Psalms | 5 Comments »

Day 236: Psalm 51 — “Only a broken heart is big enough for God to dwell in!”

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

I think it was C.S. Lewis that said, “Only a broken heart is big enough for God to dwell in.” Read Psalm 51 and you will experience the depth of David’s sin against God. Have you ever been haunted by a wrong for a long period of time? Have you forgotten the meaning of sin because we live in a world that wants to rationalize our wrong or blame someone else? If we have guilt with no guilt feelings, then our spiritual nervous system is out of whack. If we have guilt feelings after we have been forgiven then we are basically neurotic, unable to find peace, and unable to accept the powerful sin-forgiving work of Jesus Christ. I think David provides us with a penitential psalm and teaches us a lot about the path to asking for forgiveness and obtaining renewal from God. What can we do about our guilt problem?

We ought to realize that guilt is a “good” and “natural thing” that points us back to our relationship with God. It is a potential blessing that moves us closer to forgiveness.
It should not mark defeat for us but a help. If it is not then we may have other problems that need to be dealt with.
We must remember who God is. He is above all things and loves all. He gave His son for us to become spiritually healthy.
We need to pray. We need to refuse to give up, let guilt do its work, until it leads us to repentance and “a broken heart that only God can dwell in.”

Tags: Forgiveness, Guilt, Heart
Posted in Forgiveness, God, Psalms | 2 Comments »

Day 235: Psalm 48:1-50:23; Romans 8:1-25 — What does it all mean?

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

These Psalms flow to glorify God Who is unspeakably majestic, Who rescues His covenant people. Then a stark contrast arises when we consider those who trust in life just for the living: those who seek only riches, the foolish, the self-indulgent, the one who seeks only what the flesh has to offer. The Psalmist sees the glory of man fade–you can name a country but you cannot name your fate. What we treasure in things cannot compare with the value of life with God now, while we breathe His air and walk His earth. This no one can buy back. Live for God today, He will ransom your soul, preserve, value, take possession again of who you really are, the “you” that endures. God buys us back from time lost, shallow living, and gives meaning to our lives. Psalm 49:15, for us, may even glimpse life with God beyond the grave. None of us can do that alone.

What does God need? Not me; He does not need me. He does not need my money. He owns everything. What does He want from me? Have you ever asked yourself that? What does God want from me? My life of thanksgiving, gratitude, acknowledging Him, living in harmony with Him, that I can offer, everything flows from there.

Paul arrives at such a beautiful place, flowing the from the dark helplessness of Romans 7. Romans 8 always comes to me like a breath of fresh air–I believe the Spirit intended it that way. Life has its meaning only in God. He did what I could not do. I cannot forgive myself. I cannot redeem myself. I cannot raise myself from the dead–death, that dark bondage of futility to which my body is bound. That is His job, which He has done so excellently in Jesus. Now, in Christ, with His covenant people, my life is given meaning. I call on God as my Father. His Spirit is the dynamic relating Agent Who allows me to say, “Abba, Father.” As I called my earthly father “Daddy” when I was a child, so now is God to me until He brings the maturing and completion, the perfection of His re-creation of me in Christ, when I shall see Him face to face, the One Who loved me.

Prayer: O Holy, Righteous, True God, You Who gives meaning to our existence, I have pledged myself to live for You today. Glorify Your name in my offering, and by Your Spirit help me do just that. Thank You for grace in Jesus. Thank You, in Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: no condemnation
Posted in Psalms, Romans | Comments Off

Day 232: Psalm 36:1-38:22; Romans 5:6-21 — Viruses and Allergies

Friday, August 20th, 2010

Well I’m traveling again and of course writing my blog entry at the last minute while on an airplane. Something in the New Jersey air really hammered my sinuses. Either that or I had a head cold going into the trip. Hopefully the return to the hot dry air of Austin will restore my nose and eyes to their former cheery selves.

When pollutants enter the body (such as pollen or cold viruses or the various toxins we put in our bodies by choice or not every day), the body tries to fight them off by creating antibodies and other immune responses. Snot is a great immune response. It wraps up the bad stuff in a gooey mucous coating which it then tries to expel. This is kind of gross and not very pleasant when you start having a sneezing fit at 30,000 feet.

God put great healing abilities in our bodies. The more pollutants, the more antibodies we create…up to a point. Eventually one will win and drive the other out. But the pollutants will eventually return. And our body is stronger to deal with them next time (if we treat it kindly). So should we get sick in order to make our bodies even healthier? Well I don’t want to spoil Romans 6:1 but 5:20-21 is a hint of what’s to come.

