November 1

The Perversion of Power
Psalm 120

      Several commentators suggest this Psalm was written when Israel returned from Babylon and were rebuilding the City of Jerusalem. We know from Ezra and Nehemiah that there were local enemies that sought to defeat the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and reconstruction of the Temple. These Apostate Jews sent letters to King Artaxerxes informing him that the returning Jews were a rebellious people and were drawing away from the original decree of the king. Note the distress of the writer! In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. 2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. 3 What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
The following are from unknown authors:

“The boneless tongue, so small and weak, can crush and kill,”
declares the Greek.
“The tongue destroys a greater horde,” the Turk asserts,
“Than does the sword.”
The Persian proverb wisely saith, “A lengthy tongue, an early death!”
or sometimes takes this form instead,
“Don’t let your tongue cut off your head.”
The tongue can speak a word whose speed,” Say the Chinese,
“Outstrips the steed.”
The Arab sages said in part, “The tongue’s great storehouse is the heart”
From Hebrew has this maxim sprung, “Thy feet should slip, ne’re let the tongue.”
The sacred writer crowns the whole, “Who keeps his tongue doth keep his soul.” Proverbs 21:23

WORDS
“A careless word may kindle strife, a cruel word may wreck a life;
A bitter word may hate instill; a brutal word may smite and kill.
A gracious word may smooth the way; a joyous word may light the day
A timely word may lesson stress, a loving word may heal and bless.”

The last two verses of this Psalm are prophetic. They are applicable to the church problems of today.

Pss.120
[1] In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.
[2] Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
[3] What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
[4] Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
[5] Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!
[6] My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.
[7] I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.

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November 2

God, the Help of Those Who Seek Him
Psalm 121

      Seeking God in our daily lives should be the first and foremost priority that we have as True Christians! When we seek God as we ought, we begin to see as the psalmist did that God is our Helper. Upon this wonderful realization, we are enabled to take those next victorious steps as we walk along the path of life that God has ordained and given to us.

      As we seek God and realize that He is there as our helper, we then begin to see God as our Keeper! God is truly interested in each of His children. We see the sparrows flying and understand that God knows when one falls to the ground. Will He not care for each of His children even more? God knows each one of His own children intimately as we see He also has the hairs of our head numbered. As our Keeper, God even has thoughts of His chosen; so many that they cannot be numbered.

      In this day and age when so much of the world is in utter upheaval and terror, as we daily seek God and are in His care, He then becomes our Protector. Who else could we think of as Christians that we would rather have take care of us than the Only All-powerful, All-knowing, and Ever-present God who is gracious and merciful and doesn’t give us what we really deserve. However, God’s grace and mercy are tempered with His perfect justice and He will and must punish sin. We can count on it. God will punish those who have not placed their faith and trust in Him to save them. Question is; as believers, are we walking obediently, or are we too in danger of God’s discipline upon us as unrepentant children?

      Finally, we see God as our Preserver! When we purpose in our hearts to walk seeking God and witness of Him as all true believers are commanded, and we seek God with humble obedience, He then says that He will preserve our souls, our comings and our goings and He says that He will do it forevermore! Do we realize the preciousness of these promises!?! Can you think of any place that you would rather be than in the perfect will of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!?!

      Gracious and Merciful Lord and Savior, Thank You for Your precious promises that You give to those who have truly accepted Your free gift of Salvation. May we walk in obedience to You in all we do. Amen.

Pss.121
[1] I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
[2] My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
[3] He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
[4] Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
[5] The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
[6] The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
[7] The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
[8] The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

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November 3

The Blessings of Worship
Psalm 122

      Many speak of Psalms 120-134 as songs of degrees or assents. The people would sing these Psalms as they went up to the temple mount on important feast days. The people were to stand before the presence of God in Jerusalem three times each year. They sang Psalm 120 as they prepared to leave home. They sang Psalm 121 as the city of Jerusalem was in sight and Psalm 122 as they entered the city of Jerusalem.

      The first part of this Psalm speaks of the joy of worship. All those who believe, enjoy worship and the presence of God. Joy is that feeling of contentment, delight and satisfaction. It is deep and abiding. On the other hand, the pleasure of sin is only for a brief moment and leaves us with feelings of guilt, pollution and deeper desire.

      The next part of this Psalm speaks of the unity of worship. I like the phrase in verse 3. Here we read, Psalm 122:3 Jerusalem is … a city that is compact together… It was a type of the gospel-church, which is compact together in holy love and Christian communion, so that it is all as one city. Henry, Matthew, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Bible,(Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers) 1997.

      We cannot worship except in Spirit and truth. Therefore, if we really worship there is great unity. I believe that this is one reason the church has been more united in hymns than in doctrines. God's people were one although there were twelve tribes. There can be important unity even in diversity. No two people are completely alike. Yet, like Whitefield and Wesley, thought they did not share the same theological position, they shared the same God.

      Lastly, in this Psalm we read of the blessings of worship. They are peace and prosperity (verses 6, 7). In these verses we read, … they shall prosper that love thee. 7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. I think it is sad, but many New Testament believers don't believe in temporal blessing for believers as much as temporal suffering. This is not right. Because of His love for Jerusalem, He will seek peace and prosperity for it.

Pss.122
[1] I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
[2] Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
[3] Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
[4] Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.
[5] For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
[6] Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
[7] Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.
[8] For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
[9] Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.

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November 4

Jehovah is the Rock of Ages
Psalm 123

      Quoting all four verses of this prayer: Psalm 123:1-4 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. 2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us. 3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. 4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning (scoffing) of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud. The actual events that led to the writing of the Psalm are not known, but it could have been close to the end of the Babylonian Captivity. Turn to Nehemiah 2 and read the conversation between Nehemiah and King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah was standing before the king with a heavy heart. His face showed that he was longing for his homeland and the City of Jerusalem. The walls of the city were broken down and the Temple was in deplorable ruins. Nehemiah had been to Jerusalem and had seen the disrepair. The natives that had been left behind in the Holy Land during the Babylonian Captivity were now scoffing at Nehemiah and his thoughts of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and the Temple.

