You Can’t Take It With You
Today’s Reading – Psalms 46 – 50 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 1 – 3; Psalms 121 – 125; Proverbs 25)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32
Read the “0625 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.” – (Psalm 49:17)
You have heard it said that you will never see a U-haul behind a hearse, except, of course, in comical pictures like the one above. The bottom line from Psalm 49 is that your accumulated wealth and status in this life will do you no good in eternity, unless your life and wealth have been invested in the cause of Christ and in the lives of others. This Psalm admonishes us to not envy the lifestyles of the rich and famous among us. First of all, we don’t see the whole picture. While they may seem to be enjoying life on the surface, we know that lives that are lived outside of the will of God are not really happy on the inside. There is a lack of inner peace and a void that cannot be filled with the things that this world offers.
I want to be clear to point out, however, that wealth or possessions are not evil in themselves. God blesses His children with some of the non-sinful pleasures in this life. The key, however, is found in v. 20:
“Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.” – (Psalm 49:20)
Notice that only the man that understandeth not is like the beasts that perish. Honor and wealth, and possessions, etc. are wonderful gifts given by the Lord to the person that “understands” Him and His will. So, go ahead and enjoy the possessions that this life contains, but do not let them possess you, and remember to thank the Lord who gave them to you.
One more thought from today’s reading:
“Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.” (Psalm 50:23)
Notice in this verse that works are connected in some way with salvation. I know that almost seems contradictory to everything that we teach about salvation being by grace apart from works (Ephesians 2:8 – 9), but bear with me for a minute as I give you my thoughts on the above verse. I believe that when God begins working in the hearts of believers, they often approach Him through good works. The common misconception of most people is that salvation only comes through good behavior. However, any person who is honest with himself quickly realizes that he cannot be good all the time because he has a sinful nature that is prone to sin. However, to the person who is sincerely trying to please God, God will show him how to be saved, which is only through faith in Christ’s shed blood on the Cross of Calvary as payment for his sins.
In the New Testament, there is a story about a Gentile man who was trying to please God. He was centurion named Cornelius (Acts 10). There is a long and wonderful story given about this man’s salvation, but Peter told the man “Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God” (Acts 10:31). Here was a man that was trying to please the Lord the only way that he knew how and then God sent Peter to him to give him the Gospel, explaining to him that the only way to be saved was through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Mountaintop or Valley
Today’s Reading – Psalms 21 – 25 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – James 1 – 5; Psalms 96 – 100; Proverbs 20)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 40:31
Read the “0620 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from today’s reading – “Are You Teachable?“
“Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.” (Psalm 21:2)
“O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.” (Psalm 22:2)
Isn’t it interesting the difference between Psalm 21 and Psalm 22. Many of these Psalms are just praises and prayers to God right out of the heart of David. In Psalm 21, everything is great. David is praising the Lord for all of the wonderful things that God has done for him. In Psalm 21, it appears that everything is going great in David’s life.
Now when we get to Psalm 22, it seems like the bottom has fallen out of David’s life. Notice in verse 2, he accuses God of not hearing him. That’s funny because in the first Psalm (22), he said that God gave him the desires of his heart. What happened? Is there some kind of a contradiction here? No. It is just that David, like us, is viewing God through the eyes of his present circumstance. Apparently, his circumstance in Psalm 22 was not as good as Psalm 21. Remember, these Psalms are expressions of the deep feeling coming straight out of David’s heart.
I find that my prayer and praise to God is much the same way. Like David, I too go through different seasons. At times, it feels like nothing is going wrong in life; but at other times it seems as if God is completely absent from my life and the devil is having a “free for all”. Do you ever feel that way? I guess maybe David was just as human as we are. I would like to some day get to the place where my praises to God are consistent regardless of the valley or the mountaintop I may be traveling through.
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with 4 comments.
My Thoughts and Words
Today’s Reading – Psalms 17 – 20 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Hebrews 9 – 13; Psalms 91 – 95; Proverbs 19)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 27:15
Read the “0619 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)
I love the Word of God. I thoroughly enjoyed the Book of Job; but I am also having a wonderful time each morning in the Psalms. As I read this morning, I was captured by the beauty of Psalm 19. Verses 1 – 6 are expressions of David’s worship of God. Verses 7 – 11 are remarks that lift up the Word of God, and the reader is admonished to place a higher value on the Word of God than gold. Great Advice!
