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

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

What is the Gospel?

Yesterday came another reminder of the brevity of life, I heard of two deaths.  Therefore I am compelled to post this very important topic called What is the Gospel? and I pray that you will read it in its entirety

What is the Gospel - 15 points

Romans 1:14-18 “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise.  So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”

All your knowledge is divided into 3 categories:  1, things that are not important, 2 things that are important, 3 things that are absolutely essential.  You can live a happy life without knowing certain things.  Some things are interesting, some are useful, but they are not important that they are something  you must know.  Other things are very important that we may understanding, example: how to drive a car according to the rules of the road, how to use a chain saw's safety rules, electrical safety.. if you live a life without knowing important things, you might live a short life.

The gospel is absolutely essential not only for well being, but essential for your everlasting welfare.  If you are ignorant of the gospel for your whole life, you will be suffering the consequences one million years from now.  But if you understand the gospel but accept it and receive it and believe it, you will be receiving the benefits of the knowledge of the gospel in a million years time.

The gospel is the most important subject.  This is the knowledge that we most need..  this knowledge of the gospel is very lacking.  Not all of the gospel is preached, just the part about believing and you are forgiven.  What is the real gospel?  the biblical gospel.  You must know this because if we do not know the real gospel, how are we going to witness it to others?