TRUST -- my word for 2025

Lovely graphic from Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

Yes, "trust" is my word for 2025.  It seems like such a basic word, such a foundational word, part of Christian Living 101.  Yet it's indisputably the word that God impressed upon me for this year.

I knew, well before the end of 2024, that "trust" should be my word.  It has taken me this long to pull together my thoughts about it.  So ... 

Partway through 2024 I began to notice something rather disconcerting about myself.  I'm not sure if it had to do with aging or something else, but I noticed that I seemingly wanted to avoid situations that could potentially cause me discomfort or difficulty.  (I'm sure that's fairly normal for most of us!)  But I'm talking about avoidance to a greater degree, such as not wanting to do a certain thing, go to a certain event, or even seeking to manipulate circumstances in such a way that I wouldn't have to face whatever was concerning me.  I finally recognized this as a pattern ... and a problem.  

 

For Sunday School, the last few months we have been going through Jim Berg's series on Quieting a Noisy Soul.  And I recognized what I had been doing as a kind of self-protection.  Shielding myself from things that could hurt me.  Surely, that is not my job, but God's!

 

🌲 I went to my prayer journal and added "an unwavering trust in God" as the most important character quality I want to work on.

 

🌲 I then went to the section of my prayer journal where I keep my pages regarding character flaws and sin issues.   I first made a page titled "Lack of trust".  (With each of the pages in this section, I list out verses that will help me to see why the particular issue is a problem biblically, and also verses that will help me to move forward and do right.  Below is a scan of one of my pages:

 

 So the verses I listed out for my "lack of trust" page were as follows:

"And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You."  (Psalm 9:10)

"The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe."  (Proverbs 29:25)

"The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knoweth those who trust in Him."  (Nahum 1:7)

"Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light?  Let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God."  (Isaiah 50:10)

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

 

"The LORD redeemeth the soul of His servants; and none of them who trust in Him shall be desolate."  (Psalm 34:22)

 

"Be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God ..." (1 Timothy 6:17)

 

"What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.  In God will I praise His Word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me."  (Psalm 56:3-4)

🌲 A note from the Scofield study Bible concerning "trust" reads: "Trust is the characteristic Old Testament word for the New Testament 'faith' and 'believe'.  It occurs 152 times in the Old Testament, and is the rendering of Hebrew words signifiying 'to take refuge' (Ruth 2:12); 'to lean on' ((Psalm 56:3); 'to roll on' (Psalm 22:8); 'to wait for' (Job 35:14)."

I thought it would be helpful to look at those Scripture references, so here they are:

* "The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust."  (Ruth 2:12 -- where trust signifies to take refuge)

* "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee."  (Psalm 56:3 -- where trust signifies to lean on) 

* "He trusted in the LORD that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him."  (Psalm 22:8 -- where trust signifies to roll on; He rolled Himself on Him)

"Although thou sayest thou shalt not see Him, yet judgment is before Him; therefore trust thou in Him."  (Job 35:14 -- where trust signifies to wait for)

🌲 For good measure, I made another character flaw/sin issue page for my prayer journal, this one titled "Tendency to want to manipulate circumstances."  I found this tendency in myself quite alarming, as I have never considered myself to be a manipulative person.  But in recent months I have noticed a desire or wish to manipulate circumstances or outcomes, as mentioned earlier.  Below, the verses I chose for this page:

"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God."  (2 Corinthians 3:5)

"O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."  (Jeremiah 10:23)

"Man's goings are of the LORD: how can a man, then, understand his own way?"  (Proverbs 20:24)

"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me; Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever; forsake not the works of Thine own hands."  (Psalm 138:8)

"Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and he shall bring it to pass."  (Psalm 37:5)

🌲 As I do whenever I settle on a word for the year, I will be making a Pinterest board for the word "trust" where I'll place all sorts of helps and good reads to help me in my application and following through. 

And that's it for my word this year!  I always want to emphasize that choosing a word for the year is completely optional and up to the individual.  It doesn't make one any more or less spiritual; for me, it's just another help to greater personal growth, something that works for me.

If you do choose a word, though, I would love to hear!

Sunday Scripture

 

We're continuing with our ongoing series on my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  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 will attempt to journal an answer to.  Today's study is from Psalm 11.  This psalm has only 7 verses, so I chose to SOAP all of them.  Here goes:

S= "In the LORD put I my trust; how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?
"For lo, the wicked bend their bow; they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may secretly shoot at the upright in heart.
"If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
"The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the children of men.
"The LORD testeth the righteous, but the wicked and him who loveth violence His soul hateth.
"Upon the wicked He shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup.
"For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; His countenance doth behold the upright."  (Psalm 11:1-7)

O=  The biblical heading for this psalm is simply, "To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David." C.I. Scofield titles this psalm "Taking refuge in God."  

Charles Simeon, quoted in C.H. Spurgeon's Treasury of David, wrote: "David, at the different periods of his life, was placed in almost every situation in which a believer, whether rich or poor, can be placed and in these heavenly compositions of the heart, he delineates all the workings of the heart."  He added, "To assist us to remember this short, but sweet psalm, we will give it the name of 'The song of the stedfast'."

And this, from the Daily Walk Bible: "The enemies of God's people are also the enemies of God.  Responding to these enemies is David's burden in Psalm 7-12.  In the face of dangerous opposition, David seeks God's justice (Psalm 7), protection (Psalm 9-10) and deliverance (Psalm 11-12)."

David begins by stating his trust in the LORD.  His next words seem to point at what his enemies are doing, and the supposed futility of his opposing them:

• How can you say, flee like a bird to your mountain?
• For the wicked bend their bows;
• They make their arrows ready upon the string;
• They're preparing to shoot at the upright in heart.
• If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Then David turns his attention to the Person and character of God:

• The LORD is in His holy temple;
• The LORD's throne is in heaven;
• The LORD's eyes behold the children of men; His eyelids test them;
• The LORD tests the righteous.

