Psalm 67

God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah

(Psalms 67:1)

In the 6^th chapter of the book of numbers we see something very similar to these words.

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: "The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." ' "So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them."

(Numbers 6:22-27)

What we have in numbers is what we often refer to as the “benediction” of the priests. It was a special blessing that God told the priests to pronounce over the people. Look at what it says:

1. THE LORD BLESS YOU – to extend a greeting, to give unto us HIS blessings.

2. THE LORD KEEP YOU – To guard and protect… to keep you from harm of all sorts, physical or spiritual.

3. THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON YOU – The idea is that the LIGHT of God would serve to illuminate us… His face shining ON us.

4. THE LORD BE GRACIOUS TO YOU – That God would bend down to us, and bestow His favor on us. Giving us HIS supply so we can live life the way He intended.

5. THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON YOU – That God would look upon us, that He would see our need, implying that He would direct His thoughts and His care toward us.

6. THE LORD GIVE YOU PEACE – SHALOM is the word in Hebrew, it implies a position of living within the perfect will of God; being at peace with God, and having His peace extend from us to all those around us.

So this is the benediction, and we see the psalmist pick up an abbreviated version of it here in psalm 67:1. He asks God for MERCY, BLESSING, and for GOD’S FACE TO SHINE UPON US. If we look at verse 2, we see that the Psalmist claims that when these things are happening, when we are abiding in God’s presence and blessing, there is a natural effect that flows from that:

That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.

(Psalms 67:2)

According to the Psalmist, it is natural for God’s blessing ON us to become a blessing that moves THROUGH us to OTHERS. If we are abiding in God’s blessing, it should be manifesting itself in our life in such a way that:

1. The ways of God are made known to the others around us.

2. The Salvation God brings is manifested to people of ALL NATIONS.

Live in God’s blessing and be a light!

Psalm 66

If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.

(Psalms 66:18)

I want to look at this principle as it appears throughout the scriptures. According to this verse, if we willingly carry unconfessed sin in our hearts, the Lord WILL NOT hear our prayers. Notice, it doesn’t say He CANNOT… it says He WILL NOT. God will not ignore the sin that separates us from Him. He has dealt with it on the cross, but we must confess and repent. Look at what the rest of scripture has to say…

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, Though he may gain much, If God takes away his life? Will God hear his cry When trouble comes upon him?

(Job 27:8-9)

Job poses a question… If a man is a hypocrite, looking good on the outside but filthy on the inside, Will God hear his cry when trouble comes? I would answer that God will only hear a prayer of CONFESSION and REPENTANCE at that point.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

(Proverbs 15:8)

Here in proverbs we see that the STATE of a persons heart DIRECTLY AFFECTS the way God receives their worship. A person who is upright is a delight, but a person who is wicked is an abomination. This shows it isn’t the outward action, but the inward position of the heart that matters most to God. He wants SINCERITY not HYPOCRISY.

The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

(Proverbs 15:29)

Again in Proverbs we see the state of the heart being the deciding factor in the question of whether or not God hears our prayers. We read that He is FAR from the wicked. We need to understand that this is because of their UNCONFESSED SIN. It is a fact; sin will separate us from God.

One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

(Proverbs 28:9)

To put this one in plain English, if we ignore the Word of God, and willfully choose not to hear and obey it, then our prayers will detested by God, rather than received.

When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.

(Isaiah 1:15)

Again, unconfessed sin + unrepentant heart = God does not hear. The Lord wants us to be HONEST. He wants us to confess, and to change our minds. The problem here isn’t that the people were guilty of sin… we are guilty of sin! The real problem is they were acting as though they WEREN’T guilty. Raising hands in worship to God, but their hands are dripping with blood!

You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

(James 4:3)

Here is another side of the equation. This time the heart issue is one of MOTIVATION. WHY are we asking for what we are asking for? Is it so we can use it to please ourselves? If so, we won’t receive what we are praying for.

Carefully read over these verses and ask the Lord if there is some confession and repentance that needs to take place in YOUR life. If there is, get things right, so your relationship with the Lord can be in the right place, and your prayers can be heard.

Psalm 65

You who still the noise of the seas, The noise of their waves, And the tumult of the peoples.

(Psalms 65:7)

Do you guys remember the story in the gospels when Jesus calms the sea? There is a storm that is raging, and it’s rocking the boat all over the place. The disciples are freaking out, but Jesus is in the bottom of the boat sleeping! They wake Him up, and He stops the storm by simply saying to the wind and waves “BE STILL”.