      Have you ever had a dream or vision of doing something great for God and been put down by loved ones or friends? It never pays to tell what your plans are, because there is always someone with a negative attitude who will try to dissuade you or tell you it cannot be done.

      This Psalm is perfect as it stands. It is a prayer of less than one hundred words. It is to the point, and the author knows the Lord to whom he is praying. It has the charm of unity and expresses the sincere desire of the petitioner. The writer uses several earthly illustrations such as the slave and his master and the maiden and her mistress, both desiring to please the one they served. The author is a servant of the LORD and knows that God is able to answer his prayer. It also reveals the simple faith of the petitioner who knows that Jehovah is also interested in Jerusalem and the Temple. I wonder if we are on the same wave-length as this man was with God. If not, why not? Sin is the only thing that hinders our prayers from being answered!

Pss.123
[1] Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
[2] Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
[3] Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
[4] Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

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November 5

The Lord, the Defense of His People
Psalm 124

      “Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth!” This phrase is how King David closes this Psalm. For our own benefit, let us take a closer look at how he was able to come to this conclusion.

      Most of us have been through some kind of difficulty or another, even to the point of feeling utterly overwhelmed and to the end of our rope so to speak. We may have even despaired of our own lives and many of us have at least been to the point where we were ready to completely give up with utter hopelessness to the problems that we faced, with no human answers in sight. We are especially faced with great difficulties from the spiritual battles, because Satan is a powerful enemy and we cannot even hope to fight those battles without the Almighty Power of God on our side. Unfortunately, many defeated people are in this worldly and rocky boat. They have leaned on their own understanding and have not sought God and are overwhelmed with the burdens and cares of the world.

      Our Psalm today gives us a blessed hope. The Lord is the defense of His people. The simple and easy to understand word, is, is so important here. We do not ever have to wonder if God can defend us or if He will defend us or if He even cares about us. We see here that God-is-our-defense! God is our defense against the accusations of the evil one and against people who bring ungodly accusations against us. God is our defense when we should have been overwhelmed, when the swollen waters would have gone over our souls

      The important question that we need to ask ourselves is this! Do we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and if so, do we fully trust Him!?! Praise God, King David did and yes, we can too! God will provide. God will take care of His own. God will guide us down His chosen path, even when we do not know the way ourselves. He will be our defense, when we should have been overrun, when we should have been defeated, and even when we cannot see the way.

      O Dear God, our Defender, how we praise You for Your great Salvation and that You promise to be our Protector. This brings us great hope and comfort. Thank You that our help is in the name of the Lord! Amen.

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November 6

God's Blessings on His People
Psalm 125

      In the first verse of this Psalm, we see a great picture of stability. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. I remember evangelist, Bob Jones, saying that the truth that he would live somewhere forever transformed his life. It was when he understood this that he determined to learn how to live. If you look at old pictures of cities in Colorado, you will notice that the mountains have not changed. There is a great stability about them. Righteous people are like that. Sadly, the wicked are like the chaff, which the wind drives away. They change from day to day ever moving in the direction of self-interest as the world about them changes.

      This Psalm opens with the base of this great stability. Here we read, it is not everyone, but they that trust in the LORD… that enjoy this stability. God does not change; the Bible does not change. We dare not base our lives on the ever-changing sand of self-interest. If we do, we will come to find that we have built a house on sand. Sadly, we live in a day where people are being taught and encouraged to follow the path of self-interest.

      Those who live according to principle in this life are a vulnerable minority. In verse 3 of this Psalm, we read that the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. In other words, although we seek to live by principle, the evil tide would overcome us if it were not for the hand of God. He will secure our righteousness. He will not allow us to be tempted above that which we are able. Therefore, the rod of the wicked will not rest upon us. He did not promise that that the rod of the wicked would not hit us, but that it would not rest upon us. Ultimately, just as good will triumphs over evil, God will only let evil go so far in this earth and in our lives. He will not allow us to be tempted above that which we are able. If we study Adolf Hitler and what happened in Nazi Germany, we ought to realize that it is only of the grace of God that evil has not come to totally dominate this earth. I don't see how anyone can study what happened in that country and place any hope in humanity, or even the church for that matter. Sadly, the church provided the only organized opposition to Hitler, but it was a small minority and not all that effective.

Pss.125
[1] They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
[2] As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
[3] For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
[4] Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
[5] As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.

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November 7

Returning from Captivity with Great Joy
Psalm 126

      Verse 1, the reality of a dream: Have you had dreams that were so real that when you awakened you were glad it was only a dream? We all have! The Jews were dreaming of returning to the Holy Land and now it had become a reality. The joy of returning to their Promised Land made them rejoice from the depths of their souls. They were filled with holy laughter. Not the, “holy laughter,” seen in some charismatic churches, but sincere joy from the Lord for their deliverance.

      Verses 3 and 4 are perplexing in that there is joy over the first several thousand to return, but sorrow because they are expecting the rest to return as the flash floods of the Negev Desert, in the southern part of Israel. This was not to be! Many stayed behind and were integrated into the other cultures and scattered over Asia and Europe. These are referred to as the “diaspora” or the Jews that are returning to Israel from all over the world today.

      The last two verses 5-6 recall the farmer who has recently had a crop failure and is now looking forward to an abundant harvest this year. 5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. However, these two verses are also used, on many occasions, to refer to soul winning. If we want to be a soul winner, we need to spend time in prayer for the lost. We must shed tears before the Lord, for their salvation. Nothing is ever successful in our work for the Lord, if it is done without prayer. If we think we can do spiritual things in the flesh, we are only deceiving ourselves. Many is the parent who is on their knees for a wayward child who has been trained to do better, but goes out into the world and lives after the flesh. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. This is a precious promise that we should claim, not only for our children, but also for all the children in our church. In our depraved society of today, we must bathe our youth in prayer. They are bombarded from every angle by the humanistic and atheistic society in which they live. We can only salvage them from the world with our prayers and supplication.

