Sunday Scripture

Time for another Sunday Scripture!  Again today we're continuing my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal I'm using here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources simply by scrolling down on the same page.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I've been attempting to journal an answer to.  Today we're looking at Psalm 41.  We were to zero in on verse 9, but I chose to SOAP verses 9:11-12. 

 S= "Yea, mine old familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me ...

"By this I know that Thou favorest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

"And as for me, Thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before Thy face forever."  (Psalm 41:9, 11-12)

O= In the Scofield study Bible, C.I. Scofield titles this Psalm "Help for the charitable".  My copy of the ESV titles it "O Lord, Be Gracious to Me". Joseph Exell comments that this psalm "seems to have been composed with reference to a period when the Psalmist was suffering from bodily sickness, and from the malice of his enemies and the faithlessness and ingratitude of friends." 

Jesus quoted Psalm 41:9 in John 13:18, when He said: "I speak not of you all (I know whom I have chosen), but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me."

Cross-references for "familiar friend" -- "For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it.  Neither was it he that hated me did magnify himself against me; then I would have hidden myself from him;

"But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and my familiar friend.

"We took sweet counsel together, and walked into the house of God in company."  (Psalm 55:12-14)

"Take heed every one of his neighbor, and trust not in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will walk with slanders."  (Jeremiah 9:4)

"Trust not in a friend, put not confidence in a guide."  (Micah 7:5a)

"He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintances are verily estranged from me.  My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me ... All my inward friends abhorred me, and they whom I loved are turned against me."  (Job 19:13-14, 19)

"All my friends watched for my fall, saying, Perhaps he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him."  (Jeremiah 20:10)

Donald C. Fleming wrote: "At the time of the writing of this psalm, David was ill and unable to help himself. One of his closest friends took the opportunity to act treacherously against him. The psalm would suit such circumstances as when his trusted adviser Ahithophel plotted his overthrow by organizing the rebellion of Absalom."

Cross-reference for "favorest me" (v.11) -- "And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city; if I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me again, and show me both it, and its habitation;

    "But if He thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good to Him."  (2 Samuel 15:25-26)

Cross-reference for "upholdest me" (v.12) -- "My soul followeth close behind Thee; Thy right hand upholdeth me."  (Psalm 63:8)

Cross-reference for "mine integrity" (v.12) -- "Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity; I have trusted also in the LORD, therefore I shall not slide."  (Psalm 26:1)

Cross-reference for "setteth me before Thy face" -- "He withdraweth not His eyes from the righteous, but with kings are they on the throne; yea, He doth establish them forever, and they are exalted."  (Job 36:7)

A=. What comfort it brings to be reminded that betrayal is not uncommon and that even the Lord Jesus Himself experienced it.  It's even more comforting to remember that God will never betray me.  He is on my side and will prevent my enemies from triumphing over me completely.  He will uphold me in my integrity.  He will keep me before His face.  His eyes are constantly upon me.  I can't uphold myself in my own integrity, but God can and He will.

"David knows that many are glad to see him lying helpless because of his sickness and are hoping he will die. To his face they say that they hope he will recover, but behind his back they plot against him (4-6). They encourage one another with the news that he has no hope of recovery (7-9).  David prays that he will recover so that he can deal with the plotters (10). He is confident that his uprightness before God will guarantee God’s help and so bring him victory (11-13)." -- Donald C. Fleming

"It is a great comfort to us that, however weak we are, God is able to uphold us in our integrity, and will do it if we commit the keeping of it to him. -- Matthew Henry

P= "Lord, how thankful I am that even when friends betray me, that You will never betray me.  You will  never leave me or forsake me.  You will not allow my enemies to fully triumph over me.  Even if my enemies were to kill me, there would be victory over the grave.  You promise that death will be swallowed up in victory.  

"In this life You will uphold me in my integrity and keep Your eyes upon me.  I will dwell with You in Your house forever.  How I praise You in the victorious name of Jesus! Amen."

Reflection Question: As David was sick in bed, he also endured a betrayal from a close friend.  This verse was also spoken by Jesus in John 13:18, regarding Judas Iscariot's betrayal.  But David remained steadfast in his confidence that God would never betray him.