Here in this psalm we read that this is what God does… He calms the noise of the seas, the noise of the waves… But even more importantly, HE CAN CALM THE TUMULT OF THE PEOPLES. A Tumult is a disturbance or commotion that is typically accompanied by loud noise and shouting. Our whole world is tumultuous, but one day God will cause the whole earth to stand silent.

Guys and girls, our God is SO POWERFUL. The wars, the fighting, and the strife that exists all over our globe will one day cease. God will put an end to it all. One day EVERY KNEE WILL BOW. Why hasn’t that day come yet? Because our God is patient, and He is willing that NONE should perish. He gives plenty of time and space that men and women might come to Him as a choice of their own free will. This patience will not last forever… there is a day coming when the Lord will return, and all the earth will stand silent.

Psalm 64

Psa 64:6 They devise iniquities: "We have perfected a shrewd scheme." Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.

Psalm 2 talks about man, coming together, to scheme against the Lord. This chapter seems to continue the thought. Man schemes until he has perfected his idea. He makes sure there is no kink in the armor. He enters the place of total contentment in this world.

However, we are told that the Lord will shoot them down as with an arrow. I think of Babylon, Persia, and Rome. There perfect world would one day fall.

Truly man’s heart is deep. It can devise the most complicated ideas. We weave our thoughts until hey are made strong. We try to grow content in the things of this world. Know this, if you have made a commitment to Christ, and you grow content with the world, He will take away. Do not get angry with the Lord. Our contentment is to be found in Him and Him alone.

Psalm 63

Psa 63:3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.

People create beautiful lives for themselves. They work hard, get their break, and buy the best money can buy. They bhave dreams and ambitions and they do a good job fulfilling all of it. Nevertheless, they feel empty. Money, music, fame, a realationship, respect, our passion, all of these fall short of knowing the Lord.

The Psalmist writes, "Because Your lovingkindness is better than life..." Life is beautiful. Without God, it is just hard. To know Jesus and His love is to experience life.

I consider the Amish tradition. As you know, Amish are really strict. They have loads of rules for themselves. They do not use any electricity or any modern technology. They dress in only natural colors, no dyes. Everything they do is to reflect humility. When an Amish boy or girl turns 18 they are given 2 years to do whatever they want. These two years turn into the wildest, most fleshly two years of their lives. The Amish do this that they might experience life and then choose for themselves how they want to live.

Do not deceive yourself. I know most of you. You have not lived the wild life. You have smoked, drink, or been in a messed up relationship. You do not have to. Jesus is better than life itself. If you want to expirience life and freedom and care-freeness, fall in love with Jesus. He is life. The rest is simply bondage.

Psalm 62

"My soul finds rest in God alone..." Psalm 62:1a

"One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that You, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving..." Psalm 62 11-12a

Rest. It's a word that describes something that can be quite elusive in this life. I can't count the times that someone has said to me, "go and get some rest". Physical rest is one thing, but rest for the soul is another deal altogether. The idea is a ceasing from all striving, a position of peace, safety, and security. In the world we live in, people try find this type of rest, and it often alludes them. Family, relationships, work, vacation... all of these things can offer the illusion of peace, security, and safety; but it is never lasting. Families fall apart, relationships fail, Job's come to an end, change, or become stressful, and vacations don't last forever. Real rest can only be found one place, and that is in the Lord.

David tells us about 2 characteristics of God's nature that he had heard about from God Himself. They are simple, and ones we have talked about many times here, but they are so important to our discussion today. David says, "You, O God, are strong" and "You, O Lord, are loving". Strength and love... these two working together create the only perfect environment for true rest.

If God was only loving, and not strong, then the rest we have in Him would go only as far as the first time it was attacked or challenged from the outside. Because God is strong, nothing from the outside can affect the rest we have in Him. Since God is unshakable, when we rest in Him, we cannot be moved.

If God was only strong, and not loving, then our rest in Him wouldn't be rest at all, for we would live in constant fear of being "cast out". Because He is loving, we can believe His promise that He will never, no never, leave us nor forsake us. because we know He loves us, we can have a rest that is full and complete... the very rest He desires all of us to have!

Having looked at God in this light, isn't it foolish that we try and find rest in other things? Friends, rest in the Lord, and not in anything else... He alone will never fail you, He alone will never forsake you!

Psalm 61

To the Chief Musician. On A Stringed Instrument. A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah

(Psalms 61:1-4)

Yesterday we talked about the concept of RESCUE. Today I want us to take a look at the way that God brings that rescue to David. David tells us his heart is OVERWHELMED… the circumstances of life are crushing down, and he feels as though he is crying out from the ends of the earth.

