Psalm 16 -- David's Personal Hymn Of Joy?

I love this psalm!  David asks God to continue to protect him because he trusts in God.  He knows the Source of his blessings and he loved being around others who loved God.

God was active in David’s life, and David knew it and acknowledged it:  “He advises me …. I feel His leading … He is close by my side …. You will not leave me in the grave … You will teach me how to live a holy life … With You I will find pleasure forever.”

The pleasure we’ll experience in God’s presence is far beyond the greatest happiness we could feel here on earth.  My commentary added some thoughts:  “Our relationship to ourselves, our circumstances, other people, and the future depends on our relationship to the Lord … If Jesus is the Lord of our lives, then the possessions we have and the circumstances we are in represent the inheritance He gives us … The future is your friend when Jesus is Your Lord.”

Perhaps the telling questions I read were these:  “Do you anticipate being with Christ in glory?  Is He the joy of Your life today?”  Our lives with Him on this earth should be considered training for reigning, for eternal life starts now.

Father, thank You for that moment when I finally understood that my life was not about heaven someday, but instead, about understanding that my joy is in my daily conversations with You, learning more about You and watching You impact my life every day.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Psalm 14 & 15 -- Warnings For Those Who Claim There Is No God

“Fools say to themselves, ‘There is no God.’”  I’d written a quote in the margins from an earlier quiet time:  “The belief that there is no God is founded on the desire to lead a wicked life, or is embraced by those who in fact live such a life, with a desire to sustain themselves in their depravity and to avoid the fear of future retribution.”

My commentary calls them practical atheists.  “All that they are, say, and do comes from their arrogant (and ignorant) belief that there is no God … They ignore God.”  I loved this quote describing them:  “Sinners can’t find God for the same reason criminals can’t find policemen – they aren’t looking!”

“By leaving God out of their lives, they cause their inner person to become more and more corrupt … ‘Gone aside’ means they have turned their backs on God and refuse to fulfill the purpose for which they were created – to glorify God … The wicked have no future with the Lord because they preferred not to know the Lord or live for Him.  They lived according to the desires of their own heart, not to please the Lord and glorify Him.  Those who reject Jesus Christ will spend eternity apart from the Lord and will honestly be able to say in hell, ‘There is no God – here!’”

Father, thank You for pulling me away from my life like that – for loving me when I didn’t love You.  Thank You for not giving up on me.  Your persistence was what I needed.  Please keep it up with those I love, and lead them to know You as their God, too.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Psalm 13 -- Says So Much!

Six verses!  Just right!  My written summary in the margins from another time say, “David asks God, ‘How long?’ and expects (demands) an answer.  He changes his heart instead.”

My commentary fleshed it out some more:

“David was certainly disturbed by what the enemy was doing, but he was more concerned about what the Lord was not doing.  ‘How long?’ is a familiar question in Scripture and is a perfectly good question to ask if your heart is right with God … but now he felt abandoned … We must not deny our feelings and pretend that everything is going well, and there is no sin in asking, ‘How long?’  But at the same time, we must realize how deceptive our feelings are and that God is greater than our hearts and can lift us above the emotional storms of life … David finally replaced ‘How long?’ with ‘My times re in Your hands’ later in Scripture.  That is a lesson that all believers must learn.”

He prayed that God would look at him, fixing His eyes on him.  He wanted to see God’s face again.  He prayed for an encouraging answer.  He also prayed, “Give light to my eye,” which included spiritual enlightenment and physical and emotional vitality and strength, my commentary said.

He also became concerned about God’s glory again.  If David failed to become king as God had promised, God’s name would be ridiculed.

“David’s feelings had been on a roller coaster, but God was still on the throne, and His character had not changed.  God’s mercy (steadfast love) was all that David needed, for it would never fail … David’s circumstances haven’t changed, but the Lord had changed him, and that occurred when David stopped looking at his feelings and his foes and by faith started looking to the Lord.”

I’ve felt the same way lately, Father.  Thank You for the reminder.  I love You!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Psalm 10-12 Rise Up Lord, And Protect Me

“The wicked look for innocent people to kill … they wait in hiding like a lion … Lord, rise up and punish the wicked.  Don’t forget those who need help … Lord, surely You see these cruel and evil things; look at them and do something.  People in trouble look to You for help.  You are the one who helps the orphans.  Break the power of wicked people … Protect the orphans and put an end to suffering … I trust in the Lord for protection …The Lord is in His holy temple (within me) … He sees what people do … He hates the wicked and those who love to hurt others.  The Lord does what is right, and He loves justice, so honest people will see His face … Save me, Lord … The Lord says, ‘I will now rise up, because the poor are being hurt.  Because of the moans of the helpless, I will give them the help they want.’ … Lord, You will keep us safe; You will always protect us from such people.”

