Tag: Psalms

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Benefits of unity in community.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

““But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around. So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas. Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths! How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes! Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him; they would be doomed forever. But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.”” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭81‬:‭11‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Asaph pens this Psalm at the time of the second temple dedication. Israel had been through 70 years of captivity with little or no national coherence or cohesion. And worse, some Israelites somehow stayed in the Jerusalem area and intermarried with the locals which caused a major racial and cultural rift within their humiliated country.

We know Babylon was discipline and correction from God, but what is much more difficult to sort out is these psalmic promises from God. If… big if, Israel had stayed true to God, it is likely that none of their national conflicts would have happened. There are many writings in Psalms and the Prophetic books like Isaiah and Jeremiah where God BEGS His chosen people to stay on track and quit chasing after other loves! Crystal clear message, follow God and He will fight the big fights for you.

My question and dilemma is… is that still true today. Is there a possibility that following God, staying on the straight and definitely narrow yields a certain amount of protection, even blessing? Before you answer, “of course it does,” remember Jesus and the leaders of the first century church outright told us, in this world we would have tribulation, and to be of good cheer. Jesus straight told us that believers would be hated for the message He brought, specifically because of Him. Yet, it still makes me think about this whole idea of sticking close to God and letting Him fight the big battles.

Are these promises for us as individuals or are they for us as communities of believers? Because if the promises of subduing enemies and God’s hands being on our foes is for the community of faith MORE than just on us as individuals, I would think we would be far more attentive to sticking together! If, for one moment, we behaved with a sense of unity and care for one another, I wonder if we would have a greater sense of God’s presence and protection? You realize that God disrupted the ancient city of Babel specifically because they were completely unified? Of course they were unified in godless pursuits, but Genesis 11 tells us it that unity in and of itself is powerful! ““Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.””

I imagine that unity in and for Godly pursuits would not only be unstoppable, it would also be far easier to see God’s Kingdom come and His will be done! I absolutely believe that God would bless our unity in the Church. And as long as we are fractured, divided and continue to treat one another with horrible religious contempt, we will not accomplish what God has for the Church. Yet, even in our flawed self-serving, divisive zealousness, God will have His way. I trust Him. I just wish believers would all get along and quit thrashing each other, especially in the cultural courts of social media. I am sick of it!

Prayer

Dad,
Our present state of unity in the Church just makes me sick to my stomach! I see the promises in the Psalms and I long for the protection you would provide, but I long for a unified community far more than just a lack of attacks on our faith. Maybe that’s why you pour out your Spirit at specific times, just to bring about our sense of being together. Together in praise and worship. Together in mission of making disciples. Together in the flow of your will, your desires. Help us Oh Lord.

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The lost art of confession.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude” Psalms‬ ‭32‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We, as believers, as the Church, are a reactionary bunch. The Church practically ruined the process of confession by tying it to a sacrament involving a booth of secret exchanges between the sinner and a priest behind a veil. Confession was meant to be given to God and each other, not some mysterious sin eater. Then we bounced to the extreme of never having confession as a normal part of our fellowship and following Jesus in community.

Confession and repentance are not only threaded through the entire fabric of the Bible, they are clearly necessary starting from the beginning of our human existence. If Adam and Even had not blame-shifted responsibility off themselves, and just confessed who knows maybe the consequences or corrections wouldn’t have been as severe. Oh, sin would still be the death sentence that it is. But maybe the burden of labor and provision would be different for men and labor and delivery would be less painful for women?

Obviously David, after committing his heinous crimes, should have come clean before Nathan called him out. Was this refusal to confess before or after the confrontation? I’ve always had the theory that anyone who takes a life or commits violence against another human has to deal with a raging fire of guilt and the fear of getting caught. I imagined that the guilt eats the soul within and turns one into a beast, searing conscience and sucking out all emotion like love or compassion.

This Psalm carries a truth no matter the severity of sin or shame. We are not designed to carry guilt. And, it makes it paradoxically ridiculous when we have such a clear solution and simple option beckoning before us – confess and quit trying to hide it! To whom should we confess? First to God, then to one another.

It’s interesting that David, upon realization, confesses rebellion. Here we thought it was all about lust, objectification of a woman, lying, plotting and executing a murder, then trying to cover it all up. But rebellion? This is what the Bible has been trying to tell us all along. All sin is rebellion against God. It’s us, wanting our own way, not his. It’s yielding to cravings and what Augustine calls our “disordered desires” of what WE want, when we want it and won’t listen to anyone trying to dissuade us. The seven deadly fruits of sin are born from the roots of rebellion.

