The Festering Wound

Psalm 38

In this petition, David vividly describes the effects of sin. It is not clear to me if David is writing literally or figuratively but, regardless, it is clear that sin has devestating effects on the sinner. There are two issues: David's sickness at his own sin and his enemies' plots to take advantage of David's weakness. Twice in the opening section David states that "there is no health in my body." (v. 3, 7) and the rest of the psalm expands on that theme. It is clear that David believes that his current situation is a direct result of his sin (v. 5) and God's wrath in response to his sin. It is interesting to me that David would beg the very one who is causing his pain to bring relief. You might think that the human response would be to run and hide from the one who is bringing you pain but David recognizes that the Lord is the source of his strength and life and so, at the end of the psalm, he petitions the Lord to not forsake him and to come to his aid.
I don't often feel the weight of my sin like David does in this psalm. There have been too few times where I have been pierced with guilt, where the very strength has poured out of my body, because I have disobeyed Christ. The problem, of course, is that whether I feel it or not, the wounds of sin continue to fester and continue to rot my spirit like an unseen cancer rots a person's body. I am afraid that unless the Spirit makes my heart more sensitive to my sins that I will not deal with my sinfulness until it blows up all over the place. Just like I would rather deal with a cancer before it takes out some vital organs, I would rather deal with my sins before they destroy my family, discredit my ministry and bring shame to the name of Christ. Spirit of God, would you please show me those cherished sins that I have grown so accustomed to that I am no longer aware that they are sin and have been dulled to their insiduous work? Then, would you please give me the strength and the desire to allow you to root them out of my life?

Fret Not!

Psalm 37

David writes this psalm like a series of proverbs around a common theme: the righteous will be blessed and the wicked will fail. This is a teaching psalm more than it is a psalm of praise, althout it definitely speaks of God's character: he values righteousness, faithfulness and is just. The main instruction is: do not fret, words which are repeated a few times in the psalm, when you see the wicked attaining success for their success will be short lived.
Perhaps David was concerned because he was seeing his people becoming so frustrated by the wicked that they were beginning to employ wicked means to stand against them. In any case, he warns them not to become like the wicked. He indicates that the beginning of wickedness is fretting because, I believe, it indicates a lack of trust in the Lord and the beginning of taking matters into our own hands.
This is one of the things I needed to be reminded of from this psalm. Do not fret - it leads only to evil. It means that I have lost trust in the Lord. The only conclusion to draw is that I am afraid that the Lord can't handle the situation. The other indication is that I am more worried about me, my reputation and my comfort than I am about the kingdom of heaven. In other words, I acknowledge that Jesus is in control but I fret about what that could mean for me. This means that I have become the center of my life or that I have lost confidence in the Lord's goodness.
The other thing that struck me from this psalm was the line, "those the Lord blesses will inherit the land" (v.22). This reminds me of the beatitudes in Christ's sermon on the mount: "blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth." David is aware in a general way that inheritance of the land is at the perogative of the Lord. Jesus tells us the qualities he is looking for in those he wants to bless: meekness. I don't think I have a good understanding of this word. It conjures up ideas of humility, quietness, and submission. It has a bit of a negative connotation. In fact, dictionary.com defines it as overly compliant. It is clear that meekness is not necessarily something we value in our society and yet Jesus promises that those who are meek will be blessed.
So, my prayer from this psalm is two fold: one, that Christ would remind me that he is good and he is King so I do not fret. I want the Spirit to make me aware of those times when I am fretting and stressing and then move me to re-orient my thinking to recognize that Christ is still in control. Two, that the Spirit would make me meek even though it is not something that will be valued by this world. I long to want the affirmation of Christ more than the affirmation of this society and so, again, I acknowledge my dependence on the Spirit to re-orient my priorities and focus.

The Fountain of Life

Psalm 36

The psalm starts with a unique title: For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. I haven't seen this title so far in the Book of Psalms. I wonder if something happened to make David particularly humble in the writing of this psalm or I wonder if he establishing his credentials as someone who can speak a message from the Lord.
The message he has is concerning the sinfulness of the wicked. He focuses on what the wicked see (themselves) and what they say (wicked and deceitful words). The main message is that they are so focused on themselves that they are completely unaware that they are violating a standard of righteousness. They may even be unaware that such a standard exists.
The theme of the psalm abruptly switches to the character of the Lord. I think David is trying to show the contrast between the depravity of the wicked and the beauty of the Lord's character. Perhaps David's goal is to call the a group of people, perhaps the whole nation, to turn away from their wickedness and toward the Lord. In this capacity, David is acting as a prophet or servant of the Lord.
I need to be reminded of the beauty of the Lord's character. Like the wicked in this psalm, I get distracted and my focus shifts from the beauty of the Lord to the cheap substitutes that this world has to offer. I need to be reminded that the love of the Lord reaches to the heavens, his faithfulness reaches to the skies, his righteousness is like the highest mountains and his justice is like the mighty oceans. I need to be reminded that his love is precious. I know that I do not value who the Lord is to the extent that I should. I long to long for him.

Contention

Psalm 35

This psalm of David is another imprecatory psalm, meaning that they contain prayers for his enemies destruction. David obviously had a strong sense of justice that bordered on revenge except that he left his vindication in the hands of the Lord, at least in the psalms. David gets right to the point in this psalm: Contend with those who contend with me. He then gives some history: they had laid a trap of some sort for him even though he had prayed and mourned for them when they were ill. David calls for the Lord to act on what he has seen, cursing those who delight in his destruction and blessing those who rejoice in his restoration. He ends with a pledge to praise the Lord that, while not explicit, seems a bit conditional.
I have definitely felt the same way as David about some people or circumstances in my life; my sense of justice and fairness have been offended. I think the difference between my reaction and David's reaction in the psalm is that I dream of taking personal revenge while David prays to the Lord. David definitely has desires for the destruction of his enemies but, at least in the psalm, he trusts the Lord to vindicate him. I do wonder that if David had an opportunity to take revenge if he would see that as the way the Lord has chosen to restore justice. In other words, I wonder how passive David really was.
The other difference between my reaction and David's reaction is that I am often looking for "justice" for my name's sake while David is looking for justice for the Lord's name sake. It is not explicit in this psalm but it definitely comes up in other psalms. This is the difference between having a self-centered life and a Christ-centered life. When my life is centered on Christ, all my passions, emotions and desires are rightly ordered and when I see injustice I immediately recognize how that reflects on Christ's character and I want his name to be "cleared" or glorified. Again, I may be overstating a little bit since most of David's imprecatory psalms are written in response to perceived injustice against himself and rarely because of injustice in another's life.
It is clear that the Lord values justice, that he is the King and Judge and that I can be confident that he will restore justice. My prayer is that I would have the heart of David in regards to justice, not just for my own life but for others as well. I pray that God would make me more aware of the principles and values of his kingdom and of when those values have been offended. I pray that God would assert himself as the King and Center of my life so that I can be more aware of the suffering and oppression of others.

The Refuge of the Righteous

Psalm 34

This is a psalm of David written as a response to his deliverance from Abimelek. I can't help but here the ecstatic relief in the tone of the psalm. I would expect the psalm to be less focused because of the emotions David must have felt and yet it is incredibly disciplined: the text notes indicate that this was an acrostic poem.
There are a couple of themes in the psalm. The first is praise. David begins with a call to praise and then gives his reason for praise. It isn't long before David seizes this teachable moment to instruct the congregation. David's main point is that the Lord protects those who fear him. This theme is repeated through out the rest of the psalm with a brief pause to instruct his fellow worshipers in how to fear the Lord: turn from evil and do good.
It would be easy to read a formulaic faith in this psalm because David pretty much lays it out as a formula: turn from evil and do good and the Lord will hear your prayer and deliver you from trouble. The problem with this formula is that it doesn't work and adds pressure to me. If I am experiencing trouble the obvious conclusion is that the Lord is not hearing my prayer because I do not fear him enough or have not done enough good. Sometimes there is truth to this conclusion but sometimes there is not. Job would stand as a witness that this formula cannot be upheld 100% of the time. This is why I see this psalm as a sort of proverb: a general truth that has some exceptions. Sort of like the rule of thumb: it's right 9 times out of 10 (including this one... I'll leave you to do the math on that!). However, the formula is ultimately right. Ultimately the righteous will be delivered. Ultimately evil will be defeated. Ultimately those who fear the Lord will be vindicated.
This is what I like about the psalms: there are psalms that reflect almost every emotion and circumstance in my life. In times of victory and deliverance, I can sing this psalm with David. In times of brokeness and darkness, I know that even though I walk through the valley of the darkest shadow the Lord is with me. His rod and staff will bring me comfort. I do not have to fear any evil. He is with me in the present and I will take refuge in him until that day when he ultimately delivers me.

