Thursday, October 31, 2019

Psalm 34: A Psalm of Comfort


Psalm 34 is one of my favorite Psalms. It is full of encouragement and comfort. If one were good at memorization, this Psalm is one to remember and call to mind in times of trial or when one needs to be uplifted. God’s word is certainly good at uplifting the Christian.

Verses 1-8 are David praising the Lord: these verses are offered without comment, just to read and dwell upon.

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears….This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Verses 13 and 14 are very good advice: Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

We are to watch our words, think before we speak and measure what we say according to the leading of the word of God. We are not to speak deceitfully or in a cunning and manipulative way. We are to do good and avoid evil, we are to live peaceably as much as is possible.

The next verses are pure comfort to the broken-hearted who calls upon the Lord. V18-19 – The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as are of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

As in a previous post, the LORD sees the Christian as righteous through the precious blood of Christ which atoned for the sins of the believer.
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vcg

Psalm 12: The Lord and the Flatterer

This morning I have been thinking about Psalm 12. In this Psalm David is asking for God’s help from those that are flatterers. In my own life, a flatterer has caused no small amount of pain which was only overcome by saying once again, ‘Lord, this is in your hands.’. and keeping silent about the matter.

In V1-2 David is calling out to the Lord. “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.”

According to Websters 1828 dictionary, flattery is false praise; commendation bestowed for the purpose of gaining favor and influence, or to accomplish some purpose. This to me is rather like a spider drawing her prey into her web. Flattery is certainly different from a compliment which is brief and sincere.

But what does V3 say? “The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things.” Thank the Lord that he will take care of these things.

V5 is God’s promise for those to whom the flatterer has spoken. “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.” These are comforting words.

Finally David praises the words of the LORD in V6,7 “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” At first glance this seems a different subject from the beginning of the Psalm regarding the flatterer. But it is in the reading of God’s Word that peace comes to the heart and comfort to the soul. I thank the LORD that his word has been preserved and will be preserved for ever.

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vcg

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Psalm 31: The LORD Our Rock

The Christian can never have peace by doing that which seems right in their own eyes. The Christian can only have peace by following the leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Psalm 31:1,3 speaks to this: “In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.”

V18 spoke to my heart in a time of difficult trial when all I could do was stay silent and trust the Lord to carry me through: “Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.” Even though I see myself as a sinner saved by grace, the Lord sees me as righteous through the precious blood of Christ which atoned for my sins. The following verses speak to this: Romans 4:5-8 “…to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness even as David also describeth the bessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Those verses bring peace.

V19 speaks of God’s goodness: “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men”. This fear is a reverential fear of who God is. The Christian is to trust in the Lord before the unsaved, the “sons of men” This is not easy to do, but we have to trust and say “Lord, this is in your hands.”.

David closes Psalm 31 with encouragement. V24 “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”
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vcg

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Psalm 27: The Trusting Heart Has No Fear

Psalm 27 was written by David and V1 is one of the great verses in the bible.  "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" 

I used to be a very fearful person, especially afraid of the dark but this before I became a Christian.  Those who walk with God shall have no fear because the Lord is with them every step of the way.  Through trials and tribulations, through sickness and in health, through troubles which come because you are a Christian and the world, especially unsaved family members, does not accept you, through all these things, the Lord will carry you through.

V12-13 are very personal to me.  "......false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breath out cruelty.  I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living."


Family members can bring much hurt to the Christian.  They certainly have to me.  But even though these times have been very  painful, the Lord has carried me through as I have given my cares over to him and trusted him by saying 'Lord, this is in your hands."

V14 is full of encouragement for the Christian.  "Wait on the LORD:  be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

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vcg

Psalm 25: Trust in the Lord.


Psalm 25: A Psalm of Trust

Since beginning my reading of the Psalms awhile ago, one thing I have noticed is that quite a few old choruses I used to sing are based on the Psalms in the King James version. Such is Psalm 25. Do you remember this one? Psalm 25:1-2 “Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.”

Verses 4-5 are a daily prayer for the Christian’s guidance: “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.”

David's salvation is personal.  He acknowledges God as the author of his salvation.   He yearns to know truth, and to follow the path God has chosen for him.

In verses 9 and 10 God promises to guide and teach the meek. According to Websters 1828 dictionary, meek means mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries. Oh that we could all be meek.

This is a Psalm written by David, and in V21 he prays that integrity and uprightness preserve him, for he waits on God. Likewise Christians should pray for integrity and uprightness in this world.

Below is a video a youtube with the Maranatha Singers singing Unto Thee O Lord.


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vcg

Disclaimer: This post is copied from my blog at Wordpress called Daily in the Word.