Whether it was before getting caught or after, David faces his sin, his guilt and the cancer lodged in his soul and vacates it to God. And in that, David finds forgiveness, freedom and a renewed spirit within. It’s not at all formulaic, but it is a process that yields both humility and a fresh start. Of course today, believers are supposed to assume that they are forgiven by Christ’s own permanent payment for sin – and we are. Have we come to believe the humiliation of confession is not necessary. That is not what the New Testament teaches is it? So we just skip the penitence, the humbling of ourselves, the constant admission that we are STILL sinners, saved by grace? Oh, that’s right, we want to heap upon ourselves a whole new layer of religion. The religion of perfection. You may want the perception of sinlessness and the right to judge the world because you are better than others. Not me brother, I know my own heart and it is quite ugly still. Psalm 32 is the perfect psalm for me. I will confess my rebellion to the Lord. And God will forgive me.

Prayer

Dad,
How dare I even for one moment think that Your righteous, Your mercy, Your forgiveness extends to me any privileges of pretense that I would be qualified to judge another, especially deciding who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. I am far too busy dealing with my own sin! I am thankful for confession, repentance and forgiveness as a regular process of keeping my heart and soul clean and clear before you.

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The epitome of penitence.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭7‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Welcome to Ash Wednesday.

Yes, David sinned, egregiously. Yes, David got caught, Nathan had to confront the king. Yes he repented, and he was punished by God. And yes, he deserved to die for what he did, but God forgave him.

The story was written for all to see and wrestle with what David did. And yes, this Psalm captures the model, the template for repentance and owning up to our sin. It is difficult to hold the story of what happened in 2 Samuel 11 & 12 while holding the confession of written words in Psalm 51. One could read the heinous acts and think, “I could never do what David did,” but forced to face the stark reality that I am, you are, capable of it and worse!

Then we read the Psalm and feel the deep pain of realization, of recognition that comes with absolute truth – we too are really broken. David called it when he wrote, “For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.” So much for innocence of a child.

Why is it so hard for us to admit it when we’re wrong, we’ve blown it, sinned, made a mistake, even hurt people? Oh, the arrogance of excuses! This is why Psalm 51 isn’t just an old passage from an ancient text written thousands of years ago. It’s timeless because I am still a sinner! It’s beautiful because there is a freedom and a joy in coming to God in filth and him cleaning us with forgiveness and renewing our spirit. This Psalm can be sung as a regular process of resetting our soul, power-cycling our mind, “Create in me a clean heart, O Lord my God. And renew a right spirit within me.” Who God sets free is free indeed!

Prayer

Dad,
It hurts my heart to read about what David did and how far he took it to destroy the lives of so many involved in that story. Then, as I read David’s psalm of penance, I also am saddened in solidarity – this is who I am as well. Today is Ash Wednesday, Lent. I reminded of who I am, what I am without you. So I spend this day walking humbly before you and being thankful for your forgiveness.

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Breaking Bad Brain Ruts.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have tried hard to find you— don’t let me wander from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Purity isn’t just a young man’s dilemma. It’s a human quandary at all ages. The Palmist’s request is in searching for God and asking Him not to let him wander from His commands. How can one “shamar: watch, preserve” and be “zakah: to be clear, clean or pure.” Hmmm, preserve purity.

Even though the idea of youth and purity bring up a specific kind of purity, that is sexual purity, I am positive there are a so many different impure impulses that race through our brains. There are plenty of opportunities to obsess on anger, jealousy, comparison, manipulation and of course lust. John Mark Comer, in his book, Live No Lies asks if you have ever had thoughts that seem to have a will, a drive and intention all on their own, like they are not just beckoning, but wooing and taking control of our thoughts. Lying thoughts are where the Devil makes his move and takes advantage of our “disordered desires.” These lies, coming in as thoughts, match our inner desires to get something we want but should not have. And, we should not want them because outside of God’s intent and proper place for these expressions they bring DEATH.

