Podcasts about these psalms

Happy Easter, listeners!I can't lead a Lenten series without marking its culmination in the joy and hope of Easter. For the next few weeks, I'll be sharing some of the Psalms of joy and hope that come at the end of the book of Psalms. What I love about those Psalms is that the hope they offer doesn't ignore the suffering and brokenheartedness of the world ~ they tend to those hurts and pains, and they recognize the God who offers healing and hope in the midst of life's challenges. These Psalms sing praise to the God who looks after the vulnerable, who looks after those without power, who loves those whom society might cast aside. So in this week after Easter, we hear this Psalm of praise to the God who knows suffering, who stands with the suffering. This is a God who will outlast the rulers of this world, who lifts the lowly and shows care to the stranger, who cares for the widow and orphan, who welcomes the refugee, whose goodness and mercy never come to an end. And so, in this Easter week, we sing “Hallelujah.”You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Hallelujah.Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.comFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

Today, we'll start a two-day look at the Psalms. We'll read Psalms 131-133. These Psalms come near the end of that section of the book. Psalms of ascent are very specific things; these are psalms that were intended to be sung as the pilgrims were climbing Mt. Zion, as they were on the way to the Temple. These are some of the most beautiful Psalms in scripture. The ones we will read today focus on calmness, understanding who God is, and God's desire for unity. Shameless plug: here's a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today's passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20131-133&version=NRSVUEYou can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

The Eternal Weight of Glory 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 This morning, we are going to finish chapter 4 of 2 Corinthians. Verses 16-18. You can find that on page 1147. In the leadup to our verses this morning, we have been encouraged in our suffering. Even though we are like jars of clay, breakable and fragile, yet we have the surpassing treasure of the Gospel of Jesus within us. As we are given over to death… as our bodies deteriorate… as we suffer, yet, the life of Jesus is at work in us. And we are promised a resurrection hope through Christ. That was the promise of last week's verses. A resurrection hope through Jesus Christ. And that brings us to verse 16. Reading of 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Prayer If you've been following the news in Montana, you'll know that there's a battle over suffering and death. Legislation has been proposed that would make it legal for someone with a terminal disease to end his or her life with the help of a physician. And it's very personal. Those who argue in favor tell stories of difficult suffering of loved ones. Those who argue against it tell stories of difficult suffering of loved ones. To some extent, I think we can each understand the motivation for such a thing. Physical suffering is difficult and it's likewise difficult to watch a loved one endure such a trial, especially when the diagnosis is grave. But life is precious… no matter our age or situation. God is the one who is to numbers our days. Not us. And it may be in those last days or moment that God draws someone to himself – like the thief on the cross next to Jesus. And not only that, but we have been learning in 2 Corinthians that suffering unto death is part of life. It's part of the fallen condition that we live in and the fallen nature that we have. And for the Christian, through our suffering we share in Christ's suffering and because of that, we also share in his comfort. We learned that back in chapter 1. You see, God often fulfills his purposes through suffering. And when we suffer affliction, he will strengthen and give us hope when we look to him. As we come now to verses 16-18… whey do is apply verse 14 to us. Verse 14 is about the resurrection. Since God raised the Lord Jesus, he will raise us and bring us into his presence. Look again at the end of verse 14. Paul writes to the Corinthian church that Jesus will bring “us with you into his presence.” You, believers in Corinth, will join us, Paul and those with him, in that resurrection. That is a great hope. And verses 16-18 then explain how to experience that resurrection hope in our lives… especially in our suffering. Even in despair. The question is, in our present suffering, how can we not lose heart? How can we live through the trials of this life with the hope of heaven? How do you actually do that? How do you actually have hope in suffering? Verses 16-18 tell us how. Look at 16. It begins with those encouraging words. “So, we do not lose heart!” And then Paul goes on to tell us why and how. By the way, this is the second time in this chapter that Paul has used the phrase “do not lose heart.” The first time was up in verse 2. Paul was talking about not losing heart in ministry and focus. Even though some will not respond, “do not lose heart.” God is at work. Remember that? Well, this time, the “do not lose heart” is about suffering and affliction. On the sermon notes page, you'll see the question, How do I not lose heart in my suffering? Three answers listed there: 1. Renew the Gospel hope of Christ in you 2. Compare your affliction to the weight of glory 3. Fix your eyes on the eternal not the temporal Those correlate with the verses, 16, 17, and 18 respectively. 1. Renew the Gospel hope of Christ in you So, again, number 1. Renew the Gospel hope of Christ in you Paul writes, “we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” He's talking, first, about the impact of the fall, of sin and the curse on our bodies and minds. They are wasting away. Some of us feel it more than others. And Paul is comparing that to the new hearts that we have been given in Christ. Remember earlier in chapter 4 verse 6. “God… has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” That new heart is the treasure that we have in our jars of clay on the outside. So, our outer nature is wasting away. And our new nature, the new creation we have in Christ, is being renewed day by day. It's like one big decrescendo and another big crescendo happening at the same time. If you're musical that will make sense. A decrescendo goes from louder to softer. A crescendo goes from softer to louder. Our minds and bodies are decrescendo-ing. We are always fighting against the effects of the fall. It's not just aging but sickness and disease and accidents. It may, like Paul, include the scars of persecution – or it may include a “thorn in the flesh.”  In chapter 12, Paul describes a thorn in his flesh - some condition that he has endured his whole life. All of it is leading us down a decline in various ways. But there is also a crescendo for Christians. It says here that our “inner self is being renewed day by day.” That is talking about the hope of Christ in us. It's the new creation in us where God through his Holy Spirit has shone his light on us. We've been transformed. We've turned from our sin and shame to Christ for forgiveness and redemption. And as we walk through the trials of this life we are enabled to grow in the hope and grace of Christ. I'm being very intentional using that word “enabled.” We are enabled to be renewed day by day. God has enabled you through his Spirit to mine the depths of the riches of God in Christ. If you are a believer in him, he's given you the opportunity through his Spirit to be renewed day by day. If you are not a believer, he's offered that renewal and crescendo. However, when you are not immersing yourself in his Word. Or not repenting of sin and renewing your faith. Or when you are not weekly participating in worship. Or not communing with the God of the universe through prayer. When you are not engaged in those things, that renewal will not be happening. That lack of daily renewal will have lots of implications in your life. When it comes to suffering, your spiritual stagnation will result in discouragement, in despair, and in disappointment. You will wonder where God is. You will be asking why you are suffering. But, on the other hand, when you are renewing that Gospel hope in you (through all the ways I mentioned), God will strengthen you. Your life in Christ will crescendo. And that will help sustain you through whatever trials and afflictions and grief that you are enduring. You see, that is part of the answer of how not to lose hope in suffering. Engage in all the ways that God has given to be renewed in him. That hope and renewal sustained Paul, and it will help sustain you. So, answer 1: Renew the Gospel hope of Christ in you. 2. Compare your affliction to the weight of glory And now, answer number 2. How do we not lose heart in our suffering? We compare our affliction to the weight of glory. Verse 17. “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” By the way, this is my favorite verse in the whole book. God is saying that your affliction is “light”… meaning it doesn't weigh much… and it's “momentary” meaning it does last long. Does that make you mad? Because, God, it doesn't feel like my affliction is light and momentary. No, it weighs me down. I can't sleep. The pain doesn't go away. The fear sometimes overwhelms. It's heavy. It doesn't feel light, no, it feels like a ton of bricks. Actually, I brought a brick. This is just a regular clay brick. But we used to have a lead brick in our old house. It was actually there when we moved in… and I think we left it there. It was about this size. Now, this brick weighs like 3-4 pounds. But the lead brick was like 25 pounds. 5-6 times heavier. If we still had it, I would have brought it in. Now I want you to imagine a big pile of lead bricks – a pallet of bricks - maybe 500. That would be very very heavy. Thousands of pounds. In this verse 17 comparison, that pallet of lead bricks represents your suffering. You probably thought I was going to say that the pallet represented the eternal weight of glory. No, that is way beyond what I can describe. The key is in the phrase “beyond all comparison.” The greek phrase is literally “exceedingly exceeded.” Our afflictions are “exceedingly exceeded” by the eternal weight of glory. This verse is not minimizing the weight of our suffering. In fact, that same exact word was used back in chapter 1 verse 8. Paul and those with him had endured intense affliction in Asia. It says they were so “utterly burdened beyond their strength, that they despaired of life.” The same exact Greek word is in there. Their suffering was so “exceedingly exceeded” that they despaired of life itself. They even thought they had the sentence of death. God is not saying, here, that your suffering is not significant or heavy. Not at all! Rather, he's saying that the eternal weight of glory “exceedingly exceeds” the suffering that you are enduring here and now. There are 2 comparisons. First, something that is light and something that is heavy. And second, something that is momentary compared with something that is eternal. The weight of glory exceedingly exceeds the weight of our suffering. By the way, that word “glory” is shorthand for heaven. When you who are in Christ pass from this life, you will be with Christ in glory – you will be in his radience and his presence. In glory we will experience a fulness of joy and peace. We will share the honor of Christ as his redeemed and glorified people. Our worship will be beyond anything in this life. As Revelation 21 puts it, there will be no death, no dying, no pain, no sorrow, no mourning, no crying. There will be no night, there, because of the light of Christ. You see, even though the weight of our suffering on us is great…. it is no comparison to the weight of glory. Not because our suffering is small… but because glory will be so much greater. And think about the second comparison. It will last forever. It will be eternal. Even if your suffering lasts your entire life, it is momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory. Beloved in Christ, the weight of your suffering and trials is heavy. It may feel like a ton of lead bricks. And it may feel like it is never going to end – but it will end one day… and it is nothing compared to the eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. So, the second answer to the question, how do I not lose heart in my suffering? Is this: Compare your affliction to the weight of glory. Don't minimize your suffering. But consider the glory of heaven to come. Get a perspective on what it will be like when God raises you with Christ to heaven. Your affliction will be nothing compared to the eternal weight of glory. Ok, before we get to the third answer, I want to take a tangent. I have been thinking about 2 little words in verse 17 all week. It's right there in the middle of 17. The words, “for us.”  Do you see them there? “This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” I think I've been missing out on something about this my whole life. In my mind, I thought it was saying “preparing us.” You know, “preparing us for the eternal weight of glory.” In other words, I thought this verse was saying that through our suffering, God is preparing us for heaven where there will be no more suffering. That when we finally experience glory, we will be even more amazed because of the suffering we endured in this life. That's what I thought this verse was saying. And by the way, it is a true statement. Our suffering is preparing us for glory. However, the focus of verse 17 is a little different. The word “preparing” is not focused on “us.” We are not being prepared. Rather our suffering is preparing glory and we are the recipient of that preparation. Let me read it again for you, it says “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory.” Somehow our suffering is participating in the preparation of heaven to come. That could mean a couple of different things. That could mean that when we give glory to God while we are suffering, God in Christ is even more glorified. We will experience more of his glory in heaven because of our suffering. It could also mean that because we share in the sufferings of Christ (chapter 1), we are therefore participating in God's preparation of glory in heaven. In other words, because we share in Jesus' suffering unto death and his resurrection, our suffering is in part preparing the glory that is to come for us. As you can tell, I am not fully sure of how Paul's affliction or our affliction is preparing the weight of glory for us. But nonetheless, what is clear is that God has a purpose and meaning for our suffering beyond what we can even understand. Again, that's just a brief side note. 3. Fix your eyes on the eternal not the temporal Back to the question. How do you not lose heart in your suffering? #1 - Renew the Gospel hope of Christ in you. Meditate on what Christ has done for you OR believe in what Chrit offers you… if you don't know him. Be in God's word and in worship and in prayer. Through those things, God will help you to not lose heart. That was answer #1. #2. Compare your affliction to the weight of glory. Consider the amazing eternal weight of glory. Glory infinitely exceeds the burden of our suffering now. And our suffering is, in fact, preparing heaven for us. And now, answer #3. Fix your eyes on the eternal not the temporal. That is verse 18. “look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Really, this is an extension of #2. We're not just to compare our suffering to that which is eternal, but we are to look up. We are to gaze at that which is promised. We're to look beyond the joys and sorrows of this life. We are to look heavenward. My favorite Psalms are the Psalms of ascent. Psalm 120 to 134. These Psalms were sung by God's people on their annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. They are called Psalms of ascent because the people were ascending up to Jerusalem. It didn't mater if you were come from north, south, east, or west, you were ascending to mount Zion, to Jerusalem – you were going up. And as they ascended, they sang. We read Psalm 121 earlier. It begins, “I lift my eyes to the hills!” It was not an easy journey, but as they travelled, they looked up toward Jerusalem. They couldn't yet see Jerusalem, but they knew it was there. The Psalms of ascent are a metaphor for life for us. We are journeying through this life to the new Jerusalem. We are bound for the promised land. As we just sang. On Jordan's stormy banks I stand and cast a wishful eye to Cannan's fair and happy land where my possessions lie. I'm bound for the promised land. And the rest of the hymn, as we sang, is about the glory of heaven to come. It is so easy to be caught up in our immediate situation. That's because it's hard. It's hard to lift our head up beyond our pain and struggles and grief. It's easy to just focus on what we are going through and either feel that God doesn't care or even think that suffering in and of itself is virtuous. It's easy to be an Eeyore, isn't it? You know, Eeyore from Winne the Poo. “Woe is me.” Just to be sure, I'm not minimizing our suffering. I'm just cautioning against that first part of verse 18. “look not to the things which are seen… for they are transient.”  Besides not dwelling on our suffering, we should not hope in the things of this world. They will pass. Rather, there is something far greater. We should direct our attention to that which we cannot see, which is eternal. It is that great promise of life beyond this life. The Puritans used to use the phrase “Die before you die.” What they meant by it was, prepare yourself for death before you get to the point of death. Prepare your heart and mind now for future suffering unto death and the glory that is to come. Let me slightly change that. “Live in heaven now before you get to heaven.” I know, it doesn't have quite the same ring to it. But how about “glory in the glory to come.” Look to heaven. Anticipate your presence with Christ in eternity. Consider all the joys of glory. That is what verse 18 means “look to the things that are unseen… because the things that are unseen are eternal” Our physical eyes cannot see it. But we are given the vision and promise in God's word. Conclusion So how do we not lose heart in our suffering? Answer 1. We renew the Gospel hope of Christ in us. We press in, every day, to what Jesus has done for us and in his word and prayer. Answer 2. We compare our affliction to the weight of glory. Eternity in heaven exceedingly exceeds our suffering. And in fact, our affliction is preparing heaven for us. And answer 3. We fix our eyes, our gaze, on that which is eternal and not temporal. We cannot see heaven, but for those who know and believe in Jesus, you are promised to receive it. Suffering is not something that we should search out. But neither is suffering something that we can escape in this life. No, suffering is part of our fallen condition. But God uses our suffering for his glory and for our good AND for his purposes in eternity. So may God enlarge our vision for his purposes in suffering. May we not lose heart when we do suffer. But instead, may we be renewed in the Gospel of grace, may we consider the eternal weight of glory in heaven, and may we fix our eyes on that which God is preparing for us. Amen.

