Reflections on a few Psalms
Psalm 27
One
Thing I
Will Ask
One
thing I ask
of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the
Lord all
the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek
him in his
temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will
hide me high upon a rock. Psalm 27: 4-5 (NIV)
I remember one
of the Sunday school teachers I had very well. I don’t remember any of
the
lessons but I do remember Mrs. Davison. I remember her because she
cared about
her students and loved Jesus. She was always talking about the things
she
prayed for and how God answered. Every week she told us about specific
answers
to her prayers. She prayed about everything. She prayed for parking
spaces,
purchases, her family, direction, what to wear, where to go and what to
say and
do. Prayer was natural for her (like breathing), she prayed about
things I
never thought about praying for.
One day Mrs. D
mentioned that she prayed daily for each of us, her students. I
couldn’t get
that out of my mind. I knew she meant it. I knew she was actually
praying for
me and my friends.
God used Mrs. D
to show me that God is real, alive and active. She was constantly aware
God
presence. She helped me see the beauty and wonder of the Lord Jesus.
King David was
preoccupied with the person of God. He wanted to be close to God, see
and
appreciate God’s beauty. His priority was to seek God’s face. The one
thing he
asked God for was to enjoy the constant presence of God. He wanted to
be close
to God, see and appreciate His beauty.
In the day of
trouble the enemies of our soul are powerless before a Savior like our
God.
Psalm
42
Thirst
for God
As
the deer
pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul
thirsts
for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalm 42: 1-2
(NIV)
I’ve been
extremely thirsty. It is always refreshing to finally get a drink of
water.
There have also been times when I’ve asked, “Where is God?” I wanted to
hear
from God but experienced nothing but silence.
The writer of
Psalm 42 is in deep distress. He is in tears. His enemies mock him.
Remembering
better times only increases the pain. He wants again to experience the
refreshing presence of God. He is like a deer being chased by a
dangerous
predator whose mouth is dry. The deer’s need for water is desperate. In
the
same way the writer’s thirst for God is intense.
b
Why
are you
downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,
for I
will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42:5) The most
important
conversations we have are often the conversations we have with
ourselves. The
writer of Psalm 42 prayed honestly, cried, talked to himself and
reminded
himself of God’s character.
Faith and hope
argue with fear and sorrow in our mind. In this case faith and hope in
the
living God win. God is trustworthy; grace gives us hope. When distress
is
overwhelming there are sound reasons to trust in God, who never changes.
Psalm
63
A
Thirsty Soul
O
God, you are
my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs
for you,
in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the
sanctuary and beheld your glory. Because your love is better than life,
my lips
will glorify you.
Psalm 63: 1-3 (NIV)
When I am
dealing with problems, loneliness or sorrow my soul can become dry,
tired and
weary. My greatest need is God.
The
introduction to this Psalm says, “A Psalm of David when he was in the
wilderness of Judah.” David has had to flee for his life. He is tired
and
weary; there is no relief. He is thirsty. There is no water. David has
experienced God’s power and glory in the past and this encourages him.
This
situation gives him a deep thirst for God. He cannot get God out of his
mind.
God’s love is better than life.
The answer to
my spiritual dryness and weariness is found in God. The problems we
face are
real but God is more real. He is not a stranger. He is near to us. He
is
compassionate. He cares. He is the lover of my soul.
My
soul will be
satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will
praise
Him.
Psalm 63: 5.
Psalm
84
The
House of
God
Better
is one
day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a
doorkeeper in
the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. Psalm 84:10 (NIV)
There are some
Sundays when I am tempted to skip church. It may be because I’m tired,
discouraged or I just don’t want to be around people. But I go to
church
anyway.
I’ve been going
to church and Sunday school every week since I was child. I don’t think
much
about it. It’s a deeply ingrained habit. I take it for granted.
Every week when
I attend a worship service I pray, meditate, listen to God’s Word read,
confess, sing praises and remember the life, death and resurrection of
Christ as
a part of the service. Every week I am reminded of the gospel and my
need for
Christ. I look around and see others worshiping, just like me. No
matter what
has happened during the rest of the week, God graciously provides me
with what
I need to keep my heart from becoming hard.
When I am
spiritually “dry” I still pray, listen to God’s Word, confess and think
about
God’s goodness when I attend church. I am encouraged in my walk with
God. I
find myself praying in church when it seems impossible to pray. Others
pray for
me when I can’t. I find myself confessing sin and repenting when I
wasn’t
planning on it. I might not have picked up my Bible or prayed all week,
but my
heart is softened when I hear God’s Word read. I am reminded of
Christ’s death
and experience His grace in the Lord’s Supper. I see others around me
and I
know that I am not alone.
How
lovely is
your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for
the
courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Psalm 84:
1-2
The church is
God’s lovely and gracious gift to us.
