PSALM 144

1 [A Psalm] of David. Blessed [be] the LORD my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, [And] my fingers for battle– 2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and [the One] in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me. 3 LORD, what [is] man, that You take knowledge of him? [Or] the son of man, that You are mindful of him? 4 Man is like a breath; His days [are] like a passing shadow. 5 Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. 6 Flash forth lightning and scatter them; Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them. 7 Stretch out Your hand from above; Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, From the hand of foreigners, 8 Whose mouth speaks lying words, And whose right hand [is] a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, 10 [The One] who gives salvation to kings, Who delivers David His servant From the deadly sword. 11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, Whose mouth speaks lying words, And whose 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 pillars, Sculptured in palace style; 13 [That] our barns [may be] full, Supplying all kinds of produce; [That] our sheep may bring forth thousands And ten thousands in our fields; 14 [That] our oxen [may be] well laden; [That there be] no breaking in or going out; [That there be] no outcry in our streets. 15 Happy [are] the people who are in such a state; Happy [are] the people whose God [is] the LORD!

PSALM 144:1-15

MAN IS LIKE A BREATH

David was just a young shepherd boy tending his father’s flocks when Samuel came to his house. The LORD had told Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel and after passing over all of David’s brothers the prophet broke out the horn of oil for David. Here was Israel’s next king. I imagine David never got over that moment where God called a shepherd boy to lead His people.

David faced a lot of challenges on his way to the throne. He had faced Goliath, had been on the run from Saul, acted insane in the hometown of his enemy, and more. Every step of the way God had watched over him, prepared him, and brought him to the point of being king over Israel.

David now prays for God’s help and provision for Himself and the nation during times of war (Israel still had a lot of enemies) and of peace. In the midst of it all, he can’t help but marvel how God, who is so infinite could/ would/ does even consider men.

David approaches the throne with humility and his eye on the LORD. Should we approach our life any different? Who are we that God should care for us?…but He does.! He knows the details of our lives and has been working in our yesterdays to prepare us for our todays. He knows what we need before we know we need it and so often we never even realize He has been preparing us our whole lives for the role we play in His world.

PRAYER

Father, Who am i that you would be mindful of me? Much less plan the details of my life? I see how you have been working in my yesterdays to prepare me for my todays. I am humbled and i marvel at your personal hand of providence in my life. Let my eyes be on you today and everyday. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

PSALM 143

A Psalm of David. Hear my prayer, O LORD, Give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, [And] in Your righteousness. 2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no one living is righteous. 3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in darkness, Like those who have long been dead. 4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is distressed. 5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands. 6 I spread out my hands to You; My soul [longs] for You like a thirsty land. Selah 7 Answer me speedily, O LORD; My spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, Lest I be like those who go down into the pit. 8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You. 9 Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; In You I take shelter. 10 Teach me to do Your will, For You [are] my God; Your Spirit [is] good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. 11 Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness‘ sake bring my soul out of trouble. 12 In Your mercy cut off my enemies, And destroy all those who afflict my soul; For I [am] Your servant.

PSALM 143:1-12

NO ONE IS RIGHTEOUS

Throughout the Psalms David often calls God to examine his life compared to his enemy and professes to be, “blameless.” If we aren’t careful we will think that David really does think he is better than everyone else. At these points it is worth noting that David is usually professing to be blameless of what his enemy is saying about him or ‘righteous’ according to a human standard. Here David notes another righteousness that he (or any other fallen human being) doesn’t have. He note’s God’s righteousness.

God’s righteousness doesn’t even compare to human righteousness. David confesses that if he were to stand before God on his own merit (righteousness), he doesn’t have enough, no one does… But David pleads God’s righteousness here. He sees no problem with God covering him with God’s righteousness… indeed, it’s the only way that we will be made righteous before God!

But can God do that? Should David presume upon God for this righteousness?

I’ve heard of a judge in a courtroom assigning a fine to a couple because it was the law, they were guilty of breaking the law (regardless of the reason) , and the fine was a fitting punishment. But noting that their lack of funds had gotten them in the situation to receive the fine anyway, left the courtroom, went to his chambers, got his wallet, came back to the courtroom and paid the fine.

The judge was just. He upheld the law. He charged the fine, but then he stepped in and personally paid for the fine providing mercy for those whom he had charged the fine… but Jesus goes further with his righteousness! When we come to him by faith, not only does he pay our debt, but he also gives us His righteousness! So that when God the father sees us he welcomes us as though we were righteous as Jesus!

