Ps 27:4-6 "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD." NIV
The power of a focused life, this is what David is imparting to us in this psalm! One thing is the passion of David’s life! One thing is the consuming thought and source of strength that drives David’s choices and determines how he spends his thoughts. Consider the things that you ask of the Lord, consider what you spend your time seeking after. Is your life being empowered by such a passion for the Lord? David’s longing becomes our invitation to live with transformed desires. David’s passion is our challenge to examine what we are spending our lives in pursuit of!
David’s sole desire was to spend his life in the house of God, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. We spend out days in pursuit of so many things and so often completely miss those things that matter the most. Lord please capture our hearts with the knowledge of your beauty! Lord fix our eyes on that which truly matters. There is power in living with sanctified desires. There is strength that comes from being free from the want of many things. David lived an extraordinary life that flowed out of having desires that were God centered and not man or possession centered. Those times when history records David’s darkest actions were all moments when his eyes slipped off of beholding the Lord to the things of this earth. Paul clearly stated this principle when he wrote in Col 3:1-2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” When David’s heart was properly set he lived in such a way that attracted God’s presence and blessing, but when his vision drifted to the things of the earth he demonstrated the brokenness of fallen man as completely as anyone who has ever lived. It is such a demonstration of the distinct difference that can be found in a person’s life when they are walking in the Spirit and when they are walking in the flesh. Paul stated the problem so clearly when he said, “live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature,” Ga. 5:16.
David fully grasped the power and benefit of staying “in the Spirit.” He knew what it was to be sheltered in the presence of God. He understood the refuge that God becomes to the righteous. There is such a parallel between the works of David in the psalms and the principles that Paul teaches in the Epistles. Paul states this same truth in New Testament terms by declaring in Col 3:3, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” To be a man or woman of the Spirit is to be hidden in God, the world no longer has any power or legal right over a man who is no longer living, whose very life has been consumed in God. Even though he was living before the cross David understood the shelter that God becomes to those who place their lives in His.
This place of abandonment to a life of beholding the Lord is rich with benefits. David is not naïve to the reward that comes from such a consecrated life. In fact he is counting on it. Even Jesus himself was partially motivated by the knowledge of the reward that was awaiting him. Heb 12:2 speaks of Jesus’ willingness to be our sacrifice by saying, “for the joy set before him endured the cross.” He was able to face hardship and suffering because he recognized a greater reward that was waiting on the other side of the cross. Hebrews 12 calls us to be strengthened by his example and to “fix our eyes” upon him. When we see the Lord in the beauty of who he is and what he has done our lives are filled with confidence to trust in the Lord through any circumstance. Choose right now to take you eyes off of this world and firmly place them on the beauty of Christ!
Friday
Psalm 26:6-8 - March 20, 2009
Ps 26:6-8 “I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O LORD, 7 proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds. 8 I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells." NIV
This simple passage is so full of the richness of a life of praise. Its words reflect such joy as David ‘s thoughts are lifted to consider his relationship with the Lord and his heart of love for God’s ways and his presence. These verses paint a picture of personal satisfaction and pleasure in God. Oh that our lives would be filled with the pleasures that flow out of intimacy with the Lord! As I read these words I can see David moving back and forth in front of the altar of God with hands lifted up and a heart full of love, his own sense of personal purity empowering him to stand confidently in God’s presence. This is such a picture of 1 John 3:21 where John the beloved declares, “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.” David is bold, confident and joyful in God’s presence because he knows the condition of his own heart at this time in his life. Too many of us are hindered in our approach to God because of the condition of our own conscience that accuses us when we try to stand before God.
David is celebrating the joy he finds in his time before the altar, not lamenting his own failures. Imagine David standing in God’s presence praising him and proclaiming the great things that God has done. This is not a reflection of a public meeting, in front of an audience of people. Rather this is a picture of David’s personal life in God. Do we stand before God declaring his praise? Is it a part of our lives that we proclaim back to God the great wonders he has done for us? Part of the power to endure that is so evidenced throughout all of David’s life and struggles is that consistent pattern of celebrating God that flows out of David’s mouth. So often we are defeated from the time we open our mouth. Our confessions of negativism and defeat rob us of faith and confidence and yet here in this passage David sets such a tremendous example of choosing to declare what God has done rather than lamenting what his enemies have done.
