Psalm 75

Yesterday I wrote: "I don't know who Asaph is -- to which this Psalm is attributed. I don't know when it was written. But it seems to me that it was either written during the time of Judah's defeat ... or ... it was prophecy."

I have a good friend who became my volunteer research assistant! Her research prompted me to look a little further. While the overwhelming number of Psalms are "Psalms of David," twelve Psalms are attributed to Asaph -- Ps 50 and 73-83. At the time when David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem (about 1025 BC), Asaph -- a Levite, a priest -- served in the house of the Lord (see 1 Chron. 6). Asaph was, therefore, a contemporary of David which would mean yesterday's Psalm was prophecy.

However ... Asaph's sons (see 1 Chron. 25) and Asaph's future descendants (see Ezra 2) would wind up serving in the house of the Lord over the course of the next many generations. Therefore, some would argue, the historical specificity in this Psalm implies that this Psalm was written at a much later date and was simply attributed to the line and lineage of Asaph rather than to Asaph himself. In fact, this was not uncommon in ancient days.

Does it matter?

No.

And yes.

In one sense it doesn't matter at all when a prayer was written. It describes people turning to God in challenging circumstance, and it can prompt me to pray during my own challenging circumstances. So no, it doesn't matter whether this Psalm was written during the time of David and Asaph (about 1025 BC) or during the time of Asaph descendants and the destruction of the Temple (586 BC).

On the other hand it does matter. It matters a lot. Some cannot accept the ability to prophesy. Rather than believe that God knows the future -- holds it in his hands and occasionally communicates it to his servants -- they look for different datings and rational reasons to explain away the power of God and the clarity of the scriptures.

Could a servant of God in 1025 BC have caught a glimpse of what was going to happen in 586 BC? To say "no" puts God in a box.

Now, I don't know when this Psalm was written. It honestly doesn't matter to me. What does matter is that I believe that God knows the future, holds it in his powerful hands, and can communicate it to his servants if he so chooses! Indeed, what matters is that I believe that Isaiah really could foretell the coming of Jesus, the suffering servant (Isaiah 53). What matters is that I believe that the Messiah knew the future and knew his fate when he "began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised" (Matt 16:21). What matters is that I take scripture and the power and promises of God serious enough that I will "42 keep awake [because I] do not know on what day [the] Lord is coming" (Jesus in Matt 24:42).

To me, today's Psalm is a "keep awake" kind of Psalm.

Let us start by saying, "1 We give thanks[, O God,] because you are near."

Let us trust enough in God's power that we can be one of the "1 people everywhere [who] tell of [God's] mighty miracles."

Let us believe firmly in a God who tells us that he whispers to prophets and says to us, "2 'At the time I have planned, I will bring justice against the wicked.'"

"3 When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil ... 5 Don't lift your fists in defiance." No! Let us look instead for God's purposes. Let us look again to scripture. Let us look for God himself, for w-ho else "6 can raise another person up[?] 7 It is God alone who judges."

Let us continue to sing, "9 I will always proclaim what God has done; I will sing praises to the God of Israel."

God, I believe you are more awesome than my logic.

Help me put aside my pride and discover your power more fully.

Help me keep awake and see more fully

your plans and purposes in my day.

Psalm 74

A quick history lesson to make sense of this Psalm.

After the rein of King David -- and Solomon, his son -- the kingdom of Israel split into two pieces.

The north -- called Israel -- was ruled by a series of evil kings. Evil was defined by scripture as worshiping other gods. The north abandoned God totally, so God took his hand of protection off of Israel, and when the Assyrians attacked in about the year 722 BC the people of Israel were conquered, dispersed, and they literally disappeared ... forever.

The south -- called Judah (from which we get the term "Jews") -- had a more checkered history. Some Southern kings were good, meaning they loved, feared, and worshiped God. Some Southern kings were evil, bowing down to foreign gods. Most of the kings were lukewarm. With their words they honored God, but with their actions they allowed the places of worship for the pagan gods to remain in Judah. And just so you know ... lukewarm was judged as harshly as blatant evil.

In about the year 586 BC God took his hand of protection off of Judah and allowed Babylon to conquer them.

Wait ... this fate for Judah was more than predictable. In fact, God sent prophet after prophet to the Judeans, warning them of their impending fate and calling them to return to the Lord their God instead. They didn't turn to God, of course; nevertheless, God did not allow a permanent defeat like Israel faced. After all, he'd promised David an eternal kingdom and Abraham descendents as numerous as the stars. Nevertheless, for their rebellion, God's people suffered a generation or two of exile, until, in the days of Ezra of Nehemiah, they were allowed to return and Jerusalem became again their happy home.

And now the Psalm ...

Most Psalms were written by King David, during, obviously, the time of David. I don't know who Asaph is -- to which this Psalm is attributed. I don't know when it was written. But it seems to me that it was either written during the time of Judah's defeat ... or ... it was prophecy.

