Psalm Twenty Four

A Psalm David wrote which declares that everything, yes EVERYTHING, belongs to God.

The earth, and all that it contains, belongs to You Lord. 

For You created it. 

You formed the Seas and laid down their boundaries.

You built it anew after Noah's flood.

That said, who may climb Your holy mountain, Lord?

Who can stand up straight in the presence of Your Holiness?

Only those who are righteous ... who have a pure heart,

a clear conscience and hands empty of malice and evil.

Men and women who will not even think to break Your law.

These shall be blessed by Your hands;

for they have received, and accepted, Your Salvation.

They have victory in all their ways!

These are my children, oh Jacob. My very seed, oh Israel.

They that seek my face, my favor ... and I bless them for it.

Stop, take a moment to dwell on all of this. 

Listen! Bring yourselves back to attention, 

you keepers of the Way. 

Come to full conscientiousness, full attentiveness, 

All you leaders - and members - of the church. 

Let the King of glory come in.

Who is this all-glorious King? 

The Lord God, your most formidable adversary. 

The Lord God, 

a valiant and forceful champion of and for His people.

Listen! Bring yourselves back to attention, 

you keepers of the Way. 

Come to full conscientiousness, full attentiveness, 

All you leaders - and members - of the church.  

Let the King of glory come in.

Who is this all-glorious King? 

The Lord God, Ruler of heaven and earth; 

Head of The Church.

The Lord God, Leader of all the angel armies.

Stop, take a moment to dwell on all of this. 

Amen!

Psalm Twenty Two, Verses 16-31

A Psalm of David

For the Music Director. Set to the Tune of "The Doe of the Morning."

David wrote this as a prayer. It is meant to lift us from our depths of great suffering to the highest levels of joys. David believed that God would deliver him from his despair, even though all of his friends had deserted him and it appeared that God had also. No, David continued to look to that future day when God would rule over all the earth.

• 16. A pack of evil men - thugs, if you will - has surrounded me like a pack of wild and vicious dogs. They have trapped me, piercing my hands and feet.
• 17. All of my bones are visible beneath my skin. And the people stand around, gawking at me and gloating.
• 18. They divide my clothes among them, but they shoot dice to gamble for my robe.
• 19. Oh Lord, do not go far away. God, You are my strength, so come quickly to save me.
• 20. Father, please rescue me from this implement of death. Save Your Begotten One from the destruction of these wild dogs.
• 21. Deliver me from the lion's mouth, rescue me from this herd of wild oxen, for my death is imminent without You.
• 22. Regardless, I will shout Your name among my brothers and sisters. Ever will I sing Your praises among the congregation of believers.
• 23.This is the message I will shout; If you fear the Lord God, praise Him! All of God's Israel, give Him the honor and respect He deserves.
• 24. For He has never let you down or looked the other way when you call on Him ... when your enemies kicked you to the ground. Nor has He left you to go off on a tangent ... to do His own thing. NO, He has been right at your side, listening ... waiting to hear your every need.
• 25. Here in the midst of the congregation of believers, I will praise You, for You fill me with songs of great joy. My songs of praise fulfill of all the vows I made before you in the darkness.
  
• 26. If you are poor, humble, meek and/or lowly ... whatever your need, if you diligently seek the Lord, you will be satisfied. And in that satisfaction, you will find your voice raised in joyful praise.
• 27. From the four corners of the earth, people will remember the Lord and turn to Him. The whole world will bow before the Lord, even those who had walked away from Him in years past,
• 28. for the earth belongs to Him ... He rules it all.
• 29. The rich, powerful and famous will bow before Him - worshiping! The poor and worthless - those who seem insignificant - will also kneel before Him in worship, too. No one can save their own soul. 
• 30. Our children - and all posterity - will serve the Lord.
• They will declare His righteousness so that all who ever will live will know His story ... His salvation message. And that He ALWAYS keeps His promises.

Psalm Nineteen

The heavens declare the glory of God; each day He paints the skies with beautiful sights with just a whisper on the wind.

Morning and evening He speaks to us, teaching us with these visions He has painted within the clouds. There is no people or place on earth where His voice is not heard and His lessons learned in this manner. And so, His unspoken truth is known around the world; it is spoken of in every culture on earth.

