Bible Reading Reflection from Psalms 22-28

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (PTS) as a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟚𝟚:𝟡-𝟙𝟙

"Yet You are He who brought me out of the womb;

           You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.

Upon You I was cast from birth;

           You have been my God from my mother’s womb.

Be not far from me, for distress is near;

           For there is none to help."

A confession of God's faithfulness from his birth! We are saved by faith not by our works, and even that faith is given to us by God.

David would not have trusted God if God hadn't made him trust God. David would not have trusted God in his adulthood if he was not made to trust long before he was born.

There's no boasting. There's no boasting even in righteousness and godliness, and holiness. It's God working in one's life! Thus, David prayed for help, because God has been his Helper, his God, always.

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟚𝟛:𝟙

"Yahweh is my shepherd,

           I shall not want."

Few days ago, I read a tweet about a young Sunday School girl, who went up to recite Psalm 23 by heart. Apparently, she had forgotten the wording. She recited, "The LORD is my Shepherd. That's all I want."

Well, a misquote from a young girl, but a lesson for all! Indeed, a great practical reflection from this verse. If Indeed God is our Shepherd, who else should we want after? Like that young girl, we must be quick to say, "That's all I want!"

Jesus in John 10 identified Himself not only as a Shepherd, but as the Good Shepherd.

One hymn sing, (especially sung most beautifully by Fernando Ortega), "Give me Jesus, give me Jesus. You may have all this world, give me Jesus."

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟚𝟜:𝟛-𝟜

"Who may ascend into the mountain of Yahweh?

           And who may rise in His holy place?

He who has innocent hands and a pure heart,

           Who has not lifted up his soul to worthlessness

           And has not sworn deceitfully."

Mark these words: "Innocent hands" "Pure Hearts"

Our Lord Jesus reiterates, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matt. 5:8).

When Abimelech was confronted by God, he made his case before God saying, "In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this" (Gen 20:5).

Heart, the attitude, which is secret. Hands, the action, which is open.

Both our actions and attitudes matter. Both our public and private life matter.

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟚𝟝:𝟞-𝟟

"Remember, O Yahweh, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses,

           For they have been from of old.

           Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

           According to Your lovingkindness remember me,

           For the sake of Your goodness, O Yahweh."

Whenever I see a Psalm with 22 verses, I look up to Hebrew Bible to confirm whether it is written in an acrostic format. And yes, Ps 22 is an acrostic poem in the order of Hebrew Alphabet.

Psalms are poems. To ignore the literary structure even in our daily reading is to play a guitar with only one string. Acrostic poems are terribly difficult to construct. When the poet wants his people to memorize or when he really wants to impress upon his hearers, acrostic psalms are created. The inspired poet wants you to think of this psalm more deeply and remember it.

V6-7 mentioned "remember" three times. All of them a petition to God. First and third are positive requests. The middle one is a negative request. It expresses the deep desires of the psalmist. His desires are unambiguous, fervent, and direct. He also employs other poetical features, an antithetical parallelism and a chiastic structure. Very beautiful!

It is a God-centred request. God is the basis, object, means, and answer of his request. What he can think of himself is his sins, and he doesn't want to even think about them, and asks God to overlook them as well!

Indeed, we pray not only in Jesus's name, but also, for His name's sake. We pray for God! For His Honor, Glory, and Fame!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟚𝟞:𝟜-𝟝

"I do not sit with worthless men,

           And I will not go with pretenders.

           I hate the assembly of evildoers,

           And I will not sit with the wicked."

Ps. 1 reminds us that blessed is such man. Would this be our testimony! Would we practice this! We are to be the light of the world. And Paul in Ephesians says the nature of light is to expose the things of the dark.

We are called to reach out, but not to live like the world! We are to be transformed to the likeness of Christ, not to be conformed to the likeness of the world.

Or "Has thou become like us?" would be true of us (Isaiah 14:10).

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟚𝟟:𝟜

"One thing I have asked from Yahweh, that I shall seek:

           That I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life,

           To behold the beauty of Yahweh

           And to inquire in His temple."

It parallels with Ps. 84:10. Also with Ps. 23:6. Also with Ps. 63:3

We have many desires, dreams, and wishes. And how often do they get broken one after another! David had only one desire; it is to gaze upon the beauty of God. No wonder David was called "a man after God's own heart."

Indeed, we are made to enjoy God forever. Joy in God is the real deal! He who gazes upon God will be like Him. He who desires after God will be like Him.

