Daily Bible Devotionals

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7 (NKJV)

The challenge to writing devotionals for the Book of Proverbs is that the wisdom in the Proverbs is so plain.  So, why explain the obvious?  We need a commentary because rich contextual ideas are hiding in plain sight in the Proverbs.  Not hidden because God wants us to be unwise or uninformed but rather because we are not as wise or informed as we may think!  God assumes we are obediently reading the Bible and discussing it all day, every day (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).  If we are, then Proverbs will be like parables, and we’ll see both the simple lesson, as well as the deeper meaning.  Otherwise, we just walk away with some good sayings.  The Proverbs begin with a message akin to the beginning of the Psalms: you either receive God’s Word or reject it.  “Sort of” believing it is the same as rejecting it.  The consequences may not be as immediate as flat-out rejection, but they are as inevitable!

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.  He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.  The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.” Psalm 1:1-4 (NKJV)

If the Bible is discussed everywhere, all day, its wisdom should be commonplace.

“Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open squares.  She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: ‘How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?  For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge.  Turn at my rebuke; surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.  Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, because you disdained all my counsel, and would have none of my rebuke, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, when your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.” Proverbs 1:20-27 (NKJV) (Matthew 23:37; Acts 2:17; Joel 2:28; Isaiah 44:3)

God answers the call of repentance before the call for deliverance.  (Jeremiah 29:13)

“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.  Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke.  Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies.  For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:28-33 (NKJV)

“Praise the Lord!  Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty firmament!  Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His excellent greatness!  Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the lute and harp!  Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!  Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with clashing cymbals!  Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord!” Psalm 150:1-6 (NKJV)

Every music leader in every church worldwide dreams of a worship service where the congregants display the type of whole-self-worship described in Psalm 150!  What a fitting end to our nearly five-month daily journey through the Psalms.  The entire community of Israel, continually worshipping the Lord with every possible instrument at their disposal, is not a foreign idea to the people of Israel.  At least it isn’t in Scripture.  On the day the Lord gave His Word (through Moses) to the people, He commanded them to worship Him alone, with all they had.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NKJV)

The worship of God’s people is not isolated to church (or temple) services.  Whole-self worship was and still is to be practiced continually among His followers.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

Whole-self-worship is not simply a series of prayers mumbled under our breath or a closed-room intellectual Biblical pursuit.  God wants our faith to be on display so all can see.  Our faith should be observable to onlookers (for God’s glory and not ours), so the things we do (hand) are evidence of the way we think (between your eyes).

“You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:8-9 (NKJV)

Lest Christians write off this notion as an “Old Covenant” theology, remember that Messiah Jesus quoted this same commandment when asked which was the greatest.

“Jesus answered him, ‘The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’  This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no other commandment greater than these.’” Mark 12:29-31 (NKJV)

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord and by every means at our disposal!

“Praise the Lord!  Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints.  Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.  Let them praise His name with the dance; let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.  For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.” Psalm 149:1-4 (NKJV)

I understand how difficult it is to introduce a new song to a congregation who is fully satisfied with singing the same old hymns! But the “new song” that the psalmist is exhorting the people to sing is more akin to the soundtrack for new circumstances, which demand a new response to the Lord.  Formerly, the Israelites sang for deliverance from exile, but once repatriated, the “old song” simply didn’t fit the new circumstances.  Their “new song” was to be one of victorious return!

“Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds.  Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment - this honor have all His saints.” Psalm 149:5-9 (NKJV)

And what was the source of their victory?  The Lord, Who was faithful to His Word!  That same Living Word is accessible through the Person of Messiah, Jesus.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.  And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.  His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” Revelation1:12-16 (NKJV)

“Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.  And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.  He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” Revelation 19:15 (NKJV)

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (NKJV)

“Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights!  Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts!  Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you stars of light!  Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, and you waters above the heavens!  Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.  He also established them forever and ever; He made a decree which shall not pass away.” Psalm 148:1-4 (NKJV)

I cannot stress enough the importance of pausing whenever we hear an Old Testament account of God calling-forth creation and meditating on the fact that the Person of the Trinity known as “Messiah,” the “Word of God,” Jesus is the One responsible for creation.  (John 1:1-14)  This is not solely a New Testament idea, inserted into the Jewish narrative to lend credibility to Jesus.  The deity of Messiah is a JEWISH prophetic truth that is revealed solely in the Person of Jesus.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2 (NKJV)  (see also: Isaiah 9:6)

In 1814, Mary Shelley wrote the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who created a monster he could not control.  The tale of Frankenstein’s monster is considered the first science fiction horror novel.  Some folks believe that Frankenstein is analogous to God, Who had the power to create the heavens and earth yet lacks the ability to control it.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  Long before Mary Shelley was born, the anonymous author of #148 made it clear that nothing is out of control or outside of the purview of God.  Alarms are not going off in heaven.  God is ever awake and on His throne.

“Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all the depths; fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word; mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars; beasts and all cattle; creeping things and flying fowl; kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth; both young men and maidens; old men and children.” Psalm 148:7-12 (NKJV)

Because God is all-powerful, any power that we have is from Him.  There is no room for human boasting.  (Ephesians 2:8-9) He alone graciously “exalts the horn” (power) of His people.  And for that, we praise Him, for He alone is worthy!

“Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven.  And He has exalted the horn of His people, the praise of all His saints - of the children of Israel, a people near to Him. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 148:13-14 (NKJV)

“Praise the Lord!  For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.  The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.  He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”  Psalm 147:1-3 (NKJV)

Psalm 147 was written, no doubt, after the return of the exiles from Babylonian and Assyrian captivity.  We remember that Jeremiah prophesied the duration of Judah’s (the Southern Kingdom) exile would be 70 years.

“For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NKJV)

The God who seemed elusive for 70 years had never left the exiles.  There was never cause for panic.  God’s plan was public.  It was not military strength (horses) or cunning escape attempts (legs of a man) that freed the exiles.  The Israelites returned to the Promised Land because God was merciful and true to His Word.

“He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.  The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy.” Psalm 147:10-11 (NKJV)

For those exiles who recognized God’s work, there was genuine cause for worship!

“Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!  Praise your God, O Zion!  For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you.  He makes peace in your borders, and fills you with the finest wheat.” Psalm 147:12-14 (NKJV)

Forgiveness from the Lord is a wonderful thing to experience; to realize that, by His grace, He does not hold your sin against you.  But how can we be confident He will ever use us to minister again?  God did not simply restore Israel to the land; He assured their security and blessed the generations to come.  Shalom (peace) was restored.  By the reference of God strengthening “the bars of your gates,” we know this psalm was written shortly after Nehemiah was sent by the Lord to fortify the city and begin re-establishing the community of faith.                                                  

“And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.” Nehemiah 6:16 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 146. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever.  Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.  Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.  One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.  I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works.” Psalm 145:1-5 (NKJV)

In today’s psalm, David begins as expected: extolling, blessing and praising the Lord.  It is a worship song, after all.  But the narrative of #145 quickly shifts to reveal that David’s personal worship impacts the entire community.  The speed of the leader determines the speed of the team.  The impact of David’s worship resounds way beyond the fact that David is singing so loudly that nobody can tune him out.  David is telling us that if we want the next generation of believers (and the next and so on…) to worship wholeheartedly, they must learn to do so from us!

If the church of our generation ever needed a message today, it is this one!  Values are not taught.  They are caught!  We can teach & preach doctrine to a filled sanctuary every Sunday, but the people will not value it unless they spend quality time with (and live close to) people who have a dynamic relationship with the Lord.  That is what David describes: Every day, all day, forever.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7

The great concern of church leaders is that proper Biblical values will not be passed down to the next generation.  And the concern is not unfounded.  Church attendance in our generation is on the decline.  The church of tomorrow is beginning to mirror the generation that ushered in the period of the Judges after Joshua’s generation.

“When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.” Judges 2:10

In fearful response to declining church participation, many church leaders have tried to soften the hard truths of the Gospel and focus only on the positive aspects of God: grace, love, and acceptance.  But when we diminish God’s Word from our teaching, what counsel do we dilute it with?

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2 (NKJV)

Seek the Lord, obey His Word, and share it with both your words and your lifestyle!

“Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle - my lovingkindness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and the One in whom I take refuge, who subdues [a]my people under me.  Psalm 144:1-2 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm begins with David declaring that the Lord trains his hands for war and his fingers for battle.  Some folks may find that a strange statement, because many people (even within the Church) hold to a false idea of God, that He is a pacifist.  We must remember there was a lot of warfare in the Old Testament, which the Lord commanded.  While it should be the last resort, there is a time when warfare becomes the only wise choice:

“…a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:8 (NKJV)

If you are scratching your head, wondering how a God who prefers love and peace would both train soldiers and ordain hate and warfare, it helps to understand that terms of peace are always His first option, even in the Old Testament.  

“When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it.  And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you. Now if the city will not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it.”  Deuteronomy 20:10-12 (NKJV)

Likewise, in the New Testament, God offers us terms of love and peace through a saving relationship with the “Son of David,” Messiah Jesus.  

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years.  Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, “They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.” So I swore in My wrath, “They shall not enter My rest.” Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.’”  Hebrews 3:7-13 (NKJV)

Make no mistake, just as David was trained for warfare against unbelievers, so Jesus is also readied.  

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.  And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns.  He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.  Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.  And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.  He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”  Revelation 19:11-16 (NKJV)

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications!  In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness.  Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no one living is righteous.”  Psalm 143:1-2 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm presents a great human dilemma.  How can sinful people plea to a holy God and petition Him to judge the sin of another person?  Regardless of the level of persecution, they are under, the person petitioning God also sins and deserves punishment.  After all, we have all “sinned and fallen short of God’s glory,” and He will “by no means, clear the guilty.”  (Romans 3:23; Number 14:18)  So, where does David get the confidence to plea to the Lord and the faith to know that He will judge David’s oppressors while overlooking David’s sin?  David’s faith comes from God’s Word, the Bible!

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands.  I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah” Psalm 143:5-6 (NKJV)

You see, when we read the Bible, our faith grows.  

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

And the reason faith grows (when we read the Bible) is because, as we experience God’s faithfulness to His Word in ages past (God, whose character never changes – Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17), we gain confidence to trust Him with our futures, ages yet to come.  And we see this process articulated in David’s psalm today.

“Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good.  Lead  me in the land of uprightness.” Psalm 143:10 (NKJV)

David sought God’s Word (Psalm 1:1-2), so he understood that God extends grace and mercy to sinful people who humbly seek Him. David expected blessing, not based on his righteousness but on God’s righteousness and His ability to keep His Word!

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.”  Deuteronomy 30:15-16 (NKJV)

“Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!  For your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.  In Your mercy cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul; for I am Your servant.” Psalm 143:11-12 (NKJV)

“I cry out to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.  I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble.” Psalm 142:1-2

“And they went to a place called Gethsemane.  And he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.  And he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death.  Remain here and watch.’ And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.  And he said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for you.  Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’” Mark 14:32-36

“When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path.  In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me.  Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me; no one cares for my soul.” Psalm 142:3-4

“And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man.  Seize him and lead him away under guard.’ And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ And he kissed him.  And they laid hands on him and seized him.  But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.  And Jesus said to them, ‘Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me.  But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.’ And they all left him and fled.” Mark 14:43-50

“I cried out to You, O Lord: I said, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.  Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.’” Psalm 142:5-6

“Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.  And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.  So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, ‘Certainly this was a righteous Man!’” Luke 23:44-47

“Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name; the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me.” Psalm 142:7

“Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, angels said, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!” Luke 24:5-6a

“Lord, I cry out to You; make haste to me!  Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You. Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.  Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.  Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.” Psalm 141:1-4 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm, number 141, is another composition of King David.  We are very aware of both David’s triumphs against temptation and his failures to live righteously.  Not that David was blame-shifting, per se, but we must quickly correct an error in his theology.  God does not incline the hearts of people to do evil or practice “wicked works” or “eat of their delicacies.”  While God allows situations to develop in our lives that bring us to moments of crisis, where we must choose to follow Him or cave into worldly pressure, He does not tempt us.  Testing comes from God to show us the extent of our faith, but temptation is the world’s advertisement offering a means of escape from God’s testing.  It’s a trap.  

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.  But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”  James 1:12-15 (NKJV)

Again, the same scenario that Satan uses to tempt us, God intends to use to build our faith.

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:2-8 (NKJV)

Now that we know the difference between a “trial” and “temptation” and how we should faithfully hold to the Word of God until He brings us through the trial, what happens if we succumb to temptation?  What do we do then?  We humble ourselves and receive correction from fellow believers.  (Galatians 6:1; Proverbs 27:5-6) Confession and restoration are always better than concealing or denying our sin.

“Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness.  And let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it.” Psalm 141:5 (NKJV)

“Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their hearts; they continually gather together for war.  They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; the poison of asps is under their lips.  Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have purposed to make my steps stumble. – Selah” Psalm 140:1-3 (NKJV)

It is important to note that there have been evil men throughout history.  And until Messiah returns, there will continue to be evil on earth.  Just as David, the author of Psalm 140, was unjustly persecuted, so the “Son of David,” Jesus, was persecuted.  Jesus told His disciples that anyone who follows Him will also be persecuted.

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates Me hates My Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.  But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’” John 15:18-25 (NKJV)

This reality of persecution “for the sake of the gospel” is not popular in many pulpits these days.  Preachers would rather focus on the more positive aspects of the gospel: grace, peace & love.  While that type of preaching may draw a crowd, sadly, it draws a gasp in heaven because it leads people into false expectations of how the life of a believer should look.  And it causes people to wrongly judge the presence of persecution in their lives (or in the lives of other believers).  Under false teaching, if coming to faith means the end of hardship, then the presence of persecution must signal a departure from the faith.  Persecution, then, becomes a signal of something the believer is doing WRONG when it actually signals what we are doing RIGHT!

In claiming the “promises” of Jesus, perhaps we should consider His promise of persecution/tribulation.  (John 16:33)  But knowing persecution is coming should not lead us to anxiety when we also know that Jesus not only predicted our persecution but also prayed for our ultimate protection & redemption.  

“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” John 17:14-15 (NKJV)

(Compare: Psalm 140:5-13 with Revelation 20:11-15; 21:1-8)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 139. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“I will praise You with my whole heart; before the gods I will sing praises to You.  I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your Name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your Word above all Your Name.  In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.”  Psalm 138:1-3 (NKJV)

Boxer Mike Tyson said, “Everyone is a fighter until they get hit.”  Christians may aspire to a life of humble service, but no one likes to be treated like a servant.  We all want to be bold proclaimers of the gospel, but who takes the time to learn to articulately share their faith or risks relationships to see others come to faith?  King David, the author of today’s Psalm, was not ashamed to proclaim the greatness of God.  He did not feel the cultural pressure to be politically correct for fear of offending non-believers with his zeal for the Lord—quite the opposite.  David praised the God of Israel (the One, true God) with his whole heart before the pagan gods.

It is one thing to worship the Lord in a church service, but are we so bold out there in a world where there may be no believers around you, and people may actually be hostile toward people of faith?  The setting of today’s Psalm was not in the temple (or “Tabernacle” in David’s day).  No, David was out among the pagans, praying “toward” God’s holy temple.  It is the same level of boldness in the message that we are called to display, the kind that earns the great “Well done!”  (Matthew 25:14-30)

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.” 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NKJV)

What was the source of David’s boldness?  God’s Word!  David was so confident in the Word of the Lord that he trusted it had the power to convert the souls of even pagan kings & nations!

“All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord, when they hear the words of Your mouth.  Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord.  Though the Lord is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.” Psalm 138:4-6 (NKJV)

What if David’s gospel message were to get him into trouble or even cost him his life?  David was confident that the Lord could protect and revive him!

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.  The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands.” Psalm 138:7-8 (NKJV)

“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion.  We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it.  For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?  If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!  If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth - if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.” Psalm 137:1-6 NKJV

It helps set the context for the Israelite musical boycott if we recall how the Levite priestly musicians served before the Lord 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.  (Psalm 134; 1 Chronicles 9:33) The demand for Jerusalem’s “greatest hits” from their Babylonian captors was more akin to mocking than a request from music aficionados.  That is because all of the Levitical songs were about the power, majesty, and faithfulness of God, the same God Who allowed Israel to be taken captive!  Not only did the Israelites refuse to play their harps, but they also prayed for vengeance.

“Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom the day of Jerusalem, who said, ‘Raze it, raze it, to its very foundation!’ O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed,Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!  Happy the one who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock!” Psalm 137:7-9 (NKJV)

The Jewish captives desired vengeance but knew vengeance was God’s job alone. (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19-20)  Faith in His Word was their only comfort.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.  Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished.  And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.  For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.  For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord.  For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:4-14 (NKJV)

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: To Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who by wisdom made the heavens, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who laid out the earth above the waters, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who made great lights, for His mercy endures forever - the sun to rule by day, for His mercy endures forever; the moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 136:3-9 (NKJV)

It is easy to think that today’s psalmist is speaking strictly about God the Father.  That is because most of us are familiar with the Christmas nativity story of Jesus’ birth.  But we must remember that before Jesus was born as a baby, He existed from eternity past.  This is not some modern Christian idea.  It was the understanding of the Jewish prophets that Messiah would be God, made flesh.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2 (NKJV), (See also: Isaiah 9:6)

When the apostle John began his gospel by boldly claiming Jesus’ deity, he was not inventing some new cultic myth. John was simply righting the Jewish understanding of the prophets’ message concerning Who Messiah would be. Messiah was not a human whom God would use to deliver His people; rather, God Himself donned humanity to deliver His people. We must read Psalm 136 thru the lens of John 1.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-14 (NKJV)  (**And we read the rest of Psalm 136 thru the lens of 1 Corinthians 10:1-4)

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ [Messiah].” 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 (NKJV)

“Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord; praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant. For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure. For I know that the Lord is great, and our Lord is above all gods.” Psalm 135:1-5 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is a call for the Israelites to give themselves wholly to worship by prompting their memories of how God’s deliverance (of Israel) from the hands of idolaters was also a judgment of idolatry itself.  God accomplished two goals (delivering His people and judging foreign gods) with one motion.

The first half of Psalm 135 focuses on why Israel should worship the Lord passionately.  It is not enough to simply tell people that God is great and worthy of our praise.  We humans have no capacity to measure the greatness and holiness of God.  We must experience desperation and deliverance before we can value the worth of grace and relish in the reality of salvation.  That is why any gospel presentation must also contain the reality of our sin and the certainty of Hell.  What makes the “Good News” so good is that the "bad news” is so bad!  Jesus made this exact point to a self-righteous religious leader, in contrast to a woman who was aware of the greatness of her sin and the urgency of her needing forgiveness.

“Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.’” Luke 7:44-47 (NKJV)

After recounting God’s judgment of Egypt’s gods (leading up to the Passover) and the gods of the Amorites and Canaanites, the psalmist expands the concept to include ALL other gods.  It brings context to Jesus’ statements about “seeing and hearing.”

“The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.” Psalm 135:15-18 (NKJV)

“Then He charged them, saying, ‘Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.’ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, ‘Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?” Mark 8:15-18 (NKJV)

“Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord!” Psalm 134:1 (NKJV)

The Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem never closed. There was no sign that hung in the window by the entrance with a little clock on it, the hands turned to a particular time with “Be back at ____ pm” scribbled on the bottom with a dry-erase marker.  No, the Temple was open day and night.  That meant that the Temple was fully staffed 24-7.  Because of the constant flow of ministry, the Levites who led the music were exempt from any other duty.

“These are the singers, heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites, who lodged in the chambers, and were free from other duties; for they were employed in that work day and night.” 1 Chronicles 9:33 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm, #134, was a shout-out to the Levites on the night shift.  Who knows if they were on a scheduled rotation or if the low-level guys had to work their way up to the day shift?  We just know that the worship music was more of a never-ending jam session.  Perhaps, some of the Levites dreaded the non-stop ministry pace. Most church staffers would.  But when the Babylonians destroyed the Temple, I bet they wished they had their old jobs back.  At least, it helps us to understand the depth of their great lament in Psalm 137 when the Levites who served in the temple hung their harps in the trees of Babylon because they no longer had a temple where they could serve.  

“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” Psalm 137:1-4 (NKJV)

Since this is a Psalm of Ascent, it also helps to set context for the pilgrim who arrived in Jerusalem at 3 am.  There was nothing that delayed his worship.  He didn’t have to search for a Motel 6 or wait for the banks to open so he could exchange his tithe for the requisite articles of worship.  He and his family could go straight to the Lord!

“Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.” Psalm 134:2 (NKJV)

Imagine a packed Temple courtyard, day and night, with nothing hindering the people’s outpouring of thanks and worship!

“The Lord who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion!”  Psalm 134:3 (NKJV)

Again, we have a reminder that not only were the people of Israel welcome, but the maker of heaven and earth desired for all nations to enter and worship!  (Isaiah 56:3-8)

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”  Psalm 133:1 (NKJV)

It is important to remember that Psalm 133 is a "Song of Ascents."  These songs were written (or at least utilized) to prepare a person’s heart for worship at the Temple (or Tabernacle in David’s day) in Jerusalem.  If you recall the narrative of King David’s life, how he was hunted by Saul and the army of Israel, it is easy to understand why David would find it important to remind the children of Israel to dwell in unity.  Once David became king, he went the “extra mile” to communicate that he was more interested in a peaceful nation than getting revenge on his enemies.  His psalm is akin to the war cry of the American revolutionary patriots, “United we stand, divided we fall!”  Jesus also preached this message of unity.

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 (NKJV)

Likewise, the apostles Paul and Peter exhorted the young church:

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Philippians 2:1-2 (NKJV)

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NKJV)

I love the image that David uses, anointing oil being poured on Aaron’s head, the first high priest of Israel.  David is communicating that the willingness to forgive and serve one another is akin to a priestly role of the highest degree!

“It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments.” Psalm 133:2 (NKJV)

Furthermore, if the Israelites would act in unity (united by God’s Word), then God would bless their land.  The image of blessing that David evokes is of the highest mountain in Israel, where the rainfall-runoff feeds the Jordan and waters the nation.

“It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing - life forevermore.”  Psalm 133:3 (NKJV)

If we humble ourselves to seek and obey God’s Word, we will serve one another and live in unity.  In turn, God will bless any nation whose citizens unite under His Lordship with miraculous blessings flowing down to His people!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 132. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever.” Psalm 131:1-3 (NKJV)

If you want to start a brawl in the women’s ministry, start asserting your opinions concerning the when’s, where’s, and extent of breastfeeding!  My wife breastfed all of our children, and we have heard about every opinion on the subject from every angle imaginable.  The reason I mention that is because David's use of the image of “weaning” brought to mind an experience my wife and I had at a restaurant many years ago.  Our oldest son was about five, and our daughter was a toddler.  A couple of moms were in conversation at the table next to ours, and our children were chatting with theirs.  But as the moms talked, one of the children, about my son’s age, kept interrupting and obsessively pawing at his mom.  Finally, mid-conversation, the mom snatched up her kindergarten-aged boy and started breastfeeding him.  My son glanced up at us and defined the moment with one whispered word: “Awkward.”

I share that story because it illustrates the exact point that David is making: the difference between a weaned and un-weaned child sitting next to their mothers. Before a child is weaned, the experience of feeding goes way beyond nutritional needs.  There is an essential personal emotional, and nurturing bond that naturally occurs through the process of breastfeeding.  But, by a certain age (which may vary for each child), what was once natural and nurturing becomes more akin to anxious and abnormal cravings that signal stalled maturity.  The apostle Paul and the writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews used the same imagery to describe similar dysfunctions in stalled discipleship maturity among followers of Jesus.

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (NKJV)

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.” Hebrews 5:12-13 (NKJV)

In Psalm 131, David is saying that he used to be haughty, with “lofty eyes,” but, like a weaned child, he had matured to a calm and quieted soul.  His faith had grown so that his worship was no longer self-focused.  Have you matured past seeking God for what He can do for you to the point where you ask how you can serve Him?

“Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.” Psalm 130:1-2 (NKJV)

Today we have another “song of ascents,” meant to be sung as the Jewish people were ascending to worship in Jerusalem, the “city on a hill.”  (Matthew 5:14-16)  So, picture the worshipper “ascending” to Jerusalem and crying to God from “out of the depths.”  What depths?  Specific to this psalmist, the depths of his personal sin!  Now, that is a message to which we can all relate because we each sin and must reconcile with the Holy God.  I am not speaking about being reconciled to Him for our eternal salvation; Jesus has reconciled us to God by His works, not ours.  No, I am talking about walking through life with the joy and peace of knowing there is not a reckoning awaiting us as the consequence for some ongoing sin that we are harboring, yet refusing to confront and surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

“If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” Psalm 130:3 (NKJV)

This is the great human conundrum.  How can sinful man commune with a holy God?  If God solely operates within His holy judgment, we are hopeless.

“But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.” Psalm 130:4 (NKJV)

God, knowing we are merely human (by virtue of His holiness), has provided a way of forgiveness for us.  And He made it easy by making only ONE way of salvation through which all men everywhere must be saved: Messiah Jesus.  (John 3:16; John 14:6; Acts 17:24-31; Acts 4:12)  ONE way, yet accessible to ANYONE who wants it.

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning - yes, more than those who watch for the morning.”  Psalm 130:5-6 (NKJV)

Since Messiah Jesus is eternal, we sometimes need reminding that He existed in eternity past, as well as the fact that He will exist in eternity-future.  (John 1:1-14; Micah 5:2; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6)  He is the source of salvation throughout History; before we knew Messiah Jesus as the Word-made-flesh or the Living Word, He existed as a member of the Trinity.  Today’s psalmist is expecting forgiveness and salvation as he journeys to Jerusalem.  How so?  Because of his faith in the Word of God and its promises to repentant sinners.  (Romans 10:17)  

“O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” Psalm 130:7-8 (NKJV)

The plea is for all men everywhere to repent, trust in the Living Word, and be saved!

"‘Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,’ let Israel now say – ‘Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me. The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long.’"Psalm 129:1-3 (NKJV)

“Yet they have not prevailed...”  We would prefer a more hopeful message, one that eliminated our enemies altogether.  At least, I would.  All believers must cope with the problem of pain and injustice.  We long for peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7), but we define such peace in terms of a total lack of spiritual opposition.  In reality, the peace that passes understanding is not the absence of conflict; it is the presence of peace in the midst of overwhelming conflict.  The apostle Paul tried to convey that exact message to the early church in Rome.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ [Messiah]? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39 (NKJV)

As the Jewish worshippers were approaching Jerusalem, they sang the words of this psalm, words based in both the reality of their suffering and the reality of their hope. “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4b) (NKJV)

We must remember that both our suffering and our tormentors are only for a season.  Every season comes to pass, which means they do not come to stay.

”The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked. Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back. Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up, with which the reaper does not fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves, his arms.” Psalm 129:4-7 (NKJV)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.”  Isaiah 40:7-8 (NKJV)

Those who curse God’s people will receive no blessing, no comfort.  For them, are reserved the words of Jesus: “Turn away!  I never knew you.”  (Matthew 7:21-23)

“Neither let those who pass by them say, ‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord!’” Psalm 129:8 (NKJV)

“I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3 (NKJV)

“Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.” Psalm 128:1 (NKJV)

We know there is a direct link between our blessing and our seeking God’s Word.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV)

Because blessing is so closely linked to God’s Word, we are safe to assume that walking in the counsel of the Bible is the same as “fearing the Lord” to the extent that we are obeying it (walking in His ways).

“When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.” Psalm 128:2 (NKJV)

When we live according to God’s Word, we do not solely apply it to our lives; the Bible becomes the center of our lives, the lens through which we view the world, and the filter that governs every conversation.  Even the labor of our hands (the fruit of our labor) brings us joy in the Lord because we are continuously reminded that it is God Who works on our behalf as we go about our daily tasks.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

A father who seeks the Lord imparts the Word to his family.  This is how God’s blessing radiates throughout the entire household.

“Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table.” Psalm 128:3 (NKJV)

Finally, we have the source of blessing, the Proverbs 31 wife: A marriage where both husband and wife are seeking the Lord.

“Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. The Lord bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!” Psalm 128:4-6 (NKJV)

Commandment 5: “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 5:16 (NKJV)

“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.” Psalm 127:1-2 (NKJV)

I remember the first time I heard the words of the bluesman, the Reverend Dan Smith, “Any man, if he knows how, can take a set of tools and build him a house.  But God has to build a home.” (“It Takes God To Build A Home,” Glasshouse Records 1992).  I was living in a grand old home myself, in midtown Memphis, a few blocks away from the old French Quarter hotel, when that song came floating down the hallway from a roommate’s stereo.  Smith was singing today’s psalm.  Written by King Solomon around the time of the Temple’s dedication, Psalm 127 begins by deflecting people’s attention from the architecture and focusing them on the “Architect,” the Lord.  Of course, Solomon had overseen the construction, and it would have been easy for him to attribute the Temple’s importance to his wisdom.

Solomon lets everyone know the security of the nation does not rest in its defense department but in its “Defender.”  Kind David had built-up the military, but peace does not rest in an overwhelming number of horses & chariots.  It rests in the “Prince of Peace,” Messiah Himself.  

Or, suppose you feel that your religious devotion will save you: “eating the bread of sorrows” is a reference to observing Passover, eating the unleavened matzo bread.  No, our holiness does not come from our devotion to God but in the God who is devoted to us…in that while we were yet sinners, He chose to give His life for us.  (Romans 5:8)

The “houses” of Israel (that need the Lord’s building) refer to the Temple, the nation, and the family.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.” Psalm 127:3-5 (NKJV)

I love the imagery of a “quiver” of children. Children are like arrows that we attach our values and shoot into the future.  If we build our homes by our own counsel, what kind of values do we shoot into the future? (Psalm 1:1-2) But if we diligently teach our children God’s Word, we not only fortify this generation, but we ensure the future welfare of our descendants, the Church, and our nation.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deut 6:6-7 (NKJV)

“When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream.  Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad.” Psalm 126:1-3 (NKJV)

Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?  Jeremiah had prophesied that the time of Israel and Judah’s captivity would be 70 years, and exactly 70 years later, King Cyrus decreed that the Jews could return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.

“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.  Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem.  And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God, which is in Jerusalem.  Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem.  And all those who were around them encouraged them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.” Ezra 1:2-6 (NKJV)

Upon first hearing Cyrus’ decree permitting their return to Jerusalem, the Jewish people who were inclined to return could not believe it!  It was like a dream, but then they laughed and eventually sang!  It is exactly how I would react if the Publisher’s Clearinghouse folks showed up at my front door with one of those huge golf tournament-sized checks!!  Disbelief turns to rejoicing!  Can you imagine singing this song as you were making your ascent to worship in Jerusalem, especially if, last year, you were a slave in Babylon?  Unbelievable, yet completely doable with God.  Even the Gentiles were amazed.  And that is our lesson, isn’t it?  NEVER GIVE UP ON GOD because He never gives up on you.  Notice how the psalmist moves from the rejoicing of the remnant to longing for revival among those who have yet to return.

“Bring back our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the South.” Psalm 126:4 (NKJV)

Oh, that such a spirit could grip the believers of our nation, a country so desperately in need of revival!  Let our songs of rejoicing be mixed with pleas for revival, so our countrymen could rejoice in salvation, as well.  Lord, let our friends and neighbors who sow tears today reap a harvest of joy by this time next year!

“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.  He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”  Psalm 126:5-6 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 125. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

‍

“‘If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,’ let Israel now say – ‘If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us; then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul; then the swollen waters would have gone over our soul.’” Psalm 124:1-5 (NKJV)

The Passover seder is an annual traditional Jewish meal where the ordered re-telling of the Passover story occurs over a special dinner.  During that meal, just after the Exodus plagues against Egypt have been recounted, comes a moment of reflection called “Dayenu” (pr: die-A-new).  Dayenu means, “It would have been enough for us.” The purpose of the Dayenu section is to reflect on how God delivers over and above what we could have imagined.  Traditionally, there are 15 Dayenu verses recounted.  After each verse, those gathered around the seder table would say, “Dayenu!” meaning, “It would have been enough!”

