November 23 - December 10 Daily Meditations in the Psalms
Because I will not be home until December 10, I am posting all the meditations up until and including that date.
November 23
Psalms 119
Resh
153. Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.
154. Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.
155. Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.
156. Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.
157. Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.
158. I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.
159. Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.
160. Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Verse 155 is a powerful message to the careless sinner. He is without hope and without God. Hope begins when he begins to pay attention to God’s word, as “to a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the daystar arise in the heart.” God’s mercy, manifested in His word to mankind, is great and tender, but is most often trampled underfoot. Much is said these days about hurting for other people, but God is looking for grieving people who feel His heart. The Psalms are swamped with grief for God. I wonder if we know what the term godly sorrow means. Do not look to popular trends, public opinion, or peer pressure, regardless of how it influences the church. The status quo does not determine righteousness. That which is from the beginning will endure forever, though it is strange to modern ears.
November 24
Psalms 119
Sehin
161. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
162. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
163. I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
164. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.
165. Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
166. LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
167. My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.
168. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.
Be careful not to be awed by personalities. Stand in awe of God’s word and you will find it awesome. The rewards uncovered in the Bible evoke louder “eurekas” than all the great discoveries in the world. Would to God there were spiritual gold rushes and passion for His word. In times of revival, people come to realize that God is more satisfying than all the treasures and pleasures from other sources. To love the law (meaning, the nature of God) is to hate lying. You cannot love without hating. Those who love truth will thunder vehemently against lies. Work your daily schedule around verse 164 and then experience verse 165. As Elijah, be concerned with how you stand before God. A representative of Christ spends time in His presence, in order to know His ways. He makes sure that he is in good standing there. He is a perfect-hearted Christian and his walk is totally given over to God. This is normal Christianity – Psalms Christianity.
November 25
Psalms 119
Tau
169. Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.
170. Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.
171. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
172. My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
173. Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts.
174. I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
175. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.
176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
The last section is a summary of this lengthy Psalm and ends with an admission that the best of men are fallible. Seek to be sought of God. What a need there is for God to search hearts, to track down the hungry, lost sheep, yearning for the folds of the Lord. The first disciples were like that and they were fallible, too. They abandoned the ships of Galilee to attend the meetings of John the Baptist in the wilderness of Jordan. One met God under the fig tree. They followed the strange, powerful prophet until he pointed out the Lamb of God. Then, they followed the Lamb for 3 1/2 years. They obeyed Him, when He said, “Tarry in Jerusalem.” He made it very clear to them that they were sought out and chosen. They had not chosen Him at all. You, who are chosen of God today, cry to the Lord, long for His salvation, sit under his teaching, delight in His law, then praise Him and speak His word. You will suddenly discover that He has been behind the search. That is the essential teaching of this Psalm. The person, who has invited Christ into His life, finds Himself dining at His invitation.
November 26
Psalms 120
1. In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.
2. Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
3. What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
4. Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
5. Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!
6. My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.
7. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.
There is someone, to whom we can go in our distress. Prayer does not wait for a serene, lofty mood. In fact, the opposite is usually the case. We go to God, when we are upset and desperate. There is no greater distress than living and sojourning in an atmosphere where the heathen are dominant. Lies are the heart and core of a sinful lifestyle, for man, in his fallen state, is a liar above all else. How can you reason against him or please him? He has a nature, which demands and is never satisfied. A Christian should endeavor to live peaceably with all men, but he that loves lies, hates peace. War is inevitable to such a nature. God has placed us in this ambience to teach us to focus on Him and not on men.
With this Psalm, we begin the Song of Ascents, as we march onward to Zion, away from the lies exposed in this chapter, from west to east in Psalm 121, towards the hills around Jerusalem, and on to the city of God depicted in Psalm 122.