However, the verses that really caught my attention were verses 12 – 14 where David prays to God regarding God’s help in keeping him from sin. In verses 12 and 13, he speaks of secret sins and presumptuous sins. The presumptuous sins are those that we do blatantly, proudly, and in public view. David begs God’s help in the removal of these things.
Verse 14 is the prayer that all of us should have on our lips and in our hearts the moment that we awake from sleep. How often do we violate our relationship with God by allowing evil thoughts to take hold of our meditations. We muse on things that are clearly outside of the will of God. Ask God to control your thought life. The minute the devil causes you to think about something that is wrong, take it to God and ask Him to help you. Purposely divert your thoughts to things that are true, honest, just, and pure, etc. Our sin begins with the musings of our heart.
Notice also the petition regarding his words. Oh, how I wish that I could take back some of my words. The tongue can be a consuming fire, a deadly poison. Why not ask God to help you get your tongue under control.
I wonder how many mistakes we could have avoided in the past had we made this our prayer? We don’t have to make the same mistake in the future. Let God control your thought life and your tongue!
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with 11 comments.
Choosing the Right “I Will” – Lessons from Psalm Nine
Today’s Reading – Listen to Psalms 9 – 16 (Audio)
Read along on Blue Letter Bible – Psalm 9
(Second Milers also read – Hebrews 5 – 8; Psalms 86 – 90; Proverbs 18)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Read the “0618 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this passage – “Does God See?“
“1 To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. 3 When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. 4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right. 5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever. 6 O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them. 7 But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. 8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. 9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. 10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. 11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings. 12 When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble. 13 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: 14 That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation. 15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. 16 The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah. 17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. 18 For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. 19 Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. 20 Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.” (Ps 9:1–20)
Psalms 9 and 10 are believed to be connected as together they contain an acrostic where each major section begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This is not line-by-line, and there are disruptions in the pattern, nevertheless the acrostic is visible across the span of these two psalms.
However, Psalm 9 is quite different from Psalm 10. In Psalm 9, the theme begins right away with praise for the divine justice of God. In Psalm 10, the writer seems to be not looking at things through the eyes of faith, at least at the onset. The psalmist begins with a natural man’s view of the human condition. All is despair and hopelessness, until he gets to verse 12. In verse 12, he is reminded of the divine justice of God, which in turn changes his perspective of life.
This is a picture of the way we sometimes look at life. On days when we are full of faith, yielded to the Spirit of God, we see life through a divine perspective, recognizing God’s sovereign purpose. But then there are also days when we are in the flesh, and the world begins to darken our perspective. We then see only the evil out there, and it begins to overtake us. The outlook always looks bleak to the Christian who walks in the flesh.
Psalm 9 is both a psalm of praise and a prayer for the divine justice of God in dealing with the enemies of God’s people.
My devotional thought for Psalm 9 centers on the four “I will” statements made by David in verses 1–2:
“I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.” (Psalm 9:1–2)
Let’s compare David’s “I wills” with Satan’s recorded in Isaiah 14:
“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:13–14)
David’s four “I will” statements exemplify true worship and humility—a heart that exalts God alone, testifies to His faithfulness, and finds joy in Him even amid enemies. This is the path of the righteous that leads to blessing and victory.
In complete contrast, Satan’s five “I will” statements reveal the very essence of sin: prideful self-exaltation that seeks to usurp God’s rightful place. Scripture repeatedly warns us that “pride goeth before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18) and that “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6).
This powerful contrast between Psalm 9 and Isaiah 14 illustrates the daily choice every believer faces: Will we join David in wholehearted praise of the Most High, or follow Lucifer’s doomed path of self-promotion?
Today’s practical challenge: When trials come and the enemy seems strong (as David faced), choose to declare these four “I wills” out loud. Praise the Lord with your whole heart, testify of His marvellous works, rejoice in Him, and sing His praise. As we do, we shift our focus from the problems around us to the sovereign God above us.
Notes
- “Muthlabben” means death of a son, though it is not clear what this is a reference to. Some have suggested that it could be a reference to the death of Goliath – “the death of a captain.” Though it is not clear what the historical context of Psalm 9 is, some believe that David might have penned it after the victory against Goliath.
