by Donya Dunlap | Oct 16, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
This psalm is deeply convicting to me personally. If you have felt a lack of joy in your life—keep reading!
Verses 1-6
David opens this psalm of thanks by expressing his complete dependence and loyalty to God. He asks for protection, claiming God as his refuge. Then David speaks of the holy people in the land and how he delights in them. David also mentions the idolaters of the land, affirming he will not take part in their offerings and predicting the multiple sorrows they bring upon themselves by placing their affection on other gods.
Verses 5-6
David uses several interesting words in verse 5. The Lord is his portion and cup of blessing. The “cup” and “portion” imagery is used elsewhere to describe an allotment given to someone or the solidification of a contract such as in marriage. The most significant example is Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane when He asks the Father to “let this cup pass from me.” (Matthew 26:36-39)
Again, David’s cup is one of blessing and a stark contrast to both the cross and the cup of blood spilt in idol worship mentioned in verse four. The concept of “portion” expands in verse 6 to include the idea of land given as an inheritance. This may possibly refer to the Promised Land as it was divided among the people some time before.
Verses 7-8
Verses 7 and 8 speak of the continual presence of the Lord as counselor, conscience, and comforter.
I keep the Lord in mind always. Because He is at my right hand I will not be shaken.
There is an active element to verse eight. David chooses to keep God at the front of his mind. I wonder how much more secure in Christ I would feel if He was at the front of my mind instead of social media?
Verses 9-11
Therefore is a connecting word. Verse 9 gives three benefits to having the Lord with you always as mentioned in verse 8.
- Heart is glad
- Spirit rejoices
- Body rests
How different this is from the American Way! With self as our focus, we see:
- Heart is anxious
- Spirit is depressed
- Body is restless.
This is so convicting!
Verses 8-11 are both a praise regarding David’s future standing and a messianic prophecy regarding the resurrection. We see them echoed in Peter’s sermon at Pentecost. Peter called David a prophet and uses the passage as proof that Jesus is the Messiah.
I have often thought I had less joy than others because my personality is more serious than others. I’m wondering now if the problem is personality or proximity? If I truly trust God’s best for me, I should not be concerned about the path ahead. If I am walking in His presence, I should have abundant joy and eternal pleasures. The obvious conclusion is, if I am not full of joy, I am not walking in the presence of God!
Granted, my joy-filled praise may be manifested more inwardly than a naturally extroverted person, but I should still be quick to thanks, quick to share His love, and quick to express His goodness to me.
Father, please forgive me and draw me to your side.
This post is Day 16 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 15, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
This psalm is unlike any of David’s other psalms to this point. In fact, it does not fall into any of the seven classifications for psalms listed in the HCSB study notes. It seems most like a proverb in its description of the godly person. Although no one is worthy of dwelling with the Lord apart from the saving grace of Christ, these verses are still a good guide for holy living.
Verses 1-5
The chapter is one unit of verses, undivided by stanza. David begins by asking who can live in the tent of the Lord or on His holy mountain? Essentially, who is worthy of spending time in the place where God is worshipped? He answers with both positive and negative statements.
Who is worthy
- One who lives honestly
- A practicer of righteousness
- Someone who acknowledges truth
- One who despises those rejected by the Lord and honors those who fear the Lord
- A person who keeps his word no matter what
Who is not worthy
- One who slanders
- A person who harms his friend or discredits his neighbor
- One who lends money at interest or takes a bribe against the innocent
It is important to note these Old Testament psalms are expressions of personal thought and not commandment or theology. Especially verse four that reads:
Who despises the one rejected by the Lord but honors those who fear the Lord.
Taking this verse out of the context of Scripture as a whole results in ungodly speech and actions such as those displayed by Westboro “Baptist Church.” These divisive groups spread hate and do not embody the two greatest commandments Jesus gave in Matthew.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like unto it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands. – Matthew 22:37-40
David is right. We should live honestly and righteously before the Lord, but also humbly, not comparing ourselves to others.
This post is Day 15 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 14, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
Psalm 14 picks up the well worn theme of Psalm 12 for another round. But in repetition there is learning. Examining David’s lament of sinners and saints in his day can benefit our lives today.
Verses 1-3
On the surface, this psalm appears to have conflicting thoughts. David begins by describing sinners. He is a fool who says, “God does not exist.” The sinner is corrupt and does vile things. He turns away from God.
As Christians, we may be tempted to exempt ourselves from this description because we do believe in God and we try to do good things. So why then does David say the Lord cannot find a single person who does good? There are two explanations that come to my mind.
- David lived during a time when the Holy Spirit did not permanently indwell most people. He would come upon people, but mostly to enable them to prophecy or fulfill an important task. In David’s day, the blood of Jesus had not yet defeated sin. Therefore, sacrifices had to be made to make forgiveness possible. Since this was a temporary remedy, it meant many people were walking as slaves to the flesh much of the time. Praise the Lord this is no longer the case! The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
- The second consideration is we can believe in God and still act as if He doesn’t exist. Anytime we willfully sin, we are acting as the fool does when he says, “God does not exist.” We must take care not to live our lives by the motto, “better to ask forgiveness than permission.”
What shall we say then? shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid! – Romans 6:1-2
Verse 4
David continues his complaint in verse 4 with a question.
Will evildoers never understand?
The answer is a resounding no. Apart from God’s miraculous intervention at salvation, sinners will continue to act in opposition to God. They consume the people of God. ISIS immediately comes to mind. God may allow His people to endure great grievances, but He will always allow a remnant to endure. He will always provide a refuge and comfort to the spirit of the afflicted who turn to Him for strength.
Verses 5-6
The result of the sinners actions is given in verse 5.
Then they (the evildoers) will be filled with terror.