Pss.126
[1] When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
[2] Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
[3] The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
[4] Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.
[5] They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
[6] He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

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November 8

Laboring and Prospering with the Lord
Psalm 127

      This Psalm deals with God’s Sovereignty in individual everyday life and in family life. Our society today is consumed with the ideas of economy and of the making of money. Money, wealth, and power has taken over the lives of many a person and family as their earthly gods. Everywhere you look, dads and moms are both working and the children are left alone to make do for themselves. Husbands and Fathers have little, if any spiritual thought of training their children in the Lord’s ways and the wives and mothers have left the home, as well, seeking the supposed ideal of wealth, at the enormous spiritual cost of ungodly children.

      This psalm, written by Solomon, begins, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” Our individual and family lives are being torn to shreds by the evil one, based on this psalm. Many individuals and families are trying to build their lives, their spiritual houses, based on their own sinful opinions and worldly philosophies, rather than on the commands and principles of scripture. Beloved, God is not mocked! Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

      On the other hand, God is pleased when husbands and fathers, wives and mothers seek the Lord, and train their children in the way that they should go, teaching them of obedience to God and His Holy Word. This is the other thought that we see in our text today. “Children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a REWARD!” This a wonderful gift, given by God, to husbands and wives, as a heritage for what God has done for them and for what God is doing in and through them. The sad truth is, we are only one generation away from utter apostasy, if we do not take the responsibilities of training up our children according to God and His Word. God will reward faithfulness and He will reward obedience. That is what the last part of our text says; Happy is the man who has his quiver full of children. Time to evaluate! Are we building our spiritual houses according to the Lord’s ways and teaching our families and children about the heritage and great rewards of godliness in the beauty of holiness? Dear Lord, May we be greatly encouraged to give You full control of our lives and families and allow Your sovereign plan to bring to us the fullness of life that You desire.

Pss.127
[1] Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
[2] It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
[3] Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
[4] As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
[5] Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

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November 9

The Rewards of Righteousness
Psalm 128

      In eternity, we will receive the vast majority of the blessings of righteousness. However, it is a mistake to think that there are no blessings in this life. I believe with all my heart that one of the reasons many church young people follow the path of the world is because they have learned this value in the home. You see, our talk talks, and our walk talks, but our walk talks louder than our talk talks. If we cut corners and compromise when the pressure is on us, little eyes see this. You see, if I would find the blessings of this Psalm, I must, as I see in verse 1, walk in his ways. All of us will come to times in life where we will either have to suffer loss or compromise with the face of evil. If we refuse to suffer loss, we are not walking in His ways. It does not matter that we believe and have been mostly faithful to God. If we flinch, at these critical points, we choose the world before Christ, and everyone watching us, knows it.

      It is interesting to notice that the universal results of faith are not riches, romance, fame or power, but contentment, peace and joy. We don't find happiness by seeking it; we stumble across it as we learn what it means to walk with God. I like the fruit we see here. We see a healthy and happy family life. It is sad, but most people who compromise do so for their families. Yet, there cannot be healthy and happy families apart from a life of righteousness. During the 60's many young people rebelled against the material values of their parents. It is interesting to note that today, most of these have adopted the same material values. .

      In this Psalm, if we seek righteousness, we will come to find peace and prosperity. Sadly, most seek peace and prosperity in compromise to the detriment of family life. It is interesting to note that part of the corruption at the end of the age will be the need to (Luke 1:17) … turn the hearts of the fathers to the children... In other words, we cannot serve two masters. In the end, we will let go of Christ and take hold of the world if we try to follow that path. Furthermore, as sure as we take hold of the world, we do so to the detriment of our own families. The father that decides to serve false gods a little will bring forth children who serve them much. The differences between generations are more often a matter of degree of compromise with evil, than principle.

Pss.128
[1] Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.
[2] For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
[3] Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.
[4] Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.
[5] The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
[6] Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

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November 10

A Record of the Past and a Hope for the Future
Psalm 129

      This Psalm is made up of two equal stanzas, verses 1-4 and 5-8. The first stanza consists of a retrospective view of the afflicted past. The second is made up of an anticipatory prayer for the future.

      The past afflictions of Israel covered 1450 years and their suffered from the following nations: Egyptians, Moabites, Mesopatamians, Canaanites, Ammonites, Philistines, Syrians, Assyrians, and the Babylonians.

      You would have thought they would have learned their lessons long before these nine nations had enslaved and persecuted them. (We cannot judge them because we Americans have not learned much in 225 years). God had promised in Deuteronomy 30:11-20 that affliction would plague them if they forgot Him. America has forgotten the God that blessed us through the founding fathers. We are systematically removing God from our society and turning to the gods of materialism, humanism and hedonism (pleasure). The displeasure of God is already hand-written on the walls of our nation and we will suffer His judgment and the consequences, if we do not prayerfully seek a revival.

      A unique illustration in verse 6 leads us into the second stanza: “Grass on the housetops.” Most homes in Israel, to this day, have a flat roof. The roofs are plastered and the cities are dusty. Dust gathers on the roof and when the spring rains come, grass seeds, carried by the birds, germinate and grass springs up. But, because of the shallowness of the soil the grass soon withers and dies. It brings to mind Matthew 13:3-23, the Lord Jesus uses the illustration of four different kinds of soil, especially verses 5 and 6. The seed, the Word of God, was sown, but did not have life because of the shallowness of soil. I trust my readers are not in this category. The Jews never recognized the truth of the Word of God, in that, they refused to turn from their sins and walked after other gods. Everyday we should examine our spiritual life and put away the sins that so easily beset us. The little foxes destroy the vines, (Song of Solomon 2:15). These little foxes are symbolic of the little sins that accumulate and grow into habits that destroy the character and testimony of Christians. Put those little sins under the blood every day and they will not possess you, nor enslave you, (I John 1:9)

Pss.129
[1] Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:
[2] Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.
[3] The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.
[4] The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
[5] Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.
[6] Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:
[7] Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
[8] Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD be upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD.