- “Higgaion” means meditation. It could have indicated that softer, reflective instruments be used.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Psalms and tagged Acrostic Psalm, David, Humility, I will statements, Isaiah 14, Lucifer, Praise and Worship, Pride, Pride vs. Humility, Psalm 9, Psalms, Trust in God by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Troubled? Find Peace from Psalm Three
Today’s Reading – Psalms 1 – 8 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Philemon – Hebrews 4; Psalms 81 – 85; Proverbs 17)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Read the “0617 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read previous post from this passage – “A Recipe for Success,” and “Kiss the Son.”
Text
“1 A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.” (Ps 3:1–8)
I am excited to begin our journey today through the Psalms. In many of these Psalms, we see the personal experience of King David or whoever happened to write the psalm, but we also often see an application to the Nation of Israel, whether it be in their historical, or sometimes prophetic context (i.e. the Tribulation Period). We can also often see an application to the saints of God everywhere. Many of the trials, feelings, and emotions that David, etc. experienced, we can identify with as well.
Background
This Psalm is known as a Mourning or Lament Psalm. Psalm 1 is known as a Wisdom Psalm. Psalm 2 is known as a Messianic Psalm. There are 6 other categories within the Psalms, which include Testimonial Psalms, Imprecatory Psalms (asking for judgment), Pilgrim Psalms (sung during pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Penitential Psalms (sorrow for sin), Historical Psalms, Creation or Nature Psalms.
The Psalms are written by many different writers: David (73); Asaph (12); Korahthites (12); Solomon (2); Moses (1); Ethan (1); Anonymous (49). Note – Psalm 1 was anonymous; Psalm 2 is technically anonymous, but the Book of Acts tells us that it was spoken by the mouth of David (Acts 4:25)
In Psalm 3, we are introduced to “Selah” – pause – remember these Psalms were originally set to music. This is a musical rest. For us it means stop, look, and listen.
Introduction to Psalm 3
David was running from his own son in this Psalm.
You may remember that the problem began with David’s sin with Bathsheba, along with his murder of Uriah.
“Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” – (2 Samuel 12:9-12)
What David went through with Absalom was a result of his sin. We will all eventually pay the piper. We will all reap in judgment what we sow in sin. Thank God, if we are saved, we will not reap all of what we sowed, but there will still be consequences for deliberately sinning against God.
Absalom was the brother of a little girl named Tamar who was raped by their half-brother Amnon. Absalom eventually killed Amnon in retaliation for what he did to his sister. He was banished from David’s kingdom for a while, but was eventually permitted to return, but his relationship with his father was never right. He began to win over the people of Israel and finally became so popular that he was able to lead much of Israel in rebellion against their king, and his father. David was forced to leave the city of Jerusalem and flee to the wilderness. Absalom was killed in the battle that followed, and David was placed back on the throne, but only after enduring the loss of many “so-called” allies, and even friends and family members.
See 2 Samuel 16 for some background on this Psalm (the actual passage that deals with this entirely is 2 Samuel 15:13 – 17:22
Outline of Passage
I A Discouraging Situation (vs. 1 – 2)
There will be times in life when God allows us to go through difficult days. Some of these times may be a direct result of the bad choices we have made in the past. Some of the trials we go through will be simply because we are living for the Lord. The Bible is clear that godly people will go through some dark valleys.
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” – (1 Peter 4:12-14)
“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” – (1 Peter 1:6-7)
The valleys of life can be very tough. In these first two verses, David is reflecting on his situation. Thank God for the pause (Selah). When you find yourself focusing on your situation, pause for a second – stop, look, and listen – and turn your attention to the solution – God.
II A Delivering Solution (vs. 3 – 4)
Here the tone shifts dramatically with “But thou, O Lord art …”
- Shield — God’s protection.
- Glory — God’s presence and honor.
- Lifter up of mine head — God’s provision and restoration (contrast with David’s bowed head in 2 Samuel 15:30).
“And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.” – (2 Samuel 15:30)
God may let you go through the dark days like this, but you can also trust Him to lift you up. By the way – church is for lifting people up, edifying and encouraging each other.
David cried out, and God heard him from His holy hill. What a comfort! “Call unto me, and I will answer thee…” (Jeremiah 33:3).
“This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” – (Psalm 34:6-8)
III A De-stressing Security (vv. 5 – 6)
David slept peacefully and awoke sustained by the Lord. Fear lost its grip. “I will not be afraid of ten thousands…” When we truly fear (reverence) the Lord, we need not fear men or circumstances. Remember what Elisha told his servant: “They that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kings 6:16).