The Psalmist’s weapon to fight back is the same spiritual sword Jesus brought to the showdown in the desert – God’s Word. The hidden, stored away like a treasure, Word of God pulled from our memories for quick access to the constant war of thoughts that fly though our brains. This can effectively shutting down the “what if…” or “if I just…” or “I could…” ideas. Ideas that rummage through our desires and ruminate into plans and manipulations to get something we know is wrong.

The timely interruption is to intercept those thoughts with scripture and not allowing them to freely move on to plans. We must remember, this is NOT easy because we want to, we desire to follow through and make plans to sin! For me, these thoughts are not like dreaming up a plate of brussel sprouts. It’s like dreaming of burritos or chips with guacamole. Not that veggies are heavenly and Mexican food is sin, but you get the idea.

I can’t just have scriptures committed to memory, I must also desire to access them MORE than the desire to access my own plans to get what I want, when I want it. First there’s the thought, then the plan to act on it, then if that plan is not interrupted or thwarted, it continues on to acting it out. Jesus warning us about lusting after an adulterous affair, or “setting the heart upon,” in Matthew 5:28 is talking about these plans to follow through with a plan that has already taken place in our mind. We’ve mapped it out and set about doing it! The sin is absolutely sure to follow because it is already a reality in our mind.

The time to intervene is before the plan can be made. Our brains develop “ruts” or common everyday shortcuts or routes to accomplish tasks. Think of where you put your toothbrush, your brain has stored this memory placement so you do not have to see or even think about where it can be found. This means the thought, sin-disruption, must be quick and repetitive or the brain rut will just take over. This defines a breaking a bad habit! It’s brain retraining.

Replacing the sin-plan with another action plan is exactly what the Psalmist did. He writes “I praise you, I have recited aloud, I have rejoiced in your laws, I study, reflect and delight in your decrees.” Look at the list of action plans he makes AFTER he access God’s Word! It’s not just about interrupting a thought, with God’s Word, it’s making a new plan to keep our brains from “rutting” onto the shortcut behavior it is used to. Memorize a scripture to have ready to interrupt the thought, then make and follow a plan that takes you away from the behavior you would have normally followed through with.

Prayer

Dad,
Help me hide your Word, help me make godly plans that change my sinful behaviors! Give me new brain ruts to please you. Amen.

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Lit and simple grit.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭105‬-‭106‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I love this idea of grit being a major factor of success in many pursuits. Wikipedia writes, “Grit is a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual’s perseverance of effort combined with the passion for a particular long-term goal or end state (a powerful motivation to achieve an objective). This perseverance of effort promotes the overcoming of obstacles or challenges that lie on the path to accomplishment and serves as a driving force in achievement realization.” I believe this determination was a necessary quality in my education, both in a B.A. and M.A. And, now I have come to realize how important grit is in my relationships, with God first and also with others.

You can hear this in the Psalmist words, “I’ve promised,” and “I will.” It is said that this Psalm was called the “Manual of devotion” by Ezra. Using God’s word as a constant guide, not just as a moral map, but also as a manual of love, understanding God’s most intimate thoughts. The Psalmist writes one of the most beloved phrases for us to visually understand how to navigate the darkness of our existence – God’s word is a light to guide us and safely keep us on the narrow path.

Prayer

Dad,
How often do I look for some kind of illumination when I feel I am stumbling along in darkness? To think of grabbing a lamp, a torch (as the brits say) or flashlight is so simple when the power goes out. I am so thankful to not just pick up your Word in emergencies but with determination and grit, to regularly store up verses like this one that guide me. Committing it to memory helps me gain quick access to your powerful and living word! I too promise and will obey your decrees!

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innocence illuminated

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭3‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​David writes this Psalm as if he knows what he’s talking about. His confidence is in his own experience from the past – delighting in the Lord.

There are a thousand words I could reach for and dozens of emotions to match each morning that I open my eyes and begin to think about my day. Except for Christmas, the first day vacationing in Tahoe or just a solid day off – I don’t think this word or attitude of delight rises out of my brain with the sun. David learned this delight from years of disappointment and despair.

I am currently listening to an audio book by John Mark Comer called, Live No Lies. He writes that the number one weapon the devil (slanderer) uses is lies and deceit. It’s even more fascinating that we WANT to believe these lies, thinking they will get us what we want without God. Like we can do what we want or get what we want on our own, avoiding God and creating our own version of truth (which is a lie itself).

