Psalm 95 is a psalm of worship that teaches us the basics of worship.
How we worship – sing for joy (v1), shout aloud (v1), come before Him (v2), extol (praise enthusiastically) Him with music and song (v2), bow down, kneel (v6) Who we worship – the Lord (v1,6), the Rock of our salvation (v1), the Great God (v3), the great King above all gods (v3), our Maker (v6), our God (v7) Why we worship – he holds and sustains the depths and mountains of the earth (v4), he made the sea and the dry land (v5), he made us (v6), he looks after, sustains us (v7) It closes with an expectation of hearing his voice while we worship (v7) as well as a warning to not harden our hearts when He gives direction (v8), incurring God’s wrath and losing his guidance (v10), spiritual insight (v10) and the peace of being in His presence (v10). When I worship God with an understanding mind (reading His word and listening to biblical preaching regularly), a responsive heart (a humble, repentant and teachable spirit) and an obedient will (determination to follow God’s teaching) I can expect Him to speak to me; giving me guidance, spiritual understanding and sustaining peace in a very personal way. Praise God! James 3 Month Reading Plan - Psalms 95-97
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This is the only psalm in the Psalter in which God is addressed as “God of Vengeance” or “God Who Avenges.” Vengeance, divine vengeance speaks of judgement, the final reckoning for millennia of sins and transgressions. When judgement falls, God's glory is fully displayed; He shines forth. Incidentally, every time we pray, “Jesus, come quickly,” we are praying for our God Who Avenges to bring down His final judgement.
There is much in the twenty-three verses of this psalm. Verse 3 reminds us of the Great Tribulation saints of Revelation 6:10 crying out, “How much longer, Sovereign Lord, until you take vengeance of our blood from those dwelling on the earth? We are reminded that the Lord will not abandon His people (v 14), that judgement will be righteous (v 15) and that God is a rock of refuge (v 22). The final verse, where the word “destroy” appears twice, hearkens back to the first verse where “vengeance” twice appears. While all of these concepts and declarations deserve their own consideration, I shall restrict myself to the central issues of vengeance and deliverance. Godly vengeance is righteous and in keeping the nature and will of God. In contrast, human revenge is neither righteous nor in accord with the will of God. Vengeance is not our job; God in His own time will right all wrongs. In verse 12 we are reminded of the first line in the Psalter, the blessed man who is disciplined by the Lord. This man is being sanctified in the Spirit and will be removed from the earth before judgement falls. In light of this, how then are we to live? For much of my life, I lived by such mottoes as “don’t get mad, get even” and “revenge is a dish best eaten cold.” This, sadly, is the way of the world. The forty-fifth President of the U. S. often bragged of his life-long policy of hitting back “people that screw you” ten times as hard or fifty times as hard. God gave us laws restricting us to “an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” to prevent such bloody-mindedness. Vengeance is God’s job. So, what is mine? I need to daily rely on Him to direct my steps as He would have me be a point of light, a source of help, to all who live with me in this dark and broken world. We spend years getting messed up; it can also require years for the Holy Spirit to clean up the mess. Brian 3 Month Reading Plan - Psalms 93-94 For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our Lord. Psalm 92:13
As an avid gardener I often transplant some of my plants in the Fall – sometimes they haven’t done well in my chosen spot due to wrong light, soil, drainage, or water. When I transplant these plants, I try to be very careful not to disturb the root hairs and fibres, even so, sometimes the plants look a little droopy and sad in their new home. But I also know with careful care they will soon be happy, healthy and productive in their new home. God, in his infinite wisdom notices that we are not always “planted” in our ideal spot and cannot live up to our potential. He gets out his shovel and transplants us, and yes, sometimes it is very uncomfortable being cut off from what is familiar. We don’t always realize that God is transplanting and relocating us to a spot where we can sink in deeper roots and develop a deeper faith. Change is hard, we may sulk and kick our feet, but we have God’s promise that we can daily draw our strength and sustenance from Him. God loves us and knows exactly what we need to develop a deeper more vibrant faith that will help build His kingdom while using our talents and personality in the unique ways that we are gifted. I pray that we can let go of our expectations and desire to be where God wants us to be. I pray that we will live in daily fellowship with God in order that we may flourish, find deeper faith roots and grow better quality fruit. Susan 3 Month Reading Plan - Psalms 91-92 14 Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name. 15 When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. When I was a kid, my dad took our family off on a back