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Psalm 139

I couldn't pick one verse if I wanted to.  Psalm 63 is one of my favorites as a psalm of just praise.  This one...this one...it hits everything.

I love the beginning with all it's actions verbs that show how God is actively at work in our lives...ALWAYS.
     "O Lord, You have searched me and you know me.  
      You know when I sit and when I rise;
      You perceive my thoughts from afar.
      You discern my going out and my lying down;
      You are familiar with all my ways.
      Before a word is on my tongue
      You know it completely, O Lord." (verses 1-4, emphasis mine)
He is there in all of it.  He understands the motives and the actions.

I find comfort in His surrounding love...just knowing He doesn't let go even when I want to indulge in that "little sin" (just a little gossip...a little morsel because it is sometimes so "yummy" to be in on it) or I am walking through a trial (David kind of saw it as confining and even tried to flee from God's presence).  I love that because I am His, that He hems me in...like a mark that says, "Mine...I got this one"
     "You hem me in-behind and before; 
      You have laid Your hand upon me.   
      Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty to attain." (verses 5-6)

One that I have repeated over and over to my girls and to myself as we (as women) fight the body shaming; and all of us as we look and see the imperfections and think, "Why am I this way?"  He makes NO mistakes.  We ARE perfectly made...all shapes, sizes, colors.  He is the master craftsman and we are His masterpieces.
     "For you created my inmost being; 
      You knit me together in my mother's womb.  
      I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 
      Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  
      Your eyes saw my unformed body.  
      All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them         came to be." (verses 13-14, 16)
He has my life in His perfect hands.  I wish I could say I don't worry...I try not to and when I do I remember that nothing going on surprises Him and He is already in control of my whole life from its beginning to end, He is and has already been there.

And then there is asking God to help you....to see your part in the middle of conflict, to guide you when you are in the midst of a decision that needs discernment, and most importantly to lead you in the way that leads to life.
     "Search me, O God, and know my heart; 
      test me and know my anxious thoughts.  
      See if there is any offensive way in me, 
      and lead me in the way everlasting." (verses 23-24)
He has never been there to rip us off, but lead us to life to the full (John 10:10).  He loves us and wants the best for us.  He is faithful and trustworthy...Alpha and Omega.

it's a marathon, not a sprint

Psalm 138:8, "The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love, O Lord endures forever-do not abandon the works of Your hands."

To borrow from other scripture...in fact the very next one..."For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well....All the days You ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139: 13-14, 15b)  He created and has sustained you because He knew and loved you before you were even born.

And yet another one of my favorites, Philippians 1:6, "being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  He is working in you and through you always, even now, even when you don't feel it.  Every glorious thing, every trial...He is working in you and never leaves you.


Just as David is remembering in this psalm and trusting/asking God to continue to do in him.  Just as we need to remember, ask and trust.

sing a new song

Psalm 137:4, "How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?

The Israelites' beloved Jerusalem had just been destroyed by the Babylonians and had been taken captive by them.  At the beginning, the psalmist is promising to remember Jerusalem forever...even calling down imprecations upon himself were he to forget...his hands to not act again, his voice to never speak again.

The Babylonians had asked them to sing the songs of their land and God, but their hearts were just as devastated as their homeland and in his hurt, he cries out, "How can we sing...?"  They were so devastated, they hung their harps on the poplar trees as a reminder of their sorrow.

It is never easy when you are in a bad spot or season.  One Sunday, I just couldn't do it.  I had two kids in crisis and my heart was crushed and I couldn't muster the strength.  I was not mad at God, just couldn't do it.  So I sat on the top of the seat while they stood, closed my eyes, and just let the songs pour over me.  

The greatest sadness would be to turn your back on God in those seasons...not understanding that they are just part of life in this world; and though it happened, God never left you during it.  In those times; however, it is always appropriate, as the psalmist did, to ask God to remain faithful to His promises and voice your sadness, anger, disappointment, and even hatred and let Him handle it, soften it and yes, change it.  

And it is so, so sweet to sing a new song.  Shane & Shane sing a BEAUTIFUL song called "Worthy of it all".  Some of the lyrics that came to me when thinking/studying this verse...

"Sing a new song
Lift up your voice in the dark
Sing as a new one
Sing as though you were in love

Lift your eyes, see the King
Stand in awe now and sing

All of my hopes, all of my fears
All of my wants and all of my years
Everything now, everything then, all my life I resolve
You're worthy of it all."