David’s prayers are mine today as well, Father.  You know me and You know my heart.  Please let others, who do not know me, know me as You do, Father.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Psalm 7-9 Just In Time Again, Father

God’s timing is perfect as always.  My commentary divided chapter seven into four sections, entitled: “Other People Judge Us Wrongly, We Judge Ourselves Honestly, God Judges Sinners Righteously, and Sin Itself Judges Sinners Ultimately”. 

For a week now, someone who hasn’t known me long at all has accused me falsely.  It sickened me that they have ascribed motives to my actions that are wrong.  I was on the cusp of attacking back, but God gave me His Word yesterday morning.  I decided to let this sit for a day before posting. 

My commentary said, “When today people falsely accuse us and create problems for us, we should follow David’s example and find refuge in the Lord.  But let’s be sure that we are suffering wrongfully and not because of our own foolishness or disobedience.  David affirmed his integrity before the Lord and asked the Supreme Judge to vindicate him because his hands were clean.  David wasn’t claiming to be sinless; he was stating that he was blameless in his motives and actions … he knew that his hands were pure … How important it is that we are open and honest with both our Lord and ourselves … David didn’t take the situation into his own hands; rather, he turned [it] over to the Lord.  Only God’s holy anger could truly vindicate David … ‘Let the Lord try me and prove to all that I am innocent!’”

Father God, You know the truth.  I know what You originally called me to do, and unfortunately, Satan is trying to halt those plans by striking fear in hearts.  I’ll keep on and let You defend me, for I know I’ve heart from You and that I’m doing exactly what You called me to do.  

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Psalm 4-6 -- Much To Learn

Psalm 4:

My commentary said, “David knew he didn’t deserve any help from the Lord, but he prayed on the basis of God’s mercy and favor … David gave six instructions when we find ourselves getting angry:

1)      Tremble before the Lord – believers who fear the Lord need not fear anything else.

2)      Don’t sin

3)      Search you own hearts

4)      Be still – be sorry for the things you say in your heart.

5)      Offer right sacrifices

6)      Trust the Lord

Psalm 5 – Where David prays for God to handle his enemies

My commentary said that John the Baptist (Matt 3) and Jesus (Matt 23) lifted up such requests as well, yet many don’t like think kind of praying.  C.S. Lewis said, “We don’t hate sin enough to get upset at the wickedness and godlessness around us” … we’ve gotten accustomed to the darkness.

This psalm teaches us to prepare to meet the Lord and to seek to please Him.  He prayed for guidance, justice, and God’s blessing.  “David came to the Lord with … awe … For believers to enter into the presence of God to worship and pray, it cost Jesus His life, and to treat this privilege lightly is to cheapen that sacrifice.”

Psalm 6:

The Pain of Discipline – “Sometimes God chastens us in order to deal with our disobedience, but at other times, He chastens us to prepare us for what lies ahead.  David asks, ‘How long?’  The answer to the question is, ‘I will discipline you until you learn the lesson I want you to learn and are equipped for the work I want you to do … what God seeks is submission… The Lord may not do what we ask, when we want it, but He will do what needs to be done and help us glorify His name.  The question we should ask isn’t, ‘When will I get out of this?’ but ‘What can I get out of this?’”

Father, I’ve lately found myself crying out like David does in these verses.  Help me to trust You and to see Your face and to learn what I need to learn from my circumstances.  Be sovereign in my life!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Psalm 1-3 Sin and Worship

“Sinners will not worship with God’s people.”  We are all sinners, but as Christians we are also God’s people.  It seems to follow then that when we sin, we are effectively cutting ourselves off from worshiping God.

Chapter 2 then says, “Obey the Lord with great fear.  Be happy, but tremble.  Show that you are loyal to His Son…”  Lack of obedience is the sin of chapter 1.  Obedience is the opposite of sin.  Sin is rebellion.  Obedience is loyalty.  Even when we obey, we should experience the awesomeness of all God is and realize how insignificant we are.  Our propensity to sin should cause great fear.  Our obedience results in happiness, but that propensity to sin also causes us to tremble.

Chapter 3 shows us the benefits of obedience and loyalty to God.  Despite being attacked, we have courage because we know that God is for us and in control of everything and that He protects us.  The assurance of His protection allows us to sleep at night and be refreshed and strengthened by it.  When David cries, “Lord, rise up!  My God, come save me!,” he isn’t worried that God may have become distracted or uncaring.  My commentary said these words reflected what was happing in the wilderness when God moved the pillar of fire or the cloud, signaling the people to get up and move with it.  David is expecting God to work.

Father, thanks for reminding me of how even the slightest sin can keep me from true worship.  Obedience is of utmost importance, for it glorifies You, and that is what our existence is all about.  It is worship.  Thank You for glorifying Yourself by rising up to protect me.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford