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!

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 35.  We were to zero in on one phrase from verse 27, but I chose to SOAP both verses 27 and 28, and also took a quick look backward at verse 26.

S= "Let them shout for joy, and be glad, who favor my righteous cause.  Yes, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, who hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.

"And my tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness and of Thy praise all the day long."  (Psalm 35:27-28)

O= Psalm 35 is titled by C.I. Scofield "David's prayer against his enemies" in the Scofield Reference Bible.

As I read verse 26 I was struck by the similarities in wording and construction to verse 27.  Yet the meaning is completely different -- even opposite.  

There are two categories of people spoken of in these verses.  Verse 26 speaks of those who rejoice at David's hurt and who magnify themselves against him. Verse 27 speaks of those who favor David's righteous cause.

Verse 26 says of those in the first category, 'Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion" and "let them be clothed with shame and dishonor."

Verse 27 says of those in the second category, "Let them shout for joy and be glad."

Verse 26 says of those in the first category that they magnify themselves against David.

Verse 27 says those in the second category will desire to magnify God continually -- not themselves!

Verse 27 adds that the LORD takes pleasure in the prosperity or well-being of His servant.

In verse 28 David concludes, "And my tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness and of Thy praise all the day long."

Cross-reference for "Let them be ashamed" (verse 26) -- "Let them be confounded and put to shame who seek after my soul; let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt."  (Psalm 35:4)

Cross-reference for "clothed with shame and dishonor" -- "They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nothing."  (Job 8:22)

Cross-reference for "magnify themselves against me" -- "If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me and plead against me my reproach."  (Job 19:5)

Cross-references for "say continually" -- "Let all those who seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; let such as love Thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified."(Psalm 40:16; Psalm 70:4)

"Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together."  (Psalm 34:3)

Cross- reference for "who hath pleasure" -- "For the LORD taketh pleasure in in His people; He will beautify the meek with salvation."

A= In facing trials and turmoil, the best approach I have found is to remember that God is in it with me (Psalm 91, Psalm 23, and more).  I can and should remember that He is with me and that He is working.  I must remember His greatness, His sovereignty, His mighty power, His wisdom -- every aspect of His character -- and know that He will bring all of those to bear on my situation.  I may call out to Him for help at any time and be assured that He will answer.

P= "Lord, I thank and praise You so much for all that You do for us every day and especially in our trials.  Help me to never forget that You are with me and that You have a purpose in the trials that You allow.  May I keep Your character and attributes in the forefront of my thinking as I face the difficulties of life and seek to encourage others in their own trials.  I thank You for all that You are and all that You are doing in my life, in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: In the midst of David's trials and turmoil, he continues to call on God for help and then praise the Lord for His greatness.

How do you respond to trials and turmoil in your life?  Do you call out to God for help?  Do you praise God for His greatness?

My response: In my experience, calling out to God for help and praising Him for His greatness are the only truly helpful responses to trials.  He is the only One who can help us in our trials and the only One who can give us peace in the midst of turmoil.  Worry is not the answer,  as it will accomplish nothing; Jesus Himself says so.  Complaining or venting to other people will solve nothing. Asking for God's help is the very best response.

Praising God for His greatness is linked with asking for His help.  As we consider His character and attributes and praise Him for these, we are inevitably reminded of how He will bring these to bear on our situation.  He is all powerful and can change our circumstances or bring us through them.  He is all wise and will orchestrate circumstances as He sees best.  We could go on and on praising God in our trials!  And I believe that we should.

As always, this is a pitifully inadequate summary of part of a psalm -- in this case, Psalm 35:27-28.  I encourage you to look deeply into Psalm 35 for yourselves.  There is so much more to see and learn from it!

A few goals for October

 

Where oh where did September go? I can hardly believe it's time to set some goals for October:

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

* Attend a one-day senior retreat

* Attend a couples' retreat

* 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

* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week

*  Take a short vacation to northern Vermont

* Continuing preparing for and teaching a ladies Sunday School class

* Attend a friend's funeral and celebration of life

* 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 prepare for and attend our church's missions conference

HEALTHY HABITS FOR OCTOBER:  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 October 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 34.  We were to zero in on verse 18, but I chose to SOAP verses 17-19.