Yes, sing...even then.  And if you hit a spot when you just can't, for that moment let others just sing over you and listen to the Truth in the songs.  Then lift those eyes and sing a new song.

solar eclipse day

Psalm 136:4,7-9, 
"to Him who alone does great wonders, 
His love endures forever,...
who made the great lights-
His love endures forever, 
the sun to govern the day, 
His love endures forever, 
the moon and the stars to govern the night; 
His love endures forever."

I read it differently this time/year.  It was like a sort of response where someone is telling you all the awesome things God does and you respond in awe and wonder with "His love endures forever" and each time it crescendos until it is this fall on your face kind of thing because with each reminder you realize the works and wonders of the Lord.

Then studying it, (God always does cool things...I'm here to tell you He is SO in the details...I was suppose to have done this-in my own timeline-yesterday...but stuff kept pulling me away.  So today, I read this on solar eclipse day and am like YESSSS)I think about the eclipse.  I've almost quit listening to the news except as background noise.  And at this point, there has been eclipse overload.
John mentioned yesterday that he had not heard much talk about how cool it is as part of God's creation...that God has not been brought up in this at all.

Then I read this...it's kinda long, but so cool.

"There are no iron tracks with bars and bolts to hold the planets in their orbits.  Freely in space they move, ever changing but never changing; poised and balancing; swaying and swayed; disturbing and disturbed, onward they fly, fulfilling with unerring certainty their mighty cycles.  The entire system forms one grand complicated piece of celestial machinery; circle withing circle, wheel withing wheel, cycle within cycle; revolutions so swift as to be completed in a few hours; movements so slow that their might periods are only counted by millions of years." ~ The Orbs of Heaven by O. M. Mitchell (quoted by Spurgeon)

So, I might add today,
the moon to cover the sun
His love endures forever

God of the details...man, He is AWESOME!

trust His heart

Psalm 135:13, "Your name, O Lord, endures forever, Your renown, O Lord, through all generations."

There is a reason why it's the best selling book...EVER.  There is a reason why His name continues and He is famous.  He is faithful and his promises are true.

This psalm, like many of the ascent psalms preceding it (the Israelites sang them as the ascended Mount Zion to praise God during their annual feasts) calls on the Israelites to praise God.  It not only calls them to praise, it reminds them why they should praise God.  His acts have been seen in nature and in their own history.  God redeemed the Israelites again and again...from bondage and giving them victory in battles.  Romans 1:20 says, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-His eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."  Walk outside...He is everywhere...He has always been.  

In my own life, God has been so faithful.  He has worked for my good throughout even the bad when I couldn't see Him.  There is a Babbie Mason song that has been quoted by Spurgeon and many others. 

"God is too wise to be mistaken

God is too good to be unkind

So when you don't understand

When you don't see His plan

When you can't trace His hand

Trust His heart.

His name endures forever and I hope in my own family His renown will continue for generations.

ever present

Psalm 134:2, "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord."

This psalm, short and sweet as it is, is a prayer for those special servants of the Lord that served Him in the evening.  While others slept, they were there making sure the work of the Lord went on.  The psalmist called on them to continue to praise the Lord in their work. 

Lifting up your hands in prayer was a symbol of offering praise up to God and receiving blessings from Him.  Dr. Constable adds, "Blessing the Lord is equivalent to praising Him by recounting His might acts."

I love that the act of lifting your hands is a symbol of relationship...you praise, He blesses.  He is not a God that is removed from our lives, He is ever present in all of our moments...always working for good for His glory.  

call to action

Psalm 133:1, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!"

Really...enough said....however...

This is a timely reminder of God's intention.  It is SO frustrating as a believer to hear the Bible grotesquely misused to promote some disgusting propaganda.  Please do NOT lump me in with those bozos.   They are NOT my brothers.  

On the other hand, I would like to see the church unite and stand up against the hate that is flowing like a river through are cities.  I don't know the answer.  I know the hate is spoken against in our church and compassion, love and prayers are going out.  I don't know what the answer is...maybe it is praying right now....praying for hearts to change, for hearts to know the love of God so they can love others, praying for God to direct our next steps of how to stand so He is glorified.  

The psalm goes on from this verse to compare unity to when Moses anointed Aaron and the oil flowed down.  Spurgeon said, "oil would not anoint if it did not flow down, neither would brotherly love if it did not descend."  Our love needs to flow out and down to all.  The psalm also compares unity to dew...as the dew refreshed and invigorate parched Israel, "the blessing of unity would freshen and invigorate Mt. Zion as they worshipped there."  Our unity would freshen each and every house, block, city, state and our country.

I do not know the answer but, I know God's heart is grieved.  What the Bible teaches is all about love.  And Jesus showed us a perfect example of perfect love.  It's all through it.  Read it.  Don't pick and choose the parts that work for your cause and ignore the rest of it.