The Vanity of Horses

Psalm 33

This psalm is without title and has no author attached to it. It is a psalm that encourages the congregation to sing praise to the Lord. The "word of the Lord" is a phrase and/or idea that appears repeatedly through out the psalm. The second stanza describes the quality of the word of the Lord as right and true and the third stanza describes the power of the word of the Lord in creation and sustaining his creation. The rest of the psalm draws its conclusion from the fact that the word of the Lord is powerful: therefore the plans of the wicked will be foiled, the nation who trusts in God is blessed even in the face of famine, war and death.
The section of the psalm that draws my attention is the second last and last stanzas. The psalmist recognizes that there is a power bigger than that of a large army, there is strength stronger than that of a mighty warrior on a war horse. Only those who fear the Lord and trust in his unfailing love will experience the full blessing and protection of the Lord. The conclusion of the psalm is that the nation will trust in and wait for God, with the plea: "please don't let us down."
I can certainly resonate with that last plea. It adds to the humanity of the psalm: Lord, I trust you completely... mostly. I know that I don't live with a complete trust in the Lord. At best he is my plan A but I am always working on plans B, C, and D just in case. The things I rely on are my own abilities, mostly my strategic planning and my communication skills. But there are other things I trust as well: do I need some money? I have credit cards or lines of credit to supply my need. And this is where I get confused: I recognize, most of the time, that God gave me certain abilities so when I use them to solve a problem am I trusting in my own ability or in the Lord? Would the psalmist have turned down a large army or mighty warriors on fighting horses saying that he trusted in the Lord to provide or would he have concluded that the army he had at his disposal was the Lord's provision? I don't think the psalmist is saying that he wouldn't use horses if he had them but is acknowleding that there is a power greater than that of the horse. So, I don't think it is wrong for me to use my abilities, skills and resources as long as I continue to recognize that those resources have been given to me by the Giver of all good things and that my skills in strategy are only a spark compared to the blazing intellect of the Lord, that my ability to communicate is overshadowed by the one whose very word is right and true, whose very ability to communicate didn't just create ideas or explain concepts but created the very world and universe. As long as my heart is rejoicing in him and not in my abilities, as long as I trust in his holy name and not my own skills I believe my heart is right.

Forgiven

Psalm 32

David is recounting a time when he experienced the Lord's forgiveness for a sin that David wanted to keep hidden but eventually acknowledged and confessed. The pslam includes a section where it seems as if David is writing from God's perspective (v8-9) and ends with a section where David is instructing the congregation but the rest of the psalm is addressed to the Lord.. I think we've all heard prayers where the pray-er is instructing us more than she is talking to the Lord. There is definitely an element of that here as well.
The basic message of the psalm is that even though you are afraid to come before the Lord and acknowledge your sin, don't wait to be led like a horse on a bit and bridle. Come to the Lord, acknowledge your sin and you will experience the hilarity (to borrow a phrase form Marva Dawn) of God's forgiveness. You will be surrounded by songs of deliverance and unfailing love, not punishment or vengeance.
There is a phrase that strikes me right at the beginning of the psalm. I'm not sure how much theology we are to take at face value from the psalms because I believe we have to leave room for the artistic poetic language of the psalmist. However, having said that, David makes a comparison between being forgiven and having no deceit in my spirit. If I am interpretting this correctly, David is saying that when we confess our sin and the Lord forgives our sin, no longer counting it against us, we are not only forgiven but we are made clean. This meshes completely with the teaching of the NT, especially 1 John 1:9. However, I am not sure that I always believe this. I think I have a wrong concept of forgiveness because I believe, as seen through the way I act and relate to God, that I can be forgiven of my sins but still have to make amends somehow for my sinfulness. I believe that somehow God can overlook my sinful actions but that the stain remains on my soul and spirit. David says that this is not true. When I am forgiven by the Lord, there is no stain that remains. My spirit contains no deceit. I think this may be why I have not ever really experienced the fullness of Christ's forgiveness. First, I know my propensity to wander and believe whole-heartedly that I will fall into that sin again. I know that to some extent, I enjoy sin. Second, while Christ may have dealt with the particular sinful action, I don't believe that he has dealt with the fatal flaw itself and so I confess the symptom knowing that the root cause remains. Of course I know theologically that this is not true but I am not convicted or convinced of the truth of this and so I continue to live under the weight of my sinfulness. I long to know, to experience the full freedom of being not just forgiven (to split hairs) but cleansed and made new by Christ. Having said that, I also know that the pattern of my life has been to see Christ working gradually and inevitably rather than dramatically and spontaneously.

Mercy in a City Under Siege

Psalm 31

Again, David uses incredible imagery to describe both the desperation of his situation and his complete dependance on the Lord. The psalm indicates that the wicked are enjoying a time of prosperity and the righteous are suffering. In this situation, it would be easy to lose heart and faith but David reminds himself and his audience that their hope and trust are completely in the Lord and that the Lord is faithful and trustworthy.
I am reading Eli Wiesel's "Night" right now and some of the situations David describes reminds me of the situation in Germany. It was a death sentence to associate with a Jew and so even their friends mostly abandoned them and did not speak up in their defence, sometimes even denying, in word and attitude and action, that they ever even knew their Jewish neighbours. David is experiencing similar rejection: because of the oppression of his enemies, his friends no longer acknowledge his presence, as if he is dead. The people who see him on the streets turn away from him. To acknowledge him is to be tainted by the death that hangs over him.
How can David remain faithful and hopeful in such a dire situation? I think it is because of his past experiences of God's saving mercy. He remembers the mercy and love he experienced in a city under siege. He remembers the saving power of the Lord in his own history as well as the history of the people and he trusts that God will rescue him again. So, be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord!
This certainly speak of the massive faith that David had but more than that, it speaks about the faithfulness of the Lord. David can only trust in the Lord if the Lord is in control. If he is not, then there is reason to despair for then the fight is not decided and evil may prevail. The Lord must also be good. If he is not, then there is reason for despair for he may be the source of the pain and suffering without any reason. Finally, the Lord must be love. If he is not, then he may be simply using David, his people and you and I in a chess match that he will win and which will be good but not necessarily for us. If he is not, then the ends justify the means. What I see in Scripture is that not only will the Lord accomplish a good end but he will do it by a good means. When I recognize this, I can say with David, "Praise be to the Lord!"

Night and Day

Psalm 30

This psalm was written by David for the dedication of the temple (or possibly the palace). If it was written for the dedication for the temple it was an act of faith since the temple was not built in David's lifetime. I find the psalm to be an incredibly personal psalm for such a public occasion.
The first stanza expresses praise to God for deliverance from death and humiliation. The second stanza calls on the people to sing the praises of the Lord because his anger and judgement are momentary while his joy and favour are long lasting. David uses the imagery of day and night to make his point: just as the dawn follows the night, so the joy of the Lord will follow times of sorrow. The third stanza talks about the security David feels when he is in the Lord's favour and the terror he experiences when the Lord hides his face. David seems to be reliving the experience of not seeing the Lord's face, perhaps the circumstances he refers to at the beginning of the psalm, and recalls how he cried for mercy in that moment. I really take delight in David's argument: "If I die, I will not be alive to praise you. You should save me from death so I can continue to sing your praise." In the fifth stanza, David recalls the Lord's response to his plea, using imagery and language that seem to dance across the page: "you turned my mourning into dancing, you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent."
This psalm serves as a good reminder that the day is coming. It may seem like the night is never ending. It may seem as if the Lord's face is hidden. It may seem like our suffering will last forever. David experienced the dawn. We may not experience much of the sun in our lifetime but we can be sure that the dawn is coming. There is coming a time when light will flood our senses, when the we will experience the hilarity of the Lord lifting his countenance upon us and when we will experience the end of every pain and sorrow. Then we will finally and completely exchange our sackcloth for joy and our mourning for dancing.

The Voice of the Lord

Psalm 29

David focuses on the glory of the Lord as seen in the mighty force of his voice. The first stanza repeats the phrase "ascribe to the Lord" three times, each one building on the previous thought: first identifying the audience to whom the command is given (heavenly beings), second identifying exactly what they are to ascribe to the Lord (glory) and third identifying the reason for ascribing glory to the Lord (he is due it). The second stanza focuses on the voice of the Lord and David gives many examples of what the voice of the Lord can accomplish. David ends by affirming the Lord's position as King above all the turmoil of earth. He re-inforces the idea of the Lord being enthroned: he is not waiting for this throne or his kingdom but sits as ruler now.
David's main point seems to be that we should give the Lord the glory he is due because he is so powerful that his very words have a devastating affect on people and nations and because he is enthroned as the King of the universe. The imagery that David uses to describe the affect that the Lord's voice has is stark and sometimes frightening. At first it reinforces the majesty of the Lord: the voice of the Lord thundering over the waters in power and majesty. Then David reminds us just how powerful the Lord's voice is: it not only creates but destroys; it not only draws people but sends them running like a frightened calf. This is something that I don't think of often. Actually, I'm not sure that's a fair statement. I live with a constant awareness of the Lord's justice and might. It is always there in the background acting as a motivating factor for much of my life. Yet it is a somewhat unrealized fear. I rationalize my choice to engage in sin by stating that I haven't been punished yet but I live in constant fear that someday the shoe will drop and I will be in a world of hurt for all the selfishness and depravity that my choices have exhibited. I believe that the Lord can use this fear to bring repentance and I believe that there is a seed of truth in there. However, I also believe that this type of fear actually keeps me at a distance from God. I act as if I believe that if I maintain my distance I am less likely to be discovered for who I am and therefore less likely to face the terrible voice of the Lord. My prayer is that the Lord would reveal the fullness of who he is to me: all his goodness, his grace, his love and his majesty. I want to have a healthy fear of the Lord for it is the beginning of wisdom and I also want to realize the intimacy and peace that is available to me as one who has placed his trust in the Lord.
This is where David ends his psalm. The Lord is enthroned over the chaos and turbulence, he strengthens his people and he blesses them with peace. I believe that the Lord actively provides strength and peace to his people but I also believe that there is a passive, if one can use such a word about the Lord, aspect to his provision: I receive peace and strength when I realize and acknowledge that the Lord is enthroned over the flood. He is the King and I can rest in confidence and move in confidence. The chaos and turbulence of this world will not overcome me or overthrow the Lord. He is the King.

