Psalm 103: Ten Thousand Reasons

When I think of Psalm 103, my mind goes to the song 10000 Reasons (Bless the Lord). Based off an old hymn inspired by this passage, it’s such a relatable, genuine expression of just how much we have to really be thankful for in God. Matt Redman said when writing this song: “We live beneath an unceasing flow of goodness, kindness, greatness, and holiness, and every day we’re given reason after reason why Jesus is so completely and utterly worthy of our highest and best devotion.” Amen, Matt! Everything God does to deserve praise is so abundant & convicting that when we are devoted to worship, living turns into an act of worship, because every little thing we do & everything within us reflects His providence and glorifies Him – “Bless the Lord, o my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.”

This psalm acts as such a refreshing list of just a few of the qualities that paint us a picture of who God is, and act as a good grounding point for me when I need to be reminded of the important things. Reading through, I think: how has God displayed this attribute in my life lately? How can I honor Christ by learning from these qualities & using these lessons to glorify Him through my own thoughts & actions more than the day before? We see throughout this psalm how God is:

  • Forgiving & healing (v. 3)
  • Redeems us from sin (v. 4)
  • Satisfies us, renews us (v. 5)
  • Righteous & just (v. 6)
  • Revealer of all knowledge & wisdom (v. 7)
  • Full of mercy & grace (v. 8)
  • Genuinely forgiving (v. 9)
  • Merciful towards our wrongdoings (v. 10)
  • Boundless in love, all-encompassing (v. 11-12)
  • A sternly compassionate teacher (v. 13)
  • Eternally steadfast (v. 14-17)
  • Rewarding of faithfulness & faithful in kind (v. 18)
  • Sovereignly & ultimately in charge (v. 19)

This only scratches the surface of God’s qualities, but going over all our reasons to praise the Lord is a great reminder of how blessed we really are. Scripture helps & encourages me through these reminders to want to be more Christ-like, to share His love with this world better – increasingly turning my life into an act of worship. Psalm 34:1 is a great missive to this regard: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” I want more and more to be forever singing God’s praises, to where my existence is seen as the act of praise that it is; as Paul put in 1 Phillipians 1:20, “that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” This Psalm rejuvenates me and strengthens my need to surrender my life to Christ and to pray for Him to transform it into a candle of His light and a song of His praise. I ask you join me in prayer today as well, that God could move in & through us that we would sing His praises through our words & all we do. Though this, may our lives be beautiful and contagious songs of his countless blessings and immeasurable glory.

Always With You, Never Changing

Today’s reading is Psalm 102 with the title in my Bible reading, “A Prayer of One Afflicted When He is Faint and Pours Out His Complaint Before the Lord.”

This Psalm begins very sad with the psalmist saying the following…

Hear my prayer, O Lord;

let my cry come to you!

Psalm 102:1

For my days pass away like

smoke,

and my bones burn like a dry furnace.

My heart is struck down like

grass and has withered;

I forget to eat bread.

Psalm 102:3-4

If those verses don’t tell you enough about what a sad state the psalmist is in, read all of Psalm 102:1-11.

What gives you strength in tough times? What provides you comfort in challenging moments? Where does your sense stability come from even during “normal” times? Many may say it’s from a relationship with a spouse, a parent, son/daughter, or friend. This could be good for a period of time, but the reality is it won’t be permanent. We, as well as those we have relationships with, are human…meaning we and they are prone to sin so these relationships could weaken and even end, or they will end because we or they pass away. There is a saying out there about “having faith in people.” Those who know me well have said I tend to always try to find the best in people, and I do like that saying. However, if taken literally and too far…it will eventually leave us feeling let down, lonely, and sad if we rely on people alone.

The psalmist realizes and reminds himself and us there is only One who is truly ALWAYS there for us and will never let us down.

He regards the prayer of the

destitute

and also does not despise their

prayer.

Psalm 102:17

He says a few verses later…

Of old you laid the foundation of

the earth,

and the heavens are the work

of your hands.

They will perish, but you will remain:

they will all wear out like a

garment…

Psalm 102:25-26

And again in verse 27…

But you are the same, and your years have no end.

Psalm 102:27

We see public figures let us down and mess up. We hear about pastors who were not really men/women of God, and we even find out family members who we revered made mistakes because they are well..human like us. Only God will never let us down. Only He is perfect. Only He has always been and always will be there for us. You may be reading this and saying my life is not going as I planned and blaming God, but that’s not because of God..that’s because we live in a world filled with sin which was not in God’s original design. Despite all that’s happened to you, God has been there with you the whole time. He hears your groans, and He cares.

