Psalm 48

1 How great is the Lord, how deserving of praise, in the city of our God, which sits on his holy mountain!
2 It is high and magnificent; the whole earth rejoices to see it! Mount Zion, the holy mountain, is the city of the great King!
3 God himself is in Jerusalem’s towers, revealing himself as its defender.
4 The kings of the earth joined forces and advanced against the city.
5 But when they saw it, they were stunned; they were terrified and ran away.
6 They were gripped with terror and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.
7 You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish shattered by a powerful east wind.
8 We had heard of the city’s glory, but now we have seen it ourselves— the city of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. It is the city of our God; he will make it safe forever.
Interlude

9 O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in your Temple.
10 As your name deserves, O God, you will be praised to the ends of the earth. Your strong right hand is filled with victory.
11 Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice. Let all the towns of Judah be glad because of your justice.
12 Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem. Walk around and count the many towers.
13 Take note of the fortified walls, and tour all the citadels, that you may describe them to future generations.
14 For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die.

Today's psalm tells us about life in the Kingdom of God...and I like what it says.

First we see that our God's Kingdom is impervious to the assaults of unbelievers. "The kings of the earth joined forces and advanced against the city. But when they saw it, they were stunned; they were terrified and ran away. They were gripped with terror and writhed in pain like a woman in labor". The bad guys like to talk a big game but...when they actually get up close and personal...they will flee like children.

Kind of embarrassing, huh?

Now, of course, we are told that the Kingdom of God lives within us...how's that working out for you? Are you experiencing the kind of peace assurance that the psalmist is telling us about? When the evil around you tries to mount an assault...does it run and cower in fear?

I know...me neither. I have quite a few dings in my armor.

The psalmist tells us to "Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem. Walk around and count the many towers. Take note of the fortified walls, and tour all the citadels, that you may describe them to future generations". I think he's telling us to take a closer look at what God has done for us. What He's built on our behalf. Take an inventory of His faithfulness. We should look at every part of our lives and inspect it for evidence of God's presence. I think we'll be amazed at what we find.

Before we know it...we'll be feeling it and believing it..."for that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die".

But don't forget...we can't be hiding within the citadel that God has created out of our lives. We need to get out and tell others.

Live boldly out there today...

Psalm 47

1 Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise!
2 For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth.
3 He subdues the nations before us, putting our enemies beneath our feet.
4 He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance, the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves.
Interlude

5 God has ascended with a mighty shout. The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm!
8 God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne.
9 The rulers of the world have gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham. For all the kings of the earth belong to God. He is highly honored everywhere.

The Psalms tend to take an intimate look at God. Today we see something different.

Some commentaries suggest this psalm was written on occasion of the ark being brought back to the city of David... attended with singing and dancing, with shouting, and the sound of a trumpet.
That may well be true, but most also suggest this is another Messianic psalm...written on account of the ascension of Christ to heaven, and the spread of the Gospel.

At any rate...we don't see any of the expected turmoil caused by wicked kings and nations attempting to destroy the City of David. To the contrary, we see subdued nations...aligning with the people of God and acknowledging their obeisance.

We have a window into our future...and it looks bright.

It's difficult to comprehend a world where all the rulers gather to pay homage to our God. In fact, right today, things appear much the opposite. I listened to a woman express a desire to keep Focus on the Family off the airwaves because that ministry does not express our American values.

Huh? What values would hers be?

I will suggest that things may get worse before they get better. But don't fret...and don't let your children waver. We have read the book and we know the ending. So, as the psalmist says, "Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm!"
"Praise Him with a psalm!" You've got 150 to choose from...pick one. Come to think of it...that's the point of this blog. We can pick a different one every day and never run out of praises.

Live boldly out there today...

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
Interlude

4 A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.
Interlude

8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord: See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.
Interlude
No Fear!

