by Donya Dunlap | Oct 28, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
David comes to the Lord with another prayer of lament. Justice is on his mind—repaying the evildoers according to their wicked acts. This is a prayer we can all get behind.
Verses 1-2
David seeks an audience with the Lord. He knows that the Lord hears the righteous when they call to Him. And so he prays for God to hear him and not treat him as an unrighteous person destined for Hades.
Verses 3-5
The evildoers David has in mind are those who speak kindly but have malice in their hearts. They are hypocrites. David prays they will get the justice they deserve. They ignored God and the good things God had done. Therefore, David believes God should tear down these proud and arrogant souls so they cannot be rebuilt again.
Verses 6-7
As we all should, David praises God for hearing his prayer. He thanks God for being his strength and shield. Verse 7 says,
My heart trusts in Him and I am helped.
How many times have I lacked help because I haven’t trusted in God?
In the New Testament, Jesus did the healing, but the healed had to do their part too. Stretch forth your hand. Rise, pick up your mat. Wash in the pool.
Obedience leads to the miracle. It’s all mixed together. Just as destruction is the result of unbelief, blessing is the result of faith. We can’t receive the blessing without first acting in obedience.
Verses 8-9
Thankfully, God does not leave us on our own. He asks us to obey, but not in our own strength. He gives us His strength.
The Lord is the strength of His people; He is a stronghold of salvation for His anointed.
David uses the term stronghold again as he did in Psalm 27 to paint a picture. God calls us to obedience and then gives us the strength to obey through His very own salvation power in our lives. This is our every day Gospel.
What a wonderful God we serve! He will be our Stronghold. Our Shepherd. He will carry us on His shoulders every step of the way. We only need to be willing to go.
This post is Day 28 of the 31 Days of Journaling through the Psalms series. If you would like to read the first post, Psalm 1: The Wise and the Wicked, click here. The introduction to the series can be found here.
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by Donya Dunlap | Oct 27, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
This psalm of thanksgiving reminds us of our confident security in God who is our stronghold.
Verses 1-3
Merriam-Webster defines “stronghold” as a place of security or survival; a fortified place. David understood military strongholds. Even if we were unfamiliar with his history as a soldier, his language in verses 2 and 3 makes this apparent. However, verse 1 should not be overlooked.
The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
In the darkness, in a battle, in a life and death situation, God keeps us warm, protected, and peaceful. We can be confident in Him.
Verses 4-6
David makes a connection in this stanza to a truth we often ignore. To have true communion with God, we must be where He is, love what He loves, and seek relationship with Him.
It is true that God pursues us. And He answers us when we call on Him. But if our only connection to Him is asking for help when we need it, we have reduced God to nothing more than a genie in a bottle. Instead, we must spend time with Him, praise Him, and enjoy Him.
Verses 7-10
You can sense David’s desperation for the Lord in these verses. He has promised to seek God’s face, but he wants to be sure God will be there when he does. He praises God for being a help in the past and reminds himself God will still love him even if his close earthly relationships fail.
Verses 11-12
David seeks direction in the midst of his enemies. He understands one misstep will set him up for failure. He asks for God to make a way before Him, guiding him with each step.
Verses 13-14
The closing verses are both a declaration of confidence, and a self-direction to be patient.
I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord.
David believes he will endure his current trial and rejoice at its completion. This will not end in death, but in joyful living. Even still, he is anxious to see progress. He reminds himself to wait on the Lord’s timing and not to give in to doubt.
We must also trust God will move when the time is right in our trials and times of waiting. If we rush ahead of God, we can lose our footing and stumble or walk into a trap. But if we wait on His guidance, He will prepare the path before us, remove the land mines, and lead us into success.
This post is Day 27 of the 31 Days of Journaling through the Psalms series. If you would like to read the first post, Psalm 1: The Wise and the Wicked, click here. The introduction to the series can be found here.
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by Donya Dunlap | Oct 26, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
David pens another lament requesting vindication from his enemies based on the righteousness of his heart.
Verses 1-3
David opens with a general request based on previous action.
Vindicate me, Lord, because I have lived with integrity.
He asks God to test his heart to prove what he says is true. He is confident he will pass all scrutiny because he lives according to God’s truth.
Verses 4-7
David expounds upon the opening verses, laying out his good works before the Lord.