When Jesus called Nathanael to be a disciple in John 1:46, He says “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit.” When Nathanael asked Jesus how he knew Him Jesus says in John 1:47, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” When Nathanael hears this, he immediately calls rabbi or teacher. Some scholars believe Jesus comments hit Nathanael between the eyes because he may have been sitting under the tree not only by himself where only God could have seen him, but also possibly saddened about a recent event or misunderstanding  where he was incorrectly blamed for something and was crying out to God because He had done no wrong. Jesus comments that He not only saw Nathanael, but that He knew there was no deceit in him were not coincidental which is why Nathanael immediately knew He was the Messiah and called Him teacher.

What’s the point? Jesus was there with him. Jesus knew. Jesus cared. Jesus is with you. Jesus knows. Jesus cares. Lean on Jesus. He will always be there for you. The world and people change and will let you down. Jesus won’t..ever.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Revelation 21:4

Promises

 

Psalm 101

How often do you find yourself considering doing evil? I find that I have a few certain sins that cause me to fall into their trap time after time, some daily. For me it doesn’t seem like I get tempted by each option that blows by, instead I fall for a few specific things often when they are in my path. When I look through my list of confessions to God it seems like there are several issues that make almost daily appearances.

In our reading today, David states his goal of “being careful to live a blameless life”. Next he writes out a very specific list of things he will do and not do to help him self accomplish his goal of living a blameless life. He even goes so far as to list the traits he will not tolerate in those around him and says that he will only allow those above reproach to serve him. He says his daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and to free up his city from the grip of those wicked people. This passage lists the specific steps David plans to take each day to help him keep his promise or commitment to God of living a blameless life. Thank God that I, unlike David, do not rule a city. My world and life are smaller than what he was responsible for at the time this was written. Because of the life he lived I see the wisdom in stating his goals and the things he could not tolerate in the people around him. But I wonder what I can learn from his approach.

My story looks different than David’s does. In past years, I would make sweeping promises to God like, “I am going to beat this issue!” or “I will never do that specific thing again”. I may have made it a day or two or even a little longer on certain issues without falling but the truth was that I never truly “beat” the issue. It would always rear its ugly head at some point and I’d give in and do it again. My promises broken, I wanted to hide from God instead of going to Him for forgiveness.  Out of shear necessity I quit making promises I couldn’t keep. I think I felt like a double failure in these instances, first for sinning and second for not keeping my commitment to God. After a good amount of time with no promises and only confessing the actual sin, I started to see a pattern in one of my main struggles. Sometimes the thought of this particular sin would pop into my mind and I would consciously think, “I’ll deal with the consequences of this later-go ahead and enjoy”, and at other times I would consciously think “Not with God near. The idea is so offensive, I couldn’t possibly do it in front of Him.” So what is the deciding factor in which approach I decide to take? For me, it is if I have spent time with Him earlier that day and if I have had a strong run of consecutive days of time with Him. When I have spent more time with Him, He is able to communicate more freely with me because I have put myself in position to hear His promptings, He manages the temptation for me. I think I am finally coming to grips with the fact that I will never develop enough willpower to overcome some issues. God is the only one who can change the way I think and the way I respond to situations. (We all know this to be true in knowledge from reading the Bible, but I think I am actually seeing it work in my life so it is becoming real to me like never before.)

Like David I want to live a blameless life. While my circumstances are very different than David’s, I am learning that my strongest defense against sin is closer relationship with God. I see the wisdom in David’s plan to put the best influences around him self and to remove the people with ungodly habits from his close associates. By vetting his staff with his list of strong moral criteria, he built a support system and a hedge of accountability around him in his daily life. He had the wisdom to use other people’s relationship with God to support him in his desire to live blamelessly. I have made similar choices in the people I choose to spend my time with. It helps to have likeminded people with the same life goals as me being the main voices speaking into my life. While these relationships with people will never hold a candle to the power and influence that my relationship with God has in my life, they are a huge help in keeping me aimed at my goal. So maybe today I need to read David’s words as a set of guidelines to help me achieve my goal instead of seeing them as proclamations or promises to God that I am unable to keep. If I set up a good support system around myself, and stay committed to spending the time with Him that I know I need, I will see Him make me different than I am today.

Celebrate

Psalm 100

Sometimes I read the Bible for instruction.  Do “x” to get “y.”  I want to know the steps, the right actions to take, and the methods that make for a happy and God-pleasing life.  Psalm 100 is not written for instruction.  It’s a celebration.  One that provokes shouting, singing, and gladness.