road trip in the family van to enjoy a day in the wilderness. We traveled on some very sketchy roads, out into the middle of nowhere. It was an amazing adventure. On the way back from our trip our van got stuck as my dad crossed a creek that had been running across this old dirt road and had washed much of it away. I remember my dad out in the creek, up to his knees in water, pushing and pushing while my mom tried to run the engine to get us out. It was not to be and I remember the spike of fear and anxiety I had when I was told we were spending the night in the van, in a creek, in the middle of the wilderness. There five of us kids all under the age of 9 stuck in that van. It was not a pleasant situation. I’d like to say we pulled it together and handled it well, we did not. But, my mom and dad were amazing! They each took a few kids and settled us down. They told us how they had it all under control and that we could go to sleep, that they would stay up and watch out for us. I loved the feeling of giving over my fear and worry to my mom and dad. I drifted off to sleep with very little care. This psalm reminds me of that event and the very feelings I experienced in that moment. The peace I found in being able to let go and trust my mom and dad. I heard a quote recently that said something to the effect that, “we want to know what is going to happen so that we don’t have to trust God.” There is a reason that God says we should have the faith of a child. Children trust, despite the evidence that seems to be mounting not to. God calls us to trust. He has us “under his wing”. When we find ourselves in overwhelming situations, when God directs our path through turbulent times, unlike those that do not know God, we do not need to “fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday.” God is our shield. He is our refuge. He will keep us safe, He will “command his angels concerning [us] to guard [us] in all your ways.” Let go, like a child, and trust your Heavenly Father to take you through your “night in the wilderness”. Burt Bergmann 3 Month Reading Plan - Psalm 90 Sunday Morning Worship Service.
Join us for worship and the sermon. Please read the Psalm in preparation. Pastor Josh Dekker 3 Month Reading Plan - Psalm 89 God's eternal faithfulness. In the midst of a national disaster, the psalmist is pleading for God's deliverance based on his faithfulness to his people. The Lord's commitment to be faithful was established in the covenant made between himself and David (2 Sam 7:12-16). The writer will expand on the covenant later (vv. 19-37), but in this section he wants to dwell on God's faithfulness. He is faithful because of his nature. "It is Jehovah who deigns to deal out to us our daily benefits, and he is the all-sufficient and immutable God" whose faithful love we experience. In light of his faithfulness, we respond in praise to God (v. 1). "Whatever we may observe abroad or experience in our own persons, we ought still to praise God for his mercies, since they most certainly remain the same, whether we can perceive them or not:' This is particularly true in hard times. "In times of trouble it is the divine faithfulness which the soul hangs upon" for God's people are prone to forget or doubt his faithfulness. For this reason, it is important to remember that God's faithfulness is forever (vv. 1, 2, 4). With this truth it is very appropriate to pause (selah) and reflect.
Prayer. Lord, I know I have not always been faithful to you. This causes me to marvel at your faithfulness to me, especially in very difficult times when it is tempting to doubt you. Thank you for your faithful love. Amen. Used by Permission “The Psalms of every day living”- David McKinley 3 Month Reading Plan - Psalms 87-88 A Psalm of Praise
We once again read a Psalm from the famous group of people that comprise the Sons of Korah. This group of people, in the history of God’s chosen, come from a place of regret. They witnessed in the past the destruction of unfaithfulness of their lineage. This was done in the sight of the whole nation, and they are the last surviving people from that family of Korah. This Psalm is a celebration poem in nature possibly from the realization that God in their lives has given them something to praise. They begin by praising the Holy dwelling place of God. It is good to note that in the Old Testament, God’s dwelling place was in a location. God’s dwelling places are mentioned in several texts and the people of God often would look to or worship those places. As believers now in the risen savior, we have that dwelling place of God moved from a place to our lives. The Poem finished off by comparing God’s strength is like that of a flowing spring. They are asking for God’s Spirit to flow near them. Ephesians 2:22 states, “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” We come to a point of celebration for God is not only a living God but an indwelling God. We can echo the words of the Psalmist when they end with “All my Springs are in you.” It’s no wonder why this Psalm begins with the caption, “Glorious things of you.” God’s Spirit flows within us so that we too can celebrate His goodness. Pastor Paris 3 Month Reading Plan - Psalm 86 I am challenged by this scripture to consider my heart’s desires and my walk with the Lord.
