Bible Reading Reflection from Psalms 42-49

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

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟜𝟚:𝟙

"As the deer pants for the water brooks,

So my soul pants for You, O God."

We love to sing this song but do we mean what we sing? Do we really long after God as the deer pants for the water? Ever? When?

Have you even ever panted after real water? Have you been on some long, long journey under the hot summer sun, you have got exhausted, dehydrated, and longing for nothing but water? And have you ever thirsted God like that?

Footballers say that if they want to win the match; if they want to be successful; if they want to be at the top; they must hunger for victory. That's how many people have described Ronaldo. Though he has achieved almost everything and is old, he still hungers after goals and wins as if it's his first match.

We can learn about hunger even from that ‘proud’ footballer. Hunger after God. Thirst after God. When we thirst for water, we want nothing but water. Nothing satisfies our thirst more than water. That's the image this psalm is presenting us. To find sufficiency and satisfaction in God. BTW, that's my motto in life. You can verify/confirm it, at the bottom left in the "About Me" section, that’s cool, huh? ☺

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟜𝟛:𝟝

"Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why are you disturbed within me?

Wait for God, for I shall still praise Him,

The salvation of my presence and my God."

Psalms 42 and 43 have a similar structure, mood, and theme.

Ps 42:5, 11, and 43:5 are identical! And Psalm 43 has only 5 verses. So many people think that Ps 43 is a fragment of Psalm 42. Having said that–

This verse is interestingly comforting. The psalmist was preaching to his own soul. His circumstances were not changed, but he chose to contemplate the power of God.

Do you preach to yourself? We are very good at giving counsel and advice to others, right? We should preach the power, goodness, love, and grace of God to ourselves too. That's what this Psalm is doing! 👍

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟜𝟜:𝟚𝟛, 𝟚𝟞

23. "Arouse Yourself, why do You sleep, O Lord?

  Awake, do not reject us forever."

26. "Rise up, be our help,

  And redeem us for the sake of Your lovingkindness."

Are you desperately in need of God's grace, mercy, and help? Learn to pray like this!

This is not an insult to God, neither ordering God nor blaspheming God when it's prayed by a contrite penitent sufferer. This prayer recognizes who God is and asks because of who He is. That's what we mean when we say, "In Jesus's name, Amen!"

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟜𝟝:𝟟

"You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;

Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You

With the oil of joy above Your companions."

It's comely of leaders to be righteous. Davidic kings were. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Davidic King is the most righteous one. So, v6 is to Him, not to a mere man, King Solomon, the son of David.

Followers of Jesus must be righteous just as He is. God will reward the just ones, both on earth and in heaven! Remember that!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟜𝟞:𝟙

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Not just a help, but a present help; no, more than that, a very present help, Wow!

If you struggle to appreciate this Psalm, ask Martin Luther to take you to his time. Luther penned the famous hymn of Reformation from this Psalm, "A Mighty Fortress is our God!"

If you haven't heard that song, go to YouTube like a dog that hides its tails between its legs and listen to it tonight itself! Or else you would remain in embarrassment to have never heard that song till today!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟜𝟟:𝟞

"Sing praises to God, sing praises;

Sing praises to our King, sing praises."

Not once, not twice; not even thrice, but four times in one verse telling us to sing praises. How many praise songs do we know? What's our favorite praise song?

Btw, What are the features of praise songs? Are the modern praise and worship songs really praise songs? What was the praise song you sang recently (if you did)?

Sing praises to God our King!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟜𝟠:𝟙

"Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised,

In the city of our God, His holy mountain."

Another Psalm that tells us the appropriateness of praising God.

Not only what type of people is comely to praise God, but also where, the most appropriate place, the city of God. Comely people and a place to praise God.

We, Christians who are made righteous by the blood of the Redeemer must praise God, most appropriately in the church, the place of worship, the house of God.

And people aren't even coming to church... Let's think through that...

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟜𝟡:𝟙𝟞

"Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,

when the glory of his house increases."

Of course, this is talking about when someone who does not know God becomes rich, successful, or powerful. But, what about when our friends become successful and we are not? Even when the wicked are successful, we are not godly like the psalmist to stay calm.

Well, it doesn't matter who is successful: foes or friends, heathens or Christians; we should not be afraid of them nor be jealous of them. We put our trust only in God because He is our God; He will take care of everything!

Also, whether we are successful or not, our value, our strength, and our life is in God. So, we should not let circumstances and environment rob away our joy in the Lord!