It occurs to me that when I am instructed to do things, I don’t shout for joy or sing out loud so that everyone can hear.  Provoking those actions and emotions requires something more.  It has to come from the heart.  So, what did this Psalmist have in his heart that was so exciting?

First, he is excited about who God is.  Verse 3 says it clearly, “Acknowledge that the Lord is God!”  What does that mean to you?  For me, it’s about His being in control.  I don’t have to have all the answers or solutions to every problem.  Those are all his to deal with!

Second, there is something about who we are in relation to him.  The Psalmist gratefully remembers that He is our creator and we are his.  He even uses the imagery of being his sheep in the pasture.  I picture a lush green field and the full comfort of knowing that I am protected from everything.

Do those thoughts stir your soul with emotion?  If yes, take a moment to shout your praise.  Sing hallelujah!  Of course, not everyone will experience God’s joy in this very moment.  If that’s you, look no further than verse 5.  It may take more than glancing at the words for a moment, so find a quiet spot.  Think for a moment as this Psalmist did.

    • The Lord is good
    • His love is unfailing
    • His love is forever
    • He is faithful
    • This is true for all generations

Now, in my reflection, I experience a very different kind of joy.  Instead of shouting from the rooftops, I get a tear in my eye and warmth in my heart.  It’s joy, just the same.  All for Him and all from Him.

AMEN!

 

He is Holy

Psalm 99 is packed full of substance in 8 short verses.

1 The Lord reigns;

Let the peoples tremble!

He dwells between the cherubim;

Let the earth be moved!

2 The Lord is great in Zion.

And He is high above all the peoples.

3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name –

He is holy.

4 The King’s strength also loves justice;

You have established equity;

You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.

5 Exalt the Lord our God. And worship at His footstool – He is holy.

6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests,

And Samuel was among those who called upon His name;

They called upon the Lord,

And He answered them.

7 He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar;

They kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them.

8 You answered them, O Lord our God;

You were to them God-Who-Forgives,

Though You took vengeance on their deeds.

Exalt the Lord our God,

And worship at His holy hill;

For the Lord our God is holy.

In my experience, sound relationships are built on trust.  We respect people who we trust.  We love people who love us back, provide us unconditional love, and are there for us when we need them.

What about our “mighty and powerful God?”  How do you feel about the trust and relationship that you have with Him?  Do you believe in the three exclamations in verses three, five, and eight, “He is holy?”

Webster’s defines holy as “exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.”

I have been reading lately about our God’s “gentle and lowly” approach to our sins.  Scripture tells us in Hebrews 12:1-12 that our sins “draw the discipline” of God but He still loves us.  God hates our sin and draws near to us and wants us to choose the right path. His immediate reaction to our sin is not wrath and retribution but love and care for us.

In Hosea 11:7-9 God exclaims his love for Israel, even after they have sinned against God.

7 My people are bent on backsliding from Me.

Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him.

8 “How can I give you up, Ephraim?

How can I hand you over, Israel?

How can I make you like Admah?

How can I set you like Zeboiim?

My heart churns within Me;

My sympathy is stirred.

9 I will not execute the fierceness of My anger,

I will not again destroy Ephraim.

For I am God, and not man,

The Holy One in your midst;

And I will not come with terror.

Our God has compassion for us always.  God showed His eternal love by sending his Son Jesus to earth to die on a cross for our sins.  The New Covenant God made with man with Jesus’ birth and death was the greatest demonstration of love ever shown to humankind. God acted on His love for us by sending us a savior, knowing we would continue to sin and defy Him.

Back to trust.  I think trust in God is vital to my relationship with Him.  I would find it hard to love Him if it was only because of my fear of Him.  I could feel “forced” to believe in Him because I am afraid or scared of His wrath, or I can choose to believe and follow Him because I know he loves me ALWAYS and wants what is best for me.

I choose love.  God loves me and wants what is best for me.  I get to choose my actions and they are frequently not pleasing to God.  But I know and trust that God will never forsake and leave me knowing that He created me for a purpose, and I will strive to live out that purpose and glorify His name.

Sounds of Praise

Sing.

Shout.

Burst.

Create.

Roar.

Clap.

Psalm 98 is full of actions – BIG ACTIONS – for us to worship the Lord. Depending on your faith background and traditions, the word worship brings different thoughts, feelings, visuals, and sounds to mind. A quick search on google brought the following images. Do any of these resonate with your on worship experiences?

My own faith journey has brought me through seasons of personal worship that was emotional, solemn, loud, and exuberant. And corporate worship that ranged from strictly acapella to full on rock band worship. And I have grown to understand, love and appreciate each season.