IV A Definite Salvation (vv 7 – 8)
David spoke of deliverance as a foregone conclusion. Salvation belongs to the Lord, and His blessing is upon His people.
Conclusion
- We start out at “Woe is Me” – “the sky is falling” – everything is bad
- We remind ourselves of the promises of God. If we call on Him, He will answer. Nothing can happen to us unless God allows it for our good or his glory.
“And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.” – (1 Chronicles 28:20)
- We then get that peace that passes understanding.
- All without seeing any change in our present circumstances.
Devotional / Practical Thoughts
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Pause and Remember Who God Is (The Power of “Selah” and “But Thou”) In discouraging situations, we naturally fixate on the “how are they increased” reality. David models the better way: pause, lift your eyes, and declare the truth about God. He is your Shield in battle, your Glory when you feel ashamed, and the One who lifts your head when life beats you down. Church family and fellow believers play a role here too—encouraging and lifting one another up.
- Trust God for Peace and Deliverance – Even Before You See It David went to sleep in the middle of a rebellion with an army pursuing him. He awoke confident because the Lord sustained him. We may not see immediate change in our circumstances, but we can have peace that passes understanding by trusting God’s promises. Nothing touches us unless He allows it for our good and His glory. As David later told Solomon, “Be strong… fear not… for the LORD God… will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (1 Chronicles 28:20).
Friend, are you in a “Psalm 3” season? Family strife, betrayal, health struggles, financial pressure, or spiritual attack? Remember: God has not abandoned you. Cry out to Him. Rest in His sustaining grace. Salvation and blessing belong to the Lord.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Psalms and tagged Absalom, Absalom's Rebellion, David, David flees Jerusalem, lifter up of mine head, Psalm 3, Selah, shield by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Praise God!
Today’s Reading – Psalms 146 – 150 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 27 – 28; Psalms 66 – 70; Proverbs 14)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 89:1
Read the “0714 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” – (Psalm 150:1-6)
“Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.” (Psalms 66:1-2)
I remember visiting Solid Rock Baptist Church years ago, and Pastor Clark had noticed some teenagers that weren’t singing. He rebuked them, saying, “Open your big fat mouth and praise God”. I will never forget it, and I often want to shout the same thing at our church.
It is interesting how many times the word praise is used in the Psalms. In fact, every psalm that we have read this morning mentions the word “praise” several times. The Lord deserves our praise. We should praise him first because of who He is; and then because of all that He’s done for us. We should praise God all the time, but it is especially important to praise the Lord in the church house. We can praise Him through our singing, and in our prayers and testimonies. We serve an awesome God, so “open your big fat mouth and praise God”!
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
Happy Birthday America
Today’s Reading – Psalms 90 – 95 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 7 – 8; Psalms 16 – 20; Proverbs 4)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 19
Read the “0704 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read previous posts from this passage – “A Penny for Your Thoughts” and “Are You Thriving or Just Surviving?”
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. …If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:32; 36)
Praise the Lord for America! This is the greatest nation on the face of the earth. When I think about Independence Day I am filled with praise and gratitude to our God for three specific things:
1 I thank the Lord for Jesus who died on the cross for my sins, giving me liberty from the Law and from the bondage of sin. To think that Christ would love someone like me is really beyond my comprehension.
2 I also thank the Lord for the men and women of God throughout the centuries who have given their lives delivering the message of salvation. I could not be saved today if it weren’t for people who sacrificed greatly communicating the truth of God’s Word.
3 Finally, I am filled with gratitude for the men and women who have given their lives for the cause of freedom here in America. With all of her faults, America is by far the best place in the world to live. I can carry my Bible here; I can open it on any street corner and proclaim the glorious name of Christ. I have the freedom to worship God here according to the convictions that God has given me through His Word. I do a lot of complaining about the direction our country is heading sometimes but today I am going to lay aside all of the negatives and be thankful for the blessing of America!
One more thing. I am going to think today about what sacrifice I can make to send the message of Christ to not just America, but to every living, breathing soul on this earth.
Thank you Jesus for setting me free from sin. Thank you America for giving me the freedom to thank and serve Jesus.
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with 5 comments.