These words that David wrote – trust, delight, desire and commit are all words of an intimate relationship with the Lord. Being still and patient in God’s presence is a gift. I often want to think, and worse, other people push me to think, that I can control, fix, or make humans do what is right! I cannot. These are things that require me to wait for God to act. God can move, change or flip the human heart. Even the evil schemes of the wicked are used and positioned for His plans and ultimately His glory.

When I worry I am behaving like those who don’t trust, those who scheme to manipulate others and God himself. I would rather wait so my innocence radiates and justice shines because God IS AT WORK, not me.

Prayer

Dad,
Really, all I want is for you to be honored and glorified in and through my life. Of course that does not happen if I continue to control, manipulate or scheme to try to make YOU or others do my own will. You shine brightly when your will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Your ways are accomplished through me. Then, and only then, can I be innocent and just in my pursuit of your plans. May it be said of me that I do trust, do delight and desire you with all my heart.

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God chats.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Most may think of prayer as a request line. I get it. We’re needy people with some kind of calamity happening somewhere all-the-time. Daniel or Ezra (the scribe) reminds us that prayer is far more than a vending machine or even a confessional booth. The Psalmist records these moments of intimacy, writing “my heart has heard you say.”

As I have grown in my faith, my relationship with God has drastically changed. I slowly spend time in His Word, listening, not rushed, like I’m cramming for a test. Even as I feel the sun or the wind on my face, I am reminded of Him. I hear birds singing and I remember that birds only sing when safe. I recognize that I can do the same, because I am safe in His presence.

Now, whether I hear the sweet whispers inviting me to come or I just grab a few moments and let Him know what I am feeling or how grateful I am for His love. I either answer like the Psalmist, “Lord, I am coming,” or announce to Him, “Lord, here I come.” It is such a sweet conversation when there’s no real agenda. It has to be very much like Adam who walked with God in the cool of the evening. Prayer can take me back (or even forward) to Eden, when innocence and wonder fill our days.

Walking with my grandgirls as toddlers, I remember their curiousness and questions that stopped us every few steps. I was just happy to be with them, watching them grow in their understanding of this world. It is interesting to think that prayer, chats with God, may come to a point that we are conversing more than giving or receiving. That I just want to spend time with God and without needing anything but Him in those moments. I see those moments, those days ahead and I am excited to say, “Lord, I am coming.”

Prayer

Dad,
I think that spending time with you in your Word has brought an anchor to my restless soul, a place of calm delight. A place to not just be challenged, but cherished by the Holy Spirit. I’ve enjoyed these moments and it has allowed me to take time to remember to just talk over things with you. Sure, much of it is handing over the mundane mire of minutia happening far too often. However, it is also a time of opening up, softening up my soul to just chat about anything and everything with you. For this, I am thankful.

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Fretting follicles.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. For troubles surround me— too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can’t see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭40‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

According to Blue Letter Bible, Psalm 40 was among Psalms collected and inserted in the songbook towards the end of David’s life. I don’t think David was being comedic here in his analogies, but I am a visual reader. Words and phrases bring pictures into my head.

As I read this Psalm, most likely written as David is approaching retirement, and put here as more of a reflective thought, I can’t help but see piles of sin outside the royal palace stacked up against the walls like a snow drift from a massive winter storm. And, if that’s not a enough, he then compares his sin to the number of hairs, albeit fleeting, on his head.

Look it up! The average black or brown headed person has about 100,000 hairs and blondes have 150,000. Do blondes need more for some reason? 100k of sins. How am I supposed to tally up all my sins throughout the years. Is there an app to track that? At first I thought, “oh, I’ve sinned way more than the number of hairs on my skull.” But 100K? No, I’m not going to do the math for you.

Let’s just agree we can all PILE up a lot of sin in a lifetime. And managing those sins can be quite the undertaking. In yesterday’s devo I wrote about Hebrews advice, “don’t count up or manage your sin,” look to the Savior who gracefully paid off our debt and just be grateful. I realize that here in Psalm 40, David was still under the law and the crushing guilt of all the awful things he had done. So his plea is understandable. Today, I don’t want to or have to count sin-snowflakes piled up or fretting follicles and the debt I’ve amassed. God’s tender mercies are still active and effective!