A friend of mine likes Ronaldo. He puts up his pictures on the wall of his room. He dresses like Ronaldo, and he even has learned some tricks of Him. He supports every club Ronaldo joins. And he loves all the posts of Ronaldo in social media.

We become like what we desire after. Or tend to be.

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟚𝟠:𝟙,𝟞

"To You, O Yahweh, I call;

           My rock, do not be silent to me,

           Lest if You are hesitant toward me,

           I will become like those who go down to the pit."

What's the difference between a man of God and the rest?

David saw he himself was like them and would end up like them. But he called on to God. A man of God calls upon God. And even then, if the Lord doesn't answer, he still will perish like others. Indeed, no man of God thinks he is holier than anybody, but he will strive to be holier than everybody.

And it's God who vindicates. It's God who is the Hero of every story! So, v6

"Blessed be Yahweh,

           Because He has heard the voice of my supplications."

God answered David, and it made him different from the rest.

Why did psalmist(s) always long after God? Why did they cry out like they were the greatest sinners? Why did they have a Big-God theology?

Well, that's why they are different!

Bible Reading Reflection from Psalms 13-21

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (PTS) as a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟙𝟛:𝟙

"How long, O Yahweh? Will You forget me forever?

  How long will You hide Your face from me?"

Psalm 13 has only 6 verses, in which David's anguish spirit is expressed with a lamentation of "How long?" 4 times (v1-2). Spurgeon suggested it can be called a Howling Psalm because of that!

However, like all lament Psalms even in this short 6-verse Psalm, David managed to pray (3-4) and experienced the peace of mind in God (5-6).

Hmm! Too much howling before God. Short prayer for Deliverance. And instantaneous peace in this short Psalm, interesting!

Prayers can be short and still be genuine and effective! 😇 We don't need to pray for 3 hours early in the morning like Luther 🙂

 

ℙ𝕤𝕒𝕝𝕞 𝟙𝟜:𝟙

"The wicked fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They act corruptly, they commit abominable deeds;

There is no one who does good."

There's a preacher in Shillong who says that April 1 is an Atheist Day because they are fools! 😂

BTW, the Bible has 3 types of fools and the Hebrew Bible uses different words for them, which many English Bibles do not differentiate.

I am quoting from LSB (a new translation that will be released next year). LSB translated uniquely for each of those words, as "Fools" "Ignorant Fools" and "Wicked Fools" bringing out their nuances. My only complaint is that they should have made them a compound word with the hyphen "ignorant-fools" and "wicked-fools" because those who don't refer to their Hebrew Bible will think that the first word is an adjective, a new word. So, whenever we see them, let's remember it's just a one-word.

So, even in this Ps. 14:1, "wicked fool" is "wicked-fool"

And this fool is not an ignorant-fool or a simple-fool, he may have a high IQ, he may be a professor in a university, a doctor, or a CEO. But he is a fool, a wicked-fool, because he deceives himself, living on his own, not honoring God.

Some people are simple-fool, ignorant-fool, and wicked-fool combined! 😬 May we never meet such people!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟙𝟝:𝔸 ℙ𝕤𝕒𝕝𝕞 𝕠𝕗 𝔻𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕕.

1 O Yahweh, who may sojourn in Your tent?

  Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?

2 He who walks blamelessly, and works righteousness,

  And speaks truth in his heart.

3 He does not slander with his tongue,

  Nor does evil to his neighbor,

  Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

4 In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,

  But who honors those who fear Yahweh;

  He swears to his own hurt and does not change;

5 He does not put out his money at interest,

  Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

  He who does these things will never be shaken.

Very clear, very nice, very short! One of the must-memorize Psalms!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟙𝟞: 𝕄𝕚𝕜𝕙𝕥𝕒𝕞 𝕠𝕗 𝔻𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕕

1 "Keep me, O God, for I take refuge in You.

2 O my soul, you have said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord;

  I have no good without You.”

3 As for the saints who are in the earth,

  They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight."

Interpreters across the centuries have wrestled to understand what "Mikhtam" means, and is still uncertain. Well, many have decided to understand it as "gold." If so, then, this is a Golden Psalm, and yes so because of its content.

v3 is remarkable. David would not have a great fellowship with God only, he delighted in God's people also.

He who says he loves God but does not love God’s children [Christians] does not really know what he is saying.

He who says he loves Christ and does not love Christ’s bride [Church] does not know what he is saying!