Our text is from Psalm 114: “Why was it, O sea, that you fled, O Jordan, that you turned back, you mountains, that you skipped like rams, you hills like lambs? (Psalm 114:5-6). Psalm 113 asks: “Who is like the Lord our God?” Answer: No one. Nothing. Our God is utterly unique. And in his Son Jesus Christ, we get an even better look at him. He did not consider equality with God as something to be used to his own advantage but instead became nothing. The highest of the high, the utterly transcendent, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God was born into this world as the lowest of the low: the baby out-of-wedlock of a poor peasant couple from the unremarkable town of Nazareth. Why did our God take such a lowly path? To raise us up to the highest heights with him, that's why. “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). It was Israel who was first brought up from their poverty and need in Egypt: they were set free and made into a people. Among Jews, Psalms 113 & 114 are recited at the beginning of the Passover meal. Why did God's people choose these Psalms to remember the victory of their God? Because it puts the eaters smack dab in the middle of the great saving acts of God. With vivid simplicity Psalm 114 proclaims what happens when God shows up. Showing up in power, his first act is to choose Israel both for His sanctuary and His kingdom. Thus, if anyone else in all the earth wants to meet God or observe life in his realm, all they need do is show up in Israel. All contrary powers are driven from the field by His appearance. The chaotic powers that put salvation in question must flee before Him. In His presence the mountains--the symbols of all that is solid, durable--quake. God's mighty salvific work is proclaimed by all the facts that are brought together in this weighty hymn. When Israel is thirsty, God offers her water from the rocks and desert sands. When she is hungry, she can pluck birds out of the air and bread from the ground. God provides for those who are near Him. The elements of creation react to the powerful appearance of God. Because they move before God's coming, Israel's passage into the Promised Land stretches out before her. All this and more are remembered as the Jews sit down to eat the Passover meal. The early Christians choose to worship on the first day of the week rather than the Jewish seventh because they saw Easter as our Exodus. As much as the Exodus from Egypt shaped the imagination, the memory, and the living faith of Old Testament Israel, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, shapes the imagination, the memory, and the living faith of the church. As much as the Exodus was the birth of Israel, so Easter is the birth of the church. And as much as Israel was God's dominion and sanctuary in the Old Testament, we believe the church is God's kingdom and sanctuary today. Thus, if anyone else in all the earth wants to meet God or observe life in His Kingdom, all they need do is find the church of Jesus. These Psalms are recited as the opening of the Passover meal. They helped the eaters enter the story of God, their story. We worship Jesus today and gather at his table to enter the story of Easter, to make it our story. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

Today we explore the raw, vulnerable prayers of lament in three powerful Psalms—Psalm 51, Psalm 3, and Psalm 88. These Psalms reflect different kinds of pain: Psalm 51 is David's cry for mercy when he's caused his own suffering; Psalm 3 is a plea for deliverance from the pain inflicted by others; and Psalm 88 voices the anguish of feeling like God Himself is the source of the pain. We dive into what it means to bring our deepest struggles to God, no matter the source, and how lament can lead us back to hope. If you're wrestling with sorrow, this episode offers a path forward from brokenness to restorationCONNECT Sunburnt Souls Facebook YouTube PARTNERS Podcast Produced by Pretty Podcasts

These Psalms, sung to ‘The Quiet Land of Erin,' share hope in a forgiving God who is with us always, even when we are in the depths. Putting these two Psalms together back to back, this song connects the concept of forgiveness with the deep rest of an infant in its mother's arms ~ loved unconditionally as a beloved child and held with tenderness and compassion.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for From the Depths on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

These Psalms help us see the antidote to idolatry. Reading Plan: Old Testament - Psalms 60-64New Testament - Philippians 2:12-30Visit https://www.revivalfromthebible.com/ for more information.

In Part 10 of the Summer in the Psalms sermon series, Pastor Caleb shares about Psalms 117, 118, and 119. These Psalms depict the centrality of God's word, His love and Jesus' finished work on the cross!