You can be rich today and die of cancer, what good is that? You can be successful, and somebody could come up with strong accusations against you, will there be peace in that? You can be popular, and someone could dig up your past mistake on social media, and lose your reputation.

Rich, success, and popularity can come and go away easily. But those who trust in the Lord will remain strong!

Bible Reading Reflection from Psalms 36-41

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

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟛𝟞:𝟚

"For it flatters him in his eyes

           For one to discover his iniquity and hate it."

David is talking about someone who is not saved. However, even as redeemed saints, we still aren't perfect. Flattery, Flattering, and Flatterers are always lurking!

Instead of me reflecting upon this, let's have the thinker Jonathan Edwards to the subject of flattery, this verse:

____________

1. Some flatter themselves with a secret hope, that there is no such thing as another world.

2. Some flatter themselves that death is a great way off, and that they shall hereafter have much opportunity to seek salvation.

3. Some flatter themselves that they lead moral and orderly lives, and therefore think that they shall not be damned.

4. Some make the advantages under which they live an occasion of self-flattery. They flatter themselves that they live in a place where the gospel is powerfully preached, and among a religious people, where many have been converted; and they think it will be much easier for them to be saved on that account.

5. Some flatter themselves with their own intentions. They intend to give themselves liberty for a while longer, and then to reform.

6. There are some who flatter themselves that they do, and have done, a great deal for their salvation, and therefore hope they shall obtain it; when indeed they neither do what they ought to do, nor what they might do even in their present state of unregeneracy; nor are they in any likely way to be converted.

7. Some hope by their strivings to obtain salvation of themselves. They have a secret imagination that they shall, by degrees, work in themselves sorrow and repentance of sin, and love towards God and Jesus Christ. Their striving is not so much an earnest seeking to God, as a striving to do themselves that which is the work of God.

8. Some sinners flatter themselves that they are already converted. They sit down and rest in a false hope, persuading themselves that all their sins are pardoned; that God loves them; that they shall go to heaven when they die; and that they need trouble themselves no more. "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." (Rev 3:17).

   — Jonathan Edwards

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟛𝟟:𝟚𝟙

"The wicked borrows and does not pay back,

           But the righteous is gracious and gives."

I wish Christians would learn this! But to be, in the words of Paul, "To owe nothing, but love."

Stephen Leacock's story, My Lost Dollar is a good supplement to this verse. He said whenever he saw that guy who had borrowed a dollar from him, he remembered that he borrowed from him!

That story is so good that it's included in an English Syllabus of CBSE and many State Board of Education(s).

_____________

BTW, there's a difference between borrowing and asking!

God told Israelites to ask lots of stuff from Egyptians before they fled away. [Plundering]. God commands the rich to be generous.

A few years ago, I was watching an Economics and Financial Documentary on how to reduce poverty in this world. They propounded and evaluated all major theories and practices. And came to a conclusion that we all know: "The poor should ask, and the rich should be generous." That's the best way to reduce poverty, they concluded.

_____________

Pay what you owe and be generous that's the economics of a righteous man!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟛𝟠:𝟙

"O Yahweh, reprove me not in Your wrath,

           And discipline me not in Your burning anger."

When was the last time you suffered directly as a result of your own doing? Remember Psalm 38. It will comfort your soul! I thank David and God for this Psalm.

Somebody said, "Only God can humble us without humiliating us."

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟛𝟡:𝟙-𝟚

"I said, "I will guard my ways

That I may not sin with my tongue;

I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle

While the wicked are in my presence."

I was mute and silent,

I refrained even from good,

And my sorrow grew worse."

Were there times when you found yourself in a difficult situation but didn't want to act like those who don't know God? You tried to avoid acting like them and set yourself to keep silent, but it didn't help you, rather the worse it had become (v2). You aren't alone. David went through it. Job also had experienced that (Job 16:6, also chapter 7 is very much relatable to this Psalm)

For example, worry is a sin. And to say "I am so worried" is an admission that you are sinning because Christians aren't supposed to get worried. But if we don't say so, people may not pray for us, excuse us, or help us. And so, we just act like those who don't know the biblical God.

Or "I am angry, the network is so horrible!" Well, we are called to be people of self-control, patience, and slow to anger.

Ezra was afraid of the enemies. But he didn't want to admit his fear before the King to ask for soldiers to escort him, because it would look like his God was small. (Ezra 8:22). He fasted and prayed like crazy, and God answered him.