Listen and see if you can hear some of the themes we just discussed: "1 O God ... 2 remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth. 3 Walk through the awful ruins of the city; see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary. 7 They set the sanctuary on fire, burning it to the ground. They utterly defiled the place that bears your holy name [and] 8 burned down all the places where God was worshiped." Historical note: The temple was destroyed (for the first time) in 586 BC, and can't you imagine the people of Judah crying, "9 We see no miraculous signs as evidence that you will save us."

The people of Judah generally hated the prophets -- who adores the constant bearers of bad news who tells you that you aren't being faithful enough -- nevertheless, can't you hear them crying, "9 All the prophets are gone; no one can tell us when it will end. 10 How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to mock you?"

We said before that God permitted all of this to happen by taking his hand of protection (temporarily) off of Judah, and listen to their cry, "11 Why do you hold back your strong right hand?"

And now the question ...

Where is our hope when times are hard?

Our hope comes from remembering.

First, the Psalmist remembers God and his awesome power: "12 You, O God, are my king from ages past, bringing salvation to the earth. 13 You split the sea by your strength ... 15 You caused the springs and streams to gush forth ... 17 You set the boundaries of the earth ... 16 Both day and night belong to you ..." Yes, the Psalmist is reminding God of his power, but he's also recalling instances of God's power and grace for his own benefit. Why? Because, first, our hope comes from remembering how faithful God has been in our past. It's easy to become discouraged by a moment, but when we trace back God's grace throughout our lives, we ground ourselves in God's continual provision.

Second, it's okay to invite God to remember! "19 Don't forget your afflicted people forever," cries the Psalmist, "20 Remember your covenant promises ..." God's memory is surely better than our; therefore, recalling God's promises is also a way to restore our own hope. Why do you think every Christian bookstore has scores of books with the promises of God? Why? Because when times are hard, it's helpful to remember God's promises regarding his love ... his forgiveness ... his healing power ... his grace ... his mercy ... his power ... his protection ... his provision ... We remember -- not so God will remember -- but so that we may be restored.

Remember ... and claim the hope.

Prayer: Create your own today

1. Identify a trial in your life.

2. Go to one of these websites, and

remember and claim a promise of God

to help you in the time of your trial

Psalm 73

Have you ever almost plunged to your death?

Have you ever "come so close to the edge of the cliff that your feet were slipping"?

This Psalm powerfully describes a pit that so deep and perilous -- and subtle -- that millions fall in ... everyday. It's a pit that begins with covetousness and envy. One of the Ten Commandments. One of the seven deadly sins. The Psalmist says ...

"I envied the proud." When? " When I saw the prosper despite their wickedness." That observation poses questions that absolutely haunt the masses. If God is just, why do good die young and why do the evil seem to prosper. "They seem to live such ... painless lives ... They do not seem to be troubled ... with problems like everyone else. Instead they wear their pride like a jeweled necklace." They flaunt their riches. "They boast against the very heavens. They have everything their hearts could ever wish for!"

"Does God realize what is going on?"

How many of us have ever asked that question?

How many of us have tried to cry for justice, but the only cry that seems to ring true is: "Look at these arrogant people – enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. Was it for nothing that I kept my heart pure and kept myself from doing wrong?"

"I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. What a difficult task it was until one day when I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I thought about the destiny of the wicked."

Ahh! He's getting to the point. The troubles -- and riches -- of this world endure for just a twinkling of an eye.

It's eternity that matters.

And ... it's today that matters too.

Why?

Because how we live today determines the destination of all our tomorrows, and luxury and ease "put us on a slippery path." When Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God," he was reminding us of the heart of this Psalm. He was telling us how pride and prosperity can all too easily "send us sliding over the cliff to destruction."

Scripture tells us that if we refuse to realize that "this present life is only a dream that is gone when we awake," we will inevitably become "bitter."

"God ... remain the strength of my heart"

"How good it is to be near God!

I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter.

I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do."

Psalm 72

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

On Good Friday, our next Psalm in order -- Psalm 71 -- wound up being a very appropriate glimpse of some of the themes of the day of crucifixion. How about the next Psalm in order -- Psalm 72 -- will it be a worthy reflection for Easter Sunday?

Psalm 72 is not a "Psalm of David"; the notation at the beginning of this prayer tells us that it is "A Psalm of Solomon." Solomon was, of course, David's son. He would eventually succeed David as King of Israel. Solomon started his career as a very faithful young man. So let's look at the faith of this moment as a leader in waiting prays that the Lord will bless the true king, who happens to be his father. In fact, let's look at that as the context for our Easter prayers. Let's consider ourselves leaders in waiting and let's pray that God the Father will bless the resurrected king, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, let's imagine that it's Easter Sunday evening. The dark fear of the last few days has finally been eclipsed by the resurrected light. Imagine the disciples sitting down to dinner -- still a little confused, minds still reeling -- but making toasts over their meal:

+ Peter says, "5 May he live as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon continues in the skies. Yes, forever!"

