Pondering the Psalms - Psalm 100

Each Sunday I am going to choose a Psalm and write down some brief thoughts on it.


Today I'm looking at Psalm 100 


This is a Psalm for the Thank Offering.

This Psalm falls into three parts:

V. 1-2
What?


V. 3
Who?


V. 4
When & How?


V. 5
Why?

What are we required to do for this thank offering?
Be joyful in our Praise unto the Lord and not just us but all the earth.
Serve the Lord not as a duty but gladly.
Enter His presence with a song on our lips.


Who is this thank offering for?
It is for the Lord and He is God.
He is our creator, we belong to Him and he is our Shepherd who cares for us.

How to give a thank offering to God

When is this thank offering to be given?
It is to be presented to the Lord when we are within the gates of His Holy presence.
Then also when we are even further into His presence. with all Praise and Blessing unto Him.


How is this thank offering to be given?
It is to be presented with all Praise and Blessing unto the Lord our God.


Why should we bring this thank offering?
Because the Lord is good, He loves us continually forever and ever and He is a faithful God.

Where is this thank offering to come from?

From our hearts because of the joy and gladness there.

From the knowledge in our minds of how Good the Lord is to us.

From the honour of being invited into His Holy presence.

From the understanding that there is no-one like our Lord.

Pondering the Psalms - Psalm 15

Each Sunday I am going to choose a Psalm and write down some brief thoughts on it.


Today I'm looking at Psalm 15


This is one of the shorter Psalms in the Bible.

This Psalm falls into only 2 parts:


V. 1
The Question.


V. 2 - 5
The Answer.

The Question.
A very simple direct question from David to the Lord.
There is no doubt about the content.
It only takes one verse.

Who will live with God?

Who will live with God?

The Answer.
Though it is longer than the question, the answer is also simple and direct.
There is also no doubt about the content of it.
It comes from David because God has already laid this in David's heart.
David already knows the mind of God.

It is important to notice that David was able to ask a direct question 
and 
expect a reply.

We can be in that same position 
and 
I hope that we can all be like David and go ahead and ask God directly and simply
about the things that are important to us.

I also hope that we will be like David and have the answer within our being
because
we are walking and talking with God regularly
and 
reading His Word
so that we will know God's intention for this world 
and
His will for us.

Pondering the Psalms - Psalm 25

Each Sunday I am going to choose a Psalm and write down some brief thoughts on it.


Today I'm looking at Psalm 25 


This is another one of the Psalms of David

I'm looking at this Psalm in several parts:

V. 1-2
Where is our Trust?


V. 3
What is the Difference?


V. 4-5
Which Way should we go?


V. 6-7
Whose Grace?


V. 8-10
Who is the teacher?


V. 11-15
Who needs to have respect?



V. 16-22
What should we pray?

Where is our Trust?
It is in God because we know that He will not let us down.


What is the Difference?
The difference lies in the lives of God's people and the lives of those who do not believe and none of God's people need be ashamed about it.

He will not let us down!

Which way should we Go?
God should be the of the utmost importance to us because of our Salvation so we should want to go His way exactly and wait on Him long enough to know His way.

Whose Grace?
Because of His Salvation given to us, we can rely on Him to look on us as we are now and not as we were before.  His Grace covers us now even though we are not perfect.


Who is the Teacher?
The only good and upright being, the Lord God who looks on the humble and keeps His Promise with us.

He keeps His Promises!

Who needs to have Respect?
The one who desires to be taught by God, to prosper in God's way, to be the friend of God, to be under the protection of God and to know that great bound with God.


What should we Pray?
We should bare all to the Redeemer of our souls.
The troubles on our hearts, our need of His Forgiveness, the protection we desire, the Grace that only He can give.

So who do we thrust and why?

We trust God

 because

 He keeps His promises

 and

 will not let us down.

Oh that we would be humble and walk in His way.

Learning from Him and His Word and not from the words of others.

Pondering the Psalms - Psalm 24

Each Sunday I am going to choose a Psalm and write down some brief thoughts on it.