S= "The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

"The LORD is near unto those who are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the LORD delivereth him out of them all."  (Psalm 34:17-19)

O= C.I. Scofield titles this psalm "The LORD delivers His own".  The biblical superscription reads "A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, who drove him away, and departed."  Concerning this, Charles Spurgeon wrote: 

"Although the gratitude of the psalmist prompted him thankfully to record the goodness of the Lord in vouchsafing an undeserved deliverance, yet he weaves none of the incidents of the escape into the narrative, but dwells only on the grand fact of his being heard in the hour of peril".

Cross-reference for "The righteous cry" (v.17) -- "The eyes of the LORD are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry."  (Psalm 34:15)

Cross-references for "those who are of a broken heart" (v.18) -- "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise."  (Psalm 51:17)

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."  (Psalm 147:3)

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound."  (Isaiah 61:1)

Cross-references for "contrite spirit" or "crushed in spirit" -- "For thus saith the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."  (Isaiah 57:17)

"For all those things hath my hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD; but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word."  (Isaiah 66:2)

Cross-reference for "many are the afflictions of the righteous" (v. 19) --  "Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Lystra, what persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me.  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."  (1 Timothy 3:11-12)

Cross-reference for "delivereth" (v.19) -- "And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent His angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from the Jews." (Acts 12:11)

A= I should never be surprised by trials.  Most believers are either experiencing a trial, just coming out of a trial, or just about to enter a trial.  I should remember that God has a purpose in each trial and, when His purposes have been served, He will deliver me out of each trial in His perfect timing.  I should concentrate on navigating each trial God's way, seeking to grow through it and asking for His purposes to be accomplished in it.

Warren Wiersbe says, "Often, afflictions are God's tools for helping us grow ... He doesn't keep us out of them. He delivers us from them. Sometimes He changes the circumstances. Sometimes He changes us. The real secret of deliverance is not the circumstance around you but the faith within you. Expect affliction, but trust God for deliverance."

Concerning the word "troubles" (v.17), Back to the Bible explains that Christians must trust the Lord with our frustrations: "The word trouble means 'to be in a bind' or 'frustrated'. Sometimes we bring trouble on ourselves, as did David. The only safe place is in the will of God. Sometimes other people cause our troubles, as Saul often did for David. And sometimes we have troubles because God knows we need them. When we have troubles, we need to pray for His help." 

The same source notes that believers must also trust the Lord with our feelings: "David was repenting because of his sin, and his heart was broken. God respects that attitude; He is always near those who have a broken heart."

The truth that God heals the brokenhearted has always been a tremendous encouragement to me.  I have seen it proved true over and over in my own trials.

Wiersbe says, "Take comfort in knowing that your Lord heals the broken heart. Are you getting over a crushing experience? The Lord understands what you are going through. Draw near to Him with a humble spirit and give Him the broken pieces of your heart."

P= "Lord, how thankful I am for these beautiful verses in Psalm 34.  I praise You that when we cry out to You, You hear and answer; You deliver us from all our troubles.  Your Word tells us that You came to heal the brokenhearted, and it is such a blessing to know that You are near to us when our hearts are broken.  Truly, You would have us give You the broken pieces of our hearts and know that You will heal them.  How I praise You for Your love and care to me, in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: David knew what it felt like to be broken.  His spirit had been crushed through his trials.  But God was near and heard his cries for help and delivered him from his afflictions.

Are you hurting today?  Has something crushed you?  The Lord is near and he wants to help you.  Tell God your hurts.  Ask Him for help and deliverance.  Let the Lord be your refuge, while you wait for healing.  

My response: I am hurting today -- not crushed, though I have been crushed in the past and likely will be again.  Today I'm hurting with others who are hurting.  A dear friend of ours is dying.  We have prayed continually for healing and will continue to do so until our friend takes his final breath.  But we also understand that God may be glorified more in his death than in the saving of his life.  So we pray, and are hurting with his wife, children, grandchildren, business associates and friends.  