"This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.   And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.  If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has not pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." (1 John 3:16-18)

it is the same today

Psalm 132:9, "May Your priests be clothed with righteousness; may Your saints sing for joy."

The psalmist lead the Israelites in praying to God that He remember His promises to David to raise up descendants that would follow him on the throne.  In this particular verse the Israelites called on God to establish a righteous group of priests among them and enable the godly of Jerusalem to rejoice because of his blessings.  

It's relevant today because it is what our country needs...its priests clothed in righteousness, united against the hate that is brimming over.  It's a great prayer for today.  It's a start.  Only when we live by love, will we be able to sing for joy.

#goals

Psalm 131:1, "My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.  

Truth be told...I do everyone of these things.  

Proud?  Dr. Constable defined pride as "essentially a belief that one does not need God, but is self-sufficient." Check.  I had put most things in my life above God...kids, husband, self, job and had the mirage that I had some great control over it and even worse:  that I had it under control.

Haughty eyes?    Yep...sadly so...even just yesterday...IN CHURCH.  Dr. Constable explains that haughty eyes betray our pride with eyes that look down on people with a feeling of superiority.  It was during worship and I was in the zone, in my sweet, sweet space that I love, and a couple came in late.  They tapped me...zone gone, sweet spot gone...to get by me.  And instead of being welcoming in the moment my mind goes to "They are so selfish and attention seeking to walk in late and disrupt people...ME.  I got here early and set this whole experience up for me.  Why can't you get it together and get here on time?"  Thankfully, I recognized it and had to "switch the tape" and realized that I have NO idea of the circumstances that made them late that morning, no idea of what God had in store for them to hear that morning that drew them in to church and be grateful that they persisted in whatever circumstances to get there.  And God is not afraid to use a little salt in to make sure you get a lesson sometimes :).  Turns out during the introvert's nightmare of "meet and greet" that he was a lovely man that had just been coming to the church for a little over a year with 3 teenage/tweenage kids (this alone should cause any parent to start praying for this couple!)

Concerning myself with great matters (or as The Message put it:  meddling where I have no business)?  Guilty again.  I often put my nose where it does not belong or hasn't been asked.  And if I'm being honest, most of the time it is to get some morsel of gossip that doesn't concern me yet entices me.  

Concern myself with things too wonderful for me?  (The Message put it as fantasizing grandiose plans).  When I was at my unhappiest, I had a deep fantasy life I used to escape.  BUT, when I was at my unhappiest, not uncoincidentally, I was also very far from the Lord.  

Like I said #goals.  The great thing is 1) God redeemed me; 2) God never left me; 3) God forgave me, forgives me and is not surprise by any of this in the broken flesh that I live in.  

I get up every morning and remember Lamentations 3:22-23, "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."  And I ask God to do in me all the things I cannot do on my own:  give me a humble heart, give me His eyes and focus on Him and what He has set before me and let Him take care of the rest.  Back in the zone.

hard conversations and heartfelt pleas

Psalm 130:7, "O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption."

I love the "O Israel".  Weird, but...I sense his desperation in those two words.  Because there are times, with people I love in my life that I just want to say, "O ___________, put your hope in the Lord."  With the two most important people on my list I've had the conversations...used logic, emotion, reason...and just want to cry "O ____________"  

Often you come up against the assumption that people who believe are so simple minded and that's why they choose to believe...they/we don't know the science, the facts.  Oh, but excusez-moi.  My faith is based on facts and scientific minds greater than myself have sought answers only to turn to faith.  

But, when it comes down to it, with me...people will always want to argue the facts (theirs versus yours), but no one can argue against your testimony of how putting your hope in the Lord has completely transformed you.  And it's wanting to share that life change, that joy, hope, love that makes you want to share it with others especially those closest to you.  And it leaves you feeling desperate.  
O friends, can't you see?  "...put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption."

broken road

Psalm 129:4, "But the Lord is righteous; He has cut me free from the cords of the wicked."

There is an older Garth Brooks song called "Unanswered Prayers".  The gist behind this song is a boy that runs into his old high school girlfriend at a football game.  And at first look, those old feelings were stirred for a second.  As he talks to her, he realizes that she was, in fact, not all he had remembered or certainly built her up to be in his mind.  And as he looks at his wife, he thanked God for the "Unanswered Prayers" because his wife was the one who was the real deal...the good in his life.

Certainly, his old high school flame was not wicked...so, it's a little of a stretch but the point is still there and what hit home for me.  The psalmist is thanking God for the many times He had not let the people that were oppressing the Israelites have the ultimate victory over them.  God had used these TRULY wicked people for a season for His own purposes to teach the Israelites a lesson, but He always redeemed His people when they cried out for Him and returned to Him.

