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.

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 25:5, but I chose to SOAP verses 4, 5, and 8.

S= "Show me Thy ways, O LORD; teach me Thy paths.

"Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me; for Thou art the God of my salvation; On Thee do I wait all the day,

"Good and upright is the LORD; therefore will He teach sinners in the way."  (Psalm 25:4-5, 8)

O= In the Scofield study Bible, C.I. Scofield titles Psalm 25 "A plea for defense, guidance, pardon".  

Cross-references for "show me Thy ways" (v. 4) -- "Lead me, O LORD, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make Thy way straight before my face."  (Psalm 5:8)

"Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies." (Psalm 27:11)

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

"Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts; so shall I talk of Thy wondrous works." Psalm 119:27)

"Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee."  (Psalm 143:8b)

Cross-reference for "truth" (v.5) -- "For Thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes, and I have walked in Thy truth."  (Psalm 26:3)

Cross-reference for "good" (v.8) -- "For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."  (Psalm 100:5)

Cross-reference for "teach" (v. 8) -- "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will guide thee with mine eye." (Psalm 32:8)

A= Like David, I should desire to be taught by the Lord even in difficult times.  I should pray as David did: 

Show me Your ways;
Teach me Your paths;
Lead me in Your truth;
FOR
You are the God of my salvation.
You are good and upright and therefore
You will teach sinners in Your ways.

It is God's ways, God's paths, God's truth that I must be led in.  And God will do this because He is the God of my salvation.  He is good and upright and therefore He can be trusted to teach His ways to sinners like me.

Dennis Fisher, writing in Our Daily Bread, notes: "Wanting to be a teachable follower of God, David looked to his Redeemer for direction.  His heart's desire was to wait on God with dependent faith throughout the entire day."

Obviously, that should be my desire as well.

P= "Lord, how thankful I am that in Your grace and kindness You teach me Your ways.  Like David, I can and do pray to be led and taught in Your ways, Your path, and Your truth.  The result of going my own way will be completely useless and worthless in the end, so I pray that You will give me wisdom to make every moment of my remaining years of maximum usefulness to You.  I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection question: David lifted his heart to God during difficult times.  He desired to be taught by the Lord during his season of waiting.

A mature believer desires to be taught by the Lord.  How are you being taught by the Lord and what have you learned by waiting on God to guide you?

My response: I definitely desire to be taught by the Lord and I feel that He is teaching me something new every day.  I've learned that God has a good purpose and lessons to teach me in all that He allows in my life -- and that His bottom-line purpose is always for me to continually grow in Christlikeness.

That's my very simple study of Psalm 25;4-5 and 8.  I hope it was a blessing!

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 24, zeroing in on verse 1, but I opted to SOAP both verses 1-2.   

S= "The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they who dwell therein.  

"For He hast founded it upon the seas; and established it upon the floods." (Psalm 24:1-2)

O= C.I. Scofield says that "Psalms 22, 23, and 24 form a trilogy.  In Psalm 22 the good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep; in Psalm 23 the great Shepherd, 'brought again from the dead ... through the blood of the everlasting covenant' (Hebrews ) tenderly cares for His sheep; in Psalm 24 the chief Shepherd appears as King of glory to reward His sheep."

Cross-references for "the earth" -- "For the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof."  (1 Corinthians 10:26)

"If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the world is Mine, and all the fullness thereof."  (Psalm 50:12)

"The heavens are Thine; the earth also is Thine; as for the world and the fullness thereof, Thou hast founded them."  (Psalm 89:11)

"The fullness thereof" may be read "all that fills it."

Cross-references for "founded" (v.2) -- "Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved forever."  (Psalm 104:5)

"When He gave to the sea its decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment; when He appointed the foundations of the earth."  (Proverbs 8:29)

"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?  Declare, if thou hast understanding."  (Job 38:6)

Cross-references for "seas" (v.2) -- "To Him who stretched out the earth above the waters; for His mercy endureth forever."  (Psalm 136:6)

"And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so."  (Genesis 1:9)

"Floods" in verse 2 literally means "rivers".