We now have a clothing line named "No Fear." The company promotes events like Martial Arts, Ultimate Fight Championships (UFC) and Motocross. The concept behind "No Fear" clothing seems to be "live life on the edge. Don't be afraid. Seize the day!" If you've ever watched a UFC bout you would have to understand the meaning of "no fear." It's crazy.

But then...that's exactly how people of faith are supposed to live.

Our Psalmist today begins by saying "God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble...so we will not fear." How about the earthquakes in Haiti or Chili? Well, he goes on to say "we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea". And...not just natural disaster, but man-made disaster as well. HAVE NO FEAR! The Lord of heaven's armies are here with us".

OK, that's all fine on paper. But...did that guy ever try to make mortgage payments in this economy? Did he ever try to feed his family after becoming the victim of a 10% unemployment rate? In some ways survival is a more fearful prospect than the alternative.

Since we are not immune to the dangers of this world we understand fear. We live with it.

Then again...if we are living with fear, perhaps we are living in the wrong neighborhood. Our author continues..."A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it".

The best available address...if we hope to live a fearless life is not a physical address but a spiritual address. Most commentators believe the "river" that brings joy to the City of God is a metaphor for the Divine favor and comfort that derives to the residents of this sacred home. In the Old Testament we generally recognize the temple as God's dwelling. After the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost we understand that God dwells within our spirits.

So, here's my question: Are we living in the world around us, or are we living in the world within? The world of our spirit, where God Himself dwells. To the degree that we let God turn us inward, we should witness a dissipation of fear. We cannot avoid exposure to the world around us. That doesn't mean we should move in.

Are you fearful? Perhaps you should change neighborhoods...

Live boldly out there today...

Psalm 45

1 Beautiful words stir my heart. I will recite a lovely poem about the king, for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.
2 You are the most handsome of all. Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever.
3 Put on your sword, O mighty warrior! You are so glorious, so majestic!
4 In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’rts. The nations fall beneath your feet.
6 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.
7 You love justice and hate evil. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.
8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume your robes. In ivory palaces the music of strings entertains you.
9 Kings’ daughters are among your noble women. At your right side stands the queen, wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir!
10 Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your family far away.
11 For your royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The princess of Tyre will shower you with gifts. The wealthy will beg your favor.
13 The bride, a princess, looks glorious in her golden gown.
14 In her beautiful robes, she is led to the king, accompanied by her bridesmaids.
15 What a joyful and enthusiastic procession as they enter the king’s palace!
16 Your sons will become kings like their father. You will make them rulers over many lands.
17 I will bring honor to your name in every generation. Therefore, the nations will praise you forever and ever.

Another Psalm attributed to "the descendants of Korah" and seems to be an allegory of Christ and the Church.

Our psalm opens with a vivid description of Christ...and the role He assumes as head of the Church. He defends truth, humility and justice. His reign is forever. He loves justice and hates evil. And most of all...He is victorious!

Then we get to the Church. These words catch my attention: "Kings’ daughters are among your noble women. At your right side stands the queen, wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir! Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your family far away. For your royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord".

Listen to this. "O royal daughter...forget your people." We expect the allusion to royalty, riches and finery. Those of us who lead the Church are faithful to remind us all that we are a royal priesthood...with all the associated benefits and responsibilities. It's good to be a child of God.

But...forget your people? That's one sure way to spoil a party...

Any time our lives are divided into "old and new" or "past and present" there is a tendency to look back...particularly during times when things aren't going so well. We call them the "good old days." Sometimes they were actually good. It's not a good habit because it is often used to compare and contrast our present quality of life. It breeds discontentment.

Paul puts it this way in Corinthians..."Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" You could look back, but what you see isn't you anymore...

You see, if we are going to get the most out of our relationship with Christ we have to be single-minded. We cannot have one foot in the Church and one foot in the world of our past life. We need to be singularly devoted to our Bridegroom. Only then will we be able to recognize the gift of grace we have been given. Only then will we be forever content with our Lord.

