Psalms

[thefightinglamb]

only like 3 hours and 10 minutes behind!

Psalm 16

Keep me safe, O God,
for in you I take refuge;
I will say to the Lord, "You are my Lord,
apart from you I have no good thing.
As for the saints who are in the land
they are the glorious ones
in whom is all my delight..."

While I love all the Psalms, this one has soo many great verses so forgive me if I write all of them......We see an honest plea, followed by acknowledgment of the Lord's sovernty, and our helplessness/hopelessness apart from God. And we also see the spiritual maturity that seeks out those who reflect the LOrd...even as a wordly person seeks some image or photo that reminds them of their loved one...even so, the righteous seek out the face of their loved one (the Lord) everywhere...and this alone brings them joy.

The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods;
I will not pour out their libations of blood
or take up their names on my lips.

This is an interesting verse that I like playing with what the second two verses are referring to...if they reflect the order of the verse before this verse it seems the 'their' refers to 'those who run after other gods' and not the 'other gods'...the significance is that in the first case it is saying not to associate with those who 'whore after other gods' meaning even as John? says to hate the clothes stained by the flesh of the wicked...and thus not to seek out the wicked...but instead to help those who are either lost or seeking the Lord in this world, and not just to try to convert the truly wicked....while I am not saying God cannot convert the wicked like Paul who stoned the righteous, I am saying it is futile for man to try and turn someone who is enthralled with wickedness to the Lord, and the only way for them to desire the Lord is if the Lord gives them this desire...I am not sure about this interpretation, but I PONDER it...and the second is the obvious, that its just talking about not mentioning the names of other gods or pouring our libations to them (the other view the 'their' refers to it being 'the peoples' libations of blood...hmmm...

Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.

What a blessed assurance! To know that everything has been assigned and nothing can trespass the mark that God has set, even as the Lord said to the waters, 'thus far and no farther shall you come onto the land." Everybody SHOULD memorize this Psalm...its at least as good as 27...

I will praise the Lord who councils me,
even at night my heart instructs me;
I have set the Lord always before me
because He is at my right hand,
I will never be shaken.

I ran tonight (perhaps I should say jogged) and there are parts of the lap I run that are really dark...I don't know it reminds me of how things are in life...you go through caves, and dark places, you go under water and you think you cannot hold your breath anymore, and then God steps into your situation and illumines everything...He gives you oxygen, and as you reach the surface and take that first gasp of air, you remember how 'good it is to breathe' as simple and silly as that sounds, for we always breathe, but you don't notice how good it is to breathe until you feel like your lungs are giving out...and then life is such that you begin to see everything distinctly, and then another trial comes, and you trust God through it though you cannot see the end of this tunnel either...so we continually go through places where we see and don't see, and we can either trust God or not...and if you don't you gain nothing but depression and dispondency (I never use this word, I think I spelled it wrong)...

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body will also rest secure
for you will not abandon me to the grave
nor will you let your holy One see decay.

This is a prophecy obviously quoted by Paul I think in one the letters, saying that David did see decay, therefore it must have been speaking of Jesus Christ...but also the beginning tells of the glorious hope that those who have put their faith in God have after physical death...

You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

The Lord has shown us the path of life; and those who follow have the assurance that they will be filled with joy in his presence, and even that we will be blessed with 'eternal pleasures at the Lord's right hand'...this reminds me of something I read from Therese of Lisuex, where she said that she was sleeping once, and felt something delightful on her lips--and it was the most amazing taste she had ever tasted...and she felt the Lord showing her, even as a later psalm testifies ''with honey from the rock' I will satisfy you'....and Paul I believe writes we count the present sufferings not worthy to compare to the future glory that will be revealed in us...even so, we long for the day when righteousness is restored, and we do not have to worry about judging on right judgments instead of appeareances, for the appeareances and the deceptions will no longer be able to lure us astray and distract us....

I did write it all.......well thats pretty awesome....

The Lord's word be with you
tony

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 17

Hear, O Lord, my plea,
listen to my cry
it does not rise from deceitful lips:
may my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.