Today I'm looking at Psalm 24 


This is a Psalm of David

This Psalm falls into 4 parts:

V. 1-2
The Earth and Everyone belong to God

V. 3-4
Not everyone will stand in God's Holy Place

V. 5-6
Blessing on Holiness

V. 7-10
The King of Glory

All is God's.
Surely we should remember that everyone and everything ultimately belong to God when praying for people, our city, our nation.


God's Holy Place.
We also need to pray that we and others will have clean hands and pure hearts because we desire to be able to dwell in God's Holy Place.
We should pray for protection in all that we do to keep ourselves Holy to the Lord.

This is where we should desire to live

God's Blessing.
As we keep ourselves Holy God will give us His Blessing.


The King of Glory.
Strength and might describe our King of Glory.
The Lord of Hosts who is the Lord above all else is our King of Glory.

We have talked about the Holy Place
and how we must live to be able to enter it.

But it is not how Holy or clean or pure we may be that will make this Place Holy,

it is Holy because of the 

Holy, perfect Lord of all 

who will be resident there.

Pondering the Psalms - Psalm 121

Each Sunday I am going to choose a Psalm and write down some brief thoughts on it.


Today I'm looking at Psalm 121 



This is one of the Psalms of Ascent

This Psalm falls into three parts:


V. 1-2
Question
Answer



V. 3-4
God's deeds towards us
God's character for our benefit



V. 5-8
Reassurance & examples of all that God is doing for us

Question & Answer.
I believe that the Psalmist is looking up in awe and wonder because He knows the greatness of God.

The question is not a pleading or desperate one it is one that he already knows the answer to and finds comfort from it.  There is the feeling of the Psalmist resting content in his knowledge that God is in control of everything.

We must recognize the greatness of God

God's Deeds & Character.
Even though God is the great creator of all things He cares about us so much that He is always looking after us.  Continually aware of what help we need and not slacking on the job but ever awake and alert.

The Psalmist uses repetition here to stress just how important it is for us to know that God is always awake.  He doesn't nod off, doesn't take a siesta, doesn't take a cat nap.  He doesn't even let his eyes droop on us.
I have previously written about how encouraging that is for us in Forty Winks


Reassurance & Examples.
Again just to make sure we have taken in the awe and wonder that the Psalmist has of our great God; he gives us examples of what God does and we are left with complete reassurance that YES everything we need will come from God.

Oh how important it is that we see the greatness of God 

and

the One who is in control

but also that 

He cares so much for us 

that 

He is constantly looking after us.

Pondering the Psalms - Psalm 37

Each Sunday I am going to choose a Psalm and write down some brief thoughts on it.




Today I'm looking at Psalm 37

Many of the verses in this Psalm exhort us to do something and then we will see God work in us or around us.


V. 3
Trust in the Lord
We will dwell safely


V. 4
Take delight in God
We will gain the desires of our heart


V. 5-6
Commit our ways to God
He will act on our behalf


V. 7-11
Be still and wait patiently on God
The wicked will be cut off and we will possess the Land


V. 16-17
Be righteous
God will uphold us


V. 23-24
Walk in the steps that delight the Lord
He will establish us


V. 27-29 &  32-33
Depart from evil and do good
We will abide forever because God will not forsake His saints

It is important that we know how God desires that we live our lives

V. 30
Speak as a righteous person
God will give us the wisdom to be just


V. 31
Keep the law of God in our hearts
Our steps will not slip


V. 34
Wait on the Lord and keep to His Way
He will exalt us to possess the Land


V. 37
Be a person of peace
God will prosper us


V. 40
Take refuge in God
He will help, deliver and save us

It is important we know how God desires to work in our lives

but 

it is more important 

that we know how God desires that we live our lives.

Pondering the Psalms - Psalm 98

Each Sunday I am going to choose a Psalm and write down some brief thoughts on it.


Today I'm looking at Psalm 98


This is one of Encouragement to Praise.

This Psalm falls into four parts:


V. 1-3
We are Encouraged to Sing a New Song to the Lord

V. 4-6
We are Encouraged to Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord



V. 7-8
Nature is Encouraged to Praise the Lord



V. 9
We are Encouraged because We know the Lord is going to return.

Sing a New Song.