Paul wrote about this in Romans chapter three and took David’s Holy Spirit inspired thoughts to their natural conclusion: “to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26).

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for your righteousness, for without it no one would be able to see God. You made a way when there was no way. I stand clothed in your righteousness today trusting in your goodness and grace. Guide our steps! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

PSALM 142

1 A Contemplation of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cry out to the LORD with my voice; With my voice to the LORD I make my supplication. 2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk They have secretly set a snare for me. 4 Look on [my] right hand and see, For [there is] no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul. 5 I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, “You [are] my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend to 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 Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

PSALM 142:1-7

ALONE!?!

Have you ever been depressed? Faced the day, looking for light, but only finding darkness? Tried to stir out of bed, but couldn’t get the energy to keep on going? Couldn’t eat or couldn’t stop eating. Found yourself throwing a pity party. Dwelling incessantly on all that is wrong. For those of us who have been here (for whatever reason) it can feel like a prison. No one wants to be that way. The words of David that were so pointed today is where David cries out in verse seven, “Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name.”

David was going through some of the most challenging times of his life. He was on the run for his life. Those who were former friends and allies have become his enemies. He doesn’t know who to trust. Those he thought would have his back, have stabbed him in the back. He feels alone and abandoned. He’s practically homeless, living in a cave.

So what do you do when you feel depressed? When the world is not all as it should be. You have been anointed to be a king, but you find yourself homeless, just trying to figure out your next move? You go to the Lord in prayer and you share your burdens. You note that even though your friends have become our foes, you haven’t been abandoned by the one who cares for your soul. You trust in the promises of God and call out to Him alone who can deliver you.

One of the most helpful and soothing things you can do when a mood of melancholy/ depression settles in on you is to pray and sing praise to the Lord. You might say, “I don’t feel like it.” But our feelings don’t always indicated the truth. God’s word is truth and so there is no better place and no better time to meditate on it that when we don’t “feel” it. We can share our feelings with the Lord, but it is important that we practice the truth right behind our feelings. “Refuge has failed me… You are my refuge.”

We can worship God when we don’t feel it, because He is worthy when we feel it and He is worthy when we don’t. Allowing our minds to move beyond our circumstances to the LORD, help us to see things in a greater perspective. Sometimes we need to cry and grieve and express the hurt and while good friends can be comfort at those moments, there is no better ear to hear our pain than the LORD’s. No better place to go to refuge than in the LORD.

I am grateful for this Psalm today. I’m not depressed, but I have been there and I imagine if I should live long on this earth I will be there again. I was just recently made aware of a project where an artist is writing music to the Psalms. They just releases a work based on Psalm 142 and I thought I’d share it here.

PRAYER

Father, I am grateful for your word today as it acknowledges that good and godly people also wrestle with depression and go through hard times in life. I am grateful for the way you care for us. Thank you that you are worthy of worship when I feel like it and when I don’t. Someone I confess in those moments that I don’t especially feel it, I look back and see you were doing in my soul more in the moment than I could fathom. I am grateful for your grace and patience with me today. I pray for those who struggle with depression. I know they hurt Lord, I ask for your great grace and relief. Be the refuge for those who have no refuge. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

PSALM 141

A Psalm of David. LORD, I cry out to You; Make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You. 2 Let my prayer be set before You [as] incense, The lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice. 3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. 4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice wicked works With men who work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies. 5 Let the righteous strike me; [It shall be] a kindness. And let him rebuke me; [It shall be] as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer [is] against the deeds of the wicked. 6 Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the cliff, And they hear my words, for they are sweet. 7 Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave, As when one plows and breaks up the earth. 8 But my eyes [are] upon You, O GOD the Lord; In You I take refuge; Do not leave my soul destitute. 9 Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, And from the traps of the workers of iniquity. 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, While I escape safely.

PSALM 141:1-10

AN EVENING PRAYER

The Psalms are songs to be sung, but in a sense they are also well crafted prayers that teach us how to pour our hearts out to God. We have seen a range of emotion expressed out of a variety of circumstances with one common thread that runs through it all… Looking to God to hear and answer our prayers. Every Psalm looks to heaven and awaits a reply.