May the Lord's eyes always be able to discern what is right in those who take refuge in Him...

The you probe my heart and test me at night
though you examine me you will find nothing,
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.
As for the deeds of men,
by the word of you lips
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent:
my steps have held to your path
my feet have not slipped.


Taking refuge in the Lord's own word is how to defend yourself from the evil one and all of accusations, and actually taking refuge in Him...

I call to you, O God, for you will answer me,
give ear to me and hear my prayer.
Show the wonder of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
Keep me as the apple of your eye
hide me in shadow of your wings
from the wicked who assail me
from my mortal enemies who surround me.

I love the last three verses. Let it be known how much you love and how much you love me! Proclaim it on the rooftops! Let it be known that you are the one who looks after me and protects from all of the schemes of the evil one...

They close up their callous hearts
and their mouths speak with arrogance...
Arise, O Lord, confront them, bring them down
rescue me from the wicked by your sword.
O Lord, save me from such men,
from men of this world
whose reward is in this life.

The Lord makes callous those who are in darkness, but it is a mystery why...but our prayer and assurance is always that the Lord will divide us from them by his Word...

You still the hunger of those you cherrish,
their sons have plenty,
they store up wealth for their children.
And I in righteousness
I will see your face
when I awake, I will be satisfied
with seeing you likeness.

The Lord fulfills the desires of the righteous while the wicked crave more and more...and lastly, the Lord's face is seen ONLY in righteousness...

The Lords word to all of you
tony

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 18
a bit behind...

I love you, O Lord my strength.

I like how fresh and refreshing this verse is. Its like the woman in Song of Songs that is willing to stand at the street corners and proclaim her love.

The cords of death entangled me
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

This second line always moves me to remember how sin and darkness once held me...and also how sometimes I still cannot see clearly and I too have to go back to thise profoundly desperate state.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me
he drew me out of deep waters.

Gave this verse to someone today actually, I love how it paints how God is a rck reaching down from his majesty to save those besieged by storm and strife.

To the faithful you show yourself faithful
to the blameless you show yourself blameless
to the pure you show yourself pure
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

A blessed promise, and I like how this reflects how God will deal with people by faithfulness, blamelessness, and purity to the rightous...but to the crooked shrewd as one who confuses the wicked by the cleverness of their own schemes, twisting them into prey for their own schemes.

You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning
you turn my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop
with my God I can scale a wall.

I love these two veres...the Lord illumines our darkness, and makes the weak strong, even to the point of confidently laying down their life...I know it must have taken unshakeable courage in the ancient times to scale a wall or in modern times to be the first troops at D-Day, but those who believe in God can do these feats with faith that God is with them and will be with them forever.

You make my feet like the feet of a deer
you enable me to stand on the heights...

I think of this as I run, though I am slow and it usually gives me strength to run faster...

You give me your shield of victory and your right hand sustains me
You stoop down to make me great.

Another beautiful verse, the Lord will look after us, and stoop down to be with us.

The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!

You can feel the triumph in this proclaimation...God is not dead but alive!!!!!!

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 19

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;
the statutes of the Lord are simple, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to heart;
the commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious then gold, then much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey--that drips from the comb
thus you servant is formed by them in observing them there is great reward.

The last two lines starting with that is from the saints devotional edition of the Bible, I like it because it makes it more emphatic on God rather than man obeying God to forus...I love these verses...It is like they purify your heart as you read and believe them, and they are such straightforward truths.

Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins
may they not rule over me,
then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

I like the division drawn here from willful sins and 'unintentional sins'...As everyone says, we all have faults, and I believe these faults to be the unintentional sins (the thorn in the flesh) that we must humbly endure until the Lord relieves us of our ailments...but willful sins are sins where the heart is actually bent on doing evil...which when I first turned to the Lord, was very confusing....It is hard to discern what sins are intentional and unintentional sometimes...For the more you journey with Christ, the more, atleast with me, it seemed that many of what I considered unintentional sins were intentional...you would not fault a baby for not being able to walk or walking poorly, in the same way faults for baby believers are sometimes obscure rather or not its because they do not know how to walk or because they are bent on still sinning...