     For Christians, there is blessing through submission to God. This blessing comes from operating within the sphere of God's love and laws, which establish boundaries for us to thrive and survive.[1] This is because “a man's way is not in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps” (Jer 10:23); rather, “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, and He delights in his way” (Psa 37:23). As God's children, we are instructed, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6).      Living in submission to God means putting His will above our own, trusting in His plan, and following His directives. It entails aligning our thoughts, words, and actions with God's will and commandments. This submission is characterized by humility, trust, and obedience to follow God's directives over personal desires.      In the Old Testament, Abraham exemplified submission when God called him to leave his homeland and go to a land that He would show him. Moses wrote, “Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you…So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him” (Gen 12:1, 4). Abraham's obedience to the Lord made him “the friend of God” (Jam 2:23; cf., 2 Ch 20:7; Isa 41:8). When God said to Isaiah, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? (Isa 6:8a), Isaiah responded, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isa 6:8b). And when it was revealed to Mary that she would conceive in her womb and bear the humanity of Christ, she said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Jesus, the Perfect Example of Submission      Jesus Christ provides the perfect example of submission to God. He's the perfect example because He is perfect and never disobeyed the Lord. Jesus said, “I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 5:30), and “I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38). In the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matt 26:39; cf., Matt 26:42, 44). Paul tells us that Jesus “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8). Jesus' willingness to submit to the Father's will, even to the point of death, is the ultimate example of submission. Jesus never deviated from the Father's course for Him.      Jesus' submission to the Father started when He was very young. By age twelve, Jesus knew God was His Father and what the Father's mission was for Him (Luke 2:40-47).[2] Isaiah wrote, “The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple” (Isa 50:4). This passage refers to Jesus' humanity, where God the Father would educate Jesus as His disciple. This education enabled Him to minister to others, as He says, “that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word” (Isa 50:4b). To those who are weary in their souls, a divinely spoken word can lift the spirit and revive the heart (see Matt 11:28). And Jesus' discipleship training took place in the early morning hours, as Messiah states, “He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple” (Isa 50:4c). According to Arnold Fruchtenbaum, “During His boyhood in Nazareth, every morning, Jesus was awakened by His Father in the early hours of the morning to receive instruction. In this way Jesus learned who He was, what His mission was, and how to act and react accordingly.”[3] As a human boy, Jesus had to be educated, which meant the discipline of acquiring knowledge over time. Because of His daily discipline, Jesus was fluent in the Scriptures by age 12. Fruchtenbaum states: "The New Testament gives us an account of a 12 year old Jesus visiting the Temple in Jerusalem for the first time (Luke 2:41–50). By the age of 12 Jesus was fully conversant with the Hebrew Scriptures and able to debate deep spiritual matters with the leading theologians of the day. Furthermore, when Jesus is later rebuked by His mother for remaining in the Temple, He replies, “Did you not know I would be in My Father's house?” This one statement shows that by the age of 12 Jesus knew that Joseph was not His father, knew that God was His Father, and therefore understood that He was the Messiah of Israel."[4]      Jesus was fully submissive to the Father, saying, “The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not disobedient nor did I turn back” (Isa 50:5). Another translation reads, “The sovereign LORD has spoken to me clearly; I have not rebelled, I have not turned back” (Isa 50:5 NET). The word “disobedient” translates the Hebrew verb marah (מָרָה), which, according to HALOT, means “to be recalcitrant, rebellious.”[5] Jesus was not hardhearted nor defiant to the Lord in any way. When God spoke to Messiah, His Servant, He was in total submission to God in everything. Throughout Scripture we observe where other servants of the Lord tried to escape His call to service. When Moses was called by the Lord (Ex 4:1-12), he replied, “Please, Lord, send someone else” (Ex 4:13 CSB). When God called Jonah, we're informed His prophet rebelled, and “Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD” (Jon 1:3a). But Messiah never rebelled against the Lord. He was in total submission to Him. And such submission required a mind that was saturated with divine viewpoint, and a will that was totally surrendered to God. Warren Wiersbe states: "His mind was submitted to the Lord God so that He could learn His Word and His will (Isa 50:4). Everything Jesus said and did was taught to Him by His Father (John 5:19, 30; 6:38; 8:28). He prayed to the Father for guidance (John 11:42; Mark 1:35) and meditated on the Word. What God taught the Servant, the Servant shared with those who needed encouragement and help. The Servant sets a good example here for all who know the importance of a daily “quiet time” with the Lord. The Servant's will was also yielded to the Lord God. An “opened ear” is one that hears and obeys the voice of the master. The people to whom Isaiah ministered were neither “willing” nor “obedient” (Isa 1:19), but the Servant did gladly the will of the Lord God. This was not easy, for it meant yielding His body to wicked men who mocked Him, whipped Him, spat on Him, and then nailed Him to a cross (Matt 26:67; 27:26, 30)."[6]      Later, Jewish scholars would marvel at Jesus' wisdom (Matt 13:54; John 7:15); yet, they were unwilling to submit to Him as Messiah. This is an amazing thing, for though “the Light has come into the world” (John 3:19a), and that Light was bright and clear, we are informed that “men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil” (John 3:19b). Here, we are reminded that at the heart of every problem is the problem of the heart, and the human heart is very corrupt and in great need of life and light. King David: An OT Example of Submission      David provides a good example of an OT believer who lived in regular submission to God. The Bible describes David as a man after God's own heart (1 Sam 13:14; cf. Acts 13:22). David walked faithfully with the Lord and surrendered to His will. David was an obedient king, for the most part, and subsequent kings were measured by him (1 Ki 3:14; 9:4-5; 11:4-6, 31-34, 38; 14:7-8; 15:1-5; 11-15; 2 Ki 14:1-4; 16:1-3; 18:1-3; 22:1-2). David set the bar for what it meant to be a good king, and this allowed others to have a standard to guide them. However, we should not conclude that David was perfectly obedient and kept the Lord's will in all matters in his life. He did not. No believer ever does, for there are none who are sinless (Eccl 7:20; 1 John 1:8, 10), except the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 John 3:5).      David personally acknowledged his sins, saying “my iniquities are gone over my head; as a heavy burden they weigh too much for me” (Ps 38:4). He also wrote, “My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; they are more numerous than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed me” (Ps 40:12). Among David's recorded sins, the most offensive was his adulterous affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Sam 11:1-17). Scripture tells us that David had slept with Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, killed; and “the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Sam 11:27). What is commendable about David is that he handled his sin in a biblical manner by confessing it and seeking the Lord's forgiveness. Concerning Uriah and Bathsheba, David said, “I have sinned against the LORD” (2 Sam 12:13; read Psalm 51 for the longer version of David's confession). And upon his confession, the prophet Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die” (2 Sam 12:13). Here we see God's grace and government at work; for though David was forgiven and restored to fellowship with God, there were still consequences for his actions and the Lord dispensed judgment upon David and Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:14-18).      On another occasion, David followed Satan's temptation and “sinned greatly” by taking a census in Israel (1 Ch 21:1, 8), presumably because he was trusting in his military strength rather than the Lord. When God judged David for this, David confessed his sin and declared, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing” (1 Ch 21:8a). Not only did he confess his sin, but he also sought the Lord's forgiveness, saying, “Please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly” (1 Ch 21:8b), and “I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great” (1 Ch 21:13). It is a hallmark of mature believers to humble themselves before the Lord through confession.      Furthermore, David practiced the sin of polygamy contrary to the Law of Moses, which specifically commanded the king of Israel, that “he shall not multiply wives for himself” (Deut 17:17). From Scripture we know the names of eight of David's wives: Michal (1 Sam 18:27), Abigail (1 Sam 25:39-42), Ahinoam (1 Sam 25:43), Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:24), Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah (2 Sam 3:2-5). And he had other wives and concubines that are not named, as Scripture reveals, “David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron” (2 Sam 5:13a). Interestingly, the Bible says nothing about David's practice of polygamy, and though it is a sin according to Scripture, it was apparently tolerated in David's life, perhaps because it never resulted in his wives leading him into idolatry as it had with his son, Solomon (see 1 Ki 11:1-11).       Despite David's imperfections and sins, he was still regarded as a man after God's own heart (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22). His life demonstrates several key areas of faithfulness that are instructive for Christians. David exhibited a deep love and devotion to God, as reflected in his heartfelt expressions throughout the 75 Psalms he wrote (see Psa 3:1; 4:1; 5:1; 6:1; 8:1; 9:1; 11:1; 12:1; 13:1; 14:1; 15:1; 18:1; etc.).[7] Many of the Psalms reveal David's heart of worship to the Lord. His repentance and humility are evident after his sin with Bathsheba, where he sincerely sought God's mercy and forgiveness (Psa 51:1-2). David's trust in God's sovereignty was unwavering, as witnessed in his confrontation with Goliath and his reliance on God (1 Sam 17:37). His obedience to God's commands is seen in his refusal to harm King Saul, respecting God's anointed king (1 Sam 24:1-6). His commitment to justice and righteousness was evident in his reign, where he sought to administer justice and equity for all his people, for “David reigned over all Israel; and David administered justice and righteousness for all his people” (2 Sam 8:15). Even in difficult times, David depended on God for guidance, protection, and comfort, as beautifully expressed in Psalm 23. Lastly, his desire to build a house for God, although fulfilled by his son Solomon, demonstrated his dedication to honoring and prioritizing the Lord (2 Sam 7:1-2). These aspects of David's life highlight the important areas of faithfulness: devotion to God, humility, trust in God's sovereignty, obedience to God's commands, a heart for worship, commitment to justice and righteousness, dependence on God in difficult times, and a desire to honor and prioritize the Lord. The life of David demonstrates that believers can have a healthy walk with the Lord and be in submission to Him and doing His will in the major areas of their lives. Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] This truth can be compared to the relationship between a loving and wise parent and their child. Just as a parent establishes boundaries and rules to protect and guide their child, God provides His commandments for our well-being, and this because there is much evil in the world. A loving parent sets these boundaries to ensure the child's safety from evil and help them thrive. They know that without guidance, a child might make harmful decisions because they lack the wisdom and experience to navigate life's complexities on their own. Similarly, God's laws create a framework within which we can experience true freedom and blessing. By submitting to God's guidance, we avoid the pitfalls and dangers that come from relying solely on our own understanding. When we trust in the Lord and acknowledge Him in all our ways, He directs our paths, leading us to a life of purpose and fulfillment. [2] Jesus, in His humanity, was not omniscient, and needed to develop and grow in His understanding. Luke tells us that Jesus “continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him” (Luke 2:40). When Jesus was twelve, He traveled with Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-42), but after they left, we're informed “Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:43b). Joeseph and Mary were not aware that Jesus had stayed behind (Luke 2:43-44), but when they looked for Him and could not find Him, “they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him” (Luk 2:45b). Luke tells us, “Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers” (Luke 2:46-47). Jesus, in His humanity, had great biblical wisdom, but not because He learned from the Rabbinic scholars of the day. The Jewish leadership understood this. John wrote,  “The Jews then were astonished, saying, ‘How has this man become learned, having never been educated?'” (John 7:15). Jesus replied to them, saying, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me” (John 7:16). [3] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Messianic Christology: A Study of Old Testament Prophecy Concerning the First Coming of the Messiah (Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 1998), 51. [4] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Messianic Christology: A Study of Old Testament Prophecy Concerning the First Coming of the Messiah (Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 1998), 51. [5] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 632. [6] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Comforted, “Be” Commentary Series (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 126. [7] King David is traditionally attributed with writing 73 of the 150 Psalms in the Book of Psalms. These Psalms often bear his name in their superscriptions, indicating his authorship. Additionally, the New Testament ascribes two other Psalms to David (Psalm 2 in Acts 4:25 and Psalm 95 in Hebrews 4:7), bringing the total traditionally attributed to David to 75.

Do you ever have difficulty dealing with anger? More than a dozen or so Psalms express anger while crying out for justice and revenge. These Psalms are categorized as imprecatory. Psalm 109 is the longest and most detailed in its description of vengeance with words like, “May his days be few; may another take his place.” Let's consider the role that anger plays in our lives, our relationship with God, and in the book of Psalms.Support the Show.

Lesson 5 - The God Who ForgivesPsalm 51, Psalm 32 and Psalm 103. David knew what it was to suffer unjustly; but he also knew the pain of having to endure the consequences of his own sins and failures. These Psalms detail David's repentance for sin and also God's response. Like David we are to remember all that God has done for us and give wholehearted thanks for His love, goodness, compassion, forgiveness, and salvation.

As the "all inclusive" soul, King David's soul was a kaleidoscope of all our souls. His suffering was a compendium of all of our suffering. David's song, his Book of Psalms, is therefore our song, for every person on earth for posterity. No wonder that the Book of Psalms is by far history's greatest best-seller. These Psalms are capable of arousing the heart. So much so, that tears often well up in our eyes when we recite them. Those who say Psalms with sincerity can literally find themselves and their own circumstances within David's holy words. Here's why...

Sometimes, we learn the most profound truths from song lyrics. We've all had that experience of a song that gets stuck in our heads but ends up reminding us of a real truth. In this series, "The Songs that Jesus Sang," we will look at the Old Testament book of Psalms. These Psalms or songs would've been very familiar to him, and he probably could sing them by heart.