From all of the heart cry of the preceding verses it is obvious that David’s life is being afflicted with accusation and opposition yet David is able to present this burden to the Lord and then redirect his focus. Instead of gazing on the abundance of his problems and being covered by a shadow of despair David is gazing upon the beauty of the Lord and he is overshadowed by clouds of glory! David could have been consumed by the pressure of life, but instead he is consumed by the goodness of God. Yes he cries out to the Lord for vindication in the midst of his pain. Yes he lifts up his troubles to the Lord. But David is able to leave his pain at the altar and exchange it for God’s presence. In this passage he demonstrates what he later teaches in Ps 55:22 where he writes, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you.” David has discovered the sustaining power of confidence in God!
David moves from looking at his burdens to a God focus that is almost astonishing for the intensity of its shift. In one breath he is expressing his need for vindication, in the next he declares, Ps 26:8 “I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells.” He is able to see more than his need David is able to see the beauty of God in the midst of trying times! David’s eyes are turned towards the glory of God. It is obvious from these words that David has encountered God’s glory he has seen God’s goodness. This is such a testimony of how our past experiences in God become a sustaining strength in our current times of need. When the pressure is on David’s thoughts are able to reflect on the power of his personal encounters in the presence of God to sustain him. If we wait until the pressure is on to seek God then we may have waited too long! God desires to meet with us at the altar of his presence and bring us into the knowledge of His glory during the times of peace so that they can sustain us in the times of struggle. Set yourself apart to stand before him and gaze upon his beauty!
This simple passage is so full of the richness of a life of praise. Its words reflect such joy as David ‘s thoughts are lifted to consider his relationship with the Lord and his heart of love for God’s ways and his presence. These verses paint a picture of personal satisfaction and pleasure in God. Oh that our lives would be filled with the pleasures that flow out of intimacy with the Lord! As I read these words I can see David moving back and forth in front of the altar of God with hands lifted up and a heart full of love, his own sense of personal purity empowering him to stand confidently in God’s presence. This is such a picture of 1 John 3:21 where John the beloved declares, “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.” David is bold, confident and joyful in God’s presence because he knows the condition of his own heart at this time in his life. Too many of us are hindered in our approach to God because of the condition of our own conscience that accuses us when we try to stand before God.
David is celebrating the joy he finds in his time before the altar, not lamenting his own failures. Imagine David standing in God’s presence praising him and proclaiming the great things that God has done. This is not a reflection of a public meeting, in front of an audience of people. Rather this is a picture of David’s personal life in God. Do we stand before God declaring his praise? Is it a part of our lives that we proclaim back to God the great wonders he has done for us? Part of the power to endure that is so evidenced throughout all of David’s life and struggles is that consistent pattern of celebrating God that flows out of David’s mouth. So often we are defeated from the time we open our mouth. Our confessions of negativism and defeat rob us of faith and confidence and yet here in this passage David sets such a tremendous example of choosing to declare what God has done rather than lamenting what his enemies have done.
From all of the heart cry of the preceding verses it is obvious that David’s life is being afflicted with accusation and opposition yet David is able to present this burden to the Lord and then redirect his focus. Instead of gazing on the abundance of his problems and being covered by a shadow of despair David is gazing upon the beauty of the Lord and he is overshadowed by clouds of glory! David could have been consumed by the pressure of life, but instead he is consumed by the goodness of God. Yes he cries out to the Lord for vindication in the midst of his pain. Yes he lifts up his troubles to the Lord. But David is able to leave his pain at the altar and exchange it for God’s presence. In this passage he demonstrates what he later teaches in Ps 55:22 where he writes, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you.” David has discovered the sustaining power of confidence in God!