BUT

• God's soul hates the wicked;
• His soul hates those who love violence;
• God will rain the following upon the wicked:
    snares
    fire and brimstone
    a horrible tempest -- those things will be the portion of their cup.

For the righteous LORD loves righteousness;
His countenance beholds the upright.

Cross-reference for "trust" (v.1) -- "O LORD my God, in Thee do I put my trust; save me from all those who persecute me, and deliver me."  (Psalm 7:1)

Cross-references for "flee like a bird" (v.1) --Each of the following Scriptures describes a time when David was hiding from Saul in the wilderness.

"And David abode in the wilderness in strongholds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph.  And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand."  (1 Samuel 23:14)

"Then came up the Ziphites to Saul at Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the forest, in the hill of Hachilah, which is in the south of Jeshimon?"  (1 Samuel 23:19)

"Then Saul took three thousand men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats."  (1 Samuel 24:2)

"Now, therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD, for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains."  (1 Samuel 26:20)

Cross-references for "bend their bow" (v.2) -- "Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity, who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words, that they may shoot in secret at the perfect.  Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not."  (Psalm 64:2-4)

"And they bend their tongues like the bow for lies; but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not Me, saith the LORD."  (Jeremiah 9:3)

And there is this Scripture which speaks of God bending His bow:  "If [the wicked] turn not, He will whet His sword, He hath bent His bow, and made it ready."  (Psalm 7:12)

Cross-references for "make ready the arrow upon the string" (v.2) -- "Let them melt away like waters which run continually, when he bends his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be cut in pieces."

Again, in this one it is God making the arrow ready:  "Therefore shalt Thou make them turn their back, when Thou shalt make ready Thine arrows upon Thy strings against the face of them."  (Psalm 21:12)

"Secretly" (v.2) means literally "in darkness."

Thus, the ESV reads: "they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart."

Cross-references for "the foundations" (v.3) -- "They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are out of course."  (Psalm 82:5)

"And the sword will come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down."  (Ezekiel 30:4)

Cross-references for "the LORD is in His holy temple" (v.4) -- "In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry came before Him, even into His ears."  (Psalm 18:6)

"Hear, all ye peoples; hearken, O earth, and all that is in it; and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple."  (Micah 1:2)

"But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him."  (Habakkuk 2:20)

Cross-reference for "throne is in heaven" (v.4) -- "He who sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision."  (Psalm 2:4)

"Thus saith the LORD: The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.  Where is the house that ye build unto Me?  And where is the place of My rest?"  (Isaiah 66:1)

"But I say unto you, Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne."  (Matthew 5:34)

"Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool.  What house will ye build Me? saith the Lord.  Or what is the place of my rest?"  (Acts 7:49)

Cross-references for "test the children of men" (v.4) -- "But He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tested me, I shall come forth as gold."  (Job 23:10)

"Thou hast proved mine heart; Thou hast visited me in the night; Thou hast tested me, and shalt find nothing.  I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress."  (Psalm 17:3)

Cross-reference for "tests the righteous" (v.5) -- "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him."  (James 1:12)

Cross-reference for "him who loveth violence His soul hateth" (v.5) -- "The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight; Thou hatest all workers of iniquity."  (Psalm 5:5)

"Snares, fire, and brimstone" (v.6) literally means "quick burning coals."

There are three cross-references for this phrase as well: "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven."  (Genesis 19:24)

"It shall dwell in his tent, because it is none of his; brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation."  (Job 18:15)

"And I will enter into judgment against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his hordes, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone."  (Ezekiel 38:22)

Cross-reference for "portion of their cup" (v.6) -- "For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is fully mixed, and He poureth out of the same; but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them."  (Psalm 75:8)

"His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty."  (Job 21:20)

Cross-reference for "loves righteous deeds" (v.7) -- "He loveth righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD." (Psalm 33:5)

Cross-references for "the upright shall behold His face" (v.7) -- "As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness." (Psalm 17:15)

"Surely, the righteous shall give thanks unto Thy name; the upright shall dwell in Thy presence."  (Psalm 140:13)

"Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."  (1 John 3:2)

A= One thing that jumped out at me is verse 3 -- "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

We have had people in power who seem bent on destroying the foundations of our country, our families, and everything else we hold dear.  Yet the next verses remind us that God has not moved.  The LORD is in His holy temple.  He is still God, still in control.  When it seems the foundations are about to be destroyed, we can look to Him and appeal to heaven.  He sees all and He hates sin.  He will deal with the wicked in His timing.

Warren Wiersbe describes how David was in great difficulty -- "Around him, the archers were getting ready to shoot.  Under him, the foundations of society were shaking.  What should he do?  What would you do?

"When you are in that kind of situation, your first thought may be to get away as fast as you can.  Even David's friends advised him to act like the bird and fly away.  It is right to flee from temptation, but not from duty.  Instead of flying away like a frightened bird, you should trust God and 'mount up with wings like eagles' (Isaiah 40:31).

"If the foundations are destroyed, lay the foundations again.  That is what Ezra did (Ezra 3:8 and following) and what each generation may have to do.  David became king of Israel and laid the foundations for a godly society ... God is still on the throne and will one day judge the wicked.  If you love righteousness, God is on your side."

Concerning the phrase "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Charles Spurgeon wrote, "Doubtless, the perils which encompassed David were great and imminent; it was quite true that his enemies were ready to shoot privily at him; it was equally correct that the very foundations of law and justice were destroyed under Saul's unrighteous government: but what were all these things to the man whose trust was in God alone?  He could brave the dangers, could escape the enemies, and defy the injustice which surrounded him."