Today's podcast episode delves into the rich history of the Psalms and their pivotal role in shaping Israel's spiritual life. The Psalms, though ancient, remain as relevant today as they were when they were written. They guide us, inspire us, and provide solace during times of distress. By delving into the wisdom and insights they offer, we can better navigate our own spiritual journeys.One of the episode's highlights is the personal encounters that lead to unexpected opportunities to share the gospel. These encounters underscore the power of the gospel to bring about transformation, even in the most unlikely places.The guys also discuss the importance of consistency in spiritual growth. It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and neglect our spiritual well-being. However, by setting priorities and making time for our spiritual practices, such as daily scripture reading, we can maintain focus on what truly matters. Regular meditation on the Psalms can help us to keep our attention on the faithfulness and glory of God.The Psalms have played a significant role in Bible history. They were grouped into five general categories, each serving a specific purpose in Israel's spiritual life. Psalm 51 in particular showcases David's raw, heartfelt repentance and his acknowledgment that his sins were ultimately against God. It is also important to gain understanding of messianic prophecy in the Psalms, which can lead to a deeper grasp of the New Testament.Finally, the guys discuss the beauty and power of the Psalms, ranging from Psalm 127 to Psalm 147. These Psalms can be a source of comfort and strength for our lives. By meditating on the Word, we can nurture our spiritual growth. The faithfulness demonstrated by the mighty warrior and sweet psalmist King David in the Psalms which he wrote serves as an inspiration for us all.This episode serves as a reminder of the transformative power of redemption, the importance of moral integrity, and the life-changing influence of the Psalms. May it encourage you to explore the Psalms and allow their ancient words to touch your life today.  Thanks for listening! If you've been helped by this podcast, we'd be grateful if you'd consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

These Psalms acknowledge God's power and protection in leading David in Israel's battles and success. Order Eden to Eternity and find all of your Bible study needs here. Join our Healthy Christian Women Facebook Group here.

Today we offer an encore Palm Sunday Meditation from our Holy Week Series. This meditation focuses on Psalm 121, known as a Psalm of Ascent. These Psalms were sung by Hebrew pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem and possibly while ascending the steps of the Temple. It's remarkable to note, that Jesus and His disciples would have prayed and sung these same scriptures. "I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2 “Faith is the gaze of a soul…upon a saving God.” - A.W. Tozer

Today's readings.. (Leviticus 23), (Psalm 128-130), (Luke 6) Our Psalms and Luke readings today link together in encouraging us to think and live positively so we can more effectively counteract a world that buffets us more than ever with false values. There are times when these greatly affect us and they threaten to be overwhelming. These Psalms provide us with encouragement for the times when the ways of the world around us particularly buffet us and we start to be drawn into its' ways.. Psalm 130 is an outstanding example: “Out of the depths I cry to you O LORD … be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” [v.1-4] Then the question arises, what counts as iniquities? In the days of Moses and ancient Israel the people would look to the 10 commandments; but Jesus, as we read in Luke 6 today describes Christ-like behaviour as being much more than avoiding bad behaviour like stealing and committing adultery. Jesus taught, “But I say unto you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you … “ [v.27,28] Then Jesus lays down what is often called ‘the golden rule' saying, “as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” [v.31] It has always been the greatest challenge to live as God requires. David knew this. Jesus came to spell it out in plain language – and live it – to set us an example. With gratitude we remember David's words – and see his life as an example, especially for us, if we stumble off the narrow pathway that Jesus described. (Matt. 7 v.14). We therefore need more especially to remember David's words that God is “feared” because with him “there is forgiveness.” He is not feared because he is an angry God, rather he is feared (‘held in the deepest reverence' it means in this context) – because he is a loving God. Tomorrow's Psalm 131 is specifically by David. He writes, “O LORD, my heart is not lifted up … I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” [v.1,2] Can we do the same? Christ is, in one sense, our mother, let us make sure we have a real and growing relationship with him. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christadelphians-talk/message

Today we're going to study Psalms ninety-two and ninety-three. These Psalms are songs of praise, of admiration and a request for divine protection. I hope you're ready for some praising! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1425/29

These Psalms, the Songs of Ascent, were the songs families would sing together while on their way to the temple. They are the songs Jesus sang with His disciples while He was on His way up to Jerusalem for one of the feasts. Jesus had about a three year ministry with the disciples. So they […]

Pastor Al Pittman is taking us through the Psalms, and today we are going to finish our look at Psalm seventy-five, and begin a look at Psalm seventy-six. These Psalms of Asaph are Psalms of praise to God for delivering His people from trouble, and holding their enemies accountable. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1425/29

Psalm 1 Sunday Night Study Psalm 1 is not only the first of all 150 Psalms but also the first of Book ______ of the Psalms. It is clear from their content many of them were also __________________, and we will be encouraged at the total honesty these men of God pray with. < This Psalm is the first of many “_________________” psalms. This Psalm is also the first of many in the Psalms that has chiastic ____________. < Notice the progression – sin starts in the head, and then leads to definite steps of action ____________________ from what the godly would do. Now one thing I like about Psalm one is that it does not just present being a godly person in negative terms, but goes on to present a beautiful picture that is _________________ in verses 2-3. Three types of questions that help you meditate on the Word of God--- 1. O_______________ What does the text ___________? 2. I________________ What does the text ___________? 3. A________________ How does this ________________ to my life? “I have no rest but in a nook, with the Book!” Thomas A Kempis, Author of the Imitation of Christ! The water that nourishes the tree is like the nourishment we receive from our ____________________ with our Triune God, Father, Son and Spirit. < I love the phrase “the ______________________ of the righteous!” I think the Psalmist is anticipating what David calls in Psalm 23, “_____________ in the house of the Lord forever!” < What an encouragement in verse six to the righteous person who has ________________ the taunts of mockers… Have you wondered lately if God is there? Have you wondered if God cares? These Psalms will be filled with ___________________ saints crying out to God asking where He is and if He cares! But Psalm one ends with the promise that God is _____________________ over the way of the righteous! < In verse 1 the blessed man chose not to stand or sit with sinners; ___________ God justly forbids the sinner to stand or sit with those who are His! WOW! < Great Helps: Everyman's Bible Commentary on Psalms, Bob Alden The Treasury of David, CH Spurgeon Expositors Bible Commentary

Psalm 71 was written by a man named Asaph. It appears from the context that these Psalms that he penned were written after the destruction of the temple by Babylon. These Psalms that he wrote are great reminders to us that when things look very bleak, we can still trust God to be in charge. He encourages us to sing praises and shout the righteousness of God to the enemies. He also encourages us to tell the stories of what God has done for us in the past to our children and the next generations so that they will know that God can be trusted no matter what things are looking like with our natural eyes. There is great encouragement buried in the Psalms of Asaph. Produced by Steve Rees - Calming Harp If you like what you hear please subscribe: www.youtube.com/peregrinnatti To find us on social media: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/peregrinnatti Calming Harp Page: https://www.facebook.com/Calming-Harp… If you would like to write a testimony of how this music has helped you email me at: steve@calmingharp.com To purchase CDs and MP3s go to our website: https://calmingharp.com/ To donate to the ministry of the Calming Harp: https://calmingharp.com/marketplace Steve Rees has been producing Harp Music from the Psalms of David for the past 20 years. He has discovered a connection between the Hebrew text of the Psalms and music notes that develop into chord progressions that form the basis for musical compositions that have been appreciated by thousands of followers. We invite you to join the many lives that have been positively affected by this wonderful music

These Psalms call for the joyful worship of God in song and sermon. We are instructed to fear God, and give Him the glory, for He is holy-

These Psalms call for the joyful worship of God in song and sermon. We are instructed to fear God, and give Him the glory, for He is holy-

As we continue our journey through the book of Psalms, we focus in on our second to last thematic focus - Psalms of Trust. These Psalms highlight the attributes of God by declaring the trustworthiness of God over resources, others, and ourselves. In this episode Brent and Trent discuss Psalm 121 and the comfort it provides for those to trust in God amidst changing and uncertain circumstances. For a PDF of the entire reading plan, click HERE Got questions? Email podcast@linworthbaptist.org Cover art by Libby Montgomery Theme music by Max Hunter

Today we offer an encore Palm Sunday Meditation from our Holy Week Series. “Faith is the gaze of a soul…upon a saving God.” - A.W. Tozer "I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2 This meditation focuses on Psalm 121, known as a Psalm of Ascent. These Psalms were sung by Hebrew pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem and possibly while ascending the steps of the Temple. It's remarkable to note, that Jesus and His disciples would have prayed and sung these same scriptures.

Psalms 66 & 67 GOD's Words & promises vs. Man's churchy traditions More on my personal horrifically disappointing experience with a local church elder shyster. These are the Exodus Psalms. These Psalms instruct us on how to protect ourselves by seeking our Divine Comforter while facing wolves in sheep's clothing. Your call to action is to contact me now at my email address CompanionChapel@gmail.com Companion Chapel is a real Christian Church that is for those who dislike churchy church's and the traditions they follow that make void the word of GOD. We pray for the whole human family Help glorify, magnify and broadcast GOD's saving word anyway you can. These podcast are only possible with GOD's provisions through you. Donate today with whatever you can at CompanionChapel.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/companionchapelpodcast/message

Psalms 68 Pt.1 Wolves in Sheep's clothing. How to identify and protect yourself. More on my personal horrifically disappointing experience with a local church elder. These are the Exodus Psalms. These Psalms instruct us on how to protect ourselves by seeking our Divine Comforter while facing wolves in sheep's clothing. Your call to action is to contact me now at my email address CompanionChapel@gmail.com Companion Chapel is a real Christian Church that is for those who dislike churchy church's and the traditions they follow that make void the word of GOD. We pray for the whole human family Help glorify, magnify and broadcast GOD's saving word anyway you can. These podcast are only possible with GOD's provisions through you. Donate today with whatever you can at CompanionChapel.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/companionchapelpodcast/message

Psalms 68 Pt.2 Pseudo Christians and churchy churches. More on my personal horrifically disappointing experience with a local church elder shyster. These are the Exodus Psalms. These Psalms instruct us on how to protect ourselves by seeking our Divine Comforter while facing wolves in sheep's clothing. Your call to action is to contact me now at my email address CompanionChapel@gmail.com Companion Chapel is a real Christian Church that is for those who dislike churchy church's and the traditions they follow that make void the word of GOD. We pray for the whole human family Help glorify, magnify and broadcast GOD's saving word anyway you can. These podcast are only possible with GOD's provisions through you. Donate today with whatever you can at CompanionChapel.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/companionchapelpodcast/message

Psalms 69 Pt.1 Your escape to inner peace More on my personal horrifically disappointing experience with a local church elder shyster. These are the Exodus Psalms. These Psalms instruct us on how to protect ourselves by seeking our Divine Comforter while facing wolves in sheep's clothing. Your call to action is to contact me now at my email address CompanionChapel@gmail.com Companion Chapel is a real Christian Church that is for those who dislike churchy church's and the traditions they follow that make void the word of GOD. We pray for the whole human family Help glorify, magnify and broadcast GOD's saving word anyway you can. These podcast are only possible with GOD's provisions through you. Donate today with whatever you can at CompanionChapel.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/companionchapelpodcast/message

Psalms 69 Pt.2 This concerns you in the here and now More on my personal horrifically disappointing experience with a local church elder shyster. These are the Exodus Psalms. These Psalms instruct us on how to protect ourselves by seeking our Divine Comforter while facing wolves in sheep's clothing. Your call to action is to contact me now at my email address CompanionChapel@gmail.com Companion Chapel is a real Christian Church that is for those who dislike churchy church's and the traditions they follow that make void the word of GOD. We pray for the whole human family Help glorify, magnify and broadcast GOD's saving word anyway you can. These podcast are only possible with GOD's provisions through you. Donate today with whatever you can at CompanionChapel.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/companionchapelpodcast/message

This is a class of Psalm known as an imprecatory Psalm. These Psalms are raw with emotion and can make a modern person flinch at their call for God's justice and vengeance. They are important because they are part of God's inspired word.