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November 11

Waiting for the Redemption of the Lord
Psalm 130

      Where is your heart today? Is it like many Christians who are waiting patiently and looking longingly for that blessed hope? This Psalm is a beautiful song of Ascents, the 6th of the penitential Psalms that starts out with an urgent cry and prayer from the psalmist, “Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.”

      We have all spent time talking with the Lord about our needs and situations. We probably have all cried out to the Lord many times and wondered if He heard us. We all know even as the psalmist stated that if God marked iniquities, none of us could stand. We are all sinners and deserve complete and total judgment. Eternal death, but, God in His great mercy has provided a way for mankind to be with Him for eternity through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the Cross. “There is forgiveness with God that He may be feared!”

      Our society and families and individual lives today are so busy that there is hardly time for the best things of life. Waiting on the Lord! Does your soul wait daily on the Lord? Do you read and study and meditate on the His precious Word daily?! These are the eternal riches and words of life that have been given to us to use for our daily living. All we have to do is set ourselves aside, take time for God, get in our secret closet, study His precious Words of life given to us, meditating, studying, and praying without ceasing for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you! When you wake up in the morning, what are your first thoughts and words? Are they of self, or are they words of thanksgiving and words of commitment unto the Lord for your life and for the privilege of service unto Him for that day? Honestly now, are our souls truly waiting on the Lord and watching? If so, we are receiving and experiencing that blessed hope that carries us through each day with much joy overflowing!

      O Gracious God and Merciful Savior, our hope is in You! We ask you to forgive our iniquities and to cleanse us from secret sin. May we be people that obediently witness of Your great Salvation. May we daily study and meditate and memorize Your precious Words of life. Cause us to walk as we ought, allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to use our bodies as a living sacrifice, Holy and acceptable unto You! Amen.

Pss.130
[1] Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
[2] Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
[3] If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
[4] But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
[5] I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
[6] My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
[7] Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
[8] And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

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November 12

The Spiritual Heart
Psalm 131

      Apostate faith always puts the greatest emphasis on externals. When the prophet Samuel anointed King David, he thought surely God had chosen David's oldest brother. The judgment of this godly man was terribly flawed. He could not see the heart, and God chose a king that had a heart like His own heart. God chooses David.

      A spiritual heart is a humble heart. It is the meek that God has chosen to inherit the earth. Notice in verse 1 of this Psalm that we read, …my heart is not haughty… For the most part, this world does not see a problem with pride. We often hear people say that it is important that we take pride in ourselves and in our work. The Bible teaches no such thing. The Bible teaches gratitude to God, not pride in self. Yet, many people who pride themselves in being Christians don't understand this most basic spiritual principle. A humble heart is one that is in submission to God and respectful of others.

      Second, a spiritual heart is a contented heart. In verse 1 we also read, neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Again, worldly wisdom would tell us that this person is lacking in needed ambition. The Psalmist speaks of his contentment in terms of a child that is weaned. During the weaning process, the child is often frustrated and angry. Yet, if the child is to ever come to maturity, he must learn to be content without nourishment from the mother.

      As evidence of the Psalmists concern, he ends in a prayer for Israel. The Psalmist is not primarily concerned for himself, but for the honor of God as manifest in His people Israel. How can he be primarily concerned about self when he is content? When we are close to God, we will be content. When we are away from Him, there is nothing in the world that can give us the peace and contentment that we desire and need. If we would be mature, our faith and hope must ever be in God. If we would have a spiritual heart, we all need weaning from the pull that this world has on us. In order to do this, we must find strength from heavenly manna. We have neither the strength nor the wisdom to stand against evil of ourselves. It is the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom. All those who spend time feeding in the Word will find the wisdom and strength they need.

Pss.131
[1] LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.
[2] Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
[3] Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.

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November 13

The Ark Comes into the Temple
Psalm 132

      There are several ideas for the origin of this Psalm. The one I liked best refers to the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple and Solomon’s dedication of the earthly House of God. Verses 1-5 are concerned with the birth of a vision that King David had of building a house for the Lord. Verses 6-10 record the fulfillment of David’s vision when Solomon finished the Temple and the Ark was brought into the Most Holy Place.

      Verses 11-18 are prophetic and refer to the time when The Lord Jesus Christ, the true Son of David, will sit on the Throne Revelation 21:1-3. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

      Verse 8 is a quotation of 2 Chronicles 6:41, Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. Solomon asks God to enter this glorious new edifice and dwell among His chosen people. Solomon had spent 13 years building the Temple and there were 163,850 men who worked on this magnificent structure. Some of the stones weighed 100 tons, and they were all cut to fit at the quarry. There was no sound of a hammer at the building site. I have often wondered how they were able to build such huge buildings in ancient days.

      David had a hope of Truth and Victory. He was enabled, via a vision, to see the glorious return of Christ and establishing an everlasting kingdom on the New Earth. Would to God, our generation had a like vision and were living in total anticipation of that glorious return. Christ is the Truth and the Victory over all evil and the devil. Satan thought he had defeated the plan of God at Calvary, but instead it was the defeat of Satan and the Blood of Christ bought our eternal salvation.

Pss.132
[1] LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:
[2] How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;
[3] Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;
[4] I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,
[5] Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
[6] Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.
[7] We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.
[8] Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.
[9] Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.
[10] For thy servant David's sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.
[11] The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
[12] If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.
[13] For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
[14] This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.
[15] I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.
[16] I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
[17] There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.
[18] His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

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November 14

Two Short Psalms: Unity Brings Praise in the Church:

1. Blessed Unity of the People of God
Psalm 133

      “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Pleasant, brethren, dwell, and unity are key words here in the beginning verse of this Psalm. Our daily lives as Christians should be solidly based on these foundational, spiritual truths. These are things that we are to be actively engaged in on a daily basis.

