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!

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!

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!

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 30, zeroing in on verse 5, but I chose to SOAP both verses 4-5.

S= "Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.
"For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life.  Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."  (Psalm 30:4-5)

O= The biblical superscription for Psalm 30 is "A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David".  C.I. Scofield titles the psalm "Praise for deliverance".

The Pulpit Commentaries offers this summary: "The particular occasion on which it was written is declared in the title to have been "the dedication of the house," by which it is impossible to understand anything but the dedication of the altar (with its precinct) on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite, after the great plague sent to punish David for numbering the people, as related in 2Sa 24:1-25; 1 Chronicles 21:1-28. With this occasion its contents are in perfect harmony. It was probably sung at the thanksgiving service with which David inaugurated his altar."

Cross-references for "sing unto the LORD" --  "Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness."  (Psalm 97:12)

"And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to invoke and to thank, and praise the LORD God of Israel."  (1 Chronicles 16:7)

Cross-reference for "saints of His" -- "Gather My saints together unto Me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice."  (Psalm 50:5)

Cross-references for "His anger endureth but a moment" --  "He will not always chide; neither will He keep His anger forever."  (Psalm 103:9)

"For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee.  In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD, thy Redeemer."  (Isaiah 54:7-8)

Cross-reference for "in His favor is life" -- "Because Thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee."  (Psalm 63:3)

Cross-reference for "Weeping may endure for a night" -- "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:17)

"For a night" literally means "in the evening".

"Joy" literally means "singing".

Cross-reference for "joy cometh"-- "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy".

A= "Psalm 30 illustrates thanksgiving, highlighting the believer's gratitude for God's involvement in his daily life." -- Daily Walk Bible

David says:

sing unto the Lord.
Give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.

as saints of the Lord we are instructed to do this!

Because

God's anger endures only for a moment;
In God's favor is life;
Although weeping may endure for a night, joy comes in the morning.

"We remember, as David did, that God’s love and favor last for a lifetime. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. When God’s love comes into our thoughts, our feelings of sorrow and dread flee. Our mourning is turned into dancing, our garments of sackcloth and sorrow are stripped away and we are girded with gladness. We can rise to greet the day with shouts of ringing praise for His mercy, guidance, and protection. We rejoice in His holy name (30:11-12)." -- David Roper, Our Daily Bread

What a great way to apply Psalm 30:5 is suggested above.  May we truly greet each morning (and close each evening, too) with praise for God's mercy, kindness, and protection!

 P= Lord, there is so much to thank You for! I thank You for Your daily mercies and unfailing goodness, Your reassuring presence with me, Your loving favor that endures for a lifetime.  For the pardon of my sin, for bringing me out of darkness into Your marvelous light ... and for so much more!  I thank You that each day is a fresh new beginning to walk with You and praise Your name.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: David was expressing thanksgiving to God for rescuing him.  After a season of darkness and weeping, joy had come!  

The mercies of God are new every morning.  Every sunrise brings the hope of a new and better day.   How does a new morning, with a fresh start, wipe away your tears and give you hope?

My response: Thinking of David's thanksgiving to God for rescuing him, I also give thanks to God for rescuing me from darkness -- the darkness of sin and a dismal future.  He has brought me out of darkness into His marvelous light, and for that I am deeply and truly thankful.

Dave Branon writes: "There is a way ... to find reasons to be thankful during even the darkest episodes of life. When the curtain of struggles seems to block out all joy, we can choose to be thankful.

One way is to look into Scripture to see all the things we have to be thankful for, which have nothing to do with circumstances. Despite our trials, we can give thanks for God’s unfailing goodness (Ps. 106:1); for God’s holy name (Ps. 30:4); for deliverance from sin (Rom. 7:24-25); for victory over death (1 Cor. 15:56-57); for God’s nearness (Heb. 13:5)."

It's such a blessing, also, to remember that God's mercies are new every morning.  Each morning also brings, as Anne of Green Gables famously said, "a new day with no mistakes in it yet."  It's a fresh start with the Lord as I seek to walk with Him each day.

That is our very surface study of Psalm 30:4-5.  Please dig deeper  into Psalm 30 for yourself.  If you, or someone dear to you, is enduring a night season of weeping, may it encourage you to be reminded that for the believer in Christ, joy comes in the morning!

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 were to zero in on verse 4, but I chose to SOAP verses 3-4.

S= "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters.  The God of glory thundereth; the LORD is upon many waters.