This Psalm of David is no different. He mentions the time of day that this would be sung and so many have associated it with an evening prayer. He prays, as perhaps we all should, that God would guard his mouth. He doesn’t want to be an idle talker filled with gossip, or crude joking, but rather he wants to honor God with his lips. It is here that I am reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:36 “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36, NKJV).

Next David prays that God would keep his heart from being inclined to any wicked thing. David knows that he is not above the suggestion, peer pressure, or heavy influence of those with corrupt hearts. He doesn’t want to grow callous to God because of the company he has to keep.

This is a worthy prayer, especially for young men/ women who are going off to face the world for the first time. This is fitting for those staffing a ship in the Navy, or attending college at a state school miles from home, or clocking in at the mill/plant/rig where there is already a culture that may not be favorable… as David prays to keep his eyes on the Lord, it should be our prayer too to remain focused on the Lord as we go through these life circumstances. We all need to keep our eyes on the Lord, regardless of our age and stage of life.

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for your grace that has been poured out on my life. I am so grateful for the privilege to pray to you in the morning or evening and I hope my prayer are well received. I have a boldness in praying because I know that what I am asking is your will. I pray that I would guard my mouth today and there wouldn’t be any idle words on my lips. I pray that you keep me from the influence of the wicked and that I honor you in all things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

PSALM 140

1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men, 2 Who plan evil things in [their] hearts; They continually gather together [for] war. 3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; The poison of asps [is] under their lips. Selah 4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from violent men, Who have purposed to make my steps stumble. 5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set traps for me. Selah 6 I said to the LORD: “You [are] my God; Hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. 7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle. 8 Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; Do not further his [wicked] scheme, [Lest] they be exalted. Selah 9 “[As for] the head of those who surround me, Let the evil of their 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 a slanderer be established in the earth; Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow [him].” 12 I know that the LORD will maintain The cause of the afflicted, [And] justice for the poor. 13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence.

PSALM 140:1-13

PRESERVE ME FROM VIOLENT MEN

David had enemies. There were men who wanted Him dead. He was on the run for his life for a large part of his life. There were men who wouldn’t think twice to kill him. There were others who worked overtime on assassinating his character (v. 3, 11). David knew that he couldn’t fight these battles alone and so he called upon the LORD.

David often acted practically. He took measures to protect himself, but perhaps the biggest measure he took was prayer. He asked God for protection and deliverance. He asked God for justice for his enemies.

There are moments when we might pray like David prayed. I remember waking up early one Sunday and praying for a mission team in another country. I asked God to watch over them and protect them from an evil presence. About an hour after I woke up to pray I got a text to pray for this team because some strange men had been following them. I found myself praying for protection and justice for this team and what they were going through. Thankfully, later we got the response that God had intervened and our team got to where they needed to be safely.

PRAYER

Father, I am so grateful to pray for your protection from those who would seek to do us harm. I am grateful for your provision and grace displayed in my life. Thank you for watching over us beyond what we an see. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

PSALM 139:19-24

Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take [Your name] in vain. 21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if [there is any] wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

PSALM 139:19-24

GOD IS JUST

God is just. He will render to everyone exactly what they deserve. One of the key themes of Christianity is that no one ultimately escapes justice. Those who have suffered injustice will be avenged and all sin is ultimately addressed. (You can see here where I have criticized karma which holds up every act of injustice as justice.) David calls on God to slay the wicked (v.19). These are all people who hate God (v. 21). Because they don’t love God, they do not seek to honor God, and they live in rebellion to God. David says he hates them, or doesn’t love them because they don’t love God and they hate God by their words and actions.

When David looks to God for justice, he does so in two different ways. In one way he asks for justice for his enemies who hate God. He wants them to answer for their sins. He knows that God knows all their sins. Even the sins of their heart. If God knows David so intimately, surely He knows every action of David’s enemies.

But David also wants God to examine his own heart. David professes to love God and walk in a human righteousness. He invites God to search him and examine his life.

It’s important to note that David wasn’t professing some sort of sinlessness. He knew he was a sinner. He has written whole Psalms that deal with the confession of sin. But David has professed his faith in God to provide an acceptable sacrifice for his sin. See the following pieces of Psalm 51.

[Psa 51:1-3, 7, 10, 16-17 NKJV] Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin [is] always before me. … 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. … 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. … 16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give [it]; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart–These, O God, You will not despise.

The difference was that David had humbled himself to acknowledge he could never undo what he had done. He could never make it right. He could never make himself clean. He needed God to do that and He asked God to forgive his sin and make him righteous.