David moves from looking at his burdens to a God focus that is almost astonishing for the intensity of its shift. In one breath he is expressing his need for vindication, in the next he declares, Ps 26:8 “I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells.” He is able to see more than his need David is able to see the beauty of God in the midst of trying times! David’s eyes are turned towards the glory of God. It is obvious from these words that David has encountered God’s glory he has seen God’s goodness. This is such a testimony of how our past experiences in God become a sustaining strength in our current times of need. When the pressure is on David’s thoughts are able to reflect on the power of his personal encounters in the presence of God to sustain him. If we wait until the pressure is on to seek God then we may have waited too long! God desires to meet with us at the altar of his presence and bring us into the knowledge of His glory during the times of peace so that they can sustain us in the times of struggle. Set yourself apart to stand before him and gaze upon his beauty!
Thursday
Psalm 26:1-3 - March 19, 2009
Ps 26:1-3 “Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. 2 Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; 3 for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.” NIV
This psalm is a cry for vindication from the Lord. It is a tremendous example of a man who is not seeking to vindicate himself in the eyes of men. Instead David places his confidence in the Lord to prove David’s character and integrity. What makes this cry powerful is the assurance that David has in making this appeal to the Lord because of his conviction regarding the quality of his own life and choices in this season. The statements that he makes about himself are very powerful and thought provoking. “I have led a blameless life!” How many of us can make that statement? Yet David confidently lifts that cry up before God who knows all things. The way of man is often driven by his own sense of rightness but what makes this a very moving statement is that even though David has such assurance about the purity of his own life he still looks to God for his vindication, confidently trusting in God not seeking to prove his own cause in the eyes of men.
David’s next phrase is the foundation of that place of rest that David demonstrates. “I have trusted in the Lord without wavering!” Lord lead us into unwavering trust. Too often when someone questions our character or our rights are violated we quickly grow impatient with the thought of what others are thinking or saying about us. We seek immediately to stop any wrong being done to us. How awesome it is to see David’s example of patient confidence. Imagine the peace that comes to the heart that has unwavering trust in the Lord. Consider the benefit to our thoughts, how we treat others , how we react to offense, and even the impact upon our health that would come if we stayed consistently in a place of trust, if we never sought to prove ourselves to others out of an anxious fear of their negative opinion of us.
David is so sure of his position before God in this season of his life that he invites examination. He is not offering this to the Lord out of a fearful concern that there might be a hidden sin that he doesn’t know about. In this passage David is boldly assured of his own right standing before God. His cry for the Lord’s searching is a part of his cry for vindication. It is as if he is saying, “I know that I am clean, come and check it out for yourself!” Oh, to live in such assurance.
So where does David’s assurance come from? What could motivate a man to live such an upright life in a world full of so much distraction and temptation? These questions are answered in the very next phrase. “Your love is ever before me…” The power of David’s life is that he lives in the conscious knowledge of the love of God. He is empowered by an ever-present sense of God’s love being with him. It is this awareness of a loving God ever-present and ever-loving that has become a guard to David’s ways. Imagine encountering temptation and the knowledge of the loving presence of God disrupting the power of that temptation. I remember having a dream many years ago where someone came to me and offered me a very enticing temptation but my answer was very simply, “I’m sorry I love the Lord Jesus so much that I could never do that.” God is reaching out to each of us to capture our hearts with the knowledge of his love and this knowledge and the abiding presence that it brings becomes that anchor to our hearts amidst both conflict and temptation. Today ask for the knowledge of his love and a continual sense of his presence.
This psalm is a cry for vindication from the Lord. It is a tremendous example of a man who is not seeking to vindicate himself in the eyes of men. Instead David places his confidence in the Lord to prove David’s character and integrity. What makes this cry powerful is the assurance that David has in making this appeal to the Lord because of his conviction regarding the quality of his own life and choices in this season. The statements that he makes about himself are very powerful and thought provoking. “I have led a blameless life!” How many of us can make that statement? Yet David confidently lifts that cry up before God who knows all things. The way of man is often driven by his own sense of rightness but what makes this a very moving statement is that even though David has such assurance about the purity of his own life he still looks to God for his vindication, confidently trusting in God not seeking to prove his own cause in the eyes of men.