"The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty."  (Psalm 29:3-4)

O= This is another psalm of David.  In my Scofield study Bible it is titled "God's mighty power."

Here David exhorts: "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name" and to "worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness".  He goes on in the next seven verses to describe the power of the voice of the LORD.  It is upon many waters (v.3); full of majesty (v.4); it breaks the cedars (v.5); divides flames of fire (v.7); shakes the wilderness (v.8); causes deer to calve and strips forests bare (v.9).

"Psalm 29 illustrates praise, which is God-centered, focusing on God's glory as revealed in His mighty attributes and works." -- Daily Walk Bible 

Cross-reference for "the God of glory" (v.3) -- "And [Stephen] said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father, Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran."  (Acts 7:2)

In Gems From the Psalms, F.B. Meyer notes that Psalm 29 is "A perfect specimen of Hebrew poetry, giving a magnificent description of a thunderstorm, marching from north to south of Palestine ... We hear first the low, distant muttering of the thunder. The "many waters" may refer to the Mediterranean from which the storm arose . Coming nearer the tempest breaks on Lebanon and Sirion, the Sidonian name for Hermon. The cedars sway to and fro before the wild fury of the storm. Each thunder peal is accompanied by zig-zag forked lightning. The storm passes southwards to the desert Kadesh and to the rock-hewn cities of Petra."

So interesting!  So dividing flames of fire refers to forked lightning!  And we have all seen or heard of storms that lay entire swaths of forest bare,  What an amazing picture of a powerful storm these verses present!

Even though this little study does not go as far as the ending verses of the psalm, these are very much worth a mention.  Verses 9a-11 say:"...and in His temple doth every one speak of his glory.  The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever.  The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace."  God's strength is seen in the storm and also in the blessed peace that follows the storm.

F.B. Meyer continues, "In the Temple the gathered worshippers respond to the challenge of nature, and say, 'Glory! Every whit of it uttereth glory'.  He adds, "Oh that every whit of the inner temple of our hearts, and of the spiritual temple of the Church--each nail, and thread, and splint--might utter that same cry, 'Glory to God in the Highest'!" 

A= I love the idea that "every whit of the inner temple of our hearts" might utter the cry "Glory to God in the highest!".  Oh that we would grasp the truth that we are to do ALL to the glory of God!

"Where the word of a king is, there is power, but what imperial voice shall be likened unto the majestic thunder of the Lord?" -- C.H. Spurgeon

"Make it a pattern in your praying that before you get caught up in your own concerns, you get caught up in God's greatness.  Then you, like the psalmist, will be both praising and thanking the Lord." -- Daily Walk Bible

P= "Lord, I cannot even begin to praise You for Your majesty and power -- only a part of Your glory as revealed in Your attributes and works!  How awe-inspiring it is when we hear Your voice in the midst of a powerful storm.  I praise You that we can look to You in our own personal storms and know that You are sovereign over them.  We can actually hear Your reassuring voice: "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid." Help me to hear Your voice above the noisy world we live in as well as the noise of my own emotions.   I thank and praise You in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: In this Psalm, David speaks of hearing the powerful voice of God, through nature, over and over.  It caused David to worship God.

We live in a noisy world.  Technology runs 24/7.  How do you hear God's voice and see His power on display in nature -- and how does that speak to your heart?

My response: One of the ways I love the most is to sit on rocks near the ocean and listen to the surf crashing against the cliffs.  It never fails to remind me of God's power, sovereignty, and majesty.  In addition, the regularity of the tides always speaks to me of God's order, constancy, and faithfulness.

Thunderstorms like the one described in this psalm, not to mention typhoons, hurricanes, tsunamis and other extreme weather events also show His amazing power and His ability to destroy as well as to create.

And that's a very general look at Psalm 29.  Please dig into this psalm more deeply on your own if you get a chance.  I know you will be blessed as you consider the voice of the Lord.

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's study is from Psalm 28, zeroing in on verse 7, but I opted to SOAP verses 6-7.   

S= "Blessed be the LORD, because He hath heard the voice of my supplications.

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped.  Therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise Him.  (Psalm 28:6-7)

O= Back in verse 1, David said he would cry to the LORD, his Rock.  In verse 2 he asks God to hear the voice of his supplications.  

In verse 6, he praises the Lord for hearing the voice of his supplication -- for answered prayer!  In verse 7 he states:

* The LORD is my strength.

* The LORD is my shield.

* My heart trusts in Him.