November 27
Psalms 121
1. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
I believe the message of this Psalm is: I will look in the direction of the hills, to see the attributes that hills symbolize and then look beyond them to the ultimate reality. Our eyes must go beyond natural defenses to behold the Creator. He alone will keep us solidly planted in a world of vacillation. He does abundantly above what we ask or think, even when we flounder. The Holy Spirit assures us that He will keep us by His omnipotent hand in our weakest hour. No evil has yet been devised that can get through the protecting cover of our soul’s security. “From this time forth” is a good time to lay claim to the unfailing promises. Why wait another day? Move onto the path that leads to eternity. Away from the world and moving towards heaven, the Lord gives shade from the scorching sun and from the traitorous moon, as He leads us to walk and rest.
November 28
Psalms 122
1. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
2. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
3. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
4. Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.
5. For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
7. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.
8. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
9. Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.
Let us find our delight in the Lord. We move joyfully to approach the place, where God is at home. It is good to hear the sound of other saints going in that direction, beckoning to us, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”
Can we see with our spirit’s eyes, as the chosen tribes of the Lord ascend onto hallowed ground to offer thanksgiving unto Him? David was glad to be among them. Those that love God also love the city. Love it as it is today and pray for its peace and success. Pray that it will be an honorable peace that will bring glory to God for Jesus sake. Jerusalem is a type of the heavenly city made without hands, where every nook and cranny has the stamp of God upon it.
November 29
Psalms 123
1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
3. Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
It you want to make contact with God, you cannot be looking down to the mundane and temporal. You should not focus horizontally on present interests or peers. You must look up, for those with their eyes heavenward show dependence upon God. They are contemptible to those, who have settled into earthly ease and are proud, because they have found success without God. A sensitive eye towards heaven is the need of this day. It may take time for our eyes to focus, as we lift them from that which is near at hand and gaze into the immense realities of eternity. Make verse two to be something more than mere poetry and give it a practical application. Make a covenant to fix your sights on the Lord and own no other master. There are no other legitimate demands upon your life.
November 30
Psalms 124
1. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
2. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
3. Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
4. Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
5. Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
6. Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
7. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
8. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
The people of God look only to Him for favor. Without the Lord, they are helpless and unschooled in warfare and their enemies always have the advantage. Christians are often under the delusion that they must outclass the world. They must have nicer buildings, smarter leaders, more talent, bigger production, and political power. In so doing, they cut themselves off from the one power that could make the difference and give them landslide victory: I am talking about the unparalleled advantage of having the Lord on their side. The Lord delights to help the helpless, strengthen the weak and make wise the simple. He leaves the capable to their devises. “Our help,” said David, “is in the name of the Lord.” In every camp there are Saul people and David people and usually the Saul people are in the majority. The day of reality finally dawns, when Saul’s army finds itself frightfully outclassed with no hope and none to whom they can turn. Only David’s people can testify of escape from the floods and freedom from snares, because the Lord will never deliver His trusting ones into the hands of their enemies. Join the ranks of the outclassed and undermanned.
December 1
Psalms 125
1. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
2. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
3. For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
4. Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
5. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.
Those on their way to the feasts in Jerusalem would observe the surrounding mountains. They were the natural defenses provided for its inhabitants, whether they were Jebusites or Israelites. One can use them to draw an illustration, but otherwise they have no value for spiritual warfare. The people of God at that time and in the present, whether they live on a mountaintop or in the valley, can count on the impenetrable forces of the Lord on every side. God will not allow the penetration of the wicked, lest His chosen ones be defiled. As for those who stray from the flock and come under wicked influence, they will receive the compensation of the wicked.
Jesus promised life, abundant life that endures forever. The truster, who lives by trusting His Lord, is partaker of eternal life. It is clearly promised in the Psalms. He is looking to Emmanuel to the end of the age and into eternity. He is his screen against sin and is with him for good and for peace.
December 2
Psalms 126
1. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
3. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
4. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.
5. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
God is able to change situations, above and beyond what we ask or think, to the extent that it may seem that we are dreaming. The day will come yet, I believe, when unbelievers will witness again the mighty acts of God toward His people. It will be well worth the effort to take time to call upon Him.
