Psalm 145

A praise song of David.
Of God who eternally is.
One of whom generations would pass on to the next generations,
Concerning His greatness, His compassion, and His righteousness
Yet, though generations after generations may have passed,
He reminds the same.
The same God at the beginning of time, the One David praises, is the same God we worship today.

How is it that David can write an entire psalm of praise so seemingly easily,
while I struggle with a 300 word impression?
How is it that words of praise are so abundant in the life of David,
while it seems so sparse in ours?

Every day
I will bless You....

I will bless... I will kneel before You.. I will adore You...
We must consider the level of our adoration for our Lord Jesus today.
When our mouth utter words of praise, does our hearts resonate with the same awe towards our Almighty?
While it is easy for us to recite the entire Psalm 145, do we actually "amen" to every verse?

I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.

Spiritual nurture... Quiet time.. Reflection...
Why is it that we find ourselves with no praise on our lips?

Have our lives gotten so busy that we find no time for quiet reflection?
If we do not first hush our surroundings and keep silent, how do we expect to hear the still, small voice and how will we bring to remembrance the difficult times He carried us through?
And if we do not take time to consider the wonderful works of God, how will we remember His awesome creation?

If we live life in a constant rush; if we do not take time to smell the flowers, or play in the rain; if we are constantly on the go, or on-line, surrounded by people, work, play, entertainment,... how shall we experience the divine?

How will we experience God...

if we do not first stop,
and close our eyes,
and meditate on the glorious splendor of His majesty,
And remember how He has created the earth out of nothing, man out of the dust of the earth,
And remember how He has delivered His people from the time of old 'til today from the clutches of sin
Just so that we can be His children, and enjoy the blessings of being one.

How will we experience God's awesomeness and praise Him if we do not stop, and be still?

Be still, and know that I am God... (Psalm 46:10)

If we do not do this everyday, we will forget.

Every day I will bless You...
Every day I will meditate on Your majesty and wondrous works.

Psalm 135

Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant. (Ps 135:3)

In the previous chapter, we were reminded to praise the Lord every day. When we bless the Lord, we not only kneel before Him, the Almighty, but we also give thanks to Him for His goodness.

When we sing praises unto His name, the Bible describes it as "pleasant", meaning delightful, lovely, or like a sweet sounding song. The Bible often uses "incense" (cf Rev 5:8) as an analogy for prayers. Just as the people in the Old Testament would burn incense as an offering to God, today, our prayers also ascend up to heaven, and God receives them all. 

Let my prayer be set before You as incense,

The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. (Ps 141:2)

This also reminded me of a song by Don Moen - Praise looks good on you.

When you lift your hands up high

And you sing a song of praise to Me

It brings Me great delight

Such a lovely sight

And yes it is true

Praise looks good on You

Morning night and noon

Your praise ascends to heaven

Like the smell sweet perfume

Filling every room

And yes it is true

Praise looks good on You

Indeed, in our everyday prayer, have we missed out on this important aspect of prayer - giving praises to God? Have we been bogged down by the everyday needs and wants and only know how to make requests in prayers?

God delights in our praises to Him, for it is in our praises that our love for God and our faith in Him can be seen.

Would someone grumbling about God sing praises to Him? Surely not. Would someone who has lost faith in Him praise Him? I don't think so. Would someone who feel that all that he has today is solely by his own effort give thanks and praise to God? Tough.

Therefore, God delights in our praises to Him. It is a pleasant thing. Through our praises, God sees our hearts of reliance and humility, and we in turn, learn to rely on Him. 

If we have forgotten how and what we should praise God for, today's psalms gave us two examples.

For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure. (Ps 135:4)

Isn't it amazing that out of the billions of people in the world, God chose you? Just as He had out of His sovereignty chose Jacob, He has also chosen you and me today. Something to be amazed and praise God for!

For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. (Ps 135:5)

Our Lord is the omnipotent Almighty. Just as the song goes, My God is so great, so strong and so mighty, there's nothing my God cannot do! When things do not go our way, we need to have faith to know that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). We need not fear. Surely He can do anything, if He is willing.

In our prayers today, don't forget to offer God the praise that He deserves! May our praises be as a sweet smelling aroma to the Lord.

Psalm 123

Two points we can learn from the psalmist today.

Lift up our eyes

The psalmist remembered to lift up his eyes to God who dwell in the heavens. During difficult times, when the going gets tough and people around us looked upon us with contempt, do we remember to look up and seek Jesus, or do we only know how to look within ourselves and dwell on our misery?

Often, we forget to lift up our eyes. We forget to look to the One who had bore the cross and endured hostility against Himself.

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. (Hebrews 12:2-3)

When we lift up our eyes unto Jesus, and remember that He understands what we are going through, what a comforting thought that is!