Have you ever been betrayed by a close friend that you really trusted?  How does knowing that both Jesus and David experienced betrayal comfort you?  And how does knowing that God will never betray you, encourage you?  

My response: I've been betrayed a few times in my life and it's a painful experience for sure.  It's comforting to remember that King David and even the Lord Jesus experienced betrayal. Knowing that God will never betray me is greatly encouraging.  He will actually prevent my enemies from triumphing over me, and He will uphold me in my integrity.

There is much more to be gleaned from Psalm 41!  As always, I recommend that you dig into this psalm for yourself.

Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture!  Again today we're continuing my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal I'm using here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources simply by scrolling down on the same page.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I've been attempting to journal an answer to.  Today we're looking at Psalm 40.  We were to zero in on verse 1, but I chose to SOAP verses 2-3. 

S= "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

"And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD."  (Psalm 40:2-3)

O= C.I. Scofield, in the Scofield Study Bible,  titles this psalm "God's song in our mouths".  My copy of the ESV gives Psalm 40 the title "My Help and My Deliverer". 

The biblical superscription is "“To the Chief Musician, a Psalm of David".  Joseph Exell notes, "The psalm is addressed to “the Chief Musician,” that he might set it to music for use in public worship. We have no means of determining on what occasion the psalm was written."

Cross-reference for "an horrible pit" -- "Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon ... that was in the court of the prison, and they let down Jeremiah with cords.  And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire; so Jeremiah sunk in the mire."  (Jeremiah 38:6)

Cross-references for "the miry clay" -- "Save me, O God, for the waters are come in unto my soul.  I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me."  (Psalm 69:1-2)

"Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters."  (Psalm 69:14)

Cross-reference for "set my feet upon a rock" --  "For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock."  (Psalm 27:5)

Cross-reference for "established my goings" -- "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD; and He delighted in his way."  (Psalm 37:23)

Cross-reference for "a new song" -- "Sing unto Him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise."  (Psalm 33:3)

Cross-reference for "see it, and fear" -- "And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider concerning His doing."  (Psalm 64:9)

A= "This passage has been used with great frequency as the expression of the experience of the people of God, and I think it has been very rightly so used. It is a very accurate picture of the way in which sinners are raised up from despair to hope and salvation, and of the way in which saints are brought out of deep troubles, and made to sing of divine love and power." -- Charles Spurgeon

Many scholars (and Spurgeon seems to be one of them, though he first makes the above point) believe that Psalm 40 is a Messianic psalm -- but for our purposes here we will look at the application he makes in the quote above.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary gives the following outline:

1. A sad situation.

2. A great salvation.

3.A hearty celebration.

I would love to quote some of the reams of information and detail concerning Psalm 40:2 from this commentary (and I could, since it's from 1876 and in the public domain) but honestly I don't have time.  You can read for yourself here: Psalm 40:2 commentary if you are interested.

I have seen God work in my life by drawing me out of the muck and mire of sin.  He brought me up out of a horrible pit and He set my feet upon the solid Rock of His Son.

"On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand!" -- from the hymn The Solid Rock, by Edward Mote

No only this, but He established my goings: He orders my steps and gives me direction and guidance for my life.  Even more, He has put a new song in my heart -- a song of praise to Him that can be a testimony to all that hear it.  The "new song" of a believer's life may even cause others to put their faith and trust in Him.

Bible Gateway notes, "David's praise is meant to spread. The purpose of the 'new song'( v.3) is testimony."

P= "Lord, how thankful I am for how You have worked in my life.  You drew me up out of the horrible pit of sin and gave me a rock-solid faith in Your Son.  You order my steps and establish my goings, giving me clear guidance and direction for my life.  I'm so grateful for the new song you have put in my mouth - a song of praise and testimony.  I pray that You will use my testimony of a changed life to draw others to You.  And I thank You for how You will do this, in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: David praised God for meeting his needs during difficult trials.  

How have you seen God work in your life, by drawing you up from a pit of despair?