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight, O Lord,
my rock and my redeemer.

May my words not seek to please man, but truly be acceptable in the Lord's sight apart from all human confines, all human sight...for no man can see my soul lest God shows it to them, and even so, may the Lord make these thoughts and words pleasing to Him who observes the heart of man...the one who stabalizes and straightens us out.

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 20

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you
may he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.

I like this honest plea that the Lord hear the cry of someone who calls out to him...

May he give you the desires of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
May he remember all your sacrificies
and accept your burnt offerings.
We will shout for joy
when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners
in the name of our God
may the Lord grant your requests.

I like how this is a further plea, and also how it shows the righteous rejoicing in the Lord's blessing...

Now I know that the Lord saves his annointed
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.

The Lord responding to the prayers of his people,, lifting them from their distress...

Really late on posting now...sorry, I was foolish last night and played Mario Cart Wii like all night long literally.

 

[pickles]

The beauty of this psalm like many others not only shows absolute faith, but shows faith of praise even before his prayers are answered. More now than ever I see this in many places of faith. To praise before we see. Jesus said that we must be like children to enter heaven. Children can see before they recieve and are so joyful just to know the gift is to come to them and celibrate. To give our needs to Our Lord God is only part, to rejoice in his faithfulness is just as important. This psalm is another example of this. God bless, pickles

 

[thefightinglamb]

I want to get close to being on track, and I did recite it three times today...so here's the post for

Psalm 21

O Lord, the king rejoices in your strength!
how great is his joy in the victories you give!
You have granted him the desire of his heart
and have not withheld the request of his lips.

The Lord looks after thaose who seek His love and will...Here we have someone whose heart rejoices in The Lord, for the Lord has blessed Him with victory and not his own hands...this psalm is an obvious prophecy of Christ.

Through the victories you gave
his glory is great
you have bestowed on him spendor and majesty.
Surely you have granted him eternal blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord
through the unfailing love of the Most High,
He will not be shaken.

Two things stick out here right now to me...The first is how infinite and incredible is the blessing/gift of being given a heart that rejoices in the Lord...it is to be given eternal blessings...and to always have joy before the Lord...the second is trust...I struggle with trusting God in so much in my life; especially the past. There are moments in my past where I feel almost as if I was deceived by trusting God in what happened to me, even as Jeremiah laments "You deceived me and I was deceived...you were to be a bear in hiding, that tore me apart." And what does it mean to trust God? To know that He has a plan, to know He does care about all the stuff that feels like it was NEVER suppose to happen? This verse suggests the unfailing love is what MUST never be doubted..

Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies,
your right hand will seize your foes.
At the time of your appearing,
you will make them like a fiery furnace.
In his wrath the Lord will swallow them up
and his fire will consume them.
You will destroy their descendants from the land
their posterity from mankind.
Though they plot evil against you
and device wicked schemes,
they cannot succeed.
For you will make them turn their backs
when you aim at them with drawn bow.

I like how this shows the truth of the wicked both not being able to succeed...and also how the wicked will be restrained by the power of God's hand falling upon them...woe to that man.

Be exalted! O God in your strength
we will sing and praise your might!

The righteous rejoice in the Lord's ability to set them free both from spiritual foes, and from the fate of the wicked...

Now only 2 hours and 22 minutes behind...yay

 

[pickles]

Good words and good work! God bless, pickles

 

[thefightinglamb]

I have done this already 2 times this will be the third, and yes once more I am majorly behind on posting.

Psalm22

My God, My God
why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me?
so far from the words of my groaning?
O My God, I cry out by day,
by night and am not silent...
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One
you are the praise of Israel;
in you our fathers put their trust,
they trusted and you delivered them;
they cried to you and were saved
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

The Psalmest turns from himself and the darkness of his situation to REMEMBER the wonders and praises of God...in times of trouble, we must remember the greatness of God....and remember to lean on this faith and trust Him through whatever happens.