Psalm 130
Forgiveness
Out of
the depths I cry to you, O God; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be
attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O
Lord,
who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are
feared. I
wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
Psalm 130:
1-5 (NIV)
I avoid thinking about my own sin. I reason that I'm not as
bad as most
other people. I'm a good guy. So why sweat it?
The writer of Psalm 130 asks a very powerful question: If
you, O Lord, kept
a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? If God did keep a
record of sin,
then there would be no hope for us. That is the real problem we face.
We are
all answerable to God. The real reason I avoid thinking about my sin is
that I
sin and I don't like to think about it. It would be a very long
embarrassing
record. Sin permeates my thoughts, motives and actions every
day. Even the
good I do is tainted by sin.
Thankfully, with God there is forgiveness. Because
of God's unfailing
love there is complete forgiveness and full redemption in Jesus Christ.
Our
amazing redeemer, Jesus Christ, has set us free. All our sin has been
taken
away.
Thinking about my sin and confessing it actually reminds me of God's
unfailing
love. God turns something I don't want to think about into something
quite
amazing.
Psalm 139
What are You Thinking About?
O
Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit down
and
when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going
out and
my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on
my tongue
you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in - behind and before; you
have
laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too
lofty for
me to attain. Psalm 139: 1-6 (NIV)
My wife, Anne, knows me better than anyone else. Many times she knows
exactly
what I am thinking or what I'm about to say. Sometimes she asks me
"What
are you thinking about?" There are definitely times I don't
want to
answer that question. I don't always want to admit what I am
thinking
about. It can be embarrassing. My thoughts can be selfish,
wishful,
strange, foolish or sinful. There are times when it is best for me not
to voice
what I am actually thinking.
God does know what we are thinking all the time. He knows everything
about us.
He knows our thoughts. He knows when we sit down and when we stand up.
He knows
every word that we speak before we even say them. He knows our past; he
knows
our future. He knows us intimately and completely. No one knows us
better than
God.
My love for Anne is deepened because she knows me so well
- the bad, the
good and the ugly. I am often amazed that someone who knows me so
well loves
me.
The amazing thing about God knowing me completely is that His knowledge
brings
me comfort, peace and confidence. Nothing about us will ever surprise
God. He
sees all of our life. No hidden sin or unexpected weakness will ever
come to
the surface to that will surprise Him or disillusion Him. He knows me
intimately and completely and He still loves me. It is wonderful.
Psalm 145
Praise
I will
exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever.
Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the
Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One
generation
will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.
They
will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will
meditate on
your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome
works, and I
will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant
goodness and
joyfully sing of your righteousness. Psalm 145: 1-7 (NIV)
There are many days when praising God is not easy for me. When I'm
praying my
mind strays to my to-do list. I think of friends who are battling
cancer or who
are deeply hurting, experiencing tragedy and loss. I read or listen to
the news
and it seems like the world is falling apart. It is easy to think of
things to
pray about. It's not easy for me to focus on God and his glory.
Psalm 145 is an acrostic Psalm. Each verse begins with a new letter of
the
Hebrew alphabet. God's glory and greatness are revealed everywhere,
from A to
Z. There are a lot of reasons to praise and exalt God. His creation
displays
his glory. God's power, might, faithfulness, compassion, love,
provision and
grace is evident all around us. This Pslam reminds me that there is a
lot of God's goodness to celebrate! I can't even begin to list
all the
reasons there are to praise God. He is definitely worthy of praise and
adoration.
My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise
his holy
name for ever and ever. Psalm 145: 21
Psalm 146
Hunger Season
He
upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The
Lord
sets the prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the lord
lifts up
those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord
watches over
the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates
the ways
of the wicked. Psalm 146: 7-9 (NIV)
Have you ever said "I'm starving!"? I have. I wasn't close to
actually starving (I never have been) but I was hungry and looking
forward to
eating a good meal.
When I was in Mozambique and Malawi I heard African Christians talk
about
"hunger season." I found out that hunger season is the time of year
when crops have been planted but are not yet ready to harvest. Most of
the
previous harvest has been consumed. There are food shortages
and any food
there is in the market is very expensive. During "hunger season" it
is common for people to live on just 3 or 4 meals a week.
This Psalm gives comfort to the hungry and the oppressed. It encourages
me when
I see oppression and people in need. God cares deeply about the
oppressed, the
hungry, prisoners, refugees, the fatherless and widows.
Psalm 146 also says that God loves the righteous.
That's a BIG problem.
I am not righteous. Fortunately, God provides what we most need.
Christ, the
righteous one, died for my unrighteousness. We have been given the
righteousness of Jesus Christ. Because of Christ we experience God's
love.
"I delight greatly in the Lord: my soul rejoices in God. For
He has
clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of
righteousness
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns
herself
with her jewels." Isaiah 61:10
I also experienced joyful worship in Malawi and Mozambique. I saw
African believers
rejoicing and celebrating God's mercy, grace and love. They understood
that
Christ had clothed them in His righteousness.
More
to come soon....
Bob
Krepps © 2012 & 2013 all rights
reserved