God placed the sun in its place in the sky. It appears every morning, reminding us of a bridegroom from ancient days that, when leaving his bridal suite, he runs joyously as would a track star who has broken the finish line and is dashing to accept his award. He runs his course through the skies from morning to night, hiding nothing from his light and his warmth. It is in this way that the whole world has received God’s message.

God’s law is total perfection, it converts the soul. It's testimony, its witness, is confident; for in its simplicity it brings us wisdom, for we are simple.

God’s rules to live by are the right road to travel, for they will fill you with His great joy. The commands He gives are pure truth. This truth gives us true enlightenment for our minds.

The fear and respect of God bring clarity which will last us our whole lives … even throughout eternity. When God judges, His judgments are truly righteous – unlike those of mankind.

All of these are to be desired more than the finest things this world can offer … more than the best food and wines, and even more than all the wealth this world could ever give you.

And by living according to God’s ways there is a great reward – in this life and throughout eternity, therein is your warning to live for God alone.

God, will You wash clean our lives so that we can start anew with You? Will You help me keep from these stupid sins I keep falling into? From thinking that I can replace You in my life and succeed? This is the prayer of my heart each day. Please accept them as I lay them on Your altar within my heart. Then You will be my God, the keeper of my soul … my heart of hearts. And I will be Your servant.

Amen!

Psalms Eighteen, Verses 19-50

Chapter Intro - Restated:

To: The Chief Musician; A Psalm of David (and of Leigh), who sang these words to the Lord on the day when God delivered him from hands of his enemy ... of Saul.

Singing:

You, Lord, have brought me out into a spacious place; You delivered me because I have brought you delight, I have made you smile.

You have rewarded me according to the righteousness I have found in You, Your Spirit within my mind - my conscious thought, my honesty, and my trustworthiness; because my hands are clean in Your sight, You have rewarded me.

For I have stayed true to Your path, Lord. I have not strayed from Your side nor Your ways.

All of Your directions are ever before me, I will never let them slip away from me.

I stand in Your presence without blame, for I am clothed in Your righteousness and ever in a state of readiness so that I may keep myself free from sinning and the guilt that come with that lifestyle.

It is for these reasons that You have rewarded me for my presence in Your righteousness - because I can stand tall and straight in You - because of Your righteousness, my hands are clean in Your eyes.

You will always show Yourself kind and merciful to those who reflect Your kindness and mercy in their hearts and lives; as with those who are honest and straightforward, you will act honestly, too.

Those who are pure of heart will see Your purity, and those who are corrupt will see Your anger and hostility.

For You, my Lord, have delivered the tormented, timid and withdrawn people, but You will destroy those who look down upon them; the contemptuous, indifferent and overbearing.

It is You alone that have given Light to my life; You have made me to shine, causing the brightest light to flood my darkness.

With Your light, and the power it gives me, I can meet any band of attackers and defeat them handily. In Your strength, I can leap over the highest walls to bring them down.

Lord, all of Your ways are perfect! Your Word is tested and tried and has been proven true; You protect all who see You for refuge better than the best shields or forcefield available; all who seek shelter, placing their trust in You, will certainly find it.

So, who can be our Master save our God? Or who is a better Fortress to provide us protection than God? The same God who clothes me with His strength and makes me completely mature as I walk His pathway?

Lord, You strengthen my foundation, making me able to stand on spiritual high places like a deer on the mountain heights. In fact. You even set me upon those heights when I am strong in You.

You alone can train me to battle the enemy, making my arms strong enough that I could pull a bow made of bronze.

You have given me the Shield of Your Salvation, Your very Son, who is Your Right Hand, has held me up; Your loving-kindness, tenderness, and patronage caress me.

You have cleared the path ahead so that there is nothing on which I would trip and fall.

When I chased the enemy, I was able to overtake and destroy them. They were not able to rise again once they fell, wounded and near death at my feet.

Your strength wraps around me, holding me tight like a girdle, to build me up for the battle; and when it is over, I see the very enemy that had tried to defeat me, now underneath my feet. You alone have made them turn tail and run the other direction so that they come no longer into my presence.

These enemies cried for help but they found none. They even tried to get Your attention, Lord, but You refused to hear their cries.

Then I was able to totally defeat them, they appeared as small as grains of dust blowing in the wind, and I poured them out of my life, as one pours out the dust in a dustpan onto the garbage heap.