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb 4:15-16)

Look to the hand

The eyes of the servants are always looking to the hand of their masters. Any moment, with a gesture, the master might beckon the servant to him. The servant is expected to respond swiftly to the master’s requests.

The hand of the master is also the hand which supplies the needs of the servants and distributes rewards. The servant depends on the master to sustain him and he can look forward to great gifts if he had done well.

Have our eyes been looking to the Lord our God? As we wait on Him, do we do so patiently, as a servant would wait by the master’s side? Or have we been impatient, even forgetting that He is the One who supplies all our needs and that only by Him can we be satisfied?

Let us strive to be good servants of the Lord and may the day come when we would hear from Him, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Psalm 114

In 8 verses, this psalm remembers the deliverance of God and the events revolving around it. The psalmist remembered the parting of the red sea and how the people of God walked across safely. He also recalled how Israel crossed river Jordan on dry ground; how the waters stood still and rose in a heap (Joshua 3:16).

The imagery of the mountains and hills skipping like rams and lambs emphasizes the miracle that even mountains which we deemed unmovable can be moved, and in fact, they skipped.

What is the factor behind all these? The psalmist similarly raised the rhetoric questions, asking the waters and the mountains to explain themselves.

The waters and the mountains are two natural phenomenons. Yet we know that God is the Almighty Creator behind all. As massive as we may deem the sea or the mountains to be, God can calm the sea and the waves and He can surely move mountains.

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord! This is the main crux. God dwelt amongst the people of Israel. He was with them.

Exodus 29:45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.

And therefore, at the presence of the Lord God, the seas obeyed and the mountains shook. The psalmist affirmed that it was God who made the waters and the earth tremble. Do we have such faith today? Do we have faith in an Almighty God?

Similarly, today, if we have the presence of God in us wherever we go, I am also confident that mountains can be moved and waters stand still. The question is, are we God’s sanctuary? Does God really live in me?

Sharing this hymn which the choir presented before: My God Lives

My God lives in quiet valleys,
He lives beneath the deepest sea;
My God lives above the highest mountain,
He lives even lives within me. 

My God moves in splendid wonders,
He moves in earth's remotest part;
My God moves in lowliest surroundings,
He moves, even moves in my heart.

My God lives in gentle mothers.
He works in strong and mighty men;
My God works in brave, in weak, in lowly,
He works, even works in me then.

My God lives, he lives forever,
He lives and thus gives life to me;
My God lives and moves, and is my being,
He lives, even lives eternally, eternally,
He lives eternally.

Psalm 104

O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions— (Psalms 104:24 NKJV)

This psalm is a poetic illustration of the creation as recorded in Genesis 1. I really enjoy the way the psalmist describes the creation process.

For example,
Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.

And when describing the separation of the waters and lands,
At Your rebuke they fled; At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away. They went up over the mountains; They went down into the valleys, To the place which You founded for them. (Psalms 104:2, 7, 8 NKJV)

As we were reading this psalm together, one brother commented that it is somewhat ironic to be reading about God's creation when the world is ending.

While I appreciate his humor (sarcasm), it led me to think further.... Aren't we called to remember His creation every sabbath?

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11 NKJV)

While some may think that the world today is not so much the world that God has originally created, I still think that we can learn to appreciate nature. There is a beauty in nature and there is value in appreciating the small things in life.

Yes, it is true that the world is ending and will end one day, but I know that what is to come will be even more beautiful than what we have now.

Yes, this physical world would pass, but what we ought to remember is not the creation per se, but the One behind it all. We remember that He alone is sovereign and almighty.

What You give them they gather in; You open Your hand, they are filled with good. You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth. (Psalms 104:28-30 NKJV)

Therefore, when we look at His creation today and everyday, let them point us towards the Creator, who is definitely worthy of our praise, and remember that we can definitely expect a heavenly kingdom that is greater and even more perfect than what we see now.

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.  (Heb 9:11)

Psalm 88

What a psalm to start off my writing for the new year!

My impression of psalms has always been that they are filled with hopes and praise and though sorrows and sufferings are expressed, the psalmists always turned their eyes back to God and there was always a resolution towards God at the end.

Not so with Psalm 88.

It is probably one of the darkest psalms in the Bible, ending with

“Loved one and friend You have put far from me,
And my acquaintances into darkness.” (Ps 88:18)

What utter hopelessness! What total despair! What can such a gloomy psalm teach us?

---

There was a period in my faith when I had an episode of depression. In retrospect, many of the descriptions in Psalm 88 match what I went through. I felt like a living dead, not sure what I am living for day to day. A heavy load was pressing down on me and I also gradually felt that my friends are deserting me. During that period, I spoke to God a lot, asking Him a lot of questions, even pleading for Him to take me Home. I had no strength, no smiles, only gloom and tears. I also wondered if God was listening and whether He would deliver me out of this.

I know I couldn’t take my life but that only made the situation a worse place to be in. I was literally trapped, no where to go.