+ James lifts the next glass, "6 May his reign be as refreshing as the springtime rains – like the showers that water the earth."

+ John says, "7 May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be abundant prosperity until the end of time."

+ Andrew says, "8 May he reign from sea to sea."

+ Matthew says, "12 He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them."

+ Bartholomew says, "15 May the people always ... bless him all day long."

+ Simon the Zealot says, "17 May the king's name endure forever."

+ Thaddeus says, "17 May all nations [choose to] be blessed through him."

+ Peter raises his cup again: "15 Long live the king!"

+ And all the disciples lift theirs in unison, crying, "19 Bless his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen!"

You are a leader in training. Like the disciples on Easter Sunday evening, you may not now or ever understand all the details of God and faith and resurrection; nevertheless, what's your toast? What does Easter leave you cheering in your heart? What does our world need most? Pray for that. Pray that his kingdom may advance in this coming year. And pray that you may be a stronger leader in that march.

Generous God,

in one sense, the resurrection happened two thousand years ago;

therefore, the thing that needs resurrected today is me.

In another sense, let me not forget that

the resurrection is always in the present tense --

Christ IS risen!

Help that be my victory cry.

Remind me always that your Son is always with me,

that he is -- present tense --

my confidant, my intercessor, my brother, my king, my friend.

Psalm 71

Today is Good Friday.

It is the day Jesus gave his life for us on the cross.

Therefore, I can't help it. On this day of darkness, love, and sacrifice, I can't help but hear this Psalm as it was being prayed from Jesus' nail-scarred perspective.

It was the first few words that did it. I could immediately hear the cry as if it came from the one who was battered and bruised upon the cross: "1 O LORD, you are my refuge; never let me be disgraced."

A few hours before the crucifixion, Jesus prayed the garden: "Let this cup pass from me." It was a "2 Rescue me! Save me ... !"-type-of-prayer. And just as in the garden, I have no trouble believing that in the midst of his agony his prayers oscillated on the cross -- as they did in the garden -- between "2 turn your ear to listen and set me free" and "not my will but thy will be done."

In the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry, Satan tempted Jesus by encouraging him to leap from a cliff. Why? Because legions of angels would catch him and bear him up. Do we have any doubt, therefore, that on the day that evil tried to conquer, that Satan was tempting again? When the crowds mocked, "Come down from that cross," I'm sure that evil was urging the Messiah to say, "3 Give the order to save [yourself]," cry out to your legions of angels, "4 rescue me from ... the clutches of cruel oppressors." But obviously, the winning cry from Jesus' heart was: "5 O Lord, you alone are my hope ... 6 [Y]ou have been with me from birth; from my mother's womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you!" Indeed, is it any wonder that Jesus cried, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit"?

We could keep on with the parallels to the cross -- "10 my enemies are whispering against me. They are plotting together to kill me. 11 They say, "God has abandoned him." Yes, we could surely keep on with these similarities, but here's where I want to land to today ... Can't you imagine Jesus saying, "7 My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection. 8 That is why I can never stop praising you."

How is Jesus -- especially on Good Friday -- an example to us?

How? Because we each face trials and temptations. And see if the words of the Psalmist -- and the witness of our crucified savior -- aren't infinitely better ways to deal with trials than the world's ways of stress, anger, withdrawal, and depression.

+ Hope + "14 I will keep on hoping for you to help me."

+ Praise + "14 I will praise you more and more."

+ Remembrance of Help in Former Circumstances + "15 All day long I will proclaim your saving power, for I am overwhelmed by how much you have done for me."

+ Witness to Help in Former Circumstances + "15 I will tell everyone about your righteousness."

+ An Unwillingness to Give Up + "18 Now that I am old and gray ... let me proclaim your power to this new generation ... to all who come after me."

+ Perspective + "20 You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again."

+ Thanksgiving + "23 I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for you have redeemed me."

Prayer: verse 3 of the classic Good Friday Hymn,

O Sacred Head Now Wounded

What language shall I borrow
to thank thee, dearest friend,
for this thy dying sorrow,
thy pity without end?
O make me thine forever;
and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
outlive my love for thee.

Psalm 70

At the beginning of most Psalms is a small print notation. This is actually part of scripture, and today's reads: "A psalm of David, to bring us to the LORD's remembrance."

The phrase -- "to bring us to the Lord's remembrance" -- has a wonderful, old fashioned flavor. The classic holy week song sings the same kind of sentiment more directly: "Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom." "Jesus, remember me," came from the mouth of one of the criminals who was dying on the cross. David's situation -- or your situation or mine -- may not be quite as dire as the criminal on the cross; nevertheless, David has a similarly plaintive set of words in today's Psalm: "1 Please, God, rescue me! 5 I am poor and needy; please hurry to my aid."

That's the context. Worry. Fear. Desperation.

A lot of Psalms are like that.