Five Stanzas of Leaving Slavery

1) If He had brought us out of Egypt.  (Dayenu!)

2) If He had executed justice upon the Egyptians.  (Dayenu!)

3) If He had executed justice upon their gods.  (Dayenu!)

4) If He had slain their firstborn.  (Dayenu!)

5) If He had given to us their health and wealth.  (Dayenu!)

Five Stanzas of Miracles

6) If He had split the sea for us.  (Dayenu!)

7) If He had led us through on dry land.  (Dayenu!)

8) If He had drowned our oppressors.  (Dayenu!)

9) If He had provided for our needs in the wilderness for 40 years.  (Dayenu!)

10) If He had fed us manna.  (Dayenu!)

Five Stanzas of Being With God

11) If He had given us Shabbat.  (Dayenu!)

12) If He had led us to Mount Sinai.  (Dayenu!)  

13) If He had given us the Torah.  (Dayenu!)

14) If He had brought us into the land of Israel.  (Dayenu!)

15) If He built the Temple for us.  (Dayenu!)

Christians could easily say, “Had Jesus paid our sin debt but not filled us with His Spirit, Dayenu!  Had He filled us with His Spirit but not given us the Fruit of the Spirit, Dayenu! Had He given us the Fruit of His Spirit but not prepared a place for us in heaven, Dayenu!” etc.  This is the same idea David conveys in Psalm 124: God has delivered His people, and it would have been enough, but He just keeps going!

“Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”  Psalm 124:6-8 (NKJV)

“Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.” Psalm 123:1 (KNJV)

Sunday mornings can be some of the most stressful times for Christian families.  At least it is for mine.  It never ceases to amaze me how we can awaken children five days in a row throughout the week, get them dressed, fed, and safely to school on time by 8 am without a hitch.  Yet it’s like WW III to get to church by 11 am on Sunday!  There can be no excuse other than spiritual warfare.

But a few blocks away from church, you spy the steeple peering out from the neighborhood trees or city billboards, and your heart begins to soften.  You pull into the parking lot and begin to see familiar faces, and you soften a little more.  Drop off the kids and walk with friends to a life group or the sanctuary, the music starts playing, and the burdens start dropping all around you.  Transcendence.  You are becoming aware that you are in the presence of the ever-present God.

I love how the psalmist, on his ascent to meet with the Lord in His temple, acknowledges that God does not live in the temple, per se.  He dwells in the heavens.  So, no matter where you wander (or are driven), just look up.  The God Who dwells in the heavens is with you, your ever-present help in time of need. (Psalm 46:1)

“Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us.” Psalm 123:2 (NKJV)

Perhaps, you have heard the phrase, “beckon call”?  That phrase has been modernized from its original “beck and call.”  Of course, we all know that a call is a verbal command, but the ancient word “beck” refers to a very slight motion of the hand, almost a secret signal.  The ultimate sign of discipline and respect would be when a ruler’s servants knew him so well that even the slightest twitch of the finger could fulfill his wishes without a word.  That is how intently we should seek the Lord and His Word daily so that we could rightly discern the times in which we live and how we should serve Him at any moment, recalling His Word stored in our hearts.  We should learn to love what He loves and disdain what He hates in the moment, sensing and knowing the Spirit’s desire without having to ask.  

“Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For, we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.” Psalm 123:3-4 (NKJV)

The “beck” of the Lord could signal either blessing or rebuke.  That is the concern of the psalmist, who is among the devout remnant in Israel.  Will the Lord’s rebuke of the national downward moral trend (toward idolatry) produce collateral damage to those who have repented? God presides over and preserves His faithful children, but His desire (thus, ours should be) is for all to repent. (2 Peter 3:9)

“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” Psalm 122:1 (NKJV)

It may surprise you, but my favorite place to worship and study the Bible (and write these Bible devotionals) is not in church.  I prefer somewhere more comfortable, like a coffeehouse.  When I share that with people, they often ask how I can focus in a coffeehouse with all the people talking, the beans grinding, and the espresso machines hissing away.  But you see, I have four children, so I can tune out anything and focus on the voice of the Spirit!  That being said, there are times when the best place to worship is in the assembly of other believers at church.  Nothing compares to the experience of being in a room packed full of Christians, all of us praising and seeking the Lord together.  That is precisely what David is communicating.  It is not as if David could not write psalms and pray anywhere else.  But when the people of God congregate, something transcendent happens, and we get a glimpse of heaven.  That is what the New Testament writer of Hebrews was trying to communicate.

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NKJV)

“Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For thrones are set there for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.”  Psalm 122:2-5 (NKJV)

The “Testimony of Israel” (aka: “tabernacle of witness”) is another name for the tabernacle, the portable tent of worship that traveled wherever the Lord led the Israelites.  It is the Testimony because, from there, God spoke to Moses, Joshua, and the religious leaders, and they all bore witness of His Word.  The Menorah, altars, and Ark of the Covenant were also there.  It stood as a physical witness of God’s presence that the people could look upon and be strengthened in their faith, remembering that the Lord had chosen to be among them, articulate how they could serve and please Him, and be assured that He would deliver them.  (See also: Acts 7:44-50; Exodus 38:21; Numbers 1:50; 17:7-8)

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.’ For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.’ Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.” Psalm 122:6-9 (NKJV)

As one ascended to worship the Lord in Jerusalem (after all, this is a song of Ascents), they were reminded that their peace (and the peace of the nation) would only be found in meeting with the Lord, as He instructed, in the place of His choice.

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills - from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”  Psalm 121:1-4 (NKJV)

A while back, I got a rather frantic call from my wife, “Stephen, the refrigerator is broken; it is defrosting and leaking all over the kitchen floor!”  Of course, I rushed home, but upon further inspection, I discovered the unit was cooling properly.  The source of the running water was a faulty water filter for the icemaker we had recently replaced.  In order to save money, we decided to buy an off-brand filter instead of the manufacturer’s filter.  Now, we had a pool of water on the floor.  Lesson learned!  

Israel had abandoned her “manufacturer,” the God of all creation.  The writer of Psalm 121, who warned against aftermarket gods, was very concerned.  We must remember that this is a “song of ascent.” And as the worshipper was making his journey to Jerusalem, he looked at the hills to the right and left of the road and spied the pagan shrines way up high.  Many of his countrymen had compromised their beliefs and stopped short of God’s standard, choosing to sort of worship God but to do so through pagan ways.  Folks, compromised worship is never true worship!  No, the Jesus follower on his pilgrimage was to be reminded that his help comes not from a man-made religion propped atop a high place but from the One Who is above all creation, the Maker of heaven and earth.  God neither sleeps nor loses focus on us.  He remains ever watchful, even as we are journeying through difficult circumstances.

“The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right and. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.”  Psalm 121:5-6 (NKJV)

Having personally made that shade-less journey from the Judean desert up to Jerusalem, with the fierce hot sun beating down upon me, I can attest to how the average person could be convinced to cut short their trip before reaching their destination.  A cool drink of water and the empty promises of pagan worship (to minister to the parched and tired flesh) would seem very enticing in that noonday sun when temperatures soar well over 100 degrees.  Or, what if you departed later in the day to avoid the heat, but the moon was not full so that you may lose your way? The pilgrim was to remember that God is our shade and our keeper, day and night.

“The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.  The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” Psalm 121:7-8  (NKJV)

Consider Jesus’ prayer over us: “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” John 17:15 (NKJV)

“In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given to you, or what shall be done to you, you false tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior, with coals of the broom tree! Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! My soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.” Psalm 120:1-7 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm begins a collection of 15 psalms known as the “Songs of Ascent.”  These are psalms the Jewish people sang on their journey to worship in Jerusalem, the “city on a hill.” There were three times/year that God commanded all Jewish men to “go up” (ascend) and worship Him in Jerusalem: Passover, Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Festival of Booths).  These songs would be the soundtrack to their pilgrimage.  Most of them cover a familiar pattern of conflict, reflection on God, and worship.  In that sense, we can relate to these songs because they convey the same process of reflection we go through whenever we go to church with our issues.  And we WILL have conflict in this life. Jesus promised as much.  

“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.’” John 15:20 (NKJV)

The Songs of Ascent help us remember that the peace that “passes understanding” is not the absence of conflict but the presence of peace in the midst of conflict.

“Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:5-7 (NKJV)

I heard one pastor say that Jesus did not come to get us out of trouble as much as He came to get into trouble with us!  As we “go up” to worship, it is important that our petitions for justice (concerning unjust treatment from people who oppose Christ in us) must be measured with the understanding that Jesus, our Advocate (1 John 2:1), also prays for us.  And even though we cannot see Him, He has promised never to leave or forsake us. (Psalm 23; Hebrews 13:5)

“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” John 17:15 (NKJV)

So, while we are called by grace to be His witnesses to the lost and dying, His grace involves both our serving and suffering.  Still, He is presently with us, in the midst of our suffering, the Guarantor of our victory in what He has called us to accomplish in His Name, for His glory and by the power of His Spirit!  And there is peace in that.

“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord!  Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart! They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways. You have commanded us to keep Your precepts diligently.” Psalm 119:1-4 (NKJV)

Since entire books have been written about Psalm 119, it would be impossible to offer an exhaustive commentary within the confines of this daily devotional format.  So, here’s our takeaway.  Psalm 119 used the Hebrew alphabet to teach a lesson on the utmost centrality of God’s Word to righteous living while using the message of the importance of God’s Word in order to teach the alphabet!  In that sense, the truths of God’s Word are truly shallow enough for children to wade in, yet deeper than any theologian could fathom!  We are left with the knowledge that blessing and joy are inseparable from our diligent pursuit of godliness, as detailed in the Bible.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2 (NKJV)

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

Here we find a partnership between our pursuit of God’s Word and His revelation to us; our returning and His responding.  (Zechariah 1:3; Lamentations 5:21)

“Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.  Establish Your word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You. Turn away my reproach which I dread, for Your judgments are good. Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me in Your righteousness. Psalm 119:33-40 (NKJV)

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments. I am afflicted very much; revive me, O Lord, according to Your word. Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me Your judgments. My life is continually in my hand, yet I do not forget Your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I have not strayed from Your precepts. Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever, to the very end.” Psalm 119:105-112 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 118. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

‍

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 117:1-2 (NKJV)

You have probably heard of the literary term “oxymoron.”  An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.  For instance, “Jumbo Shrimp.”  How can something be jumbo and shrimpy at the same time?  How about “deafening silence”?  How can something silent be deafening?  Or, “atom bomb”?  Can something with the smallest physical component create the largest explosion?  Describing today’s Psalm involves a bit of an oxymoron.  Psalm 117 is atomic in size.  In two short verses (the smallest chapter in the Bible) yet, it communicates a mushroom cloud of theology!  Its message: Gentiles should praise the Lord because His kindness and His Word (truth) endure forever.  In short, Gentiles can have a relationship with the Lord, too!

Somehow, throughout the generations, that message has gotten lost on the Jewish community.  The understanding of God’s covenant promises among most religious Jewish people does not leave much room for His blessing of the Gentiles.  Perhaps, some rabbis may concede that after the flood of Noah, God made general promises to all mankind, but they hold to the belief that the Jewish soul has the unique capacity to know God personally.  They reject the idea that Gentiles could enter into the same relationship with the Lord.  That idea of nationalism and racism permeated Jewish culture, even in the days of the Apostle Paul.  Paul declared that his former zealousness for Judaism had kept him from seeing the “mystery” of the Scripture, namely, Messiah’s true mission, and that Gentiles could receive eternal salvation along with Jews who received Messiah Jesus as Lord.

“ I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.” Colossians 1:24-29 (NKJV)

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’” Romans 11:25-27 (NKJV)

“O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 116:16-19 (NKJV)

Years ago, USA Today published an article about how eating oatmeal dropped cholesterol levels. Oatmeal sales skyrocketed.  Isn’t it amazing how people will scramble to the stores to buy-up products that may add a few years to their lives, yet they do not rush to find a Christian who could share the way of ETERNAL life?  Any follower of Jesus can find today’s psalm relatable, for it is a “Thanksgiving For Deliverance From Death.”  Truly, thanksgiving is what every believer should exclaim when we remember how we were dead in our transgressions (Ephesians 2:1-10). Yet, we have received eternal life through Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross!  

The writer responsible for Psalm 116 is not ashamed of his prior near-death state.  But, even if he was, he is more concerned with telling everyone at church about how God has healed him.  We should take that same perspective concerning being honest about our spiritual transformation.  We should neither glorify nor be ashamed of our past; we should boast in the Lord’s work!  Furthermore, we should not be afraid to call others to make a public profession of their faith.  We are not trying to embarrass people for their past.  We are giving them an opportunity to thank and praise Jesus for salvation in the midst of the assembly of believers.  If we will not make our confession in a room full of believers who love us, we probably will not make a stand for Him out in the world where people are hostile to Him.

“Therefore, whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33 (NKJV)

Jesus did not consider the gospel invitation as shaming.  He used it as an opportunity to glorify His power to transform!

“Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, ‘Who touched Me?’ When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, ‘Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, “Who touched Me?”’ But Jesus said, ‘Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.’  Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, ‘Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.’” Luke 8:43-48 (NKJV)

“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth. Why should the Gentiles say, ‘So where is their God?’ But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; noses they have, but they do not smell; they have hands, but they do not handle; feet they have, but they do not walk; nor do they mutter through their throat. Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.” Psalm 115:1-8 (NKJV)

Whenever I teach a songwriting session at a worship conference, I begin by drawing a skeleton on the whiteboard, the type of skeleton that hangs on a steel stand as you find in a medical school.  I ask my students if any medical student believes a skeleton is an actual person.  Of course, they all say no.  Then I ask if we took surplus human organs, muscles, skin, and hair and affixed them properly to the skeleton so that it was equipped and looked like a person, would it then become a person?  Again, no.  That’s because a person isn’t a person without a soul.  Neither is a hit song a collection of words and ideas.  It must have “soul”.  Man can fashion a very convincing idol, but it will never be a real god.  As long as it depends on you, it can never save you.  The apostle Paul articulated this very idea at Mars Hill.

“Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, ‘Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.  Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.  And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, “For we are also His offspring.” Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.’” Acts 17:22-31 (NKJV)

Many people at Mars Hill laughed when Paul spoke of the resurrection.  But the psalmist of Psalm 115 addressed it as well.  

“The dead do not praise the Lord, nor any who go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 115:17-18 (NKJV)  (see also: Luke 20:37-38)

“When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became His sanctuary, and Israel His dominion. The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you fled? O Jordan, that you turned back? O mountains, that you skipped like rams? O little hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters.” Psalm 114:1-8 (NKJV)

When we think of a sanctuary, we typically think of a church.  So, what is interesting about the psalmist’s statement today (that Judah became God’s sanctuary) is that the priests came from the tribe of Levi.  The Levites were in charge of all the articles of worship, both in the desert tabernacle and later the Jerusalem temple.  We would naturally assume that Levi became God’s sanctuary, so why Judah?

Sanctuary does not always refer to religious practice.  It can denote a safe place. For instance, when a person runs into a certain city, a church, or a foreign embassy to claim “sanctuary,” they are not necessarily claiming a religious right; they are claiming that they are endangered and have fled to safety.  With respect to today’s psalm, Levi would be the tribe to whom the Lord would make His presence known in religious matters, but Judah is the tribe He chose to carry the Messianic line.  And the psalmist tells us today that God began to establish that choice at the Passover when Israel left Egypt.  Jacob had prophesied concerning the matter in his last words, recorded in Genesis 49, 400 years before the Exodus.

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” Genesis 49:10 (NKJV)

We are safe, then, to assume that the central subject of Psalm 114 is Messiah.  While Messiah Jesus is fully God and fully man, the human line (through whom Messiah would be born) was preserved through Judah.  But the presence of natural signs and wonders (earthquakes, seas, and rivers parting and water gushing from rocks) testify that while the humanity of Messiah was preserved through Judah, the eternal deity of Messiah was present with Israel in the wilderness, as well.

