Psalm 38 - Confess or Waste Away?

Confess or waste away? That's kind of what this looks like to me. Look what bad shape David was in: there was no health in his body, his guilt was overwhelming him, his wounds fester and stink (Ugh!), he was bent over and racked with pain...fever...exhaustion.. the list keeps going.

Sin has consequences. Some are immediate, some are obvious - like you rob a bank then you go to jail - but the consequences we don't see so obviously, (or at least it seems that most people don't think about this), is a broken relationship with God.

1 O LORD, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage! 

2 Your arrows have struck deep, and your blows are crushing me. 

So what's the answer for this? How do you restore your relationship with God?

18 But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done. 

21 Do not abandon me, O LORD . Do not stand at a distance, my God. 

22 Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior.

There you go.

Confess your sins. Be deeply sorry for what you have done. Ask God to not abandon you but instead to come quickly and help you. Confess that He is your Lord and Savior. 

Psalm 37 - How to Get the Desires of Your Heart

I've been trying to not write the same things about the psalms that I wrote before (in case you just joined us, I blogged a Psalm a Day for 150 Days back in 2012.) But I've used today's psalm as an outline to tell people how to get their hearts desires for - well, decades. :-)

I like to word it like this because getting your heart's desire is sorta like an American ideal - life, liberty and getting everything you want. So when I say, "get everything your heart desires" people perk up and pay attention.

Before you report me to the anti-"name it claim it" patrol read this entire post.

Yes. You can have everything your heart desires. Here's how.

1. Trust in the Lord and do good v.3
2. Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart v.4
3. Commit your way to the Lord v.5
4. Trust in Him and He will do this v.5
5. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him v.7
6. Do not fret when evil people succeed vs.1, 7
7. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath v.8
8. Live blamelessly v.18
9. Give generously vs.21, 26
10. Turn from evil and do good v.27
11. Utter wisdom and speak what is just v.30
12. Have the law of God in your heart v.31
13. Hope in the Lord and keep His way v.34

A shorter list would just be number 2 above - Take delight in the Lord.

I took some Nyquil so I'm going to just jump to the ending. You'll need to fill in the connecting thoughts.

If you truly delight in the Lord then the desires of your heart will be the things that He desires. Your prayers will be much like in the Lord's model prayer where Jesus teaches us to pray "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

The opposite of this would be like what James says, When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:3 read it in context here

Bottom line:

When you delight in the Lord your prayers will be for things that He wants to see happen so He will be more than happy to give you the desires of your heart. 

Psalm 36

Psalm 36 begins with a description of the sinfulness of the wicked. Apparently the wicked have been the same for thousands of years because it could be written today. It's easy to see people that meet this description now - and they're proud of it!

Compare that to God's incredible love that reaches to the heavens!

I think the thing to take away from this Psalm today - at least for me - is to not get bogged down or discouraged by the wickedness around us - around the world. Why? Because God's love and faithfulness are so much greater. His righteousness and justice are greater than the wickedness of the world.

Bottom line:
It's easy to get in the mode of cursing the darkness. There's so much of it! If instead we would focus on God's love, faithfulness, righteousness and justice - and live our lives in love, faithfulness, righteousness and justice. We will make a difference in the world and God will use us to push back the darkness.

Psalm 35 - What To Do with an Imprecatory Psalm

Huh?
Imprecatory Psalms explained

Imprecatory wasn't even considered a correctly spelled word for "Spellcheck"

If you didn't click the link above and don't already know (don't feel bad if you don't) an imprecatory Psalm is one that invokes curses or calamity or judgement on your enemies - or God's enemies. I realllllly recommend that you read the link above. It has info to help us reconcile the teachings of Jesus with imprecatory prayers and psalms. There's no point in me trying to rewrite that information.

Hmmmm.... So what can we take from this Psalm on a Saturday in February 2017?

It's OK to ask God to deliver you from your enemies.
Live your life in such a way that you can remain blameless. v.7
Let God take care of you and what happens to your enemies.
Even while asking God to destroy your enemies you should still care for them. vs.13-14
Continue to praise God.