David’s next phrase is the foundation of that place of rest that David demonstrates. “I have trusted in the Lord without wavering!” Lord lead us into unwavering trust. Too often when someone questions our character or our rights are violated we quickly grow impatient with the thought of what others are thinking or saying about us. We seek immediately to stop any wrong being done to us. How awesome it is to see David’s example of patient confidence. Imagine the peace that comes to the heart that has unwavering trust in the Lord. Consider the benefit to our thoughts, how we treat others , how we react to offense, and even the impact upon our health that would come if we stayed consistently in a place of trust, if we never sought to prove ourselves to others out of an anxious fear of their negative opinion of us.
David is so sure of his position before God in this season of his life that he invites examination. He is not offering this to the Lord out of a fearful concern that there might be a hidden sin that he doesn’t know about. In this passage David is boldly assured of his own right standing before God. His cry for the Lord’s searching is a part of his cry for vindication. It is as if he is saying, “I know that I am clean, come and check it out for yourself!” Oh, to live in such assurance.
So where does David’s assurance come from? What could motivate a man to live such an upright life in a world full of so much distraction and temptation? These questions are answered in the very next phrase. “Your love is ever before me…” The power of David’s life is that he lives in the conscious knowledge of the love of God. He is empowered by an ever-present sense of God’s love being with him. It is this awareness of a loving God ever-present and ever-loving that has become a guard to David’s ways. Imagine encountering temptation and the knowledge of the loving presence of God disrupting the power of that temptation. I remember having a dream many years ago where someone came to me and offered me a very enticing temptation but my answer was very simply, “I’m sorry I love the Lord Jesus so much that I could never do that.” God is reaching out to each of us to capture our hearts with the knowledge of his love and this knowledge and the abiding presence that it brings becomes that anchor to our hearts amidst both conflict and temptation. Today ask for the knowledge of his love and a continual sense of his presence.
Wednesday
Psalm 25:16-21 - March 18, 2009
Ps 25:16-21 "Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. 18 Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. 19 See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me! 20 Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you." NIV
Psalm 25 is a very emotional journey of David’s heart reaching for consolation and comfort from the presence of the Lord. It is a powerful mix of conversation with God, reflection on the ways of God, the benefits of following Him, and a heart cry of pain and desperation. David is longing for God to turn to Him with grace. Have you ever felt as if God wasn’t looking your way? Even David expresses this same sense of distance between his pain and God’s grace; so he is crying out for the knowledge of God’s nearness. As we turn our attention to these last verses, it sheds a unique light onto the previous verses.
As David reveals the depths of his pain and the struggles he is facing in his emotions, it becomes more apparent that his previous reflections have been to a large degree intended to comfort his own heart by remembering the character and ways of the Lord.
Consider the emotional nature of David’s self description: lonely and afflicted, a troubled heart, anguish, affliction, and distress. If there is one word that expresses the root of what David is feeling it might be pressure! David is feeling the pressure that is seemingly surrounding him on all sides, and these pressures are seeking to overwhelm his focus on the goodness of God. At its heart this passage is a cry for freedom and a declaration of hope. David is wrestling with the conflict in his own heart, and he is fighting by holding on to the remembrance of who God is and has been to him.
The psalmist is committed to holding onto his integrity and uprightness in the midst of the pressure, and it is his confidence in the fact that God honors those who walk uprightly that is strengthening him in this time of testing.
This psalm is a tremendous reminder that the Lord is a shelter for those who please Him in the way that they live their lives. When pressure touches our lives, one of the primary areas that is placed in the path of temptation to compromise is our character and integrity. Often times there is more than one choice available to resolve the issues that we are facing, but in many instances at least one of those choices presents itself as an easier path, but one that requires compromise of our values or principles. Consider Satan’s offer to Christ as he said, “worship me and I will give you all of these things.” Satan offered Christ the same reward that was to be his through obedience to the Father but his offer bypassed the trial of the cross. We are often offered short cuts to relief, but too often they also come at the expense of compromise. As David considers the enemies who are seeking to destroy him, he holds firmly to his decision to find refuge in the knowledge of God’s goodness to those who hope in Him and hold to His ways no matter what the cost.