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ [Messiah]. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.” 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 (NKJV)

Just as Israel in the wilderness had a faith choice to make, that Messiah was in their midst, we must also choose to believe in Him as we wander the wilderness of our generation.  God still beckons us to “Come out” of this world and believe in Jesus!

“Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its going down the Lord’s name is to be praised.” Psalm 113:1-3 (NKJV)

Today’s psalmist (author unknown) exhorts us to praise the Lord’s name “from the rising of the sun to its going down.”  Where else have we seen that “all day, every day” approach to worship?

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

So, we have a direct connection between seeking God’s Word, meditating on and conversing about it, and praising Him continually.  Because we live in the world, we are attuned to its powers and authorities within our culture, the powers and authorities that oppress us.  Only the Bible tells us how we can transcend this world and attach ourselves, not only to something bigger than us but to one true God, the One who is high above the nations yet graciously and mercifully desires to commune with mankind.

“The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and in the earth?” Psalm 113:4-6 (NKJV)

And exactly how do we benefit from His grace?  The Bible says we are co-inheritors with Messiah (Romans 8:17) and that we will rule and reign with Him (Revelation 5:10)

“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." 2 Timothy 2:11-13 (NKJV)

Unlike the World, God neither prefers nor promotes the proud self-seeker.  He chooses those who humbly reach out to Him and who realize they are spiritually poor, needy, and barren.  

“He raises the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the ash heap, that He may seat him with princes - with the princes of His people. He grants the barren woman a home, like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 113:7-9 (NKJV)

Now, that is something to praise the Lord about!

“Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed.” Psalm 112:1-2 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm, the “Blessed State of the Righteous,” takes no time pointing out the relationship between blessedness and delighting in God’s Word.  We are immediately reminded of the message that began the Book of Psalms.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2 (NKJV)

If we delight in God’s Word, we will seek its counsel every day and allow its instruction to preside over our thoughts and actions throughout the day.  In fact, that was God’s direction when He gave the Commandments to Israel.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

If we have a culture that stresses we know the Bible and teaches it “diligently to our children,” then we better understand Commandment #5.  Commandment #5 presumes that the Israelite parents would live in obedience to God’s Word.

“Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 5:16 (NKJV)

We honor our “father and mother” (those who taught us God’s Word) when we demonstrate that we have received their values by delighting in the Bible, as well.  Our culture of faith is to be passed down to our children throughout the generations, in addition to affecting our present generation of unbelievers for the gospel.

“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:18-27 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 111. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

‍

“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power; in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. The Lord has sworn and will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’ The Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries. He shall drink of the brook by the wayside; therefore He shall lift up the head.”  Psalm 110:1-7 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is an “Announcement of the Messiah’s Reign,” and it prompts us to ask a few questions.  1) If Messiah is eternal and has existed from eternity past (Micah 5:2; Revelation 13:8), why did He wait so long (after Adam and Eve sinned) before coming to earth and redeeming mankind? 2) If Jesus has conquered sin and death, why is He sitting at the right hand of God, waiting for Him to make Jesus’ enemies His footstool?  The simple answer is that God, in His wisdom, has ordained a timing by which history’s events are to unfold.  And His timing will not be hastened or shortened even one second before or after He has ordained things to take place.  There is no panic in heaven, only planning.  We should praise the Lord for that, because within the window of His timing, we have been given the opportunity to put our faith and trust in Jesus for salvation!

“The Lord is not slow [slack] concerning His promise, as some count slowness [slackness], but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)

The idea of waiting on the Lord is intimately related to our trusting in Him because it communicates that we do not need to see the results of His faithfulness in order to validate our faith in Him.  We simply must trust that if He said it, then it will certainly come to pass.  And that should be enough for us.  It is also why His Word (the Bible) is essential to our faithfulness.  In the Bible, we are reminded over and over about His past faithfulness.  If we are to consistently live by faith, we cannot do so without that daily reminder in His Word.  (Romans 10:17)  Another concept to consider is when God leads with His strength, we are encouraged to volunteer.

“Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the Lord!” Judges 5:1-2 (NKJV)

Finally, we are introduced to the Old Testament idea of Messiah as High Priest, not according to the Levitical Priesthood, but in the order of Melchizedek.  (Genesis 14:18-20; Hebrews 5:7-9) Again, some things in the Bible may seem obscure in the moment, yet they unfold in God’s timing to reveal His wisdom and perfect plan.

“But You, O GOD the Lord, deal with me for Your name’s sake; because Your mercy is good, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust. My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness. I also have become a reproach to them; when they look at me, they shake their heads. Help me, O Lord my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy, that they may know that this is Your hand - that You, Lord, have done it! Let them curse, but You bless; when they arise, let them be ashamed, but let Your servant rejoice. Let my accusers be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle. I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yes, I will praise Him among the multitude. For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those who condemn him.” Psalm 109:21-31 (NKJV)

I suppose we could focus today on the unjust treatment that David received from close friends and whether he was justified to ask God to judge them, even to the point of striking their wives and children and blotting out their names.  But when I read David’s psalm today, it immediately reminded me of the suffering of the “Son of David,” Messiah Jesus.  In Psalm 22, David even prophesied the events surrounding Jesus’ beating and crucifixion, along with His mistreatment and mocking.  There was Jesus, perfect and sinless, yet suffering unto death.  Meanwhile, the patriarchs (no doubt honorable men, yet sinners) were delivered from death’s grip.

“Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!’” Psalm 22:4-8 (NKJV)

David’s desire was not only that he would be delivered but that his enemies would attribute his deliverance to none other than the Lord.  The effect would be that his enemies would acknowledge that David’s faith in the Lord was not in vain.  It was not his life that was on the line, as much as it was his faith.

If we learned anything from Job’s suffering, it is that Faith is not Fact until it is tested.  It is one thing to declare our faith in God but a whole other thing to live it out!  David’s song ends with a declaration of faith in the midst of suffering.  As David was being tested, he was being humbled.  He recognized that his strength and wits were not enough to deliver himself.  Realizing his poverty of saving resources, David cried out to the One Who shows Himself strong despite our weakness.  (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (NKJV)

“O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.  Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples, and I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your mercy is great above the heavens, and Your truth reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and Your glory above all the earth; that Your beloved may be delivered, save with Your right hand, and hear me.”  Psalm 108:1-6 (NKJV)

I have traveled to Israel about a dozen times, and I always consider it a blessing to walk where Jesus walked, to wander the length and breadth of the Promised Land, as Abraham did.  I love to help other people understand the significance of the Biblical events that took place at the various tour stops, and I really enjoy leading people in worship songs that help prepare their hearts to receive the message from God’s Word.  

You may find it hard to believe, but my favorite place in Israel is not Jerusalem.  My favorite place is the Sea of Galilee.  The first time I went to Israel was during a season of great personal struggle and life transition, as I had just left the music business.  I was touring with college students, and we were encouraged by the tour leader to wake up before sunrise and seek the Lord on the banks of the Galilee, where Jesus taught and called several of His disciples (Luke 5).  When I opened my Bible, my chapter for the day was Psalm 57.  I was seeking the Lord as to what I should do with my life: continue in music or pursue a whole other career.  Here is an excerpt from that chapter.

“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise. Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth.”  Psalm 57:7-11 (NKJV)

A year later, I sat at the exact same spot on the shore of the Galilee, praying. As the sun rose, I opened my Bible to that day’s chapter, Psalm 108.  And what was God’s message to me a year later?  The EXACT SAME MESSAGE as a year before!  Random?  Hardly!

But what was God trying to say?  That I should keep pursuing music?  Perhaps, but that is not the purpose of the psalm.  The purpose of the psalm was not to direct David’s career choices but rather to direct his life’s posture.  The fact that he sang is almost arbitrary to the message of his song: God, our only help, can be trusted!

“Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies.” Psalm 108:10-13 (NKJV)

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for a dwelling place. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:1-9 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm begins with an exhortation for the redeemed of Israel, those who had returned from Babylonian and Assyrian exile, to give thanks for the Lord.  Why the redeemed but not ALL of Israel?  Because the redeemed had experienced God’s Word fulfilled (Jeremiah 29:11), so they should have been exceedingly thankful.

“And Jesus answered and said to him (a Pharisee whom Jesus was visiting), ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’  So he said, ‘Teacher, say it.’ ‘There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered and said, ‘I suppose the one whom he forgave more.’ And He said to him, ‘You have rightly judged.’  Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.’” Luke 7:40-47 (NKJV)

Why had the redeemed received God’s promise fulfilled while other Israelites had not?  Because they cried out to the Lord, the Good Shepherd, in their trouble. (v. 6)

“But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.  I and My Father are one.”  John 10:26-30 (NKJV)

The redeemed were those who cried out to the Lord because they hungered and thirsted for Him. (v. 5; 9)

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”  Matthew 5:6 (KNJV)

“Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles, to give thanks to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ Praise the Lord!” Psalm 106:47-48 (NKJV)

In a message akin to Psalm 105, today’s psalm is a call to joy by remembering God’s forgiveness for Israel’s past sins.  Modern New Testament Christians who do not read the Bible (or at least the Old Testament) often have a false assumption that God in the Old Testament was always angry.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  When we read the Old Testament, we learn that God is mostly gracious, kind, forgiving, patient, and longsuffering with His people.  He sends prophets to people who kill them, Israelites killing Israelites who bear God’s Word! He causes signs and wonders in order to capture the attention of His people, who disregard, rationalize, or forget them.  And on and on…

Today’s psalmist, obviously writing shortly after God’s people returned from Babylonian and Assyrian captivity, is praying for complete deliverance of God’s people from among the nations.  How can he be so bold as to expect that God will hear and answer such a presumptuous prayer?  Because the psalmist knows the Bible!  He knows that, just as God is true to His Word concerning rebuke, He is also true to His Word concerning forgiveness that leads to restoration!  That is how our faith grows when we pursue the Bible every day.

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

Regardless of what you are going through or the circumstance that led you to hardship (for not all personal hardship is a result of our personal sin), rest assured that you can trust in the Lord!  Circumstances that Satan uses as a means of temptation, God uses as a means of testing, to invite you to employ fortifying faith.  Where there are trials, there is always a means of faithful escape!

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)

Note that if God’s people act like Gentiles (pagan idolaters), He treats them like Gentiles, literally expelling them to Gentile kingdoms.  But when they choose to return to Him in their hearts, He restores them to their land.  Furthermore, when Gentiles leave their pagan ways and choose to follow the Lord, He “grafts them in” to His covenant people. (See also: Ruth, Naaman, Tamar, Rahab, etc.) Have you chosen to turn from your old ways in order to follow Jesus, Who has chosen to offer forgiveness and salvation to you?  He will never cast you out!  (John 6:37)

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, O seed of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones!”  Psalm 105:1-6 (NKJV)

Do you remember the moment when the switch flipped?  That moment when you stepped across the “line of faith” when you first believed and said, “Jesus is Lord!”  I bet you did not decide to believe out of the blue.  You probably didn’t open the window on a spring day and say, “I’m going to become a Christian today!”  No. Someone shared the gospel with you.  It may have been a friend, a co-worker, a gospel track, a pastor, or some song or movie…but you believe because someone cared enough to present the gospel.  And that is our purpose in life, to know God and make Him known by retelling our great deliverance and how it is consistent with how God has ALWAYS delivered His people throughout history.  That is, we share our testimony through His Word.  How else will people believe on and follow Jesus?

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report?’ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:14-17 (NKJV)

The way the community of believers (the Church) continues throughout the generations has little-to-nothing to do with our ability to remain contemporary or socially relevant.  It has EVERYTHING to do with our willingness to pursue the Bible, live according to it, and share its message with everyone we meet.  That is precisely the point of the psalmist and the apostle Paul, who wrote the New Testament book of Romans.  We do not simply need good communicators.  We need communicators who comprehensively know God’s Word and accurately convey it so that others can also know it.  How else will this faithless generation, the one in which we now live, obtain the faith to endure these present times?  We must place our hope in the Lord, Who brings out His children with gladness!  We must trust our unknown futures to the God, Who can only be known through the Holy Spirit’s illumination of Scripture, as we recall how He has been trustworthy from eternity-past up until now.  He, whose trustworthy Character never changes!

“For He remembered His holy promise, and Abraham His servant. He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness. He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, and they inherited the labor of the nations, that they might observe His statutes and keep His laws. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 105:42-45 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 104. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

‍

“The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”  Psalm 103:6-14 (NKJV)

The thing that separates the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from all other (false) religions is the reality that He is merciful. Yes, the Koran says that Allah is merciful, but mercy is not a trait we have come to expect from Islam.  The way they treat women and minorities testifies otherwise. When natural disasters occur, the overwhelming compassionate aid comes from the Christian community, which does not discriminate between faiths with respect to humanitarian efforts.  That is because God is merciful.  Because we have received mercy and grace from Him, we extend it to others.

With respect to other Eastern religions (Buddhism, Hinduism), Karma states that you ultimately get what your sin deserves.  Mercy says that you do not get what your sin deserves, to the extent that you should have gotten it!  You see, God created us, and He REMEMBERS that we are dust that He breathed life into.

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.”  Genesis 2:7 (NKJV)

Not only does God know we are incapable of living sinless lives, but He has chosen to redeem us, Himself.  Our salvation was His plan, even before creation.  (Micah 5:2; Revelation 13:8; 1 Peter 1:20)

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah [Christ] died for us.”  Romans 5:8 (NKJV)

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.” Hosea 13:14 (NKJV)

So, if the Lord bestows mercy and redeems, how is it that He can also execute righteousness and justice?  Don’t those concepts contradict each other?  Absolutely not!  Enter: Jesus.  Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and shortcomings. He purchased redemption for us on the cross and rose from the grave!  And He is alive today, offering salvation (grace and mercy) to whoever will turn from their sin, believes He is Lord, and receive it. (John 3:16)

“This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord. For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven the Lord viewed the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, to release those appointed to death, to declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, when the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord. He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days. I said, ‘O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all generations. Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; yes, they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end. The children of Your servants will continue, and their descendants will be established before You.’” Psalm 102:18-28 (NKJV)

The older I get, the less I care about establishing a name for myself.  It is not that I do not want to leave a legacy, but the legacy I want to leave has more to do with preparing the next generation to live for the Lord than with enshrining my accomplishments.  After all, if we can do all things through Messiah, who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13), the emphasis should be less on all the things we do and more on Messiah, who enables the doing!  The writer of Psalm 102 is afflicted and unsure about his personal future.  But at the halfway point of the psalm, we learn his concern has to do with his anxiety over the next generation.  Will he be allowed to live so he can assure the next generation carries on faithfully?  Will the kingdom be lost if he dies? It’s a legitimate concern rooted in Israel’s history.

“When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.” Judges 2:10 (NKJV)

“Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.”  1 Samuel 3:1 (NKJV)

We await the day when all men, everywhere, will seek God’s Word and live by it!

“For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: ‘Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah - not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.’” Hebrews 8:7-11 (NKJV) (see also Jeremiah 31:34)

“I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises. I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; the one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure. My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.  Psalm 101:1-8 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is a promise of faithfulness to the Lord, with David declaring a series of “I wills and I will nots.”  We all desire to be faithful, so we can relate to David here.  We relate to both his desire to set goals for personal righteousness and his inability to maintain a sinless life!  It is one thing to say, “A perverse heart shall depart from me,” but a whole other thing to keep oneself from perversion.  Sin has consequences.  

“So David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.’”  2 Samuel 12:13-14 (NKJV)

We see similar declarations (and failures) in the New Testament.