What is it that David wants from the Lord? What is it that David asks for?

1. A ROCK HIGHER THAN I – These circumstances were too great for David, so He asked God to lead Him to a piece of higher ground, a firm place where he could stand above the tumultuous storm he was assaulted by. This higher piece of ground is the LORD. He provides us a firm footing, a place that doesn’t shift or move with the waves, a place that will never crumble no matter how fierce the attack.

2. A SHELTER, A STRONG TOWER – A place that provides protection and respite from the attacks of the enemy. Protection from both TRIALS and ATTACKS… this is something we can find only in the Lord… this is REAL RESCUE.

3. ABIDE IN YOUR TABERNACLE, TRUST IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS – That David would live where God lives, and would really believe that the protection that God provides is MORE THAN ENOUGH. RESCUE leads to RELATIONSHIP. David didn’t want to be left alone on a rock or in a tower; He wanted to live in God’s house, to trust in the Lord like a chick finding refuge in the wings of his mother.

When we find ourselves overwhelmed; when it seems that we are at the “ends of the earth” and God is far off… Where will we turn? Will we follow David’s example and cry out for RESCUE, realizing that what we need is relationship… to abide in God’s presence? I pray we will all learn to lean fully upon the Lord as David did!

Psalm 60

Now rescue Your beloved people. Answer and save us by Your power.

(Psalms 60:5)

RESCUE. I love the word RESCUE. It is probably one of my favorite metaphors in all of scripture. It communicates a situation that was beyond repair… you don’t need to be “rescued” if everything is OK… you only need to be rescued if real danger is imminent and pressing, and there is no way of escape.

In the Hebrew, the word translated RESCUE here is really cool. It can mean to reach in and pull someone out of a desperate situation… to deliver or remove them from danger. But there is more to it than that. It can also mean to prepare someone for battle or equip them for the battles that lie ahead. The Lord doesn’t merely snatch us away from danger… he also prepares us to fight the battles that lie ahead.

We need to remember this when we think about SALVATION. It is true that God has pulled us out of the grip of sin, delivering us from its sting, and the certain destruction that comes with it. But He didn’t stop there… He equips us for the fight that we are forever involved in… this war against sin, this fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil. God doesn’t just bail us out… He gives us the tools we need to fight!

Remember this principle. SALVATION is so much more than God just bailing us out! When you face temptation or an assault from the enemy, call out to God for rescue, but don’t forget that He wants to equip you to WIN the battle, not just AVOID the battle!

Psalm 59

O LORD God of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, wake up and punish those hostile nations. Show no mercy to wicked traitors. Interlude

(Psalms 59:5)

I want to continue talking about the subject of judgment that we began discussing yesterday. In Psalm 58 we had talked about David’s cries for JUDGEMENT. Here in Psalm 59, we see David asking God to SHOW NO MERCY to hostile nations and wicked traitors. The question I wanted to raise is this: How do we reconcile this with the concept of loving our enemies?

Though this is a complex question, and there may be no “simple” one size fits all answer, I do believe that we can properly assess, respond, and apply this concept to our own lives. I think the first thing we need to remember is that EVERYONE IS A SINNER. When David talks about the “wicked” here, he is not insinuating that he himself is by nature holy and these men are by nature wicked… It is in issue of POSITION and PRACTICE.

God offers MERCY to every man, but it is conditioned upon REPENTANCE and SUBMISSION to Him and His ways. David had RECEIVED the mercy of the Lord, and the wicked men he talks about had rejected it. In fact, the wicked men were actively fighting against it. God’s mercy is ever available, but if a person CONTINUES to reject it, they will eventually have to face the judgment of God.

There is a lot that is not right here on earth. There are a lot of wicked men doing wicked things, and they are getting away with those things. Unless these men repent, they will have to face the wrath of God! When believer’s face wrath or persecution, it is a normal response for us to cry out to God and ask Him “how long until you make these things right?” God’s response is always “trust me; I WILL make this right in MY TIME.”

So for us, we just need to remember that VENGANCE belongs to the LORD. He will see to it that all things are made right… our job is just to continue to trust Him, and love the world around us.

Psalm 58

What is David so fired up about? He says things like “break their teeth” and “let them melt like a snail”… Then he says he will wash his feet in their blood and rejoice in the day of their death. Who are these people and what have they done to deserve this kind of reaction from David?