All who see me mock me,
they hurl insults, shaking their heads;
"he trusts in the Lord
let the Lord rescue him
let him deliver him because he delights in him."

The poingnancy of Jesus experiencing this on the cross muct have been overwhelming...the jewish people as a whole casting him off, and even mocking the one they were suppose to love...and then instead jeering at his suffering...I cannot imagine.

yet you made me trust in you from my mother's womb,
even from my mother's breast I have relied on you.
From birth I was cast upon you,
from my mother's womb, you have been my God.

The perfectness of the Lord Jesus Christ and the full commitment to God from birth.

Many bulls surround me,
strong bulls of bashan encircle me;
roaring lions, tearing ther prey,
open wide their mouths wide against me.
I am popured out like water
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart has turned to wax,
it has melted away within me.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth,
you lay me in the dust of death.
Dogs have surrounded me,
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierce my hands and my feet.
They divide my garment among them
and cast lots for my clothing.
But you, O Lord, be not far off,
O My Strength, come quickly to help me...

I like this imagery..it almost makes you feel exactly what it must have been like to be suffering on that cross...and also how this turns from the actual description of the situation to petitioning the Lord for help...

Deliver my life from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.

hmmm...

for he has not despised or disdained the suffering of his afflicted One
he has not hidden his face from Him,
but has listened to his cry for help.

How often will man betray you in times of trouble, friends desert you? But even these whom the world despises in their humble situation, the Lord hears if they cry out to Him in truth and sincerely.

From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly,
before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows...

Those who fear the Lord will see the fulfillment of the Lord's vows...those whose praise is for Him.

The nations will remember and turn to the Lord
all the families of the nations will bow down to Him,
for dominion belongs to the Lord,
and he rules over the nations.

Every nation that ever was has its origins from God who made everything exist...this prophecy of all nations bowing down and worshiping the Lord is both profound and a sure promise...and that he rules over the nations is also of necessity, for no power exists that the Lord has not put in power...for example, if God did not want Obama to be president do you not think the Lord would have made it impossible for him to become president? I say confidently yes, such that it must have been for the Lord's design that not man voted him into the presidency but that the Lord himself established him as president.

Posterity will serve him
future generations will be told about the Lord,
they will proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet unborn
for has done it.

How great it is to proclaim the righteousness of God! The people yet unborn I believe to be a prophecy of the one nation=the Christians...

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd:
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures,
he restores my soul--
he leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

So Moses asked the Lord to save the Jews in the dessert so that the nations would not taunt the God of the Israelites and say 'their God was not able to save them' and you have the same truth here, save me not because of me but because as a Christian I bear your name...and on a side note, I feel like I am sliding, fumbling, and tripping right now....please pray for me ...but anyway it seems that when things seem to cause us to turn into disarray and chaos thats when I fall away from the Lord...and not when I just remain in 'His peace'...also they I shall not want has beewn told me that it means all our wants will be fulfilled and not that we will nihilistically not want anything.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil, for Thou are with me.
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Both the rod and the staff of the Lord should comfort us, one disciplines us so that we do not die in rebellion, and the other leads us into righteousness. The righteous can truly walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil...

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of mine enemies
you annoint my head with oil
my cup overflows.

The Lord exalts His people and blesses them in the midst of their enemies, without fear....imagine standing on the front lines of a war, and the Lord prepares a table for you to eat, annoints your head with oil, and allows your cup to overflow...this is obviously speaking about the Lord, but it is also true that the Lord blesses the righteous in the midst of their enemies.

Surely, goodness and love (mercy) will follow me all the days of my life
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

This promise of the Lord's love (mercy) and goodness is a gift beyond compare...it is a crutch for which the righteous can always rely on in times of trouble...and not only that but the assurance that his followers will be with Him forever no matter what, what greater hop could man possibly be given?

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 24

Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?
Who may stand in your holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.

So how do you meet with the Lord? With a pure heart that has left all of the thousand of idols that this world supports....and who who does not lean on lies/deception to authenticate himself.