A= The earth, and all that fills it, belongs to God.  The world, and those that dwell there, belongs to God,

FOR

He has founded the earth upon the seas; He has established the earth upon the rivers.

These statements sound simple, but they are profound.  God made the world and all that is in it.  Therefore it all belongs to Him.  There is so much to process in these simple statements of fact!

Warren Wiersbe notes that there are three ways Psalm 24:1 can make a difference in our lives: 1) It will remind us that we are stewards and not owners of all that we have, which brings humility.  2) It reminds us that the world does not belong to the devil, but to God who is on the throne of heaven.  3) It causes us to praise God for His sovereignty and not to complain.

P= "Lord, help me never to forget that I am a steward of all that You have given me, including my very life.  Help me to use my time, my resources, and my energy wisely, realizing that I will answer to You for the use of them.  

"I pray that You will give me the opportunity to share the rich truths of Psalm 24:1-2 with others who need encouragement and may need to be reminded of Your sovereignty.  I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen."

Reflection Question: Earlier in Psalms, David emphasized the glory of God seen in the heavens.  In this Psalm, he focuses on the Earth and how everything on it belongs to God.

When you consider the earth and all that God has created here, what do you learn about your God? 

My response: Oh, so much!  I learn about His wisdom and endless creativity, His mighty power, His sovereignty, and much much more -- even His sense of humor when one considers animals like the giraffe and birds like the pink flamingo.  I am thankful for how He will bring these qualities to bear on situations in my life and in our world.

There you have a very simple study of the beginning of Psalm 24.  As always, there is much more to this psalm than what I have shared.  The last few verses which speak of the King of Glory triumphantly re-entering heaven are priceless yet are not even touched on in this simple little study.  Please dig deeply for yourself .. and enjoy!

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 23:2, but I chose to SOAP both verses 2 and 3 because I wanted to include the ideas of our good Shepherd restoring our souls and leading us in paths of righteousness.

S= "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.

"He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."   (Psalm 23:2-3)

O= Cross-references for "pastures" -- "I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be; there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a rich pasture shall they feed upon the high mountains of Israel.  I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God."  (Ezekiel 34:14-15)

"I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."   (John 10:9)

"Still waters" in the Hebrew is "waters of rest".  It literally means "waters of quietness."

Cross-reference for "still waters" -- "For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."  (Revelation 7:17)

Cross-reference for "restoreth my soul" (v.3) --  "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple."  (Psalm 19:7)

Cross-references for "leadeth me" (v.3) -- "Lead me, O LORD, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make my way straight before Thy face."  (Psalm 5:8)

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

"I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice." (Proverbs 8:20)

A= Psalm 23 is such a beautiful picture of how God cares for His children!  I've read that sheep do not always know when they need to lie down, and that the shepherd then has to make them rest.  The same is true of us, I think.  We need those times of rest and being refreshed from God's Word and spending time in His presence.  

Here are several wonderful quotes from David Roper's book The Song of a Passionate Heart:

"God makes the first move; He takes the initiative -- calling us, leading us to a place of rest."

"God Himself is our true pasture and our pool of quiet water.  He is our true nourishment, our living water.  If we do not take Him in we will starve."

"Solitude is ... a healing place where God can repair the damage done by the noise and pressure of the world."

P= "Lord, how I thank and praise You for this meaningful picture of Your guidance and tender care.  I am so thankful for the times of rest and refreshment that You provide, and for those times of solitude where You 'repair the damage done by the noise and pressure of the world'.  I praise You for how You lead and guide in my life, and ask that You would reveal to me any area of life where I'm not yielding to Your guidance as I should.  I thank You in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: This beautiful psalm depicts how God cares for us.  Sheep do not always know what is best and so we need our Shepherd. When we are following Him, we are safe and secure, even through the dark valleys of life.

Are you allowing your shepherd to lead you?  In what areas of life do you need to step back and let God lead?

My response: I believe that I am allowing God to lead me.  I've read that one of the most important thing the shepherd does for the sheep is to keep them moving, that if left to themselves they will simply make deep ruts where they are.  And we, like sheep, prefer to turn aside from God's path to our own ways.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."  (Proverbs 14:12, NKJV)

It's truly my desire for God to lead in my life.  I pray that He will show me clearly if there's an area of life in which I'm not allowing Him to do so.

