Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is part of an ongoing series on my simple study of Rachel Wojo's Everything Beautiful.  You can read about the plan here if you are interested in it for yourself: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back in 2018, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm attempting to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Today's study is from Psalm 96:1-6.  

S= "Oh, sing unto the LORD a new song; sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
"Sing unto the LORD, bless His name; show forth His salvation from day to day.
"Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
"For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.
"For all the gods of the nations are idols; but the LORD made the heavens.
"Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary."  (Psalm 96:1-6)

O= Cross-references for "Oh, sing unto the LORD" (v.1) -- "Sing unto the LORD, all the earth;  show forth from day to day His salvation.
"Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all peoples.
"For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods.
"For all the gods of the people are idols; but the LORD made the heavens.
"Glory and honor are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place."  (1 Chronicles 16:23-27)

Note for "to be feared" (v.4) -- "The fear of the LORD is an Old Testament expression meaning reverential trust, including the hatred of evil." -- C.I. Scofield

Cross-references for "gods" (v.4) and "gods of the nations" (v.5) -- "But our God is in the heavens; He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased.
"Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
"They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not.
"They have ears, but they hear not; noses  have they, but they smell not.
"They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they through their throat."  (Psalm 115:3-7)

"For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven, or in earth (as there are gods many, and lords many),
"But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him."  (1 Corinthians 8:5-6)

Note concerning "gods" -- "Of course there is only one God.  The pagans had, however, those whom they called 'gods; for instance, in David's day, Dagon and Baal.  Then and now, whatever preempts the place in one's heart that belongs to the true God may be said to be a god; for example, self and the pleasures of this world." -- C.I. Scofield

Believer's Bible Commentary explains,  "The LORD is great, infinitely superior to all gods.  False gods made of wood or stone are powerless; the true God is Jehovah, who made the heavens.  His attributes are like inseparable attendants, accompanying Him everywhere.  Thus honor and majesty precede Him, and strength and beauty wait on Him in His sanctuary."

Cross-references for "the LORD made the heavens" -- "Thus saith God, the LORD, He who created the heavens, and stretched them out; He who spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; He who giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk in it."  (Isaiah 42:5)

"He hath made the earth by His power; He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His understanding."  (Jeremiah 10:12)

A= Warren Wiersbe comments concerning these verses that in them we are given an admonition to sing to the Lord.  He writes, "Sing a new song because you have had a new experience with Him.  Sing a worship hymn because God is glorious (v.3) and great (v.4-5).  Sing a gospel song because the nations need to hear the good news of salvation.  Sing a song of victory and reveal the strength of the Lord.  Sing a song of devotion and reveal the beauty of the Lord."

For this Scripture, there were also a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"I must open my eyes to see the beauty in His sanctuary." -- Rachel Wojo

This thought of course fits with verse 6, which reminds us that "Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary."  It also brought to my mind Psalm 63, verse 2:

"To see Thy power and Thy glory, so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary."

 

Rachel also shares a "focus word" in each of the devotional pages.  For this lesson the focus word is "open". We do indeed need to open our eyes.to see His strength and beauty.

The question was asked: What one thought can I surrender to create room for seeing moments  of grace?

My response in 2018:  Maybe the thought that this physical difficulty is never going to end -- and I won't ever get back to normal.  I need to remember that whatever happens, God's grace is, and will always be,  sufficient for me.

Answering this same question in 2024:  Any thought that I can do anything in my own strength.  If I try to do this, I will not notice moments of God's grace in those situations.

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the places I go; the music I hear; the people I encounter; the air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive.

In 2024 I can note that for the music I hear, there is such a variety of birdsong around our little cottage.  

 One of the birds we hear frequently is the wood thrush.

In the music I hear category, I am also so thankful for the opportunity to hear a concert that our granddaughter and some friends are playing in, livestreamed all the way from Sweden!

For the air I breathe, I noted the delightful coolness of sleeping with open windows at our little cottage.

A journaling prompt was this:  Everything God made is beautiful.  Where have I noticed God's beauty in the last 24 hours?

My response in 2018: Pale beech leaves and lacy evergreen shrubs against the snow.  Last night's hazy crescent moon.  The kind concern of others.  A direct message from a friend asking about my health.  A handmade card from another friend.

For my response in 2024, I added: The endless variety in wildflowers' color, shape, and form.  The beautiful color of my knockout roses and peonies.  Fireflies spangling the dark evenings at our little camp.  The moon visible and bright as a piece of gold through our open window.

P= "Lord,  I praise You that Your grace is sufficient for me and that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness -- even when my weakness is most pronounced.  I praise You that my concerning weakness from six years ago did pass, and that You helped me to not only get back into my regular activities and ministries, but to even go beyond that.  I praise You that in that very same year, You helped us to take a big trip out West with family.  And I praise you that in recent years, You have given energy and endurance to serve you in different, more challenging ways than ever before.  I thank You for all that You have done and all that You continue to do,  in Jesus' name, Amen."

 And there is this week's Sunday Scripture!  I pray it's a blessing to someone.