A godly man loves God and loves His saints! We Christians, all of us, are the saints of God, btw.

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟙𝟟:𝟛

"You have tested my heart;

  You have visited me by night;

  You have tried me and You find nothing;

  I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress."

What a testimony, confession of innocence and piety!

C. H. S wrote that David would not be a man after God's own heart if he hadn't been a man of prayer. MSB mentioned that there are 17 prayer points embedded in this Psalm 17.

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟙𝟠:𝟛𝟛-𝟛𝟜

33       "He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,

           And sets me upon my high places.

34       He trains my hands for battle,

           So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze."

A high school friend of mine said that Bible could not possibly be the word of God because of such verse as 34. He wanted a lovely God.

The word of God continues to offend people. Indeed, it's a stumbling block for some, and a stone that will crush them.

Blessed are the ones who do not stumble upon this stone but come to seek refuge under it. And sing "Rock of Ages, cleft for me; let me hide myself on Thee!"

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟙𝟡:𝟙𝟜

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer."

Another great psalm to commit to our memory! If you are a family man (or when you are) encourage your children to memorize some Psalms by heart.

At least for this Psalm we already have the song! What a wonderful ending to this Psalm. I've used this verse in many of my prayers! And would love to hear more from others as well!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟚𝟘:𝟟

"Some boast in chariots and some in horses,

           But we will boast in the name of Yahweh, our God."

David prayed for the Davidic king or Davidic general of the army of the people of God that God will grant him victory. And so resolved to trust in God, to stick with God, and to fight with God!

It is consistent with how he had fought Goliath. He didn't go with armor or chariots; he went in the name of Yahweh!

Many had misunderstood the story of David and Goliath. Ps. 20:7 is a great supplementary declaration to that story! That it is the fear of God in a person and the power of God that brings victory!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟚𝟙:𝟙𝟛

"Be exalted, O Yahweh, in Your strength;

           We will sing and praise Your might."

Psalms 20 and 21 are closely related. Technically, they are called Royal Psalms. They’re about a Davidic king, a blessed man, faithful, and God will establish his kingdom!

While Psalm 20 is a prayer before the battle, Psalm 21 is a praise for the answered prayer! Btw, it's longer! We often pray and pray, but hardly give enough thanks to God for answered prayers. We give credit to this and that. How long do we pray and how long do we praise? Hmmm!

Bible Reading Reflection from Psalms 7-12

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (PTS) as a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day] 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟟:𝟛-𝟝

"O Yahweh my God, if I have done this,

  If there is injustice in my hands,

If I have rewarded evil to him who is at peace with me,

  Or have plundered my adversary without cause,

Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it;

  And let him trample my life down to the ground

And cause my glory to dwell in the dust. Selah."

To many Christians (including me), Psalm 7 is known for verse 11 that "God is a just judge and God is angry with the wicked every day," however, v3-5 is equally intriguing.

We have many sins to confess, yet David, here, is not confessing any of his sins. Rather, he is asking God to punish him if there be any unrepentant wickedness in his life (cf. v12). He is absolutely sure of his integrity! Wow!

Biblical Prayers are often quite dangerous for casual professors. For instance, the "Lord's Prayer." When we pray that, we are asking God to not forgive us if we don't forgive others. If we forgive little, we are asking God to forgive us little. Also, we are praying for God to take care of us only for today, yet many often think that's for tomorrow and the future as well!

To be a person of integrity to be able to speak like David, and also to be able to profess (recite) Lord's Prayer truly is more than great!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟠:𝟛

"When I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

  The moon and the stars, which You have established"

I do not have the brain of an astrophysicist nor do I have an imagination like that of Isaac Asimov, yet even a common man like me has been shown the majesty of God when one looks up into the sky.

How tiny is our world, earth, and how vast is the universe! And God chose earthlings to be His people above all things of all the planets and galaxies! Without God's choosing, we are not worth than gold or anything. So, people killed one another for this and that.

The earth may not be (actually is not) the center of the solar system or the galaxy or the universe geographically, but definitely, it is the center of God's attention. And man is the only creature of God that God has highly exalted to salvation!

When the galaxies and the animals and trees and everything praise God for His majesty, we who are above and beyond blessed ought to praise His name!

Praise Yah!

 

ℙ𝕤𝕒𝕝𝕞 𝟡:𝟙𝟘

"And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,

  For You, O Yahweh, have not forsaken those who seek You."