A couple more quotes from the Treasury of David:

"It is impossible that the foundations of religion should ever be totally and finally destroyed, either in relation to the church in general, or in reference to every true and lively member thereof.  For the first, we have an express promise of Christ.  (Matthew 16:18) 'The gates of helll shall not prevail against it.'  And for every particular Christian (2 Timothy 2:19) 'Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are His'." -- Thomas Fuller

"Such dismal days of national confusion our eyes have all seen, when foundations of government were destroyed, and all hurled into military confusion.  When it is thus with a people, 'What can the righteous do?'  Yes, this they may, and should do, 'fast and pray'.  There is yet a God in heaven to be sought to, when a people's deliverance is thrown beyond the help of human policy or power.  Now is the fit time to make their appeal to God, as the words following hint: "The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven'." -- William Gurnall

Concerning the phrase "the LORD is in His holy temple", Spurgeon writes: "Satan has doubtless desired to have us, that he may sift us as wheat, but Jesus is in the temple praying for us, and how can our faith fail?  What attempts shall the wicked make which Jehovah shall not behold?  And since He is in His holy temple, delighting in the sacrifice of His Son, will He not defeat every device and send us a sure deliverance?"

How wonderful this is!  When I thought about God being in His holy temple, I'm ashamed to say that I did not thinking about Jesus there at His right hand, praying for me and for all believers: "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8:34)

And in reference to the phrase "His eyes behold; His eyelids try the children of men" Spurgeon says, "The eternal Watcher never slumbers ... He narrowly inspects [the] actions, words, and thoughts [of the children of men].  God sees each man as much and as perfectly as if there were no other creature in the universe.  He sees us always; He never removes His eye from us; He sees us entirely, reading the recesses of the soul ... My danger is not hid from Him.  He knows my extremity and I may rest assured that He will not suffer me to perish while I rely alone on Him."

P=  "Lord, I am so thankful that You see and know all.  We can look to Your sovereignty, omniscience, and power rather than the wickedness and evil of our enemies.  You are still on Your throne.  When the foundations look to be destroyed, You are still there.  You see all, and will act in Your timing.  The wicked will give account to You, the righteous God, and will be punished.  We can trust You to act righteously on our behalf, and I praise You for this in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection question: God makes His presence known to the righteous and allows them to behold His face in the midst of turmoil.

How have you seen the face of God in your darkest times?

My response:  Mostly through His Word, especially in Psalms.  I know from Psalm 23 and Psalm 91 that He will be with me through the darkest times of trouble.  Hebrews 13 assures me that He will never leave me or forsake me, that I may boldly say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man can do unto me.'  

I also love the reminder in verse 4 that the Lord is in His holy temple and that He sees all.  Spurgeon reminds me that Jesus is there praying for me at the right hand of God.

During a couple of the darkest times in my life, as I prayed, I felt the very real touch of a hand upon my shoulder, and the assurance that all would be well with the situations I was praying about.

And there is our simple study of Psalm 11.  I hope it was a blessing to someone today!

February goals

 

Delightful graphic from Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

Yes, it's time to set some goals for February!

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week
* Get back to working through the "Make Room Challenge" from Make Room for What You Love
* Get together with friends for Presidents' Day
* Have my friend Jennifer and her children over for lunch
* Have some of our younger friends over for a meal and fellowship
* Enjoy our church ladies' gathering
* Post in this blog as often as possible
* Post in my Christmas blog as often as possible
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Continue reading through the One-Year Chronological Bible
* Continue with my study of Psalms for my Sunday Scripture series
* Continue studying and preparing for my ladies' Sunday School class -- to start in a few months
* Continue through the wonderful Daily Grace Co. study of Habakkuk, Even If (this is intended to be a 3-week study; it has taken me months since I only work on it on Saturdays)
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Plan menus and begin food preparation for a ministry opportunity this winter
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Get back to memorizing the book of James
* Continue to help a widowed friend with the challenges of life in general
* Get to bed by 8:30 each night we are at home
* Drink enough water each day
* Continue with the habit of getting outdoors for the morning light
* Start a 40-day sugar fast
* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week

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

End of January Hodgepodge

 

 Taking a moment to join in with Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.  Here we go ...

1. What was your after school routine like when you were a kid? 

When I was a kid, we didn't really have homework.   Only projects, book reports, things like that.  I think actual homework may have started in 7th grade.  So as an elementary age child, my only responsibilities after school (and bear in mind that as a rural bus student I seldom arrived home before 4 pm) were to have a snack, change into play clothes and go outdoors to play or ride my bike.  Sledding in the winter, as we discussed last week.  Sometimes I might be summoned to help in the kitchen, set the table for supper, or entertain a younger sibling.  

2. January 26 is National Green Juice Day (I guess it's true everything really does have its day). Do you juice, as in make your own in an attempt to get healthy? Do you do the green juices? What's your favorite kind of juice (home blended or store bought, either one)? 

I do not juice; not green or any other kind.  I drink very little juice. The juice I drink most often (and that is only occasionally) is V-8 juice, which I use as a means of drinking my hubby's homemade health tonic. 

Over January I did make this wonderful mulled cranberry orange juice for a couple of get-togethers with friends.  I used the all-juice, no-sugar cranberry pomegranate blend.  The orange juice component is simply the juice of a large orange.

3. What's something trivial about which you have a strong opinion? 

Juice? But this vintage ad for frozen orange juice is a lot of fun!

4. What do you need more of in your life? Less of? 

More time, more sleep, more creativity.  Less mindless scrolling; less clutter.

5. Give us three adjectives to describe your January.

Chilly;  celebratory (I had a birthday); and creative, as I managed to finish up a few projects.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Here's a little look at some of my winter decorating in a corner of the living room:

And there is the Hodgepodge for this week!