Few in developed countries may understand the pain of sowing. Farmers throw in the seeds, along with chemical fertilizers and insecticides, and, if anything goes wrong, insurance or the government covers most damages and losses. Not so in Israel of old, where it may have been similar to that, which we witnessed in Mexico. It was a sacrifice for the poor farmer to save seed corn through the dry season until planting time. He had to protect it from rats and insects. There was always the temptation to use the seed for food during hard times. When planting time finally came, he laid the precious seed into the ground, hoping that rain would come at the right time and that all other circumstances would fall into place, so the seed would not be lost and a harvest would result. “Sowing in tears” is a good definition for that kind of planting.
Likewise, little is known of tearful sowing on the church scene today. “Here and now” teaching gives the formula for easy planting and easy harvesting. It is a method, rather than pain. Before the time is right for the seed to go into the ground, it is cast carelessly upon unprepared soil. Resources are gobbled up in the process and at subsequent efforts to force the seed to sprout and grow. Grain is picked before ripening and though great quantities are gathered, much is spoiled and useless.
December 3
Psalms 126:3, 5-6
3. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
5. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Timing is of utmost important. There are few, who can resist the temptation for immediate results and wait upon God for the early, sowing rain. The seed of God does not appear to be precious to the sower anymore, as it was in times of draught and difficulties. Then, it was laid tenderly and carefully in the soil with tears, prayer and faith. The wait was tedious, but there was an assurance that God’s unfailing word would bring forth a joyful harvest. He shall doubtless come again with the bountiful produce. What a joyful time harvest is, doubly so when we have been working hand in hand with the Lord of the harvest and we know that the fruit is a result of His sovereign work! “The Lord hath done great things...whereof we are glad.”
December 4
Psalms 127
1. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
3. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
5. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
Following our last song of ascents (meaning progressive steps toward Mt Zion) on sowing and reaping, we now consider building. Similar principles are set forth as in the last chapter, in which the call was for more than simply sowing, but for sowing in tears. It did not speak of just bearing seed, but of precious seed. These little distinctions make all the difference in the world. As we see in this chapter, everything can be in vain, if the Lord Himself is not totally in charge. He is Lord of the harvest and also He must be Lord of the house. Much labor and expense can go into building a house, but if the work is not earmarked by those distinct qualities, which define God’s handiwork, it all goes by the boards as worthless. The Lord will build the house that He has blueprinted before the foundation of the earth. We read also in this Psalm that He is keeper of the city, one whose foundations preceded the minds of men. God is interested in nothing else. Do not attempt to persuade Him to put His brand on your inventions. Do not plead for Him to put His seal on your Ishmael.
Man is dispensable and must recognize his limitations. God has a part for him to play and that is all he must do. His boundaries of productive labor end within the confines of the Lord’s will. Are we laboring on His house? Are we building His city? Even if we are, realize that we are not expected to carry the whole burden. There is time to sleep, if we trust the Lord. It is interesting to note that He gives children to parents that they might enter into the work and be an asset and help to fulfill His plan.
December 5
Psalms 128
1. Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.
2. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
3. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.
4. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.
5. The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
6. Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.
This Psalm continues with yesterday’s theme and opens the door to everyone that fears the Lord. “Whosoever will may come.” “He that is thirsty let Him come and drink freely of the water of life.” No one, who longs to enter and is willing to submit to God’s ways, needs to worry about being excluded. The place or the age, in which we live, is not a factor. We are dealing with the word of God, which is faithful to a thousand generations. In the adverse and ungodly circumstances of this generation, we may enter. Fruitfulness begins in the home. There the wife finds her fulfillment and place in life. The children follow as young plants to carry on and bear the same fruit, as the tree from which they are a shoot. Of course, the olive tree is that one from which the anointing oil is derived. Should anyone be deprived of natural blessings, as Paul or as couples without children, they will be recompensed with spiritual blessings. How Paul rejoiced in his children in the Lord! They were his joy and crown of rejoicing. He looked forward to presenting them to Christ. He saw the unending nature of his work, which distinguished it as the blessed purpose of God.
December 6
Psalms 129
1. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:
2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.
3. The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.
4. The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
5. Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.
6. Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:
7. Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
8. Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD be upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD.