He will receive a blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God his Savior
such is the generation who seeks him
who seeks your face, O God of Jacob!

The rightous look to reflect the Lord always are from this fountain blessed with eternal life.

Lift up you heads, o ye gates
lift them up you ancient doors
that the king of glory may come in.
Who is he, this king of glory?
The Lord Almighty,
He is the King of glory.

The Lord is Amighty it is one of the most essential and important characteristics of God that must be believed in on faith...and that anient doors and gates of the callous heart must be lifted for the Lord to reign.

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 25
(Reminds me of myself, I love this ope dearly, which means I'll probably write it all )

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul,
in you I trust, O my God.

hmmm...

Show me your ways, O Lord,
teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me
for you are God my Savior and I trust in you all day long.
Remember, O Lord,
your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways.
According to your love remember me,
for you are good, O Lord.

Lord give us light so that we can fight ou past...and take refuge in you for you are our strength, Our Savior.

All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
For the sake of your name, O Lord,
forgive my iniquity though it is great.

These verses change from the Lord be loving and faithful those who keep his covenant, to begging for mercy on the sake of His name.

Who then is the man who fears the Lord?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
He will spend his days in prosperity
and his descendants will inherit the land.
The Lord confides in those who fear him
he makes his covenant known to him.
My eyes are ever on the Lord
for only he will release my feet from the snare.

The fear of the Lord here delivers from the enemy and makes a straight path for the feet of the righteous, and establishes them as secure.

Turn to me and be gracious to me
for I am lonely and afflicted,
the troubles of my heart have multiplied,
free me from my anguish
look upon my affliction and distress
and take away all my sins.
See how my enemies have increased
and how fiercely they hate me.

One psalm says that 'my sins are more than the hairs of my head; here we see the beg for mercy as an earnest prayer and nothing more or less.

Guard my life and rescue me for I take refuge in you,
may integrity and uprightness protect me for my hope is in you.
Redeem Israel, O God,
from all their troubles.

Those who take refuge in the Lord, learn to take shelter in the Lord's righteousness reflected in trusting in the Lord.

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 26
(Really late I know, sorry)
Vindicate me, O God,
for I have led a blamesless life,
I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
Test me O Lord and try me
examine my heart and my mind.
For you love is always before me
and I walk continually in your truth.

I look at myself and see how this is not true, and then I look at Christ and gain hope. ...but I also gain the courage to continue to follow and reach for the Lord in the midst of my darkness.

I abhor the assembly of evil doers and refuse to sit with the wicked.
I wash my hands in innocence,
and go about your altar, O Lord
declaring aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

This has recently happened to me again but the opposite...when I became a Christian I intentionally had to leave/stop hanging around certain people, not because I thought they were without hope or evil...just that I knew I could not deal with my sin if I was encouraged by them in my weaknesses....so...I was hanging around this old 'friend' and I was doing a lot of worldly things with him that eventually threw my eyes askance, and know I have to struggle to pick myself back up again....and seek out the company of the righteous and keep the vow to leave all darkness, and those who delight in its pleasures behind....including my old self.

I love the house where you live, O Lord,
the place where your glory dwells.

I love how this shows the heart of the rightous rejoicing in the Lord, but also every house (body) that the Lord and righteousness dwells in...

Do not take me away along with sinners,
my life with bloodthirsty men,
in whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose right hands are full of bribes,
but I lead a blamess life,
redeem me and be merciful to me.

Lord, let your righteousness fall on me...and clense me of my stains. Psalm 51 says 'have mercy on me because of your unfailing love'....Lord, you know my heart does not delight in evil as the wicked do...but delights in your truth, even when I fall...

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 27
This should be loved by most; it is one of the more beautiful psalms.

The Lord is my light and my salvation,
who shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life,
of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh;
when my enemies and my foes attack me
they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me
my heart will not fear
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.

Talk about having the worst and still having the incredible hope and confidence in Jesus...these are amazing verses

One thing I ask of the Lord,
this is what I seek,
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord ,
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple...