The Fortress of Salvation

Psalm 28

David is returning to a familiar theme: his complete dependence on God and his keen sense of justice. He begins with a petition for God to hear his prayer and then calls on him to pour out justice on the wicked. He ends with assurance that God has heard his prayer and is the strength of the king and the nation.
David uses some metaphors/similes to describe the strength of God: rock, my strength, my shield, a fortress of salvation, shepherd. I resonate with the fortress of salvation. It evokes images of building forts in the living room and in the backyard; secret places of peace, safety, security and adventure. Unlike my chair and blanket forts, God provides a place of true security. There is nothing that can penetrate his defenses. When I am found in God, I am comletely safe and can have utter confidence. The other image that resonates with me is the image of shepherd. This is another common image that David uses but in this case it stands out because of all the other images that David uses of shields, fortresses, rocks and strengths. The image of shepherd is usually a very tender image in my mind. Here, David reminds me that God the Shepherd is a strong shepherd. He is a warrior who will do battle on behalf of his sheep. He guides and directs his sheeps and protects them. The reason that the image of Shepherd is such a tender one is because in the presence of the Shepherd, I am completely secure and at peace. Nothing can harm me. I can trust him implicitly.

Trust

Psalm 25

Trust is the theme of this psalm of David. This is an interesting psalm because it is so much about the character of God and a surrender to God but the occassion for writing it is that David has been reminded of a past sin. However, David recognizes that God is good, upright and loving and therefore David's relationship to God does not have to be defined by his previous sinfulness. He can enjoy a restored relationship because God has forgiven his sin.
I like the contrasts: Remember your mercy and love, not the sin of my youth. This is not easy grace. David recognizes the greatness of his iniquity. In fact, verse 16-19 indicate that he feels the pain of his sin keenly. David also recognizes that forgiveness from God cannot be earned or based on merit. It is only according the name and character of the Lord that he will be forgiven.
My prayer could very often echo this prayer of David:
"God, I trust in you. Show me your ways, teach me your paths, guide me in your truth and lead me for my hope is in you always. Remember your mercy and love and not my sinfulness for you are good.
You will instruct, guide and teach sinners like me for, even though I am not good, you are. For the sake of your name and because of your loving faithfulness forgive my sin, though it is great. I will look to you alone for help, for guidance and instruction.
I feel the full weight of my sin and the triumph of my spiritual enemies. Please turn your face to me and be gracious to me. Don't let me be put to shame for I take refuge in you. My hope is in you."

The Seeking Generation

Psalm 24

This is a praise psalm composed by David. There are three major sections. The first section focuses on the creative power of the Lord. The second section asks and answers the question, "who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?" The final section addresses the gates of the temple or the city, proclaiming the arrival of the King of glory. This section seems to build into a crescendo of praise, perhaps resulting from the thought that the Lord has vindicated and blessed his people.
It is obvious that David's hope of salvation was in the Lord. He asks who may stand before the presence of God and then answers his own question: those who have clean hands and a pure heart and whose loyalties are not divided. The qualifications are high: both inwardly (heart) and outwardly (hands), David has to be perfect. I really like the simplicity with which David sums up the requirements to stand before God. In three simple images, he captures the total picture. His hands must be clean meaning that his actions must be righteous. There must not be any blood on his hands. His heart must be pure which means his affections, his attitudes, his motivations and his thoughts must be pure. He must not swear by any other god, meaning that his worship must be focused only on the Lord God. He must not have anything besides God at the center of his life.
The requirements are impossible to meet and yet David has this utmost confidence that he can stand in the presence of God. Why? Because he trusts God for his salvation and not his own religious observances and piety. David recognizes his own sinfulness (we'll see that in other psalms) but trusts that the grace and righteousness of God are enough to overcome his impurity and make him pure.
This is also my only hope. Yes, of course, I strive to be more righteous in my actions, interactions, atttitudes and worship but ultimately I know that I am not righteous. I depend on Christ for my vindication. This is the characteristic of the generation who seeks God's face - their hands are clean because Jesus has made them clean. Their hearts are pure because Jesus makes them pure. They worship with integrity because Christ has bound their wandering hearts to his.

Green Pastures and Quiet Waters

Psalm 23

I can definitely see why this is such a favourite psalm. It is so gentle, so full of peace and yet not fairy-tale, happily ever after kind of sentiment. David, the composer, is reflecting on his relationship with the Lord. It is obvious that David is drawing on his experience as a shepherd, perhaps even writing the psalm while out with the sheep. He carries the shepherd-sheep imagery through the first two thirds, painting pictures of green pastures, quiet waters, and confidence in the shepherd even when the path leads through shadow filled valleys. The last third of the psalm talks about the provision of the Lord even in the face of opposition and the joy that David has from his relationship with the Lord.
The rod and the staff bring comfort to David. The rod and the staff, as far as I know, are meant to correct and guide the sheep. I've never heard of a shepherd beating his sheep with the rod but I imagine it could happen. David is speaking of the gentle, love-filled corrective touches from God. I can imagine that sometimes the sheep find those corrective touches restricting and sometimes even scary. For David they are reminders of God's presence and his care and love for the sheep.
I long for this kind of relationship with God. I know lots about God and I do a lot of the right things; things that people have told me will increase my intimacy with God but I still feel like my faith is more intellectual than passionate. I feel like I have a theology more than I have a relationship at times. I feel like I am missing out on the kind of closeness that David had with the Lord. Oh, I can look back on my life and see where God has definitely been my shepherd. I can recount instances where his rod and staff have corrected me and comforted me. I can tell people about times when I walked through dark valleys and knew that God was still in control, good and loving. Maybe the reason that I don't experience God's presence is because I don't take enough time to reflect each day on where I saw and experienced the presence of God.

Praise Theme

Psalm 22

I really love the vulnerability of this psalm. David is the composer and it is another psalm of lament. The theme of the psalm is "Why have you forsaken me?" As I read it, I get the idea that David is saying, "I have many enemies and I can understand why they might oppose me but I can't understand why you, Lord, have also forsaken me." There is a lot of strong imagery in this psalm, revealing David's artistic heart: I am a worm; you made me feel secure on my mother's breast; many bulls surround me; roaring lions... open their mouths wide against me; I am poured out like water; my heart has turned to wax. The imagery also serves to increase the level of vulnerability. David is completely vulnerable before the Lord. If God has truly forsaken him, then he has no hope and is stripped of all defenses.
There have been a few times when I have felt this way also. Usually it is in a time of trial when I've come to the end of all my strategies, strength and wisdom. It is then that I realize how completely dependent I am on the Lord. I realize that my strength is weakness, my wisdom is foolishness and my strategies are worthless. It is a terrifyingly wonderful place to be. I know that people often say that they are just trusting the Lord and wherever he leads or however he provides will be good. I have often said that myself. The reality of my own heart is that usually those are just words because while I might appear calm and trusting, I am depending on my own abilities to come up with a plan and a direction. The issue is that the theme of my praise then can only be me: look what I have done, see how I have rescued myself, see how I have provided. The theme of David's praise comes from God because David is completely dependent on God.
So, what is the theme of my praise? When I ask myself these questions, I sense the sinful and the redeemed self struggling against itself because there is the redeemed part of me that wants the theme of my praise to be the Lord and his wisdom, strength, provision and glory. However, the sinful self really likes the spotlight. My pride rears its ugly head and the lie of Satan is terribly appealing: "You don't need God. You can do it on your own. Then all the glory will be yours." It becomes an issue of trust. Do I trust God enough to pray, "Father, bring to the place where I depend solely on you"? Or do I trust myself more.
I know what my praise theme will be when I stand before the throne of Christ. I pray that I would learn the tune and words to that theme while I am still here on earth.

The Joy of Your Presence

Psalm 21

Another psalm of David. This psalm contains both elements of praise and elements of an imprecatory psalm. By the way, I love that word! I think it is one of those words that sounds like what it means. Say it with me: imprecatory! David talks about himself in the third person: the king, he, etc. maybe so that the work of the Lord would be emphasized and maybe so that it could be sung by and instruct others, including future kings.
The praise section is so joyful and intimate. I'm not sure, but it feels like the use of the third person adds to the sense of intimacy. The whole psalm is very focused on the work and power of the Lord. When David is singing about the king, it all about what the Lord has done for the king. When David is singing about the king's enemies, it is all about what the Lord will do to the enemies. Ultimately, it is not the king but the Lord who is exalted and the Lord who receives praise and songs from the people. To sum up the psalm in a word: trust.
The line that stuck out to me is from verse 6: "Surely you have... made him glad with the joy of your presence." First, what stood out is the double joy. The king is glad with joy! I love the imagery and the flow of that sentence. There is sometimes when the joy of life and the joy of the Lord makes me glad. I want the Spirit to shape my heart and affections so that I am glad with the joy of the Lord. The second thing that stood out was the joy of the Lord's presence. I live my life deistically. God is there but not here. I know he exists but I don't often experience his presence. I acknowledge the truth about God but I live as if he sits at a distance as more of an observer than someone who is intimately acquainted with the details of my life. I try to figure things out and solve them through my own abilities rather than trusting in God. Because of this, I don't often experience God's presence which means that I too often miss out on the joy of God's presence. I want the Spirit to shape my heart and my spirit to recognize and rejoice in the presence of God. He is not distant. He is close, personal, and present.