Here's what sets this Psalm apart for me: "4 May all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness." The me, myself, and I's of the heartfelt cries in the rest of the Psalm suddenly give way to a deeper concern for others.

Yes, we all have moments of "1 rescue me," but it's not just about "me." David's deeper cry is that all of the ups and downs of life may cause all of us to "4 search for [God]" and not just search for him, but find in him "4 joy and gladness."

Paul put that same sentiment in this way -- Acts 17:27-28 -- "27 ... so that [we] would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 28 For 'In him we live and move and have our being.'"

That's what this Psalm is about for me. David wants us all to find frequent occasions to "4 repeatedly shout, 'God is great!'" Why? Because it's both the heartfelt cries and the shouts of joy that "bring us [indeed] to the Lord's remembrance." It's both. (And actually our prayers probably bring God the greatest joy when we cry both simultaneously. It's the praises from the pit that are, perhaps, the truest praise.)

David models just that in the last verse of today's Psalm. He cries in urgent desperation, "5 please hurry to my aid, O God," and then in the same breath he cries out in confidence, "5 [because] you are my helper." Confidence, faith, and trust are forms of praise.

In a world of distraction,

you are God!

"4 [You are] great"

and greatly to be praise.

You are bigger than my obstacles.

You are light in my darkness.

You are God, my God,

and I worship you.

Help me in my need.

Psalm 69

Quicksand.

David describes it like this: "2 Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can't find a foothold to stand on. ... 3 I am exhausted from crying for help."

Quicksand. "1 Floodwaters." Have you ever felt like you were going under?

I've had many friends with chronic illnesses. Some are in constant pain. Some are exhausted by disease. Some have taught me a great deal about true faith. Think about an illness that never seems to get better and pain that only grows worse: "13 But I keep right on praying to you, LORD, hoping this is the time you will show me favor."

David talks about "22 the bountiful table set before [us] becom[ing] a snare." I don't know about you, but when things are good, I generally pat myself on the back rather than patting God on the back and saying thanks. The great irony of the faith is that bounty can often lead to selfishness while pain often leads to faith.

I was showing this pattern to the kids in youth group last night, and I said, "So who wants to pray for really bad times so that our faith can grow." Zero hands went up. Imagine that.

So maybe that's not the key. What is? A seventh grader, wise beyond his years, said, "Maybe in good times we should say thanks." Thankfulness points us beyond ourselves -- which is the trap of good times and plenty.

Therefore, the secret is being thankful in good times and staying connected in bad times. So do turn away when times are hard, "13 but I keep right on praying to you."

Gracious God, like all people, I have hard times in my life.

"15 Don't let the floods [which are _______] overwhelm me."

I am "1 up to my neck [with _______];

"14 pull me out of the mud [and] don't let me sink any deeper!"

"30 I will honor [you] with thanksgiving,

31 for this will please [you] more than sacrificing an ox."

Help me to embrace the harder times and make me more humble

for "32 the humble will see their God at work and be glad."

Help me see you in all circumstances God and "32 live in [greater] joy."

Psalm 68

Here's the picture that David invites us to see when we pray this Psalm. Since the time of Pharaoh, Israel has been in the wilderness. Sometimes in the literal wilderness of Sinai. Sometimes in the wilderness of war and "1 enemies." Always in a wilderness because they were looking for a permanent home.

But today -- and David invites us to imagine it -- "24 Your procession has come into view, O God – the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary."

Jerusalem is the new capital -- the city of David, the city of God. Imagine the Ark of the Covenant -- and the presence of God -- being carried into the sanctuary. "25 Singers are in front, musicians are behind; with them are young women playing tambourines. 26 Praise God, all you people of Israel; praise the LORD, the source of Israel's life. 27 Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way. Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah (another tribe) and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali (more tribes, all the tribes)."

All of Israel is rejoicing and David prays: "28 Summon your might, O God. Display your power ... as you have in the past." It's a time of victory. Israel has arrived. They are now a great nation, and as David cries, "scatter the nations that delight in war," they pray for peace and prosperity.

Frequently, you and I pray for peace and prosperity too. This is our song of victory too because listen to how David describes our God. God is ...

+ "5 [the] Father to the fatherless"

+ "5 [the] defender of widows"

+ "6 [the one who takes care of] the lonely [by] placing [them] in families"

+ "1 scatter[er] [of] enemies"

+ "2 [the one in whose] presence [we can be] glad"

+ "9 [the one who] sen[ds] rain [and] refresh[es] the weary Promised Land"

+ "10 [the one who has] provided for [his] needy people"

+ "11 The [one who] announces victory"

+ "13 [the one who covers us with] silver and gold [and whatever other earthly blessing we have], [just] as a dove is covered by its wings."

+ "6 [the one who] sets the prisoners free and gives them joy"

That's God. That's the Savior. That's the deliver. That's the Messiah too! When John the Baptist sent his followers to ask Jesus if he was the one, "4 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me" (Matthew 11).