It caused me to reflect on the people or situations that God has withheld from me and to look at where I am now to see that it was all what led me to what was best for me.  And a great reminder that I really don't know what is best for my life in my own little myopic view because God has the BIG PICTURE in mind...and most importantly, my eternity.

There's ANOTHER country song (originally country, but now on the Christian stations...and sidebar:  it almost kills me that I'm using country songs here, because that is not my thing 😊 ).  It is "Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts (I DO love them, however).  Selah sings it on Christian radio.  The gist of it is that all the long lost dreams led her right to where she was suppose to be...in God's plan/will for her life.

So, that time when you are wanting something and God is withholding it...or walking through a tough season.  There is hope...ALWAYS.  God is working in those moments.  Look for His lesson, talk with Him.  He's blessing the broken road that is leading away from what is not best for you to what is GOOD.  Or, as Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." (BTW...the lead singer for Rascal Flatts is a Christian brother).  "It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-vZlrBYLSU

mutual blessing

Psalm 129:1,5 "Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways...May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem."

Called a wisdom psalm, the psalmist reviews previous blessings then prayed for greater blessing.  He prayed for the reader's future and also for Jerusalem's prosperity as it would extend to every family in the nation.

I see its wisdom in the way he prayed.  It encourages as I pray to always remember to thank God for His previous blessings.  We did a sweet exercise in our inservice meetings yesterday.  We wrote down a person in our live that changed our lives (in this exercise it could be either positive or negative).  And then with a partner we talked to that person and told him/her how we felt about him/her.  It was beautiful and touching and one of many take aways was the feeling that we shouldn't wait to say these things to the people we need to talk to.  In the same way, I need to say thanks to God for all He's done...EVERYday.  I shouldn't wait until the need is deemed desperate to have that conversation with Him.  It needs to happen all the time and the first thing out of my mouth needs to be praise/thanksgiving.  He doesn't need it, but He is definitely due it and I know He doesn't hear it enough with me.  

I also see wisdom in the psalmist praying for Jerusalem.  He realized that God's blessing on both home and nation are mutually dependent...not necessarily exclusively dependent, but when one is blessed, it blesses the other and the reverse.  When our family is blessed, often we focus outside ourselves, out of crises mode, and go out and serve others hence blessing our neighborhood, our city, our nation as it ripples outward.  When our nation is blessed, our family is blessed in less outside stressors, in familial community, respect and love toward our city, neighbor and family.  As I pray for my family, I also need to be praying for my country realizing they are not exclusive of each other.

All who fear and obey the Lord are blessed by Him.  How much greater to share the blessing?!

work smart, not hard

Psalm 127:1-2, "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.  Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.  In vain you raise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat-for He grants sleep to those He loves."

My coworker said "work smart, not hard" is her theme for this year.  I not only love it, but I think I might steal it and use it myself this school year.  She is working in the position of my dear friend who retired last year, so I do not know her well enough to know if we will tackle it in the same way.  But the motto is solid, and that is what Solomon is talking about here.

My dad taught through words and example that you work a hard day to earn your dollar.  I also believe this to be true.  Dr. Constable added another depth and added Truth to it when he said, "Trust in God's benefits yields results that hard work alone cannot provide."  

The Bible said of Solomon in 1 Kings 4:29, "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore."  Uh, yeah...I'm standing with that  guy.

I will work smart for my dollar because I am going to dedicate each day of hard work to God first.  I will seek His blessing.  Solomon, in all His wisdom, teaches us in this verse to depend on God as we work and not try to do it all in our own strength.  When we depend on Him and work for Him, He will bless our work...and give us rest.  I will work smart at school so when I come home I can be present for my family and love them well with all of me, not what I brought in from my day.

It is such a win-win and what I call working smart.

locusts

Psalm 126:5, "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.  He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." 

Historically, the Israelites were returning to Zion after the Babylonian captivity and they not only rejoiced, but they also prayed for complete restoration.  Upon their return, the land they had farmed had dried and their work effort to farm the land was difficult.  But they clung to the promise of the Lord who had brought them back to Zion. 

It's a great verse for times of difficulty for us, too.  His promises are as true today.  Leupold said of this psalm that it is, "...treasured by those who have known adversity but have in the midst of it cast their burden upon the Lord."  Dr. Constable also said, "The initial flush of enthusiasm and success that those who seek to honor God experience, must continue, even if the work is slow, hard and discouraging.  God's people can look forward with hope to a rewarding harvest in the future if they faithfully persevere in carrying out the work He has ordained.