“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.’ But he said to Him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.’ Then He said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.’” Luke 22:31-34 (NKJV)

So, were the Bible “heroes of the faith” actually hypocrites?  No.  They were humans.  All Christians are recruited from the human race, which means that while we desire to remain sinless, the best we can hope for is to sin less and less. Perhaps, that is why David begins his declaration with this idea, “I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises.”  If God is fully just, He will not allow anything (or anyone) sinful to stand in His presence.  But because God is also merciful and Jesus prays on our behalf while Satan demands justice be served against us, we have something to sing about!  We can commit to following God with our whole selves because we know that, on the occasion we sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  His mercy may bear the sting of rebuke, but it is intended to remind us to never stray into the path of His justice.  After all, that is the job of Messiah on our behalf.  (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:8-9)

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 100:1-5 (NKJV)

Again, the psalmist exhorts the nations (“all you lands”) to serve the Lord.  He does not take a punitive tone, as if to say the Gentiles will get what they deserve when the Lord judges them for their pagan idolatry. Instead, he extends the grace of God to the nations on the condition that they will repent and serve the Lord.  Notice that the “lands” are not called to serve the Lord begrudgingly.  They are to serve Him with gladness.  They are not commanded to shrink back in fear but called to draw near to His presence with singing.  This kind of grace, extended to the Gentiles in Scripture, was lost on the Jewish culture for many generations.  Who knows if they ever embraced it?  It was even a mystery to zealous religious Jews like a young rabbi named Saul, whom we know as the apostle Paul.

“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of (Messiah)  Christ Jesus for you Gentiles - if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of (Messiah) Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in (Messiah) Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.” Ephesians 3:1-7 (NKJV)

A great benefit of being a follower of Jesus is that He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is unavailable to non-believers.  That is why rabbi Saul (Paul) could be well versed in the Biblical text before he was converted, yet unaware of the context to the extent that he believed he was doing God’s will by persecuting Christians!  But once Paul was saved and filled with the Spirit, he finally understood the Word from God’s perspective.  Thus, he reversed his zeal from persecuting Christians to preaching the gospel, even to GENTILES! When we ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of God’s Word, He reveals the deep mysteries of God.

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever, because, ‘All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.’ Now this is the Word which by the gospel was preached to you.” 1 Peter 1:22-25 (NKJV)

“The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; let the earth be moved! The Lord is great in Zion, and He is high above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name - He is holy.” Psalm 99:1-3 (NKJV)

There is only ONE true God, the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Furthermore, since He created the whole world, YHVH (Yahweh) is Lord over all creation.  That means that all men, everywhere, are accountable to Him.  Even those who do not believe in Him must someday answer to Him.  (Acts 17:30)

Today’s psalm begins with the holiness of God, who is high above the peoples and makes the nations tremble.  We should tremble when we first encounter the God of all creation and when we learn that we fall short of His perfect standard.

“For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God….” Romans 3:22b-23 (NKJV)

“For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: there is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.” Romans 3:9b-12 (NKJV)

But we should not tremble forever because, while the bad news (our sinfulness) is very bad, it causes us to appreciate the good news!

“Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” Acts 28:28 (NKJV)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV)

Whether you are Jew or Gentile, or a great religious leader like Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, you are still a sinner in need of God’s grace and mercy.  Nobody is so good that they don’t need salvation.  But even though you may have committed great sins, nobody is so bad that they cannot receive salvation! God’s holiness (in His Word, the Bible) exposes our sin.  But Messiah Jesus has atoned for it on our behalf!

“For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13 (NKJV)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (NKJV)

“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!  For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” Psalm 98:1-3 (NKJV)

My father has excellent credit.  It is one of his most treasured accomplishments.  His credit is so good that (until recent banking regulations) he would borrow money, yet he never filled out a loan application.  It's true!  When I was a boy, my father bought cars with a personal check written for an amount he did not have in his personal account.  In the memo line of the check, he would write the bank manager's name; when the bank received the check, the manager would extend the money to my father’s account on a 90-day note.  Dad could write checks in faith that the bank would loan him the money and the bank would extend the money, knowing he would repay them within 90 days.  And he always did.  Trust is character over time.  When someone (in Dad’s case, both parties) displays character over time, trust is built.  And trust is maintained, proportional to one’s efforts to remain of trustworthy character.

God can be trusted!  His unchanging character is chronicled throughout the Bible.  That is why the Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)  When we read about God’s faithfulness and eternal, unchanging holy character, our faith in Him grows. Spending time in the Bible, we learn to trust Him more and more.  We have faith in God because He is trustworthy.

But what of us?  Are we trustworthy?  We want to have faith in God, and intellectually, we can agree that there is irrefutable evidence in the Bible that He is worthy of our trust.  But then comes the moment of truth: will we place our faith in Him?  Let me encourage you: there is nothing better you can do with your life than to trust an unknown future to the known God!  We say we trust God, and He graciously says, “Prove it!”  He tests our testimony.

FAITH is not FACT until it is tested.  The convincing evidence of “things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1) is that our hopes are realized to the full extent that we understand and trust God’s Word.  Our faith is strengthened, directly proportional to our willingness to hold on to the end, to the point where we experience His completion of the faithful thing He has called and equipped us to accomplish.

Today’s psalm is an encouragement to hold on to the end!  Only then can the OLD song, “Will we make it if we trust the Lord in the thing He has called us to?” be replaced with the NEW hit, “I can do all things through Messiah, Who strengthens me!” (Philippians 4:13)  When we live faithfully, it encourages others to trust the Lord, as well; and that encouragement extends to all the nations!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 97. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.” Psalm 96:1-3 (NKJV)

Perhaps, the most requested song in live music settings is Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.”  Who hasn’t been at a concert and someone (jokingly) yelled out, “Free Bird!”?  It may surprise you that Free Bird wasn’t an instant hit.  A friend of mine attended a Skynyrd concert in 1972 when the band announced they were about to play a song to be released on their upcoming album.  When the 10-minute Free Bird ended, my friend said he and his friends just looked at each other, wondering whether they liked it.  “We came to the show to hear what we already knew,” he shared, “but the next year, when we saw Skynyrd, we got excited when the Free Bird intro started.”  

As a worship leader whose job is always to teach new songs to a congregation, I have observed that people typically do not welcome change.  But new songs do not become classics unless people open their hearts and give them a chance.  Today’s psalm begins with a call for all the nations to hear a new song: The God of Israel is the God of the WHOLE EARTH, and He loves Gentiles!

“For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.” Psalm 96:4-5 (NKJV)

Not only does He love Gentiles, but He alone is worthy of praise!

“Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples, give to the Lord glory and strength. Give to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns; the world also is firmly established, it shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously.’”  Psalm 96:7-10 (NKJV)

Since He is the ONLY God, only He can bestow salvation and judge righteously!

“Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.” Psalm 96:11-13 (NKJV)

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: ‘Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, when your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they saw My work. For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, “It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.” So I swore in My wrath, “they shall not enter My rest.”’” Psalm 95:6-11 (NKJV)

When semi-retired artist manager Shep Gordon married a raw food chef three days before his 60th birthday, he arranged to have his honeymoon on an extremely exclusive resort on a tiny, remote island in Hawaii that usually plays host to just one or two couples. When Gordon’s wife’s laptop computer broke, he called the front desk for assistance.  The hotel clerk said the vacationer on the other side of the island may be able to lend assistance.  When the “repairman” showed up several minutes later, it was Steve Jobs, owner of Apple Computers.  The owner of Apple was kind enough to personally fix his company’s product on his vacation.

Today’s psalm states that God is not a disinterested manufacturer.  Quite the contrary, He is personally involved with us because He loves us, and we bear His brand.  He is both manufacturer and repairman, Creator and Shepherd.  In a world full of so-called “shepherds” (Jeremiah 23:1-3), whose interest in the sheep extends only as far as their supply of wool and mutton, we (the sheep of His hand) delight in the Good Shepherd, and our ears are tuned to hear His voice.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29 (NKJV)

Yes, the God of all creation desires for all men, everywhere (Acts 17:30-31), to repent.  The question is not whether men have the ability to hear the gospel call.  The question is whether men will choose to heed it!

“So I swore in My wrath, ‘they shall not enter My rest.’ Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’” Hebrews 3:11-15 (NKJV)

The call goes out, not only for mankind to believe, but also that men and women who believe will choose to be used of God to win others! “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”  Romans 10:14 (NKJV)

“Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, that You may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked. For the Lord will not cast off His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance. But judgment will return to righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it.” Psalm 94:12-15 (NKJV)

The Hebrew word for “law” is “Torah.”  Interesting word, Torah.  Torah does not translate as “law”; rather, Torah means “teaching.”  For instance, the first five books of the Bible are referred to in Judaism as the Torah. (Although, in a greater sense, all Scripture is Torah.)  While the first five books contain the Mosaic laws, they mostly contain narratives from which we observe and learn how to live through the stories of how God interacts with Creation, the patriarchs, and various other people.  I mention all that because some Christians bristle at the mention of the word “law” for fear of becoming overly legalistic.  It helps to understand the psalmist is not saying we are blessed if we become attorneys.  He is exhorting us that we should seek God’s “teaching” as revealed by His Spirit  (“You…O Lord”).  His message is akin to Psalm 1.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2 (NKJV)

So, the purpose of Psalm 94 is not to bind us with overt legalism but to free us to live joyfully, to give us “rest from the days of adversity.”  Notice how the wicked (those who disregard the Bible) unknowingly have a “pit” dug for them!  It would be convenient to go through life believing that unbelievers always sin while believers never transgress.  But the reality is that sometimes unbelievers live comparatively upright lives, while we believers sin on occasion.  So, what happens when the righteous sin, if our feet “slip,” as it were?

“If I say, ‘My foot slips,’ Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94:18-19 (NKJV)

The idea of mercy (not getting what you would otherwise deserve) is of great comfort to us!  When we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us.  While we may experience rebuke for our sinful actions or thoughts, we can rest assured His rebuke is mitigated because the fullness of our sin was laid upon Jesus!  Hence, our anxiety finds comfort.  God will instruct but not forsake His people (Jew or Gentile) who place their faith and trust in Messiah alone for their salvation.

“I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!” Romans 11:11-12 (NKJV)

“The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, than the mighty waves of the sea. Your testimonies are very sure; holiness adorns Your house, O Lord, forever.”  Psalm 93:1-5 (NKJV)

Throughout the Bible, water is used both as an image of judgment (Noah’s flood and Pharaoh’s army drowning in the Red Sea) and of deliverance (Noah’s ark floating above the waters of Judgment and Israel crossing the Red Sea as on dry ground).  Whenever God’s people are faced with difficult life circumstances that overtake them like a flood, we often wonder if this will be the instance where our sin has caught up with us.  Yes, we all feel guilty because we all sin from time to time.  The mark of a Christian is not their perfection but, rather, their direction. It is not that we are sinless, but as we follow Jesus, we should desire to sin less and less.

It is important in trying times that we do not trade what we KNOW for what we DON’T KNOW.  We don’t know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future.  So, today we have a psalmist who is bolstering his faith during a difficult season by reminding himself what he knows about God: He is on His throne, and we are not alone!  Floods are making a loud noise as they course through your town, headed straight toward your house.  Huh?  Well, what does God’s Word say about His ability to handle rowdy waters?

“They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up.” Zechariah 10:11a (NIV)

“You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.” Psalm 65:5-7 (NIV)

“Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son? Surely you know!” Proverbs 30:4 (NIV)

Yes, Jesus knows a thing or two about controlling the world He created. (John 1)  He can summon water, withhold it, cause it to rage, calm, or even walk on it!  So, the next time your life is swamped, remember God established this world and has established His testimony in you.  Call upon His Name, for He alone has the power to deliver.  The waves are mighty, but he is mightier!

“When the wicked spring up like grass, and when all the workers of iniquity flourish, it is that they may be destroyed forever. But You, Lord, are on high forevermore. For behold, Your enemies, O Lord, For behold, Your enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil. My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies; my ears hear my desire on the wicked who rise up against me. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”  Psalm 92:7-15 (NKJV)

I have been in the music business all of my adult life.  I suppose I will always be in it, to some extent, given the sizeable catalog of published songs I’ve written/co-written.  One thing I have learned in the songwriting business is that it’s nearly impossible to write a blues song while you are in the midst of difficulty.  Blues songs are primarily written in retrospect, after the storm has passed.  Then, when the clouds clear away, you can sort through the rubble from the storm more objectively.  But while everything is flying apart, you’re basically rolled up into a ball, hoping you can make it out alive!  Anyone who goes through a hurricane knows what I am talking about.  But every hurricane has an “eye,” a pause in the destruction.  

That is what the Sabbath is for believers: A pause from an otherwise hectic week so that we can focus on the Lord.  Today’s psalm is titled “A Song For The Sabbath Day,” and the subject matter is a contrast between people who praise the Lord and seek Him in His “courts” (the temple) and those “senseless fools” who do not.  God knew that (in addition to seeking Him every day as we go about our work - Deuteronomy 6:6-7), we need to pause and do nothing but remember Him for an entire day every week, so He commanded us to observe the Sabbath:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11 (NKJV)

Lest we dismiss the Old Testament, consider the New Testament writer of Hebrews.

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NKJV)

So, how well are you doing with obeying God’s command to observe the Sabbath?

“Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. ‘Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.’” Psalm 91:9-16 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm bears the title “Safety In The Presence Of God.”  It contains some of the most comforting words to those of us who have felt the need for God to cover us until one of life’s stormy seasons blew by.  

Verses 4-6 are referred to by Jesus: “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.” Psalm 91:4-6 (NKJV)

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Matthew 23:37 (NKJV)

On the more haunting side, we have today’s passage, Psalm 91:9-16.  It is haunting because Satan tried to twist the context of today’s psalm when he tempted Jesus.  Of course, Jesus (the “Word made flesh” - John 1:14) was not buying the enemy’s theology. Nor should we! If we can meditate on today’s passage, really soak it in, we can understand the more sophisticated nuances of that conversation between the Messiah and the devil.

“Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: “He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,” and, “In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘It has been said, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”’” Luke 4:9-12 (NKJV)

Interesting how Satan omitted the part about treading on the “serpent”… (v:13)

“And I will put enmity between you (the serpent/Satan) and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”  Genesis 3:15 (NKJV)

We must commit ourselves to know the Truth because the enemy commits to lying.  He will never stop striking at our heels, but Jesus crushed His head on the cross!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 90. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, and said: “I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found My servant David; with My holy oil I have anointed him, with whom My hand shall be established; also My arm shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague those who hate him. But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him, and in My name his horn shall be exalted. Also I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’ Also, I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My mercy I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall stand firm with him. His seed also I will make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.” Psalm 89:19-29 (NKJV)

Yesterday, we heard from Heman, the Ezrahite of the Levitical musical family, the Sons of Korah.  Today, we hear from his Ezrahite relative, Ethan.  What seems, on the surface, to be a praise (to the Lord) is actually a contemplation.  Ethan is contemplating the seeming contradiction between God’s promised blessing of King David and the reality of God’s hard rebuke, which is on the verge of destroying both the covenant and the people of Israel.  If David was promised to be the “highest of the kings of the earth” (lit: king of kings), how could his kingdom be in danger and trampled upon by foreign kings?  First of all, the “David” and the “kingdom” God was ultimately referring to was Jesus and His righteousness, the true “King of Kings.”

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called, and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.”  1 Timothy 6:11-16 (NKJV)

Secondly, in the words of baseball legend Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over until it’s over!”  Just because God’s people feel they are on the verge of destruction does not mean they actually are.  God is also not concerned with His Name being temporarily tarnished because His children’s bad behavior demands He discipline them in public.  He knows that He will ultimately be exalted once His work in us is completed.  (Philippians 1:6)  Surely, the disciples felt the same level of “contemplation” when Jesus was crucified.  But the resurrection removed all doubt.  Has the Lord been rebuking you?  Try humbly contemplating His Word concerning both His standard and His love for you before you attack His character for doing what He said He would.  Then, wait for Him to finish doing what He says He will.

“My eye wastes away because of affliction. Lord, I have called daily upon You; I have stretched out my hands to You. Will You work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You?- Selah - Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But to You I have cried out, O Lord, and in the morning my prayer comes before You. Lord, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me; Your terrors have cut me off. They came around me all day long like water; they engulfed me altogether. Loved one and friend You have put far from me, and my acquaintances into darkness.” Psalm 88:9-18 (NKJV)

Years ago, pop singer Elton John sang, “Sad songs say so much.”  We like our movies and our songs to have happy endings.  The puppy always makes it home, the girl gets the guy of her dreams, and the hero saves the day last minute.  But that is not life. Sometimes, we pray, and God does not answer us in the affirmative, even though we are convinced that we are praying according to His will.  In those times when we are in the “Valley of the Shadow of Death,” it is important to remember that God promised to be with us in the midst of trouble, not necessarily that He would rescue us from it. (Psalm 23). Consider Jesus’ prayer for us.