Psalm 25 is a very emotional journey of David’s heart reaching for consolation and comfort from the presence of the Lord. It is a powerful mix of conversation with God, reflection on the ways of God, the benefits of following Him, and a heart cry of pain and desperation. David is longing for God to turn to Him with grace. Have you ever felt as if God wasn’t looking your way? Even David expresses this same sense of distance between his pain and God’s grace; so he is crying out for the knowledge of God’s nearness. As we turn our attention to these last verses, it sheds a unique light onto the previous verses.
As David reveals the depths of his pain and the struggles he is facing in his emotions, it becomes more apparent that his previous reflections have been to a large degree intended to comfort his own heart by remembering the character and ways of the Lord.
Consider the emotional nature of David’s self description: lonely and afflicted, a troubled heart, anguish, affliction, and distress. If there is one word that expresses the root of what David is feeling it might be pressure! David is feeling the pressure that is seemingly surrounding him on all sides, and these pressures are seeking to overwhelm his focus on the goodness of God. At its heart this passage is a cry for freedom and a declaration of hope. David is wrestling with the conflict in his own heart, and he is fighting by holding on to the remembrance of who God is and has been to him.
The psalmist is committed to holding onto his integrity and uprightness in the midst of the pressure, and it is his confidence in the fact that God honors those who walk uprightly that is strengthening him in this time of testing.
This psalm is a tremendous reminder that the Lord is a shelter for those who please Him in the way that they live their lives. When pressure touches our lives, one of the primary areas that is placed in the path of temptation to compromise is our character and integrity. Often times there is more than one choice available to resolve the issues that we are facing, but in many instances at least one of those choices presents itself as an easier path, but one that requires compromise of our values or principles. Consider Satan’s offer to Christ as he said, “worship me and I will give you all of these things.” Satan offered Christ the same reward that was to be his through obedience to the Father but his offer bypassed the trial of the cross. We are often offered short cuts to relief, but too often they also come at the expense of compromise. As David considers the enemies who are seeking to destroy him, he holds firmly to his decision to find refuge in the knowledge of God’s goodness to those who hope in Him and hold to His ways no matter what the cost.
Tuesday
Psalm 25:13 - March 17, 2009
Ps. 25:13 "He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. 14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. 15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare." NIV
The fear of the Lord brings with it great benefit. Living in the knowledge of God’s will for our lives that flows out of a reverent life opens the door for many great blessings to become available. There are many times that God would desire to bless us but the knowledge or understanding necessary to step into the path of blessing is only acquired by seeking the Lord in humility and submission. David confidently declares that those who fear the Lord spend their days in prosperity! That is a powerful statement and there is an obvious connection between these two things. When we live in the fear of the Lord he both protects us from evil that would strip away that which we have and we also become the recipients of divine insights and revelation that direct us in how to prosper. Jacob was given wisdom for his shepherding so that he could prosper, Joseph was given interpretation of dreams that brought promotion upon his life and saved an entire nation, and though Job’s life was touched by a season of loss to fulfill a sovereign purpose of God, because he was a righteous man who lived in the fear of the Lord, at the end of his days twice as much as he had lost in earlier times had been restored to him and his family.
This brings us to the second great benefit that David celebrates in this passage. Not only is our path directed into prosperity, the implication of verse 13 is that the nature of the prosperity is that it is of such abundance and enduring quality that it becomes inter-generational. When we receive the blessing that comes through the fear of the Lord it is something that transfers to our children and our children’s children. I believe that the reason for this is two-fold. First I believe that the blessing on us is transferred supernaturally and secondly I believe that the strength of the example that we set for our children and the fruit that they see in our lives is attractive and will by natural means as well become the desired course of their lives.
The second, interconnected blessing that comes to those who fear the Lord is a consistent pattern of revelation begins to open up to us. David speaks of the Lord confiding in those who fear him. Can you imagine possessing information that the Lord reveals to only a few. This is God’s way towards those who fear him. Jesus related the same principle in regard to his disciples. He said in John 15:15, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” Jesus chose those who served him faithfully and brought them into a place of intimate understanding that the rest of the crowd was not given access to. God is looking for those whom he can reveal the intimate details of his kingdom business to! He is looking for friends who will be concerned about his concerns not merely their own concerns and David reflects this principle. He lived a life that was given over to the purpose of God in his generation and though there were short seasons where he drifted into carnality the overall testimony of his life was that he lived in the fear of the Lord and the blessings that follow it!