All good things are limited. Olympic medals are given to only the best 3. Precious stones are very rare to find. And you marry only one spouse (the best of existence) 🙂

No surprise, God's greatest gift is limited. God's love is limited. God's protection is limited. God's goodness is not unconditional, not universal but conditional!

Read this verse again!

Not everyone puts their trust in God. Not everyone calls on the name of God. Only 2 billion humans profess to be Christian. Even among 2 billion, not many call on the name of God. Only those who know "His name" put their trust in God.

And not everyone is protected. Read the verse again! Only those who seek God will not be forsaken. When I was a child, I wish I find a diamond or a lost bundle of money. I sought but never found it. Perhaps if I go to Golconda, Jwaneng, Aikhal, I will realize my childhood dream! Do we seek God? God often hid Himself from Israelites until they earnestly sought Him (Isaiah 8:17).

BTW, Theologians (particularly RC Sproul) distinguish the three different categories of God's love: God's love of Benevolence, God's love of Beneficence, and God's love of Complacency. The first two, God's love of benevolence and beneficence is universal and unconditional, which is expressed in v7-8; but the third one, God's love of complacency is limited only to believers, those who know Him and seek Him v9-10.

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟙𝟘:𝟙𝟟       

"O Yahweh, You have heard the desire of the humble;

  You will strengthen their heart, You will cause Your ear to give heed."

This psalmist lives in this world and sees what's going on, and is in despair. The wicked are prospering. The powerful are corrupt. The leaders are unjust, ungodly, and unrighteous. Where is the fear of God in them? There is no God for them.

However, the psalmist being a believer contemplates the attributes of God and sees that no matter what, the wicked will perish, and the righteous (humbled ones) will be preserved by God.

He lived by sight and complained; and then after contemplation, he lived by faith!

Indeed, this world is full of horrible things. Yet, those who live by faith will see the sufficiency of God's grace in all things!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟙𝟙:𝟛

"If the foundations are destroyed,

  What can the righteous do?”

v1b-3 is obviously a counsel to David by his friends. It's to retreat, resign, give up, run away, look for an exit, escape from the trouble!

The foundation is destroyed. It's about to crumble, collapse. It's sinking. Perhaps David was told how God told Lot to escape to the mountains before the destruction of Sodom.

David's response reflects the confidence he has in God. Though the foundations be destroyed, though the world and everything in it be out of wheel, God is still on the wheel! He is in complete control. David would not escape, run away, but endure, not in fear or dismay, but in hope and assurance!

In response to the question, Spurgeon replied, "We can suffer joyfully, hope cheerfully, wait patiently, pray earnestly, believe confidently, and triumph finally."

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟙𝟚:𝟙

"Save, O Yahweh, for the holy man ceases to be,

  For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men."

This verse (verse 1) is a serious lamentation.  And how sad it is!

But the Psalmist in the following verses reveals what are the threats that he prayed to be saved from and the means to be saved from, which I am not interested to reflect upon for now.

The thought "few good men" comes to my mind. Jesus asked, "When the Son of Man returns, how many will He find people on the earth who have faith?"

In the last 2 years, churches have become catacombs. No muscle only dry bones. No fear of God only fear of a coronavirus. No baptistry only cemetery.

Actually, God is a greater threat than anything. He not only kills but damns! If the love of God does not motivate people, the threat of God will. See, the fear of a virus is more effective than the love of healthy life.

Back to Psalm. There are only a few godly people. Actually, the psalmist says they cease to exist, which is a hyperbolic expression (exaggeration) to convey there are very few left. Also implying they had more in the past!

Bible Reading Reflection from Psalms 1-6

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (PTS) as a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟙:𝟛

"And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

  Which yields its fruit in its season

  And its leaf does not wither;

  And in whatever he does, he prospers."

Each line of Psalm 1 is a bed of gold. Well, these days, v3 has been having a strong impression on my mind.

What a metaphor, a planted tree! Not growing on its own. Someone (God) planted it.

Growing firmly against all winds and odds of life.

Yielding fruits. What are fruit trees worth without fruits? Jesus cursed the fig tree, which btw, wasn't at its season. God will cut off the branches that do not bear fruits. A blessed man bears fruits. Btw, Tree's fruits are for others, not for itself!

Prospers in whatever he does! Joseph was! This last line is something to evaluate!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟚:𝟜

"He who sits in the heavens laughs,

  The Lord mocks them."