Lord, You set me free from anxious people; You made me a leader within my community; people whom I had never met walk beside me to serve Your Kingdom. As soon as they heard of me and Your message that I bring, they submitted themselves to Your call. Strangers, corrupt beings, came crawling out of their hiding places in fear, pretending to serve You.

But You Live, my Lord! You make me happy within Your protective Fortress. And I will lift Your name in exaltation! Yes, My Lord is the God who takes revenge on my behalf, trampling my enemies beneath His feet, giving me complete deliverance. Yes, You have delivered me from the destruction of the evil one. It is for this reason that I will ever praise You, giving You thanks and singing songs of worship every day. 

And You will deliver me with Your greatness whenever I am in need. For You show mercy and unfailing love to those who have covered by the Blood of Your Son, anointing me and covering me - and those I bring alongside - with your Holy Power and Love forever.

Amen!

Psalm Eleven

Intro: 

For the Chief Musician or Choir Director. A Psalm of David

Jesus is my protective defense system, in Him alone do I place my full trust; for He is worthy ... His ways unbeaten!

I see my enemies preparing for the coming battle, his evil troops load up their rifles, mortars and grenade launchers in readiness. They will be ready to attack when night falls. When darkness looms they can shoot at the righteous, picking off the warriors of the Lord in secret. Hidden in the shadows they try to destroy us.

So how can you tell me to run away and hide? It was for this very battle that He has been preparing me.

See now the Lord is in His tabernacles; His very dwelling places. He sits upon His heavenly throne within the hearts of His warriors! I see Him watching over the children of men, the movements of His eyelids tries them, testing them for their upcoming conflicts, strengthening and preparing them. He proves all of our abilities to obey.

But upon the wicked, the evildoers ... all of the unbelievers of the world, He rains down judgment; He pummels them with fiery coals and burning rocks, all the while He is setting traps for their feet and arms to snare them while allowing the burning winds to scorch them in the process. And all of this is their reward for their thoughts, words and deeds, it is the very portion that He has filled each of their cups with.

For my God is True and Total Righteousness. He loves and blesses the righteous acts of His Children. And all of His Children, the precious Children of God, have the privilege of seeing His face as He holds them .... holds us ....  securely in His arms.

And I am Blessed to be counted among His Children!

Lord, I give you all thanksgiving and praise for ALL of Your Marvelous Ways!

Psalm Nine

Intro:

To the Chief Musician; possible set for soprano voices. A Psalm of David.

A Song of Thanksgiving!

Lord, I give You thanks from a heart filled with gratitude ... it knows no bounds.

While I write a book of Your exploits, I am whistling, laughing, and jumping up and down for the pure joy that it brings. Lord, I sing all of Your songs of praise, from beginning to end. Then I start all over again.

Do You remember the day that my enemies decided to run away from the scene of their crimes? I do! They were running away, watching over their shoulders all the way. They were so busy looking behind themselves that they tripped over their own feet, falling right on their faces. Then You stepped in and set everything to rights once more.

You were there exactly when I needed you. You took charge and everything went exactly as You had planned.

Lord, You are the original '"whistle blower;"  You blow the whistle on the ungodly nations and throw their evil politicians - all dirty dealers and cheating players of all stripes - out of the game, removing their names from the official records. Your actions on the playing field encourages other enemies, that have been sitting in the grandstand watching, to pick up their seat cushions and leave in haste; their reputations in ruins and their names erased from their roll call of recognition ... removing them from their "hallowed halls of fame."

It is God alone, not Atlas, who balances the worlds in His hands. He put everything that is askew in the world back into it's proper place and position. He knows what is best for every thing and every body in His creation, and He gives them each just what they deserve.

My Lord, You are a safe haven for the broken, battered and bruised; a place of refuge especially set aside for when things, times, and people are evil and destructive. When I step within, I am finally able to relax. And I am always glad to be at home within this peaceful place of refuge.

I will sing songs of praise to You, oh Lord ... You who lives within my heart. I will tell all of the stories of Your marvelous works, all of Your awesome exploits, to everybody that I meet: how You track down and pass judgement on all evildoers, yet all the while You watch over every cry of pain and sigh of despair.

Oh Father, please treat me with Your loving-kindness, for I have been pushed around - kicked about - for far too long; but You pull me back from the edge of destruction, from the very brink of death. For this reason I will proclaim Your name, I will shout praises of You from the rooftops! I will give You thanks for Your saving grace.