Better is one day in the courts of the Lord, than a thousand days anywhere else. I have always wanted to travel. I enjoy looking at pictures of tropical paradises, and green rolling hills with countryside castles, and long to visit them all. But this Psalm challenges me to consider how much more incredible it would be - it will be - to spend just one day in the presence of the Lord. Yes, God has created many awe-inspiring places on earth, but as gorgeous as they are, their beauty, mystery, and tranquility are only a minuscule fraction of what it will be like to be home and in the presence of God. And on the days when life seems dull, I praise God that spending time with Him in prayer and in His Word, my awe of who He is and what he has done and continues to do, allows me to feel that I am, in a sense, experiencing what is like to be in his courts, giving him thanks and praise, no matter what my earthly location may be. I am also challenged and encouraged by the picture of who God is: “a sun and shield”. He gives light and life and is a protector. Not just our creator and king, checking in on us occasionally, God is our protector! I picture God wanting me to join him when my time on earth is over. And that if my walk is blameless, he will not withhold anything good. Thank you, Jesus, for reconciling me to God, that I am welcomed into your Kingdom, and for all the blessings you long to pour out onto those who call upon your name! Judith 3 Month Reading Plan - Psalms 84-85 This Psalm is a national Psalm of lament. Lament against the many nations that are out to destroy the Chosen people of God. When we read this Psalm, we could see this as a justification Psalm for God to avenge those who seek, plot, and carry out harm to followers of God. If we honestly look to those around in our lives, we can see those who are in the same position of the people in this Psalm. We ask, as the Psalmist did to God, not to keep quiet to those people. Not in a rebuking voice but a voice of who He is. God is powerful, He is the God of the Most High.
As we read this Psalm, we must stop for a moment and ask ourselves this question. Are there times in our lives where we have our life out of order towards God? Can we be described as people who are seeking to destroy the Name of the Lord by our actions, thoughts, and deeds. Do we examine our lives so that these words given about the people are not words about us? It should be our cry as people of God that our life is focused bringing honor and glory to God. The Psalmist asks God to shame the people so that they may come to see the greatness of God. It should be our prayer as we pray for those who are apposed to the Gospel, that the Gospel will bring about a change in their lives. We should pray that those who are opposed to God will one day declare, as the psalmist does, “That they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.” (vs 18) Pastor Paris 3 Month Reading Plan - Psalms 82-83 Psalm 82. A Psalm lamenting the abuse of God given authority, specifically towards people unable to defend themselves. Sound familiar in today’s world? In your life? Yet in this Psalm the perpetrators are not human beings but instead spiritual beings (little ‘g’ gods). Like Adam and Eve, created to bear God’s image and rule on his behalf, these gods were to likewise rule over nations given to them (Deut. 32:8). Yet enter sin stage left and its destructive mastery turning its slaves inward.
God confronts, for he can never ignore, evil injustice. His character is at stake! (82:1-2) Standing amid the council of these spiritual beings, judgement is cast. Our heavenly Father’s heart reveals the demand for justice toward the weak and fatherless, wants the rights of the afflicted and destitute upheld, and calls for the rescue of the weak and needy (82:3-4). This is God’s call for all of us, whether on earth or in heaven (the spiritual ‘world’). What is our response to this? First, we battle more than we see. For us who believe God literally took on flesh, on this earth, we perhaps minimize the spiritual reality around us. As we are afraid of what we do not know, it is understandable, but when the Bible reveals this reality to us, we listen! What can make a difference against an enemy unseen? Prayer. In prayer, we take arms. We battle against the powers of darkness for the souls of God’s image bearers. But we battle by prayer against the invisible enemy. Second, let us not dismiss the world so rationally (often we mourn without a ‘why’, nor would any ‘why’ answer satisfy us in pain). The ‘causes’ behind suffering in Psalm 82 are spiritually initiated with evil intent. This spiritual sin can be hidden in a brand-new school, a lush farm in the valley, among the poorest of families or in the most powerful governments. Yet God will not turn a blind eye and he kindly reveals this spiritual world unknown to us except through his word. Let us pray desperately trusting in the all-knowing God, as we battle against things hidden. Pastor Josh 3 Month Reading Plan - Psalms 80-81 |
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