The Rock That Is Higher Than I
Today’s Reading – Psalms 58 – 64 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 7 – 9; Psalms 131 – 135; Proverbs 27)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – James 4:10
Read the “0627 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” – (Psalm 61:2)
I love this verse from Psalm 61. David was a man who had many enemies and spent much of his life fighting them. He valiantly strove against the enemies of God’s people throughout his life, and he also spent a good portion of his life defending himself from some of his own people that had turned against him. He lived much of his life at war. I can certainly understand why there were many times that his heart was overwhelmed. Imagine how it must have felt for David when King Saul pursued him for all of those years; or when his own son Absolam led a rebellion against him, forcing him out of his own city temporarily. David’s life was not easy. He experienced much heartache along the way.
Though I have never experienced the horrors of military battle, I have experienced my share of trials and difficulties in life. There have been many times when life got a bit overwhelming. There have been many times when I just did not know what to do. These are the times in life when we should go to God, who is the Rock that is high above all of the circumstances of life.
I have given some thought to David’s use of the illustration of a mountaintop to express his going to the Lord during the difficult days (and nights) of his life. In a battle, there are many advantages to having the higher ground. The mountaintop was a place of safety. It is much harder to attack someone when you have to climb up to fight them. It is easier to defend a higher position than it is a lower one. God is our place of safety. Nothing can happen to the child of God, who is living in His will, unless God wants it to happen. It is very comforting to know that God has got my back.
The mountaintop is also a place where our sight is increased. Have you ever gone up to the top of a mountain? The views are sometimes absolutely breathtaking. A few years ago my wife and I were blessed with a once in a lifetime trip to to Hawaii for our 25th anniversary. We took a drive on the Big Island up the side of an old volcano on the Kohala Mountain Road. I don’t know how high up we drove, but when we got to the top, we could see everything. It was an absolutely gorgeous view. It was a rather strange experience being on top of a mountain, and looking down at miles and miles of shoreline, as well as the vast Pacific Ocean. We could even see one of the other islands from where we were. God wants us to understand that when we are overwhelmed with life, He can see much better than we can; and through the eyes of faith, we can see a little better too. We may not be able to fully understand what we are going through, but we know that God does; and we can trust that He has a purpose for it all.
It is wonderful to know that though life gets a little overwhelming for us, it never is that way for God. He always has things under control.
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Does God See?
Today’s Reading – Psalms 9 – 16 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Hebrews 5 – 8; Psalms 86 – 90; Proverbs 18)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Read the “0618 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.” – (Psalm 10:11)”
“The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” – (Psalm 11:4)
“For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” – (Psalm 11:7)
“For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.” – (Proverbs 5:21)
“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” – (Proverbs 15:3)
“For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” – (1 Peter 3:12)
The simple answer is yes – He sees. I believe the Scriptures referenced above make that clear, and there are many other verses we could include. Yet, little man thinks that somehow his actions and his thoughts are hidden from the eyes of God, but He sees it all. There is both a negative and a positive side to this principle. The negative, of course, is that God is aware of every evil thought that we contemplate, and every sinful thing that we do. The positive side, however, is that God also sees all of the things that we have done for His glory. Whether any man ever sees it or not is not important. We know that God knows, and we also understand that God will reward us for all that we do for Him. Just a thought.
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with 5 comments.
A Recipe for Success
Today’s Reading – Psalms 1 – 8 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Philemon – Hebrews 4; Psalms 81 – 85; Proverbs 17)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Read the “0617 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from this passage – “Kiss the Son“
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” – (Psalm 1:1-6)
The recipe for success in God’s economy is simple and sure. God says that we are to separate ourselves from the philosophies of this world, and immerse our lives in the principles of the Word of God. It’s that simple. Notice that this psalm teaches that if we will do these things we will be fruitful and prosperous. This is a guaranteed promise from God.
Why is it that Christians do not follow this simple recipe from the Word of God? I think that there are many reasons for this, but the one that stands out above the rest seems to be that we really do not fully believe the promise. Our sight of the substance of this world overpowers our faith in the things that are not seen. Another reason that comes to mind is that because the blessings that come as a result of our faithfulness to God and His word often only come after a time of testing, Christians often throw in the towel and follow their own instincts. But whatever the reasons may be, the fact remains that most of us never arrive at the place where we experience the level of prosperity that God promises.
Christian, let me encourage you to meditate, and even memorize this wonderful psalm. Let it be absorbed into your soul. Even more importantly, however, you should put this portion of Scripture into practice in your life. Fall in love with the Word of God, and follow its principles. Don’t be enamored with all the glitz that this world may offer you. Choose to live for the things that really matter.
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.