In another state, a young friend of ours, a wife and mom, is at the bedside of her own mom who has just entered hospice care.  Again we pray for God to be glorified and for healing, if that's His will, but we hurt with our dear young friend and her family and pray for comfort in their pain.

Again, this is just my very simple study of a portion of Psalm 34.  There is so much more to this psalm.  I encourage you to dive into Psalm 34 on your own!

And so autumn begins ...

 

 Life is so very, very busy right now and I have so little time to spend blogging.  Every moment is filled with other pursuits and responsibilities.  

I have so much I want to share on my blogs, though!  Lord willing, there will be a book review, a few new recipes, some fall hospitality posts and some Christmas blog posts coming soon.  Likely a lot of other things as well, if I can only carve out some time!

For today I simply want to share a scan of three lovely fall leaves I found in the driveway just a few minutes ago.

Aren't they glorious?  

I spotted the small leaf in the middle first.  The scan does not do it justice, but is better than a photo.  The red and green together is just so pretty!

Then I saw the orange leaf.  I love the orange maple leaves.  They remind me of these trees my hubby captured photos of on one of his job sites some years ago.

And then the red one.  I noticed it on my way back from the mailbox, having spotted the other two on my outward trek.  It's particularly beautiful because it has several varying shades of red.

Yes, so autumn begins.  Have a lovely fall, everyone!

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 33.  We were to zero in on verse 11, but I chose instead to SOAP verses 4-5.

S= "For the word of the LORD is right, and all His works are done in truth.

"He loveth righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD."  (Psalm 33:4-5)

O= Psalm 33 is titled by C.I. Scofield in the Scofield Study Bible as "A psalm of joy".  My ESV Bible titles it "The Steadfast Love of the LORD."

Verses 4-5 read in the ESV:

"For the word of the LORD is upright, and all His works are done in truth.

"He loveth righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD."

Cross-reference for "truth" (v.4) -- "I know, O LORD, that Thy judgments are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me."  (Psalm 119:75)

Cross-references for "loveth righteousness" (v.5) -- "For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; His countenance doth behold the upright."  (Psalm 11:7)

"Thou lovest righteousness; and hatest wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hast anointed thee with the oil of gladness above all thy fellows."  (Psalm 45:7)

"Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and Thy faithfulness reaches unto the clouds.  Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; Thy judgments are a great deep.  O LORD, Thou preservest man and beast."  (Psalm 36:5-6)

Righteousness and justice are the habitation of Thy throne; mercy and truth shall go before Thy face."  (Psalm 89:14)

Cross-reference for "justice" (v. 5) -- "The meek will He guide in justice; and the meek will He teach His way."  (Psalm 25:9)

Cross-reference for "the earth is full" -- "The earth, O LORD, is full of Thy mercy; teach me Thy statutes."  (Psalm 119:64)

     

The psalmist beings with this exhortation in verse 1: "Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous; for praise is befitting to the upright." 

 

Verses 2-3 speak of singing a new song to the LORD, and praising Him by playing skillfully with various instruments.

 

Then the psalmist goes on in the following verses with many reasons to praise God: His Word (v.4); His righteousness, justice, and goodness (v.5); His work in creation (v.6-9); His sovereignty over all people and nations (v. 10-17); His providential care and watchful eye over those who fear Him and hope in His mercy.  

    

 He ends with this exhortation: "Our soul waiteth for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.  For our heeart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name" (v. 20-21).

A= The psalmist exhorts his audience (including us) to rejoice in the LORD and to praise Him with songs and instruments.  In these verses he gives us several reasons to praise God:

* The Word of the Lord is right;

* All God's works are done in truth;

* The Lord loves righteousness and justice;

* The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

I want to have a continual heart of praise, and to be in a continual attitude of prayer and worship.  I can praise God daily for these very things seen in verses 4 and 5.  God's Word is right.  What a blessing it is to have His Word to live by!  All of His works are done in truth, righteousness and justice.  This is our God!  We can rest in His sovereignty and trust in His plan.  As we observe His hand in creation and in His providence, we are filled with praise and gratitude that the earth is full of His goodness.