²⁰The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ²¹so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger so they say. But it sure does hurt when you’re going through it.

Today’s reading in Psalms 36-38 is also filled with joys and sorrows, triumphs and losses. But through it all we can trust in the Lord that grace will reign in us through Christ .

Oh, and if you thought my comments about snot and mucous were too gross, take a look at Psalm 38:5:

⁵My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly.

Tags: Grace, health, Sin
Posted in Grace, Psalms, Romans, Sin | Comments Off

Day 231: Psalm 33 — A New Song

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Psalm 33 is a psalm that calls us to “rejoice in the Lord.” Why? God is upright (Psalm 33:4). God loves righteousness and justice (Psalm 33:5). God is the creator (Psalm 33:6-9). God sees the acts of man (Psalm 33:13-15). God is a savior unlike the kings and powers on earth (Psalm 33:16-19). The community that waits and puts their confidence in God is blessed with His steadfast love.

Psalm 33:3 is an invitation for us to sing a “new song.” This does not mean just to sing the song in our hymnal with the name The New Song. This is a term used in several places (Psalm 40:3; Psalm 96:1; Psalm 98:1; Psalm 144:9; Psalm 149:1; Isa. 42:10) and may mean to speak in a new way of the ancient truths. It represents a continual originality and challenge of being God’s people. What new song will we sing today? How will we live our lives in praise to God for who He is and how He saves us? Will we just “rejoice in the Lord” because He has given us something or will we also “rejoice in the Lord” for who He is? God is upright, God loves righteousness and justice, God is creator, God sees the deeds of man both good and bad, God is our savior, and may we sing a new song in the way we live as a community of faith.

Tags: Church, New Song, Trust in God
Posted in God, Psalms | 1 Comment »

Day 229: Psalm 28 — From the Pit to Praise

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Psalm 28 is an interesting Psalm where the writer moves from an unknown threat to a song of thanks and praise. The “pit” is a metaphor for death or Sheol (cf. Job 7:9; Psalm 30:3; Psalm 88:6; Psalm 143:7). The writer struggles to escape the silence of God. How many times in our troubles do we feel like God is not there for us? Yet, the Psalmist cries out to God to hear him (Psalm 28:1-5). He is concerned about experiencing the ultimate punishment of wrongdoers. The Psalmist apparently is in worship and calls out for help and lifts his hands to God’s most holy sanctuary. Makes me think of the inadequacy of our contemporary worship experiences that often lack this type of sacrifice. We gather to worship to fulfill our religious duty, while the Psalmist gathers to cry out to God for help in a concern over substance (death) than trivia (our wants). The Psalmist is looking for justice and I wonder if his friends would have counseled him not to judge or that he needed to be more inclusive of his enemies. The Psalmist is not concerned about our contemporary feelings or political correctness. He sees clearly the wrongs people have done against God (Psalm 28:4-5). The bottom line is that God hears (Psalm 28:6) and the writer moves from his concern about the pit to praising God. I wonder if our worship experience moves us this way? Do we worship in fear of something? Is the conclusion a movement from fear of the pit to praise of God? The psalmist ends in Psalm 28:7-9 in praise. He recognizes God’s protection, he offers a song of thanks, he moves to seeing that God is the strength for all his people and not just an individual, he focuses on salvation, and he sees God as a shepherd carrying his people (cf. Isaiah 40:11).

Tags: Death, Pit, Praise, Shepherd
Posted in Psalms, Worship | Comments Off

Day 228: Psalm 20:1-23:6; Romans 2:1-16 — How great Thou art !

Monday, August 16th, 2010

Ever have one of these days or times of life? What an emotional torrent David pours out! Powerful emotions stretch from “Life is great! God makes me the victor!” to “Life stinks, what do I do now? I have nothing left but a glimmering, distant hope in my God.” David finally, quietly expresses, and comes to rest in the great Truth: it is not about me and God — look at us go! Rather, in that Psalm we hope not only to memorize but live, “The Lord is my Shepherd, and I am merely a sheep living in the grace of His care.”

On the cross Jesus cries out the first line of Psalm 22. Detractors say Jesus loses His faith and sins as any man. The flow of Jesus’ life and the flow of these Psalms say otherwise. The great, horrible distress of the present only leads to the glory of God and fulfillment of what is to come: Real Life.