In seasons of trial in my life, I have clung to this verse and Joel 2:25, "I will repay you the years the locusts have eaten..."  Just knowing Truth brings peace.  Trust that in His timing that He will be true to His promises.

immovable

Psalm 125:1, "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever."

Dr. Constable said it best, so I will just take from him.  "Those who trust in the Lord are eternally secure, but they can choose to follow Him faithfully and experience His blessing, or depart from Him and suffer His discipline."

Tough love?  Maybe.  But as a parent, sometimes the most loving thing you can do is give discipline or let your child experience the consequences of their choices.  And never once do you, as a parent, stop loving your child.  That love is secure...from before they were even born.  

How much more so a perfect heavenly Father who loves His child?  He loves you so much, He holds your forever in His hands; and He loves you so much He is going to bless you for your good, and let you learn from your mistakes.  It's what a good, good Father does. 

"Blessed be the Lord" FIRST

Psalm 124:8, "Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth."

Psalm 124 is a song of praise.  As they ascended Mt. Zion, David reminded the people that God had been on their side in battles and without Him, they would have died and died out as a people.  As David reminded them, they also thanked Him.  Some versions say "Blessed be the Lord" (or Praise be to the Lord) acknowledging Him as their source of blessing.  They praised Yahweh as their helper, not any human.

I so often forget to do this.  Sometimes God will answer the very prayer I have been praying for.  I do thank Him, but it is often not the first thing out of my lips.  I am trying to make a concerted effort to be better at giving God the glory first in all things.  

Just a quick example.  My daughter had been stressing out about her grades, her upcoming final and a laundry list of other things that had compiled in that moment into a breakdown.  We've all been there.  Two things, at first as I listened I tried to help in my own flesh giving advice.  I started silently praying for God to give me the Words...and they came.  He is SO faithful.  Yesterday I prayed for her to have focus, healing in her body, for favor for her to do well.  When she called me last night, she was so excited.  She did GREAT on her exam, her grade was acceptable by her standards.  The first thing out of my mouth was "Way to go!".  Don't get me wrong, she deserves the pats on the back...she has worked SO HARD.  But my FIRST words should have been, "Praise be to God".  They came, but that's where my first thought should have been.  He answered the very thing we prayed for and my human flesh forgot to sing as the Israelites did "Blessed be the Lord"

He is our help.  The craziest part is how much he LOVES us and loves blessing us...out of love and to bring glory to His name.  He deserves all praise.

eyes on the prize

Psalm 123:1, "I lift up my eyes to You, to You whose throne is in Heaven."

As the Israelites made their pilgrimage, they faced ridicule and mocking from their neighbors about the God the worshipped.  In the midst of their trial, they looked to God to give them the grace they needed as they trusted solely in Yahweh to provide and protect.  

I know there are many men who have stood against the grain and held to Truth for what is right.  For whatever reason, William Wilberforce jumped into my mind as he relentlessly stood before the British Parliament to put an end to slave trade.  He did not relent, he looked to God and victory was won and God was glorified.  

In our own lives, we will face ridicule and mocking...for all sorts of reasons.  Sometimes it helps to look to those who have gone before...whoever that may be for you.

I also thought about times when I've said, "You may have won the battle, but did you win the war?"  So many times, when we are mocked or ridiculed, it is not worth it to even engage with others who are just being satan's little minions or just not thinking.  When you engage in verbal warfare, you may walk away having won the battle, but you may have lost your testimony with them when they look at your behavior and it isn't salt or light in their world, but more of a reflection of the world they are living in.  

There is a Guide though.  There is Truth to look to.  Keep focused on God.  He is mightier than the sword and already has the victory.  Lift your eyes to Him.

time critical

Psalm 122: 6-7, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem;  'May those who love You be secure.  May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.'"

As they walked to Jerusalem to worship, David called on the Israelites to pray for Jerusalem.  One of many reasons that I love David is his joy in worshipping the Lord.  King of Jerusalem, he had no problema lifting up his royal robe and dancing and singing before the Lord.  

But, the important thing in these verses goes beyond the worshipping and into the praying.  Just as the Israelites should pray for their city, we also should pray for Jerusalem, for peace, for the future New Jerusalem.  Even beyond that, we should be praying for our own country and its leaders.  

It doesn't matter who you voted for...DON'T care.  Someone is in office and we should be praying for them.  Praying for peace in our walls and security.  We are a stinkin' mess.  We all need to get down from our own little thrones that espouse what we be armchair quarterbackin' and get down on our knees to pray for peace...everywhere...especially within our own walls...if not us, who?