Sunday Scripture

 

 We're back to our ongoing series on my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  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 will attempt to journal an answer to.  Today's study is from Psalm 10.  This  psalm is 18 verses long; I chose to SOAP verses 12-16.

S= "Arise, O LORD, O God, lift up Thine hand; forget not the humble.
"Wherefore doth the wicked despise God?  he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it .
"Thou hast seen it; for Thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with Thy hand.  The poor committeth himself unto Thee; Thou art the helper of the fatherless.
"Break Thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man; seek out his wickedness till Thou find none.
"The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations are perished out of His land."  (Psalm 10:12-16)

O= Psalm 10 is titled by C.I. Scofield "A plea for God's judgment".  

(There is no biblical heading for this psalm, and thereby hangs a tale -- an intriguing mystery.)  Charles Spurgeon writes in his wonderful commentary on Psalms, The Treasury of David, :

"Since this psalm has no title of its own, it is supposed by some to be a fragment of Psalm 9.  We prefer, however, to consider it as a separate composition ... The prevailing theme seems to be the oppression and persecution [by] the wicked; we will, therefore, for our own guidance, title it, THE CRY OF THE OPPRESSED."

Martin Luther wrote, "As this Psalm is without a title, let us embrace the most general and common understanding of it ... and let us look at the picture of ungodliness which it sets before us."

But then I found this in my Daily Walk Bible: "The absence of a title in Psalm 10 and the sequence of initial letters in the Hebrew text (every other verse of Psalms 9 and 10 begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, forming a handy and memorable acrostic) have led many commentators to conclude that Psalms 9-10 were originally one long psalm composed by David."

Now that is interesting.  I didn't know that about the acrostic form of these two psalms.  I couldn't take time to dig deeper into the mystery, but maybe one of my readers will.  Let me know, if you do!

Back in verse 1 of this psalm, the psalmist asks the Lord why He seems to be standing afar off in troubling times, while the wicked are persecuting the poor.  

Now, in verses 12-16, he asks God to arise and to lift up His hand, and to not forget the humble.  He notes that the wicked despise God and tell themselves that God will not call them to account for their actions.  But the psalmist points out that God does see.  He takes account of mischief and spite and He will deal with it.  The poor can commit themselves to God, who is the Helper of the fatherless.

The psalmist asks God to break the arm of the wicked and the evil, to call their wickedness to account until every bit of it is dealt with.  He concludes with the statement that the LORD, the self-existent One, is King forever and ever, and that the nations perish out of His land.

Martin Luther says, "There is not, in my judgment, a Psalm which describes the mind, the manners, the works, the words, the feelings, and the fate of the ungodly with so much propriety, fullness, and light, as this Psalm."

Cross-reference for "Arise, O LORD" (v. 12) -- "Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God; for Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheekbone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly."  (Psalm 3:7)

Cross-references for "lift up Thine hand" (v.12) -- "Lift up Thyself, Thou Judge of the earth; render a reward to the proud."  (Psalm 94:2)

"Thine hand shall be lifted up upon Thine adversaries, and all Thine enemies shall be cut off."  (Micah 5:9)

Cross-references for "humble" and also for "forget not" (v.12), and also for  "require it" (v.13) -- "When He maketh inquisition for blood, He remembereth them; He forgetteth not the cry of the humble."  (Psalm 9:12)

Another cross-reference for "forget not": "For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever."  (Psalm 9:18)

Cross-reference for "despise" (v.13) -- "For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, who the LORD abhorreth."  (Psalm 10:3)

For clarification, this is how the above reads in the ESV: "For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD."

Warren Wiersbe comments in With the Word, "God hears what the ungodly say and does not approve of their pride and rebellion.  The ungodly announces, 'I shall not be moved!  God does not see what I do!  Even if He does, He will never judge me!'  What arrogance!"

Cross-reference for "seen it" (v.14) -- "The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test, the children of men."  (Psalm 11:4)

Cross-reference for "beholdeth mischief" (v.14) -- "The LORD looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men."  (Psalm 33:13)

Cross-references for "committeth himself" (v.14) -- "For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day."  (2 Timothy 1:12)

"Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator."  (1 Peter 4:19)

Cross-references for "the helper of the fatherless" (v.14) -- "A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in His holy habitation."  (Psalm 68:5)

"The LORD preserveth the sojourners; He relieveth the fatherless and widow; but the way of the wicked He turneth upside down."  (Psalm 146:9)

"Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses, neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ye are our gods; for in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy."  (Hosea 14:3)

Cross-reference for "break Thou the arm" (v.15) -- "For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholdeth the righteous."  (Psalm 37:17)

Cross-references for "seek out his wickedness" (v.15) -- "I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.  Yet he passed away, and lo, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found."  (Psalm 27:35-36)

"Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee; they that war against thee shall be as nothing and as a thing of naught."  (Isaiah 41:12)

There are many excellent cross-references for "The LORD is King" (v.16) -- "The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea,  the LORD sitteth King forever."  (Psalm 29:10)

"The LORD shall reign forever and ever."  (Exodus 15:18)

"But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God, and an everlasting King; at His wrath the earth shall tremble; and the nations shall not be able to abide His indignation."  (Jeremiah 10:10)

"Thou, O LORD, remainest forever, Thy throne from generation to generation."  (Lamentations 5:19)

"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever, Amen."  (1 Timothy 1:17)

"And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever."  (Revelation 11:15)

It is especially interesting to see what two Old Testament kings (Nebuchadnezzar and Darius) had to say about this fact that the LORD is King.