Are you going through a spiritual malaise? Are you finding it difficult to get excited about your great eternal fortune? Perhaps it's because you're having trouble acknowledging "the old is gone." Maybe you feel like you've been fenced off from the world you once knew and it's passing you by.

It's all true...but that should be a cause for rejoicing...not doubt. After all...the world we left behind has no future.

Live boldly out there today...

Psalm 44:9-26

9 But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor. You no longer lead our armies to battle.
10 You make us retreat from our enemies and allow those who hate us to plunder our land.
11 You have butchered us like sheep and scattered us among the nations.
12 You sold your precious people for a pittance, making nothing on the sale.
13 You let our neighbors mock us. We are an object of scorn and derision to those around us.
14 You have made us the butt of their jokes; they shake their heads at us in scorn.
15 We can’t escape the constant humiliation; shame is written across our faces.
16 All we hear are the taunts of our mockers. All we see are our vengeful enemies.
17 All this has happened though we have not forgotten you. We have not violated your covenant.
18 Our hearts have not deserted you. We have not strayed from your path.
19 Yet you have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home. You have covered us with darkness and death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods,
21 God would surely have known it, for he knows the secrets of every heart.
22 But for your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.
23 Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever.
24 Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?
25 We collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt.
26 Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love.

Today we find out why it is so important to look back and recall the mighty acts of God.

Because...today our author needs the reminder. It's a bad day.

And, if he didn't keep his perspective, David could be tempted to believe God had abandoned His people. In fact, that's exactly how David feels...
1. You have tossed us aside in dishonor.
2. You no longer lead our armies to battle.3. You make us retreat from our enemies.
4. You allow those who hate us to plunder our land.5. You have butchered us like sheep and scattered us among the nations.6. You sold your precious people for a pittance, making nothing on the sale.7. You let our neighbors mock us.
He feels abandoned, but...he doesn't "believe" it.

Think about this for a moment. Had our Psalmist not looked back at the context of history and seen the faithful and powerful hand of God, he would have no way of interpreting his current affairs. Even though the circumstances are abhorrent our writer knows exactly where to go for relief. This actually seems like a good thing. People with no sense of faith are far less fortunate. They turn to drugs, alcohol, sex, work...anything they can think of to anesthetize themselves from reality.

But, or course, none of those things ever work.

So, for today's author, the ups and downs of life seem to be fully explained as simple facts of a life lived before God. Pleasure is no more an aberration than pain. Both can be fully understood in the context of God's sovereignty. Because he sees life this way the Psalmist is able to get pretty assertive with God. He comes very close to telling God He is wrong for allowing these circumstances. He tells God "all this has happened though we have not forgotten you. We have not violated your covenant. Our hearts have not deserted you. We have not strayed from your path. Yet you have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home".

This "Son of Korah" was testy because he understood God's character...

For the life of me I can't figure out why God would be so harsh with Israel if they were honestly this faithful. But that isn't David's concern. He doesn't have to ask "why". You see...if the author is willing to take the "good" without questioning God's love, he really has no choice but to accept the "bad" with the same degree of faith.

Can you remember a time when God so faithfully answered a prayer for you? Did you take the blessing and cherish it...or did you say "Oh, Lord! why did you do this for me...I am unworthy!" Of course not. The point of prayer is to access the miraculous power of God.

So today, when you can't see God anywhere, when your life is falling apart...don't ask "why". Be like our Psalmist and challenge God. "Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love."

As a matter of fact, God will.

Live boldly out there today...

Psalm 44:1-8

1 O God, we have heard it with our own ears— our ancestors have told us of all you did in their day, in days long ago:
2 You drove out the pagan nations by your power and gave all the land to our ancestors. You crushed their enemies and set our ancestors free.
3 They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from your face that helped them, for you loved them.
4 You are my King and my God. You command victories for Israel.
5 Only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes.
6 I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me.
7 You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies; you disgrace those who hate us.
8 O God, we give glory to you all day long and constantly praise your name.
Interlude

The song Ruby Tuesday opens with these lyrics "She would never say where she came from. Yesterday don't matter if it's gone"

The song is reflective of a philosophical doctrine we call "Nihilism". Nihilism suggests we ignore one or more meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. Our modern culture is saturated with this thinking. It's not a good thing.