My response: I have considered these verses for many years to be my life verses.  I was in a pit, a horrible pit, of sin and destruction.  My life had no real foundation,  Through some painful, life-altering events, God showed me that I could not do life without Him.  I needed that sure foundation that only He can provide.  So he drew me up out of that pit of destruction and set my feet upon the solid rock of Himself.  He has helped me to become established and strengthened and settled in Himself and has given me a new song with which to praise Him and impact the lives of othersl

Sometimes over the course of my Christian life I have struggled with depression, often for no apparent reason.  Reminding myself of the biblical truths about God and His love and care for me, as well as His purposes for my life, has been the key to getting out of the pit of depression.

Psalm 40 is one of those psalms that is simply drenched with truth and meaning.  Please take some time to look into this psalm more deeply for yourself.  I know you will be blessed!

A few goals for November

 

And suddenly it's November!  I'm not sure how that happened, but here we are, and it's time to set some goals for a new month.

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week

* Get together with our young friends for a meal and fellowship 

* Post in this blog as often as possible 

* Post in my Christmas blog as often as possible

* Continue planning and making Christmas gifts and decor

* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones

* Continue studying and preparing for my Sunday Scripture blog posts

* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating

* Get early light each morning

* Get to bed by 8:30 each night we are at home

* Drink enough water each day

* Clean the church each week this month

*  Take a short vacation to northern Vermont

* Continuing preparing for and teaching a ladies Sunday School class

* Plan and prepare for celebrating Thanksgiving

* Work at our volunteer jobs as needed

* Seek to encourage friends by email and phone chats

* Figure out finishes for some completed cross-stitch and embroidery projects

* Prepare many new listings for my Etsy shop

* Help my husband deal with some extended family responsibilities 

HEALTHY HABITS FOR NOVEMBER:  Drink more water/get more sleep/exercise daily/intermittent fasting/limit carbs/get morning light

WORD FOR 2026: Intentional

And there are a few goals for November 2026!

Sunday Scripture

 Time for another Sunday Scripture!  Again today we're continuing my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal I'm using here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources simply by scrolling down on the same page.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I've been attempting to journal an answer to.  Today we're looking at Psalm 39.  We were to zero in on verse 1, but I chose to SOAP verses 1-3. 

S= "I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

"I was dumb with silence; I held my peace, even from good, and my sorrow was stirred.

"My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned; then spoke I with my tongue."  (Psalm 39:1-3)

O= Psalm 39 is titled by C.I. Scofield in the Scofield Study Bible as "The frailty of man".  ESV titles it "What Is the Measure of My Days?"

The biblical heading of this psalm is "To the chief musician, even to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David."  Scofield explains that Jeduthun was "a Levite, chief singer and instructor."  He is mentioned in the headings of Psalm 39, 62, and 77.

Bible Gateway notes: "The psalm opens with David muzzling his mouth because he was so angry at the wicked that he feared he would say something sinful about them. Yet suppressed anguish only intensified the agony, so he speaks, asking God to show him how fleeting life is.

Cross-references for "take heed to my ways" -- "That the LORD may continue His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said He) a man on the throne of Israel."  (1 Kings 2:4)

"But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart; for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, who made Israel to sin."  (2 Kings 10:31)

Cross-reference for "sin not with my tongue" -- "What?  Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?  In all this did not Job sin with his lips."  (Job 2:10)

Cross-reference for "keep my mouth with a bridle" -- "Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile."  (Psalm 34:13)

"Bridle" literally means "a bridle or a muzzle for my mouth."

Verse 2 reminds me of Psalm 77:4b -- "I am so troubled that I cannot speak."

Cross-references for "dumb (or mute) with silence"  -- "I was dumb; I opened not my mouth; because Thou didst it."  (Psalm 39:9)

"Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer Thee?  I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.  Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; yea, twice, but I will proceed no further."  (Job 40:3-5)

"But I, like a deaf man, heard not; and I was like a dumb man who openeth not his mouth."  (Psalm 38:13

Cross -references for "My heart was hot within me" -- "Then I said, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name.  But His Word was in mine heart and like a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not refrain."  (Jeremiah 20:9)

"And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us along the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?"  (Luke 24:32)

I've heard it said of Psalm 39:3 that since David's heart was hot with anger, and the fire burned in his heart as he mused on his situation, that what came out when he spoke was an angry outburst.  This sounds logical, until you notice that there's a colon at the end of verse 3.  What he actually said is recorded in verses 4-5 -- "Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am."  