Benediction

Psalm 20

This is another psalm of David. The first half of the psalm is a benediction and the second half is a declaration of what David knows about the Lord's relationship to the king and, therefore, the nation. It ends with a prayer for the king's victory or success. The psalm is written in the classic Hebrew poetry style. In the first half the couplet repeats the idea (May he send you help... and grant you support...) and in the second half the couplet mostly offers a contrasting idea (Some trust in chariots... but we trust in God). The contrast is mostly between those who trust in human ingenuity and those who trust in the Lord. The repeated ideas/words are victory and the name of the Lord. From looking at the content, it would be likely that this psalm was meant to be used in the coronation of the king or a confirmation of the king's authourity to express the people's desire that the Lord would bless their king and therefore their nation.
What is clear from the psalm is that victory ultimately belongs to God. There is a complete dependence on the Lord and a complete trust that he will ultimately bring victory and vindication. At the same time there is an implied acknowledgement that our response to God plays some role in achieving the victory. This fits well with the rest of Scripture: God is ultimately responsible but he has discharged some responsibility to us as humans and as his people. He equips, empowers and guides us and we acknowledge that we can do nothing apart from him but that doesn't mean that we just sit back and let him do it. We work and move and plan according to his equipping, empowring and guiding. When victory/success is achieved we can seek no glory because it is only through God that we have achieved the victory. We don't trust in our chariots and horses (or abilities and resources) but neither do we leave them in the barn. We use them with all the wisdom that God provides and move with confidence, not because we have so many resource but because we are moving in submission to the leading of a great and powerful God.
I think the part of the psalm that I resonate with most is the last part of the benediction: May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of the Lord. I love that! May we share in the joy of the triumphs that the Lord has accomplished through each other and may the Lord receive all the glory from our rejoicing.

Silent Testimony

Psalm 19

In this psalm, David, the author/composer, directs his attention to two witnesses of God's character. The first witness is wordless and voiceless but declares the glory of God to all who will listen. The second witness is one of words and speaks of God's character to all who will read or hear. David begins with the more general testimony of creation and moves to the more specific revelation of the Law.
I find it interesting that people love the first part of this psalm that talks about creation's witness to the glory of God but don't focus much on the second part of this psalm that points out the Law's witness to God's character. David spends more time talking about the witness of the Law than he does about the witness of creation. It would seem that he values or appreciates the Law's testimony more than creation's testimony. Yet we love to focus on God's glory as seen in Creation. I wonder if it is because the Law, or more generally, Scripture, is too convicting. We can delight in the creativity and glory of God in nature without being too convicted but when we read Scripture we don't get very far before we are confronted with our depravity and sinfulness.
My prayer is that I would learn to see God's glory more clearly in creation. I think sometimes I limit creation's testimony to big things like storms and mountains. I want to know God so intimately that I can see his fingerprints in all of creation: in the grass along the coulees, in the ant hill, in the garden, in the park, in the sky and in the dirt. Even as I say that I am convicted because I believe that I will know God more intimately and see him more clearly in creation not by studying creation more but by studying Scripture more. As I learn more about who God is from Scripture I am confident that I will see evidence of him more clearly in nature.
David obviously loves Scripture because it fuels his knowledge of and love of the Lord. With the help of the Spirit, I too will love Scripture and value it more than gold for the same reason; because it points me to Jesus.

My Plea

Psalm 17

This is another psalm of David. I noticed in the title that rather than saying "psalm" or "mitkam" that it says "prayer". I'm not sure if it indicates another style of poetry or a different musical style. It is clear that this psalm addresses God directly. It is another lament.
In this psalm, David opens with a plea for God to hear his prayer. In the second section David argues that he is upright and innocent and therefore does not deserve to be oppressed by his enemies. This is classic formulaic thinking which exists today: if we do this, then God must do this. David recognizes that this is not always the case in real life but basically his psalms of lament argue that this is the way it should be. The fact that it does not work that way indicates that something is broken. I would agree that something is broken but I don't think it is the formula necessarily. I don't agree that my actions demand certain responses or blessing from God.
In the third section David reflects on the intimacy of his relationship with the Lord. The relationship is two way: David has complete confidence in God and recognizes that God loves him very much. His request is that God would protect him from his enemies which leads David to reflect on the nature of his enemies in the fourth section. The fifth section contains David's request that his enemies be utterly destroyed and humiliated and, finally, David closes by expressing his confidence that God will vindicate him and that he will continue to have a close relationship with God.
I think it may be his confidence that he will have a close relationship with God that gives David comfort. In the end, whether his enemies triumph or not, David's relationship with God is secure and it is intimate. In fact David contends that he will see God's face and his likeness. This is huge! To see the face of God meant to be enveloped in all his majesty and all his glory. It almost always meant instant death because we, as sinful humans, could not survive in the presence of such intense holiness. But David desires God so much - more than he desires his vindication and the defeat of his enemies - that he is willing to risk death for the satisfaction of seeing God's likeness.
I don't think I understand the privilege that I have as a disciple of Christ. In Christ I am declared righteous enough to stand in the holy, majestic glorious presence of God and see him face to face. In Christ I can approach his throne with confidence. I am living out the blessing of the priests: May Lord make his face to shine upon you... may the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace! Amen!

Eternal Pleasures

Psalm 16

What joy and light is contained in this psalm! This is another psalm of David. It is a psalm of praise that focuses on the Lord's character and David's response to his character. It covers everything from the nobility of the godly to the sufficiency of God's provision. The overall tone looks to the future: a delightful inheritance (v. 6), the assurance of life after death (v. 10) and the pleasures that David experiences now and will for all eternity (v. 11).
I think part of the pleasure that we experience now is the anticipation of the greater pleasure that is yet to come. As my wedding approached I anticipated being married and all that I thought it entailed and that brought me joy. That joy was fulfilled in many ways on my wedding day, and continues to be more fully fulfilled today, but part of the joy I experienced was the anticipation of the joy that was to come. I think this is true of the joy we experience now. We know who God was and is and ever will be. We know who we are in Christ and we have some idea of what joys await us. The anticipation of that joy brings us pleasure in the present. It is certainly what David is experiencing in this psalm: present joy that is at least partially the anticipation of future joy and eternal pleasures.
More than the pleasure and the joy itself, this psalm constantly calls me back to the source of pleasure and joy. The Lord is my refuge. The Lord is my King. The Lord is my provider of all that is good. The Lord is my portion. The Lord is my security. The Lord is my inheritance. The Lord is my counsellor. The Lord is my strength. The Lord is my hope. I worry that I love God's gifts more than I love God at times. This psalm reminds me that the Lord is my gift. There is no greater blessing that the Lord himself. With David, I will praise him!

Impossible

Psalm 15

This is another one of David's psalms. This one is not a lament but instead lists the attributes of the person who may dwell in the presence of God. Looking at the structure of the Hebrew poem, it looks like there are four main ideas with two sub ideas under the first three main ideas and one sub idea under the fourth main idea. The four main ideas are: those whose walk is blameless (integrity), who have no slander on their tongues (relationships), who despise those whose ways are vile (values) and who lend money to the poor without interest (money).
There is a bold statement made at the end of the psalm: "whoever does these things will never be shaken." I'm not sure that David means that they will never doubt or never face trials or never suffer. If he does mean that, I think we have sufficient evidence to show that the statement is not entirely true. However, I think David is talking about being shaken in their standing before God. Those who do these things will always have a place in the presence of God. The problem is that keeping this list is impossible for me. I might be able to keep parts of the list part of the time but not the whole list the whole time. Sin has twisted me too much. In the context of the rest of Scripture, the good news is that I have one who has kept the whole list the whole time who stands always before God and intercedes on my behalf. His righteousness has been applied to me and, by the Spirit, I am being changed to reflect this list more and more. I wonder if it was this list that Paul had in mind when he wrote some of his lists describing those who had been regenerated and walked by the Spirit.
There is one item on the list that really stands out to me every time I read this psalm: "who keep their oaths even when it hurts." I'm really good and making promises and then justifying my breaking them because of circumstances that come along. Recognizing this tendency has not led me to keep my promises more strongly but to not make promises. I don't think that's a good solution. I need to be careful about the promises that I make and then work hard to keep those promises even when it hurts.

Devouring People Like Bread

Psalm 14

This is another psalm by David and once again it takes the form of a lament. This time his lament is more commentary than prayer. He recognizes that in the sight of God there is no one who does what is good, that everyone has turned away and become corrupt. As usual, there is a contrast between the people of God and the "fools" who live as if God does not exist. The fools are opposed to the godly and are seeking to destroy them. The psalmist uses strong imagery: "They devour my people as though eating bread." However, the fools are overcome with dread since God is present with the godly. The implied claim is that ultimately the Lord will prevail. David ends with a longing for that time.
This fits very well into the teaching of the rest of Scripture. The teaching on the depravity of humanity is found everywhere, in Romans 3 for example, as is the teaching that God will ultimately prevail, especially in the Revelation of John. I don't live in a context where I have to cling to that hope very often. My life is pretty good and I don't face much in the way of opposition from people or even from Satan. I acknowledge that he is the tempter and I give into his enticements far too often but for the most part his opposition in my world takes the form of laying low and lulling people to sleep.
That is why the last line of v. 4 caught my attention: "they never call on the Lord." Unfortunately, this all too often describes my life. Because I don't face much opposition and because God has blessed me with abilities I can live much of my life as if I don't need God. I have a plethora of resources literally at my fingertips. The truth is that I don't really want God to put me in a situation where I am obviously and completely dependent on him because that scares me. I'd rather trust myself, which is absurd, isn't it?
David's trust, in this psalm, was utterly in God. God is the refuge of the godly, God is in the midst of the company of the righteous and it is God who will bring salvation from Zion and God who will bring joy and gladness to Jacob.

