Without the LORD, it is all frustration. Be on His side and live under His favor. May the Lord this year teach us to trust in Him and to pray. May we learn to depend on Him knowing that this is His world. Where we have failed to trust in the Lord and we lived independent of Him, may we repent today and seek the blood of Christ to cover our sinful skepticism toward the LORD. May we find in Christ renewal and healing to still every murmur in our heart and instead to trust in our heavenly Father and learn to sleep in the stern of the boat amid the storms of life with peace that transcends understanding that guards our heart and mind.
Psalm 127:1, Without the LORD, Frustration!
This familiar psalm reminds us that the ultimate worker and provider in all our endeavors is the LORD. While the natural principle of cause and effect is indeed taught in Scripture, this psalm shows us that that principle must always be accompanied by the understanding that the LORD is the crucial provider in all our affairs. Whether it's our homes or the house of God, our greatest need is the LORD’s provision. In this unique psalm of Solomon, the Holy Spirit teaches us that human strength and ingenuity alone do not guarantee success. It is the LORD and His provision that ensure true success. May we learn to pray, depend on the LORD, and carry out His work with hearts that wait on Him.
Psalm 37 - God: Your only refuge!
Psalm 37 is a Psalm written by Israel’s greatest king, king David. It reveals only two possibilities for the end of a person’s life. The wicked will be cut off by God’s judgment. Although they prosper abundantly in the present, their end is certain. They are not satisfied with prosperity, so they seek to destroy the righteous. Yet, the righteous seek refuge in the LORD. A repeated refrain in the Psalm is, “do not fret.” The path for settling your soul is through seeking refuge in God. The Christian’s heart is encouraged through this revelation of God, who sustains the righteous. Moreover, the Psalm directs Christians to trust, with great hope, in the LORD. The result is that they can progress through life’s difficulties and into eternity because of the salvation of God. He truly delivers those who seek refuge in Him from evildoers.
Psalm 32:1-11 The Joy of Forgiveness
Psalm 32 tells us of the joy of forgiveness and restoration. David tells us of this joy through his personal testimony. When he was in the mire of his misery, he confessed to the LORD, and He abundantly forgave. But the LORD did more than this. He brought the forgiven man under His tutelage and directs him to the live in His ways. There is forgiveness for the sinner who repents. The Lord is ever ready to recieve and restore the repentant sinner.
Psalm 67:1-7, Let the Nations Be Glad
God has a purpose for His world and a role for His people to play. His purpose is worldwide salvation and our role is to pray and leverage all God’s given us to advance His purpose of salvation. God does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9). God has a heart for the lost and teaches His people to reflect His heart. This is a psalm that teaches us to pray down blessings from heaven for the purpose of reaching the lost. May the Lord wise us up not to squander our lives and our resources, but leverage all He’s given us to advance His glorious cause in His world.
Psalm 100, Thankful, Thoughtful, Cheerful Worship (Part 3)
Cheerful worship is what our glorious God is worthy of. And this is what He calls for. He seeks worshippers who know to shout joyfully and serve gladly and come before Him with joyful singing. May the Lord grant us the wisdom to nurture our hearts to always be ready to engage with Him in worship with hearts cleansed of sin, minds saturated with His truth and with hearts overflowing with gratitude.
Psalm 100, Thankful, Thoughtful, Cheerful Worship (Part 2)
Psalm 100, Thankful, Thoughtful, Cheerful Worship
God is worthy of the most excellent kind of worship. In Psalm 100 we find a universal summons for all the earth to bring to God this most elevated and acceptable worship to Yahweh, our Maker, Sustainer and Redeemer. In this first study in Psalm 100, we look at the grounds for gratitude in worship, namely, creation, care and the cross. May the Lord purge any tinge of unbelief from our hearts and by His Holy Spirit enable us to be true worshippers who evermore come to Him with thankful hearts.