Lord, look at the ungodly masses; those peoples who have sought their own paths, their own righteousness. They have set traps for the unsuspecting, snares for those they seek to rob; but they have tripped themselves up, they have been caught in their own webs of deceit. They know that there is no excuse for their destructive deeds; for Your ways are well known, Your exploits have been broadcast far and wide. Yet they continue making their evil designs, breaking their own fingers as they go.

Yet, all that choose to be wicked and evil have already purchased their one-way tickets to Hell.

But all of those who are poor will no longer be a nameless, faceless mass of humanity. No more will the humble in spirit be humiliated. For You, my Lord, have had enough, You will no longer allow this type events to proceed, the wicked have reached the end of Your ropes! For I see that you are sick and tired with all of the posturing of these evildoers. You are about to expose them and all of their "grand schemes." Stir up that hornet's nest, Lord, and let them see just how stupid it all is and how silly they really look!

Amen!

Psalm Eight - Twice!

Intro:

To the Chief Musician; set to a Philistine lute, possibly to the melody of a particular Hittite tune. A Psalm of David.

Oh Lord, my Lord, how majestic, how totally awesome and out of this world, is Your name in all of the known universe!

You have show us Your glory everywhere, even in the very clouds. From the very praise of the children, of toddlers and infants, You have built a fortress against your enemies ... to silence all who have aught against You. When I think about the heavens that You have created, the very works of your fingertips. The moon and stars that you set into place ... what is mankind that they would even enter Your thoughts; the lowly human beings that You would actually care for them?

You made them a little lower in status than your messenger spirits (angels/pastors) and have crowned them (us) with Your glory and honor. You made us rulers over all that You have made; told us to take dominion over everything on earth that Your hands had created. All flocks and herds and wild animals roaming the earth and creatures that fly through the skies ... and everything that teems throughout the oceans and seas.

Oh Lord, my Lord, how majestic, how totally awesome and out of this world, is Your name in all of the known universe!

My Thoughts:

Easter Sunday, March 28, 2016, in our Easter Celebration the Holy Spirit spoke to us. He said that we don't see ourselves as He sees us. We don't know our true identity, our real position, within Him and His Kingdom. And here in this Psalm He tells us once more.

This is an area that I have been struggling with my position in Him, who I really am.  So Here are a few thoughts that I have on this subject.

I see this as a Psalm - a song - of Praise and Worship that David sang in his private times of worship. A shout of joy after their victory over the Philistines. The intro leads me to believe that spoofing one of their war ditties as an act of worship to the Lord. Singing it in reverent fear and honor of His King.

I also see David as remember His own position - and by extension, ours - in the Lord. 

So I think that I will follow David's example:

Psalm 8 - Again

Oh Lord, my Lord, how totally awesome You are! Your very name is more majestic than any other. It's divine interpretation is more wonderful than any human can comprehend.

From the mouths of mere children spew forth tales of Your strength; exploits of Your victories over all Your enemies. You have silenced them ALL.

When I look over all that You have done, When I deeply ponder Your marvelous creation, my breath is taken away; Your glorious heavens and all their intricate details, I am taken totally aback.

So what is mankind, that You thoughtfully consider their existence? What is humanity, that You lovingly care for them?

For You created them (us) in Your very likeness, yet not exact copies of Yourself. You have made us just lower in rank than the heavenly beings You made; a little lower in standing than Your holy angels.

And You gave us dominion over the rest of Your creation; over fish and fowl, beasts and dragons, everything that walks on four feet and two, that fly and/or has the breath of life within them ... including Satan and his evil minions.

I thank and praise You for my position in Your Kingdom, Your Family, and Your Army!

Oh Lord, my Lord, how totally awesome You are! 

Psalm Seven - Again

Intro (same):

This Psalm is a meditation of David which he sang to the Lord. It was written when David was troubled by a man of the line of Cush from the tribe of Benjamin ... King Saul was a descendant of  Cush the Benjaminite. Tradition says that it probably had a wildly irregular and unpredictable beat among its strains.
By this intro we know that David was greatly offended and upset with the speech of a certain Benjaminite named Cush. He was so angry with what this man had been saying that he lifted up this frustration in this song unto the Lord, His God. And seeing that some scholars have attributed this Psalm to the time of Saul's ongoing search and destroy operation against David, I could see this here.