Prayer

Dad,
I may be running out of hairs on my head, but I am not running low on sin! I am glad I do not need to obsess over sins in my past. And when I confess and come clean with you about my current selfishness and self determined will, you forgive me and toss my sins in opposite directions, far from you and me. I am still thrilled to look at piles of mercy rather than piles of mistakes, mountains of grace verses molehills of guilt.

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Answering to ultimate power

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful. You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves. You crushed the great sea monster. You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours—you created it all.” Psalms‬ ‭89‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Psalmist writes these broad strokes of power and huge overarching themes of ultimate control over all things – heaven and earth. This Psalm is written while Israel is parked in a 70 year timeout under Babylon’s rule. Daniel is the main character during this time, and even though he could have written this tribute to God it’s more likely that Ezra, the scribe wrote it.

I live close enough to the Pacific Ocean to enjoy parking along the cliffs of Big Corona and sitting on benches overlooking the expansive sea. It is breathtaking to watch the waves constantly, consistently crash on the shore and the reflective sunlight to dance on the endless vista to the horizon.

The ocean is so vast it’s intimidating. Every seaman story tells of its dangerous and untamable nature. No serious captain or crew underestimate its power and often merciless mysteries. That is why it so poetically appropriate for the Psalmist to declare God’s strength and dominion over the waters that cover 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and hold about 96 percent of all Earth’s water. As humans we all basically live on an island!

The Psalm says, “You rule the oceans.” I am impressed with God’s power, we all should be. All heavens and earth are His. How can God, with this much power not only be concerned but involved and in love with US? How can God with this much power and control not be feared, respected and obeyed? How can this mighty, ocean-ruling God put up with so many who mock, profane and arrogantly ignore Him as creator of all things? It’s shockingly unbelievable! Why doesn’t God just instantly zap every mouthy, foul fool into oblivion?

Because He made us, and has determined to love us. His enduring mercy and patience is utterly, unconditionally FOR us! However, time, like all created things, has an end. There will come a time when everything wraps up and concludes this existence. Every human is given time and every opportunity possible to remind us of God’s existence and His plan for our redemption, our rescue. Many have decided, with full recognition of God’s plan, to go at life and eternity their own way – which we know is simply death, then the moment of accountability. If you have rejected THE most powerful and most loving force in the universe? God will ask why and you will answer.

Prayer

Dad,
When I stand on the shores of the Pacific Ocean and look out to the unending vastness of the sea, I feel so feebly small. I also get just how powerful and as the Psalmist wrote, MIGHTY you really are. You tame the tides and control the storms, yet with our human hearts your greatest power is not force or constraint, but love and freedom. I am overwhelmed, undone, as Isaiah wrote, with your mercy. I will recognize your power and submit to your everlasting love.

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A prayer for every leader.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son. Help him judge your people in the right way; let the poor always be treated fairly. May the mountains yield prosperity for all, and may the hills be fruitful. Help him to defend the poor, to rescue the children of the needy, and to crush their oppressors. May they fear you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon remains in the sky. Yes, forever!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭72‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Solomon writes this Psalm as he is given the reigns of ruling Israel from his father David. And as a man of wisdom, he requests everything necessary to lead a nation.

This prayer/Psalm should be the guiding words for any leader, at every level of authority over their charge. Help the leader, ruler, king, mayor, governor or president or pastor judge well! Let the poor be treated fairly. Let there be prosperity for all. Help them to defend the poor, rescue the orphan and needy children.

People WANT this kind of ruler, NEED this kind of ruler. Someone who leads in such a way that lightens the load of their care. Where folks echo back, YES – “May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth. May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.”

Our leaders, at every level, should commit this simple prayer to memory and understand, they are not in office or role for self advancement, fame or fortune.

I completely believe that all leaders, sacred and secular should have this Psalm placarded to their heart. Our governance, even as Pastors and Church leaders may not have the autonomous authority like a king, but we should lead with this kind of heart. I love Solomon’s conclusive line, “May they fear you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon remains in the sky.” Amen.

Prayer

Dad,
Oh that we could have leaders and rulers in every sector of our country not only pray this prayer, but live it out as well. Wouldn’t this solve a lot of our struggles and issues of trust and confidence. I know that many of our “rulers” are not godly, but every single one of them from Washington DC to our local city councils are in positions of power because you put them there or at least allowed them to rule. When the Apostle Paul reminds Timothy to pray for all those who have authority over us, this is what I pray for them! Lord, hear our prayer.