      Pleasant! How good and pleasant it is when we dwell together in unity! What fellowship God wants us to enjoy. However, the opposite is quite true, as well, when we are not pleasant. There is ungodly strife and bitterness and resentment that lead to all kinds of ungodliness in attitudes and relationships. That’s why we are to guard our hearts.

      Brethren! Heb. 13:1, “Let brotherly love continue.” Yes, we are all sinners and as such, we must be in a continual attitude of selfless prayer, godly confession of personal sin, Christ-like love, and forgiveness. We must choose to live just like Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who gave Himself for us, who forgave us, and we must forgive others.

      Dwell! Heb. 10:23-26 “23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” As brethren, we must forgive and we also have a responsibility to evaluate our own lives before God. We cannot keep walking our own sinful path and expect God and others to continue to forgive us when we are not willing to change anything ourselves.

      Unity! Phil. 4:8,9 says; “8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Heavenly Father, forgive us of ungodly attitudes and guide us in Your everlasting truth. May we obediently experience Your blessing of Life Evermore! Amen.

Pss.133
[1] Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
[2] It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
[3] As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

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2. The Call to Praise
Psalm 134

      This is the last of the songs of degrees or ascents. Some call them pilgrim songs. The people sang these as they went up to observe the feasts in Jerusalem. Here we have a call to praise. This Psalm speaks of the place of praise. If there was ever a proper place to praise God, it is … the house of the LORD. We ought not to limit our praise to the house of God. However, if we find it difficult to do so regularly at an appointed time and place of worship, it is highly unlikely that we will do it anywhere else. There were 24 Levites and 3 priests at watch in the temple each night. They were on guard against trespass and plunder. The menorah (candlestick) burned continually giving light in the tabernacle.

      We read not only of the place, but also of the posture. In verse 2 we read, Lift up your hands …, and bless the LORD. Under the Old Covenant, this was a common posture for public prayer. We find that Solomon did this at the dedication of the temple. However, Jesus spoke of an ungodly Pharisee who did this, while a godly publican couldn't even lift up so much as his head. Many charismatic believers prefer to raise their hands in prayer today. I don't think the posture is as important as the heart. In our culture, there is nothing wrong with the simple traditional bowing of the head and the closing of the eyes.

      Lastly, this Psalm speaks of the results of praise. Every good thing we enjoy comes to us from the hand of God. They come to us through grace. If we were to get what we deserve, it would be damnation. We ought to praise God for His goodness to us. If we do, we will come to find greater blessings. God works in this world this way.

      We live in a proud and rebellious age. Like Naaman of old, we think we have places we can go as good as or better than the place of God's choosing. We need to be mindful that the local church is the place of God's choosing. God will lead all of us to identify with a local church. The place of God's choosing will be a faithful church. A church that is faithful to God is in submission to the Word of God and gives evidence of important spiritual life. Sadly, people today are more concerned about entertainment and social opportunities than doctrine. It should not surprise us that we are lacking in important spiritual blessing.

Pss.134
[1] Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.
[2] Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.
[3] The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.

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November 15

This Psalm is the Hallelujah Psalm
Psalm 135

      It begins and ends with “Praise ye the Lord” The Israelites knew that God was worthy of all praise and honor, (verses 1-4). No Christian would say that God is not good. That truth is too familiar for us to reject it. The Psalmist confirms this in (verses 5 and 6) I know that the Lord is great and our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries. Lightning precedes the rain on many occasions. Especially here in Colorado, when the clouds gather and the lightning flashes and the thunder rolls and is followed by a wonderful gentle rain. There is no heathen god that can begin to do what our God does.

      This is followed by an historical narration of the works of God in Nature and among His people, (verses 8-18). These verses are a condensed version of the history of God blessing and watching over Israel. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit led the Psalmist to record these great events in so few words. We preachers are almost always guilty of using a hundred words to explain something simple and God uses ten words or less to say something profound. Maybe we could learn something from God. Note also, the writer in verses 15-18 proceeds to show how the idols of man’s hands are nothing more than figments of his imagination and trying to pull God down to his level, compare Psalm 115:4-8.

      Verses 19-21 form the benediction to the whole Psalm by returning to praise the God of Israel. Do you praise God for the little things? In our home, we continually praise the Lord for the little things, as well as, the big. It is a joy to thank God for His blessings and in doing so, we are telling our Lord how much we love Him and appreciate all that He does for us. The following came from an unknown author; if we knew who he was we would give him the credit. “They are wise indeed who worship the true and living God, the holy and loving Saviour, who put their trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God.”Let us examine where our treasures are and put them in the right place.

Pss.135
[1] Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD.
[2] Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God,
[3] Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.
[4] For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.
[5] For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
[6] Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.
[7] He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.
[8] Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.
[9] Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.
[10] Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings;
[11] Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan:
[12] And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.
[13] Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.
[14] For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants.
[15] The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
[16] They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;
[17] They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.
[18] They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.
[19] Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron:
[20] Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD.
[21] Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

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November 16

Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy
Psalm 136

      “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever!” Over and again this Psalm tells us of God’s enduring mercy. It starts out with a call to Praise. We, as true believers, are called to Praise the Lord! Let’s take just a moment and do just that. Think of just one thing that you are thankful for and tell God right now….

      Next, we see many other reasons of just why we can and should praise the Lord. Just look at the list in verses 4-22! Usually when we start to think of just one thing that the Lord has done in our lives and families and church, we begin to recount blessing after blessing. That is always a good spiritual exercise in “Giving thanks in all things.”