How long?

Psalm 13

This is another psalm written by David. The circumstances are not noted but it is obvious that David is suffering and this is another psalm of lament. The repeated refrain is "How long, Lord?" David recognizes that unless the Lord intervenes, all is lost and his enemies will triumph and rejoice in David's downfall. As in most of his psalms of lament, David ends with a declaration of trust, a recognition of the Lord's goodness and a pledge to praise.
I'm only at Psalm 13 and I am realizing that David is writing a lot of psalms of lament. It seems that David has a keen sense of justice and of right and wrong and when things are not right, he feels that deeply. Not only that, but he recognizes that the reason that things are wrong is because God's right to rule is not recognized. He acknowledges that God is in control even when people do not submit to his right to rule and that ultimately all things will be made right and justice will be restored. These are the reasons for his praise.
There are definitely times when I've wondered, "how long, Lord?" How long until we have a baby? How long until our house sells? How long until poverty is abolished? How long will evil people triumph? How long will injustice go unpunished? There is comfort in the questioning because the questions acknowledge that God is in control; it's his "fault" that these things are happening. When I focus back on God rather than just on the circumstances, I remember that God is also good and loves me very much and then I can turn to praise. I think we need to give each other permission to ask these questions of God. I think we need to acknowledge that our lament and our questions are an aspect of worship. In some ways it is a deeper worship than the surface praise we so often engage in.

lies & flattery

Psalm 12

This is another psalm written by David. The occassion of his writing is not noted but it is clear from the psalm that David is troubled by the "yes men." Those who flatter and lie are not doing him any favours and are likely hiding evil intentions. The words: flatter, lie, lips and tongue are the key words in this psalm.
David calls for the Lord to arise and silence the flattery and boasting and looks forward to the time when he will rise up to defend the poor and needy. There is a contrast between the utterances of the proud (lies, boasting, flattery) and the utterances of the poor and needy (groans) and the utterances of the Lord (purified silver and refined gold). The proud trust their words to defend them but it is truly the word of the Lord that brings safety and protection.
This is a good reminder for me. I trust too often in my own abilities and wisdom. I trust my ability to argue, debate and reason. I need the Lord's wisdom, the Lord's words, and the Lord's strength. So, today, as I look for a house, I will trust the Lord for his direction, his provision and his guidance.
There is one other impact this psalm has on me: I have ignored and, at times honoured, the depravity of the human race. That must stop. Where I see injustice, I must speak out. Where I see need that I can meet, I must act.

a scorching wind

Psalm 11

This is another psalm of David. It is clear that he is facing opposition once again and that even his friends are despairing. The advice they are giving him is to flee because of the overwhelming strength of his enemies. David's response is that God is in control.
There are some strong images: fleeing like a bird, foundations being attacked, raining coals and sulphur, seeing the Lord's face. David's belief is that God is in control and that he is on the side of the righteous and is opposed to the wicked. The implication is that he can be secure because God is in control and nothing can oppose God and his purpose.
The image of the upright seeing the face of God is incredibly intimate and incredibly rewarding. The Scripture teaches that no one can see God and live. Even Moses could not see the entire glory of God but saw his "back". David contends that there will be a time when the upright will be able to see the full glory of God and commune with him face to face. The teaching of the NT is that the time David talked about begins now because through Christ we have full access to the throne of God to find mercy and grace in our time of need. We still see through a glass darkly, says Paul, but the time is nearer when we shall know even as we are fully known.

Arise!

Psalm 10

This psalm was originally the second half of Psalm 9 which means that it was also written by David. The psalm is another lament: the world is not as it should be. In this particular case, the complaint is that the wicked are taunting God with their words and actions and are getting away with it. David calls for the LORD to arise and ends by assuring himself and his congregation that God does see the trouble of the innocent and is keeping a record of it.
David uses some vivid imagery in this psalm. He compares the wicked to a lion who waits in ambush for the weak and helpless. He describes God twice as the defender of the fatherless. He calls for God to break the arms of the wicked so they won't be able to continue their reign of terror.
In my sermon this past weekend I talked about forgiveness. David doesn't have a very forgiving attitude in this psalm. I don't think this is what Jesus had in mind when he taught us to pray for those who persecute us and love our enemies. However, what I notice is that David is not taking revenge. He is asking God to act on behalf of the poor. Of course, it was a bit different in OT times because God did use people like David and all kinds of nations as his instrument of justice. But it is still instructive to notice who David leaves justice with: God. I can remain at peace because I know that the judge of all the earth will do what's right. Yes, there are times I wish he would act more swiftly. Yes, there are times I wish he would act less secretly. Yes, there are times I wonder if hell will burn hot enough to make up for the murder and abuse of the innocents in our world. But in the end, I trust that the LORD is King for ever and ever and there will come a time when mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror. In the mean time, I can pray the prayer of David: "Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless."

stronghold of infants' praise

Psalm 8

This is another psalm written by David. The occassion for the psalm in not noted although v. 3 indicates that he has just spent some time outside at night, looking up at the stars. It is a psalm of praise, beginning and ending with the same phrase: LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! The evidence of the Lord's majesty is that his glory is above the heavens, that he has established a stronghold against his enemies through the praise of children and infants and that he cares for and given authority to humans.
The section on humanity is the main focus of the psalm. David can't get over the fact that in light of all that God has created, he has given such attention to humans. He's even given them authority over the earth and all the animals. I picture David laying on a hill, looking up into the sky at night and just thinking: that's so big and I'm so small! It's amazing that God even knows I'm here and blows my mind that he cares so much for me.
I like the balance David strikes in this psalm: God is majestic, we are small. His creation is amazing and we are nothing in comparison except for the fact that God created us, cares for us and gave us authority over creation. Our position and authority is given to us not because of our merit but because of God's sovreign authority.
I also like the picture of God's power and majesty in verse 2. It is the verse that stands out to me: God is so majestic and strong that he can build a stronghold against his enemies out of the praise of the weakest and most vulnerable humans. It not only speaks to the power of God but the position God has granted humans: humans have been given such authority and power by God that their weakest and most vulnerable members can created a stronghold merely by their voices. The image of a stronghold made of infants' praise is a very vivid one and fires my imagination! It brings incredible peace and security. It also motivates me to add my voice to the stronghold of praise.

vindication

Psalm 7

This is another psalm of David. The title indicates that it was written concerning Cush the Benjamite. No further information about Cush is given but from the psalm it is clear that Cush is making false accusations against David. Since Saul was also a Benjamite, it is speculated that Cush had the ear of the king and was speaking directly to him about David. There is some speculation that Cush may have been a code word for Saul himself.
In Psalm 6, David is suffering because of his own sinfulness. In this psalm, he is suffering as the result of someone else's sinfulness. Again, this psalm is a lament. David recognizes that something is broken and takes his frustration to God. David calls for his day in court in order to vindicate himself. What is interesting is that God acts as both Judge and David's Defender. The other interesting image is in v. 14: "those who are pregnant with evil..." A very vivid image!
The flow of the psalm is: I am suffering unjustly because of the untrue accusation of Cush. I appeal to God's justice. God's justice means that those who plant traps for the righteous will fall into them themselves. Because I know that justice will prevail, and therefore I will be vindicated and rescued, I will praise God.
If I lived like this, my life would seem so peaceful to those observing my life. I may cry out to God and rage against the injustices and brokeness of the world but outwardly, I would seem at peace because I would be living with the unshakeable assurance that no matter what accusations may be brought against me, no matter what injustices may be suffered in the world, they will all come to light when the Lord gathers the assembly around him and sits enthroned over them and judges the peoples. All the brokeness in this world will be restored. All the injustice of this world will be brought to justice. All the lies will be revealed by truth. All the darkness will succumb to the light. All the righteous will be vindicated.