“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” John 17:15 (NKJV)

John the Baptist certainly wondered whether God would hear his prayer for rescue, and he sent messengers to ask Jesus if He was the One or whether John should look for another Messiah.  (Luke 7:19-20) Of course, the New Testament book of Hebrews mentions an entire group of people who were heroes yet were not spared from martyrdom.

“Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented - of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.” Hebrews 11:36-38 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm was written by Heman the Ezrahite, one of the “Sons of Korah,” the Levitical group of musicians/singers/songwriters.  (1 Chronicles 25:1; 1 Chronicles 25:4-6; 1 Chronicles 2:5; 1 Kings 4:31) Heman was a friend of King David, known in Scripture as David’s “seer,” or prophetic advisor.  He was present when the ark of the covenant returned to Jerusalem and was so wise that Solomon’s wisdom was compared to Hemans' in that it exceeded it.  If there was ever a man who could say he earned God’s deliverance, it was Heman, yet he too had to faithfully wait on the Lord, wondering and hoping in His Word, like the rest of us. And that is comforting.

The Glories of the City of God: “His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! – Selah”  Psalm 87:1-3 (NKJV)

There are many beautiful cities in the world, and throughout my time in the touring music business, I have had the privilege of visiting many of them.  I suppose you can rank cities with several measures: Food, Art, Culture, Parks, Transportation, Natural Attractions, Architecture, Cleanliness, etc.  But of all the cities I have visited, Jerusalem is a city without equal.  Perhaps, that is why it is the most disputed and conquered city in history.  While not everything that happens within its walls is God-honoring, Jerusalem is truly the City of God!  

Today’s psalm is extolling Jerusalem and comparing it to other cities.  There is no doubt that the psalmist is picturing (either from a first-hand account or from memory) the Temple, where the people worship the Lord, and He honors their pilgrimage with His presence. Typically, whenever a building project is underway, nobody drives by the construction site and gets excited about the pouring of the concrete foundation.  We like to see girders and walls and roofs.  But without a firm foundation, nothing built, no matter how magnificent the architecture, can stand the test of the elements over time.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV)

Notice how Jerusalem is not simply built on a mountain, as many other cities are also built on mountains.  It is built on a HOLY mountain, a mountain set apart by God.  Similarly, our faith cannot be built on persuasive spiritual words.  It must be built on God’s Word!

“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone other than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 (NKJV)

So, what is our takeaway?  The Lord delights in the city, community, church or life that is built on the foundation of the Word of God thru Jesus (the Word, made flesh).  And He blesses our “gates,” our comings and goings.  Can you declare, as the old hymn, that your hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness?

“Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me; for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am holy; You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You! Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry to You all day long. Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me.” Psalm 86:1-7 (NKJV)

I love the presumptuousness of prayer, the fact that we can know that God hears us and responds according to His wisdom and character.  We can be certain that our prayers are being considered because God has articulated it in His Word!  (1 John 5:14-15; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Jeremiah 29:11-12)  Our hope lies in the fact that our God is the ONLY God, thus completely unlike the false pagan gods.

“Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; nor are there any works like Your works. All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name. For You are great and do wondrous things; You alone are God.” Psalm 86:8-10

Because He, alone, created the world (John 1), Messiah Jesus is the only way of salvation for all mankind.  Because of His loving kindness, God makes room for people of all nations who will turn from their pagan ways in order to follow Him.  And how do we learn to follow God rightly?  His Word!

“Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore. For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” Psalm 86:11-13 (NKJV)

David, who began Psalm 86 by petitioning God to save his life, based on David’s personal holiness, reveals the source of His confidence: God’s holiness, experienced by David in times past, by way of God’s grace and mercy.  It is not that David was holy, as much as God was merciful despite David’s sin.  David was repentant, and he believed in God’s Word by faith.  Therefore, David was confident that God would graciously and mercifully count him as righteous.  At the same time, David knew God would not extend the same favor to David’s unrepentant pursuers.

“O God, the proud have risen against me, and a mob of violent men have sought my life, and have not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and truth. Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your maidservant. Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” Psalm 86:14-17 (NKJV)

“Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. – Selah - You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.” Psalm 85:1-3 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm was written after the return of the exiles in Nehemiah and Ezra’s generation.  Anyone who has suffered rebuke from the Lord and placed on the sideline for a season should take note.  The first section (above) states that God has forgiven His people and resettled them.  But will they settle on just receiving forgiveness?  Do they merely want a clean slate, or do they hunger and thirst for revival?  Restoration of the soul is more important than restoration to the land.

“Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation.” Psalm 85:4-7 (NKJV)

Revival comes AFTER forgiveness and restoration.  And revival always involves reparation to and a renewed focus on God’s Word, the Bible. (Romans 10:17)

“I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.” Psalm 85:8-9 (NKJV)

So, if God is just and true to His Word, in that He will by no means clear the guilty (Numbers 14:18), how can He justify giving Mercy to some people, while Judging others?  He is Just in giving Mercy if those who have sinned will repent and somehow have the penalty for their sins paid for.  Hence, God’s Just requirements will have been satisfied.  In that case, Mercy and the Truth of God’s Word would not be at odds with each other.  Rather, they would be companions!  

“Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the Lord will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway.” Psalm 85:10-13 (NKJV)

“For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”  Romans 3:22b-26 (NKJV)  (Compare Psalm 85:13 with Mark 1:1-3)

“How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young - even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You. - Selah” Psalm 84:1-4 (NKJV)

I recall, sometime around 2005, hearing Matt Redman’s song “Better Is One Day” for the first time.  The recording is so beautiful, and it still ministers to me.  The lyrics to Redman’s song were taken directly from today’s psalm, which is appropriately titled “The Blessedness of Dwelling in the House of God.”  

What if your church was so amazing (and I hope it is) that someone had to drag you away after the services?  What if nobody ran to their cars to beat each other to the restaurant, and security had to politely ask everyone to leave so they could get ready for the next service?  Dr. Adrian Rogers used to tell his congregation at Bellevue Baptist in Memphis, “If you don’t leave, you can’t come back!”

On the other hand, it has been said that familiarity often breeds contempt.  There are many preachers’ kids who have grown up around the ministry, yet they end up resenting the ministry.  The aspects of ministry they often resent are not the righteous components that draw a person to a closer walk with God: prayer, Bible study, godly community, servanthood, and humble evangelism.  When ministry kids grow up to resent ministry, it is always the human aspects of ministry they reject: envy, pride, excess and personal neglect, all in the name of the Lord.  So you don’t judge the modern church culture too harshly; ministry kids in the Bible didn’t always finish well, either.  Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-3); Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 2:12-17) and Samuel’s sons (1 Samuel 8:1-3) are a few Biblical examples of the tragedy that can befall those who grow up around ministry yet fail to focus of the godly aspects in favor focusing on the human failures of ministry leaders.

I have heard it said that Jesus cleans His “fish” after He catches them.  It means that the prerequisite for our becoming Christians is admitting that we are sinners and cannot save ourselves.  The testimony of a Christian is not how we overcame the odds and rose to a level of self-righteousness that God was impressed with, so He drafted us onto His team.  Quite the opposite!  His righteousness is so great, in that while we were sinners, He died for us (Romans 5:8).  What makes God’s presence (in this psalm, literally the temple, God’s “house”) so blessed is that He is there, and He has made a way for us to commune with Him, despite our sin.  The closer we get to Him, the more we love Him and desire to honor Him because we realize more how much He loves us.  Who would ever want to leave that?

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.”  Psalm 84:5 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 83. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.  How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? -  Selah” Psalm 82:1-2 (NKJV)

In Hebrew, the word “El” means “might, strength, power.”  “El” (upper case E) in Scripture refers to God, while “el” (lower case e) refers to a pagan god.  The word “el” also describes humans who God has endowed with might, strength, or power.  While there is more to say on the subject, in simple terms, the word “elohim” is a plural of “el.”  It literally translates as “many gods.”  When speaking of God, “Elohim” states that He is more powerful than all false gods put together.  Referring to humans (the Judges of Old Testament fame, for instance), God calls the religious leaders “elohim.”  This means that those religious and political leaders were a collection of men whom He endowed with might, strength, and power to accomplish His purposes.

The reason I mention this is that today’s psalm is a plea for justice, specifically, that “El” (God) would judge the “elohim” (judges) for judging unjustly!  I know it’s a bit of a tongue twister, but Jesus quotes today’s psalm in John 10.  So, we must understand the context of Psalm 82 if we want to know what Jesus was communicating at the temple on Hanukkah (Feast of Dedication).

“The Jews answered Him, saying, ‘For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Is it not written in your law, “I said, “You are gods”?  If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, “You are blaspheming,” because I said, “I am the Son of God”? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.’ Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.”  John 10:33-39 (NKJV)

By quoting today’s psalm, Jesus was telling those religious leaders (whom had asked Him to tell them plainly if He was the Messiah) that it was their (the elohim, “judges”) job to judge if He was Messiah.  Furthermore, Jesus’ quoting of the psalm was an indictment on their inability to judge whether He was Messiah even though His works so plainly proved His Messianic role.  Context is key.

“Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy.  Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked.  They do not know, nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are unstable.  I said, “You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.  But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” Psalm 82:6-8 (NKJV)

Only Elohim could judge that Jesus was El (Messiah)! (Jn 1:1-2; 14, Luke 20:42-43)

“Arise, O God, judge the earth; for You shall inherit all nations.” Psalm 82:8 (NKJV)

“Sing aloud to God our strength; make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob.  Raise a song and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the lute.  Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast day.  For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the God of Jacob.  This He established in Joseph as a testimony, when He went throughout the land of Egypt, where I heard a language I did not understand.  I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from the baskets.  You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. – Selah”  Psalm 81:1-7 (NKJV)

In Psalm 80, Asaph asked God to restore Israel, the vineyard of His making.  Today’s psalm is a call for Israel to repent.  The imagery Asaph uses is of the Passover seder; the ordered retelling, not only of the Passover, but God’s provision and preservation of Israel as they were in the desert.  He mentions “Meribah,” which, in Hebrew, means “tempted/quarrels/contention” because the people quarreled with Moses & Aaron (and amongst themselves) instead of faithfully following the Lord.  Meribah (aka Massah) is the name given to a place where twice God made water flow from a rock to miraculously provide for His people amid otherwise impossible circumstances.  In the first instance, Moses was commanded to strike the rock with his rod, symbolic of the ways of God.  The idea was that if Israel would surrender themselves to God’s ways, they would find living water in the desert.  And that is the theme of today’s psalm.  Hence, the mention.  

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go on before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel.  Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.’ And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’” Exodus 17:5-7 (NKJV)

In the second instance of the rock at Meribah, Moses was commanded to speak to the rock, symbolic of the power of God’s Word apart from Moses’ direct involvement.  Moses sinned by disobeying God and striking the rock again with his rod.  The effect was that water gushed forth, but God was belittled in the eyes of the Israelites, while Moses’ supposed power was elevated in their eyes.  It communicated that the power of God resided in Moses, exclusively.  In reality, the power resided in Messiah all along.  Messiah followed Israel around the desert.  (1 Corinthians 10:1-7)

“Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.  Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’ This was the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.” Numbers 20:11-13 (NKJV)

“You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it. You prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with its shadow, and the mighty cedars with its boughs. She sent out her boughs to the Sea, and her branches to the River.” Psalm 80:8-11 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is a prayer for Israel’s restoration, but it is not necessarily a prayer of repentance.  In subtle terms, Asaph hints at the fact that Israel is being punished for its national sin of idolatry, but the overall tone is a plea that God would cut short His punishment and that the prayers of the people are falling on deaf ears.  Rest assured that God will not rebuke His people one second too soon or one second too long.  He, and He alone, has the wisdom to know “when and how much.”  Three times, Asaph acknowledges that repentance may be the responsibility of the people, but restoration is solely in God’s court!

“Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!” Psalm 80:3 (NKJV)

Halfway through Psalm 80, we see the familiar imagery of a vineyard.  Asaph likens the Promised Land of Canaan to a vineyard and Israel as the vine.  And it reminds us of the words of Jesus, who likened Himself to the “True Vine.”  (John 15:1-8)

“Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts; look down from heaven and see, and visit this vine and the vineyard which Your right hand has planted, and the branch that You made strong for Yourself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance. Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself. Then we will not turn back from You; revive us, and we will call upon Your name.” Psalm 80:14-18 (NKJV)

“Then He began to speak to them in parables: ‘A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, “They will respect my son.”  But those vinedressers said among themselves, “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.”  So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?”  Mark 12:1-11 (NKJV)

“How long, Lord? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You, and on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, for we have been brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your Name; and deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, for Your name’s sake!” Psalm 79:5-9 (NKJV)

Did you hear the story about the deacon’s wife who saw a church member walk into the cigar store?  Her husband said, “You should tell the pastor!”  “I can’t!” she cried, “I was in the cigar store when she walked in!”  That is how today’s psalm feels, with Asaph asking God to pour out His wrath on the unbelieving nations who have devoured Israel while, in the same breath, asking for deliverance and atonement for Israel’s sin!  It sounds somewhat hypocritical.  The truth is that Israel and Judah were punished for their idolatry, and God used Assyria and Babylon as the instruments of His wrath toward His own people.  While Nebuchadnezzar was not a believer at that time, God still called him His “servant” because, after all, God is Lord of all!

“And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him. So all nations shall serve him and his son and his son’s son, until the time of his land comes; and then many nations and great kings shall make him serve them. And it shall be, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish,” says the Lord, “with the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.” Jeremiah 27:6-8 (NKJV).    

While the Bible says that love is not jealous (1 Corinthians 13:4), the type of jealousy it is describing is not righteous jealousy.  It is more akin to a man who gets jealous whenever he sees another man talking to his wife.  That is an unfounded, accusatory jealousy.  Show me a man who sees his wife in the arms of another man and does not get jealous; that is a man who does not love his wife.  In that sense, he would have a righteous reason for jealousy.  This is the case with God’s jealousy when His people prefer the enemy’s embrace over His steadfast love.  Yes, God must rebuke our sin, yet He makes a way of return for those who are truly repentant.

“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her?  Wouldn’t such a land become totally defiled?  But you!  You have played the prostitute with many partners—can you return to Me?  This is the Lord’s declaration.”  Jeremiah 3:1 (HCSB)

“Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say: ‘Return, unfaithful Israel. This is the Lord’s declaration.  I will not look on you with anger, for I am unfailing in My love.  This is the Lord’s declaration.  I will not be angry forever.  Only acknowledge your guilt—you have rebelled against the Lord your God.’”  Jeremiah 3:12-13a (HCSB)

“Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments; and may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.” Psalm 78:1-8 (NKJV)

The Hebrew word that is translated as “law” in most Bibles is “Torah.”  What is interesting about the word Torah is that it does not translate as “law” in Hebrew.  Torah, in Hebrew means “teaching/instructing.” Typically, Bible scholars call the first five books of the Old Testament the “Torah” (although, in a greater sense, ALL of Scripture is God’s Torah/instruction) because the first five books contain the Mosaic law.  But you and I know those books contain so much more than simply the laws of do’s and don’ts.  There are stories of patriarchs and matriarchs, God-fearers and pagans who hate God.  To simply boil the Old Testament down to a system of rules is to be ignorant of the purpose of God’s instruction.  The apostle Paul understood the great value of the Old Testament “Torah” to believers in the New Testament church.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV)

When we replace the word “law” with “instruction/teaching,” today’s psalm takes on a different context for us.  Asaph is reminding his hearers that the prosperity of God’s people depends upon them knowing God’s “teaching/instruction” and imparting that to the next generation.  In fact, on the day the Torah was given, it came with instructions for how God’s people should pursue His Word day-to-day.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

When we remember God’s faithfulness, as articulated in His Word (the Bible), we are more inclined to faithfully trust Him in our generation. When we are warned of the consequences of unfaithfulness in the Bible, we learn to stay away from those same sinful scenarios.  Likewise, our children learn His Torah as they watch our faithful example: faith, building upon faith, from generation to generation.