Again this week I find myself studying a psalm that is so meaningful there is no way I could ever plumb the depths of it.  I've studied Psalm 23 in detail several times but there is still so much to learn and apply concerning it.  This is just a tiny taste of what's there -- like a mini tasting spoon at an ice cream shop!  I encourage you to delve into this psalm on your own or find a Bible study that will take you deeper into Psalm 23.  

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 22, zeroing in on verse 26.   But I couldn't do this psalm justice in looking at only that verse, so I dug just a little bit deeper.

S= "The meek shall eat, and be satisfied;  and be satisfied; they shall praise the LORD that seek Him; your heart shall live forever."  (Psalm 22:26)

O=The biblical heading for Psalm 22 says it was set to a tune titled "The deer of the dawn."  What a beautiful title!  Although I have no idea what the tune sounded like, the name is lovely.   C.I. Scofield, in the Scofield study Bible, titles this Psalm "The suffering Savior."  The ESV Bible that I own titles Psalm 22 "Why Have You Forsaken Me?"  The reflection question states that David "referenced the crucifixion of Jesus" in this psalm.  He did a lot more than "reference" the crucifixion.  Psalm 22 presents a graphic picture of crucifixion as a method of execution in general.  

This picture includes the bones out of joint (v. 14); profuse sweating (v.14); effects on the heart (v.14); exhausted strength and extreme thirst (v.15); hands and feet pierced (v.16) and more.  

And then there are the details that make this psalm so specifically about the crucifixion of Jesus: His desolate cry (v.1); the periods of light and darkness (v. 2); the contemptuous, humiliating treatment (v.8); the casting of lots for His garments (v. 18), among others.

Verses 1-21 speak of the crucifixion; verse 22 shifts to the resurrection.

And verses 26-31, as Scofield notes, "relate the results of the suffering and deliverance described in this psalm and prove its Messianic reference beyond all question.  It could not possibly be said of the suffering and ... deliverance of any mere human being that it would result in:

• both the meek and the prosperous being fed (v. 26, 29);
• all the ends of the earth turning to the LORD (v. 27);
• all the dead eventually bowing before Him (v. 29);
• a new people being born (v. 31).

Cross-reference for "meek" -- "The humble shall see this, and be glad; and your heart shall live that seek God."  (Psalm 69:32)

Cross-references for "eat" -- "And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined."  (Isaiah 25:6)

"Therefore, thus saith the Lord God [to those that forsake Him]: Behold, My servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, My servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, My servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed."  (Isaiah 65:13)

Cross-reference for "live forever" -- "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if any man eat this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."  (John 6:51)

A= As I think about seeking the Lord, it seems to me that "before I sought Him, He sought for me", as the hymn writer has said.  I did not really know how to seek Him (nor did I have much intent to do so) until He first began to draw me to Himself.  This is an incomparable gift -- that He not only made a way for sinful humans to be right with Him, but took the initiative in drawing us to where we could seek and find salvation.  Certainly all praise goes to Him and Him alone for my salvation!  Because of this amazing gift, I have the promise of eternal life.

P= "Lord,  how incredibly thankful I am that You drew me to the place where I would seek Your salvation.  After I had resisted You for years, You showed me You were the only answer to my soul's hunger and my heart's need.  Now, having found salvation, I have so much to praise You for.  I could spend eternity praising You for who You are and all that You have done -- and I will, in fact, be doing just that.  I praise You in the matchless name of Your Son who died for me! Amen."

Reflection Question:  In this psalm, David references the crucifixion of Jesus.  Then a promise is given -- all of those over all of the earth, who seek the Lord, will not only find Him but will praise Him!

God does not hide Himself from His people.  You have sought the Lord and found Him!  There is no greater gift!  How does remembering that God has revealed Himself to you lead you to praise Him for your salvation?  Who can you pray for today that does not know Christ?  Write your prayer below.