anguish

Psalm 6

This is another psalm written by David. The exact circumstances of his writing are not given. The first seven verses contain a vivid description of anguish and suffering. It is not clear if David is suffering because of attacks from his enemies (v 7b and 10 would imply this to be the case) or if he is suffering from some illness which the rest of the psalm implies. It could also be a relational break down that is causing David to suffer in this way. Whatever the circumstances, the anguish is intense: bones are in agony, soul is in anguish, worn out from groaning, bed flooded with tears each night, eyes weak with sorrow.
This psalm is a classic lament. Something is not as it should be and it is causing David great sorrow and even questions: "how long, Lord, how long?" It is clear that David recognizes that God is in control and can stop the suffering if he so chooses. He appeals to God's character, specifically his unfailing love, in his request for relief. His logical argument is: I can't praise you from the grave. Therefore, preserve my life so I can continue to proclaim your name. As in all classic laments, David's emotions resolve. He recognizes that God is still in control and that he is good. Therefore, the enemies of good can look forward to being shamed.
I can remember a few times in my life where my body ached because of my sorrow. I can remember when anguish overtook my soul and I can remember asking God some very similar questions. I think sometimes we're afraid to ask God these type of questions and to express our emotions in this way because we're afraid that we will offend God. I think the key is to remember that God is in control. This brings both comfort and more questions: if he is in control, why doesn't he stop what's going on? Also, we need to remember that God is good and, even in the midst of our anguish, he is communicating his love to us in some way. We can have the same confidence as David, not that our situation will become lollipops and rainbows but that God will accomplish his purpose in this earth.
I also think that we are tempted to think that bad things in our lives mean some sort of bad behaviour on our part. This was David's assumption at the beginning of the psalm. Sometimes it is true; God does use circumstances to correct our behaviour. However, it is not always the case. It reflects the linear thinking that we so often fall into: if I do A it results in B. The downfall of this thinking is that we then believe that we can achieve God's blessing (B) if we just work hard enough (A) and if we're not experiencing God's blessing, then we just aren't trying hard enough. This is not correct thinking. God's blessing is only a result of God's grace and there is nothing I can do to achieve it. In the end it comes down to trust. That's where David ends up; trusting that God is in control, that he is good and that loves us very much.

sleep - part 2

Psalm 4

In many ways this psalm seems like it could be an extension of Psalm 3. Psalm 4 is written by David. The occassion of his writing is not noted. David begins by addressing God with a plea to hear his prayer, then addresses the congregation with assurances that God will hear his prayer along with some instructions to appropriately fear the Lord and finally he addresses God again with a request to look on the nation, with favour.
There is again an emphasis on sleeping which indicates trust in God: I so firmly believe that God is in control that even in the face of many troubles and threats, I will sleep peacefully knowing that God will protect me and accomplish his purpose. David also instructs his audience to search their hearts and be silent when on their beds. I am not sure of the significance of that command.
The psalm seems to indicate that David's audience has doubts that God will hear David's prayer and possibly is ridiculing David for trusting in God. David points out that it was God who sanctified him for the throne. I don't know when in David's life he wrote this psalm but it is clear that David had a sense of being set apart for some service in the kingdom.
David asks that God would fill their his heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound. This could possibly be that David is so confident that God will look on the nation with favour, which almost always meant prosperity, that he is looking forward to being filled with joy. However, the use of the word their makes me wonder if David is asking God to help him rejoice in the prosperity of his opposition. Because I am so individualistic in my mindset, I can barely rejoice in the prosperity of my brothers and sisters, let alone my opposers. I need God to transform my thinking from "me" to "we" so that I can truly rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.
I feel in some ways that God has blessed with me assurance today that his Spirit will be helping me in my sermon prep. I slept very well last night! I slept in a little bit but also very restfully. This should normally be the case. I don't need to fret. I don't need to stress. I can completely trust God because he is in control, he is good and he is loving. I pray for this assurance in my life. David isn't going to stress over the apparent drought. There is nothing he can do to make the crops grow except pray and once he's prayed, he sleeps. I wish I could remember in those times of stress that there are things that I can't do and rather than get all upset about those things, to trust God and, when it's appropriate, sleep.

deliverance

Psalm 3

This psalm was written by David while he was fleeing his son, Absalom. I think that context gives extra meaning to the words of the psalm. I don't think the psalms are always arranged thematically but Psalm 2 and 3 fit very well together: God has installed his king in Zion and David expressed complete confidence and peace in the midst of turmoil.
David states the problem: I am so surrounded by enemies that nobody has any hope of my survival. Then he states his confidence: it is God who will protect me, deliver me and potentially restore me. Because of this confidence, David can slepp at night without fear.
This is really an acknowledgement of God's sovreign control. If God really is the ruler of this world and if he really does laugh at the plans of those who rebel against him, then David really has nothing to fear. The plans of Absalom will not overthrow the plans of God. For that matter, the plans of David will not prevent God from accomplishing his purpose. Because David knows that God is in control, he can rest. Because David knows that God is good, he can trust that God's plan, whatever it is, will be good. God sustains David. God lifts David's head.
While I don't often (ever?) have a tonne of human enemies surrounding me, sometimes I feel like circumstances and stresses are piling up around me and threaten to overcome me. There are times when I can't sleep at night because of all the worries I have. David reminds me that I can sleep in peace because God is in control and he is good. Sometimes I feel the need to lift my own head: to sustain myself, to glorify myself, to defend myself. David reminds me that God is the lifter of my head, the sustainer of my life, health and reputation and the shield that defends me. I can have the same confidence in the face of failure, temptation and sin. God is the one who restores and sustains me. There are things I can and should put in place to prevent myself from giving in to sin but ultimately, Christ is my strength, my shield and my defender. I can build my confidence on the second last line of the psalm: from the Lord comes deliverance.

God's Laughter

Psalm 2

This psalm is made up of the image of the kings of the earth conspiring together against the King of the kings and God's response to their plans. The psalmist paints an almost bully-ish picture of God: a God who laughs and scoffs at the feeble plans of the earth's rulers. In the end, the kings of the earth will submit themselves to the king that God has established in Zion.
The key words are wrath, terror/trembling. There is an interesting choice of words in the last couple of verses: "celebrate his rule with trembling." It reminds me a bit of the old stories of communist Russia - you didn't want to be the first one to stop applauding the president. It paints a very interesing picture of God.
This psalm was probably used as part of the coronation ceremony of the King of Israel but also has a lot of foreshadowing pointing to the coming King of the kings. There is a lot of adoption language which, in conjunction with the historical kings would mean that God has given the king of Israel his authourity to rule. In relation to the Messiah, it speaks more about the authourity that the Messiah has.
The picture this psalm paints of God depends on which side of the line you are on. If I am one who takes refuge in God, then this psalm is incredibly comforting: there is nothing that the leaders, rulers, governments, presidents, prime ministers, chancellors and kings of this world can do to subvert the plans of God. I don't have to stress, worry or fret. God has installed his King in Zion. I can trust completely in him.
On the other hand, if I am one who is opposing God and his plans, I have a lot to be worried about. He has installed his King in Zion and there is nothing that I can do to subvert his plans. My only play is to kiss the son, to surrender to the supremacy of Christ.
The truth is that I am in both camps. I have surrendered to the supremacy of Christ but I am like one of the Baltic states in the old CSSR: constantly trying to assert my own independence and right to rule. I must constantly remind myself that I live my life in submission to the King of the kings. I am only blessed if I take refuge in him.

Blessed

Psalm 1

There is a contrast between the rootedness of the righteous and the temporary nature of the unrighteous. There is also a nice word picture of temptation: starts with journeying with someone, leads to hanging out in bad places and finally ends up by being at home or taking a place among the wicked. There is another word picture of the blessed one: he is like a tree planted by streams of water that produces fruit in the proper season.
The word delight stands out to me. The psalmist is not talking about a religious reading of the law of the Lord. No, the blessed one takes delight or finds pleasure in the laws of God.
This psalm speaks to me on so many levels. In terms of tempation, am I walking in step with the wicked? Do I hang out in places where I know I will find trouble? Do I feel at home in the company of the wicked? This isn't talking about having friends who are lost but about allowing the lost to influence my behaviour. Secondly, do I take delight in the Word of God? There are times when studying the Word has actually been a rush! However, too many times it is a chore. This is because I don't really understand the value of what I have. The King of the universe is communicating with me! If I am at all alive spiritually, that should bring me great delight!
Finally, there are times when life just seems to be a slog. The promise of this psalm is that the one who avoids the ways of evil, delights in the Word of God and meditates on it will prosper. In the immediate context it is probably talking about success in life: riches, honour, position of respect, etc. In the light of the New Testament, I cannot claim this promise for myself. However, there will be a contentment and a peace when the Word of God is the source of my pleasure and the focus of my meditation.

the end

Hebrews 13:20-25

The author ends with a benediction, which both praises God and asks for his blessing on the audience, and final greetings. In the TNIV, it is clear that the author is writing from Italy. The author also has relationship with Timothy, who, it appears, was in jail but has now been released. The author is free to travel (v. 23) and therefore it is not jail that is preventing travel (v. 19).
In the benediction, the author reminds the audience of God's incredible power and the superiority and eternal nature of the new covenant. It is from this power that the author calls for the equipping of the audience to do what God has called them to do, reminding the audience that the fulfillment of God's call is for the glory of Christ.
This is a good reminder. In staff chapels we're studying the letter to the Colossians. It has the same basic tone: we work in God's strength for Christ's glory. I get a little bit sick of Christian athletes because they are always giving God credit for stuff and it sounds a bit hokey but... they actually have it right to a point. God gives us the ability to do what he has called us to do. He does not call us to things that he does not enable us for. So, when I accomplish what God has called me to do, it is to his glory and credit. There is nothing for me to boast about or feel proud about. I couldn't speak unless God gave me the ability to speak and the insight into his Word. I couldn't lead unless God gave me the ability to lead and the wisdom to know where to go. Everything I do is because God has given me life, breath, strength, grace, gifts, talents, etc. My life stands as a monument to him.