King Nebuchadnezzar, after being seriously humbled by God, said, "And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him who liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation."  (Daniel 4:34)

King Darius, upon seeing how God protected Daniel in the lions' den,  wrote: "I make a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the living God, and steadfast forever; and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end."  (Daniel 6:26)

Cross-reference for "the nations are perished out of His land" (v. 16) -- "As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish, because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God."  (Deuteronomy 8:20)

A=  Warren Wiersbe notes in With the Word, "Does God help?  Of course He does!  He sees the trouble of His people, feels their grief, and helps them in the right way at the right time.  After all, the Lord is King!  It may look as though the ungodly are winning the day, but the Lord will triumph in the end."

As the psalmist asks God to arise and act on behalf of the humble, this is a reminder to me that God wants His children to exhibit humility.  He resists the proud, He tells us, but gives grace to the humble.  I can commit myself to Him knowing that He is in sovereign control of everything that He allows to touch my life.  Not only that, but He is my omnipotent Helper.  I can trust Him to give me strength for any situation I face, to act on my behalf, and even to render the wicked ineffective.

P= "Lord, how I thank and praise You for the powerful reminders in this psalm!  I'm so thankful that You see and know what the wicked are doing, and that they will one day give account to You.  Help me to walk with You humbly and trustingly, knowing that You are my all-powerful Helper who will deal with the wicked in your perfect timing.  I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection question: The enemy is always trying to destroy and tear down.  After David writes of his affliction from his enemies, he affirms his confidence in God as King forever.

In the midst of evil that is all around us, how does knowing that God has all things in His control comfort you?

My response: This is hugely comforting to me.  We have as a nation been through five challenging years during which things looked incredibly dark and at times, nearly hopeless to the eye.  But I and many others clung to the fact that God was (and is) in control, no matter how bleak things looked.

Dark forces are actually continuing to work at destroying our nation and seeking to tear down our values and even our families.  It truly is a battle between good and evil.  It's good to be reminded here in Psalm 10 that God sees wickedness and will call the wicked to account in His timing.  This psalm is a powerful reminder that He is sovereign over the nations.

And there is our simple study of Psalm 10:12-16.  I hope it was a blessing to someone today!

A chilly Hodgepodge

 

Taking a moment to join in with Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.  Here we go ...

1. What's a winter memory you treasure (can be from any winter in your lifetime)? 

Probably my most treasured winter memories are from childhood.  We lived at the edge of a farm field which contained perfect hills for sledding (or sliding, as we always called it then).  Every day after school, no matter how cold it was, if the hills were in good condition, we were out there.  We had runner sleds, aluminum flying saucers, and eventually even a toboggan and a bobsled that someone gifted to my brother.  We wore longjohns under our pants and wool snowpants over them, thick socks and buckle-up boots over our shoes -- and of course, sweaters, jackets, hats and mittens.  Sometimes scarves as well.  

We would stay out until it got nearly dark and we were soaked right through.  Then we'd go in, hang up our wet clothes down cellar, and drink hot cocoa with big spoonfuls of marshmallow fluff.  

2. Tell us about the last time or a recent time you were caught up in red tape. Does it send your frustration level off the charts or is it something you've come to expect when dealing with any sort of bureaucracy?

Can't think of a good answer to this except that whether dealing with the state, the town, or any governmental body, or even the medical establishment, or insurance companies, often the right hand does not seem to know what the left hand is doing.

Nothing to do with red tape, but below is my finished January sampler -- part of a set I've made of the three months of winter.  This is my first year displaying this one.  Love it.

 

The little "Snow Day" pattern was included and I made that one first.

3. Do you eat/like fish? Do you cook fish at home? What's your favorite fish dish? Ever been ice fishing? 

We do like fish.   Below is a plate of fish and chips, which is probably our favorite fish dish.  I don't cook fish at home too often.   Probably fish chowder would be the dish I'd be most likely to make at home.  Nope, never been ice fishing, though it's a big sport up here when conditions are right.

4. Did you watch any of the US President's Inauguration coverage on Monday, Jan 20? On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being not at all and 10 being very very) how interested are you in politics in general? Do you follow/keep up with/ get involved with local politics? 

We did watch a good bit of it.  Were invited to the home of friends for a watch party, which was fun.  I would say that we are quite interested in politics, maybe an 8 on a scale of 1-10.  We do keep up somewhat with local politics -- especially on the county level.  And not politics, but patriotism and love for our country propels my hubby to participate in a local flag wave that's happened every Saturday morning in our town for nearly 230 consecutive weeks.

5. What's the coziest thing you own and what makes it so? 

I am going to say our vintage soapstone wood stove. I don't have a good photo of it, but it's in the background of the photo below.  We used to have a different, century-old wood stove in that spot, but moved it to our camp and installed this one, from my parents' home in our kitchen instead.  Oh, it is so cozy.  You may know that soapstone is a material that holds heat beautifully.  The nice flat top of this stove means that we can also use it to heat things -- like a little pot of simmering fruit and spices -- or to warm up leftovers or a cup of tea.   Usually in winter we have used our wood furnace (forced hot air, with ductwork to all of the rooms) exclusively, but this year we are using the kitchen stove as well and it is really making a difference to how much wood we use.  Surprisingly, we are using less.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Although we didn't get a ton of snow, we are in a deep freeze here at the gateway to the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  Fifteen below zero when we got up.  It is all the way up to 2º now.  Perfect conditions for making ice art like that below.  I made these in a heart shaped cake pan using some very large rose petals from a bargain bouquet.

 
And there is this week's chilly hodgepodge!

Sunday Scripture

 

We're continuing with our ongoing series on my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  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 will attempt to journal an answer to.  Today's study is from Psalm 9.  This psalm has 20 verses;  I chose to SOAP only verses 9-10.