The end of verse 5 provides balance. God is with the righteous. Even though evil people try to thwart the plans of the saints, and often succeed, the righteous have the Lord as their refuge.
Verse 7
David closes with a heart cry for deliverance. He prophecies that when the Lord restores the fortunes of Israel, the nation will rejoice and be glad. The idea presented is not one of Israel escaping her enemies by the skin of her teeth, but God bringing about a reversal of destiny. Instead of going to the grave in torment, they will be delivered and greatly blessed. God will restore the splendor of the people He so greatly loves. His favor is undeniable! Israel will sit resplendent in the glory of God once more.
This post is Day 14 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 13, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
Once again David pens a lament, bringing his concerns to the Lord. Crying out for deliverance.
Verses 1-2
David begins by questioning God’s attention and favor. This opening is especially interesting from a psychological point of view as it connects the emotional to the physical and spiritual. David asks God how long he must endure anxious thoughts and the agony of the mind. As a person who has struggled with an overactive mind, panic attacks, fear, and anxiety, I understand his particular torment.
Verses 3-4
What’s interesting is David’s solution. Part of the plan is the removal of his enemies, the source of his distress. This would be my plan too, and likely where my prayer would end. But this is not the emphasis of David’s prayer. He asks for God to “restore the brightness to his eyes.” He desires for God to look upon him in favor and return joy to his spirit. David recognizes his emotions are interwoven with his spiritual state.
Verses 5-6
Verses 5 and 6 close with a hopeful proclamation for the future. This assumes an answer to his prayer. The verses are in a modified if/then format. Because he has put his trust in God, then he will rejoice in his deliverance. He will sing to the Lord. Why? Because the Lord has treated him generously.
To David, the situation was a done deal He trusted his past experience to inform his present circumstance. God had been faithful to David in the past. He would be faithful to him in the future as well.
This post is Day 13 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 12, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
Words have great power. No one knows this better than the writer. In this psalm, David writes about the corrupt words of the human race and the pristine words of God.
Verses 1-4
Once again, this passage seems to be taken directly from the newspaper. David pleads to God to intervene because “no faithful one remains.” We know this is simply David’s frustration speaking and not a literal truth. We see the same frustration spoken by Elijah during a time when 7,000 remained faithful to God.
Still, David is distraught and rightfully so. He says,
The loyal have disappeared from the human race. They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and deceptive hearts.
This description can easily be applied to our culture today. Things seem even more overblown due to the media reports and political scene. It’s nearly impossible to know what is real anymore.
If verse 3 were to happen today, the world would be a quieter place! Can you imagine an entire generation of reports gong mute? It would be a remarkable and welcome relief.
Verse 5
Thankfully, we are encouraged by the Lord’s response in verse 5. He hears the afflicted and poor. He promises a safe place for the one who longs for it. This reminds me of Isaiah 26:4,
Trust in the Lord forever, because in Yah, the Lord, is an everlasting rock!
Our God is a refuge that never fails us. Our rock of shelter to cling to in the middle of the storm. He does not always quiet the wind, but draws us near to Himself to quiet our souls. He is our protector. The giver of peace.
Verse 6
Verse 6 reminds us that God’s words are pure. In the day of click-bait headlines, we can trust what God says. It is interesting that David compares God’s words to silver refined seven times. Seven is the biblical number signifying completeness and perfection (biblestudy.org>bibleref>7).
Verses 7-8
Verse 7 echoes the thoughts of verse 5. Because God is trustworthy we know we are safe in His arms. He will protect us. He will keep His promise.
I remember leaving church one day several years ago feeling so distraught. The pastor I was under at the time was less than trustworthy. I felt imprisoned in a situation I could not escape. Not a block away from the parking lot, Phil Whickam’s song “Safe in His Arms” began playing on the radio. God reminded me that He was with me in that frustrating place and He would guide me through. He did and I am forever grateful for the lessons I learned during that time.
The psalm closes with a lament.
The wicked wander everywhere, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.
This is not only a true statement, but also a word of caution to the Christian. We must not add to the cacophony. We must speak truth in love and provide value to those around us. How different will we be, how much glory will we give to God if we walk in truth with a purpose! Let us be a light, a beacon of hope cutting through the lies of this dark day.
This post is Day 12 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 11, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
This psalm is listed in two literary genres—thanksgiving and imprecatory requests. It is also written in two parts. The first, David’s presentation of the situation, and the second, God’s response to it.
Verses 1-3
If not read thoughtfully, verses 1-3 seem like David has resigned himself to his fate. In reality, the exact opposite is true. David acknowledges that the wicked are after him, but rejects the suggestion to escape and hide in the mountains. Instead, he reminds himself and those who care about him that “God is on His throne,” to borrow from a modern colloquialism.
Verses 4-7
The second half of the psalm reminds us that God is watching from heaven. He examines every person and every action.
The Lord promises the righteous will see His face. This is a wonderful gift. Of course, we are not as privileged as Moses. We must wait to see Him in glory. But to look forward to such a meeting gives hope. Death on this side of heaven is ugly and pain filled. But the shutting down of one body makes way for the fitting of a new one. Passing away from this existence is something to look forward to with eager anticipation. We will see His face. There is no greater joy.
The wicked, however, receive a very different greeting upon their exit from this world. A rain of burning coals, sulfur, and scorching wind is their reward. It says God hates the lover of violence and yet, the judgment pronounced is in a future tense. He will bring justice, but today there is still time to repent.
God is holy, just, and merciful. We must remember as we pray for deliverance, that He does not delight in bringing judgment to anyone. We can pray for justice. But we should also pray for the one causing us harm. We should pray for their repentance, knowing that their fate is harsh unless they turn to God for mercy.
This post is Day 11 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.