      When we literally break down this Psalm further, it shows us of the mercy of God in His creation. Remember when we considered Psalm 19. “The heavens declare the Glories of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, Night after night they display knowledge!” Praise God for His creating you and I!

      Then we see great deliverance from God for the nation of Israel. Again, let us look back in our own lives and name a couple of times that God has brought deliverance to our situations! …The first one for many of us was probably our deliverance from sin. How many times have we been close to death or severe physical harm and God spared us!? God’s mercy really does endure forever or we would not even be here!

      Lastly, we see the care and gift of God. Every breath we take, every heartbeat our bodies make, is a gift from God. As parents, every child is given to us as a heritage unto the Lord! God knows when we struggle, He knows every thought we have, He knows even the number of hairs on our heads! God sings and He even has thoughts of us. He gave us His love through His son, Jesus, on the cross that we might indeed have LIFE and have it more abundantly, ETERNAL LIFE INDEED!

      Our Great Savior, how we love Thee and how we praise Thee for Thy great mercy that truly endures forever! You have given us our physical life, and You have offered us eternal life! As Thy children then, create in us a clean heart, to eternally serve and praise Thee with. Amen.

Pss.136
[1] O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[2] O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[3] O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[4] To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[5] To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[6] To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[7] To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[8] The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[9] The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[10] To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[11] And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[12] With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[13] To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[14] And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[15] But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[16] To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[17] To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[18] And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[19] Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[20] And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[21] And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[22] Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[23] Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[24] And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[25] Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[26] O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever

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November 17

Blessings Lost
Psalm 137

      It is sad, but we don't really appreciate what we have until we loose it. For example, I wouldn't trade my sight for a million dollars. Yet, day by day I don't really recognize and appreciate this simple, but great blessing from God. Here, God is chastening His people for their sin. Because of the sin of repeated idolatry, God sent the nation into captivity for a period of 70 years. If they would not serve God, they would learn to serve their enemies.

      Their enemies wanted them to sing one of the songs of Zion, but their hearts were full of sorrow. They could not sing one of the joyful songs of Zion while their hearts were full of such sorrow. They had just witnessed the destruction of their nation and temple. It was by the rivers of Babylon. Babylon was along the Fertile Crescent where civilization began. Rivers were to Babylon, what mountains are to Colorado. It was in the glory of this new land that they remembered home.

      Their hearts were full of the things they had lost and the hatred of their enemies. In verse 7, we read how their enemies rejoiced at their destruction. The hatred of their enemies was born primarily of envy. It is most difficult for a true child of God to either knowingly, or purposefully blaspheme God for oppressing the innocent. These works come from wicked hearts that have never come to know God. Cain had the same heart when he murdered his brother Abel. They could not sing a song of worship and praise without the right heart. It would not honor God. If we could remember that our music is most importantly a matter of honoring God, I don't believe we would have problems with our music.

      The Psalm ends with a prayer against these cruel enemies. The historical record shows the cruelty of their enemies. It is interesting to note in this regard, that before the 70 years of captivity are even over, the nation of Babylon is conquered. In other words, the day is quickly coming when those who are glorying in their victory, will be sorrowing in their defeat. Whenever our enemies fail, we would be wise to remember this. All of us will fail at some point, and when we do, we will reap even as we have sown. If we do not extend mercy, we will receive none. God will deal with us according to the same principles that we deal with others.

Pss.137
[1] By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
[2] We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
[3] For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
[4] How shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land?
[5] If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
[6] If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
[7] Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
[8] O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
[9] Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

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November 18

A Psalm of David
Psalm 138

      This chapter is in stark contrast with the previous chapter. There the writer is sad hearted and questions “How can we sing?” But here, David is rejoicing and filled with praise. It is easy to praise the Lord when everything is going as planned and there are no problems.

      Let us look at the Life of David. Several of his older brothers hated him. Saul hated David with a passion. His own son, Absalom, tried to steal the throne and abhorred his father. (Yet David loved Absalom and was heart broken at his death). David had a lifetime of being on the run from his enemies. David had every reason to complain that God had given him a raw deal, yet here we see him praising the Lord and full of rejoicing. I must quote some of his praising: Psalm 138:1-8 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. 2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, (tabernacle) and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. 3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. 4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. 5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD. 6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. 8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

      Memory is a wonderful thing! As the years build up and we reminisce of past events, it is wonderful that we remember the good things and forget the bad. Oh yes, we can recall discouragements, but they seem insignificant now and we remember the blessings and the joyful events of years past. Time has a way of healing the scars and hurts of early years and replaces them with blessings too numerous to count. Phil. 3:13-14 … this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Pss.138
[1] I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
[2] I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
[3] In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
[4] All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
[5] Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
[6] Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
[7] Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
[8] The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

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November 19

God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man
Psalm 139

      Did you know that God searches your heart and your thoughts and your intentions? Yes, not only that, but God knows everything there is to know about you completely. God is omniscient! He knows all things down to the smallest of details, things we could never even know in our small and limited knowledge. In other words, we cannot hide anything from God. Absolutely nothing is hidden from Him. God sees and knows each thought and each intent of every person’s heart. If this doesn’t put godly fear and trepidation into our lives as believers than maybe we had better stop to see if we are really saved or not. We cannot flee from God. We can never hide from Him. Several have tried and failed, like Jonah for example. Nothing is hidden from God’s eyes Who searches every heart to find those who will be faithful in service to Him.

      God is also Omnipresent, He is everywhere at the same time! God is not limited like as we are. We cannot even comprehend this, but we can believe it! King David even said in verses 9-10 that if he were to take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there, God will guide him. These are wondrous words of comfort, to know that God is always there for each one of His children.

      Next we see that God is Omnipotent, He is all-powerful! We look at the simplest of examples in the conception and birth of a little child. These things do not happen by chance. They never have and never will. God made all things and it is He who is magnified in the development of precious children, as each one is formed in the wombs of the mothers. This alone is miraculous, God is Omnipotent indeed!