So ... the cross is empty, the tomb is vacant, the procession is going up to Zion, God is on his throne ... now, what do we do? "32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praises to the Lord."

Actually, let's turn these final verses into today's prayer:

"32 [I] sing to [you, O God].

[I] sing praises to the Lord.

33 [I] sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens,

[I bow before your] mighty voice [which] thunder[s] from the sky.

34 [Help me] tell everyone about [your] power, [give me boldness to proclaim].

[Just as your] majesty shines down on Israel, [shine down on me].

[Your] strength is mighty in the heavens, 35 [you are] awesome in [your] sanctuary.

[You] gives power and strength to [your] people.

[Give power to me today to face all that I have ahead of me.]

Praise be to God!

Psalm 67

"May"

Yes, I know we're only two days into April, but "may" is the big word for today. Virtually every petition -- at least in my New Living Translation -- begins with "may." There are three ways, though, that "may" is being used.

"May" is a verb. It is often used to express opportunity or even permission. The first way that "may" is being used is to invite God -- opportunity and permission -- to "1 be merciful and bless," to let "1 his face shine with favor upon us." God surely doesn't need our permission to do anything! Nevertheless, he often chooses to work most fully in hearts and spaces where he's invited.

"May" is a verb, and sometimes it is used to express a desire or wish. The second way that "may" is being used is reflect the hope that "2 [God's] ways ... may ... be known throughout the earth, [that his] saving power [might be known] among people everywhere."

Finally, "may" is a verb that reflects a proper course of action. Listen to the desire in this "may" as the Psalmist says, "3 May the nations praise you, O God." That is the proper course of action. But how many countries follow that path. The Psalmist says, "4 How glad the nations will be ... because you govern them with justice," but how many nations -- and how many leaders -- trade in God's leadership for human power.

"5 [When] all the nations praise you," says the Psalmist, "6 then the earth will yield its harvests, and God, our God, will richly bless us." I rendered that statement a little more as an "if / then" than it is really is; nevertheless individuals and nations who are seeking harvests and blessings "may" do well to start by evaluating the quality of their praise. I believe that God generally chooses to bless situations that he's invited to bless, and I believe that he generally keeps his hands and his blessings away from situations where he's ignored. Not completely! God is always stirring and wooing. But when he's looking for places to pour his blessings, I believe that he looks for openings. Even little ones!

The call I hear at the end of today's lesson is to pray for our nation. To pray for the nations. This week, the "global economic crisis" has brought twenty national leaders to London. The gathering of world leaders has brought protesters to the streets. The twenty best minds in the world -- or at least the twenty best politicians in the world (which is not the same thing) -- are debating ways out of this mess. According to this morning's headlines, France and Germany are pushing in one direction (tougher regulation) while the U.S. and Britain are pressing in another (more bailouts). What the headlines didn't say was that "3 the nations [were] prais[ing] God."

Human wisdom will only carry us so far, and if we want to seek the harvests and the blessings, then we need to seek God.

True statement, right?

Now let's apply it to our own lives. How far will your human wisdom or my hard work carry us. If you and I want blessings in our life, where do we need to start today?

Psalm 145:1-9

1 I will praise you, my God and King,

and bless your name forever and ever.

2 I will bless you every day,

and I will praise you forever.

3 Great is the LORD!

He is most worthy of praise!

His greatness is beyond discovery!

4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts.

5 I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor

and your wonderful miracles.

6 Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;

I will proclaim your greatness.

7 Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;

they will sing with joy of your righteousness.

8 The LORD is kind and merciful,

slow to get angry, full of unfailing love.

9 The LORD is good to everyone.

He showers compassion on all his creation.

Psalm 66

What is your purpose on this earth?

Pastor Rick Warren has spent his entire ministry researching, trying to answer that question. After a lifetime's worth of biblical analysis he's said that we have five purpose-driven reasons for being here.

Why am I telling you this? Because today's Psalm points us toward two of life's greatest purposes -- worship and evangelism. The pattern in today's Psalm is this: "God is '7 power[ful]'; therefore ..."

Let's look at God's power first. The Psalmist says, "5 Come and see what our God has done!" What would you put on your list of God's power? The Psalmist's list includes: "6 He made a dry path through the Red Sea." Power! "7 He watches every movement of the nations." From his powerful perch on high! "7 By his great power he rules forever." His omnipotence knows no end. "9 Our lives are in his hands." And he cares for us personally.

That's the pattern: God is powerful; therefore ... Therefore what? Tell God and tell the world! That's our purpose.

Tell God is worship. The Psalmist says, "3 Say to God, 'How awesome are your deeds!'" Indeed, part of "8 bless[ing] our God and sing[ing] aloud his praises" is listing all those deeds of power. Singing forth a list of God's praise not only honors the Lord but it constantly reminds our distractible consciences about why we praise!

It's like we cry "Oh yeah!" whenever we sing forth that list of praises. "17 [Oh yes! I remember when] I cried out to [the Lord] for help, praising him as I spoke. 18 ... I ... confessed the sin in my heart ... 19 ... God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. 20 Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer and did not withdraw his unfailing love from me."