I like how enticing this verse depicts the Lord is for those whose hearts desire Him.

My heart says of you, "Seek His face"
your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide you face from me
do not turn your servant away in anger,
you have been my helper
do not reject me or forsake me
O Lord my Savior.
Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.

I like how poingnant these paints the desire to see the Lord's face....and how even when the face becomes opaque, to call out for the Lord's light to shine.

Teach me your way, O Lord
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressers;
Do not hand me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.

So the wicked seek to lead the righteous astray...and the righteous are to call out when in distress and when it seems like they cannot see how to walk straight...but also this reminds me that this too is a prophecy of Jesus Christ.

I am still confident of this,
I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord,
be strong and take heart,
and wait for the Lord.

What faith Jesus must have had...like Abraham and yet more profound...Abraham believed that the Lord would raise his son due to the promise he was given about him when he went to sacrifice him; Jesus died and had faith that told him, though all in this world is against me and bleak, I will die so that I can bring life from this death...O profound, moving Savior--that brought life from our death through his faith.

 

[carpetmanswife]

hey just so u know , this thread has become part of my daily bible reading....
so ppl are readin it

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 28

To you I call, O Lord, my Rock
do not turn a deaf ear to me
for if you remain silent,
I will be like those who go down to the pit.

Once more, we have the artless, straiht-forward, honest, desperate plea that the Lord respond to prayer....Do you know whats its like to watch, wait, listen, and persevere in prayer--depending on the Lord speaking, and not knowing what the answer to your problem/siituation is...know this...even as it says, your fate depends upon you listening.

Do not drage me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil
who speak cordially with their neighbors
but harbor malice in their hearts.

Its one thing to truly love everyone, and another to say you love someone...I have experienced this often...People who confess with their mouth that they love or encourage you, but their words are as thin as writing as paper. In Malachi, it talks about 'hiding hatred with a cloak" and here, I cannot help but see futher elucidation of that...People that flatter someone to get some advantage--position, sex, acceptance, et cetera--but who care nothing whatsoever for the person. So if you are dealing with hate, envy, love, or any other emotion--truth is always the best way instead of hiding true feelings about someone...ven if it is embarassing or hurts. Don't be nice and put on a mask to cover your true face.

Since they show no regard for the works of the Lord
and what his hands have done,
He will tear them down,
and never build them up again.

What work has the Lord done? The cross is an immediate answer to this question...but also he brought to light truth, and light itself...so, to remain in the darkness about your feelings and to pretend to be or feel something you are not is to remain apart from Christ.

Praise be to the Lord
for he has heard my cry for mercy.
the Lord is my strength and my shield,
my heart trusts in him
and I am helped;
my heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.

To respond in praise is to be thankful for what the Lord ahs done with his own hands, and not to be silent. And to know that every strength you have is a grace from the Lord, and not your own merit...

The Lord is the strength of his people,
a fortress of slavation for his Annointed One.
Save your people and bless your inheritance,
be their shepherd and carry them forever.

I incorporated this sense of the Lord carrying us into my prayers...just think of the wonder, that the Lord is carrying you through whatever trial and tribulation this world can muster against you...and have no fear, for the Lord is your 'fortress of salvation'--your mighty castle wall that cannot be crossed.

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O Mighty Ones
Ascribe to the Lord glory and honor.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness...it reminds me of how boring and lame the profane think it is to worship God, and yet they do not see the life, light, and majesty of worshiping the Lord in every moment.

The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebannon...

The voice of the Lord whispers, as Elijah? was told, but it is not a silent, weak whisper, but rather a whisper than can break a bone...like the Lion of Judah in the form of a Lamb...and it can destroy strongholds, of men or of evil...


The Lord sits enthroned over the flood,
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
The Lord gives strength to his people,
the Lord blesses his people with peace.

The Lord causes his people to always rest secure, in flood or storm...with the assurance that his hands always carry them...as the previous Psalm said.