S=  "The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
"And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee."  (Psalm 9:9-10)

O= C.I. Scofield's title for Psalm 9 is "Praise for victory over enemies".  The biblical heading in the KJV reads, "To the chief Musician upon Muth-labben,  A Psalm of David."  The ESV heading reads, "To the Choirmaster according to Muth-Labben, a Psalm of David" and notes that Muth-Labben is "probably a musical or liturgical term".  The NKJV reads "To the Chief Musician.  To the tnne of "Death of the Son.  A Psalm of David."  (I don't know if I'm the only one who finds these differences so fascinating, but I do!)

In verses 9 and 10, David says:

* The LORD will be a refuge for the oppressed;
* The LORD will be a refuge in times of trouble.

He tells the Lord:

* Those who know Your name will put their trust in You
FOR
* You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

The ESV uses "stronghold" instead of "refuge" (v.9).  One Bible I looked at said that "refuge" is "an high place" in the Hebrew.

Cross-references for "refuge" -- "Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.  Selah." (Psalm 32:7)

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."  (Psalm 46:1)

"I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God; in Him will I trust."  (Psalm 91:2)

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."  (Proverbs 18:10)

"The God of my rock; in Him will I trust; He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation; my high tower, and my refuge, my savior; Thou savest me from violence."  (2 Samuel 2:23)

Cross-references for "the oppressed" (v.9) -- "To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress."  (Psalm 10:18)

"Oh, let not the oppressed return ashamed; let the poor and needy praise Thy name."  (Psalm 74:21)

Cross-reference for "times of trouble" (v.9) -- "Why standest Thou afar off, O LORD?  Why hidest Thou Thyself in times of trouble?"(Psalm 10:1)

Cross-references for "know Thy name" (v.10) -- "Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known My name."  (Psalm 91:14)

"I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine."  (John 10:14)

Note from Scofield concerning "trust" (v.10) -- "Trust is the characteristic Old Testament word for the New Testament 'faith' and 'believe'.  It occurs 152 times in the Old Testament, and is the rendering of Hebrew words signifiying 'to take refuge' (Ruth 2:12); 'to lean on' ((Psalm 56:3); 'to roll on' (Psalm 22:8); 'to wait for' (Job 35:14)."

I thought it would be helpful to look at those Scripture references, so here they are:

* "The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust."  (Ruth 2:12 -- where trust signifies to take refuge)

* "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee."  (Psalm 56:3 -- where trust signifies to lean on) 

* "He trusted in the LORD that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him."  (Psalm 22:8 -- where trust signifies to roll on; He rolled Himself on Him)

"Although thou sayest thou shalt not see Him, yet judgment is before Him; therefore trust thou in Him."  (Job 35:14 -- where trust signifies to wait for)

A= When we feel oppressed, God will be our refuge; our stronghold, our high tower.  He is a refuge we can run to in times of trouble.  As mentioned in the Reflection Question, we who know His name have a real relationship with Him.  We can safely trust Him.  He will never forsake us as we seek Him.

Believer's Bible Commentary remarks,  "All who know Him will put their trust in Him, realizing that He has never disappointed the confidence of His people."

Warren Wiersbe notes in With the Word, "[God's] people do not need to worry.  He is their Refuge and will never forsake them (Hebrews 13:5).  The Father forsook His Son on the cross, but He will not forsake you."

P= "Lord, how thankful I am that You will be, and are, a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.  I have personally experienced this and know that it is true.  I praise You that we who know Your name can put our trust in You and know that You will never leave us or forsake us.  When we fall into sin, You are there to forgive and restore.  When we struggle with unanswered prayer, You are there to comfort and encourage and remind us of Your good purposes.  You are there with us through every moment of even our most difficult trials.  I praise You for Your presence with us, in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection question: Those who know God's name have a real relationship with Him.  We trust in Him and seek Him.

How does the assurance of knowing that God will never forsake you, comfort you when you struggle with unanswered prayer, fall into sin, or face difficult trials?

My response:  I find this assurance very, very comforting.  In responding to this question, I chose to consider each of the three specific scenarios mentioned.

Unanswered prayer -- Since God will never forsake me, He is continually involved in all that concerns me.  The answer may be "wait", or it may eventually be "no", but God Himself will never leave and He will answer my prayer in the way He deems best.

Falling into sin -- When I fall into sin, I may be out of fellowship with God, but He has not left.  He will always be there and will never leave.  He is ready to forgive and restore me to fellowship when I confess my sin to Him.

Difficult trials -- Knowing that God will always be with me, no matter how difficult the trial, is very comforting.  Psalm 91 tells us specifically that He will be with us in trouble.  Psalm 23 reminds us that He is and will be with us even through the valley of the shadow of death, and will comfort us there.

And there is our simple study of Psalm 9:9-10.  I hope it was a blessing to someone today!

Snapshots from summer

 

 Last fall I was thinking back over Summer 2024 in preparation for sharing a testimony with other ladies.  I thought about how many wonderful memories have been preserved in photos that we took.  (Now, in light of the devastation to that area from Hurricane Helene, I am doubly glad we took as many pictures as we did.  And I wish we had taken more.)  It seems to me that this past summer is one of the nicest that we have had in a long time, as far as good memories go.  At that time, I began a post full of summer memories.

I found myself thinking of these memories in terms of snapshots.  Actual snapshots, as the first part of the definition below describes:

Ice cream with our friend Terry -- I'm so thankful we got to do this (and got this photo) on a day when she was feeling well and able to fully enjoy it.  That is a flight of ice cream on the table in front of her.

We had plenty of opportunities for ice cream this past summer and fall.  We always share, so the calories and sugar are not quite as bad as they might be.

Family members playing cornhole on the porch of our Airbnb farmhouse in North Carolina as the rain fell outdoors.  We had lots of time to make precious family memories on this trip.

Time with old friends at Table Rock State Park in South Carolina.  So thankful for the gift of friendship and being able to encourage one another in the Lord.

Mountains upon mountains on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  God gave safety in travel and many opportunities to ponder His might, sovereignty, and endless creativity.

 Cousins at Cracker Barrel (plus Emily's and Julia's friend Lily).  Even though many of Emily's siblings weren't here, it was a wonderful time for these cousins to reconnect.

 A wonderful couple of days with our friends Tom and Judy in Pennsylvania.  We have been wanting to visit them for some time and are so thankful that a visit, although brief, finally happened.

Reconnecting with our precious friends Chris and Debbie in the Maritimes (we stayed in New Brunswick but also visited Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island).  We had not seen them in over ten years.  What a delight to pick up where we left off.

 As I reviewed further,  I thought more deeply -- about other memories that are recorded in the heart.  We didn't get photos of those, but some pictures are indelibly (I hope) etched upon upon hearts and minds.  These could be considered snapshots too, more like the second part of the definition.  And I frequently find myself taking out these "pictures", reviewing the blessings and sharing them with others.

A few Scripture verses came to my mind: 

"Many, O LORD, my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts which are toward us; they cannot be reckoned up in order unto Thee.  If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."  (Psalm 40:5)

"Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually ... the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name."  (Hebrews 13:15)

"I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth."  (Psalm 34:1)

"I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings."  (Psalm 77:12)

"We will not hide them from our children, showing to the generations to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He has done."  (Psalm 78:4)

And so here are a few of those snapshots to share with you: 

* Sharing a meal at a restaurant with dear ministry friends -- enjoying wonderful food and a fun atmosphere, but even better, sharing from the heart as we encouraged one another in the Lord.  This happened a few times with various couples and families.

* Having a moment of prayer as various friends parted from one another, not knowing when or where we will meet again in this life.  But knowing we will meet again in heaven!

* Realizing as we reconnected (and praising God!) that some of our friends have been through very difficult times, but they have continued to walk faithfully with their Lord.

* Experiencing amazing hospitality all along the way as we were blessed by people using that spiritual gift.  Wonderful accommodations, fantastic food, and just all-round caring and sharing.

* Having opportunities to minister this summer -- Sunday School, VBS, our regular volunteer work at TWNE,  and hosting a couple of cottage prayer meetings at our little camp.

* Even better, watching three of our teen grandchildren minister in music at church and in teaching VBS.  

* Through the generous hospitality of our New Brunswick friends, getting to return to a provincial park on PEI where we'd spent many happy times camping with our children. 

* Being blessed by a memory book our daughters put together to commemorate our half-century of marriage.  The notes from far-flung family and old friends were so precious!

* Getting to have our NV granddaughter Emily with us for an overnight stay at the North Carolina Airbnb.  What a delight to have her with us around the table and to look after her needs for just a few hours.

* And maybe one of the dearest, most precious snapshots of the summer -- the seating for our Cracker Barrel meal worked out so that the four adults were at one table and all of the grandchildren, plus Lily, were at another.  At one point my daughter looked their way and whispered, "They're praying!" Yes, oldest grandson Sam took the lead and they all bowed their heads as he gave thanks for the food.  

There are more -- many more.  But I have delayed publishing this post long enough, so I'll leave you with  just this handful of snapshots from last summer.

Sunday Scripture

 

 We're back to our ongoing series on my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  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 will attempt to journal an answer to.  Today's study is from Psalm 8.  Since the psalm is only 9 verses,  I chose to SOAP the entire psalm.

S= "O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth, who hast set Thy glory above the heavens!
"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
"When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained,
"What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?  And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?
"For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.
"Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet.
"All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
"The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea; and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
"O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!"  (Psalm 8)

O= The Bible heading for this psalm is "To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David."  The ESV heading reads "To the choirmaster according to the Gittith.  A Psalm of David."  A notation says that "Gittith" is "likely a musical or liturgical term."  NKJV calls it "the instrument of Gath".  Charles Spurgeon offers more thoughts on this word:

"We are not clear on the meaning of the word Gittith.  Some think it refers to Gath, and may refer to a tune commonly sung there, or an instrument of music there invented, or a song of Obed-edom the Gittite, in whose house the ark rested, or, better still, a song sung over Goliath of Gath. 
"Others, tracing the Hebrew to its root, conceive it to mean a song for the winepress, a joyful hymn for the treaders of grapes.  The term Gittith is applied to two other psalms (Psalm 81 and Psalm 84) both of which being of a joyous character, it may be concluded that where we find that word in the title, we may look for a hymn of delight."

C.I. Scofield titles this psalm "God's glory and man's dominion."

David is addressing God throughout this psalm. There is no back and forth addressing God and then man, as we see in some other psalms.

The first verse and the last verse of Psalm 8 contain the same words: "O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!"  Concerning this, Spurgeon comments, "The first and last verses are a sweet song of admiration, in which the excellence of the name of God is exalted.  The intermediate verses are made up of holy wonder at the LORD's greatness in creation, and at His condescension toward man."

David goes on to say in verses 1b and 2:

* You have set Your glory above the heavens
* Out of the mouths of babies and infants you have established strength because of Your foes.

Why?  So that it will "still the enemies and the avengers."

In verses 3-8 David goes on to reflect on the relationship, and the contrast, between God and man.  He says, 

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place ... What is man, that You are mindful of him, and the son of man, that You care for  him?  You have:

* Made man a little lower than the angels
* Crowned man with glory and honor
* Given man dominion over creation

David then reiterates the majesty and excellence of God's name in all the earth.

Now for some cross-references!