(Some folks say the “Sinner’s Prayer” is never in the bible. I would press them to read Psalm 51, or even the sermon on the mount where Jesus tells us to ask God to forgive us of our sins. In both instances we see a model of confession of sin and trusting in the Lordship of God.)

This causes me to recollect Romans 3:26 where the Apostle Paul shares that God is Just and he is the one who justifies us in God’s sight through his work on he cross and resurrection.

[Rom 3:26 NKJV] 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

PRAYER

Father, I thank you that you are Just. You always do right and will always do right. Your justice is pure and right. I know that there are things I have done, sins that I have committed, that demand your justice. I am grateful to have heard your gospel and responded in faith to know that you will judge my sins, but that I have been justified through my faith in Christ and He has already paid my penalty. I don’t want to walk in sin, so along with David I ask you to search my heart. I want to live a holy life that brings glory and honor to you! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

PSALM 139:13-18

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And [that] my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, [And] skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When [as yet there were] none of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 [If] I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.

PSALM 139:13-18

GOD IS OMNIPOTENT (God is All Powerful)

God is omnipotent, which means that He is all powerful. He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, however He wants. He is the supreme authority. There is no one more powerful than He is. His power is limitless. (We might also point out that God is “Sovereign” in this passages as well as His Omnipresence and Omniscience that we have already covered. Some of the attributes of God that we have been discussing overlap. If He is all powerful and uses that power, He is indeed sovereign, etc.)

Often when we consider God’s omnipotence we also consider his goodness (v. 17).

David contemplates God’s power over him to bring his life into being. He notes God’s sovereignty over all his days that God had “fashioned” for him before he ever took a breath. God not only knew about David, but was active in David’s life to the extent that He had written David’s days. (Imagine that, even on days when you look at a blank planner with no real plans established for where the day will take you, God looks at the same day and his planner is filled with details about what you are yet to experience…. Days for David like when He faced Goliath and days like when his bride was given to another man… God knew his days, and Knew what he needed, and God provided every step of the way, no wonder David wrote Psalm 23 about God’s provision!)

This reminds me of Ephesians 2:10 which speaks of those who have been redeemed in Christ.

[Eph 2:10 NKJV] 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

David then tried to contemplate God’s thoughts about himself and was bewildered that as much as David might think about God, God knew more and thought more about David. David was fully known by the God who created him. (I think sometimes this thought escapes us that God knows us better than we know ourselves.)

PRAYER

Father, with David I confess that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. It amazes me as I direct my mind to consider your ways that what I am able to comprehend is only a tiny glimpse of who you really are. We can know things about you, but you are to big to ever have all figured out. Yet you know everything about us individually and have us all figured out. I am grateful for your goodness to me. I pray that my faith is increased today knowing that you know me better than I know you, trusting in your planning of my days, and that you are ultimately good. Give me grace for this day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

PSALM 139:7-12

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You [are] there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You [are there]. 9 [If] I take the wings of the morning, [And] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light [are] both alike [to You].

PSALM 139:7-12

GOD IS OMNIPRESENT

God is Omnipresent which means that God is fully present everywhere and at all times. There isn’t a square inch of creation in which He is not fully present. Our experience of His presence may be different. In some “places” such as Heaven, those who are there are fully embraced by His love and conversely those who are present in Hell face His Justice and Wrath.

He is more fully present in this place and at this moment than I am. Should we be able to run from this place at the “speed of light” (the “wings of morning” is a metaphorical way of speaking about the speed at which light crosses the horizon at sunrise), God is already there. He is in the depth of the sea. He is on the highest mountain. He isn’t just present in places at certain times, but he is present in every place and at every time.

Even in the moments that I don’t feel His presence or can’t see Him anywhere, God is there. And that should provoke our hearts to prayer and worship. We can pray to God any where because he is everywhere.

[Jhn 4:23-24 NKJV] 23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 “God [is] Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Just because we have access to worship God from anywhere doesn’t mean that we should worship God according to our own mechanisms or desires. Folks have used these verses to suggest a “saltwater gospel” where were worship creation rather than the creator. The point of this Psalm is to say that God can find us anywhere. Indeed, it was Jonah who professed a “saltwater gospel” and fled to the sea to get away from the presence of God, but there Jonah found out that God was present in a storm, the sea, and a fish. God is everywhere, but sometimes He has called us to be somewhere in particular and if that’s the case, we should go! And we should go with the confidence that God is already where He has called us to go!