My response: Remembering how God revealed Himself to me certainly does lead me to praise Him for my salvation.  I have many friends who don't know Christ ... as well as some who think that they know Him but don't show a lot of evidence of a transformed life.  

My prayer:  "Lord, I pray for my friends today.  I pray that You will be working in the hearts and lives of those who don't truly know You.  Draw them to the place where they fully realize their need for You and begin to actively seek You.  Help them to understand that You are the only complete answer to the needs in their hearts.  Bring these friends into a genuine and growing relationship with You, I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

And there is our very simple study of Psalm 22:26.   I hope it's been a blessing!

Sunday Scripture

  

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  21.   The featured verse is verse 13, but I chose to SOAP verses 1, 7, and 13.  Here we go!

S= "The king shall joy in Thy strength, O LORD; and in Thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
"For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.
"Be Thou exalted, O LORD, in Thine own strength; so will we sing and praise Thy power."  (Psalm 21:1, 7, 13)

O= In the Scofield study Bible, C.I. Scofield has given this psalm the title "God's Blessing of the King".  I personally think a better title might be "The King recounts God's blessings".  My copy of the ESV titles this psalm "The King Rejoices in the LORD's Strength" -- which is even more accurate.

The phrase "The king shall joy in Thy strength, O LORD" reminds me of the well-known and somewhat similar phrase in Nehemiah 8:10 -- "the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Cross-references for "strength" (verse 1) -- "The LORD is their strength, and He is the saving strength of His anointed."  (Psalm 28:7)

"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 28:8)

Cross-reference for "salvation" (verse 1) -- "That I may show forth all Thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion.  I will rejoice in Thy salvation."  (Psalm 9:14)

Cross-reference for "moved" (verse 7) -- "I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."  (Psalm 16:8)

Adam Clarke says that verse 13 serves as the epilogue of this psalm and that it contains two parts: a petition and a profession.  

1.  The petition: "Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thine own strength." Show thyself more powerful in defending thy Church than men and devils are in their attempts to destroy it.

2.  The  profession: We will be a thankful people; we will show that we have not received this grace of God in vain: "So will we sing, and praise thy power."

A= I can take joy in God's strength as David did.  I can greatly rejoice in the salvation He has provided.  I too trust in God, and because of the mercy of God Most High I need never be moved.  The LORD is to be exalted in His strength.  His people can sing and praise His power.  It is so encouraging to me to remember that He has the power to work in every situation we face in life.

"When God’s people experience victory over their spiritual enemies, they should acknowledge that their success is the work of God for them. We can look forward to future victories in the will of God because God is loyal to His promises and strong enough to overcome every foe." -- Thomas Constable

Isn't that great?

We can look forward to future victories in the will of God

BECAUSE

God is loyal to His promises

AND

strong enough to overcome every foe.

P= "Lord, how thankful I am for the countless times Your joy has been my strength!  I can joy in Your strength as David did.  I can rejoice in the salvation that You have provided.

"Help me to consistently trust in You as David did, knowing that because of Your mercy I need never be moved.  You will hold me fast, whatever difficulties I face in life.  I thank You that I may sing and praise Your power, and I am so thankful for Your powerful working in my life!  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question:  David and his people were celebrating and singing praises to God for the victory and blessings He had given them.

Have you celebrated the blessings God has given you in your life including answered prayers?  Try writing a prayer or poem of praise below and be specific about something God has done for you or a loved one.

My response: I decided to try writing a poem about something specific God did for me in the past.  I'm still not completely satisfied with it, but here is my most recent draft:

Lord, You know how many times I drove a bumpy road --
Eyes brimming with tears as I faced the task ahead:
Elderly parents awaiting my care.
Toilets to scrub, sheets to change,
Meals to make, bills to pay,
And so much more.
Hardest of all,
Confusion and bewilderment
Laced with paranoia and bitterness.
"Lord," I prayed as I gripped the wheel,
"Please help Your joy to be my strength today."
You were and are so faithful, God!
May I never forget the way You answered
Every tear-soaked petition
With Your joy.

And there is our very simple study of Psalm 21.   I hope it's been a blessing!