Cross-references for "name" (v.1) -- "Let them praise the name of the LORD; for His name alone is excellent; His glory is above the earth and heaven."  (Psalm 148:13)

"And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted."  (Isaiah 12:4)

"And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD."  (Exodus 34:5)

Cross-references for "glory" (v.1) -- "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork."  (Psalm 19:1)

"The LORD is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens."  (Psalm 113:1)

Cross-references for "out of the mouth of babes and sucklings" (v. 2) -- "And Jesus saith unto them, Yea, have ye not read, out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?" (Matthew 21:16)

"At that time Jesus answered, and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes."  (Matthew 11:35)

"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty."  (1 Corinthians 1:27)

Cross-reference for "strength" (v.2) -- "O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the nations shall come unto Thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things in which there is no profit."  (Jeremiah 16:19)

Cross-reference for "the enemy" (v.2) -- "My confusion is continually before me,  and the shame of my face has covered me, For the voice of him who reproacheth and blasphemeth, by reason of the enemy and avenger."  (Psalm 44:15-16)

Cross-reference for "consider Thy heavens" (v.3) -- "The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them who have pleasure therein."  (Psalm 111:2)

Cross-references for "fingers" (v.3) -- "Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, this is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them, as the LORD had said."  (Exodus 8:19)

"And He gave unto Moses, when He had ceased speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God."  (Exodus 31:18)

Cross-reference for "which Thou hast ordained" (v.3) -- "And God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; He made the stars also."  (Genesis 1:16)

Cross-references for "man" (v.4) -- "What is man, that Thou shouldest magnify him, and that Thou shouldest set Thine heart upon him, and that Thou shouldest visit him every morning, and test him every moment?"  (Job 7:17-18)

"But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?  Or the son of man, that Thou visitest him?  Thou madest him a little lower than the angels, Thou crownest him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet."  (Hebrews 2:6-8a)

Cross-reference for "what is man" (v.4) -- "LORD, what is man, that Thou takest knowledge of him?  Or the son of man, that Thou makest account of him?"  (Psalm 144:3)

Cross-reference for "the son of man" (v.4) -- "Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand, upon the son of man whom Thou madest strong for Thyself."  (Psalm 80:17)

Cross-references for "visitest him" (v.4) -- "Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it; Thou greatly enrichest it with the the river of God, which is full of water; Thou preparest them grain, when Thou hast so provided for it."  (Psalm 65:9)

"Thou hast granted me life and favor; and Thy care hath preserved my spirit."  (Job 10:12)

Cross-reference for "glory and honor" (v.5) -- "The king shall joy in Thy strength, O LORD; and in Thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!  His glory is great in Thy salvation; honor and majesty hast Thou laid upon him."  (Psalm 21:1, 5)

Cross-reference for "dominion" (v.6) -- "And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."  (Genesis 1:26)

Cross-reference for "all things under his feet" (v.6) -- "And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All authority is given to Me in heaven and in earth."  (Matthew 28:18)

A= "Here man is the pinnacle of divine creation, the one made to exhibit great glory and receive great honor ... [Man] was made 'in the image of God', specially equipped in body, soul, and spirit to know and be known of God." -- Stuart Briscoe

"The scope and business of this psalm seems plainly to be this: to display and celebrate the great love and kindness of God to mankind, not only in His creation, but especially in his redemption by Jesus Christ." -- Charles Spurgeon

"The carnal mind sees God in nothing, not even in spiritual things, His Word and ordinances.  The spiritual mind sees Him in everything, even in natural things, in looking on the heavens and the earth and all the creatures."  -- Robert Leighton

"If man has been made supreme in the earthly realm and gifted uniquely for a special relationship with his Creator, it is no surprise to discover that God has given man a superb role in His plan.  It is to have dominion over all the works of God's hands.

"One clear fact is that God made a fantastic world and set man loose in it to develop and explore it.  Man's unbelievable mandate was to use his God-given talent to discover the resources of earth and to adapt all that he found to the development of God's creation in every sphere." -- Stuart Briscoe, What Works When Life Doesn't

As I read what these writers had to say, it occurred to me that I do see God in everything, even natural things, as Robert Leighton says.  I can't look at anything in nature without seeing the Creator behind it, and I love to help others to see this as well.  How I praise God for showing me my need of a Savior, for drawing me to Himself, for helping me to have a spiritual mind.  What love and kindness!  

Realizing that God has given man dominion over His Creation is a sobering reminder to me that we are to be stewards of all that God has given us -- to use it wisely for His purposes and His glory.  Even the way that we care for our own homes and property is important!

P= "Lord, truly Your name is excellent in all the earth!  How I praise You for Your amazing creativity and power in Creation!  It is astounding to observe the night sky and to consider Your heavens, the works of Your hands, the moon and the stars -- and to realize that You, the sovereign Creator, care for me.  You are not only mindful of man; You desire a relationship with us.  You care and want to bring hope and healing to our lives.  

"I pray that You will help me to point others to you and also to be a good and wise steward of all that You have provided.    I praise and thank You for all that You have done and all that You will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection question: David beautifully expresses the glory and majesty of God in this psalm of praise.

How do you catch a glimpse of God's love for you through the moon, the stars and all of His creation?

My response: In His provision for sure; in His giving man dominion over His creation.

But the "glimpse of God's love" that means the most to me concerns the stars.  A favorite passage of mine for years has been Psalm 147:4-5: "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name."

The fact that the all-powerful, almighty, all-wise Creator of the universe --  the One who knows the number of the stars and calls them all by name -- cares about healing my broken heart and binding up my wounds ... well, I find that breathtaking, as well as incredibly comforting and encouraging. 

I recall a time many years ago when we were away from home and I was deeply concerned about something.  A look at the night sky served as a deeply comforting reminder of God's faithfulness and power over any and every situation.

And there is our simple study of Psalm 8.  I hope it was a blessing to someone today!