      After all this, it is most humbling to realize that our Creator even has thoughts of each one of His children. Precious thoughts that are innumerable. God knows each one of His own children individually and intimately. He is never caught off guard! All of this has one blessed, immediate effect and that effect is one that brings a true child of God to their knees to honor, love, respect, and obey their Great Savior.

      Can we pray right now as King David did? “Dear Lord God, search me and know my heart; Try me and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.”

Pss.139
[1] O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
[2] Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
[3] Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
[4] For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
[5] Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
[6] Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
[7] Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
[8] If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
[9] If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
[10] Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
[11] If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
[12] Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
[13] For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
[14] I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
[15] My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
[16] Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
[17] How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
[18] If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
[19] Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
[20] For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
[21] Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
[22] I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
[23] Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
[24] And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

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November 20

The Work of the Enemy
Psalm 140

      Psalms 138-145 are very personal in nature. They are examples of private prayer and praise. In this Psalm, we find the work of the enemy against the Psalmist. If Satan attacks us, what might we expect? Verses 1-8 in this Psalm, we find it comes in the form of evil people. God is a God of order. He has created this world with a certain order. God created man with diminutive authority over this earth. Thus, if sin were to enter this world it had to come through one of us. Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned…

      Of the wicked, the Psalmist speaks of their deceit, their violence, their amorality, their slander, and their hatred of the righteous. They seek to accomplish their purpose without regard for the method or cost. To them, the end justifies the means. They are so full of self that they can stand no other power. They are godless and proud. Note in verse 2 we read, Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. These do not give way to evil in a moment of weakness. Rather, they have opened their hearts to an evil purpose in life. They are going to have their way regardless of the cost. In verse 3, we read of their slander. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. I see in ministry how this kind of poison can affect others. People are often poisoned against the innocent through slander.

      Here, the Psalmist is the target of evil people. Note verse 4 and 5, Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. The remainder of this Psalm is a prayer against his enemies, and his confidence that he is secure in God. I often wonder why the wicked forget this truth. They cannot accomplish whatever they will. They can only accomplish what God allows them to do. Parents don't just let children run in any direction that pleases them. They provide important direction and even control. This does not mean the child has no free will. Rather it means the parent is a powerful force in their life. We would all be wise to realize that God is a powerful force in our lives.

Pss.140
[1] Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
[2] Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
[3] They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
[4] Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
[5] The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
[6] I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.
[7] O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
[8] Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
[9] As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
[10] Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
[11] Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
[12] I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
[13] Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

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November 21

David’s Cry for Deliverance
Psalm 141

      This prayer is very personal and intimate as David reveals his heart before the Lord. Today we are going to dwell on just three verses. Psalm 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips … and let me not eat of their dainties. David realizes that he must not say anything that his enemies can use against him and to this end he refuses to eat from their table or become involved in any conversation or transactions with them. This is a hard lesson to learn. Our first reaction is to defend ourselves. The flesh wants to justify its actions, and the only way we can justify ourselves is to speak out. When politicians are slinging mud at their opposition, they are actually losing ground. That may seem trite, but it is the truth. When we strike out against our enemies we actually lower ourselves to their level. It is so easy to defend our position and not wait upon the Lord,Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

      Verse 4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity, a better rendering would be: “let not my heart dwell on evil thoughts.” We are in a spiritual warfare and the old nature seeks revenge and satisfaction regardless of the cost. When we lose our cool or self-control, we end up being the worse for it. That is when our spiritual conscience takes over, we have to eat crow. It is said that an older lady prayed, “Lord, keep my words sweet today because I may have to eat them tomorrow.” This is an excellent prayer for all to abide by.

      Psalm 141:8 … mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. “I look to Thee O Jehovah, my Lord.” If we take our eyes off the Lord, where shall we look? We have no hope in the things of this world. The world and everything in it are in decay. Our cars are designed to self-destruct about the time the last payment is made. When we purchase an appliance for the home, the merchant or salesperson tries to sell us an extended warranty. In other words, the product is inferior, but they will not admit to that. It is time we recognize that God alone can be trusted!

Pss.141
[1] LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
[2] Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
[3] Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
[4] Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
[5] Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
[6] When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
[7] Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.
[8] But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
[9] Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
[10] Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.

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November 22

A Plea for Relief from Persecutors
Psalm 142

      We live in days where there is so much individual independence as to give the false impression that we never have any problems, and if we do, we pridefully say that we do not need any help because we falsely think that we can take care of the problems ourselves, however, this could not be farther from the truth. Many, many unsaved people have so many problems in their lives, and they are literally turning to every temporary physical form of stimulation and vice, such as drugs and alcohol. Even to outer forms of wrong physical relationships; to temporarily appease the utter helplessness that they feel inside because of their lonely lives. Sadly, this is true even of professing Christians! But let us look at the true difference between a professing person and a possessing believer.

      The honest truth is that everyone experiences problems at one time or another! The important thing for us to grasp here is in how we deal with our problems and to whom we will turn to for help as we go through them. As a person who is possessed by Christ, King David gives us some wonderful insights! He begins by crying out to the Lord! Say, when was the last time any of us cried out to God with our voices, to let Him know that we indeed cannot take care of these problems ourselves?! God allows us to go through problems, so that we will learn to cry out to Him, and to ask Him to help us in what we cannot do ourselves. He allows us to come to the end of ourselves, so that we will turn to His unending grace and mercy to help us in our times of great need.

      Probably one of the least used tools that we have at our disposal as possessing believers is the tool of prayer! If only we would spend daily blocks of time with our Lord in earnest prayer, would we then begin to realize the greatest of resources and power given to those who are possessed by Christ, the Son of the Living God! That is the difference between a professing person and a possessing Christian. One knows Christ but the other may not. The prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Indeed, we are to pray without ceasing! But do we? A preacher not too long ago gave this wondrous advice; He said this, “We need to PRAY THE PRICE!” We must be willing to bend our knees to our Lord and Savior! “O God, forgive us for not bending our knees to You as we ought. Guide us in Your perfect plan, our Lord and Savior!”

