Psalm 11

 Psalm 11

There are many voices that tell us to be afraid and to flee like a bird. These voices tell us there's good reason to be afraid. They tell us the forces of evil will try to destroy us. That they set up an ambush and shoot us in the dark. The voices tell us that the very foundations of culture, faith, and hope are about to be destroyed. What do we do then?

David begins with taking refuge in the Lord. Rather than the facts being what happens around us, the true fact is that God is on his throne, and His watchful eye is on all mankind. Beyond the pitiful verdict of popularity, culture, or polls, there is the judgment of God. He sees not just what happens but also the motivations behind those behaviors. He also brings judgment and wrath on the actions of the wicked. All of this is true because the Lord is righteous; His very nature is holy. Because of this, the Lord loves righteous conduct. so much so that those who do right need not fear but anticipate with hope seeing His face.

“Lord, help me to hear the message of faith and not the voice of fear. AMEN”

Psalm 10

 Psalm 10

It is not difficult to feel discouraged or frustrated as we consider the evil in our world. This is especially the case as we experience and think about the apparent inactivity of God in response to evil that is running amok. The psalmist feels the same way. He begins with the great and terrible question, "Why?" God's apparent inactivity is powerfully contrasted with an extensive description of evil. We can see the cycle today as well: moral darkness leading to oppression leading to poverty, which circles back to moral darkness. If not outright atheism, there is an utter lack of concern about God. In verses 12 through 15, this psalmist pleads for God to do something. It is worth noting he doesn't call for men to form a political party and solve the problem. He does offer a veiled call for patients. In verses 16 through 18 we are reminded who is King and that entire nations have perished according to God's will. We can be confident that justice will prevail. 

Lord, bring Your justice to our world. AMEN”

Psalm 9

Psalm 9

The Lord has a history of caring for and working out the details for the righteous who are oppressed. David has seen and bears witness to the Lord's justice, and it is a beautiful thing. But sometimes His faithfulness in the past, His role as judge, and His promise of justice for the future seem far away. So at the heart of the psalm, David reminds us of God's good care and promise. The second half of verse 10 is a sweet refreshment for those in the midst of any struggle. "For You, oh Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You." Appearances and circumstances may say something different, but the promise is that God has not forsaken this special group of people. But this is not a generalized promise for all of mankind, or the person who only calls to God in the moment of crisis. This is specifically for those who seek the Lord. That is not a reference to those who ignore Him and suddenly are in trouble. The one who seeks the Lord is not forsaken even in the depths of suffering.

“Lord, help me remember Your faithfulness even in the most difficult moments. AMEN”

Psalm 8

 Psalm 8

We have allowed our world to become too small. So much of our lives is focused on a screen, often not more than a few inches diagonally. This Psalm reminds us to marvel at the power of God displayed in the wonder of creation.

Only a heartless person is unmoved by the sweet, affectionate babbling of a toddler. In contrast to the tiny voice, consider the cosmos. If the universe is beyond comprehension, how much more is the universe's Creator? But to stack marvel upon wonder, God made an image bearer that would be just beneath Himself. The word "Elohim" appears in verse 5. The word sometimes refers to angels, sometimes to God Himself. In either case, human beings are far above the material creation. This being called man is marked by glory and majesty and given stewardship over creation. It is our great privilege to look over his creation in wonder and care, all for one purpose: that His name would be held in honor and majesty all over the world.

“Thank you, Lord, for who you made me to be and for the role You have given to me. AMEN”

Psalm 7

 Psalm 7

There is a perception or accusation that Christianity is weak. People imagine that because as disciples we do not seek revenge and turn the other cheek, we are soft and weak. They also accuse the God of Christianity as being a weakling because He wants men to repent, and He doesn't desire the destruction of those who hate Him. The characterization of a passive God and a non-assertive disciple gives some the feeling that we have a pushover faith.

But verse 6 tells a different story. It tells of an appointed judgment. Think about it: no one hates the evil done to the innocent more than God. Even if I gave full vent to my fury, it would be nothing compared to God's holy wrath. Also, it takes greater strength to hold back or save up wrath than to let it go. The person who feels he must express his rage immediately is in fact very weak. God's patience and Christian self-control are markers of great power. If we think about it, restrained wrath is more terrifying than expressed rage. In the coming judgment, there is perfect justice. Verses 14 to 16 tells how every crime receives justice.

“Grant me, Lord, the faith and patience to wait for Your perfect justice. AMEN”

Psalm 6

 Psalm 6

The psalmist, David, is in deep trouble. He is afraid that his circumstances will lead to death. David's deep concern about death might be useful for us to consider. In verse 5, David says, "For there is no mention of thee in death. And in Sheol, who will give you thanks?" This is not referring to the ultimate punishment of sinners at the judgment. The Jewish concept of Sheol was emptiness. A vast cave that was a storage facility for the dead. The dead are without the capacity to see, hear, think, reason, or know. They were personal nothings. They are the sort of thing that a rock might dream about. What terrified David is that if he became like them, he would lose the capacity to worship. 

The point of verse 5 is not that if we die, God will lose our worship. God doesn’t need our worship. Angels already worship Him better than we. What terrified David was that he will no longer be able to worship. The great joy of his life would be lost if he died and could no longer worship.  The point is about the delight of worshiping God.

It is far too easily dip out of worshiping God. When we are comfortable with a life that is without worship; in that way we are sort of dead already.

“Lord, help me to worship You with clarity of mind and passion of heart. AMEN”

Psalm 5

Psalm 5

Can you imagine that there is a place for the wicked in our lives?

We are sometimes like little children who wish that bad people would go away like rainy days when we want to play. But there is a role or use for the wicked person in our lives. Because of the wicked, we can be led in the right way. In verses 1-3, David focuses on morning prayers. He wants his life ordered. What is the source of his distress? Evil people

In verses 4-7, David looks at evil people, and how does he respond? With worship! Have we ever thought of evil people as a prompt to worship God? In a world of evil, our response can and ought to be to worship.

In fact, in verse 8 we see the evil calls David to want to be in the ‘right way’. Often our approach to evil is to become angry or harsh, to plan a campaign to oppose them, or to try to beat them at their game. David sees the evil, but notes it is against God ultimately. For us, evil should want us to pursue and desire what is right. For example our response to hate should always be love.

Righteousness is so powerful that in verses 11 and 12 we see that in the delight of God's company, evil is all but forgotten. 

“Lord, turn even the darkness of evil to be a reason to worship You. AMEN”