 

P= "Lord, how this psalm draws my heart to praise You!  I am so thankful that Your Word is true and right and that I can trust its teaching and guidance every day throughout my life.  I praise You that all You do is done in righteousness, truth, and justice and we can absolutely rest in Your sovereignty.  I thank You for the evidences I see every day that the earth is full of Your goodness and steadfast love.  How I praise You that You made a way for sinful humanity to be right with You and to be in relationship with You daily.  In our precious  Savior's name, Amen."

 

Reflection Question: This psalm is filled with praise and worship to the Lord.

What role does worship play in your life and how can you have a continual heart of praise?

 

My response: Worship plays an important role in my life.  I seek to begin each day by praising God for one of His attributes or a spiritual blessing He provides -- so worship plays a role in my life daily.  I keep my eyes open throughout each day to notice God working and to be aware of His sovereignty and power in creation.  Seeing God's hand in everything helps me to be continually praising Him.

And there is a very general look at Psalm 33.  There is so much -- so much! -- in this psalm.  It is especially replete with reasons to praise God.  Why not take some time for yourself to go through this wonderful psalm verse by verse?  It just might transform your quiet time! 

Sunday Scripture

Again today for Sunday Scripture 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 right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  I'm attempting to SOAP a selected passage from each Psalm too. [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's study is from Psalm 32, zeroing in on verse 5.

S= "I acknowledge my sin unto "Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid.  I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD, and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.  Selah."

O=  Psalm 32 is titled by C.I. Scofield in the Scofield Study Bible "The blessedness of forgiveness".  

David begins by making an opening statement about the blessedness of forgiveness (v.1-2) -- "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man unto whom the LorD imputeth not iniquity, in whose spirit there is no guile."

Then we see the progression of what happens when David eventually decides to confess his sin.  He first describes the discomfort of unconfessed sin -- when he "kept silence".  He experienced physical symptoms because of God's chastening hand being heavy upon him.  In verse 5 David acknowledges his sin to God and confesses his transgression.  God is faithful and just to forgive, and in verse 11 David can exult, "Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous; and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart!"

Cross-reference for "acknowledged my sin" -- "For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me."

Cross-references for "confess my transgressions unto Thee" -- "And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.  And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die."  (2 Samuel 12:13)

"For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin."  (Psalm 32:18)

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."  (Proverbs 28:13)

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  (1 John 1:9)

Cross-reference for "forgavest" -- "Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: Thou wast a God who forgavest them, though Thou hast taken vengeance on their misdeeds."  (Psalm 99:3)

A= "We must never doubt for a second that our spiritual condition affects our physical life!  David gives a vivid picture of what happened to his body when he failed to acknowledge his sin (v. 3-4).  Now notice David's willful decision to confess his sin (v.5).  And the result?  Note the change in David's heart (v.11)." -- Elizabeth George

In verse 11 David exults:

Be glad in the Lord!

Rejoice!

Shout for joy!

"By dealing with our sin, we gain a greater measure of the physical vitality and health that fuels the life and the plan God has in mind for us.  A passion for God should translate into a passion for dealing with sin."  -- Elizabeth George

 So it's pretty clear what we believers need to do about our sin.  We need to deal with it daily for optimum health and usefulness to our Lord.

P= "Lord, I thank You for inspiring this beautiful and instructive passage that describes David's process of dealing with his sin on this occasion.  What a picture it gives me of how to deal with my own sin (and what will happen to me physically if I neglect or postpone doing so).  I pray that You will help me to continue to keep short accounts with You, and I thank You for the vitality and joy that will radiate from my life as a result.  I thank You in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: David confessed his sins to the Lord and rejoiced greatly because he was forgiven.  Are there any sins that you need to confess to God right now and receive His forgiveness?

My response: I try to keep short accounts with God and confess sin as I become conscious of it in my life.  Obviously I don't always succeed at that.  I think most believers sin consciously or unconsciously on a regular, likely a daily basis.  I make note of my most evident sin issues in my prayer journal and pray through one each day so they don't slip out of sight on my radar screen.  No specific sins are coming to mind this moment, but the one I talked with God about this morning was selfishness.

And that's just a portion of the wonderful encouragement to be found in Psalm 32.  I hope you'll dig into this psalm even more on your own!

Repost: A Prayer on Patriot Day

 

Graphic by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

 It was 2017 when I first posted a link to a prayer for hope and healing on Patriot Day.  I seldom repost things, but this is so pertinent and meaningful that I've shared it several times since.  It's meaningful  not only for September 11,  but for the current troubling times in which we find ourselves.  Today I would again like to just share that prayer and quote a few lines from the accompanying post written by Paige at Dayspring.com. Again this year,  I was so encouraged by this post: A Patriot Day prayer for hope and healing that I just need to share it.

I would also like to share a link to this post: The Day Has Come, by Ivan Pentchoukov of The Epoch Times.  Ivan was a high school student in New York City on September 11, 2001.  His school was located across from the Twin Towers.  It has taken Ivan 25 years to come to the point where he can share his memories of that day.  As one of the thousands impacted by the attacks, Ivan and others like him are among those we should pray for on this day.

Paige wrote:

"On [the] anniversary of that sad day in our history, we honor the memory of those who lost lives and loved ones. And, we give thanks for those who had the courage to serve in the face of danger.

"And, while Patriot Day (9/11) is recognized as the official day of remembrance for this tragic event, we know that any day is a good day to lift those most impacted up in prayer.

"Dear Loving Father,

We pause to remember the great losses and courageous acts of September 11th. We lift up those who are still affected -- Families of the victims, police officers, firemen, first responders and all who were involved. We pray for the light of Christ to flood the hearts of people everywhere. We believe you desire to redeem all your creation, and we trust that beauty will continue to come from the ashes of our darkest days. Surround us with your mighty angels of protection, give us compassion for one another in all life’s circumstances, and the courage to answer your call.
 
Amen."

"So when we ask ourselves, even today: What is happening to our country? Are we safe? Is it going to be ok? Here‘s what I know: God was there in the chaos, and He is with us in this moment. His heart may break for His precious children, but He is never surprised by our struggles. He goes before us; He can be trusted with every detail; and He is our safe place today, and for all eternity."

So I exhort my friends today: oh, let us all take courage from those facts!  As His children understand, God is with us in chaos, as He is in each moment of our lives. And just as Paige pointed out so beautifully, "He goes before us; He can be trusted with every detail; and He is our safe place today, and for all eternity."

And I'd say to my readers and friends again today, that we need to be reminded of these facts now, in 2026.  Our country is in trouble and in chaos once again.  We need to trust fully in our God, and we need to pray fervently for our beloved country and all those still reeling from the  impact of 9/11.

Seen this morning

 

 I've been such a delinquent blogger as of late, but I just had to share this.  Mr. T were sitting on our back deck for our quiet times, something we love to do when the weather cooperates.  It had rained overnight, and all of the leaves on the trees and bushes were still wet.  As the sun rose, the leaves gleamed so beautifully in its light.  As we watched, we noticed that some leaves actually had one or more water drops suspended from them, and that these drops were gleaming like beautiful diamonds.  

I didn't feel I could take time to go get a camera to capture the moment, so I dug back through my photos later to add this picture of strawberry leaves similarly edged in water drops.

So lovely!  It always amazes me that God provides so much beauty in this fallen world. 

Sunday Scripture

 

Again today for Sunday Scripture 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 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've been attempting to journal an answer to.  Today we're looking at Psalm 31.  We were to zero in on verse 1, but I chose to SOAP verses 1-3.

S= "In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed.  Deliver me in Thy righteousness.

"Bow down Thine ear to me; deliver me speedily.  Be Thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me.

"For Thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Thy name's sake lead me, and guide me."  (Psalm 31:1-3)

O= In the Scofield study Bible,  C.I. Scofield titles Psalm 31 "A plea for God's protection." 

"Psalm 31 is one of David's exile Psalms.  He wrote it when Saul was chasing him through the rough hill country of Judah.  David was going from cave to cave and from hill to hill."  -- Warren Wiersbe

Psalm 31:1-3 is very similar to Psalm 71:1-3 --

"In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion.

"Deliver me in Thy righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Thine ear unto me, and save me.

"Be Thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort.  Thou hast given commandment to save me; for Thou art my rock and my fortress."