Another man of God, Nehemiah, was afraid! But he was politically wiser (being a politician). He never admitted his fear but obtained a letter from the king to let him have a peaceful journey (Neh.2:7).

How can we avoid sin from our stupid tongue? Learn from David, Job, Ezra, and Nehemiah!

Some people love to publicize their stupidity (sin) even through WhatsApp status updates "I am pissed off today" etc. Crazy world.

There are times I don't want to let my neighbor know that I am a Christian because I don't behave like a Christian sometimes. When the internet got hang, sometimes, I felt quite relieving to bang on my table and shout "Stupid Vodafone, Stupid Room!" And certainly, I don't want anybody to see me acting like that. That's not cool! That's not a gentleman’s. I don't want to bring reproach to Christ as His follower. But Jesus tells us to be a light of the world, to be like a city on a hill. And we want to be silent, hidden. David also knew and did that (v2).

When you are in a difficult situation, when you want to hide, when you aren't christianly, read Psalm 39 and Job 7 and 16.

[13:22, 04/09/2021] S.R: Another supplement for JMac fans:

MacArthur, his wife, and many of his church members got Covid19. But he never admitted that those days. But he didn't lie either. He just kept silent.

Before, he was on TV and the pulpit telling that there's nobody in his church suffering from covid. When they got it, he just kept silent. He stopped appearing on TV. He talked nothing about covid for good or bad.

And then, after they have recovered and after learning that their court case would be in their favor, last Sunday, on the pulpit, he admitted that many of them got covid.

Perhaps he had been reading Ezra and Nehemiah! 😂

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟜𝟘:𝟡-𝟙𝟘

"I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;

Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O LORD, You know.

I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;

I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;

I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and

Your truth from the great congregation."

It reminds us of the importance of thanking God publicly. It looks like we are more ashamed of our blessing than to thank God publicly. We thought our blessings are quite few in comparison to others' blessings, achievements, etc. We are more shameful than grateful!

V10 is written in a negative construction, and it's not surprising because David, being a sinner like anyone of us, had his share of struggles to praise God publicly, but at the writing of this Psalm, he made sure that he had done it!

I think people know more about my prayer request than my praise points. But the fact is, God is kinder, more gracious, and has blessed me more than I have even thought of praying!

Behold, Praise from the upright is beautiful in the sight of God.

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟜𝟙:𝟙, 𝟙𝟛

v1.      "How blessed is he who considers the poor;

           Yahweh will provide him escape in a day of calamity."

v13.    "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,

           From everlasting to everlasting.

           Amen and Amen!"

This Psalm started with the word "blessed" and ended with "blessed" v1 and 13.

The first Psalm in Book 1 talked about a blessed man, and this last Psalm also ended with the word "blessed" but for the God of this blessed man v1.

People looked down on the poor, despised them, and abused them, but a righteous man is considerate, compassionate, and good to the poor.

We are poor wretched sinners, yet Christ considers us to reign with Him! Indeed, Christ is the real blessed man, but we are called to be a blessed man as well!

𝔼ℕ𝔻 𝕆𝔽 𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 𝕀

Done! Completed! Praises be to the Lord!

Bible Reading Reflection from Psalms 29-35

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

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟚𝟡:𝟙-𝟛

            "Ascribe to Yahweh, O sons of the mighty,

           Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength."

           Ascribe to Yahweh the glory of His name;

           Worship Yahweh in the splendor of holiness.

           The voice of Yahweh is upon the waters;

           The God of glory thunders, Yahweh is over many waters."

Spurgeon says that if Psalm 8 is most appropriate to be read under moonlight, and Psalm 19 under the rising sun, then Psalm 29 is to be read in the tempest when it's raining, or thunderstorm.

God is the God of moon, sun, and storms. If Thor is the god of thunders, Yahweh is still above him! Indeed, Psalm teaches us to ascribe glory to God at all times!

Who doesn't stand in awe of thunderstorms? Even the busiest street in the busiest city stands still when rain and storm are coming.

James Hamilton wrote: "There is no phenomenon in nature so awful as a thunderstorm, and almost every poet from Homer and Virgil down to Dante and Milton, or rather down to Grahame and Pollok, has described it."

We have Psalm 29. God is over the storm. He rides on it. And is over the most awful thing! God is to be held in awe above all things!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟛𝟘:𝟝

"For His anger is but for a moment,

His favor is for a lifetime;

Weeping may last for the night,

But a shout of joy comes in the morning."