* I am helped.

THEREFORE

* My heart rejoices greatly.

* I will praise him with a song.

Cross-reference for "my shield" -- "But Thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head."  (Psalm 3:3)

Cross-references for "trusted in Him" -- "In the LORD put I my trust; how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?"  (Psalm 11:1)

"Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he that trusted in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about."  (Psalm 32:10)

Cross-reference for "song" -- "I will praise the name of God with a song; and magnify Him with thanksgiving."  (Psalm 69:30)

David said, "My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped."  

"As far as feeling goes, David is already 'helped'.  He feels himself delivered out of his peril.  Therefore, he says, my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song -- literally, out of my song -- which is explained to mean 'out of my store of song' -- will I praise Him.  He is ready to offer thanksgiving for a mercy not yet received."  -- The Pulpit Commentaries

A=  The Lord is my Rock.  I can cry to Him in times of trouble as David did, and know that He will hear me.  He is my strength and my shield.  As my heart trusts in Him, He helps me.  [The Pulpit Commentaries notes that David says "I am helped" -- that he sensed God's help even while he might have still been in danger.]. 

I can rejoice in this (and in so much more that He does for me), and can praise Him with a song! 

P= "Lord, what a blessing it is to understand that even when we don't see You working in our situations, You are in fact still working behind the scenes to protect and care for us and to work out Your perfect will in our lives.  How delightful is David's thought that he could praise You 'out of his store of song'.  I too have a store of 'psalms and hymns and spiritual songs' out of which to praise You.  May I always be quick to do so!  I pray in the praiseworthy name of Jesus!  Amen."

Reflection question: David learned to trust God in difficult situations, even when the Lord wasn't answering his prayers.

Think of a time when you felt like God was being silent.  How did God eventually help you?  How can that encourage you today as you wait on God to answer your prayers?

My response: I can recall a few situations like this, and some of them were truly horrible.  In the end, the Lord provided wisdom and other people to help, even turning situations in such a way that something others intended to hurt us actually worked to help us.  it worked to our advantage instead of harming us.  This is something that only God can do.  

This definitely encourages me today.  God is always working in situations even though we can't see what He is up to.  The answer will come in His timing.  

And that's our very, very simple study of Psalm 28:6-7.  Please dig more deeply into this on your own if these simple thoughts are a blessing.  There is always so much more to learn!

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's study is from Psalm 26, zeroing in on verse 13, but I opted to SOAP verses 13-14.   

S= "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 
"Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He will strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the LORD."  (Psalm 27:13-14)

O= In the Scofield study Bible, C.I. Scofield titles Psalm 27 "Triumphant Faith".  

Cross-reference for "the goodness of the LORD" -- "And He said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee,  and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy."  (Exodus 33:19)

Cross-references for "the land of the living" -- "I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living."  (Psalm 116:9)

"I cried unto Thee, O LORD.  I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living."

Twice in verse 14 we're instructed to "wait on the LORD".  The phrase brackets the instructions to be of good courage and know that the Lord will strengthen our hearts.

Cross-references for "wait on the LORD" -- "Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land.  When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it."  (Psalm 37:35)

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him."  (Psalm 62:5)

"Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD; and He shall save thee."  (Proverbs 20:22)

Sometimes it can be so hard to wait on the Lord to see how He will answer prayer and work in our lives.  We are tempted to pray, "Answer me speedily, O LORD, my spirit fails!"  (Psalm 143:7). But waiting on the Lord strengthens our faith and helps us to become stronger and more mature as Christians.

"When we become frustrated with God's apparent delay in answering our prayer ... remember that He is interested in developing faith and perseverance in our character." -- Dennis Fisher, Our Daily Bread

Cross-references for "Be of good courage" -- "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD."  (Psalm 31:24)

"Be strong and of good courage; fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."  (Deuteronomy 31:6)

"Have not I commanded thee?  Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."  (Joshua 1:9)

A= David said that he would have lost heart in the midst of his difficulties if he had not believed he would live to see God's goodness.  He advises those in similar circumstances to 1) wait on the Lord; 2) Be of good courage -- and God would strengthen their hearts. 

It seems that David is saying he would have lost heart if he had not believed he would see God's goodness and strengthening hand in this lifetime.  