A= When I feel emotional, that is just the time to remember my frailties and to ask for God's supernatural help in responding as He would have me to.  In every situation of life I need to pay attention to what I am doing and how I am responding.

"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls."  (Proverbs 25:28)

"He that refraineth his lips is wise." (Proverbs 10:19b)

"Let your moderation be known unto all men.  The Lord is at hand."  (Philippians 4:5)

Bible Gateway suggests, "For application, meditative silence can allow us time to reflect on the real reasons behind our anger and pain, and we are often able to live with greater clarity and purpose when we face the reality of death."

P= "Lord, how thankful I am for the truths of Your Word that make it so clear how You would have us as Your children to conduct ourselves.  You have given us emotions and yet You desire for us to manage those emotions for Your glory.  I pray that You will help me to guard my speech and to refrain from any sinful responses.  I know I can't do this in my own strength, so I ask for Your supernatural help --  and praise You for all You will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection question: In Psalm 39, David is emotional.  He goes from anger to crying.  David worked hard to not sin with his mouth.  Though he kept quiet, his feelings did not dissipate.  

When you feel emotional, do you guard your mouth and keep it from sin?  What can we learn from the heart of David in today's Psalm?

My response: This is so important!  And it goes against our natural tendencies, for sure.  I have been in situations where it it's nearly impossible not to burst out emotionally in response to someone else's words or actions.  I've seen situations where God helped me to remain calm while shaking on the inside.  I've also seen situations where I had to leave the room before I told someone to shut up!  

No matter how we may feel, we know that God has set very specific guidelines for our speech.  Bitterness, wrath, clamor, evil speaking and malice are to be put away from us.  Our speech must be gracious and edifying..

This is a very quick look at Psalm 39:1-3.  There is so much more to be gleaned from Psalm 39, so I encourage you to dig into Scripture for yourself!

Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture!  Again today we're continuing my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal I'm using here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources simply by scrolling down on the same page.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I've been attempting to journal an answer to.  Today we're looking at Psalm 38:18.

S= "For I will declare mine iniquity: I will be sorry for my sin."  (Psalm 38:18)

O= The biblical heading is "A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance."  C.I. Scofield, in the Scofield reference Bible, titles Psalm 38 "Godly sorrow for sin."  My copy of the ESV titles this psalm "Do Not Forsake Me, O LORD".

In the first ten verses of this psalm, David describes his physical, mental, emotional and spiritual symptoms as he deals with sin in his life.  He feels as if there is no soundness in his flesh; he feels "in over his head" with his sin issues.  

His sin feels like a "loathsome disease" and as if there is no soundness in his flesh.  He feels feeble and without strength; even his vision and hearing seem affected.  

Emotionally and mentally he is troubled.  He mourns over his sin.  He feels foolish and broken; disquieted.  His sorrow is continually at the forefront of his thinking.  

 His friends, lovers, and kinsmen have distanced themselves from. him.  His enemies lay snares for him, 

Spiritually he senses God's hot displeasure and His hand pressing upon him.  Yet, he understands that his only hope is in God helping him.  He asks God to hear him, and declares his iniquity, resolving to sorrow over sin.  He asks God to make haste to help him.

To me, "I will be sorry for my sin" seems a little bit lame.  However, the NKJV says "I will be in anguish over my sin", which seems far more appropriate.  One commentator noted that David openly acknowledges his sin.  His deep concern over his sin "relates not only to its consequences, but to the sin itself."

Cross-reference for "will declare" (or "confess") -- "I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hidden.  I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD, and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.  Selah."