“The gates of hell shall not prevail.” From the early church to the present, the enemy has attempted to defeat us, but God always has had and will have an answer in righteousness. The exploiters have made deep scars and oppressors have attempted to enslave His inheritance. Anyone, who has the touch of God upon him, is marked for hatred. As God expresses Himself through His people, so the ungodly express their hatred for God by persecuting His people. Look at the history of natural Israel from the Old Testament to the present day. I remember a political cartoon with a picture of the UN building. Voices were coming from the building, questioning how to deal with the travesties around the world. The only consistent and unified voice to be heard was, “I move we condemn Israel.” They are still beloved for the fathers’ sake. What a day it will be, when God gathers Israel and once again it sounds its traditional greeting, “the blessing of the Lord be upon you!” It will be a testimony to the Husband, who never writes a bill of divorcement.
December 7
Psalms 130
1. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
2. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3. If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4. But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
5. I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
7. Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
If there were no forgiveness with God, there would be universal hopelessness. However, while God says, “Whosoever will may come,” there is cause for man to consider that offer with godly fear, realizing that God has given him an unmerited opportunity to settle with a merciful Maker. If it were not available, we would be left to despair. The fear of the Lord is clean, bringing one to submission and hope.
When man is experiencing the consequences of his iniquity, he may cry to God. He is ready to redeem under any circumstance, if He finds someone waiting for His word. However, He has no obligation to speak immediately. After all, man is the offender, but he has come to the right place, when he comes to the Lord. The sinner might have deep apprehensions. He may wonder, “How long must I continue in the state of the unknown and when God does speak, what will he say?” The Lord is sovereign and greater than his condition and there is grace that is greater than all his fears. The Lord will redeem!
December 8
Psalms 131
1. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.
2. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
3. Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.
There is a spiritual weaning process that deals with haughtiness. We must come to a place of maturity, where godliness with contentment is great gain. The squalling and fussing of babyhood is over and we learn to hope in the Lord. We abandon personal, childish aspirations and conform to the eternal will of God
Do not try to reach for that which is too high for you. Delusions of grandeur are a world of fantasy, and cannot contribute to your future well-being. They bring eventual disappointment and, in the meantime, make one obnoxious and an object of mockery. It is better to do, as Jesus said: Take the low seat and let God do the promoting. Accept the obscure and unnoticed position and serve the Lord there with every ounce of your being. Only seek to please Him and do it for His blessing and benefit.
December 9
Psalms 132
1. LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:
2. How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;
3. Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;
4. I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,
5. Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
6. Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.
7. We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.
8. Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.
9. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.
10. For thy servant David's sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.
11. The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
12. If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.
13. For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
14. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.
15. I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16. I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
17. There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.
18. His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.
This is a key Psalm. Learn it as a step in the song of ascents and get ready to enter into the sanctuary, depicted in chapters 135-150.
The Lord chose Zion long before David did. David entered into God’s eternal plan, when he won the battle for Jerusalem. Then, he brought back the ark of the Lord and consequently reaped the benefits. Where the priest Melchizedek reigned long before, David also became a priest, though he was not of the priestly tribe of Levi. Out of his loins came the King and Priest, who was the fulfillment of Old Testament types and prophecies. He was the Rest of God personified, the one in whom God rejoices and through whom people come to the end of their striving. One day, they will be led to the heavenly Zion for the perfection of rest. David strove to enter into that rest and all the prophets diligently sought it. They had to wait for us to come in. Now, the Lord has come to reign over hearts, clothe His priests with righteousness and salvation, and dwell in His habitation with joy. The priestly oil anoints divine service, for this work is “not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord.” It is a pure work of God.
December 10
Psalms 133
1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
3. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
True unity is Christ-exalting. It is a wonderful thing when brethren gather around Him. There is no unity without the unique, anointing oil of the Spirit, the headship of the anointed, High Priestly Christ or the royal robes of righteousness upon the saints. Where Christ is in command, the Holy Spirit is moving in power and saints are living in righteousness. How good and pleasant is brotherly unity! God lets His lofty blessing fall upon it.
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