Today's message by Pastor Marc Sharp is the final part in the series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalms 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. These Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. Psalm 134 is the conclusion of a spiritual progression, wherein the journey of the Christian life was analogized by the pilgrimage of ancient Jews coming to God’s Temple in Jerusalem to worship and sacrifice. It would be easy for us to see the historical background and miss entirely the call, encouragement, and instruction that comes to New Covenant believers. But in this climax, we see 3 important elements of the spiritual life; worship, service, and watching (waiting). If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Today's message by Pastor Marc Sharp is the final part in the series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalms 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. These Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. Psalm 134 is the conclusion of a spiritual progression, wherein the journey of the Christian life was analogized by the pilgrimage of ancient Jews coming to God’s Temple in Jerusalem to worship and sacrifice. It would be easy for us to see the historical background and miss entirely the call, encouragement, and instruction that comes to New Covenant believers. But in this climax, we see 3 important elements of the spiritual life; worship, service, and watching (waiting). If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Today's message is a continuation of the series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalms 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. These Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. In this Part 13, Pastor Marc Sharp looks at Psalms 132, the longest of the Songs of Ascents. King David and the Temple are the subject of this Psalm. It is divided into 3 parts: David’s determination to build a temple to house the Ark of the Covenant for the Lord’s honor, a national prayer to be offered at the dedication of the Temple upon it’s completion, and God’s response to this prayer made by his people. How is all of this relevant to us today? It is, just listen! If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Today's message is a continuation of the series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalms 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. These Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. In this Part 13, Pastor Marc Sharp looks at Psalms 132, the longest of the Songs of Ascents. King David and the Temple are the subject of this Psalm. It is divided into 3 parts: David’s determination to build a temple to house the Ark of the Covenant for the Lord’s honor, a national prayer to be offered at the dedication of the Temple upon it’s completion, and God’s response to this prayer made by his people. How is all of this relevant to us today? It is, just listen! If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Psalms 1 and 2 introduce us to the entire Psalter. These Psalms together reveals to us that the only blessed life is discovered by finding refuge in the Blessed One, God's Messiah,: Jesus Christ.

Psalms 1 and 2 introduce us to the entire Psalter. These Psalms together reveals to us that the only blessed life is discovered by finding refuge in the Blessed One, God's Messiah,: Jesus Christ.

Today's message is a continuation of the series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalms 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. These Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. From Psalms 130, Pastor David Walt brings a message for us about living in full assurance of salvation. Satan wants to convince us that sin is "no big deal, God loves us just the way we are". Yes, but... If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Today's message is a continuation of the series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalms 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. These Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. From Psalms 130, Pastor David Walt brings a message for us about living in full assurance of salvation. Satan wants to convince us that sin is "no big deal, God loves us just the way we are". Yes, but... If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Today's message is a continuation by Pastor Marc Sharp of the series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalms 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. These Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. Psalms 127 is the only song attributed to someone other than David. In this case, it’s attributed to King Solomon, his son. The people who originally sang this song were making their way to Jerusalem, and specifically to the Temple, the construction of which was overseen by Solomon. If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Today's message is a continuation by Pastor Marc Sharp of the series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalms 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. These Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. Psalms 127 is the only song attributed to someone other than David. In this case, it’s attributed to King Solomon, his son. The people who originally sang this song were making their way to Jerusalem, and specifically to the Temple, the construction of which was overseen by Solomon. If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Pastor Marc Sharp continues with part 7 of the series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalms 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. These Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. Last week we learned that the people of God cannot be moved, that God always faithfully defends his people. Today, we see this immovability is not enough. As an outgrowth of this steadfastness, we’re promised a payoff of joy and fruitfulness. Though we have many trials, and must enter the kingdom “through many tribulations”, by the work of the Holy Spirit our lives should be joyfully productive and filled with rejoicing! If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Pastor Marc Sharp continues with part 7 of the series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalms 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. These Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. Last week we learned that the people of God cannot be moved, that God always faithfully defends his people. Today, we see this immovability is not enough. As an outgrowth of this steadfastness, we’re promised a payoff of joy and fruitfulness. Though we have many trials, and must enter the kingdom “through many tribulations”, by the work of the Holy Spirit our lives should be joyfully productive and filled with rejoicing! If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Download II Timothy 1-4 We are in the Church Stream reading from the World English Bible. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis Lord, may we never lose our gratitude and awe of those who honored you to the death. We pray also to be inspired and motivated to live for you as the Apostles did.  Amen. This ends up being Paul's final word to Timothy; his endeared apprentice and disciple in ministry.  It was between 66 and 68 A.D.  Nero had ordered that Christians be rounded up and punished for "causing the fire in Rome"...really?!  The innocent Christians were Emperor Nero's scapegoat and he persecuted them severely - for sport in the coliseum and in many other witchy ways.  Paul was martyred during this purge of 67-68 A.D. He waited in his cell for the visit from a soldier who would lead him to the block where Paul would be executed for his faith. The young church would say goodbye to it's most prominent teacher. The world would say goodbye to the most influential person of all time for he explained Jesus in depth, he brought light to the matter of what salvation means. So much of theology pivots from what the Holy Spirit revealed to Paul. His writings had more affect on history, and faith, and eventually government and the Christendom that is still sweeping into millions of new hearts each week.  Paul's students loved him to the core like they loved their own souls. Timothy would finish the task that Paul clearly laid out in this, his final marching orders to him. Paul could only hope to see Timothy again...but he never would. These are his final words to Timothy; dear as a son. Paul had seen the escalation of Christians being killed. The new church was being gutted. Would it survive? False teachers were trolling the empire in Paul's wake striving to adulterate the faith and lead churches off in to doctrinal oblivion. Were things bleaker than bleak? No, Paul was exultant in the assured victory that Christ had lived, demonstrated, and promised. He wanted Timothy to live this same celebratory faith. 1 -  Paul is walking memory lane and going back to Timothy's beginning before he says his goodbyes.  Paul is bold for the gospel, and he wants Timothy to minister and teach courageously, not to second-guess His calling or that the Spirit is upon him.  He uses clear examples and names names when referring those who have fallen away and are not to be emulated. He also gives the first of many names of people who have been a blessing to Paul and he wants them to be greeted, honored, remembered and such. 2 - It is paramount that Timothy teaches and disciples others to do the same so that there is an endless chain of multiplied discipleship stretching from now to Christ's return.  Be ready and willingly endure hardship and make certain to handle to Word of God correctly. So many had embraced a warped doctrine and were evangelistic about their wrong ideas.  And Paul ends chapter two with a list of items to tend to so that Christian character is developed, nurtured, and flourishes in Timothy personally as well as in the Christian community. 3 - Paul warns of the apostate times that will come in the last days. There have been hucksters and abusers of the faith throughout history. They were in Paul's day, as they are now. The tactics of these vandalous beasts who worm into churches is listed and called for what it is. Paul does not go gentle on these maligned souls and neither will the Holy Spirit.  But there is Timothy. Paul reiterates that Timothy has been a faithful student just as he is now a vital pastor in service. Yes, there are bad apples here and there but that isn't going to hamper the blessing that Timothy is. Timothy need only to stick to the Scriptures [know them, love them, live them, teach them] for they are the words of God. 4 - Timothy is urged to stay the course, evangelize, and be a "finisher" in ministry.  Paul reminisces briefly and poignantly as he knows his time of departure is at hand. He is practically seeing heaven/Christ/the reward that awaits him!  Notice [v.11] that Paul is alone except for Luke who is with him. Yes, Luke who wrote Luke and Acts.   From here to his salutation, Paul says his goodbyes, sends his well-wishes and blessings,  He names those who turned against him so that they would not be able to weasel into the gospel work in the future and hamper Timothy's work like they've tried to against Paul.  His final words have extra gravity to them because Paul is taken from the cell where he wrote this gospel to his place of execution.  Evil tried to stomp out the gospel by finishing off its greatest teacher. Billions have since embraced this creed of eternal life in Christ! If you would indulge me to comment before closing today, my husband and I had the touching experience of being in Rome, Italy in the Autumn of 2013. I must say it was about the most fascinating and enthralling places we have ever been. [And between us we have been to almost 80 countries, so I'm not being glib here].  We saw the dungeon where Peter was held before being crucified and heard the miraculous things he experienced in there the last month of his life. We were taken into the basement corridors of the Vatican by personnel who knew more history than most historians. We walked through Paul's personal cell in Rome where Paul was chained to a wall for the last time before he was executed from the lies told against him. We saw the well where he was allowed to drink his last from.  As he closed his final letter to Timothy, one can almost hear his whisper from this chamber that we ourselves walked through, "farewell dear Timothy, I will see you on the other side of the Jordan...and will wait for you there with our Savior..." The Thread Through the Streams The phrase, "you're on" fits each character featured that took center stage this week.  Moses is in his last year of ministry. Miriam and Aaron both die within this reading in Numbers.  He had leaned on them for near 40 years. This had to wrench his heart. He institutes the matter of the red heifer, he navigates through several battles, deals with water shortage -[that could have gone better!], creates the bronze snake for healing. There was much to handle this week and Moses was center stage, with no human back up. -David is called up to expand the boundaries of Israel to a tremendous and far new reach. In this task there was much pagan culture and people to subdue. No one else was so up for the job, or so covered by God to do this task.  Life and world history focused on David these years [I Chr. 18-23] and said, ,"your on!"  The same goes as he is gathering material for the Temple.  This gathering needed to occur so Solomon could simply start the construction once he was "up". -Psalm 140-145 is the prayers of this same David who demonstrates for us and Believers for all time that walking with God is and can be done no matter the stressors that bear down on a man's heart. These Psalms were written before during and after the events David battled through in our reading this week. These prayers need to be attached to this man in this lifetime because David was to demonstrate discipleship amid a tremendously variegated life. He was up for the task and lived it for all of us very well. -Ezekiel was in a crucial position (4-7) to urge the Hebrews to NOT return to Jerusalem for it was about to be a fiery warzone off death. He was also saying to the Judeans in Jerusalem that the "army is approaching your gate very soon." His assignment was merged with other very uncomfortable tasks. Pleasant or not, Ezekiel is up to bat; he's on. He needs to write this down -Him! at this place and at this time. God could call up somebody else, but God called on Ezekiel to do Ezekiel's job. -Nahum was not alone in his indictment against Nineveh; the capital of Assyria. They were a savage people, a culture, a savage way of life that needed to be removed from the earth. They, in a strange Providential twist, were the ones who cleared out Israel/Samaria the northern Kingdom that was utterly pagan and disobedient to God. That had to be done, but the blood-shedding never stopped for the Ninevites. Their direct descendants are the soldiers of ISIS who act the same way today. The microphone is in Nahum's hand and he tells them "it's over now!"  Their imminent defeat and scattering was final. -Jesus is crucified as we read Luke 23. Painful as it is, it had to be done. Jesus was 'on'. It was time to pay the price to ransom our souls back to God. Did he like this? Did he relish the assignment? He wanted out if there was any possible way. [We know his prayer in Gethsemane.] But this is why He came to earth. To save us. He was it; the Savior. And heaven is opened and the Holy Spirit is soon to be released from what He did. -Paul's solemn farewell to Timothy is among the richest teaching in all Scripture. It was dire material - every verse. "Timothy, I'm out. It's all you brother" is what we are hearing. Not a hint of concession akin to , "hey, Timothy, if you feel like it - this really would be nice if you so choose..." No way. Timothy is called to 'take it from here!' And do it all in the Spirit with everything he's got. And he has God so he has all he needs to do his dire task of ministering and passing the torch to hundreds who will pass it to thousands, who will pass it to ..."                            What is it that God is charging us to step up and deliver on? ... today?  