What a comfort that even in the darkness, God is there. The darkness is as light to Him. He is not detoured. What a comfort that must have been for poor Jonah who centuries after this Psalm was written, finds himself in the darkness inside a fish… What a comfort to us no matter what we go through to know that God is already there and we can call out to him!

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for your incredible presence. I am so grateful that you are everywhere. I can never outrun you. I can never go so far that you aren’t there to see me. I am grateful that we can call out to you no matter where we are and know that you are near. I am grateful that you are a full time, ever present, always near and on time God. Give me grace to trust you and never doubt your character. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

PSALM 139:1-6

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known [me]. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For [there is] not a word on my tongue, [But] behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 [Such] knowledge [is] too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot [attain] it.

PSALM 139:1-6

GOD IS OMNISCIENT (He Knows Everything About Me!)

We are starting into Psalm 139 today. As we near the end of the Psalms I want to take a little more time with a few of these psalms because of the depth that is here. So we will be taking four days to go through Psalm 139.

Today I just want to look at the first six verses and meditate on God’s Omniscience. That is to say that God knows everything. He knows all that there is to know. He knows what has happened. He knows what will happen (v.4). He knows what could have happened. He knows about sea creatures in the deep that mankind has yet to discover. He knows about microscopic organisms in the rain forest or thermal vents on the ocean floor. He knows about the loose particles that fly through space, much less all the stars and planets. He knows details beyond the ability of man to grasp. Where our understanding meets it’s limits, we have not even begun to fathom the knowledge of God.

There is nothing that come to Him as news. He doesn’t have to react to anything or anyone because He has already intimately known this moment from before all of creation. He knows this moment in ways deeper than I can understand. He knows the number of sand on the sea shore, the number of stars in the sky, but most importantly he knows the numbers of hair on my head because he knows me!

When we say God knows, we are confessing that God knows better than we do and more than we do. God knows our thoughts (v.2). He knows our sleep (v.2-3). He knows our bodies and our souls (v.1). He knows our habits (v.3). He knows where we have been and what we are fixing to head into (v.3). He knows us better than we know ourselves.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for us because the human mind is unable to fathom that sort of knowledge. We can know some things and we can know some intimate details about some things, but we can never know everything to the extent that God knows everything, even about our own life, or our own bodies!

Knowing that God knows us better than we know ourselves should prompt us to prayer and praise all the more. He knows our thoughts, our deeds, our words, He knows it all and he has chosen to love us. He has chosen to redeem those who repent of their sins and receive the grace offered us through Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Father, I am in awe of you today! I am reminded that you know everything and you know everything in a deeper way than I can even grasp or imagine. You know everything about me. You know this moment more significantly than I know it and yet you know every moment of my life that way. I am in awe of you today! So help me to be quick to take my burdens to you in prayer. Let me be quick to shed anxiety when I seek your kingdom and your will. For Lord I trust that not only do you know me, but you love me and you are good and are working all things together for my good and your glory! I trust in you! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

PSALM 138

[A Psalm] of David. I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You. 2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. 3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, [And] made me bold [with] strength in my soul. 4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD, When they hear the words of Your mouth. 5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, For great [is] the glory of the LORD. 6 Though the LORD [is] on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. 8 The LORD will perfect [that which] concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, [endures] forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

PSALM 138:1-8

EVEN KINGS SHOULD BOW HUMBLED HEADS

Have you ever just marveled that God hears our prayers at all? In modern society, most of us have so much power and convenience at our hands. There are those who are especially blessed with power and influence that they might begin to think of themselves as “gods” (v.1). People bow to them, give them honor, bring them gifts and treat them really well.

David recognizes that as a king, he has power and prestige, but when it comes to God, he is a beggar just like the rest of us (v.6). It might be difficult for a king to think of themselves as a beggar, but no one comes to God proud (v.6b). We all must come with humbled hearts.

And here is the thing that should cause us to praise God. When we do come to him with humbled hearts, whole hearts, he hears us and saves us! What great grace this is!

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for your incredible mercy and grace! You are far from the proud, but close to those who are humble. We seek you this morning with our whole heart. We come as needy beggars in need of your grace and salvation. We are grateful, we are thankful for how you move and act in our lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.