Why?

Because The Lord has

• Done marvelous things
• Got the victory
• Shown His steadfast Love & faithfulness.

Make a Joyful Noise.

How?

By

• Singing praises with joy
• Using various instruments & melody

Nature's Praise.

Yes even Nature is encouraged to Praise the Lord.

Why?

Because all of Nature is the beautiful creation of God and speaks to us of His awesomeness.




The Lord's Return.

Yes everything must Praise the Lord.

Why?

Because of the knowledge that He is going to return and when He returns He will judge the world.

How?

He will judge righteously and fairly.

We can be so thankful that we have a 
loving
fair
gracious
merciful
God

who has looked past our unrighteousness
&
sees the righteousness of Jesus in us.

We should be thankful?

So we do not need to fear His return
and
the judgement to follow
if we are truly
redeemed by Christ.

Pondering the Psalms - Psalm 67

Each Sunday I am going to choose a Psalm and write down some brief thoughts on  it.


Today I'm looking at Psalm 67 


This is another short Psalm

For me this Psalm falls into four parts:

V. 1
A Blessing


V. 2
An Effect


V. 3-6
A Song of Praise


V. 7
A Result

A Blessing.
The mercy of God shown to us is a great blessing.
The kindness and love of God adds to that.
Everything is contained in His Grace to us, blessings to us and His love shining on us
Notice the Selah - so we stop and ponder here on this verse especially.

An Effect.
Blessing others brings the goodness and stability of God's love upon the world.
As He shines on us we will shine to the world so they will see His love through our love for them.



A Song of Praise.
Everyone should Praise God.
How can we not Praise Him when we are thankful for all His Blessings to us.
We should praise Him for all that He is and how He blesses us.
God's Righteous deeds should bring gladness & joy throughout the world.
Through our Praise of God others will come to know Him and Praise Him too.
As people turn to the true God in Praise, His Blessings will flow.



A Result.
Such a blessing to be poured out by God that all the world will know the effects of this and will know that it is the hand of God.

It is important we remember what blessing means.

It is the bestowing of
God's favour and protection upon someone.

What more could we ask for?

What else could we possibly ask for our broken world.

Pondering the Psalms - Psalm 126

Each Sunday I am going to choose a Psalm and write down some brief thoughts on  it.


Today I'm looking at Psalm 126

This is one of the shorter more well-known Psalms



This Psalm falls into two parts:


V. 1-3
Surprise at the change of events
Rejoicing by the children of God
Acknowledgement by onlookers
Proclamation by the children of God


V. 4-6
Expecting more from God
Proclaiming the joy that is still to come.




Surprise.

Are we prepared for the great things God will do among us, or is it all a shock when it happens?

Sometimes we get used to not seeing our prayers answered straight away and can get into a state of asking but not totally believing and expecting daily.

Are we prepared for the great things God will do among us?

Rejoicing.
Do other people notice how we are rejoicing over great answers to our prayers and what has been happening to us?
We need to make sure others can see just how God is working in our lives.

Acknowledgement.
It is wonderful when others can see and admit that the events in our lives are ordered by God.


Proclamation.
Do we say and proclaim what God is doing among us?
Others need to see the way we know the hand of God in our lives and also how joyful we are because of it.


Expecting.
When we see God working we are encouraged to look for more of the work of His Hand on our lives and the lives of others.


Proclaiming.
We know the goodness of God and we know what He has said He will do, so we can look forward to further rejoicing and we should encourage others by reminding them of this.

It is not always easy, we do not see our prayers answered immediately and in exactly the way we would hope for.

Sometimes there is distress, anguish & sorrow as we pray for others 
and as we try to witness to them.


Tears of :
sorrow for sin
sympathy with others
tenderness in prayer.



But

there will be harvests of joy after the sorrow

We need to encourage others that there is joy after the sorrow

because 

those who sow in the tears of godly sorrow

shall reap in the joy of a sealed pardon

& a settled peace