Our first purpose is to tell God how grateful we are for his power!

Our second purpose is to tell others. "2 Tell the world how glorious he is!"

The fact is this: 1) The world is lost and hungry. 2) God is powerful and can fulfill all those hungers. 3) How will they know?

Part of worship is not just telling God but telling others. Revealing God's light to others honors God more than just our simple praise. It's "praise plus ..." It's praise plus it invites others to praise too. It, indeed, multiplies the praise. And it multiplies the life of the hungry person.

Evangelism is a scary word for many. It seems to imply that "I have to have all the answers." No! All we have to do is say, "5 Come and see what our God has done ... [for me]." All we have to do is say, "I can't imagine my life without his love ... his forgiveness ... his peace ... his grace ...

Who do you know who needs a little more love, peace, or forgiveness? "2 Tell the world how glorious he is!"

Graciously Providing Lord,

I praise you for ____________ in my life.

And for ____________, ______________,

and ______________.

Show me who in my circle of acquaintances

needs a glimpse of that very grace, power, and love.

Give me the opportunity to share that with them

very, very soon.

Psalm 65

There's a rumor about the Old Testament ... that God is an angry God. Judging. Vengeful. Harsh.

Don't listen to rumors!

David knew the God of grace even olden times. "3 Though our hearts are filled with sins," he cheered, "you forgive them all."

And "4 joy" and "4 joys" are the natural response! "13 [S]hout and sing for joy!"

Today, just revel in the love of God as described by David:

___ "2 You answer our prayers ... 5 [Yes,] you faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds."
___ "3 You forgive ... all ... [our] sins."
___ "4 Joys await us inside your holy Temple."
___ "5 O God[, you are] our savior."
___ "5 You are the hope of everyone on earth."

Wait ... we're only part of the way through! Don't just read these. Print them out. Study them. Rate them. What are the three that your heart most needs to hear today? Tape those three on your steering wheel, and every trip you take next week, comfort yourself in the assurance of God's love. Indeed, mile by mile sing of his praise.

___ "6 You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength." O Lord, nothing is too great for you, including my greatest need ____________. Help me, O God.

___ "7 You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations." Silence my doubts and fears, O God.

___ "8 Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy." Slow me down (and wake me up early enough) to celebrate a sunrise, to rejoice in your creation. Lord, help me to worship you!

___"9 You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile." Lord, thank you for the foods we eat. You are generous with the bounty of the earth. Help me "care [for] the earth and [our increasingly fragile] water [supply]."

___ "10 You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges. 9 The rivers of God will not run dry; they provide a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so." Lord, I pray for the people in North Dakota who are facing flood. I'm tempted to ask why the rains that bring harvests also bring destruction? But then I'm forgetting that all of life is a metaphor. I focus so much on the things of this earth, including dry or swollen, that I forget that they should always point me to you. "9 The rivers of God will not run dry," but I will. Baptize me in your rivers.

___ "10 You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops." Bless the vines and fruits in my life.

___ "11 You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance." Soften the hard parts of my heart and crown my year with gladness.

___ "12 The wilderness becomes a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy." Wild deserts, Lord? Those dry places are in my heart. Make them lush! And make the distant hills blossom and blush!

___ "13 The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain." Lord, I love the image of clothing the meadows with sheep. Populate my life so thoroughly with wooly and curly haired blessings that I can't even see the ground.

___ "13 They all shout and sing for joy!" Make joy be my ultimate offering to you today, O Lord.

Psalm 63

"Who will ever notice?"

That line from verse 5 is at the root of a lot of sin.

"If I'm not hurting anyone, what difference does it make?"

If we don't hurt anyone and no one notices, isn't sin like that proverbial tree falling in the forest. If no one's there to hear it, does the tree falling make a sound?

The answer is yes ... especially when it comes to our morals falling. God hears it. God sees in secret. But perhaps that shouldn't be our primary concern. Our greater concern is that our soul hears our morals falling.

Our mind can rationalize all kinds of sin: "It's not that bad." "No one will ever know." "They did something to me first." "Everyone else is doing it." David reminds us that the world is sinful, saying, "5 [we] encourage each other to do evil." "If everyone else is doing it, then I'm okay."

Eventually we get to the final rationalization which is "I'm not hurting anybody but me." But you see the truth, don't you? We are hurting ourselves. We're damaging our soul. We're placing a wedge between us and God.

Laying a brick is one of my favorite explanations of sin. "It's just one brick," comes the rationalization. And one brick at a time doesn't seem that bad ... until we look up and realize that we've built a wall between ourselves and others, a wall between ourselves and God.

The Good News is that God is in the demolition business! His greatest desire is to tear down those walls of sin and division.