 

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 20.   The featured verse is verse 7, but I chose to SOAP verses 6 and 7.  Here goes!

S= "Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed; He will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.

"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God."  (Psalm 20:6-7)

O= C.I. Scofield titles this psalm "A plea for help from the sanctuary."  My copy of the ESV Bible titles it "Trust in the Name of the Lord our God".

Cross-references for "holy heaven" (v.6) -- "I have found David, My servant; with My holy oil have I anointed him."  (Psalm 89:20)

"Thus saith the LORD: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem  shall be called a city of truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain."  (Zechariah 8:3)

Cross-reference for "saving strength" (v. 6) -- "The LORD is their strength, and He is the saving strength of His anointed."  (Psalm 28:8)

David states: Some trust in chariots;
                    Some trust in horses;

                    BUT

                    We will remember the name of the LORD our God.

The word "but" always signifies a change of direction.

Cross-references for "chariots" (v.7) -- "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots, because there are many, and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD."  (Isaiah 31:1)

"How, then, wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?"  (Psalm 36:9)

Cross-references for "horses" -- "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety is from the LORD."  (Proverbs 21:31)

"When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them; for the LORD thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."  (Deuteronomy 20:1)

"An horse is a vain thing for safety; neither shall he deliver any by his great strength."  (Psalm 33:17)

Cross- references for "but we will remember the name of the LORD our God" -- "Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whose name you have defied."  (1 Samuel 17:45)

"With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us, and to fight our battles.  And the people rested themselves upon the word of Hezekiah, king of Judah."  (2 Chronicles 32:8)

"Nearly three thousand years ago, the ultimate military weapons were the chariot and the horse.  Armies that could field a cavalry or chariot brigade were considered virtually invincible.

"But [God's chosen nation] was to be different.  God's law forbade her king to multiply horses (Deuteronomy 17:16).  Rather than put her confidence in strategic arms,  [she] was to trust in the everlasting arms, for God had promised to fight for His people.  That is why David's affirmation of trust in a delivering God is so appropriate."

A=  David knew experientially that God would preserve his life.  He knew that God would not only hear from His holy heaven, but He would act with the saving strength of His right hand.  others might trust in their great numbers of horses and chariots, but as for David, he would trust in the name of the LORD his God.

I too have seen God work in my life.  I know that He hears when I call to Him and He will bring help and deliverance.  Because I have seen Him work in the past, I can trust Him for the future.

The site Bible Hub notes that the phrase "but we will trust in the name of the LORD our God" "emphasizes a profound faith and reliance on God rather than on human means. The 'name of the LORD' signifies His character, authority, and power. Trusting in God's name implies a deep relationship and confidence in His ability to deliver and protect. This trust is a recurring theme throughout Scripture ... The contrast between human reliance and divine trust is a central message, encouraging believers to place their faith in God's eternal power rather than transient human strength."

"The safest protection in all the world is the name of God. When you know His name, you know His nature. His names and titles reveal His nature. They tell us who He is and what He can do. For example, He is Jehovah, the God who makes covenants. He is the Lord, the sovereign king. He is Jesus, the Savior. Each name He bears is a blessing He bestows on us." -- Warren Wiersbe

P= "Lord, I thank and praise You so much for the privilege of prayer and for the surety of answered prayer.  You not only hear when I call, but You answer and act on my behalf with the saving strength of Your right hand.  I can put all of my trust in Your magnificent name!  Help me never to be tempted to put my trust in temporal things, in other people, or in myself, but in You alone.  I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question:  David knew that others were trusting in their horses and chariots for success.  David contrasts their trust in things with his trust in God.

Sometimes we can be tempted to trust in something other than God to give us success -- like our intelligence, money, or even another person.  What are you tempted to trust in other than God?

My response: In general I don't think that at this point in life, I am tempted to trust in anything other than God.  Things I could be tempted to trust in -- maybe my own thoughts and ideas, possibly?  But the Bible tells me that the one who trusts in his own heart is a fool.  This truth helps -- or maybe a better word would be pushes -- me to remember that I am nothing in and of myself.

And there is our very simple study of Psalm 20:6-7.   I hope it's been a blessing!