"The psalmist's expectation was not necessarily deliverance from bad circumstances but the hope of seeing 'the goodness of the LORD.'  That's something we can see even in times of trouble.  No matter what your situation, you can find evidence of God's goodness -- so keep looking for it with hope."  -- Herbert Vander Lugt, Our Daily Bread

P= "Lord, how I praise You that even in times of trouble we can always look for Your goodness -- and we will always find it.  You are always good, all the time, and You always have a good purpose in all that You allow to touch our lives.  What an encouragement that it in the midst of this earthly life!  I thank and praise You for Your goodness, in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: David was in a dangerous situation because of evildoers who wanted to take his life.  But David believed.  He believed that he would see the goodness of the Lord, in the midst of his struggles and so he had courage to wait on the Lord.

How does your belief that God is good comfort you in the midst of your fears and trials? 

My response: It is incredibly comforting.  Knowing that God is always good, and that He always has a good purpose for trials in the lives of His children, makes all the difference in how I handle trials.

This has been a very shallow dive into Psalm 27.  As always, I encourage you to dig into this deeply meaningful psalm on your own!

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's study is from Psalm 26, zeroing in on verse 3, but I opted to SOAP verses 1-3.   

S= "Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity.  I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. 

"Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; test my heart and my mind.

"For Thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes, and I have walked in Thy truth."  (Psalm 26:1-3)

O= C.I. Scofield titles Psalm 26 "David's integrity".  

Cross-reference for "judge me" (v.1) -- which reads "vindicate me" in the ESV -- "The LORD shall judge the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me." (Psalm 7:8)

Cross-reference for "walked" (v.1) -- "But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be merciful unto me." (Psalm 26:11)

Cross-reference for "trusted" (v.1) -- "In the LORD put I my trust; how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?  (Psalm 11:1)

Cross-references for "examine" (v.2) -- "Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just; for the righteous God testeth the minds and hearts." (Psalm 7:9)

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

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts."  (Psalm 139:23)

Cross-reference for "test" (v. 2) -- "For Thou, O LORD, hast tested us; Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried."  (Psalm 66:10)

Cross-reference for "loving-kindness" (v.3) -- "All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies." (Psalm 25:10)

Cross-references for "truth" (v.3) -- "Teach me Thy way, O LORD; I will walk in Thy truth; unite my heart to fear Thy name." (Psalm 86:11)

Hezekiah prayed, "I beseech Thee, O LORD, remember now, how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in Thy sight.  And Hezekiah wept very much."   (2 Kings 20:3)

I was curious to find out why the KJV, which I am using for this study, translates the last word of verse 3 "truth" and the ESV and some others translates it "faithfulness."  

One clue might be in Isaiah 25:1, which reminds us, "Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth."

I found another clue in Believer's Bible Commentary, which tells us, "David had indeed conducted himself with moral integrity ... he had always kept the Lord's lovingkindness before him and had walked in faithfulness to God's Word."

And yet another in the Amplified Bible's rendering of this verse, which reads:
"For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked [faithfully] in Your truth."

A= David confidently asked God to judge him, prove him, examine him, and test his heart and his mind.  He knew that as he walked in God's faithfulness and truth, his steps would not slide.  He kept God's loving-kindness in the forefront of his thinking.

David said that he had walked in God's truth, avoided sinful entanglements, and spent time worshiping with others.  In the same way, believers should seek to live by biblical principles, guard against ungodly influences, and worship regularly at a Bible-believing church. 

"The integrity David wrote about should be a goal for us as believers in Jesus.  As we grow more and more like the One we worship, our lives will be marked by truth and right thinking.  Each day we should ask God to help us live a life of integrity."  -- Dave Branon, Our Daily Bread

P= "Lord, I thank You that it is Your faithfulness that enables me to walk faithfully in Your truth.  Help me to do this every day -- to seek to live by the principles of Your Word, to guard against ungodly influences from any direction, to worship with fellow believers and in my own personal quiet times.  I praise You for Your faithfulness, in the name of the One who is faithful and true, Amen."

Reflection Question: The word "walk" is repeated multiple times in this Psalm.  David resisted evil by walking with the LORD.  

What does it mean to walk in faithfulness and how are you displaying this in your life?

My response:  I think walking in faithfulness could be defined as living a life of integrity as described in the Application section.  All of this will help us to walk in faithfulness, but I think we need to recognize that ultimately it is God's faithfulness to us that enables us to walk in faithfulness to Him.  

"Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."  (1 Thessalonians 5:29)

That is an exceedingly brief look at Psalm 26:1-3.  As always, please dig deeper on your own if you have time.  It is mind-boggling to consider all that can be gleaned from the study of Psalms.