David ends this theme with a statement of where his focus lies. He is a man who has seen great difficulty and experienced much relational pain and yet in the midst of all of this he states “My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.” As I read this passage my mind is drawn to an image of a little child whose father is holding him tight. At first he struggles but then he finally realizes that the one holding him is too strong for him. He comes to a place of yielded surrender, looking to the one who holds him for the moment of release. It is apparent to me that all that David has been through has taught him that to struggle in his own effort and strength for a way of escape is futile and instead he has learned to wait, to rest, to look to the one who can release him from the things that have ensnared him. Where are your eyes today? Have you come to the place of surrender and rest? Be still and look to the Lord.
The fear of the Lord brings with it great benefit. Living in the knowledge of God’s will for our lives that flows out of a reverent life opens the door for many great blessings to become available. There are many times that God would desire to bless us but the knowledge or understanding necessary to step into the path of blessing is only acquired by seeking the Lord in humility and submission. David confidently declares that those who fear the Lord spend their days in prosperity! That is a powerful statement and there is an obvious connection between these two things. When we live in the fear of the Lord he both protects us from evil that would strip away that which we have and we also become the recipients of divine insights and revelation that direct us in how to prosper. Jacob was given wisdom for his shepherding so that he could prosper, Joseph was given interpretation of dreams that brought promotion upon his life and saved an entire nation, and though Job’s life was touched by a season of loss to fulfill a sovereign purpose of God, because he was a righteous man who lived in the fear of the Lord, at the end of his days twice as much as he had lost in earlier times had been restored to him and his family.
This brings us to the second great benefit that David celebrates in this passage. Not only is our path directed into prosperity, the implication of verse 13 is that the nature of the prosperity is that it is of such abundance and enduring quality that it becomes inter-generational. When we receive the blessing that comes through the fear of the Lord it is something that transfers to our children and our children’s children. I believe that the reason for this is two-fold. First I believe that the blessing on us is transferred supernaturally and secondly I believe that the strength of the example that we set for our children and the fruit that they see in our lives is attractive and will by natural means as well become the desired course of their lives.
The second, interconnected blessing that comes to those who fear the Lord is a consistent pattern of revelation begins to open up to us. David speaks of the Lord confiding in those who fear him. Can you imagine possessing information that the Lord reveals to only a few. This is God’s way towards those who fear him. Jesus related the same principle in regard to his disciples. He said in John 15:15, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” Jesus chose those who served him faithfully and brought them into a place of intimate understanding that the rest of the crowd was not given access to. God is looking for those whom he can reveal the intimate details of his kingdom business to! He is looking for friends who will be concerned about his concerns not merely their own concerns and David reflects this principle. He lived a life that was given over to the purpose of God in his generation and though there were short seasons where he drifted into carnality the overall testimony of his life was that he lived in the fear of the Lord and the blessings that follow it!
David ends this theme with a statement of where his focus lies. He is a man who has seen great difficulty and experienced much relational pain and yet in the midst of all of this he states “My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.” As I read this passage my mind is drawn to an image of a little child whose father is holding him tight. At first he struggles but then he finally realizes that the one holding him is too strong for him. He comes to a place of yielded surrender, looking to the one who holds him for the moment of release. It is apparent to me that all that David has been through has taught him that to struggle in his own effort and strength for a way of escape is futile and instead he has learned to wait, to rest, to look to the one who can release him from the things that have ensnared him. Where are your eyes today? Have you come to the place of surrender and rest? Be still and look to the Lord.