What’s so great about the body of Christ is that we are all unique and come with different gifts, desires, and preferences. And the Lord gives us awesome examples of this in scripture.

In the past year, our 7 year old has been dubbed “The Whistler”. He is always whistling a tune. Loudly whistling. To any song that is on his heart. High pitch, low pitch, fast or slow. His breath control is amazing. It’s mostly fun and sweet to hear the constant melody in our home (I’m talking CONSTANT), but I admit that at times it can be ear-piercing and I just desire quiet. I’ve been praying about that and my response 🙂  I was also concerned of the disruption it may create at school – but he quickly reminded me that he can’t whistle when he is wearing a mask. His teacher dodged a bullet there! All that to say – the joy in his heart really is contagious! The whistling brings a lightness and softness to our home. The Lord has changed my heart to embrace his whistling and remember it as his form of worship.

This past weekend, the cub scouts had a campout, and there were a few that got caught up in song, dance, and instruments. While a passerby may have thought these untrained budding musicians were just making a racket – my heart swelled. They were making merry! I teared up at the simplicity of their joy and the music they were creating. God created us to worship – not just for him, but for us! How good is worship for our soul!

As I studied Psalm 98 the past couple of weeks, each time I tried to read it as a challenge to my own worship that day. What am I grateful for right now, that brings me to clapping? What’s a new song I can learn and sing to the Lord? When was the last time I shouted a praise out to God?

Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

Let the sea roar, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.

Did you catch some of the things that bring about these praise actions?

      • Salvation (verse 1)
      • Loving (verse 3)
      • Faithfulness (verse 3)
      • Righteousness (verse 9)
      • Equity & Judgement (verse 9)

What are you praising God for today?

Eternity in our hearts

What are the life experiences that you just can’t seem to get enough of? One of mine is making lists about experiences I can’t get enough of!

  • The symphony of birds singing as a new day dawns.
  • The birth of spring as flowers we’ve seen hundreds of times seem to become new again.
  • Laughing so hard that it hurts.
  • Observing people showing kindness to others who need it, didn’t earn nor even deserve it.
  • That “first smell” when walking into a home where there is something amazing being cooked…. lasagna, cookies, roast beef, French toast or anything with cinnamon and/or butter, and on and on…
  • The joy that comes from giving. While giving involves sacrifice, there’s something inside the soul that sparks; remarkable and indescribable. We just know it is good.
  • Being warmly welcomed whether by known friends/family and even more so in situations where we enter with some hesitation or fear. We want to be accepted and loved.
  • Engaging in a live worship service, deeply sensing the presence of the Holy Spirit. Singing and hearing praises with the reminder that this is a glimpse of eternity.

The reason the aforementioned subject of “experiences” came to mind is related to today’s reading (Psalm 97). One of my initial thoughts on the psalm is that it seemed like a lot of other psalms so what’s new to write about? While the chapter may be original, the theme is not. Then it hit me that God put eternity into our hearts and the psalms of praise give us a glimpse into our future with Him, praising Him! We will praise him for eternity and that will never get old!

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Whether the psalm is new to us or we’ve read it a hundred times, it isn’t about the song, it is about the object of the song and our relationship with our creator. Verse one starts out saying that the Lord reigns… NOTHING else reigns above him, he is above all things! And he is the giver who allows us to experience the joy of spring, laughter, a new day, love, filling our senses with goodness, all for HIS glory.

Where’s Jesus?

Light shines on the godly,
    and joy on those whose hearts are right. (Psalm 97:11)

As we go about our day today let us look differently at what might seem mundane. God is in it all. All good things point to Him. This day has been given to us as a gift. May others see today the “light of the world” (Jesus) in us; through our love, generosity, gratitude, forgiveness, sacrifices, words, and our self control.

Psalm 96

Its not about you (Warren, 2002).

I love how Rick Warren begins The Purpose Driven Life by reminding us that God created us in his image for his good purposes, not our own.  In this best-selling book, Warren invites readers into a 40 day spiritual journey to discover (or affirm) their life’s purpose through studying God’s plan.

  • Purpose #1: You Were Planned for God’s Pleasure
  • Purpose #2: You Were Formed for God’s Family
  • Purpose #3: You Were Created to Become Like Christ
  • Purpose #4: You Were Shaped for Serving God
  • Purpose #5: You Were Made for a Mission

God’s plan for our lives starts with acknowledging and worshipping him as the giver and sustainer of life.  Our scripture for today, Psalm 96, provides a beautiful blueprint for how to glorify God through worship.