There was one time late into the night, I was still awake and as usual, I didn’t know what to do. It was a horrible place to be in because I couldn’t die, I didn’t know what I was living for, and it seems like I could only cry but crying also doesn’t solve the problem. I decided to talk to God, but I have no words, so I prayed in the Spirit and allowed the Spirit to guide me and intercede for me. That was one prayer I couldn’t forget because in that prayer, in the quietness of the night, when I felt most alone, I heard the Holy Spirit praying for me. It was the most comforting and assuring moment to know that we still have a God who is always there and He understands and He is praying for us.

Gradually, I walked out of that darkness, by the grace of God.

---

Perhaps God is giving me a chance to reflect upon His grace as I start this new year with a fresh beginning. And I am also hoping that through reflection upon this psalm, we can all learn to be more empathetic towards those who might be facing despair and hopelessness.

Though this psalm ends with a somewhat gloomy note, this only suggests the reality of the matter: that sometimes there are no ready answer, no immediate hopes. This chapter is a chapter of waiting and we must learn to wait on the Lord.

However, this period of waiting is not one that excludes God, instead, this psalm teaches us to come before God day and night and tell Him all our problems. We can definitely be honest before Him and tell Him how we are struggling and how we need Him to help us. Despite his despair, the psalmist clung on to God, the God of his salvation, and never let Him go. This is definitely something we must learn from him - never let go of God!

Going to God in our moments of despair and doubts (rather than running away from Him) is an act of faith. May God’s presence comfort and strengthen us as we start the new year of new hopes and new beginnings. J

Psalm 59

Psalm 59 is likely the first psalm that David wrote as a fugitive, after he fled from Saul’s spear and Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning (1 Samuel 19:10-11).

Imagine ourselves in David’s shoes. Under such circumstances, if we have the chance to blog, tweet, or update our facebook status, what would we have written?

Of course, David began his psalm with a plea to God to deliver him from his enemies. He urged God to punish them and not be merciful to those wicked men. He described them as dogs, wandering up and down for food, and howl if they are not satisfied.

When we are faced with persecution or certain tribulation, and there are seemingly many “enemies” around us, do we immediately drop on our knees asking God to punish them? Didn’t David do just that - complaining about his enemies and asking God to consume them?

However, there are a few things to note:

1. Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.
They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. (v3-4)

We need to first reflect if we have ourselves done any wrong. Have we in any way contributed to the current situation? If we have had also done wrong in some ways, then how can we demand for God’s deliverance? In this case, we ought to first repent and then humbly seek God’s mercy.

However, if we have assessed the situation and know for sure that we have done no wrong, then we can be sure that God will definitely deliver us from the hands of our enemies, just as David was absolutely sure.

2. Consume them in wrath, consume them,
That they may not be;
And let them know that God rules in Jacob
To the ends of the earth. (v13)

For what purpose are we seeking for God’s help? Is it for our own selfish reasons? We want our enemies to be destroyed so that we can laugh at them?

David sought for God’s deliverance to destroy his enemies to “let them know that God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth”. When we ask God to deliver us from our enemies, is it also to magnify the name of Jesus and to glorify Him or is it only for selfish gains?

David had not done any wrong and he was seeking God’s deliverance for the name of God. If we have also rightly done so, we can be assured of God’s help.

Indeed, we can be like David - his soul quieten like a weaned child. In contrast to his enemies who would go all around the city, wandering up and down, we read how David would sing of God’s power and His mercy “in the morning”. He fully trusted in God’s deliverance that He would be his defense and that when morning comes, he would still be safe.

Such peace that comes from a deep faith in God! When we are faced with a sudden crisis or calamity or a difficult situation in our life, are we able to still enjoy this peace and sing praises to God’s mercy, trusting in His deliverance?

God is a faithful God and would definitely keep His promise towards us; however, are we like David, fully trusting in His deliverance and mercy? 

Psalm 51 - A Reflection of Repentance

Why do we only seek God after we have fallen?
Why do we return to Him only after we have done wrong?
We plead God for mercy, according to His goodness;
We asked to be washed clean.

But sin has enveloped me in darkness
that I see only it.
My transgressions has separated me from God;
My bones are weary from the burden of sin.

How could I have done such evil against God?
We have indeed disappointed Him.
Why should He even look at me now?
Why should the only Good draw near to the filthy?

When I consider that my wrongs are too great
and my deeds too dark
When I consider my strength and know that I can fight on no more
and I feel like giving up
When joy has left me and shadows cast about me
I thought, maybe, I should just…. die.

Curse God and die?
If only it is this easy.
But the terror of having the Spirit of God leave me,
of the presence of Him absent from me,
the thought is unbearable, almost unthinkable.
And… I remembered,
“You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from You. (Psalms 16:2)”

And so I go down on my knees,
and though my iniquity runs deep,
I  am banking on Your river of abundant mercies
to swallow up my wrongs.  