Saints of God may weep, but they cheer too. They are the joyous people. The fruit of the Spirit is... Joy... Christ wants to complete our joy.

Joy is a character of believers. This verse is framed in such a way that weeping is shorter than the joy experienced. Also seen in v11-12. Wow!

It's said that John Newton was one of the happiest Puritans of his days. I admire prophet Jeremiah, but certainly, I don't want his lifestyle, he was only weeping!

Well, I am sure none of us [WhatsApp group members] are called to live like Jeremiah or John the Baptist. But somewhat like David, a life of weeping and joy. But we hardly weep in front of God yet, and so our experience of divine joy is also not much still!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟛𝟙:𝟚𝟡

"How great is Your goodness,

           Which You have stored up for those who fear You,

           Which You have worked for those who take refuge in You,

           Before the sons of men!"

We see David as he prayed, he moved from sorrows to songs of praise; from anguish to assurance. However, we can identify with his prayer. Even our Lord Jesus identified Himself with the David of this Psalm (v5), then why wouldn't we?

 What a comfort in v29! Indeed, a great motivation to fear God and dwell in Him!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟛𝟚:𝟙-𝟚, 𝟙𝟘-𝟙𝟙

"How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

  Whose sin is covered!

  How blessed is the man whose iniquity Yahweh will not take into account,

  And in whose spirit there is no deceit!"

When it comes to David and his psalms, Psalm 32 is one of the most outstanding psalms I can ever think of!

Every verse of it is beautiful, but the opening and closing are matching and striking!

v10-11. "Many are the sorrows of the wicked,

           But he who trusts in Yahweh, lovingkindness shall surround him.

           Be glad in Yahweh and rejoice, you righteous ones;

           And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart."

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟛𝟛:𝟙, 𝟛

v1.     "Sing for joy in Yahweh, O righteous ones;

           Praise is becoming to the upright."

This Psalm has no title and no attribution. It's neither an acrostic Psalm though it has 22 verses and is beautiful! It's strangely interesting!

Praise is comely for godly ones, and how uncomely it is from the ungodly! Praises from wicked ones are like sticking a flower in a dunghill, someone said!

We who are made upright by the blood of our redeemer must make our delight, business, job, work, and effort to praise God! In the words of Adam Clark, "To be without praise is to miss our comeliest adornment."

One of many ways we praise God is by singing songs unto God.

v3.      "Sing to Him a new song;

           Play skillfully with a loud shout."

Open your Spotify, YouTube, and iTunes! 🎼

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟛𝟜:𝟠, 𝟙𝟠

  v8. "O taste and see that Yahweh is good;

           How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!"

  v18. "Yahweh is near to the brokenhearted

           And saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Another Psalm with 22 verses, and is an acrostic Psalm, each verse beginning with the Hebrew alphabet. And this further proves the beauty of this Psalm.

One of the earliest songs I was taught in a school was "He is my everything" which was taken out from this verse and Psalm 81:16, possibly even from 1 Peter 2:3 and Malachi 3:10. Even, now, I am humming that song after a long, long time again, and I love it!

Taste the Lord. Peter would go on to say that if you have tasted, you would keep desiring like babies for milk. And Malachi would say, Test (try) the Lord.

The British philosopher and literary critic, G.K. Chesterton was right when he said, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried."

Try the Lord. Test the Lord! Taste the Lord!

 

ℙ𝕊𝔸𝕃𝕄 𝟛𝟝:𝟚𝟟

"Let them shout for joy and be glad, who delight in my righteousness;

           And let them say continually, “Yahweh be magnified,

           Who delights in the peace of His slave.”

Righteous people always have enemies and friends. And yes, many enemies and few friends. As the enemies want the downfall of a righteous man, the friends of the righteous man wait for his vindication.

David knew this. Saul wanted to kill him; Jonathan wanted to see David King of Israel!

Many people wanted to shut down churches in this lockdown. The government imposed this and that mandate upon churches. It's so good to see some of those churches in America winning against the government, not only legally, but are being rewarded millions of dollars. Vindicated!

David's prayer is being answered when I and we shout for such good news! 😇 Grace Community Church is also expected to get over 800,000 dollars very soon! Hmm!

Sermon Tips from the text of 1 Peter 1:1-12

Sermon Tips for Expository Preachers, Listeners, and Students