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Psalms 6-8. After that I'll have some comments on chapter six. I've been a bit long-winded on the last couple episodes, so today's comments are shorter. Then we'll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment. Thoughts This is the first of the seven Psalms of Confession: Psalms 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, and 142. These Psalms are characterized by confession and humility before God. In this Psalm we see David asking God to withhold His wrath. David is in agony, both physically and spiritually. We can't tell if this pain is from an illness, because of the sorrow he feels for a sin he committed, danger from pursuing enemies, or perhaps a combination of these afflictions. It does seem that his health is leaving him as well as his confidence. Yet he's still is sure that God will be the faithful One He always has been, and He will come to David's aid. As the psalm begins, we see David's repentance. As it ends, it is his confidence. When we are in similar circumstances, it is all to common that we remain in a place of misery. To be sure, if we have sinned, it is appropriate that we have remorse. After all, we made the decision to reject the right course of action. As believers, we have the benefit of the Holy Spirit's guidance. He tells us when we are about to "leave the reservation", yet leave we do. The remorse, the guilt we feel is because we belong to God, and we chose to follow our flesh instead of God.  And it is right that we own the consequences. If what we have done in sinning causes pain to ourselves or others, we must accept our responsibility. Being a believer does not give us a "get out of jail free card" in terms of this life. To be sure, if we are believers in Jesus, if we have asked Him to be our Lord and our Savior, we have assurance that our sins are forgiven. 1 John 1:9 tells us, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." But if our sin has caused consequences here, we have to face them and make things right.  Now with all that said, it's important to allow ourselves to be confident in the mercy of God, as David did in this psalm. Near the end he confidently declared, "The Lordhas heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer." Sorrow and consequences are meant to make us reconsider our behavior. Repentance is not the feeling of guilt or sorrow. Repentance is an action. It's making an about face. It's turning from the sin and toward God. And the wonderful thing about that is that we know that God is always there to greet us with open arms. On this date, 1966 the Good News New Testament was published by the American Bible Society. This the copy my grandparents gave me in 1970. Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 6 NLT, Ch. 7 CEV, Ch. 8 NIV Support Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here. When you buy through links on this site, we may earn an affiliate commission, and you will earn our gratitude. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Fengyou Wa on Unsplash Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people---now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you're reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you'll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Sometimes, circumstances and conflict reveal that we've founded our hope on something that isn't solid. In this episode of Sermon B-Sides, Pastor Jon and Pastor Rusten look at Psalms 42 and 43. They discuss how in our trials, conflict, and inner turmoil, we often need to fight for our faith and joy in God rather than fall into a distorted version of lament. These Psalms show us two weapons we have in this fight: God's Word and worshiping with his people.

Sometimes, circumstances and conflict reveal that we've founded our hope on something that isn't solid. In this episode of Sermon B-Sides, Pastor Jon and Pastor Rusten look at Psalms 42 and 43. They discuss how in our trials, conflict, and inner turmoil, we often need to fight for our faith and joy in God rather than fall into a distorted version of lament. These Psalms show us two weapons we have in this fight: God's Word and worshiping with his people.

Sometimes, circumstances and conflict reveal that we've founded our hope on something that isn't solid. In this episode of Sermon B-Sides, Pastor Jon and Pastor Rusten look at Psalms 42 and 43. They discuss how in our trials, conflict, and inner turmoil, we often need to fight for our faith and joy in God rather than fall into a distorted version of lament. These Psalms show us two weapons we have in this fight: God's Word and worshiping with his people.

Today, Pastor Marc Sharp continues with part two of the new series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalm 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. The Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. In the Old Covenant, Psalms 120-134 were hymns sung to remind actual pilgrims of the Lord’s beauty and faithfulness as they travelled to Jerusalem to worship and sacrifice. Our Journey is real, yet understood spiritually. We are sojourners, traveling to a place far away with the sole purpose of meeting with and seeing God. Our ultimate destination is heaven, and subsequently to reign with Christ. This is the hope of all believers. These Psalms give us guidance for this journey. If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Today, Pastor Marc Sharp continues with part two of the new series looking at 15 Psalms (Psalm 120-134) designated as “Songs of Ascents”. The Psalms are God’s guidebook for right worship in the church. In the Old Covenant, Psalms 120-134 were hymns sung to remind actual pilgrims of the Lord’s beauty and faithfulness as they travelled to Jerusalem to worship and sacrifice. Our Journey is real, yet understood spiritually. We are sojourners, traveling to a place far away with the sole purpose of meeting with and seeing God. Our ultimate destination is heaven, and subsequently to reign with Christ. This is the hope of all believers. These Psalms give us guidance for this journey. If you would like to view the video of today's service, as well as previous videos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/northridgelife/videos/ (copy and paste into your web browser address bar). For additional information, you may also visit the church website, www.northridgelife.org, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northridgelife/.

Based on Psalms 139:7-12 “The Inescapable Presence of God” brings to the attention of the listeners of this podcast an important lesson we all need to learn about God's presence through the eyes of the Psalmist. These Psalms are among some of the loveliest metaphoric expressions in the Scriptures, they are both scary and comforting concurrently because the presence of God is inescapable both for the bad person and the good person. God's presence is inescapable no matter where we go, how far we go, how deep we go and how high we go we cannot run or hide away from the presence of God. God loves us so much that he is looking out for us therefore, when we read or meditate on these psalms let us do so from a place of trust and not fear. I pray that this podcast blesses you.   Portraits of Hope: Carry Me (Instrumental) Kim Walker: Walk with me. Disclaimer: All music used belong to the copyright owner credited. NO copyright infringement intended. Support this podcast

This week we are Digging Deeper into four Psalms of David. These Psalms show that there are many themes that run throughout the Psalms, especially those written by David, that are drawn from everyday life and the struggles we have with our faith. In each and every case, David ends on the high note of God's gracious salvation that only comes through His great mercy.

These Psalms are seven of the Psalms of Ascent, a set of songs to be sung by worshippers on their way to the temple for the three annual feasts. They are a good way to set the stage for our own worship, like a spiritual reset button. Episode Links: 2 Samuel: Overview - The Bible Project - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvoWDXNDJgs General Links: Support this Podcast! - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dbrpodcast Daily Bible Reading Homepage - https://anchor.fm/dailybiblereading Find us on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkYa0enE6UtdbltMQvUpVLw Resources: Customizable Google Sheets Reading Plan - http://bit.ly/DBRPlan Chronological Reading Plan PDF (starting January 1, 2021) - http://bit.ly/DBRPlanpdf Connect with us: Daily Bible Reading Podcast Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/dailybiblereadingpodcast Send me an email - dailybiblereadingpodcast@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter - @dailybibleread3 The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® Copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dailybiblereading/message

Palm Sunday Meditation - Encore Episode from 2020 “Faith is the gaze of a soul…upon a saving God.” - A.W. Tozer "I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2 This meditation focuses on Psalm 121, known as a Psalm of Ascent. These Psalms were sung by Hebrew pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem and possibly while ascending the steps of the Temple. It's remarkable to note, that Jesus and His disciples would have prayed and sung these same scriptures. The Psalms have an important place in our prayer life as well! When we meditate and pray God's Word, we are praying and declaring the very heart of God. Breathe in and linger awhile in this space, lifting your eyes toward heaven.

In this episode we will listen to Psalms 133 and 134 along with some of my comments about how I interpret these Psalms musically. These Psalms are part of the Psalms of Ascent and have a great historical place in the early days of Israel and the reign of King David. Finally, I give a word of encouragement to all who are experiencing the chaotic times we are living through and remind each one of us that God has not walked away from us - He is still in control and He has a plan that will come to fruition! Produced by - Steve Rees - Harpist If you like what you hear please subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/peregrinnatti Also find more music at: www.calmingharp.com  

Psalms 120-134 are Songs of Ascent, which were sung as pilgrims went up to Jerusalem, which sat on a hill. These Psalms combine praise with poetic descriptions of Israel's past; they describe where the people of Israel are going and where they've been. With Psalm 123 as a guide, Jonathan and Seth discuss the state of the Church and where it needs reform.

Psalms 120-134 are known as the Psalms of ascent. These Psalms are said to have been read as pilgrims climbed up the temple steps. Paul encourages us to position our hearts in a way which looks up to Heaven rather than looking down at our struggles and anxieties. Why not read through these Psalms and highlight any verses which encourage you about God coming alongside you?