David commits himself to God in this beautiful, meaning-filled prayer:

• I put my trust in You, O LORD;

• Let me never be ashamed.

• Deliver me speedily in Your righteousness.

• Bow down Your ear to me; 

• Be my strong defense to save me.

• You are my rock and my fortress;

THEREFORE

• For Your name's sake lead me, and guide me.

Cross-reference for "Let me never be ashamed" -- "Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon Thee.  Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent to Sheol."  (Psalm 31:17)

Cross-reference for "in Thy righteousness" -- "Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications; in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness."  (Psalm 143:1)

Cross-references for "my strong rock" -- "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."  (Psalm 18:2)

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

Cross-reference for "for Thy name's sake" -- "He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."  (Psalm 23:2)

A= I did something a little different with the application section this time.  It is mostly made up of quotes from various preachers and teachers of old.

  "In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust." "Nowhere else do I fly for shelter, let the tempest howl as it may.  The Psalmist has one refuge, and that the best one.  He casts out the great sheet anchor of his faith in the time of storm."  -- C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David

And as believers we may (and must) absolutely do the same!

"If David prays against being ashamed, let us strive against it.  Lovers of Jesus should be ashamed of being ashamed." -- Spurgeon

"Deliver me in Thy righteousness." "For supporting thy faith, mark well when it may safely rest; even upon God's righteousness, as well as upon His mercy ... For we may be well assured that what God's goodness, grace, and mercy moved him to promise, His truth, His faithfulness, and righteousness will move Him to perform."  -- William Gouge

"In praying that he may be delivered speedily, there is shown the greatness of his danger, as if he had said, All will soon be over with my life, unless God make haste to help me."  -- John Calvin

"We must not set times and seasons, yet in submission we may ask for swift as well as sure mercy.  God's mercies are often enhanced in value by the timely haste which He uses in their bestowal: if they came late they might be too late -- but He rides upon a cherub, and flies upon the wings of the wind when He intends the good of His beloved."  -- Spurgeon

Concerning the phrase "A house of defense to save me", F.B. Meyer writes: A house of defence.--Hidden with Christ in God, the believer, apparently defenceless, lives, walks and has his being within an impregnable defence. You go into the day enclosed in God just as God's life is enclosed in you."

What an amazing thought this is.  As believers, we go into each day enclosed in God!

"For Thou art my rock and my fortress." "The two personal pronouns, like sure nails, lay hold upon the faithfulness of the Lord.  O for grace to have our hearts fixed in firm unstaggering belief in God!" -- Spurgeon

"For Thy name's sake."  "Every step involves the honor of God.  We plead for His name's sake. If God should begin and not continue, or if He should carry on but not complete the work, all would admit that it was for some reason that must bring reproach on the Almighty.  This can never be." -- William S. Plumer

And we know from Philippians 1:6 that the One who began the good work in us promises to complete it!

P= "Lord, what a blessing it has been to look closely at these three verses!  I am so thankful that I can put my trust in You and that You are my strong rock and fortress, my house of defense.  You have been these things for me so many times!  You lead me and guide me every day; You deliver me in times of trouble. May I never be ashamed to share my faith and trust in You!  Help me to be more bold in sharing the truths of salvation and the Christian life with others who desperately need to know.  I praise You for all You'll do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: There is nothing that David trusts in, except God.  He was not ashamed of his faith but rather praised God day in and day out, no matter how hard his trials had become.

Do you struggle to let your faith in God be known?  Do you worry that God might not come through and somehow that will bring shame to yourself or God?  In what area of your life do you need to be more bold in your faith?

My response: I don't really struggle to let my faith in God be known.  In general I tend to be pretty vocal about my faith.  When I am hesitant, it's never because I worry that God might not come through.  It's more a concern, I guess, about my outspokenness negatively impacting my relationship with the person I'm trying to witness to.

As far as an area where I need to be more bold, I'd say it's in sharing the actual nuts-and-bolts of the gospel -- sharing the plan of salvation clearly and specifically.

And that wraps up our very simple study of Psalm 31:1-3.  Please dig deeper  into Psalm 31 for yourself for further encouragement!