Monday
Psalm 25:12 - March 16, 2009
Ps. 25:12 "Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him." NIV
In this portion of psalm 25 the theme shifts from God’s kind instruction of the sinner to an invitation to a higher place. Yes it is wonderful that our sins are readily forgiven and yes it is comforting to know that in our weakness and failures God is there to pick us up and train us so that we might find a place of victory but in this verse David begins to unveil how much better it is for those who live in the fear of the Lord. For those whose lives are shaped by a holy fear of God that keeps us from drifting into evil and compromise there is a relationship with God available that is much sweeter, much deeper than to walk through a continual cycle
of failure, forgiveness and redemption.
In verse 12 David calls to us with an invitation to intimacy!
David uses this next set of verses to show forth the nature of the relationship that develops between the Lord and those who keep themselves in the fear of the Lord. “He will instruct him in the way chosen for him,” this is the first glimpse of the deeper life that flows out of purity. David makes it clear that there is a path that the Lord has chosen for each of us. The implication however, is that it is a voluntary path and it is our responsibility to choose it or reject it. David’s comments make it clear that the Lord does not even reveal his chosen path to those who do not fear him.
It is important to understand part of the Lord’s heart in withholding this revelation from those who do not fear him. To know the will of God and reject it is an even greater sin than to be ignorant and continue on your way. One is the sin of neglect the other is the sin of disobedience. If God were to reveal to us the path he has chosen for us, knowing that we are not interested in following, then our accountability and judgment is even greater. Because of this, in many instances, God in his mercy reserves the knowledge of his desired path for our lives to be known only by those who seek it out. For those who have not the revelation of the fear of the Lord he continues to reach to us to win over our stubborn hearts and bring us to the place of desiring that higher way rather than the path of self will. But for those who fear the Lord there is a personal, specific, plan that God is waiting to lead us into. Let us live in the fear of the Lord and the light of his will.
In this portion of psalm 25 the theme shifts from God’s kind instruction of the sinner to an invitation to a higher place. Yes it is wonderful that our sins are readily forgiven and yes it is comforting to know that in our weakness and failures God is there to pick us up and train us so that we might find a place of victory but in this verse David begins to unveil how much better it is for those who live in the fear of the Lord. For those whose lives are shaped by a holy fear of God that keeps us from drifting into evil and compromise there is a relationship with God available that is much sweeter, much deeper than to walk through a continual cycle
of failure, forgiveness and redemption.
In verse 12 David calls to us with an invitation to intimacy!
David uses this next set of verses to show forth the nature of the relationship that develops between the Lord and those who keep themselves in the fear of the Lord. “He will instruct him in the way chosen for him,” this is the first glimpse of the deeper life that flows out of purity. David makes it clear that there is a path that the Lord has chosen for each of us. The implication however, is that it is a voluntary path and it is our responsibility to choose it or reject it. David’s comments make it clear that the Lord does not even reveal his chosen path to those who do not fear him.
It is important to understand part of the Lord’s heart in withholding this revelation from those who do not fear him. To know the will of God and reject it is an even greater sin than to be ignorant and continue on your way. One is the sin of neglect the other is the sin of disobedience. If God were to reveal to us the path he has chosen for us, knowing that we are not interested in following, then our accountability and judgment is even greater. Because of this, in many instances, God in his mercy reserves the knowledge of his desired path for our lives to be known only by those who seek it out. For those who have not the revelation of the fear of the Lord he continues to reach to us to win over our stubborn hearts and bring us to the place of desiring that higher way rather than the path of self will. But for those who fear the Lord there is a personal, specific, plan that God is waiting to lead us into. Let us live in the fear of the Lord and the light of his will.
Sunday
Psalm 25:8-11 - Mar 15, 2009
Ps 25:8-11 "Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. 11 For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great." NIV
In verses 8-11 of Psalm 25 David continues his discussion about walking humility and receiving instruction but in these verses his focus is on the Lord and his goodness rather than on a cry for help. So many people relate to the Lord around their failings and their perception of the Lord’s anger. Their thoughts seem to follow a pattern that says something like, “I failed so I am sure that God is angry with me.” The wonderful revelation found in verse nine flows out of an opposite spirit to that kind of thinking.