leaders

Hebrews 13:17-19

There are two imperatives, each with further, explanation in these verses. The first is: "have confidence in your leaders." This includes the author as one of the audience's leaders seen by the plural "us". The reason that the audience should have confidence in their leaders is that the leaders are going to have to give an account for their leadership. The author has confidence that the leaders take their role seriously, understand that they are under the authourity of Christ and will have to give an account of how they led (see v18). Because of this, the conclusion is that the leaders have the best possible motives and are, as best as they can, ministering according to the direction of the Spirit. The audience's responsibility is to make sure that leadership is not a burden.
The second imperative is: "pray for us." The author implies what the audience should pray for: that the work of leadership will not be a burden, that the leaders will keep their conscience clear and that they will fulfill their desire to live honourably. We learn in this section that the author is prevented from joining the audience for some reason.
There are two implications for me: 1) because I have leaders over me, I must remember to pray for them and to have confidence in their leadership. This doesn't mean blind obedience but to recognize that they are leading as best as they know how and that their desires and motives are good. I must be very careful about how I talk about them and to them. I don't have any real problems with the leadership of this church but it's a good reminder to support them through prayer. 2) as a leader I must make sure that my motives are pure, my conscience is clear and that my desire is to live honourably as a leader. As soon as personal ambition or pride enter the equation, my leadership abilities are compromised. I enjoy leadership but it is a massive responsibility.

continuous sacrifice

Hebrews 13:15-16

The author changes focuses a bit. The previous paragraph compared the sacrifice of the priests to the sacrifice of Christ and this paragraph moves on to the sacrifice the audience is called to make. The key words are continually and sacrifice. The author includes two examples of sacrifice that is pleasing to God: a sacrifice of praise through Jesus and doing good to and sharing with others.
The author's line of reasoning is that despite the persecution and hardship that the audience is facing, they should not forget to keep on praising God and doing good to others. I am not sure if the author is talking about fellow believers or those outside the family of God. My guess is that the author has both in mind.
I get so focused on my own life and all the things that I have to do and all the things I am facing that I forget the two great commandments: love God and love my neighbour. This is hard to do when all my energy and attention is focused on me. I pray that God would help me to remember him and remember my neighbour in the midst of my busy-ness and stress. I think it's significant that the author uses the word sacrifice: it will cost me something (time, energy, effort, focus) to love God and love my neighbour in this way. However, I trust that the sacrifice is worth it.

disgrace

Hebrews 13:11-14

The key words in this passage are blood, outside, holy, city. The author is revisiting the persecution the audience has and is enduring for the sake of Christ, reminding them that Christ was also an outcast from society. This passage also continues the comparison and contrast between the rituals of the tabernacle and the sacrifice of Christ and contains the theme of the city that is yet to come.
The author makes an obvious argument with some subtle subtexts. The obvious argument is: Just like the bodies of the sacrificed animals were cast outside the camp, so Christ was killed outside the city and so should we be willing to be separate from society for the sake of Christ. The subtexts are: the priest brought the blood of the sacrifice to the Most Holy Place while Christ was the sacrifice whose blood makes people holy. The author is again pointing out the supremacy of Christ and his sacrifice: it's not about a holy place, it's about holy people and there is the indication that the priest is still carrying the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place (the verb "carries" is in the present in English. I don't know about the Greek), indicating that these sacrifices must be continually offered while Jesus' sacrifice is talked about in the past tense, indicating that his sacrifice is final.
When Christine and I visited Hamilton, it felt foreign to us. We knew that it was not our home, although it will be for three years. However, I don't often have that same feeling about this earth. I am too settled here and I identify too closely with this culture, society, world. If I had to live outside of the society, it would be painful for me. I have become to accustomed to this city and I am no longer looking forward to the city that is yet to come. However, there are moments when I realize that I am not home, when this city and world that I live in seems foreign to me. I need the Spirit's help to help me look with fresh eyes at this world and to remind me that I am not yet home.

constant

Hebrews 13:7-10

The key words and ideas are: leaders, imitate, same, teachings, ceremonies. The author is now speaking of different teachings. The audience is reminded of their spiritual leaders and their teachings. This is contrasted with the strange teachings about ceremonies and rituals. The author reminds the audience that the heavenly altar is superior to the earthly one.
It is interesting that the author tells the audience to consider the outcome of the faith of the leaders since most of the leaders, which I'm taking to mean disciples/apostles, were martyred. However, in the context of Hebrews 11, their deaths were glorious because they were looking forward to the fulfillment of their faith. Therefore, it is no problem for the author to exhort the audience to imitate their faith. The hope of their faith is that they were received into heaven. Since Jesus is the same today as he always was and will be, the audience can be assured of the same reward if they remain faithful.
The author contrasts grace and the eating of ceremonial foods. Eating ceremonial foods would be part of the law. So the contrast is between grace and the law. The author's point is that grace strengthens our hearts, not the law.
This morning I am enjoying the reminder of Christ's constancy. He never changes. I can trust him to treat me with the same grace, fairness and compassion that he treated his disciples with. I can trust him to give me the same reward for faithfulness that he gave to the martyrs. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

loving money

Hebrews 13:5-6

I dealt mostly with verse 4 in my previous post but there is a lot to explore in these two verses as well. Here, the author is focusing in on money, giving instructions not to love money. Again the exhortation is tied to the character of God. In this case, the audience does not need to love money because God is faithful, omniscient, immanent, good and sovereign. The author quotes two passages: Deuteronomy 31:6 talks about God's immanence, omniscient and faithfulness and Psalm 118:6-7 talks about God's goodness and sovereignty.
The argument the author is making is that the audience doesn't need to love money because they can trust the fact that God wants to provide for them (he is good), he knows what they need (he is omniscient and immanent) and he has the ability to provide for them (he is sovereign or omnipotent).
This is a good reminder for me. I need to be a good steward and faithful to God in the way that I use my money but, I should not stress about finances because of who God is. When I stress about finances it shows that I am casting doubt on God's character and that I am too focused on money. The author is exhorting us to keep money from being the center of our focus and to make sure that God is.

love and money

Hebrews 13:4-6

This part of the author's address is a series of exhortations to the audience. It is almost like the author is including a list of things that don't necessarily fit into the main argument of the address but are so important that they can't be left out. The author focuses on two very important issues in this section: sexual purity and money. It seems like the author uses a bit of hyperbole in these issues, perhaps because the exhortation is so brief.
In regards to marriage and adultery, the author states that the sexually immoral and the adulterer will be judged by God. Ultimately this is because sexual immorality and adultery offends the very character of God, especially the facets of purity, faithfulness and exclusivity. I'm not sure how to reconcile the judgment and the grace of God. I am very sure that the forgiveness of God is enough to cover sexual immorality. I am very sure that God's judgment is reserved for those who are unrepentant. Yet the author, addressing those who have repented, uses judgment as the motivation to avoid sexual immorality. Perhaps the argument is that if you are frequently engaging in sexual immorality is a sign that you may not actually have repented and your identity has not been changed from sexually immoral to child of God. In which case, you would still be under threat of the judgment of God.
This parallels what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount; deal as harshly as necessary with lust because giving in to lust puts you in danger of being cast into hell. Again, the message, I think, is that if you are giving into lust constantly you may not be a true citizen of the kingdom and you (and I) are facing condemnation. This is not the teaching I am used to: I don't like to be motivated by fear and to motivate others by fear. It's not considered polite or politically correct. Yet, the author and Jesus make it clear: giving into sexual immorality endangers my soul.

identifying with the oppressed

Hebrews 13:1-3

The key word in this section is love. The author gives a command to love one another as brothers and sisters and then gives two examples of how to love: show hospitality and identify with the oppressed. In the context, I believe that the author is speaking specifically about showing hospitality to other disciples and to fellow believers who are persecuted for their faith. I draw this conclusion based on the family language in the first verse: showing hospitality and identifying with the oppressed are examples of loving our brothers and sisters.
If my brother or sister was unjustly imprisoned or suffering persecution, I would move heaven and earth to bring justice to that situation. I would write letters, visit politicians, publicize the injustice, try to rally support, organize prayer meetings, pray continuously until the situation was changed. Even if my brother or sister was justly imprisoned, I would likely visit them regularly and support them as best as I could.
If my brother or sister needed a place to stay, I would inconvenience myself in order to make sure they somewhere. If they needed a ride or to borrow my car, I would try to work something out for them.
The author is pointing out that my fellow disciples are my brothers and sisters. I do not love them as I should. I do not go out of my way to welcome strangers. I do not go out of my way to make sure people have rides to church. I do not go out of my way to protest their unjust treatment at the hands of governments and mobs. My actions make it clear: I do not really care! Just this past Sunday I've been reminded of the plight of the oppressed and the high priority that Jesus places on justice. If I am to represent my King well, I must find a way to practice hospitality and stand up for the oppressed.

shaken...