Whenever I think of Psalm 2, the ears of my memory always hear v12: “Kiss the Son lest He be angry and you perish;” but the eyes of my imagination always see v4: The Lord, laughing with those who laughed at Him.

Sinners mocked God. Wicked people oppressed the people of God. And some people like Stalin clenched their fists against heaven. Some people like Ehrman, Darwin, and Nietzsche want to hurt God by going against Him.

Well, God is LOL with them! What a joke (pitiful sight) puny humans are, especially when they do not kiss the Son (adore Jesus Christ)!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟛:𝟚

"Many are saying of my soul,

  ‘There is no salvation for him in God.’ Selah."

Wow! I have read Psalm 3 every single year of my Christian life, but it occurs to me as if I have seen this verse only today! This is the beginning of Psalm. Psalms 1&2, being the introduction to the whole book of Psalms. Psalm 3 is the representation of the blessed man of Psalm 1, the representation of all believers, and what a Psalm is this!

The title says fleeing from Absalom and that reminds us what a wretched man David was. And how God drove him away for his sin. What an irony! Blessed man, a wicked man?

Indeed, people said [notice the word "many"] that David couldn't be a believer, he was such a terrible sinner that God will not deliver him physically and spiritually! Indeed, David could not be possibly saved if not for v8, that "Salvation belongs to Yahweh!"

David was under intense conviction, pressure, spiritual attack, and physical attack. Yet his faith in faithful covenant-keeping Yahweh assured him peace. Notice the word "lay down and slept" He slept peacefully [like Jesus on the boat] when he was hunted by his own son and the rest of the nation.

And what does Hebrews 11 say about Faith? Faith is the assurance. We live by faith, not by works. We are assured by faith. Faith is the ally we cannot forsake.

And God answered David when many thought David was unsavable! It reminds me of another greatest sinner, Paul!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟜:𝟜

"Tremble, and do not sin;

  Ponder in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah."

A few days ago, I read a news headline about Tokyo Olympics. The organizers would like to discourage sex between athletes. And so, they build a bed made of cardboard, which can bear the weight of only one person. I thought it was interesting until I read the contents. It was not because sex outside marriage is bad, but because of coronavirus.

Whatever be that, bed plays a role in sexual immorality, Tokyo Olympics Organizers knew that. A bed is indeed a dangerous place. So, they are made of cardboard.

Now, no surprise, David mentioned Bed in Psalm 4:4.

I don't think David is talking about sexual immorality here though he had with Bathsheba. I think he is talking about a place of thinking.

A bed is a school of life. You close your eyes there and you open your eyes there. Your last thought about anything is upon there, and your first thought about anything is upon there.

David wants us to fear, hate, abominate, loathe, and tremble at any kind of sins. It's a picture of repentance to God and committing one's soul to God. Who knows whether he will open his eyes the next day or will be closed forever?

Blessed is a man whose last thought and the first thought is God. I thank my parents for teaching me to maintain that the last person and first person I talk to is God in prayer. I was able to do that until the smartphone came into my life! WhatsApp, text messages, email, alarms, etc... seem to be the last and first things many times, unfortunately!

 

ℙ𝕤𝕒𝕝𝕞 𝟝:𝟛

"O Yahweh, in the morning, You will hear my voice;

  In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch."

Morning, Morning, Morning!

David is a morning praying man. Job is a morning intercessory praying man. Abraham is a morning praying man. Isaac, Daniel, Asaph, Paul, on and on, and Jesus is a morning praying man!

The church history is full of morning praying men. Wesley, Spurgeon, Brainerd, Bounds, Edwards, on and on. Even the politician William Wilberforce and the Nobel Laureate Mother Teresa. My mother, as well, is a morning praying woman.

While most are morning blanket-loving people! 😬

Would we bring back morning to our life! Would we bring back, "Early will I seek Thee" into our confession!

Lord, make us a morning praying people!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟞:𝟞

"I am weary with my sighing;

  Every night I make my bed swim,

  I flood my couch with my tears."

David, a man after God's own heart panting for God. What a picture of longing after God!

Jesus used to go to the mountains to pray all night long.

No wonder there's not much power in our life, no great transformation in our life, nobody knows us. No history will remember us if we don't long after God. When was the last time spent wrestling with God in prayer all night long like Jacob, David, Moses, Jesus?

Perhaps, have never and might never. Even an hour-long prayer is so difficult for us, is it not? 😬 But it reminds us to often spend time with God alone. To take delight in God.

Or we may want to stop singing that song "As the deer panteth for the water"