David, whom we all know was not even close to being a perfect or sinless man, focuses on God’s goodness even in the midst of his imperfections. His insight into the Lord is that because the Lord is good he chooses to instruct sinners in his ways. How many of us think of the Lord like that? When you give in to temptation or fall into sin of some kind is your first thought of the goodness of God and his willingness to instruct you so that you do not fall again? David’s focus is on the Lord’s willingness to train him in his fallen state rather than quickly destroy him for having a moment of weakness.
However, David does bring this understanding into context simply by adding to this concept of God the truth that this kind of response awaits those who have a heart of humility. His thinking reflects the same understanding that James had when he said in James 4:6 "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." When we present to the Lord a humble heart in those times when we have failed and in the good times it brings for a response from the Lord that is very much like a father. God does not delight in judgment or punishment as so many seem to think. Our heavenly father delights to instruct the willing in the right way when he finds that their hearts are reaching out to him in weakness, admitting their need for help.
David continues on to rejoice in the ways of God for those who are obedient. “All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.” Again, David’s understanding of God is very much like a good father. His view of God is that he is loving and faithful for those who are diligent to keep God’s command. When these two passages are taken together what is abundantly clear is that God is looking upon the heart to bless those who desire to walk in obedience; helping those who fail so that next time they can succeed and blessing those who have stood the test of time and continued in a life of faithfulness to his commandments.
After all of this reflection on the goodness of God and his desire to help those who are struggling with sin it is as if David comes under conviction and he cries out, “forgive my iniquity, though it is great.” His own heart is stirred by his remembrance of God’s goodness and he gets a revelation of his own brokenness and the Lord’s willingness to forgive. It seems apparent from this and many other similar passages of scripture that the closer we look at the character and goodness of God, the more clearly we see our own sinfulness and our need for forgiveness. Look closely today on the goodness of God and let the light of his presence draw to a place of transformation as you see your need in the light of his radiance.
In verses 8-11 of Psalm 25 David continues his discussion about walking humility and receiving instruction but in these verses his focus is on the Lord and his goodness rather than on a cry for help. So many people relate to the Lord around their failings and their perception of the Lord’s anger. Their thoughts seem to follow a pattern that says something like, “I failed so I am sure that God is angry with me.” The wonderful revelation found in verse nine flows out of an opposite spirit to that kind of thinking.
David, whom we all know was not even close to being a perfect or sinless man, focuses on God’s goodness even in the midst of his imperfections. His insight into the Lord is that because the Lord is good he chooses to instruct sinners in his ways. How many of us think of the Lord like that? When you give in to temptation or fall into sin of some kind is your first thought of the goodness of God and his willingness to instruct you so that you do not fall again? David’s focus is on the Lord’s willingness to train him in his fallen state rather than quickly destroy him for having a moment of weakness.
However, David does bring this understanding into context simply by adding to this concept of God the truth that this kind of response awaits those who have a heart of humility. His thinking reflects the same understanding that James had when he said in James 4:6 "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." When we present to the Lord a humble heart in those times when we have failed and in the good times it brings for a response from the Lord that is very much like a father. God does not delight in judgment or punishment as so many seem to think. Our heavenly father delights to instruct the willing in the right way when he finds that their hearts are reaching out to him in weakness, admitting their need for help.
David continues on to rejoice in the ways of God for those who are obedient. “All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.” Again, David’s understanding of God is very much like a good father. His view of God is that he is loving and faithful for those who are diligent to keep God’s command. When these two passages are taken together what is abundantly clear is that God is looking upon the heart to bless those who desire to walk in obedience; helping those who fail so that next time they can succeed and blessing those who have stood the test of time and continued in a life of faithfulness to his commandments.
After all of this reflection on the goodness of God and his desire to help those who are struggling with sin it is as if David comes under conviction and he cries out, “forgive my iniquity, though it is great.” His own heart is stirred by his remembrance of God’s goodness and he gets a revelation of his own brokenness and the Lord’s willingness to forgive. It seems apparent from this and many other similar passages of scripture that the closer we look at the character and goodness of God, the more clearly we see our own sinfulness and our need for forgiveness. Look closely today on the goodness of God and let the light of his presence draw to a place of transformation as you see your need in the light of his radiance.
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