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 30
(This one spoke to me so all of it gets underlined, as it is a great psalm --not that there is one that is not)
I will exalt you, O Lord,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
O Lord my God,
I call to you for help
and you healed me.
You brought me up from the grave,
you spared me from going down into the pit.

Without God, we perish...and to praise Him from saving us from nothingness is something to be marveled at.

Sing to the Lord, you saints of his praise his holy name
for his anger lasts only a moment
but his favor lasts a last time.

Those who follow the Lord have this one incredible blessing, that the Lord favors them always...and if God disciplines us or causes us sorrow, we have the reassurance in Christ Jesus, that the Son will always pierce our darkness, and that in wounding he will have mercy.

When I felt secure,
I said "I will never be shaken."
O Lord, when you favored me
you made my mountain stand firm.
But when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.
To you, O Lord, I called,
to the Lord I cried for mercy.

How easy it is to be confident in Christ, when you don't think you have to be...Meaning when you are depending on yourself (your mountain), how easy is it to believe that the Lord will never shake you...but then the Lord removes his hand like he did to Job ever so slightly, and the soul is often thrown into distrophy...and is derailed...and yet the Christian soul still reutns to its everlasting source for sustance, even when things seek to hide God...

To you, O Lord, I called
to the Lord I called for mercy.
Do you show your wonders to the dead,
do the dead rise up and praise you?
Is your love proclaimed in the grave?
Your faithfulness in destruction?
Hear, O Lord and be merciful to me,
O Lord, be my help.

I take this to mean sin personally...I know many times this has been the prayer of my heart when I cannot but think that I will sin in some way or other; and I sit there in prayer with the Lord fighting myself...and find myself throwing this at the Lord, what good will it do you to reject me after all you have taken me through Lord? Should the pagans rejoice that it often feels like you have abandoned me in the desert of the Israelites? And if you do not save me from my sin, from myself? All this fighting you have done to be with me, and I to be with you will mean nothing...

You turned my wailing into dancing,
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.

It truly is awesome how the Lord can transform our poverty into the greatest blessing in Christ Jesus...for those who wait, and take courage, hoping in the Lord's mercy.

 

[thefightinglamb]

Psalm 31
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Free me from the trap that is set for me
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit
redeem me O Lord, the God of truth.

This makes me think of a roller coaster, and how when the righteous are in trouble, their harness is always the Lord.

I hate those who cling to worthless idols,
I trust in the Lord.
I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my heart.
You have not handed me over to the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.

What are idols? I think more than anything else that people make idols, they tend to make somebody or a group of people their idol and forget about God. I have done this at various times with various people, and focusing on them has always left me nothing but chaos. And the Lord can let any soul free from this, if they see and trust Him...and give up the desire of their worldly heart.

Be merciful to me, O Lord
for I am in distress,
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and my body with grief.
My strength fails because of my affliction
and my bones grow weak.
My life is consumed with anguish
and my years with groaning.

I have felt this often.

Bu I trust in you, O Lord,
I say "You are my God."
My times are in your hands,
deliver me from my enemies,
and from those who rise up against me.
Let your face shine on your servant,
save me in your unfailing love.

Trusting in God when everything's against you, and you feel feignt of heart, is the faith that is strong enough to create, and worth believing in.

How great is the goodness which you have stored up for those who love you
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you!
In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men,
in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.

I used to say this as a prayer for those whom I loved, that the Lord would truly be their refuge.

Praise be to the Lord
for he showed his wondereful love to me when i was in a besieged city.
In my alarm, I said "I am cut off from your sight"
yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.

How often have I felt that in the midst of my chaos and darkness, the Lord cannot hear or love me...and yet truth, mercy and grace fill me when I amin the midst of hurt, suffering, and besieged by temptation.

Love the Lord all his saints,
the Lord preserves the faithful
but the proud he pays back in full,
that my heart may sing to you and not be silent,
I will give you thanks forever.*.



Anyway, we see that loving the Lord is what sets the righteous apart...and trusting in this love is what is profound...

 

[imoss]

I truly joy your personal perspective of the psalms. I love the idea of saying the verses in prayer for your loved ones. thank you again.