“And I said, ‘This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.’ I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God? You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples. You have with Your arm redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. – Selah”  Psalm 77:10-15 (NKJV)

Psalm 77 begins with anguish, a desperate cry from an overwhelmed spirit.  Trouble, self-searching, and questions about the uncertainty of God’s deliverance rule the first half of the psalm.  It reminds me of prayers I have sent up in guarded hope that help was on the way—equal parts trust and uncertainty.  

“Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?” Psalm 77:7-9 (NKJV)

But, all of a sudden, the mood changes from hopelessness to faithfulness.  What happened to leverage such a turnaround?  Remembrance!  Asaph remembered God’s past faithfulness, His mighty works from His Word.

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

Our faith comes from remembering God’s faithfulness, as articulated in the Bible.  That remembrance encourages us to trust His Word regarding His faithfulness for our future!  As we meditate on God’s Word, we are more inclined to talk about His faithfulness to encourage others who are struggling.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…” 1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV)

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

When we seek God’s Word, apply it to our lives, and teach it to others, the next generation will be more inclined to follow God.  Perhaps the most impactful history of God’s faithfulness that someone needs experience is how He transformed you!

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Ezra 7:10 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 76. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near: ‘When I choose the proper time, I will judge uprightly. The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved; I set up its pillars firmly.’ – Selah”  Psalm 75:1-3 (NKJV)

Every major league baseball player is capable of hitting a home run, but very few do with predictable regularity.  In actuality, major league players strike out 20-30% of the time.  Can you imagine any other industry where an employee fails at ¼ of their project attempts and remains employed, much less earns a multi-million dollar salary? So, if all major league players are capable of home runs, what is the difference between a strike-out, a base hit, and a homer?  TIMING....split-second timing.  

God always has perfect timing.  He only hits home runs.  But so often, we feel like He is striking out when it comes to our lives.  Somehow, we accuse Him of swinging and missing because we are not receiving the deliverance we hope for within the expected time frame.  Other times, we know He has home run power, yet it feels like He lets the perfect pitches fly past into the catcher’s mitt.  Asaph, in today’s psalm, is telling us that God’s timing is perfect.  He chooses the perfect time to judge.  And He chooses the perfect time to deliver.  The apostle Peter gives us some insight into why God does not swing at every prayer request we throw across His home plate.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)

There is another familiar image we find in today’s passage: a cup.

“For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is fully mixed, and He pours it out; surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down. But I will declare forever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. ‘All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.’” Psalm 75:6-10 (NKJV)

When we read of this cup, we should be reminded of two cups in the New Testament, both referred to in the same chapter of Matthew.  The first cup is found in Matthew 26:27-29, the "Cup of Redemption" in the Passover meal, which represents God’s deliverance.  Jesus redeemed us with His blood.  The second cup is the "Cup of Wrath," akin to today’s psalm: God’s redemption follows retribution.

“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’” Matthew 26:39  (NKJV)

“Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations. The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary. Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place; they set up their banners for signs. They seem like men who lift up axes among the thick trees. And now they break down its carved work, all at once, with axes and hammers. They have set fire to Your sanctuary; they have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground. They said in their hearts, ‘Let us destroy them altogether.’ They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land. We do not see our signs; There is no longer any prophet; nor is there any among us who knows how long. O God, how long will the adversary reproach? Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever? Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?” Psalm 74:3-11a (NKJV)

Today’s psalm, a song of Asaph, is titled “A Plea For Relief From Oppression.”  There are several fellows named “Asaph” in the Bible, and it is possible that the title “Asaph” simply refers to an order of temple musicians established by Asaph.  

While it is considered a plea, Psalm 74 stops short of being a full-on indictment of God’s character.  Multiple times, the psalmist asks God, “Why?” and pleads with God to remember to act as if God is slow or somehow unaware of the happenings in Jerusalem.  And what is happening in Jerusalem?  The temple had been defiled and burned to the ground, along with all of the synagogues.  Whether Asaph is writing prophetically or from a first-hand account is unclear.  But we know this event did happen when the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s day.

“And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around.” 2 King 25:8-10 (NKJV)

Asaph wrongly charged that there were no prophets, but they had Jeremiah. Sadly, nobody wanted to hear him.  The temple was destroyed because the people rejected God’s Word in favor of idolatry.  Still, God extended grace and mercy in captivity.  

“For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NKJV) (see also: Jeremiah 25:11)

“Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches. Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I had said, ‘I will speak thus,’ behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children. When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me—until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.” Psalm 73:12-17 (NKJV)

When I lived in Southern California, my wife and I used to frequent a shopping area in Newport Beach called "Fashion Island."  Just driving into the parking lot of this high-end mall was an event.  Ferraris, Lamborghinis, McLarens, Rolls Royce, and Bentleys were as commonplace as Toyotas and Chevys in the average American shopping center.  I admit it would have been easy to absorb myself into a culture like that.  And since we’re being honest, we all struggle with “affluenza” (chronic affluence attraction)!  My wife and I would ask each other, “Who makes that kind of money…and why can’t we do THAT for a living?”  

The problem is that we do not exist in order to fulfill our fleshly longings continually.  We exist in order to know God and make Him known.  Yes, we live pedestrian lives; we work jobs and raise families alongside everyone else in our culture.  But we Christians are called primarily to advance the Kingdom of God within the context of our respective cultures.  Ask yourself, are you influencing your culture, or is your culture influencing you?  If you feel the burden of “keeping up with the Joneses,” you are not alone.  Asaph, the author of Psalm 73, felt the same pressure.  And it almost did him in.  It was not until he separated himself from the culture of affluence and indulgence and visited the Lord in His temple that Asaph re-awakened to his purpose in life: Seek to know God and work to ensure his generation and the next, would seek the Lord, as well.   That is our purpose in life!

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

“When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.” Judges 2:10 (NKJV)

“Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.” 1 Samuel 3:1 (NKJV)

“For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works.” Psalm 73:27-28 (NKJV)

“His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen. The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.”  Psalm 72:17-20 (NKJV)

Psalm 72 ends somewhat with an esoteric statement: “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.”  It begs us to inquire as to the prayers of David.  Of course, throughout the psalms, David offered up many prayers.  The prayers that Solomon is referring to in psalm 72 concern David’s son, or rather, his “Son.”  

“Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, You have said to me, ‘I will make your family great.’ So I, your servant, am brave enough to pray to you. Lord God, you are God, and your words are true. And you have promised these good things to me, your servant. Please, bless my family. Let it continue before you always. Lord God, you have said so. With your blessing let my family always be blessed.” 2 Samuel 7:27-29 (NCV)

Solomon is making it abundantly clear that David’s prayer is only answered in Messiah and not in Solomon or any other fleshly heir.  Solomon was wise but not that wise.  Solomon’s kingdom had glory, but it could not shine to the extent that there was no need for sun and moon.  Nor would it have the degree of influence that all the nations would worship God because of it.

“But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).  And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.” Revelation 21:22-26 (NKJV)

Not only does Messiah Jesus (the “Son of David”) command the respect of the earth’s kings, but He also rescues and cares for those disregarded by society.

“He will help the poor when they cry out and will save the needy when no one else will help. He will be kind to the weak and poor, and he will save their lives. He will save them from cruel people who try to hurt them, because their lives are precious to him.” Psalm 72:12-14 (NCV)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:3-9 (NKJV)

“O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray headed, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come. Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You? You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, shall revive me again, and bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.”  Psalm 71:17-21 (NKJV)

We cannot read today’s psalm without remembering the words of Caleb, who, along with Joshua, was one of only two men from his generation (those who left Egypt during the exodus) who were allowed to cross over the Jordan River and take possession of the Promised Land. You can’t have the “promised” land if you don’t believe the promise!  Because of unbelief among the Israelites of their generation, Caleb and Joshua had to wait 45 years before they could fight for the land they were promised by God to inherit.

“Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: ‘You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, “Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.” And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old.  As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.  Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.’” Joshua 14:6-12 (NKJV)

Did Caleb possess super-human strength? Absolutely not! Like David in today’s psalm, Caleb was not trusting in his own physical strength.  Rather, Caleb’s testimony is that his strength came from God’s promise and power, even at 85 years old.  When our trust is in the Lord, we do not rely in our youthfulness, nor are we crippled by old age.  The LORD is our strength!

“In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress. Psalm 71:1-3 (NKJV)

“Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Make haste to help me, O Lord! Let them be ashamed and confounded who seek my life; let them be turned back and confused who desire my hurt. Let them be turned back because of their shame, who say, ‘Aha, aha!’ Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation say continually, ‘Let God be magnified!’ But I am poor and needy; make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay.” Psalm 70

Over the past few days (Psalms 66-68), we learned that God, even in the Old Testament, has never rejected people of any nationality who earnestly seek Him.  God’s grace is colorblind.  That being said, those who reject the Lord, even for so-called “friendly” reasons, are considered His enemies until they repent.

“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity (warfare) with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4

So, all human conflict is, in essence, a spiritual struggle between worldliness and godliness.  We struggle within ourselves over obedience to the Lord and following our fleshly desires.  We struggle with other believers who are themselves struggling within. And we struggle with non-believers who are governed completely by their flesh with no acknowledgment to the Lord.  Through it all, we believers must continue to seek the Lord, knowing He alone has the power to save us. Sometimes God defeats worldly-influenced enemies who are attacking us, and other times He defeats the worldliness within those people so that they become believers.  Once non-believers follow the Lord, they cease to be enemies and become brothers and sisters in Messiah.  Consider the story of Naaman, the Syrian military leader who was healed of his leprosy when he obeyed God’s Word through Elisha.

“And he (Naaman) returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, ‘Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.’ But Elisha said, ‘As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.’ And Naaman urged Elisha to take it, but he refused. So Naaman said, ‘Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.’ Then he (Elisha) said to him (Naaman), “Go in peace.” So he (Naaman) departed from Elisha a short distance.” 2 Kings 5:15-19

When you pray for deliverance from worldly enemies who may literally seek you harm, remember to pray that God not simply destroy them but that He defeats the worldliness within them, as He has done in you.  Lose an enemy, gain a brother!

**All verses are NKJV

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 69. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those also who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name YAH, and rejoice before Him. A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.”  Psalm 68:1-6 (NKJV)

While Psalms 66 and 67 articulated God’s desire for the nations to worship Him, we are reminded in Psalm 68 that many people will reject God. Not everyone will choose to follow Him, even though He chooses to extend His grace and mercy to them.  Salvation comes only to those who would repent, believe in Him and receive His grace and mercy.  The rebellious should fear His presence, but the righteous will be glad at His return!  We serve a God Who resides on high, yet he defends the fatherless and widows.  Consider Jesus’ words:

“If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” James 1:26-27 (NKJV)

You may have chosen to follow the Lord at the protest of your family.  Fear not, because God sets those who are “solitary” for His sake into “families.”

“Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?’  So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.’” Matthew 19:27-29 (NKJV)

Again, while judgment awaits those who reject the Lord, Jew or Gentile, the Bible is very clear that even those from among the most wicked of nations will receive forgiveness if they turn from their idolatry and choose to follow Him!

“Envoys will come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; oh, sing praises to the Lord, - Selah - to Him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old! Indeed, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice. Ascribe strength to God; His excellence is over Israel, and His strength is in the clouds. O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!” Psalm 68:31-35 (NKJV)

“God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, - Selah - that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth. - Selah  Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.” Psalm 67:1-7 (NKJV)

As was the case with yesterday’s psalm (Psalm 66), today we get another glimpse into God’s desire for all men everywhere to follow Him.  David begins the psalm by referencing the Aaronic blessing, which God gave through Moses in order to bless the children of Israel.

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, “This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.’”  Numbers 6:22-27 (NKJV)

In Psalm 67, David is communicating that God wants to bless the people of Israel so that the other nations would see God’s desire for His people and observe the blessed results of faithfully following God.  Of course, simply saying a prayer over unwilling people does not make them followers of God.  Every Israelite had to personally choose to follow or reject the Lord.  Furthermore, it is a sin to receive the blessing and benefits of God (claiming to follow Him and be called by His Name) yet never commit oneself to be “His people.”

“You shall not take (receive) the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” Exodus 20:7 (NKJV)

The purpose of the “chosen people” is so the nations would see God’s loving interaction with Israel, contrast their experience with evil idolatry, and choose God.

“But Ruth said: ‘Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.’” Ruth 1:16 (NKJV)

“Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants—everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant—even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him others besides those who are gathered to him.” Isaiah 56:6-8 (NKJV)

“Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved. For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment.” Psalm 66:8-12 (NKJV).

Today’s psalm carries the heading, “Praise to God For His Awesome Works.”  We would naturally be inclined to assume the audience was Israel.  After all, the psalm praises the awesome works of the God of Israel.  While Israel is an intended recipient, the psalm is also written to the nations, the “peoples.”  The intent of its message is for the nations to observe how God deals with Israel (and how Israel responds to God) and for the nations to respond by praising the Lord.  You see, the God of the Old Testament was not against foreigners.  He was against foreign gods!  God’s reason for raising up a people unto Himself was not so He could isolate the nations but so He could gather the nations.  Israel was to be a nation of priests, each pointing the way to the one true God.

“And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” Exodus 19:3-6 (NKJV)

This Israelite “priesthood” is not speaking solely of the Levites, although they acted as priests within the “nation of priests.”  Rather, every Israelite was to represent the Lord in such a way as to convince foreigners to leave their idols and worship the one true God alone.  It is also the primary calling of every believer in Jesus.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)

“To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5b-6 (NKJV)

As God tests and refines His people, the world is intently watching.  God makes priests out of ordinary sinners…you and me.  Does your response to His refining testify to His extraordinary ability to transform a person?  (Romans 12:2)

“By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of the far-off seas; Who established the mountains by His strength, being clothed with power; You who still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples. They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs; You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice.”  Psalm 65:5-8 (NKJV)

Could we ever fathom the awesomeness of God?  I have been blessed to have traveled to all 50 of the United States, as well as to many wonderful places overseas.  I have sailed on the Sea of Galilee, surfed South African waves with whales slapping their tails in the distance, feasted on fresh lobster cooked on the pier where the lobstermen empty their boats in Bangor, Maine, thrown open the drapes at the Prince of Wales Hotel and been in awe of the Canadian glaciers…and the list goes on.  But all those experiences together do not come close to trying to fathom the beauty of the One who made it all!  He made the world, and He controls it at His will.  

Who could stand face-to-face in God’s presence? I am still blown away by the fact that He desires to commune with us.  Can you imagine what it must have felt like to be one of Jesus’ disciples who traveled with Him during His earthly ministry?  What was it like when the lights began to flicker on in their minds when their idea of Jesus started to transition from “really good rabbi” to “LORD of all”?  Surely, today’s psalm must have echoed in the minds of Jesus’ disciples the night that a sleeping Messiah was woken during a raging storm, only to see that storm be rebuked and calmed with a word.

“But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’” Matthew 8:26-27 (NKJV)

We serve a Savior Who, in a moment’s time, can cause raging storms to become still silence!  It is one thing to put the Scribes and Pharisees in their place with a profound Bible argument.  But to control the weather?  Manipulate the waters?  That was a move only reserved in Scripture for guys with names like Moses, Joshua, Elijah, and Elisha.  However, none of them on their own could control the elements so effortlessly.  No, the passenger in the disciples’ boat was none other than God, Himself.  It was God made flesh.  (John 1:1-5; 14)  And He is that same God Who not only saves us but also promises never to leave or forsake us: Emanuel, God with us! (Matthew 1:21-23)

“Who has ascended into heaven or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?” Proverbs 30:4 (NKJV)

“Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity, who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words, that they may shoot in secret at the blameless; suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear. They encourage themselves in an evil matter; they talk of laying snares secretly; they say, ‘Who will see them?’ They devise iniquities: ‘We have perfected a shrewd scheme.’ Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.” Psalm 64:1-6 (NKJV)

Ah, the secret plots of the wicked.  Most of us can relate to how it feels to discover that people are secretly spreading negative rumors about us.  Often, the source of backbiting is someone close to us: a friend, coworker, or family member.  So, it hurts even more.  I say it often, but we must be ever mindful that the definition of "Envy" is simply "Pride wounded in competition."  Whenever someone is trying to secretly destroy your character, it is likely because they feel threatened by you.  Whether you perceive it or not, there is a level of competition present, and the backbiter feels they are in danger of losing.  Hence, they try to skirt the rules of Christian unity and seize control through falsehood.  While your character may be irreparably damaged in the eyes of some people, rest assured that God sees both the oppressed and oppressor and He judges righteously in His fair time.

“Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.” Luke 12:3 (NKJV)

Regardless of what people may say about you, the best defense is a Godly character.

“Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 (NKJV)

Ultimately, our vengeance comes from God.  (Romans 12:9)

“But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly they shall be wounded. So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; all who see them shall flee away. All men shall fear and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider His doing. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory.” Psalm 64:7-10 (NKJV)

“O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.” Psalm 63:1-2**

Today’s Psalm, written while David was in the Judean wilderness, mirrors Jesus’ time in the wilderness, leading up to His being tempted by Satan.  It mirrors Jesus’ wilderness time, not simply because it was written in the Judean desert.  It is also similar in that David and Jesus’ ability to survive in the desert was more linked to their remembrance of and trust in God’s Word than their ability to find food and water.  We, too, should seek and meditate on His Word from sunrise to bedtime.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.”  Matthew 4:1-2

“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.  My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.” Psalm 63:3-5

“Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’ But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”’”  Matthew 4:3-4

“When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:6-8

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7

“But those who seek my life, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him shall glory; but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped. Psalm 63:9-11

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23

**All verses are NKJV

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 62. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. – Selah” Psalm 61:1-4 (NKJV)

It is good to know that we serve a God who hears our prayers and attends to them.  We do not toss up prayers like that lonely NASA engineer sending random messages into space, hoping for signs of extraterrestrial life. God is ever-present (Psalm 46:1), all-knowing (Job 34:21), all-powerful (Matthew 19:26), and His character never changes (James 1:17).  From the end of the earth, we can cry out to Him and expect that He is with us, hear us and can affect change according to His character as articulated in His Word. And that last part (according to His character) is where we often have trouble.  We live in an increasingly impatient society, an on-demand culture that expects our texts, emails, and social media posts to be immediately answered while affirming our egos.  

I'm sad to inform you, but if you don’t already know, we do not have a genie in heaven.  We have a FATHER in heaven, who answers all prayers, yet not always in the affirmative nor according to our wisdom.  He sees the world from an elevated, personally engineered perspective.  He is the Creator; we are the creatures.  He set the world into motion; we are simply responding to it.  Yet, if we trust Him, He will be the Rock, “higher than I.”  He will be our shelter and strong tower protecting us from the enemy.  True worship means giving all that we are to all that He is.  And He delights when we come under the shelter of His wings.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Matthew 23:37 (NKJV)

We should delight in dwelling in His tabernacle (sanctuary of His holy presence) because He delights to dwell in our presence for all eternity.

“And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.” Revelation 21:3 (NKJV)

David believed in the resurrection, and he fully expected to spend eternity in God’s presence.  Therefore, he sought God every day.

“For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name. You will prolong the king’s life, his years as many generations. He shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him! So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may daily perform my vows.”  Psalm 61:5-8 (NKJV)

“Who will bring me to the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies.”  Psalm 60:9-12 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is known as  “A Michtam of David, for teaching…when Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.”  God is so gracious to us. In addition to giving us the theology of the psalms, He also provides context by telling us where (in the Bible) we can reference the accounts/events through which the psalms were written.  We find the battle’s account in 2 Samuel.  

“And David made himself a name when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Syrians in the Valley of Salt. He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went. So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people.”  2 Samuel 8:13-15 (NKJV)

When we combine the narrative of 2 Samuel 8 with David’s testimony in Psalm 60, we get a richer understanding of what went on.  Sure, David was ultimately victorious, but not without struggle and doubt.  David begins Psalm 60 in trouble.  

“O God, You have cast us off; You have broken us down; You have been displeased; oh, restore us again!”  Psalm 60:1 (NKJV)

The campaign of battles against the Philistines, Moabites, and Edomites (which did not begin victoriously) began shortly after David assumed the throne.  David was in the midst of great opposition, not just from foreigners, but there was also massive division within the kingdom, stemming from Saul’s extended pursuit of David.  Now, David felt God was against him.  David must have been perplexed as to why victory was so difficult to achieve, since earlier, in 2 Samuel, Chapter 7, God made a covenant with David that He would establish David’s “house” forever.        

“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” 2 Samuel 7:12-16 (NKJV)

So, today we learn three things: 1) battles are not for passive men, 2) even though kingdom success is God’s doing, He still chooses men to lead the charge, and 3) until Jesus returns, the kingdom will remain somewhat unstable under human leadership.

“Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men. For look, they lie in wait for my life; the mighty gather against me, not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord. They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me, and behold! You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to punish all the nations; do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah” Psalm 59:1-5 (NKJV)

In filmmaking, it is important that a movie is matched with the perfect soundtrack.  What would a James Bond or Star Wars film be without their famous intro music?  But what if the soundtracks were flipped?  What if the Star Wars film began with the James Bond theme?  Something would be amiss.  Hollywood music is created specifically for the films they support.  It is also true for so many of these psalms.  In order to fully understand the song, it helps us to match the music with its “movie,” so to speak.  The subtitle/backdrop for today’s psalm is “When Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill David.”  We find that account in 1 Samuel 19.

“Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, ‘If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.’ So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, ‘He is sick.’ Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, ‘Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.’ And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head.” 1 Samuel 19:11-16 (NKJV)

It may have been no fault of David’s that these “ belching dogs” (as David sings) were roaming the town, looking to kill him.  But we see something odd in the movie's plot.  David’s wife, Michal (Saul’s daughter), was an idolater.  Quite a big one, at that, because she had an “image” (aka: idol) big enough to pass for a sleeping man within reach.  We kind of saw it coming, didn’t we?  The Lord has departed from Saul, so we can only assume that his family had departed from Him, as well.  Pomegranates don’t fall far from the tree!  Saul, in his own words, gave Michal as a wife to David as a snare (1 Samuel 18:21).  And Scripture says that Michal was barren, a sign of the Lord’s disfavor in Biblical culture. (2 Samuel 6:23)

When we read of the image with a “cover of goat's hair,” we are also reminded of Jacob, who covered himself with goat hair in order to trick his father Isaac into bestowing (to Jacob) his brother Esau’s blessing. (Genesis 27).  We chuckle at that simple yet profound little detail because we know that the blessing of kingship has been taken from Saul and given to David.  Through both this movie and its soundtrack, we are reminded that we, like David, must keep our focus on God, our fortress, strength, defense, and mercy!

“Break their teeth in their mouth, O God! Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord! Let them flow away as waters which run continually; when he bends his bow, let his arrows be as if cut in pieces. Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes, like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun. Before your pots can feel the burning thorns, He shall take them away as with a whirlwind, as in His living and burning wrath. The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, so that men will say, ‘Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely He is God who judges in the earth.’”  Psalm 58:6-11 (NKJV)

When I was a kid, my friends and I entertained ourselves by prank-calling people.  We would call folks and ask if their refrigerator was running.  When they said, “Yes!” we would say, “Hope you can catch it!”  We got many laughs knowing an unsuspecting department store operator was paging “Amanda Hugginkiss” on the loudspeaker. Of course, those were the days before “Caller ID” and long before maturity on our part. One of my friends called me once and asked if we had something to get blood out of the carpet, “…lots of blood."  

Blood is one of those things that stain. Often permanently.  As a young believer, I never understood the imagery of being “washed” in the blood of Jesus.

“So he said to me, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’” Revelation 7:14b (NKJV) (Revelation 1:4-6)

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 (NKJV)

Today’s passage is the first time we see the idea of “washing in blood” in the Bible.  But the image of washing here does not denote cleansing.  The word “washing” (or bathing in some Bible translations) is meant to describe the level of intensity of the Lord’s judgment.  So, is there any connection to the imagery of New Testament believers who have been washed in the blood of Jesus and the righteous (of David’s day) whose feet were washed in the blood of their enemies?  Perhaps.  Remember that while Jesus knew no sin, He paid the penalty for the world’s sin.  

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin (lit: sin offering) for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)

Through Jesus’ shed blood, which led to His death, God’s vengeance laid upon Him was fully accomplished to the extent that David prayed toward his enemies.  While blood typically renders things unclean, the blood of Jesus is the evidence of justice fully served.  The presence of Jesus’ blood on our “garment” (soul) is evidence of how we no longer need cleansing.  His resurrection testified to God’s approval!

“They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they have dug a pit before me; into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. - Selah - My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise. Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth.”  Psalm 57:6-11 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is subtitled in my Bible, “A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.”  1 Samuel 22 records that incident.

“David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him. Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.” So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.  Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.”  So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.” 1 Samuel 22:1-5 (NKJV)

Apparently, David was not the only Israelite Saul wanted dead because, when word got out that David was hiding in a cave, many people showed up at his doorstep - "cap in hand."  The real miracle may have been how people with no resources easily found David while Saul, who had the kingdom at his disposal, could not!  

At that point, David had a decision to make.  Was he going to shoo away the discontented, indebted, and distressed crowd?  He had every right.  Undoubtedly, David was concerned that such a crowd might draw unwanted attention to him. For instance, one of the people might have desired Saul’s ransom or a chance to get back into the king’s graces by passing along David’s whereabouts.  But David had compassion on the crowd, as a shepherd would naturally be inclined to do.

Today’s passage shifts from David’s joy over his deliverance from Saul to how David’s faith was strengthened by God’s deliverance.  David’s kingdom may have been scabby at that point, but he was no longer alone.  It is amazing how even the most humble community can be so comforting!  Furthermore, David declares a new day ("awaken the dawn") where he would sing the praises of the Lord to "the nations.”  Indeed, his next move was to send his father and mother to Moab, traditionally bitter enemies of Israel.  But David had an ace up his sleeve.  His great-grandmother was a young Moabite girl named Ruth, who married a righteous Israelite, Boaz.  And like that, the true testimony about Israel’s God had (again) come to the Gentiles.

“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? All day they twist my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil. They gather together, they hide, they mark my steps, when they lie in wait for my life. Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God! You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me. In God (I will praise His word), in the Lord (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Psalm 56:3-11 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is subtitled "When the Philistines Captured David in Gath".  There is only one instance in the Bible where David was at the mercy of the Philistine King in Gath, so we can safely assume that instance was the deliverance about which David was singing.  Perhaps, it helps to refresh ourselves of that story.

“Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, ‘Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’ Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. So he changed his behavior before them, pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, ‘Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?’” 1 Samuel 21:10-15 (NKJV)

Why should David be concerned to the point of faking insanity?  It helps to remember a story from deep in David’s past, featuring his victory over a bully from Gath.  Sometimes God’s “safe harbor” is in the presence of our enemies. (Psalm 23)

“And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, ‘Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.’” 1 Samuel 17:4-9 (NKJV)

God’s Word was that David would someday be king, and nothing that stood between David and his kingdom would kill him.  God’s Word can be trusted!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 55. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have risen up against me, and oppressors have sought after my life; they have not set God before them.  Selah   Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is with those who uphold my life. He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth. I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good. For He has delivered me out of all trouble; and my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.”  Psalm 54:1-7 (NKJV)

We could easily weigh the value of David’s psalm solely by virtue of its declarations about God and David’s faithfulness in the midst of trouble.  We could also focus on God’s judgment of David’s enemies.  But today’s psalm has a header that tells us David wrote the song in response to a specific instance or instances, as the case may be.  The header in my Bible reads:  “To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, ‘Is David not hiding with us?’”  We find those instances in 1 Samuel 23 and 26. (NKJV)

“And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest. Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, ‘Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.’  So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house. Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, ‘Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.’”  1 Samuel 23:14-19 (NKJV)

“Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, ‘Is David not hiding in the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?’” 1 Samuel 26:1 (NKJV)

There are two profoundly interesting things about both Biblical instances, where the Ziphites attempted to rat out David. 1) God allowed David to escape and foiled the plans of His enemies, and 2) God’s deliverance of David set up situations where David spared Saul’s life.  In both instances where the Ziphites sought to aid Saul in killing David, God used that situation to spare both David’s and Saul’s lives.  BOTH of His anointed kings were in His sovereign grasp, even while one was trying to kill the other.  David’s psalm, then, takes on a different meaning thru the filter of these 1 Samuel accounts.  If God is preserving His anointed (David) from Saul, surely He will protect His anointed (Saul) from David were David to "go rogue."  David declares God is the Judge, and His Word (Truth) will be the scale by which both of His anointed are weighed.  It was by the Word that David prevailed.

“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. Every one of them has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.”  Psalm 53:1-3 (NKJV)

In today’s psalm, David contrasts the folly of the godless nations (those who are either atheists or who believe in false gods and not the God of Israel) with the restoration of Israel.  To be clear, when David says no one “understands or seeks after God,” he is not speaking of all mankind.  David is saying that none of the pagans who oppress Israel seek God, and together they have become corrupt.  

That is not to say that God is a racist or that He loves Israel and hates all other nations.  God created all men.  Furthermore, Jesus paid the penalty for the sin of the world, making a way of salvation for all mankind!  There are many foreigners in the Old Testament who turned from their pagan ways, sought the Lord, and found salvation (Ruth, Naaman, Tamar, Rahab, Nebuchadnezzar, Nineveh, etc.).  David’s point is that it is impossible to seek after God AND be an anti-Semite.  While God has a history of using pagan nations to rebuke Israel, no nation who calls upon God could say that He told them to hate Israel.  Ultimately, Israel will prevail by God’s grace.

“Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God? There they are in great fear where no fear was, for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you; you have put them to shame, because God has despised them.”  Psalm 53:4-5 (NKJV)

Speaking prophetically, David looks far into Israel’s future and depicts a time when Israel would be taken captive.  This was obviously God speaking through David because the kingdom would not be divided until the reign of his grandson Rehoboam.  Several generations later, Assyria would conquer and exile the ten tribes of Israel’s Northern Kingdom, followed by Babylon’s eventual conquering and dispossessing of the remaining Israelites from the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.” Psalm 53:6 (NKJV)

Was Israel on a downward trend, and did David see their eventual downfall?  Absolutely!  But the greater lesson is that God would allow His own people, and even His own Name, to be tarnished with rebuke by pagan non-believers for both His Name and “namesake” to eventually be restored to their proper place of honor and respect among the nations.  It is amazing to me how far God will go to see His people, the priesthood of all believers, return to Him and testify of His greatness among the nations so that the nations will, in turn, believe in Him!

“Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking righteousness.  Selah  You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue. God shall likewise destroy you forever; He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place, and uproot you from the land of the living.  Selah  The righteous also shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, ‘Here is the man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.’ But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I will praise You forever, because You have done it; and in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your Name, for it is good." Psalm 52:1-9 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is a “Contemplation of David” when Doeg the Edomite told King Saul that David and his men had been given refuge at the house of Ahimelech, the priest.  The story is found in 1 Samuel.  

“And the king (Saul) said, ‘You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!’ Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, ‘Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.’ But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the Lord. And the king said to Doeg, ‘You turn and kill the priests!’ So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod. Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep - with the edge of the sword. Now one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests. So David said to Abiathar, ‘I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father’s house. Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe.’” 1 Samuel 22:16-23 (NKJV)

Edomites were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother, as was Doeg.  It helps to understand that because none of Saul’s Jewish soldiers would dare kill Ahimelech, the priest—no problem for the Gentile.  David’s psalm is a reminder that God sees and repays injustices.  It is a psalm of hope in God’s justice, even when we are at our most vulnerable and helpless seasons of life (green olive tree in the house of God).  Have you put your faith and trust in Him, or are you still trying to reason & hustle your way through life?  All who turn to Him through the “Son of David,” Jesus, He will hold you in His hand (John 10:28-29) and by no means cast out!  (John 6:37)

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”  1 John 4:4 (NKJV)