Psalm 42 paints a beautiful picture of how we long for God. We may move away from Him but He is always there and can be depended upon. Whether I am joyful or weeping, God is the answer and you can put your trust in Him.
As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? 3 Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?” Do you thirst for God? Do you know where to find Him?
5 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and 6 my God! Sadness can be turned to JOY, when you turn to God.
Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you— even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. 7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. 8 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. Each day, in my discouragement, God is there uplifting me.
11 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! Turing to God is the answer to all discouragement.
I am reminded of the New Testament verses about Christ. Just like David we can cling to God’s promises in Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:20-21“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,“
Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead,all God’s promises are Yes in Him! Enjoy this song of these verses as you reread and meditate on what you have in Christ.
Each Sunday during Lent I have been blogging on a portion of scripture where we are shown how to pray for each other. Lent is a time of prayer and some of that could or should be spent praying for one another. Philippians 1:9-11 is a simple but profoundly moving prayer by Paul for the Philippian Christians.
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Paul prayed for:*love to abound *more knowledge and insight (into God, scripture, the gospel message….) *power to discern what is best, right, truth…. *live in a godly manner pleasing to God *show fruit in their lives that comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit’s work within us *all this to be for His glory and our good.
Who can you think of today that needs one, two or all of these? What about yourself? As you spend time this week in prayer, focus on Paul’s requests and ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your mind who needs each of these. He will answer as you are faithful in prayer.
Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can talk to God, accept His rescue and foundation, sing praises to Him and Have No Fear!
Psalm 40 shows us all those things we have in Christ and more.
1 I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
When has God rescued you or answered your prayer? Did you turn to Him in praise? Each act of God listening and answering, rescuing and standing us upright again are cause for praise. Be the large or small it shows us yet again how God loves us and seeks our good. In spite of myself, I see God working and learn to trust in Him and revere Him!
4 Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. 5 Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.
David learned that the one who walks and depends upon God is blessed. Have you learned that too? We have to put aside things of this world and focus upon His goodness and the wonders He has done in our lives. Nothing in this world will compare to the things of God! Praise God!
I pray this psalm speaks to your heart and encourages you walk with Jesus.
Psalm 37 verses 23-24 hold precious promises confirmed through Christ and His indwelling Holy Spirit.
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
God promises to direct our steps, delight in our lives and uphold us as He holds our hand.
Jesus is seated in heaven at the right hand of God, a place of honor and preeminence. Romans 8:34 “Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Jesus is looking out for us. We may slip or be overwhelmed but we can rise as our hope is in the Lord and He is always victorious. Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Satan may be temporarily victorious but Christ has overcome his power. John 10:28-29 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” We belong to God eternally and He wins!
Besides being safe this promise tells us that God delights in a life lived in a godly way striving to glorify Him. Scripture tells us what delights God in many places, here are just a few. Psalm 1:2 “but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” Studying, revering His Word pleases God. Psalm 147:11 “the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Living in fear, reverence of the Lord and depending upon His unfailing love pleases Him. Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” When we live acting justly, showing love and mercy towards other leaning upon Him, it pleases God. Jesus also told us in Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Loving God fully, obeying his commands and loving others pleases God.
Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead,we can live lives pleasing to God through the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit. Thank you Jesus!
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
God promises to take care of evildoers and asks me to be still and wait patiently, trusting Him to provide.
Similar to the promise in verses 5-6 our job is to wait and let God do the work. He will act! David penned this psalm out of his own personal experiences. He waited fourteen years to be crowned king of Israel after he was anointed by Samuel the prophet. During those 14 years he was pursued and harassed by King Saul, who was literally out to kill him. David was tempted to seek revenge (see 1 Samuel 24 and 26). However, David resisted and was patient. He experienced God’s provision, care and rescue from Saul’s armies. David became king of Israel in God’s time and not his own. Waiting for God’s time is often hard, but these verses caution us that worry and fear will lead to sin. Trust in God alone to resolve your problems, then you will receive His reward.
Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we are assured that God has a plan to deal with evil. Philippians 2:9-11 gives us a glimpse of that time to come. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. There are good reminders about God’s plan in Romans 14:12 “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.” Hebrews 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” 1 Peter 4:4-5 “They (unbelievers) are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. “
Walk with patient endurance and trust in Jesus! He will provide.
Psalm 37: 5-6 contains powerful promises we can count upon in your lives. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
God promises to act on my behalf, bring out righteousness and justice for me if I will commit myself to Him and trust Him.
How are you at commitment? Do you start things and then lose interest or quit when things get too hard? All of us do that at times but we do not want to make a habit of it. Learning to commit to the Lord is a lifetime process that increases as we study His Word, pray and seek to follow Him. Truly committing to Him, in both faith and action, allows us to walk in God’s light and see His Righteousness and Justice more clearly. The thing I love about this promise is that I am committing and trusting in Him but HE promises to do the acting. God will cause things to come about and work out. I do not need to worry about the outcome- God has it handled. I just need to be committed to Him and trust Him. As we go through life and see this come about over and over, we see our trust in Him grow. When the bigger things in life happen, we have experience with God to refer to and know He will do the acting. God keeps His promises, always! Trusting God with the outcome, we can know that He will not be stopped or thwarted and His way is victorious. He will lead us to light and right and all His ways are just.
Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can be assured that God desires good for me and is trustworthy. Jesus said on his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:11 “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” God has good things for us and sent His best in Jesus. Christ did this for us and can be trusted, 1 Peter 2:24-25 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.“
This week we will spend all week in Psalm 37. It is filled with rich promises from God that give us hope and direction for our lives. I devoted 3 days in my book, Promise for Dynamic Living, to this psalm. The psalmist, David, is addressing the fact that evil seems to be triumphant around us. He points us to the Lord and reminds us of who is in charge and why we should not fill our lives with worry.
Psalm 37:1-2 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Worry and envy are not to be in our hearts or on our minds when we consider the happenings in the world. The psalmist knows that evil doers will die and fade away like the spring grasses. They come up green but are short lived. They are soon brown and dried up. So the evil doers we encounter, will not be victorious and will not last.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. The psalmist says if we trust in God, do good, keep on living rightly, and delight ourselves in the Lord, we will be rewarded. That is a promise we can claim as we know God rewards those who follow Him in faith. Hebrews 11:1 and 6 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” 6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” God wants us to make faithfulness our friend and live daily for Him.
The promise in verse 4 is one we can surely claim in our daily lives and when we pray. I have often prayed this verse for friends who struggle with lifelong desires that do not seem to be in God’s will for their lives. Young men or women waiting for a godly mate (as they so want to be married), those who desire to have a child and cannot seem to conceive, others waiting on a much needed job, while still others struggle with the job they have, wanting to change directions, etc. These are just some of the things people wrestle with that may be considered the desires of their hearts. What I pray for those waiting on God’s timing and plan is that they will grow in trust and faithfulness. Also, that God would be their delight as they wait upon Him and that they would be able to call upon Him for strength and perseverance. I pray that they will be open to what God has for them.
Difficult times require me to delight myself in Him and cling to His faithfulness, trusting He has a perfect plan for my life. Sometimes that which we pray for as the ‘desires of our hearts’ God shows us, in His infinite wisdom, that He has something better for me. Again, I have to trust in Him and His wisdom. God knows me and my desires and He wants good things for me. I have to claim Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Whatever God has for me will be for my good and His glory. It is a walk of faith, day by day Fearless Livingfor Jesus.
Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can walk in complete faith trusting in the completeness of His salvation and His plans for our life. Romans 10:13 “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” Hebrews 10:10 “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ onceforall.” Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Depend upon Him and the truth of His Word.
Psalm 34 has some of the most encouraging verses David ever penned, my opinion. He was under stress and seeking God’s deliverance from Abimelech the Philistine king. He even pretended to be insane to escape his clutches. David is pouring out his heart and troubles to God and I find great encouragement in his words.
Verse 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. How many of us have been so fearful at times that we needed God’s deliverance? David knew His God would answer if he cried out to him both physically and mentally. Do you have the same assurance?
Verses 7-10The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! 10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. I love the visual of God’s protection in verse 7. We know God has angels to watch over us. One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament of God’s power and protection is found in 2 Kings 6 where the king of Aram is pursuing Elisha. He tells his servant to not be afraid “as those who are with us are more than those who are with them” ” O LORD open his eyes so he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariot of of fire all around Elisha.” The servant saw they were surrounded by an army of angels. God watches over us just as He did his servant Elisha.
The command in verse 8 is to taste and see that the Lord is good! Knowing Him is something we can feel within our souls like we were tasting a good food. Verses 9 and 10 talk about fearing the Lord. The promise is if we fear the Lord we will have no lack. Fear here is not trepidation but awe, admiration, trust, faith and commitment too. Putting our trust in God removes all else from consideration and we do not need to be afraid of worldly things.
Verse 17-18 are very reassuring. ” When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” These verse bring hope and comfort to our souls. When we are disheartened or brokenhearted God knows our pain and brings us comfort.
Lastly, verse 22 is David’s crowning conclusion. “The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.” What a wonderful promise to those who love the Lord.
Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we are assured of redemption and a declaration by Jesus that we are NOT GUILTY when we stand before Him. Thank you Jesus that the promise of redemption and refuge can always be found in Jesus for those who love Him.
Linda
Entire Psalm 34 below
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. 3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! 10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12 What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. 16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. 20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. 21 Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
In Psalms 23-28 there is a theme of the Shepherd King. Psalm 23 is one that has been memorized for ages and brings great comfort in times of trouble. A friend of mine was a bomber pilot in WWII and he used Psalm 23 in a personal way each time he had to go into battle. From verse 4, “Even though I fly through the skies of death, I will fear no evil.” Today I want to apply Jesus to this psalm so we can see how He does all these things for us and more.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Isaiah 58:11 “And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”
3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Mark 8:5“Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.” Romans 3:22 “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Luke 8:50 “But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16 “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace.” John 14:16 “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,”
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 1 John 5:18 “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may havelife and have it abundantly.“
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” John 14:12 “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”
Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead,I can claim His power in my life through faith in Him. He is my shepherd, guide, restorer, protector, provider of abundant life, merciful, eternal and has prepared a place for me to dwell with Him in the future. Thank you Jesus.
Linda
I pray this different look at Psalm 23 encourages you in your walk with Jesus.
Psalm 27 comes straight out of David’s heart. He is concerned about what is happening around and to him but David remains confident in the Lord. He knows God is in control and no matter what He will be with Him in heaven. David is taking the long view of life and down the tunnel of time he sees God and knows without a shadow of a doubt that God will be there for Him. May we all ‘catch’ his view.
He begin with verses 1-3 with his high view of God and ends the psalm with confidence!
The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? 2 When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3 Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.
David seeks heaven as He knows he will be safe and loved there. verses 4-6 The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. 5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. 6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.
In verses 7-10 David pleads with the Lord to hear him as he prays-Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! In verses 11-13 David asks the Lord to teach, guide and protect him. Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me. 12 Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I’ve never done; with every breath they threaten me with violence.
David concludes with a return to full confidence in verses 13 and 14. 13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. 14 Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
How much our prayers resemble David’s psalm. We begin praising God, knowing He is real and will answer, then petition Him and as we pull up the happenings of the world we get mired down. By the time we have finished pouring our heart out to God, we realize that He is in control and we will be victorious in Him. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can pour out my heart knowing the Holy Spirit will intercede for me before the Father. Romans 8:26-27 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”We can truly pray with confidence and hope waiting patiently for His response.
Fearless Living 