His greatest challenge ... is us. Our God is gracious. He's constantly giving and forgiving. But to bring the whole wall down, he waits for permission, and the permission starts when we begin to tear down the wall between our self-justifying mind and our God-hungering soul. We need to quit excusing sin and start confessing it. Indeed, we are invited to quit laying bricks and start discovering God's amazing grace.

Rather than a prayer at the end, I'll give you a saying.

In the mornings, I often log onto whoever's browser is open at our house.

At the end of my son Jay's emails is a quote

from one of the greatest preachers of all time Charles Haddon Spurgeon:

Discernment is not a matter of simply telling

the difference between right and wrong;
rather it is telling the difference

between what is right and almost right.

Psalm 62

I held a lamp in my hand, saying, "Our '11 power' is like this ..."

As I began to describe power in our lives, I walked to the center of the room. The cord caught on the lamp, and as it pulled out of the socket, the light went dark.

I walked back over to the outlet, pluged the light back in, and said, "Our power is like this ..." Again as I walked to the center of the room, the cord disconnected, and the light went out.

Again and again, "Our power is like this ..." and the light went out.

The question to our youth was, "When do we have power?"

Their answer, "When we're connected to our power source."

Indeed, if we want to have light in our lives, I said -- and Jesus, of course, is the light of the world -- then we must stay connected, because as David said, "11 Power, O God, belongs to you."

Power belongs to who?

At the beginning of this Psalm, we may picture David in his fugitive days in the wilderness, saying, "3 so many enemies against one man." But I believe that those are merely reflections in David's rearview mirror. I believe that David is the a king now instructing his people how to pray -- "8 O my people ... pour out your[selves] to him."

How would you define a king? Powerful?

Well, mighty King David is far cry from so many kings and pharoahs who thought themselves gods. David saw himself -- and us -- as momentary clouds of vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. He says essentially that each of us should be as valuable as fog -- which is to say, not valuable at all, "9 nothing at all" -- except that we each have an infinite treasure. Indeed, "7 [our] salvation and honor come from God ... [our] rock [and] refuge."

As David begins to reflect on God's power, he remembers his fugitive days in the wilderness -- he's looking at those events through the rearview mirror.

I actually believe that David is the king now, looking back on his fugitive days in the wilderness. But he says to his people that we are all equal in God's sight "9 from the greatest to the lowliest." Now, compared to the universe-creating power of God, we are in a sense "9 all nothing in his sight. [Indeed,] if you weigh [us] on the scales, [all of us put together] are lighter than a puff of air."

A far cry from the Pharoahs who thought themselves gods, King David saw himself -- and us -- as momentary clouds of vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. "9 If you weigh [us] on the scales," said David, "[we] are lighter than a puff of air," and as valuable as fog.

We are "9 nothing at all" ... in one sense ... and yet we have an infinite treasure: "7 [our] salvation and honor come from God ... [our] rock [and] refuge."

It reminds me of David's words in Psalm 8: "4 what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us? 5 For you made us only a little lower than God, and you crowned us with glory and honor. 6 You put us in charge of everything you made, giving us authority over all things."

By ourselves we are dust, but when we plug into God's power, there is overwhelming light.

Gracious Lord,
help us disconnect from our pride
and connect to your power.
Apart from you we are dust
-- indeed, "lighter than a puff of air" --
but connected to you, we are crowned with glory.
Lord, help me connect more fully to you
and show me your light.

Psalm 61

"2 My heart is over_____."

"Over____" what?

Whelmed.

By itself, "whelmed" is no longer a common word. It means essentially engulfed, upside-down, and drowning. Its more familiar offspring -- "overwhelmed" -- usually adds an emotional component to that upside-down feeling, as in "I feel completely overwhelmed."

Ever been there?

The question is: When? When do you tend to feel emotionally upside-down and defeated?

The next big question: What do you do about it?

As soon as David cries, "2 My heart is overwhelmed," his next words are immediately, "2 Lead me[, therefore,] to the towering rock of safety."

To make sense of this, think about the original meanings of these words. If "whelmed" and "overwhelmed" have their roots in maritime storms -- think wave-pounding, ship-engulfing, fear-of-drowning hurricanes -- then doesn't David's immediate next cry make perfect sense? "2 [If] my heart is [in a hurricane of turmoil and despair, then I need to swim, claw, crawl my way] to the towering rock of safety."

Have you ever seen posters of lighthouses on huge rocks? Thirty-foot waves seem to break upon them from every side. But the lighthouse stands secure on "2 the towering rock of safety." The sturdy lighthouse is a "3 safe refuge, ... 4 [a] shelter [beneath God's] wings." Similarly, w+hen our "2 heart is overwhelmed," we need a "fortress where [our] enemies cannot reach."

What are your enemies? The winds and waves and unpredictability of life? Drowning, despair, depression? Anxiety? Concern about some set of gathering clouds? An overwhelming fear of capsizing? Name your storm, your fear, your concern.

Now ... name your rock.

And be honest.