Pss.142
[1] I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
[2] I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.
[3] When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
[4] I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
[5] I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
[6] Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
[7] Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

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November 23

Hope
Psalm 143

      This is another example of a very personal Psalm. It is an expression of private prayer and praise. This one deals with deep trials. There are those today that think if your heart is right with God, you will be healthy, prosperous and without problems. This was not David's experience. He had enemies that he could not pacify. Note verse 3,For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. I wonder what it will be like to stand before God with this record relative to King David.

      There are those who think that if we are what we ought to be, that problems like this won't bother us much. Again, this was not David's experience. In verse 4 we read, Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. When it comes to pain and suffering, I'm not sure that salvation makes a great deal of difference. For example, if I hit my thumb with a hammer, I think the pain experienced is the same whether we know the Lord or not. Here David is being hit hard, and it is difficult for him to cope with it all. In verse 7 we read, Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. In other words, this is a life and death problem.

      In all of this, he is confident that God will take care of him. He seeks God's help and asks that evil would be defeated. He seeks God for the reassurance of God's love to him. He desires that righteousness prevail and God be glorified. He prays against his enemies. We read inverse 12,of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant. He believes he deserves the hate and abuse of his enemies, but he prays for God's mercy. We need the discernment to know the enemies like Saul of Tarsus who can be reached by God's grace and those enemies King Saul that are beyond the reach of God's grace. It is only as we know God and gain wisdom from Him that we can know how to pray as we ought. Thank God even if we don't have this discernment, God has made provision for us and all our needs. Romans 8:26 … we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Pss.143
[1] Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
[2] And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
[3] For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
[4] Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
[5] I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
[6] I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
[7] Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
[8] Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
[9] Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
[10] Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
[11] Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
[12] And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.

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November 24

A Psalm of David
Psalm 144

      For the record, the first eleven verses are quotations from other Psalms and the last three are original. There have been several suggestions as to the time of David writing this Psalm. Some think it was at the killing of Goliath, others when King David was having trouble with Abner and Absalom. It definitely has the tone of a man of great authority and it can be couched in the closing days of the reign of David, in his old age.

      The first eleven verses are definitely a prayer. As you read these verses, you see the following: “Come down from heaven; Touch the mountains; Cast fourth lightening; Scatter my enemies’ Shoot out your arrows; Destroy my enemies; Send your hand and rid me of mine enemies; and Deliver me out of their hands. It is for certain that near the end of the reign of David, he was faced with internal family rebellion and those who sought his life; cf. II Samuel chapters 15 through 18. Returning to II Samuel, we see why verses 11-15 were written. There is a contrast given to us to show the fallacy of not properly training your children. It is unfortunate that no matter how well you train them, they can become honorable or dishonorable toward their parents. We also see the fulfillment of the Prophet Nathan as recorded in II Samuel 12. It would do your heart good to read this chapter and then compare the problems in the last five verses of our devotional Psalm for today.

      The last five verses are both historical and prophetic. The history is that the children have walked in the footsteps of the father and David is now paying the price for being a neglectful father. He was too busy with the affairs of state, or as we say today, too busy making money to be a good father. Now for the prophetic, this no doubt refers to the millennium when the boys will be as plants with deep roots and the girls as polished stones in the temple. They will be vigorous, healthy, not tempted by their peers, and obedient to their parents. That will be a glorious day, Amen! There will be no breaking into homes. No drive-by shooting on the streets. Neighbors will live together in an amicable relationship. There will be no wars. There will be plenty of food because agriculture will flourish and merchandise will be available for every need. Those days will almost be heaven on earth.

Pss.144
[1] Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
[2] My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
[3] LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
[4] Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
[5] Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
[6] Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.
[7] Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;
[8] Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
[9] I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
[10] It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
[11] Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
[12] That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:
[13] That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:
[14] That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.
[15] Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.

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November 25

A Song of God’s Majesty and Love
Psalm 145

      As we draw near to the end of this blessed book of the Psalms, we are again reminded of what God’s Holy Word is all about in our lives and it causes us to begin to sing a song of God’s Majesty and of His love for us. Over and again we have seen many examples of looking at daily situations, good or bad as they may be, and then taking our eyes off of those things and off of our limited selves, and instead putting our whole focus and our whole trust in the Lord God Almighty, who brings salvation to all who will accept His free gift that He offers to all.

      God wants our praise unto Him alone! God wants our trust of Him alone! God desires our worship of Him alone! God wants us to desire Him above all else! God is gracious. He is merciful. He is full of compassion; He is full of goodness and righteousness! The Lord is good to all. His tender mercies are over all. His kingdom is everlasting! The Lord upholds all those who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down. This is a wonderful and interesting phrase. “God raises up all who are bowed down.” This is a direct reference as to where we, as Christians should be individually. The three main worldly sins listed in 1 John 2:16…the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life… are literally what keeps many of us from ever being lifted and raised up. And we wonder why we go through difficult times? Are we proud? Do we allow pride to keep us from God’s tender mercies? Oh, how God desires that we bend our knees and hearts to Him! We must agree with God! We need to set our pride aside and confess it as sin to Him. Honestly, we must confess our sin to Him daily!

      In verses 18-21, we see the wonderful results of obedience! God is near to those who call on Him in truth. He promises to fulfill the desires of those who fear Him. He will hear their cries and save them, He will preserve all those who love Him, but the wicked He will destroy! May we be richly encouraged today to Love and Obey our Lord and Savior!

      My Gracious and Merciful God, how I love You! I confess that I have much pride. Please forgive me, my God! How I desire to bless You and to obey You in Your truth. During this blessed Christmas season, help me to commit my life into Your tender loving mercy and care! Amen.

Pss.145
[1] I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
[2] Every day will I bless