Cross-reference for "sorry" -- "Now I rejoice; not that ye were made sorry but that ye sorrowed to repentance, for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death."  (2 Corinthians 7:9-10)

A= "Guilt can prompt us to repent.  David's guilt led him to confess and then ask God for help.  This psalm helps us see that acknowledging our sin is the only way out of the trap of fear and destruction."  -- Bible Gateway

"True repentance is sorrow over the sin itself, not just the miserable results that sin can bring." -- Good Morning Girls

P= "Lord, how thankful I am that You have made a way for sinners to be right with You.  I can't imagine how heavy and painful the burden of my sin would be had You not provided for me the assurance that when we confess our sin, You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Help me to keep short accounts with You throughout each day, I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: David asked God for forgiveness of his sins.  True repentance is sorrow over the sin itself -- not just the miserable results that sin can bring.

Is there a sin in your life that you need to confess?  Confess it now.  Consider if you have sinned against someone else and go to them and apologize today.

My Response:  At this point in my life, I try to keep "short accounts" with God and confess sin as soon as I am conscious of it.  I also pray daily through a list of my most common sin issues, focusing on one per day, and this can often bring to mind something I need to get right.

Again, this is a super simple look at Psalm 38:18.  Please study this psalm out for yourselves for further insights and encouragement!

Sunday Scripture

 
 

Time for another Sunday Scripture!  Again today we're continuing my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal I'm using here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources simply by scrolling down on the same page.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I've been attempting to journal an answer to.  Today we're looking at Psalm 37.  We were to zero in on verse 4, but I chose to SOAP verses 3-4.  I have SOAPed these verses in the past, but some of this material will be new.

S=  "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
"Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart."  (Psalm 37:3-4)

O= Psalm 37 is a Psalm of David.  C.I. Scofield titles it "Trust in the LORD".  My ESV Bible titles it "He Will Not Forget His Saints".  

Observing the entire psalm this reading, I see many commands for things to do and not do, especially in verses 1-8.

Fret not; don't be envious (v. 1)
Trust in the Lord; do good (v.3)
Delight in the Lord (v. 4)
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him (v. 5)

Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for Him ; don't fret (v. 7)

Cease from anger; forsake wrath; don't fret (v. 8)

Depart from evil; do good (v. 27)

Wait on the Lord; keep His way (v. 34)

For many of these, there seem to be conditions here which, if they are met, certain things will result.

IF (or maybe SINCE) we trust in the LORD, and do good, THEN we will dwell in the land, and we will be fed. (verse 3)

IF (or SINCE) we delight ourselves in the LORD, He will give us the desires of our hearts.  (verse 4)

Concerning verse 3, Charles Spurgeon writes: "In 'the land which floweth with milk and honey'; the Canaan of the covenant.  Thou shalt not wander in the wilderness of murmuring, but abide in the promised land of content and rest.  'And verily thou shalt be fed', or shepherded ... The good shepherd will exercise His pastoral care over all believers.  In truth they shall be fed, and fed on truth."

Concerning verse 4, Spurgeon says, "A pleasant duty is here rewarded with another pleasure.  Men who delight in God ask for nothing but what will please God; hence it is safe to give them carte blanche.  Their will is subdued to God's will, and now they may have what they will.  Our innermost desires are here meant, not our casual wishes; .... these deep, prayerful, asking desires are those to which the promise is made."

A cross-reference for "trust in the LORD" (i.e. faith) is Psalm 84:12 -- "O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusteth in Thee."

A cross-reference for "Delight thyself also in the LORD" is Isaiah 58:14 -- "Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob, thy father; for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."

Cross-references for "desires of thine heart" include 

Psalm 145:18-19 -- "The LORD is near unto all those who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.  He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry, and will save them."

and

Matthew 7:7-8 -- "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

A= Very simply, these are things I need to do as a believer: trust in the Lord; do good; delight myself in the Lord.  These activities, among others, are part of how the Lord wants me to live life where He has placed me.  He will provide for me there.  I suppose "thou shalt be fed" may also refer ro being satisfied in Him and being fed from His Word.  As I delight in Him, He will take my old desires and align them with His desires for me -- and thus will give me the desires of my heart.

P= "Lord, how I praise You for the truths of Your Word.  I praise You that You are very clear in how You want Your children to live.  I feel that my desires align with Your will for me, but it's possible there are desires that don't please You.  I pray that You will search my heart, and, if there is something not from You, that You'll replace it with Your desires for me.  I thank You for how You will work, in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen."