They are people David refers to as the WICKED, and the problem he has with them is INJUSTICE. There are many examples in the world today of injustice… The ongoing genocide in the Sudan, Human Trafficking all over the world, and most recently, the failure of the Burmese government to bring relief and aid to their dying people.

Justice is a concept that all of us understand, but something only a Christian can fully grasp. I am so glad that though God is just, He is also merciful. If we were working with God solely on an economy of justice, we would all be doomed to the fate of the “wicked” described by David. But we aren’t… God is merciful.

So as we interact with the world, may we stand up for JUSTICE, yet always extend mercy. A sense of right and wrong is important, but it is the compassion that reaches out to those who are both right and wrong that is CHIEFLY IMPORTANT.

There is coming a day when injustice will end, when all wrongs will be made right. Justice will prevail, and the Lord will ultimately claim the victory. In the mean time, we need to be sure that we are people who DO JUSTLY; but also LOVE MERCY. I think it is important to remember Jesus words here… “Love your enemies…”

Psalm 57

Psa 57:7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.

The word steadfast means to be unwavering. It is one who sets himself on a rock, rather than on the sand. One who is steadfast has made a decision to do something, and is going to follow it to the end. They are persistent, unmoving, and determined.

I sense David was trying to be steadfast. H knew what was right. The world around him had turned upside down. He was hiding in caves, afraid for his life. He likens the teeth of his enemies as spears and arrows . He probably was not feeling steadfast. He was probably thinking that his life was on a very slippery slope!

There are times that we are not going to feel steadfast. We will not feel like that unshakable pillar. Instead you may feel like a kite in gale winds. Nevertheless, look at what David did. In his passion for the Lord he repeats that he will be steadfast. "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise." It was not necessarily, "I want to give you praise." It was simply, "I will give you praise."

If you are struggling today, give God praise. Do it beyond your own desire to. Make your heart steadfast. Praise the Lord. Make your heart steadfast.

Psalm 56

Psa 56:3-4 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. (4) In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

Fear is a scary enemy. We can fear so many things in so many ways. We can fear that a loved one is in danger. We can fear for our life. We can fear too much stress. We can fear being stuck. Fear is so imminent when it is present, and so hard to get rid of. Every plan we come up with as humans has hopes and fears.

If you have ever had anything bad happen to you it can be very easy to fear. You may be a pessimist and believe that the worse case scenario will most likely be what is going to happen. The simplicity in our verse is just what we need to oppose the complexity of our fears. "When I am afraid I will trust in You." What a sweet thing for someone to say to God. That is true love. Look up to Jesus and say, "I feel safe with You."

Whatever fears you may have today, you have a Father in Heaven that is bigger. It involves two things; recognizing Him and His power, and trusting in Him and His power. Believe that He will keep you safe. When afraid, trust in God.

Psalm 55

Psa 55:17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.

This scripture is so beautiful. David has been talking about his enemies. He has been talking about these wicked, blood thirsty men. They hate David. They want to kill David. However the greatest offense David finds is that they hate God. David does the opposite. He runs to the Lord.

Gang, it encourages me so much that you are taking the time to read. Even more so, it encourages me that you are reading you Bibles. David was a man who communed with the Lord. As stated in our verse above, he prayed to the Lord "evening, and morning, and at noon." Now we go to school or work, which makes it hard to pull out your Bible in the middle of your day. Nevertheless, I would encourage you to stop everything and just pray. Slow down your life. Pray to the Lord and draw closer.

Daniel gives us this same example. No matter what was happening that day he as consistent to pray three times a day. It became such a habit that others were noticing. Communion with the Lord is what our lives are about. Take a break from the world and greet Him in the morning, at noon, and at night.

Psalm 54

"They have not set God before them." Psalm 54:3

There is soemthing more unique about the Psalms than any other book. The rest of th books in the Bible are written after the fact. They are written after the Israelites marched out of Egypt, after Daniel was in the Lion's den, after Nineveh repented. Psalms are written in the midst of the suffering. You looking at david's faith in real time.

David speaks about the strangers that had risen against David. Not only were there strangers, but also some of Davids close friends! David feels trapped. He must have felt like the whole world was against him. Despite this he says, "they have not set God before them."

God was set before David. he was the leader of his life. Though the whole world turn on David, this psalmist knew that God had not. What faith! In comparison, we are under very little tribulation. My trials are small compared to those of Davids. Despite this, I find myself not trusting like I should. How often my first reaction is still my flesh. I want to grow to be like David. Not matter what, I want to have God before my eyes. Maybe I should start with waking up early enough to write the devos :)