Do you turn first like David to God and recline beneath "4 the shelter of [his] wings." Or do you turn to your own ability to dig yourself out of the hole? Do you revert old patterns and old defenses? Do you call a friend? I know people who shut-down when times get hard -- overwhelmed. I know others who over-function, trying to juggle more and more balls on their own. I know others who stop and say, "Let us pray."

For chronic over-functioners, stopping to pray seems counter-productive. "We dare not stop. Full-speed ahead," is the over-functioner's motto. But full-speed to where? Full-speed in the wrong direction can be like falling off a boat and swimming frantically. If we aim away from shore, all that our best swimming efforts ultimately do is help us drown sooner.

Stop.

Pray.

Take time to learn where "the rock of safety" is ... and where God is calling you to go.

O Great Rock of Salvation,

I am overwhelmed, drowning,

or at least concerned

in these ways ______________.

But right now I stop.

Right now I pray.

Right now I call to you.

Guide me to your plan, your help,

and your salvation.

Psalm 60

"Hanun seized David's men, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away."

That's a 1 Chronicles 19:4 method of humiliation. And that's the piece of history to which today's Psalm refers.

Two quotes and then the history ...

For me the key line in today's Psalm is "4 you have raised a banner for those who honor you."

And as the victory banner from that Psalm was waving through my thoughts, I looked down at my desk. It's my desk at home, and I saw a note card for my son's upcoming research paper. Stephen Mansfield in "More than Dates and Dead People" says, "God NEVER changes, and human nature is rather constant. We can see the truth in Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 because there truly can be nothing new under the sun."

Look for human nature's constant bumbling as we turn to our history lesson for today -- I Chronicles 19 -- "2 David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father," King Aram-Nahash. Nahash, David's friend, had died, but bad advisors convinced this king's inexperienced son, Hanun, that David's men were there to spy rather than kindly honor a fallen king. So Hanun cut the seat out of their Jewish robes and sent them bare-bottomed, clean-shaven, and humiliated back to David.

And then they realized their mistake.

Then they realized "6 that they had become a stench in David's nostrils" and mustered an army. David, in turn, mustered General Joab who mustered David's army. The Ammonites were defeated, the Arameans were crushed, and all of this was because of human pride and a few bad advisors.
Now, stitch those two quotes and one history lesson together ...

Human nature is constant in its silliness. We are consistent in our pride and posturing, mistakes and failures, bad advice and ability to provoke conflict. God, on the other hand, is constant too. Fortunately, he is constantly looking for an opportunity to raise a victory banner for those who honor him.

I don't know about you, but I'd rather start raising more victory banners than pennants of pride.

And it all starts with "4 honor[ing] [him]."

"11 Oh, [Lord],
please help [me] against [my] enemies,"
whether they are external forces
or internal prides and concerns.
Why? Because "11 all human help is useless.
Rather, help me always and more quickly turn to you.
Because "12 with God's help we will do mighty things."
Lord, "trample down [my] foes
whether they are against me or within me.

Psalm 59

Guess who's getting chased again.

"1 Protect me," cries David, "from those who have come to destroy me. 4 Despite my innocence, they prepare to kill me."

We could obviously -- and again -- focus on the words "2 criminals ... murderers ... 3 ambush ... fierce ... 5 wicked .... 6 snarling ... vicious ... 7 piercing ... sneer ... [and] filth." But that's not the heart of this Psalm.

David's real cry is this: "4 Rise up ... 5 O Lord ... rise up."

+ "9 You are my strength."

+ "9 I wait for you."

+ "9 You, O God, are my place of safety."

+ "10 God will come and help me."

Confidence ... that is the first part of David's real cry. "You have been my refuge, a place of safety in the day of distress. I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love. I will sing about your power." David has a rock, a refuge, a trust; therefore, he sings -- rather than cries -- with confidence and hope.

The second part of this cry/song is perspective. When we hurt, we often lose perspective. We're so caught up in the pain that we can't see the full picture. I often describe depression as living in a tunnel. Imagine looking through the cardboard tube in the middle of a paper towel roll. There's a whole big bright world out there and but through the lens of a narrow cardboard tube and the tunnel of depression, we only a fraction of the world and the only light seems so far away.

We lose perspective.

We fail to see the myriad of options.

David is chased, but he doesn't lose perspective. He has one everlasting option. He has God's "11 power" which shatters the paper towel roll and gives him hope and light. "7 [My enemies] sneer. 8 But you, O Lord, laugh at them." It's so easy to get so caught up in the things of this world, but in many ways, many things are truly minor -- "8 laugh[able]" even -- when we step back and view from an eternal perspective.

David says, "10 In his unfailing love, my God will come and help me. He will [help me] triumph [over] all my enemies."

What are your enemies? And I don't just mean people. What are things in life that get you down? "10 Triumph" is the gift of heaven.

Gracious God,

there are days when I am in a pit.

Break me out of my tunnel

and help me living in your light.

Help me "16 sing about your power."

Help me "16 shout with joy

[this] morning because of your unfailing love."