Sunday Scripture

  So 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 18.   The featured verse is verse 2, but I chose to SOAP verses 1 through 3.  Here we go!

S= "I will love Thee, O LORD, my Strength.
"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.
""I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from mine enemies."  (Psalm 18:1-3)

O= C. I. Scofield titles Psalm 18:"Praise to the God who delivers His own".  The biblical heading for this psalm is "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spoke unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said ..."

Interestingly, this very lengthy heading or title has cross-references of its own.  

Cross-references for "servant of the LORD" -- "To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD."  (Heading of Psalm 36)

"I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn unto David, My servant."  (Psalm 89:3)

"I have found David, My servant; with My holy oil have I anointed him."  (Psalm 89:20)

"Now, then, do it; for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of My servant David I will save my people, Israel, out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies."  (2 Samuel 3:18)

Go and tell My servant, David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build Me an house for Me to dwell in?"  (2 Samuel 7:5)

Cross-reference for "spoke unto the LORD" -- "And David spoke unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul."  (2 Samuel 22:1)

A marginal note for 2 Samuel 22 states, "This chapter is almost identical with Psalm 18."

Cross-references for "song" -- "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spoke, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for He hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea."  (Exodus 15:1)

"And Moses spoke in the ears of all the congregation of  Israel the words of this song, until they were ended."  (Deuteronomy 31:30)

Now, on to the cross-references in the actual psalm.

Cross-reference for "strength" (v.1) -- "Blessed be the LORD, my strength, who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight."  (Psalm 144:1)

Cross-references for "rock" (v. 2) -- "For who is God, save the LORD?  Or who is a rock, save our God?"  (Psalm 18:31)

"The LORD liveth, and blessed be my rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted."  (Ps. 18:46)

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

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."  (Psalm 19:14)

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

"My goodness, and my fortress;  my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield; and He in whom I trust, who subdueth my people under me."  (Psalm 144:2)

Cross-reference for "in whom I will trust" (v. 2) --  "And again, I will put my trust in Him."  (Hebrews 2:13a)

Cross-references for "shield" (v. 2) -- "After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram; I am thy shield, and thy exceedingly great reward."  (Genesis 15:1)

"As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proved; He is a shield to all those who put their trust in Him."  (Psalm 18:30)

Cross-references for "horn of my salvation" --  "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He hath visited and redeemed His people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant, David."  (Luke 1:68-69)

Cross -reference for "high tower" (v .2) -- "The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble."  (Psalm 9:9)

For "worthy to be praised" (v. 3) -- "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. (Psalm 48:1)

"For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods."  (Psalm 96:4)

"From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised."  (Psalm 113:3)

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable."  (Psalm 145:3)

A= These are the words of King David, yet every one of them rings true for me.  I too love the Lord.  He is my strength, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, the One in whom I trust, my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.  He is worthy to be praised!  He has saved me from my greatest enemy, Satan! It occurs to me that in a very real sense our salvation testimony serves as our personal "song of deliverance".

We can take these titles for God personally.  He will be all of this and more to us, and He will provide deliverance for us as we look to Him.  I will and do call upon Him daily.  He is able to deliver me from all my enemies.

P= "Lord, I cannot thank and praise You enough for all that You are to me.  I praise You for all the reasons that David listed in Psalm 18.  I am especially thankful that You have delivered me from Satan, my greatest and mortal enemy.

"You are my salvation -- and my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my high tower!  You are my strength -- and Your joy has been my strength through countless hard situations.  I love You, O LORD my strength!  And I pray in Jesus' strengthening name, Amen."

Reflection question: David wrote this psalm of praise, celebrating the victory that God gave him over all his enemies.

What is an example of a victory that God gave you and how was He your rock during that time?

My response:  I can think of many different times like this, but one I will cite was during a season of eldercare looking after both my parents.  They needed a great deal of help and we had an agency staying nights with them, but I spent time several days each week cooking, cleaning, and shoring them up in general.  Many times I drove there beseeching God for His joy to be my strength.  It always was!

And there is our very simple study of Psalm 18.  I hope it was a blessing!