"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16:11
Whenever the opportunity arises to talk about Joy, I find it an easy assignment. If you have truly experienced the "Joy of your Salvation", you can easily get in touch with what the meaning of joy is. When faced with the task of writing a song about Joy, I once came up with this verse that really captures the essence of Joy.
"Remember this; whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." 2Corinthians 9:6
Recently I was reminded of both sides of the law of reciprocity. You have no doubt heard that 'what goes around, comes around' or, 'For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction'. As long as physical laws do not contradict God's principles, they are true. I believe all truth emanates from God and whatever is true has it's basis in God.
"You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you." Psalm 86:5
Ever wonder what God thinks of you? Sometimes I have strong feelings about what I think He should think of me, especially when I mess up, but I have to be careful not to forget that God's essential feeling towards us is forgiving and good, abounding in love. Wow does that make me feel good to be reminded of that truth. I know that intellectually, but sometimes I don't feel very deserving of such love, goodness and forgiveness. I'm sure you know the feeling of when you see yourself pretty clearly and you begin to question just how much grace you should expect? His grace is always sufficient, fueled by this deep devoted love and merciful goodness that He has for us.
"Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD-- that you alone are the Most High over all the earth." Psalm 83:18
This is the last of the Psalms penned by Asaph. I think I know exactly how he feels. I know sometimes I feel like calling on the wrath of God to come down. How about His justice rolling down, or God to pull out the big guns and show everybody a thing or two. Just like He did with the Egyptians in the Red Sea, just like He did with satan during the temptation and just like He will do regarding everything, eventually. Oooooh… How I'd love to see Him get even or take care of business. What a day that would be.
"Glorious things are said of you, O City of God.." Psalm 87:3
The city referred to in this Psalm is Zion, the holy mountain, Jerusalem and it's beautiful temple there. This picture represents the future community of all believers. The writer is looking ahead to the Holy City of God in Revelation 21:27. The honor of living there will be granted to all whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. All believers will dwell in this place forever. We most often refer to it as Heaven. We don't talk about Heaven very often, but it is as real as hell and eventually everybody will end up in one place or the other. When I hear the word Heaven, I automatically am taken back to childhood and youth songs that talk about a wonderful place. So today I will share a few lyrics and a little about heaven. Here is a short list of my memory songs about Heaven.
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91: 1-2
These maybe some of the most beautiful words in the Psalms. What a wonderful picture. If asked what I need the most and if I were to be most honest I would probably say peace or rest. Since I want true rest so much, these verses can show me how to get it. I must dwell in the shelter of the Most High. What does dwell mean? It means to live, to abide, to take up residence, to hang out there most of the time. To hang out in the shelter of the Most High means that I must truly be focused on Him. My thoughts, actions and motives must be founded in Him and abide in Him.
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." Psalm 51:10-12
David is writing here and is doing so; after the prophet Nathan came to him and told him a story about a man who had done terrible things, and David was incensed about that man's moral failure and suggested he be punished by death, and then asked Nathan who the man was and Nathan told him it was him. Oh the impact when you don't see it coming. You know the story; he had an adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, and then murdered her husband to cover it up. No sin is too great to be forgiven.
"I will meditate on all your works and consider all you mighty deeds." Psalm 77:12
When we need comfort, encouragement , strength, and hope, two processes in particular can help us move forward even when we feel totally immobilized. Each day we should take appropriate time for meditation and consideration. But, in order for them to work, consideration must be longer than a fleeting thought and meditation must involve the truths of the Word of God.
"What we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us, we will not hide it from their children, we will tell the next generation." Psalm 78:3-4a
Who do you think is going to tell the next generation? 'Who' is the 'we' that Asaph is referring to in this long Psalm? Is he saying that the priests (or the pastors) are going to carry the primary responsibility to tell the story of God's unmerited grace? Well, as best I can tell, people are not exactly flocking to churches very regularly to hear the truth, no matter how it is presented. How about small groups? Aren't we all supposed to be in one? I don't hear of loads of people coming to Christ in all the small groups that are being formed every day. How about Christian TV or radio? I haven't heard of any mass conversions, at least not in the U.S., and what is being aired isn't exactly the burning conversation topic out there of cutting edge transformation experiences. Maybe the internet is the answer. Lord knows we are all trying to stay up with the latest technology for spreading the gospel, but I don't hear of overwhelming results there either. Hey.... maybe some big church will come up with a program that we can all copy that will turn the corner on the next revival. Probably not, to tell you the truth.
I marvel at the wonder of God’s orderly nature. This month I’ve again buried myself in the book of Isaiah, which of course is a mini-Bible in itself, with 66 chapters (1-39 = God’s judgment, 40-66 = The Messiah prophesied in the 1st 39). And then I marveled at how He gifts us each so uniquely, and beautifully for who we are designed to be, in His image of us. I have concluded that He reaches each of us through our eventual amazement at the design of our self, and how we can choose to use these gifts for His glory, and empower others through them. One of my most pleasurable gifts has been music, and my God-breathed ability to sing – and at my slowness in recognizing that it was His intention, and not my doing at all. Any of you ever thought thoughts like, "wow – I really knocked that out of the park", and even developed your version of a swagger? Guilty as charged; convicted of pride. I was 40 before it even occurred to me to use this gift for Him, when I joined a "professional" (Ray’s definition: if you were paid to do it, you’re a professional) singing group and started singing the music of God (my opinion).
"But it is God who judges, He brings one down, He exalts another." Psalm 75:7
I am so glad that God is the judge. He is totally and completely and perfectly sovereign. He is judge, jury and prosecutor of the whole cosmos and He alone is worthy of that responsibility. His decisions are always right, all the time. Whatever He rules is His divine will. His preventive, permissive and divine decisions are constantly accurate and righteous. He needs no counsel, has impeccable understanding and always knows precisely what to do.
"Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples." Psalm 96 :1-3
This opening phrase, 'sing to the Lord a new song' is used many times in the Psalms and I think for a good reason. We indeed should sing, all of us, everyone. Not only sing but praise His name, proclaim His salvation and declare His glory and marvelous deeds to everybody. So, why a new song? It must be new because His mercies are renewed every morning and God wants to do something fresh in all of us.
"If my people but would listen to me..." Psalm 81:13a
In one form or another, God sure says this a lot in His Word. The implications are many. This is one of those phrases that best can be illustrated word by word. Let me reflect a little on each word to give us some direction for devotional consideration today.
"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." Psalm 82:3-4
In this Psalm, Asaph is pointing out how God will judge the wicked, especially as they have been unfair with those that God cares about and protects. God is an advocate for the orphans, widows, poor, needy, oppressed and weak. In being so he expects us to have the same heart and passion. We do, we should and we should more. We must not turn away from those who need help or who are desperate or downtrodden.
"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care." Psalm 95:6-7
There are many reasons to worship God. There are any reasons to bow down to Him and kneel before Him. One of the less obvious titles of God when considering worship is Shepherd. Shepherd seems like such a servant role. As a pastor I have a very serious connection to the Lord being my Shepherd. I am one of His flock and under His care. I am a person in His pasture. Sure He is my Maker and my God but also my Shepherd. He is the Great Shepherd of the sheep.
"The Lord knows the thoughts of man; He knows that they are futile." Psalm 94:11
We readily recognize that this statement is true because we are all too aware that even as believers we suffer futile thinking, particularly when we stray from His Word as the barometer for truth. How much more so then those who don't know Him or His truth? Obviously the futility of the thinking of the believer is overwhelming and inescapable.
"But you O Lord, are exalted forever." Psalm 92:8
Every once in awhile I try to put one of the Psalms in my own words. This particular one is pretty easy to do that. If you ever want to get more out of the Bible, try expressing one of the poetic passages in your own words. Note: I am not suggesting that we rewrite doctrinal sections of the Word of God. We don't need to add our thoughts to His Word. But, in these expressions in Psalms it is inspirational to put it in words that come from our own experiences. So here is my brief synopsis of Psalm 92
"May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us.... yes, establish the work of our hands." Psalm 90:17
Psalm 90 is a prayer of Moses, a man of God. I don't think anyone would argue that Moses was a man of God. For all that God did through him and all he accomplished, near the end of his life he prays like this. I really enjoyed reading this prayer and it made me feel close to what Moses was feeling and how he was reaching out to God on behalf of the people even to the very end. Moses had a shepherd's heart. After all he had witnessed firsthand the Israelites wandering aimlessly in the wilderness for forty years and realizing the brevity of life he asks for favor and to do something valuable and lasting.
"The seas have lifted up, O Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea-- the Lord on high is mighty." Psalm 93:3-5
I am absolutely an ocean lover. I find almost nothing more inspirational than the sea. I also have tremendous respect for the power and awesomeness of the pounding waves, the currents and tides and the thundering surf. I hope you have personally experienced 'big surf' at some time in your life; if not in person, at least on film. In my estimation there is nothing else like it on earth. Mighty is a good word for that sound, louder than thunder, deeper than a sonic boom, when gargantuan waves crest, rollover and crash onto the ocean floor.
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