Psalm 132 is a Psalm of Ascent that the Israelite people sang as they approached Jerusalem for their pilgrim feasts. These Psalms marked a time of great hope and expectation. They denoted a powerful hope of God's presence among His people.

Palm Sunday Meditation “Faith is the gaze of a soul…upon a saving God.” - A.W. Tozer "I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2 This meditation focuses on Psalm 121, known as a Psalm of Ascent. These Psalms were sung by Hebrew pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem and possibly while ascending the steps of the Temple. It's remarkable to note, that Jesus and His disciples would have prayed and sung these same scriptures. The Psalms have an important place in our prayer life as well! When we meditate and pray God's Word, we are praying and declaring the very heart of God. Breathe in and linger awhile in this space, lifting your eyes toward heaven.

February 16, 2020 Matthew 5:43--48 (ESV) --- 43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Jesus has made it clear throughout his teaching that he does not ascribe or Pharisee. He goes from talking about accepting the poor in spirit and the meek to requiring his people to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Then he outlines what it looks like to exceed their righteousness. In this text, he gets to the heart of what we looked at last week, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." That is his description of the way they treated others. There was no compassion and no love for those who are evil. Now he takes it a step further. He calls out their teaching to love their neighbor and hate their enemy. Then he tells his people to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute you. This is a bold and hard to believe statement. What would that look like, and what is the difference between the two mentalities? Hate Your Enemy The Jews, most likely, did not use a specific verse in the law to justify hating their enemy. It was more so a matter of interpreting a lot of Old Testament texts as they wanted to and ignoring others. Israel's History Throughout the first five books of the Old Testament, we see God making judgments against the nations to wipe them out completely. Deuteronomy 7:1--5 (ESV) --- 1 "When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, 2 and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. 3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. 5 But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire. Deuteronomy 7:16 (ESV) --- 16 And you shall consume all the peoples that the Lord your God will give over to you. Your eye shall not pity them, neither shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you. God wanted those evil people to be wiped off of the map just like during the flood, but this time he would use his people to judge the nations. This is pretty harsh of the God who is known for love in the New Testament. He sure does seem to hate his enemies. Imprecatory Psalms Then, some Psalms speak out against the enemy of the Psalmist. Psalm 69:22--28 (ESV) --- 22 Let their own table before them become a snare; and when they are at peace, let it become a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually. 24 Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them. 25 May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents. 26 For they persecute him whom you have struck down, and they recount the pain of those you have wounded. 27 Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you. 28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous. These Psalms call down Devine curses and express hatred for the enemies. If David, as a man after God's own heart, can hate his enemies, why can't we hate ours? This is probably a significant reason why the Jews taught that it was fitting and righteous to hate your enemy. How many of us feel this resentment inside of us when someone offends us? If they criticize our work, it affects us right down to the core. Why? Because they have touched on something that I hold onto for my identity. I am good at what I do, and that is where I find fulfillment. An attack on that is an attack on me. What if they criticize our family or our church family? Do we despise them for that? They have made assumptions about us. They are speaking lies and attempting to defame those I love. These attacks cause our anger to bubble over, and we may hold a grudge that we will never let go of. We might say we forgive, but we don't mean it deep down inside. We have labeled them as an enemy, and they can never be our brother or sister again. Love Your Enemy Jesus, once again, completely goes against their teaching. He tells them to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. This is not an easy idea to swallow. How many of us would be able to love someone who has beaten us to the point of being disabled? What if they hit our children or abused our wife/husband? Do we exclude those types of enemies? That's what the Pharisees were doing, but their exclusions included more and more people. First, they hated the Romans, then all Gentiles, then the Samaritans, then the tax collectors and sinners, and then they hated all who weren't them. The Romans charged the Jews with hating humankind. But Jesus says to love your enemies, and he describes enemies as those who persecute. Persecution can come in many forms. It could be murdering those we love or torturing them. He tells us to love them and pray for them. How difficult! When we look closer at the Old Testament, we see that this is what God wanted us to do from the beginning. He did not want us to hate our enemy. Leviticus 19:17--18 (ESV) --- 17 "You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. He did not want us to hate our brother or our neighbor. He wanted us to love them as ourselves. How do we love ourselves? The world tells us that our problem is that we don't love ourselves enough, but we love ourselves plenty. We are always looking for ways to make ourselves comfortable, satisfy our desires, glorify ourselves, meet all of our needs, meet most of our wants, be well thought of by others, enjoy pleasure, and we are very forgiving of ourselves. We assume the best of ourselves and give ourselves the benefit of the doubt even when we know that we made a mistake. Imagine loving an enemy in that way. That is radical. There are other texts in the OT that point to loving your enemy and doing good to them. God has never wanted there to be malice or spite between people. Exodus 23:4--5 (ESV) --- 4 "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. 5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him. Our goal is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The Jews were trying to get out of this command. In Luke 10, we read the parable of the Good Samaritan. Do you remember what question sparked that parable? The lawyer asked, "Who is my neighbor?" This is the question that shows how the Jews were getting out of loving their neighbor. They would just label someone as their enemy so that they did not have to love them. Jesus turns that thinking on its head by asking, "Who was a neighbor to the man beaten up on the side of the road?" It was not the priest or the Levite, but the Samaritan who was righteous. Be Like God Don't we do the same thing? We label people as evil or hateful so that we can justify not talking to them or not helping them. Think a little more deeply about why Jesus wants us to love our enemies. Matthew 5:45--48 (ESV) --- 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Our goal is to be the sons and daughters of God. This phrase should be familiar to us since Jesus just called all peacemakers sons of God. God's primary concern is for reconciliation and peace. He does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked or in the death of anyone (Ezekiel 18:23, 32). He created us to live with him and he pursues our hearts through the giving of his son even though we have become his enemies. We set ourselves against God by rebelling against his purpose for us, but he still loves us and wants to help us. He lets us continue to live on this earth. This is one thing that has always stood out to me. Atheists and those who don't believe in God say, "If he is really all-powerful, why does evil exist?" They don't understand that if he were to remove all the evil, they would be in torment right now. We don't want God to remove all the evil without providing an opportunity for repentance. How much sense does it make for us to be forgiven and then hate those who are just like we use to be? Maybe they are hateful toward us instead of hateful toward God, but if God can forgive us, why can't we sympathize with them and love them enough to show them God's love? We like to love those who love us. It's easy to love our family, our church family, and our friends most of the time. Even the people around us love people who love them. But Jesus is calling us to love those who hate us. He is calling for us to go above and beyond what the world around us is willing to do. If someone hates us, they may talk bad about us or cause all kinds of trouble for us at work or school. They could lash out against us and seek to abuse us. Will we look for opportunities to love them? Why would anyone ever do that? Because that will make us more like God than we have ever been before. That will show them how God loves them. Remember what Jesus said on the cross? Luke 23:34 (ESV) --- 34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." What About Israel/David? Although we understand that God wants us to love our enemies, there may still be thoughts roaming around in the back of our heads about those who are evil. Is it really good for us to always show love to them? Aren't there other New Testament passages that contradict that idea (1 Cor 16, 1 John 5)? Let's look again at Israel's history and the imprecatory Psalms to learn where to draw the line appropriately. Israel's History When we look closer at the commands in Deuteronomy to show no mercy or pity not he nations, we see that what he was doing is actually an act of love. In verse four of Deuteronomy 7, he says that those nations will turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. God wanted them to remove the snares so that their sons would not be tempted to fall away. It wasn't a matter of hatred. Actually, God has been patiently waiting for the time to be right to judge these wicked nations. Four hundred years earlier, God foretold of their iniquity growing to the point of no judgment. Genesis 15:16 (ESV) --- 16 "And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." The wars of Israel were the only "holy wars" in history. They were the only wars ever prescribed by the command of God to set God's people up for holy living. They did not march in because their leader wanted to conquer land for their pleasure and glory. The conquering was intended to help Israel live in peace with God and shine as a light for the nations around them. Imprecatory Psalms What about the imprecatory Psalms? In some of the Psalms, love for the enemy has been pursued for a long time. Psalm 35:12--13 (ESV) --- 12 They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. 13 But I, when they were sick--- I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. When we look at the life of David, this is almost always how he views his enemies. He spares Saul's life twice as he comes out to kill him (1 Sam 24, 26). Later we see him being overly compassionate with his enemy Shemei who is throwing rocks and cursing him as he is forced to leave Jerusalem. In all of these events, his mighty men are beside him encouraging him to kill Saul or to kill Shemei, but he refuses and he shows love toward his enemies. His own son, Absalom, betrays him and takes over Jerusalem, sleeping with David's concubines on his own rooftop. Instead of wanting him dead, we see him trying to save him and crying out in anguish when he finds out that he is dead. He prayed in Psalm 3 that God would deliver him out of this situation and strike his enemy, but he is still saddened and loves his son. This is likely the case for all of the Psalms. But also, these are the thoughts of God's anointed king. Are we really going to take those decrees and start applying them to our personal relationships? That goes directly against Leviticus 19. There may be a point where wickedness is so extreme or so unwavering that we speak like Paul or John. 1 Corinthians 16:22 (ESV) --- 22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! 1 John 5:16 (ESV) --- 16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life---to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. Jesus himself stops trying to reason with his enemies at one point and begins rebuking them (Matthew 23:34-35). There may be a point at which someone is so hard-hearted and rebellious that it would be fitting to call for God's judgment against them. However, it is not necessarily that we hate the person. I have heard people say of political people that the best thing that could happen would be for him or her to be assassinated. Actually, the best thing that could happen would be for that person to submit to our Lord and serve him with all of their heart. That was the best thing for us. Jesus wants us to have a heart that loves our neighbor as ourselves. How Can We Love Enemies? Maybe we are hearing all of this and thinking, "I don't hate anyone." But do we love them? If you are like me, you have a short list of people that you genuinely enjoy being around. Hopefully a lot of them are gathered here right now. All of those other people are just people we have to be around. We don't call them enemies because we aren't allowed to have enemies. But are we treating them like we would treat ourselves? Do we pay them the attention that they need to feel the love of God in their lives? For us to show love to someone, we have to step out of our comfort zones and actually like them. We have to look past the evil they do and hold out a hand of fellowship and friendship. They need to know the love that Christ has for them. Jesus came down from heaven for us. He surrounded himself by people who he knew would betray him and would refuse to listen to him. He endured brutal suffering from them. Then, he accepted them when he received all of the power and glory. He also accepts us. Why won't we accept others? Conclusion Throughout this sermon, we are meant to understand that we aren't perfect. No one is supposed to read through the Sermon on the Mount and think, "This makes me feel good about where I am spiritually." Jesus is calling us to perfection and helping us see that, no matter how religious we have been, we fail to meet the standard of perfection. We all fall woefully short. We need a savior, and we need forgiveness. This is what it feels like to be poor in spirit. The only way that we can grow in righteousness to be closer to perfection is through a radically new relationship with God. That will result in a radically new relationship with ourselves and with those around us. If we have God's love, we don't need to be approved of by those who are evil around us. We don't need their love and adoration to be satisfied. We are so satisfied with our understanding of God's love that we can endure tremendous hardships with a desire to show love to our tormenters. Do you have that relationship? Can we help you grow toward that?