Paul’s discourse is broadened to the nation of Israel as a whole. Although I like to underscore the Romans reading as evidence pointing to the Personal and Supreme Lawgiver, which the passage certainly does, today see here an echo of David’s reliance on God. True relationship with God is not about this great and, yes, holy collection of books handed down by Moses and a covenant of which some boast. Even non-covenant pagans understand the basics of justice, good, and guilt of which the Torah speaks. These are universal principles of His creation. Rather, true relationship with God rests in the doing of His will, which all fail. Paul will discuss a great covenant of grace later, but the stress in this discourse deflates human ego and pride so that the grace of God can really mean something to the reader and to us as we read with them.

Prayer: You are my Shepherd, Holy, Righteous, and True One. Lead me beside still waters, restoring my soul today. Praise to You in Jesus name.

Tags: why hast thou forsaken me, why have you forsaken me
Posted in Psalms, Romans | Comments Off

Day 227: Psalm 18 — Do you “racham” God?

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

Psalm 18:1 begins with the word רָחַם [racham /raw·kham/]. It is often translated as “mercy,” “compassion,” “love,” “merciful,” etc. It relates to loving deeply or having deep compassion or tender affection. I have struggled all my life with these three English words, “I Love You!” Growing up, we did not use the words. It wasn’t until I got married that I learned how to show love and receive it. Now, I have a granddaughter and when she enters the room, she hears from me these three words, “I Love You!”

I wonder how often we tell God these three words? Do you love God? Psalm 18 is a Royal Psalm attributed to the king. The Psalmist writes that he was in trouble and called out to the Lord. The Lord answered and came down and took care of the enemies. The king loved God!

As we wake up this morning and kiss our spouses and say, “I Love You!” Take a moment and look upstairs and remember to tell God of your love. Today is the Lord’s Day and we will gather around the world to tell God we love Him by gathering to praise, worship, sing, hear His Word, pray, fellowship, and participate in the Body by proclaiming Jesus’ death (our salvation) until He comes again.

“God, I Love You!”

Tags: Compassion, God, I Love You, Love, Mercy
Posted in Love, Mercy, Psalms | Comments Off

Day 226: Psalm 14 — On being a fool

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
Psalm 14:1

David’s intent isn’t to provide a definition of who is a fool, but a thousand years later, give or take, the apostle Paul does tend to agree (Romans 1:18-23). Wait, I know I saw a few stones around her somewhere — oh, there they are!

All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
Psalm 14:3

Now that doesn’t sound good. There’s just something about that word all that really doesn’t leave room for exclusion. Even so, the goal here is not to show that all on earth are fools, nor to imply that there isn’t an ounce of good in anyone. Taken as a whole, the Psalm is simply a characterization of the wicked. Instead of looking at verse 3 as blanket condemnation on everyone as corrupt and vile and foolish, a better conclusion is that of Paul. Paul quoted this Psalm in Romans chapter 3, and concluded simply that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Often we stop there in Romans chapter 3, but the next verse explains that we are justified freely by the grace of God (Romans 3:24).

So just as Psalm 14 is a characterization of the wicked, Psalm 15 is a characterization of the righteous. Just as someone who has found no need in his heart for God is a fool, those who have made room in their heart for God are the righteous. Not through our own righteous deeds, but through the sacrificial atonement of Christ (Isaiah 64:4-9, Titus 3:3-7). In many ways, these 2 Psalms fit very nicely with Romans chapter 3.

Thank you Jesus, for not leaving me to be the fool, but by redeeming me with Your blood, you have cleansed me and made me righteous — not through my own goodness, but through your own perfect sacrifice. May I live each day to glorify Your name and the name of the One Who sent You.

Tags: righteous acts, saved by grace, saved by works
Posted in faith, Psalms | Comments Off

Day 225: Psalm 8 — Oh How Majestic You Are

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Psalm 8 is a Psalm by David in which David spends time praising God and then contemplating how the God that created all of the universe can at the same time care about each individual person. Verse 4 questions how God could be mindful of man. As with many of the Psalms written by David, David gives praise to the Creator and then thanks him for caring about man. Many writers of songs that are used in various song books by the church use David’s psalms to put words to music that we can use to praise God. One such song is How Majestic is Your Name which gets inspiration from Psalm 8. Michael W. Smith did an admirable job of taking David’s thoughts in Psalm 8. This song is one that can “get stuck in my head” and that I often find myself singing unconsciously. In so doing, Michael has helped me to praise God in a similar way to what David was doing when he wrote the Psalm. Are there songs that a writer derived by scripture that capture you and allow you to praise God unconsciously?

Tags: praising God in song, songs of praise
Posted in Psalms | Comments Off

SHCOC Daily Bible Reading