Hebrews 12:25-29

The key words: warn/speak/voice, shaken. This section connects to the previous verses in that the author is still making a comparison to Mount Sinai where the Old Covenant was given and to Mount Zion where the new covenant will be fully realized. The author is referring to God's voice shaking the earth as he gave the Laws of the Old Covenant. The people ignored his voice and suffered judgment. The whole generation perished in the wilderness because of their rebellion. The author contends that the danger this generation is in is even greater because God is not just speaking from earth but from heaven.
The author indicates that there will be one more "shaking" and that this time it will not just be the earth but the heavens. The emphasis is on "once more" indicating that this will be the final shaking. All the temporal things will be destroyed and only the eternal things will remain. The author reminds the readers that the kingdom they are receiving cannot be shaken. It is eternal. It will survive the final shake.
The response the author calls for is one of worship. Specifically the author calls for acceptable worship. Paul calls acceptable worship the offering of our bodies as one living sacrifice. This echoes the author's emphasis in 12:14-16 on body life and in 10:24-25 on the importance of meeting together. The author also indicates that acceptable worship has a proper view of God's holiness: he is a consuming fire so let us worship in reverence and awe. I think we've (and I've) lost the reverence and awe of God. I see him as Father, as Friend but not as much as King, as God Most High, Possessor of Heaven and Earth. I don't focus on the fact that he is a consuming fire who will absolutely ruin me (but in such a great and scary way) if I truly surrender to him. A consuming fire is never satisfied until it has completely consumed the material. As long as there is something left to consume, it will continue to demand it. This is a picture of God that I don't spend much time contemplating. He wants it all. That is thrilling and scary at the same time.

Mtn vs Mtn

Hebrews 12:18-27

Here the author compares two mountains. The first, without being names, is obviously Mt. Sinai, where the law was given to Moses. The second is Mt. Zion where the city of Jerusalem rests. The author seems to be revisiting the theme of the supremacy of Christ: Christ is superior because the mountain of the new covenant (Zion) is superior to the mountain of the old covenant (Sinai). The differences are that Mt Sinai is a physical mountain while Mt Zion is spiritual, Mt Sinai is filled with darkness, mystery and death while Mt. Zion is filled with light, joy and life.
The author makes a list of things we have come to: Mount Zion, thousands upon thousands of angels, the church of the firstborn, to God, to the spirits of the righteous (a reference to the great cloud of witnesses?), to Jesus and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. This is an interesting phrase. Abel's blood cried out from the ground to the ear of God and the implied cry was a cry for justice. Justice demanded that someone pay for his murder. Jesus' blood cries out that justice has already been satisfied. When I sin and then truly repent, Jesus' blood cries out on my behalf. The word is the same (justice!) but the implications are very different.
Through the blood of Jesus the curse has been removed. I now approach God with full confidence by the blood of Jesus. My relationship to God is no longer based on law and death but on grace and life. I can join the thousands upon thousands of angels in their joyful assembly and the church of the firstborn because I am being made perfect by of the sacrifice of Christ. I claim the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word...

the anti-example

Hebrews 12:14-17

The key words or idea here is the idea that we are together in this. The author talks about living in peace and looking out for each other to root out the seeds of bitterness and sexual immorality. I notice that this is not just for the individual but I have a responsibility for my brothers and sisters in Christ. The author contrasts holiness with bitterness, sexual immorality and godlessness. The author equates holiness to living as part of the body (at peace, looking out for each other).
The illustration of godlessness that the author uses is Esau. I've always been somewhat mystified by God's harshness towards Esau, especially in light of the alternative choice: Jacob. However, in this context I can see it most clearly. When compared to the people who lived by faith in Hebrews 11, Esau stands in stark contrast. He had something of immense value which he sold because he could not control his physical appetite. In comparison to what the people of faith suffered and went through for the sake of the promise, Esau did not suffer at all. He was just hungry and couldn't wait to make his own lunch. In some ways, Esau had the promise in his reach because the inheritance and the blessing belonged to him. Humanly speaking, the line of the Seed would go through him. By rights, he stood to inherit the land, the seed and the blessing. He had it in his hand and sold it for a bowl of beans!
Esau stands a great warning to me. I have the promise in hand. I have received the blessing. Yet I do not value it as I should and often am tempted to trade it for little more than a bowl of beans: a moment of enjoyment, a few dollars, my reputation. I am reminded that I do not value my salvation and my inheritance nearly enough.

a word of encouragement?

Hebrews 12:4-12

This passage strikes me as funny and profound. The author has just listed an inspiring group of people who lived by faith and endured incredible hardships and received incredible blessing because of their conviction that God would keep his promise. Then the author encouraged the readers to run their race with perseverance. Now, the author's encouragement? The hardship you are facing is God's discipline and God only disciplines those he loves, therefore, be encouraged because God loves you and you are his children. The key words in the passage are discipline, love and children.
The author also offers some perspective: while the trials the readers are facing are extreme and very real, they have not yet died for their faith. Others have suffered much more and persevered through it. So, the readers should continue to persevere.
Both of these are great reminders. First, that God loves me but his love is not the passive love that just lets me do whatever I want. As my Father, he will discipline me for his glory and for my ultimate joy. I must learn to see the hardships that I face as an act of love on God's part. Second, the hardships I face are absolutely nothing compared to the hardships others face. The hardships I face are not even directly related to my faith but are just part of regular life: getting cut off in traffic, running late, not having things go as smoothly as I want. I don't think I've ever been persecuted for my faith. Sometimes my faith could be seen to have inconvenienced me in that it would have been easier in the immediate to make an immoral choice. But I have never been thrown in jail, beat up, had my property taken or felt threatened because of my faith. Because of this, I think I have a responsibility to do what the readers of Hebrews did: stand side by side with those who are being publicly exposed to ridicule, insult and persecution.

run!

Hebrews 12:1-3

There are three exhortations in this section: let us throw off whatever hinders, let us run the race with perseverance and consider Jesus. All three flow out of the fact that there is a great cloud of witnesses who have a vested interest in our success. The author has indicated that the promise they were pursuing all their lives is only attained together with us. After talking about the faith of all these spiritual ancestors, the author return the focus of the book squarely back on Christ: fix your eyes on Jesus... consider him.
Chapter 11 does not take the focus off of Christ but backs up and takes the longer view: remember Abel? He was looking forward to the Seed. Remember Abraham? He was looking forward to the Blessing. Everything that the people of faith were building their lives on was anchored in Christ, the Seed promised to Eve and the Blessing promised to Abraham. So, even though the author is celebrating the faith of these people, everything is still centered on Christ.
The author calls the reader to have the same focus. In this case because Jesus provides an example and hope for those who are going through persecution. He endured the cross because he was focused on the joy set before him. The author calls the reader to consider his example so the reader won't grow weary and lose heart.
It's amazing to me how, right in the middle of trials and difficulties, my focus turns inward to myself. This is a good challenge to me. First, get rid of anything in my life that doesn't help me be the person that Christ has called me to be. This is easy to say but hard to do: do the tv shows I watch need to go? Is the music I listen to helping or hindering? Secondly, focus on Jesus. Consider his trials, his persecution, his death and his joy. I need to raise my eyes above the circumstances and see Jesus.

receiving the promise

Hebrews 11:39-40

The key word, as in this entire section, is faith. The author points out that all the people listed and referred to lived by faith and yet none of them received what had been promised. For the author, this is the essence of faith: building your life on what is unseen and hoped for. This speaks against the prosperity gospel which claims that faith gives you riches and success and fulfillment of the promise immediately. According to the author, faith makes you homeless and impoverished and even lifeless because the person of faith is not tied to the things of this world. The person of faith recognizes that there is something better ahead.
The author makes an interesting statement that the perfection or fulfillment of their faith would only happen through us. We, being brought to God through Christ, represent all the hopes of these people who lived by faith before us. In us, and through Christ, the promises God gave to these people are fulfilled. It is no wonder, then, that the author describes them as a great cloud of witnesses. They have a vested interest in our faithfulness because in our faithfulness they see the fulfillment of God's promise. This is what they lived, and sometimes died, for.
Two things: 1) I think we are too tied to the world. I think I am too tied to the world. I love my life. I love my job. I love my house. I don't love my car but I loved my other car. I love the things that technology has to offer and the comforts that this world has to offer and I long for most of them. I envy them. I am too often focused on this world and not on Christ. I value the treasures of this world too much and value the treasure of heaven, which is Christ, too little. 2) We too often see our faith as an individual private act. Paul constantly speaks against this, teaching that our faith is lived out in community. Here, the author goes even further saying that our faith is the fulfillment of the faith of our spiritual ancestors. So, run the race with perseverance... (but now I'm getting ahead of myself!)

the world is not worthy of them

Hebrews 11:32-38

The author speeds up the list at this point. He mentions a few names but talks more generally about all those who lived by faith through out Israel's history. At first the characteristics of these people who live by faith are epic: conquering kingdoms, administering justice, shutting the mouths of lions, quenching the fury of the flames, etc. Then the author looks behind the epic moments to reveal the cost of living by faith: torture, imprisonment, beatings, persecution, martyrdom, poverty, shunning, homelessness.
All of this was through faith in that they acted on belief in God and his promises which sometimes meant glorious victory in battle but also meant continuing in their faith in the face of opposition. We tend to think of the results of having faith as beautiful and good, and that will be the case at some point in the future, but we don't necessarily see the results of faith as being jail and torture. Here's an example of what I am trying to say: I have heard it said that some people are not healed of their diseases or injuries because they did not have enough faith. What this passage is saying is that faith is necessary to go through the disease. The person who is not healed looks forward to that day when there will be no more disease. They trust God to sustain them in the midst of their disease, knowing he could heal them if he chose but trusting him to do what is good and will bring him the most glory. That's the kind of faith that these people had in Hebrews 11.
This is the kind of faith that the author is telling me that I should have. I think that we too often see obstacles and opposition as evidence that God does not want us to go down that road. If we believe the destination and the route are from God, then we need to have faith that God will sustain us through whatever obstacles and opposition we might face. Even if I die, God will raise up someone behind me to carry on the task for the good of the kingdom of God and the glory of the King.