Think about it...

History is one of the greatest contexts we have for making sense out of what is happening today. That's why George Santayana said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". So therefore, Ruby Tuesday will never become more mature than she is now (or was in 1966). Don't smirk, but 1966 is the year I graduated from High School. I sure hope I'm a different...and better...person than I was then.

I know I am because yesterday matters. All the yesterdays matter. I can look back and see my progress...by the grace of God.

Which is exactly what our author is doing in psalm 44. He says "O God, we have heard it with our own ears— our ancestors have told us of all you did in their day, in days long ago: You drove out the pagan nations by your power and gave all the land to our ancestors. You crushed their enemies and set our ancestors free".
Knowing the facts of our history is critical, but interpreting them correctly is just as important. Our Psalmist could have dryly recounted how the nation of Israel conquered Canaan but he chose to understand those facts in the light of God's sovereignty. He continues by saying "they did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from your face that helped them, for you loved them".

How should this influence you and me?

As we take stock of our lives there are so many things to consider. How we got to today is one of those critical commentaries. The reason I think its so important is this: Without recognizing the sovereignty of God in our history one of two bad things will happen.
1. If life is good, we will convince ourselves we got here under our own steam.
2. If life is bad, we will convince ourselves we have no hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Yesterday matters...and it's not gone. The residue of our past lingers in our spirits for a lifetime. That's a good thing. It's how God designed us. It's how we keep track of God's faithfulness. It's how we are able to proclaim with david "You are my King and my God".


I know life can be painful. There are parts of our past we would like to forget. Let me encourage you to avoid falling in to that trap. The cost is way too high.

Live boldly out there today...

Psalm 43

1 Declare me innocent, O God! Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars.
2 For you are God, my only safe haven. Why have you tossed me aside? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?
3 Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live.
4 There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!
5 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is one of the great contributions to navigation. I have one in my car. Now, if I get lost, its entirely the GPS's fault...or my wife's.

Even better...mine has real-time traffic updates so I know exactly how to avoid rush hour delays. It also marks one-way streets so I don't get confused. I should check...it might even make me coffee. Trouble-free driving...I can always reach my destination the easiest possible way. If I use it.

Don't leave home without it...

David came to a similar conclusion about his tumultuous life. There are so many pitfalls, snares and dangers. It's a miracle any of us survive for a lifetime. David says "send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live".

Spiritual GPS...

Only two things would prevent us from following David's suggestion: Either we don't believe we're going anyplace in particular, or we think we already know the way. I'd caution everybody that either response will put us right into the mess that David was trying to pull himself out of.
1. We absolutely are heading someplace in particular. Depending on our point of view...it's heaven, hell, or the grave. We can't avoid the trip. Nobody gets out of this life alive.
2. We absolutely need directions. And if we don't believe this is a big problem...consider spending a lifetime thinking you're on the highway to heaven and one day you wake up in hell.

Ooops!

So, David says "send out your light and truth". This is like the GPS signal sent from the satellite. When the signal is received by the proper device...voila! Perhaps even more to the point, David says "let them lead me to the place where you live." Like pressing the "home" icon on our GPS, we can be anyplace on the globe and we will get precise directions home. How great is that?
It's one thing to have a GPS. It's another to have one that will always take you home.Here's my question today...do you have any idea where you are? Are you confident of your destination? On what basis? your gut? Typical man...never asks directions.

Big, big gamble!

The "light" is God's Holy Word (Jesus). The "truth" is God's Holy Spirit. Both are infallible, and indispensable if we absolutely, positively have to get there.

But then...you could be one of those who regularly yells at your GPS, convinced that it's wrong.

Live boldly out there today...