Bottom line:
I think we would be dishonest if we didn't let God know how we feel about someone who is wrongly attacking us. But with our actions we can choose to let God be the one who delivers us and destroys our enemies. "Vengeance is Mine" says the Lord. We need to try to remain blameless in how we live.
Be joyful. What a great testimony to the world about what Christ Jesus has done for you when you can still have joy in the middle of attacks from enemies.

Psalm 34 - How to Live a Long Life

Psalm 34 has several "famous" verses - you know... they've been turned into a song or quoted by someone famous.

Sandy Patti sang v.3 ♪ O magnify, o magnify the LORD with me and let us exalt His name together. ♫

V.8 "Taste and see that the LORD is good" has been quoted a lot.

Numbers 9:12 has God's command that you were not to break any of the bones of the Passover lamb. When writing about Jesus' crucifixion, v.20 is quoted by the Apostle John in  John 19:36 NIV

36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,”

Since you probably know these verses I thought I'd point out a way to live a long life. Most people are interested in living longer. Here's David's advice.

11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

He goes on to say things like "the Lord is against those who do evil" v.16He delivers the righteous from their troubles v.1718 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.If you have difficulty with v.13 you're not alone. (compare James 3:1-12) So.... work on it. Colossians 4:6 says, 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.None of this comes naturally. You have to think, practice controlling your tongue, guard your thoughts. It is out of the abundance of a man's heart that he speaks. Ouch! Jesus said in Matthew 15:18 that the things that come out of a person's mouth come from the heart.Hmmmm.... my post on living a long life turned into a post about taking control of your tongue. I think there's a good connection there. Now that I'm looking at it. Vs.1-3 have to do with your tongue too! 1 I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.2 I will boast only in the LORD ; let all who are helpless take heart.3 Come, let us tell of the LORD ’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. NLT

Bottom line:One of the keys to living a long life is learning to control your tongue. Some of us have a lot of work to do in that area. Let's get busy!

Psalm 33 - A Creator Who Keeps in Touch

Psalm 33 begins with a call to praise the LORD. I thought about blogging about verse 3. Sing a new song. God is still doing great things. Don't rely on yesterday's songs and worship.
Play skillfully  study, practice, give Him your best

But instead I saw something I hadn't noticed before.

The psalmist praises God because of His work in creation. But God didn't stop there! He's still at work. Look at verses 10-12.
God is at work in the nations. We see this all through scripture.

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 
— Romans 13:1

Jesus answered [speaking to Pilate], “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”
— John 19:11

By me kings reign…
— Proverbs 8:15

…he removes kings, and sets up kings…
— Daniel 2:21

Then God removed Saul and made David their king…
— Acts 13:22

…the Most High has power over human kingdoms. He gives them to whomever he wishes.— Daniel 4:17

But then the psalmist brings it in closer. God is at work in the nations but also in the individuals.
Verses 13-15
He observes everyone.
He gazes on all the inhabitants.
He alone crafts their hearts.

I think it is awesome to know that the great God who created all things and decides who rules each nation also cares about me as an individual.

That aught to make your heart rejoice in Him!

Bottom line:
Verses 20-22
We wait for the LORD;
He is our help and shield.
For our hearts rejoice in Him,
because we trust in His holy name.
May Your faithful love rest on us, LORD,
for we put our hope in You.

Psalm 32 - My Hiding Place

Psalm 32 is a beautiful song about confession and forgiveness. David was wasting away from the guilt he felt. He knew he had sinned against God. His body was wasting away from the guilt.

Notice the joy he felt after he confessed his sin. In fact, it's how he begins the psalm.

1 Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, 

whose sin is put out of sight! 

2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, 

whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

When he confessed his sin he found forgiveness (v.5) and joy. He was then able to say that God was his hiding place who filled his life with songs of deliverance. 

And even more than that

8 The LORD says,

“I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

I will advise you and watch over you.

This psalm really doesn't need any explanation. I love the last two verses.


10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD .11 So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!
I'll let verse 9 be the "bottom line" for today. Ha!

9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”Confess your sin and let God guide you through life and you'll have the joy that is talked about in this psalm!