Who else do I have but You?
Only You can make me hear joy and gladness;
Only You can restore to me the joy of Your salvation.
You can purge me clean and wash me whiter than snow.
Who else can I turn to, but You?

I offered up my broken spirit and contrite heart
and You accepted.
And I am resolute
to sin no longer.

I know not why we only seek God after we have fallen;
But I know that we must!
For no one else can renew our spirit and create in us a clean heart.
I know not why we return to Him only after we have done wrong;
But I know that when I do,
I ought to strengthen my brethren (Luke 22:32).
My lips shall proclaim Your goodness;
My mouth shall bring forth Your praise.

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit. (Psalms 34:18)

I know that God is good…
And He is always near to those who repent.

Come, and let us return to the Lord;
For He has torn, but He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will bind us up. (Hosea 6:1)

Psalm 9

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You. 
(Psalm 9:9-10)

David remembers that God is still God over all. He is sovereign. David had a kind of absolute trust in God. He knew that God would deliver him. He knows that God will lift him up and God will judge his enemies. However, this trust is not haughty; on the contrary, it is humble.

When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the humble. (Psalm 9:12)

This trust in God is not proud just because we know that God is our Lord, and we are His people, and so he will definitely be on our side and defend us. This trust instead remembers that we are all only mere men (Psalm 9:20), dust to be exact, and therefore, remembers that it is God who lifts us up. Thus, we can only plead for mercy, for who are we to judge another?

Have mercy on me, O LORD!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death, (Psalm 9:13)

However, let us be assured that those who are wicked, those who forget God, they will be judged. In fact, we do not have to do anything, for they have sunk down in the pit which they made, having their foot caught in the very net which they have hidden (Psalm 9:15).

The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. (Psalm 9:16)

If you are being oppressed right now, don't worry. Put your trust in God; He will not forsake you. :)

Psalm 7-8

What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him? (Psalms 8:4)

One of my favourite verses in the Bible.
It tells me of the awesomeness of God.
That though He is God,
             the Almighty,
                     the Sovereign One,
                                           the Absolute,
And though I am insignificant,
                                            small,
                                              like a vapour,
                                                               dust,
Yet
He looks after me.
He remembers me.
And He cares for me.

He thinks of me.
24/7
How does it feel, knowing that we are constantly in the mind of God?
It makes me feel cherished,
                                    valued,
                                            loved.

Reminds me of a hymn...

Thou thinkest, Lord, of me,
Thou thinkest, Lord, of me,
What need I fear since Thou art near,
And thinkest, Lord, of me.
Hymn 377

Psalms 5-6

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up. (Psalms 5:3)

Then he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. (Genesis 24:12)

There was a period of time when I was facing extreme stress at work. I was still quite a fresh graduate, having a culture shock to full time working, and trying to adapt to working life. Yet, work felt so lonesome and like I had to handle things alone. During that period of time, I remembered that every morning, I would drag myself out of bed and in fact, I feared going to work.

But it was also during that period that I learnt to rely on God. I used the prayer that Abraham's servant made - "God, give me success today, and show me kindness."

I needed the hand of God in my work so that my work can go smoothly. I need the mercy of God so that I can pull through the day.

I made that prayer day after day, every morning. And I am confident that it was because of God that I gained some courage, a day at a time, to face what I needed to, for that day. And what will happen the next day? I won't think so far... because the next morning, I will pray for the day again.. and that's how we pull through difficult times sometimes.

God is always near, as long as we draw near to Him.

Psalms 3-4

Having an exam tomorrow made me really anxious and the way I cope is I zonked out. So right after I came home from work today, I slept. I was drifting in my sleep for a few hours, before I decided that I really have to get up to study. And in a humorous way, I thought a few verses from today's chapters speak to me:

I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. (Psalms 3:5)

Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. (Psalms 4:4)

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalms 4:8)

Strangely, I get a comforting nudge from God that He is reminding me that in Him, I am all secure. He is my hiding place; He is my refuge. And in Him, I can have peace, and be still.

God is my helper. Whenever I call on Him, He hears.

Psalms 1-2

I am resolved to follow the bible reading plan daily! New year, new start, new beginnings! I call this year the year of spiritual nurture/preparation. May we motivated each other to strive closer to Jesus day by day.

A take away message for me today - taking the other perspective: yes, rather than asking "what is wrong with doing ....?" , we should instead ask or reflect upon "what is right about doing ....?"

We are not called only to "pass marginally" as Christians, but are called to be perfect, because He is perfect. Although we probably can never be perfect, because we are all weak in the flesh, we can strive to be so. That's the assignment of life. To become Christ-like is our life's goal. And how can we do that without daily communion in Him through His words and prayers?

I am resolved; and who will go with me? :)