Reflection Question: When we are delighting in worldly things, our flesh longs for things that are not pleasing to the Lord.  When we are delighting in God, He takes our old desires and makes them new.

Is there something you are longing for today, that perhaps is not from the Lord?  Pray and ask God to exchange your desires for His desires and Your will for His.

My response: I don't know if there is anything I'm longing for that is not from the Lord.  I don't think so, really.  My deepest desires involve my loved ones coming to salvation or, if saved, coming to a closer walk with Him.

This has been a very surface look at Psalm 37.  There is much, much more to this psalm, so as always I urge you to dig deeper for yourself.  You are sure to be blessed in doing so!

Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture!  Again today we're continuing my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal I'm using here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources simply by scrolling down on the same page.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I've been attempting to journal an answer to.  Today we're looking at Psalm 36.  We were to zero in on verse 9, but I chose to SOAP verses 9-10.

S= "For with Thee is the fountain of life; in Thy light shall we see light.

"O continue Thy lovingkindness unto them that know Thee; and Thy righteousness to the upright in heart."  (Psalm 36:9-10)

O= The Open Bible titles this psalm "The Excellent Lovingkindness of God".  The biblical superscription is "To the Chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the Servant of the LORD."

"David uses this title ["the servant of the LORD"] here and in Psalm 18.  In both he describes the dealings of God with both the righteous and the wicked, and it is most fit that he should take his place with the servants of the Lord."  -- Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David

In this psalm, David spends the first four verses describing the character and favor of the wicked.  In verse 5-7 he segues to the character of God -- His righteousness, justice, providential care, mercy, faithfulness, and lovingkindness.  Verses 8-10 describe some of the blessings of being God's children.

Cross-references for "fountain of life" -- "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters; and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water."  (Psalm 36:9)

"Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water."  (John 4:10)

 "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."  (John 4:14)

Cross-references for "in Thy light" -- "[Jesus] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."  (John 1:9)

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a people of His own, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."  (1 Peter 2:9)

"To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins."  (Acts 26:18)

Cross-references for "know Thee" (v. 10) -- "But now, after ye have known God,  or rather are known by God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, unto which ye desire again to be in bondage?" (Galatians 4:9)

"Pour out Thy wrath on the nations that have not known Thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon Thy name."  (Psalm 79:6)

A= Concerning God as the fountain of life, Spurgeon writes: "[Verse 9] is made of simple words, but like the first chapter of John's Gospel, it is very deep.  From the Lord, as from an independent, self-sufficient spring, all creature life proceeds; by Him it is sustained; rhrough Him alone it can be perfected.  Life is in the creature, but the fountain of it is only in the Creator: of spiritual life, this is true in the most emphatic sense."

Concerning God's light, Spurgeon wrote: "Purely and only by His own illumination, the Holy Spirit lights up the dark recesses of our heart's ungodliness."

I love these thoughts from Susan K. Pitts and Becky Thompson in the Midnight Mom Devotional Bible: "David was certainly afraid at times. He experienced moments of trembling fear. But David knew exactly where to turn for Light when life presented no clear path forward. And so do we ...  in the middle of every hard or heavy season, it is the Light of God’s Word that illuminates our path. It’s the instruction of His Word that lights our next steps forward. It’s the warm glow of His Presence that kindles a fire in our hearts even when everything else feels uncertain."

P= "Lord, how thankful I am that You are the fountain of life.  Not only are you the Creator of physical life, but You provide eternal life through the gift of Your Son.  You give us all that we need to live the Christian life -- 'all things that pertain unto life and godliness'.  

And in Your light we see light.  You are the Light of the world.  You commanded light to shine out of darkness.  Your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths.  Blessing upon blessing!  I praise You in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: David spoke about the evil in the world and prayed that he would not be driven away by wickedness.  

Is there anything in your heart that is pulling you away from God?  Ask Him to shine his light upon it.

My response: Honestly, I cannot think of anything in my heart that would be pulling me away from God, but I would ask Him as David did in Psalm 139: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me ...".

This is again a very brief, surface look at a psalm.  I encourage you to dig deeply into Psalm 36 for yourself!