- David is careful who he spends time with
- He is worthy to approach the altar due to clean hands innocent of wrongdoing
- David praises God and tells others about Him
Verses 8-10
Verse 8 seems a little out of place unless you know the stanza is repeating elements of the previous section.
Lord, I love the house where you dwell, the place where your glory resides.
This is a powerful verse. It reflects the Old Testament understanding that God met with His people at the tabernacle or temple. Rarely did the Spirit indwell a believer.
Thankfully, today the Holy Spirit indwells all believers. We are where the gory of the Lord resides. This brings up two very important questions.
- Am I treating myself and my body as the dwelling place of God?
- Am I treating fellow believers with the respect worthy of the dwelling place of God?
David continues his request for vindication in verses 9 and 10. He requests he not be destroyed along with those who have committed evil works.
Verses 11-12
David reminds the Lord that he lives with integrity and actively pursues praise to the Lord. This says to me it’s okay to remind the Lord that you are living rightly. But keep in mind, God will show you if you’re bluffing. He knows the thoughts and intents of the heart. You cannot come to Him with one open hand while clinging to sin in the other closed fist.
If we are to be people of integrity, we must be willing to confess our sin and live in obedience to God.
This post is Day 26 of the 31 Days of Journaling through the Psalms series. If you would like to read the first post, Psalm 1: The Wise and the Wicked, click here. The introduction to the series can be found here.
To receive email reminders of new posts, please subscribe. As a thank you, you will receive a free ebook, The Wonder Woman’s Manifesto.
by Donya Dunlap | Oct 25, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
This psalm is a Davidic lament, but more for its acknowledgement of David’s need for God alone rather than his need for deliverance as so many of the previous laments have exhibited. David’s prayer in these verses is sincere and heartfelt, frequently turning to praise to God for who He is.
Verses 1-3
Pages could be filled with discussion on these first five words.
Lord, I turn to you.
It’s so easy to be distracted from the Lord. Life pulls us in multiple directions. Worry keeps our focus on the problem instead of the Savior. What would happen if I began everyday by turning to the Lord?
Body, soul, and spirit physically and forcibly turning to God. In doing so, I would be turning away from distractions and temptations. I would be turning to hope from worry. Turning to love and away from divisiveness. I would be turning to trust and away from obsessiveness.
David chose to turn away from his problems and place his trust in the Lord. He places his reputation in God’s hands and allows Him to work on any potential fallout. He trusts that the guidance He receives from the Lord is trustworthy and complete to meet his needs.
Verses 4-7
David humbles himself before the Lord. He recognizes he doesn’t have all the answers so he asks God to give him guidance. To show him truth. To help him discern the path he is to take. He calls upon the compassion and love of the Lord and asks these attributes to override his past sins. Of course, we have the reassurance of our sin being washed by Christ’s blood.
Verses 8-11
These four verses echo the last four with one exception. Instead of a prayer to God, they are a proclamation of who God is and what He has done.
- God is good and upright
- He shows sinners the way
- He acts in love and truth
- God forgives sin by His great name
Verses 12-15
These next four verses repeat the same theme, but once again turn the jewel slightly to examine a different facet. David focuses on the requirements for answered prayer. If a man wishes for a good life and wisdom, he must fear the Lord. God attends to those who keep their eyes on Him.
Verses 16-21
Here the lament theme is displayed strongly. David again addresses the Lord. He asks God to turn to him, flipping his pledge in verse 1 to a prayer in verse 16. He admits he is alone and afflicted. His enemies are numerous and he fears being shamed. He commits to God as his refuge and asks for God to come through for him.
Verse 22
This closing verse is unlike any previous closing to a psalm I can recall.
God, redeem Israel, from all its distresses.
This makes me wonder if the final request for this psalm is an afterthought or if it relates to the rest of the psalm? Does David have in mind the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14?
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
We cannot truly know what was in David’s mind at the time of this writing, but his example of praying on behalf of his country is one we can all emulate. Passages such as 2 Chronicles 7:14 were promises intended solely for the people of Israel, but God still honors prayer on behalf of others today. Intercessory prayer is encouraged throughout Scripture.
Like David, it is important to bring ones requests before the Lord. However, it is also important that we hold our country and neighbors before the Lord as well. We all need His guidance.
This post is Day 25 of the 31 Days of Journaling through the Psalms series. If you would like to read the first post, Psalm 1: The Wise and the Wicked, click here. The introduction to the series can be found here.
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by Donya Dunlap | Oct 24, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
The repetition of this psalm reminds us that these passages were meant to be sung. In fact, if you are familiar with Handel’s Messiah, you may recall the tune he set the last third of the psalm to.
Before we jump into the anthem of praise at the end, we should give time to the basis of praise in the first two sections.
Verses 1-2
God is our Creator. The inventor of every living thing. He holds the patents, the trademark, and the copyrights. Therefore, it is His right to do with His creation as He pleases. We must remember this when His decisions clash with our wishes.
Verses 3-6
Thankfully, our Creator is not beyond our reach. He welcomes us with open arms and encourages us to draw close. The only requirement—clean hands and a pure heart.
Who then is worthy to come before Him? Are we not all sinful creatures failing daily?
Yes. But the key is found in verses 4-5.
Who may stand in His holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not set his mind on what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
We are all imperfect creatures, but pretending we aren’t is what gets us into trouble.
If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9
Confession is key to communion. If we are to be in relationship with our Creator, we must seek the cleansing of Christ upon approaching the throne of grace.
Verses 7-10
There is imagery used in the final stanza that is better understood by an art history lesson. When conquering kings, or generals in service to the emperor or king, returned home from battle, they would parade through the city with their army, showing the spoils of their conquest or prisoners of war to the people. On this triumphal march, they would parade under or through an arch depicting various times in the city’s history. Afterwards, their recent exploits would be added to the arch to be remembered in stone forever…or until the next king or general came along and altered the arch. (For a wonderful explanation of the Arch of Constantine, click here to access the Khan Academy video.)
Image: Arch of Constantine – Wikipedia.org
Verses 7-9 are a victory cry, demanding the city prepare to welcome its King. The people are to gather to worship the King as He marches through our midst in celebration. One day this will happen on physical streets, but until Jesus’ return we must offer ourselves to our King in private worship.
David reminds us that we serve a strong and mighty God worthy of our praise and celebration. Open wide the gates of your heart and let the King of Glory in.
This post is Day 24 of the 31 Days of Journaling through the Psalms series. If you would like to read the first post, Psalm 1: The Wise and the Wicked, click here. The introduction to the series can be found here.
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by Donya Dunlap | Oct 23, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
The beautiful imagery of this psalm hearkens back to David’s time as a shepherd—caring for and even willing to endanger his life to protect his flock, just as our heavenly Shepherd did and does for us.
Verses 1-4
The Lord is my Shepherd. There is nothing I lack.
My first instinct when I read verse 1 is to argue. Yes, the Lord is all I need spiritually, but what of bills, food, a home…and hair products! But when I pause and break down what David is saying, I know he is right.
- THE – The Creator of the universe. The One True God.
- LORD – My Master. My Savior. The One deserving of my life.
- IS – Now and forever and before time began.
- MY – Personal. Connected. Committed to me as His daughter.
- SHEPHERD – Guide. Companion. Protector. Provider. Confidant. Friend.
The good Shepherd is not guiding only my soul, but my entire being. He isn’t going to leave me in want—at least not unless depriving me of my wants or needs is what is best for me.
The first four verses describe a peaceful existence of refreshment, of help in times of trouble, and protection from the enemy. If He cares about all of that, surely He cares about the rest of my concerns as well.
Verses 5-6
These verses don’t paint a life of smooth sailing all the time. David still has enemies. But in the presence of those enemies, God provides. In fact, He provides an abundance of blessing. The last verse in the HCSB is different from the version I memorized as a child.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23:6 KJV
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live. – Psalm 23:6 HCSB
The newer translation speaks to me because it takes the focus off me and on to my Shepherd. When I wander away from the flock, His goodness and faithful love chase me down. He will never let me go. His love is an active, possessive love. His forgiveness is deep. His arms open wide. I will be happy to live in His presence forever.
This post is Day 23 of the 31 Days of Journaling through the Psalms series. If you would like to read the first post, Psalm 1: The Wise and the Wicked, click here. The introduction to the series can be found here.
To receive email reminders of new posts, please subscribe. As a thank you, you will receive a free ebook, The Wonder Woman’s Manifesto.