God Almighty, I put all of my hope and trust in You. Protect me from all who speak and do evil to persecute me. Deliver me from those that hunt me down , planning to do me harm, just as you have done before ... and save my life.

But Lord, if I have done this to myself, if I have done any harm to those at peace with me, then let my life be forfeit. Let my enemies trample me down in the dust, extinguishing my life, squelching out my voice and squeezing out my very breath ... I think I will ponder that thought very deeply for a while.

Lord, I know that the actions of wicked men riles Your anger. So rise up in Your anger, stand firm in Your wrath against my enemies and stir up the justice You have planned for my foes.

Gather together the congregation of Your people, Lord. Sit on Your Throne, on the Dias that seats You above them, and judge the peoples. And while You're at it, judge me too, Lord. Give me the justice that I deserve by my righteous - my right standing in You - by Your very integrity within me.

And let all the evil words, thoughts and deeds of the wicked ones abruptly come to and end. Establish Your righteousness, Your harmony, in all who walk uprightly in Your presence. For I know that You see and hear the thoughts, words and emotions of all; You alone understand our very hearts' desires.

Lord, You are my Defenses; the Shield and Fortress of ALL who are upright in heart; our Very Protection! Yes Lord, for You are a righteous judge; the Mighty God, Who becomes indignant with the wicked on a daily basis.

If a person, man or woman, refuses to repent of their wicked ways, I know that You will sharpen Your double-edged sword and cut them off from Your own. I see that You are already prepared for the battles that lay ahead. Stepping on the end of Your bow, You have strung it in readiness for your arrows. The arrows have been dipped in an oily substance and laid on the coals so that they will flame through the air and ignite their targets. All of Your weapons are waiting in preparation.

But the wicked are filled to the bursting point with their evil thoughts and plans. They are about to explode with their mischievous ways. See the huge pit they have dug? they will all fall into it before their plans are complete.  All of their wicked and vile ways will return to haunt them; their violence will fall as rain on their own heads.

And I will sing songs of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord because of His righteousness and justice. I will sing songs of praise to the Lord God Most High.

Amen!

Psalm Seven

Intro:

This Psalm is a meditation of David which he sang to the Lord. It was written when David was troubled by a man of the line of Cush from the tribe of Benjamin ... King Saul was a descendant of  Cush the Benjaminite. Tradition says that it probably had a wildly irregular and unpredictable beat among its strains.
By this intro we know that David was greatly offended and upset with the speech of a certain Benjaminite named Cush. He was so angry with what this man had been saying that he lifted up this frustration in this song unto the Lord, His God. And seeing that some scholars have attributed this Psalm to the time of Saul's ongoing search and destroy operation against David, I could see this here.

Oh Lord, my God, in You do I put my trust; save me from all those who persecute me; and deliver me. Lest they tear me apart like a lion, rending me in pieces while there is no deliverance.

Oh Go, if I have done this; if there is any iniquity in my hands, if I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me ... or have plundered mt enemy without a cause, let him whom I have wronged pursue and overtake me. Yes, let him trample my life into the earth, laying my honor in the dust forevermore. Selah (.... I will sit and ponder this deeply).

Rise up, My Lord, rise up in Your fierce anger; lift Yourself up because of my enemy's rage and bring Your judgement against them for my sake ... the judgment that You have ordered!

Then let the people assemble all around You as You return oh high over them.

The is the Righteous Judge, He alone shall judge all the people. Judge me, Oh Lord! According to my righteousness ... according to the integrity within me.

Yes, and let the wickedness of the evil ones come to an end and establish the just! This is totally within Your character, Lord, for You are THE righteous God. You test the hearts and minds of all. You are my defense, for You alone can save those who are upright of heart.

You, Lord, are the Just Judge. You are angry at those who choose to do evil everyday. If the wicked ones do not repent and change his ways, the Lord will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow, making it ready. God has all of His weapons of warfare, His implements of death, prepared for battle. His arrows have been dipped in accelerant  so that when He shoots they are fiery shafts of Light. 

Behold, the wicked travails ... he labors in excruciating pain as he conceives trouble and produces lies and deceit. For all of the trouble he produces shall fall on his own head. He digs a pit for those he chooses to destroy, but he alone will fall into it. And he shall be crowned by all of the violence that he has called forth upon others.

But I, along with the other believers, shall praise the Lord, because He alone is totally righteous. Yes, I will sing praise to my God, for He IS God Most High!