July 20, 2013

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters.

:3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake.

:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me: Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.

:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.

:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

This is a psalm about confidence in the Lord's goodness and provision.

This is probably the most loved chapter in the bible. It has been read and memorized by more people than any other.

David was a shepherd so it is not surprising that is what he compared his thoughts of God to.

Because the Lord is my Shepherd:

1. I can rest (verse 2)
2. I will have what I need to refresh myself (verse 2)
3. I will be encouraged (verse 3)
4. I will be guided by God (verse 3)
5. I won't lack courage (verse 4)
6. I will have companionship with God (verse 4)
7. I will be comforted (verse 4)
8. I will not go hungry (verse 5)
9. I will be blessed (verse 5)
10. I will be satisfied (verse 5)
11. I will be shown grace (verse 6)
12. I will live with the Lord for ever (verse 6)

When sheep are startled by something, they start to move back and forth or in a large circle. The shepherd moves in and catches each one and pushes its head down into the green grass for it to eat again. It forgets it's fear and begins to eat and will lie down and rest. The shepherd causes it to rest.

We can be just like this when we are upset or frightened by something. Jesus steps in to stop us.

Later on I will do a more extensive study on this psalm.

July 19, 2013

Ps 22:1 My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Why art Thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

:2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but Thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

:3 But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

:4 Our fathers trusted in Thee: they trusted, and Thou didst deliver them.

:5 They cried unto Thee, and were not confounded.

:6 But I am a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,:

:8 he trusted on the Lord that He would deliver him: let Him deliver him, seeing he delighted in Him.

:9 But Thou art He that took me out of the womb: Thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.

:10 I was cast upon Thee from the womb: Thou art my God from my mother's belly.

:11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near: for there is none to help.

:12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Basham have beset me round.

:13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravennig and a roaring lion.

:14 I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and Thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

:16 For dogs have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me; they pierced my hands and my feet.

:17 I may tell all y bones: they look and stare upon me.

:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

:19 But be not Thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste Thee to help me.

:20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my darling from the power of the dog.

:21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for Thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

:22 I will declare Thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee.

:23 Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him, all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify Him, and fear Him, all ye the seed of Israel.

:24 For He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath He hid His face from him; but when he cried unto Him, He heard.

:25 My praise shall be of Thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear Him.

:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek Him: Your heart shall live for ever.

:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee.

:28 For the kingdom is the Lord's: and He is the govenor among the nations.

:29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before Him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

:30 A seed shall serve Him, it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

:31 They shall come and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done this.

This psalm gives us a picture of the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus a thousand years before Jesus was born. It describes at least nine specific aspects of the crucifixion in detail. Each were fulfilled during the time Jesus was on the cross.

David must have been severely sick or severely depressed when he wrote this psalm.

Sometimes because of sin we face really difficult times. Other times God allows a difficult situation to strengthen our faith in Him. Difficult times come to every Christian. Look at them as a chance to grow closer to God.

Jesus spoke the beginning words of this psalm as He hung on the cross. He was treated as a sinner on the cross for us. He suffered what we deserve. He paid the penalty for our sin.

In verse 22, everything changes. He is now in the company of God's people. God heard David and delivered him. David praised Him. The last part reflects the resurrection and life after the cross.

July 9, 2013

Ps 21:1 The king shall joy in Thy strength, O Lord, and in Thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

:2 Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.

:3 For Thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: Thou settest a crown of pur gold on his head.

:4 He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.

:5 His glory is great in Thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.

:6 For Thou hast made him most blessed for ever: Thou hast made him exceeding glad with Thy countenance,

:7 For the king trusteth in the Lord, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.

:8 Thine hand sall find out those that hate thee.

:9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

:10 Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth and their seed from among the children of men.

:11 For they intended evil against Thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.

:12 Therefore shalt Thou make them turn their back, when Thou shalt make ready Thine arrows upon Thy strings against the face of them.

:13 Be Thou exalted, Lord, in Thine own strength: so will we sing and praise Thy power.

While Ps 20 was sung when the army left to go to war, this one was sung at the return. It was sung a lot because God gave David many victories.

Everything in this Psalm whether about David or the Lord can be said about the Lord.

We must remember we battle spiritual battles daily and that Psalm 20 tells us God fights for us. We are called into the battle also. Once we win that particular battle (cause there are always more), we rejoice with Psalm 21.

Ps 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.

:6 He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence: I shall not be moved.

What cheers you up? Is it your job, possessions, family? That's the problem. We know God is so vast everything else is nothing in comparison. Yet we are not happy because our minds are set on things. We multiply and beautify things. We put our confidence in things and God, our job and God; husband and God; home and God. So we put God as a plus sign after something else. God is never happy when He is put second.

July 3, 2013

Ps 20:1 The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
:2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;
:3 remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
:4 Grant thee according tot Thine own heart, and fulfil all they counsel.
:5 We will rejoice in they salvation and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the Lord fulfil all thy petitions.
:6 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.
:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses: but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God.
:8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen and stand upright.
:9 Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call,

David learned a valuable lesson when he fought Goliath. He learned to fight in the name of God. The battle belonged to God. He taught his men the same thing. They were (and we are) to fight well, but ultimately the battle is the Lord's to win.

This psalm was a prayer the people prayed before the king went to war. Most of us are not in a physical war as David was, but we still face battles with the devil daily. We face spiritual attacks and temptations. We can pray this also.

July 2, 2013

Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiworks.
:2 Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.
:3 There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.
:4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world! In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
:5 which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
:6 Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heart.
:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple;
:8 the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pur, enlightening the eyes;
:9 the fear of the Lord is clear, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
:11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.
:12 Who  can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.
:13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.
:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Presumptuous means arrogant; insolent; as in pride, willful; rash confidence or in violation of known duty;

Verse 14 : words of my mouth - what I say
meditation of my heart - what I think - these two reveal who I am inside and out.

Mt 5:26 Assuredly, I say to you, you, will by no means get out of here till you have paid the last penny.

There is no heaven with a little corner of hell in it. God wants to make you pure, holy and right. He will not allow you for one moment to escape the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit. Is this a God of mercy and of love? Seen from God's perspective, it is a glorious ministry of love.

God is going to bring you out pure and spotless, undefiled. But He wants you to first recognize the disposition you have, the right to yourself. The moment you are willing to give that right to God, He will begin to change you.

If you wonder why you don't move forward with God, are you paying your debts from God's standpoint?
Or from yours?