Did you know this Psalm appears in the Bible two times?  In 1 Chronicles 15, the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem after David’s army defeated the Philistines. Upon its arrival, David asked musicians to lead the people in worship with these words (recorded in 1 Chronicles 16:23-36)The same words were then recorded as the 96th chapter of the book of Psalms.

Each paragraph of Psalm 96 begins with a different command/call to action, thus providing a how-to blueprint for worship.  These actions, of course, are not the only way to worship God.  But if this Psalm is important enough to be recorded in God’s word more than once, it warrants our attention.  Let’s take a look –

Sing (verses 1-6)

What does it mean to sing to the Lord a new song?   We should always be finding new ways to praise God.  Worship should be a fresh experience that engages the mind and heart, rather than a boring ritual.  If God’s mercies toward us are new every morning, so should be our praise for him.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Ascribe (verses 7-9)

The word ascribe means to give proper credit where credit is due.  If everything good and perfect comes from God, glory can be ascribed to no one other than him.  This seems logical and easy to follow.  But all too often I know I am guilty of patting myself on the back for being a “good decision maker” or “using sound judgment” instead of giving God the credit for guiding my ways.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17).

For from him and through him and for him are all things.  To him be the glory forever!  Amen (Romans 11:36).

Say (verses 10-13)

If we identify ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ and have accepted his gift of salvation, each one of us has declared Jesus as Lord.  God then uses us as his vessels for carrying the gospel message to the World.

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).

Today, let us come before the throne of God with a heart of worship.  Sing, ascribe, say – all glory to his name.  Amen.

Psalm 95

Psalm 95

It’s easy to harden our hearts towards God when we don’t see Him working in our lives like we expect. I remember praying for my youngest and making request after request for him to start talking, meeting milestones, and for us to find the right help. The more I asked, the more I focused on the problem. The problem almost became an idol as I was researching, reading blogs, and always looking for the answer. I spent most of my time asking why and blaming myself. Looking back I see how Satan can cause the difficulties in our life to be distractions from an opportunity to worship God in the midst of our struggle. The prayers made for help were not sinful. They were really important to help me express what I needed, but they didn’t result in peace or rest. We find peace and rest in difficult situations when we spend time focusing on who God is and the value it has in our lives. When our hearts are hardened, there is no peace. The beauty of worshipping God, the creator of the Universe, is that it has nothing to do with us or our circumstances and everything to do with Him. We have the opportunity to set our troubles aside, knowing that we have exhausted all of the questions, and focus on Him.

Psalm 95 is an invitation to worship God. Set aside the struggles and concerns of today and spend time worshipping. Hold your requests and fill your heart and mind with the truth of all that God is and has done. Psalm 95:3-7 “For the Lord is a great God, the great King above all gods. He owns the depths of the earth and even the mightiest mountains are his. The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land too. The Lord is our maker for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the sheep under his care.”

We can have peace in the midst of our struggles because we know the Prince of Peace. Come let us worship the king!

 

Ouch…I deserved that.

Have you ever been disciplined? Have you ever had to discipline your children?

If we are honest, I’m sure we would say Yes to both. (If you don’t have children yet, this opportunity will eventually arise.)  Often, when I have to discipline my children, I see many examples of my younger self in them. I won’t take any opportunity here to talk about my better half.  Discipline is not fun, but it is necessary.  As I was reading Psalm 94 for today, there were certain words that jumped off the page for me as this Psalm focuses on rightful judgment and discipline.

In my NIV version, the words “proud,” “arrogantly,” “boasting,” and “vanity” all come together for a common theme.  Selfishness! It’s about me. In my children’s case, it’s about them without consideration for others.  We often have many opportunities to teach.

Psalm 94:13-14 Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord,
the one you teach from your law;
13 you grant them relief from days of trouble,
till a pit is dug for the wicked.

Just like a loving parent that has to discipline their children, God sometimes disciplines us.  My example would include yelling at our kids not to run out in the road for the 10th time and have them sit out to learn their lesson. Sometimes God disciplines us to help us grow.  How has he done this with you in your years? Whatever form it may take for you or your children, this discipline is never enjoyable, but it is necessary to teach us right from wrong.

Maybe you have felt God’s hand of correction lately. My selfish reaction to a recent situation that didn’t go the way I planned was a perfect example of my shortcomings.  Accept God’s correction as proof that He loves you. Let it remind you that God urges us to follow His path instead of our own each day. So one day, we will be in His Kingdom together.

As you enter into this day, let’s watch our pridefulness, the boasting, the vanity that we can all fall trap to when we lose sight of our God that is standing right by our side.

Hebrews 12:6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.

Hebrew 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

The Discipline of the Lord – Charles Spurgeon