Peter described how the prophets of old foresaw the sufferings of Christ, but did not grasp their true meaning. They were told of these things by the Spirit of Christ that was in them, that same Spirit that quickens poor dead sinners and causes us to understand what those prophets could not.----In reviewing the Old Testament testimony to Christ's suffering, we noticed that Psalms 40 and 69 both address the unsatisfactory nature of animal offerings, and the Lord Jesus being brought in by God to make the perfect sacrifice in the place of sinners.----Our sins were laid on Jesus and He was treated as guilty in our place. He preached righteousness, and yet He was treated shamefully and full of reproach. He was smitten by God in our place, and wicked men persecuted Him on the cross.----These Psalms also predict that Jesus would be lifted up as God's salvation - both on Calvary's tree, and at the right hand of God-----They also told of how Messiah would be despised for His Gospel preaching, how He would be forsaken by His own brethren.----The zeal of God's house would eat Him up- The disciples connected this prophecy with Jesus' cleansing of the temple, which won Him powerful enemies who ultimately would put Him to death.----The Lord Jesus knew this perfectly well, for when they objected to His temple cleansing, He told them they would try to destroy His body, but He would rise again the third day-----Jesus knew that His zeal for God's house would result in their murdering Him on the cross.----In His thirst on the cross, the Psalmist had predicted they would insult Him with vinegar to drink.----It was the Lord Jesus Who made sure God's Word was fulfilled to the last letter.

November 10, 2019 Psalms 1-150 Many have called the book of Psalms the songbook of the Old Testament, and that is true. But this songbook was organized and inspired by God. The Psalms are written over 1000 years, dating from 3500 years ago to 2500 years ago. But what are the Psalms, and are they really applicable to us? It is hard to summarize 150 chapters because there are multiple ways to look at it. None of the ways to summarize the Psalms are wrong, but none of them do justice and leave us feeling like we are ready to get the most out of this book. I want to summarize the book in three different ways tonight. First, we will look at the Psalms from the broadest perspective, understanding the primary themes and the ultimate message. Then, we will see how Jesus fits into the Psalms. Finally, we will dig into how this book helps us. What are the Psalms About? 1. Themes and Ultimate Message First, I want to recommend that there is a design to this book. Most scholars believe that the returned exiles compiled it. So what message would the exiles wish to all of those in the following generations to understand? Blessed Living At the beginning of Psalms, we have two chapters that seem to lay the groundwork for the rest of the book. These two chapters contain the two most prominent themes of the Psalms. These themes are intermingled and are supposed to be considered throughout the Psalms. Psalm 1 points to the first theme of the Psalms by saying, “Blessed is the man who... delights in the law of God.” The law of God brings us back to the five books of the Torah. Interestingly, the five books of the Torah would be discussed in the introduction to another five-book volume. The Psalms point us to the first five books of the Bible as our source for blessedness. This theme is fully explored from many angles. There are times when it may not seem like those who do live by the Torah are blessed, but in the end, they are blessed, and the wicked are cursed. The Lord Reigns Psalm 2 gives us the second major theme of the Psalms, “The Lord reigns.” In this text, we see a description of God destroying the enemies of his anointed for him. God is always in control. He provides for his anointed, protecting him from the enemy. This theme is found throughout the book as David, the Lord’s anointed, faces trials and calls out to God for deliverance. The worst thing anyone can do is rebel against God or his anointed representative. This theme is fully explored, as well. There are times where it may not seem like the Lord reigns, but in the end, we will always see that he does reign. Praise His Name These two themes are pointing to the one big message of the book, “Praise the Lord.” The Lord is the one who gives us the law so that we can live a blessed life, and the Lord is the one who rules over the kingdoms of men so that evil does not grow beyond the boundary God has set. This book is ultimately intended to be about praising and exalting God because of who he is and what he has promised. It starts kind of rough with several lamentation Psalms, Psalms that express doubt and fear. But they always come back to praising and adoring the Lord. There is a gradual movement throughout the Psalms from a mixture of lamentation, confusion, and praise to only praise and adoration. Eventually, the book crescendos with the idea of praising the Lord in the final five Psalms, all of which begin and end with the phrase “Praise the Lord.” It could even be said that every Psalm is either about lament or praise. Why is the book laid out like this? This is intended to help us see the maturity process that is supposed to take place in our lives. We are all going to go through periods of suffering and weakness in this life. But over time, we will develop our understanding of God’s reign and wisdom. We will see his patience toward others and toward us. We will see his many blessings that have been showered upon our heads. This will all result in a life of praise, glory, and honor for God. He has shown his steadfast love and faithfulness to us, even though we do not deserve it. This Is A Book For Us Understanding that God blesses those who do what is right and that the Lord reigns are foundational for our faith as well. Throughout this book, we see that the writers are struggling to see these truths in their lives, but they eventually understand it to be true. They give us this understanding at the beginning so that we know the conclusion of the matter before we start. What should we do as a result of being blessed and having the Lord over all as our God? Praise his name. This is the message of the Psalms. But there is more to see here. 2. Five Books, One Messiah As we begin reading the Psalms, we can’t help but feel like they are organized with an even bigger purpose in mind. If you look above Psalm 1, you will see the title, “Book One.” The Psalms are divided up into five books (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150). In the Torah, we have five books of the law, and in the Psalms, we have five books of praise and exaltation. It is most likely that these five books were joined together into the current form during the exile period that we have been studying. Whoever put all five of these books together ended each book with the phrase “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,” except for the last book, which ends with five Psalms praising God. These books do not appear to be in random order. They progress in the story of God’s rule through his anointed. Book 1 (1-41) The first book then starts with instruction and a coronation of David to be God’s anointed. The rest of the Psalms in book 1 are about David in distress as the nations rage against him. But God always saves David and exalts him. Then David turns to praise God. This should be no surprise to us because Psalm 2 said that the nations would rise against God and his anointed. Lament Psalms are prevalent throughout book one. David has to deal with several sorrows and lamentation in his life, and he relies heavily on God for help. In spite of his hard life, David praises the Lord and exalts his name. The first book ends with Psalm 41. This Psalm repeats the ideas of Psalms 1 and 2, illustrating how those two truths have held for David. He starts out saying, “Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble, the Lord delivers him.” God blesses him because he has chosen the path of righteousness. Verses 8-13 show that, though his enemies are rising against him, God delights in David and will not let the enemies triumph over him. Book 2 (42-72) In the second book, others join with David in praising the Lord. There are more lamentations, but still more praise as the sons of Korah and Asaph add their Psalms to more of David’s Psalms. The Psalms in this second book take on a national tone as well as the individual tone, but they give the same message as the first book. The unique part of this book is how it ends. At the end of this book, Psalm 72, we see the heading, “Of Solomon.” This final Psalm speaks of the son of David as the ideal king who is given universal authority. This Psalm seems to focus on the covenant God has made with David in 2 Samuel 7 and ask God to make Solomon into that king. Then, there is something else added to this book at the very end, “The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.” This appears to be a final Psalm of David’s, and this marks a transition point in the Psalms. The anointed one has much fewer Psalms after book two. Book 3 (73-89) Book three seems to be a book of crisis. It begins with Asaph questioning the validity of Psalm 1. He does not see the righteous being blessed, and it ends with two Psalms (88-89) of despair, questioning God’s commitment to the David covenant, saying, “But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed. You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. You have breached all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins.” It seems like these Psalms are reminiscing on the time of David’s reign and asking for God to restore the kingship for Israel to rise again. Book 4 (90-106) The fourth book looks back to the time when there was no king in Israel by starting with Moses’ Psalm. Instead of taking on the negative tone of lamentation, we begin to see a maturing of God’s people to praise God for being their king. Book four seems to answer the problem and distress of collection one by saying that God was able to save without a king at the beginning, and he still reigns over the kingdoms of men. Over and over again in this book, we see the theme of Psalm 2 repeated, “The Lord reigns,” “The Lord reigns,” “The Lord reigns.” The people seem to come to the determination that looking for another king like David is disappointing, but they have the Lord. He can save them and strengthen them. It ends reflecting on the promises of God, reflecting on the sins of the people, and calling for God to remember those who delight in his word and provide the salvation he has promised. Book 5 (107-150) The final book of the Psalter brings great hope as it focuses on God’s faithfulness to his covenant promises. God’s anointed one comes back into the picture, and he is saved to do what Psalm 2 says he would do, “The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses” (Psalm 110:5). This book also brings up Psalm 1 again, showing that God’s steadfast love endures forever toward those who love him and delight in his word. In Psalm 119, we find the longest chapter in the Bible. It is entirely focused on how amazing God’s word is, and it tells how God blesses those who live by his word. After Psalm 119, we have several songs that would be sung as the people ascend to Jerusalem during the feasts. These Psalms are encouraging everyone to come and bless the Lord for how wonderful and majestic he is. The book ends with some great Psalms that praise the name of the Lord and ask for God’s continual deliverance against evil. The Anointed One One thing that you might have picked up on is the focus around Israel’s relationship with God through a mediator, king David. David is given particular interest because of the prosperity Israel receives from God through him. They are in a time of disparity. They are living without the anointed one, but then, there is a return of the king. All of this points us to Christ. The book of Psalms is the most used book in the New Testament. It has been said that much of the Psalms are mostly the songs of Christ. The suffering of the lamentation Psalms represent the suffering of Christ, and the glory and exaltation of the praise Psalms represent the glory that Christ gives to God or the glory that Christ receives from God. Jesus used the Psalms to verify who he was. Jesus used Psalm 110 to point out that David called his son Lord, he used Psalm 82 to say that he is not blaspheming when Jesus calls himself the son of God, and he used Psalm 41 to say that one who shares bread with him will lift up his heel against him. Psalm 22 is the perfect example of Jesus quoting a Psalm on the cross to say, “This is all about me!” Every Psalm is not about Jesus (There are Psalms where they confess sins that do not fit Christ). But for the most part, we can see how these Psalms were looking forward to our anointed one (Messiah) from a big-picture point of view. That anointed one will trust the Lord to be faithful and will endure great hardship as the nations rage against him and the God he loves. He will call for God to save him and will be delivered. Then, he will tell of his goodness to all of those around him. 3. Why Do We Need The Psalms? The Messiah aspect of the Psalms is enough to get us interested in them, but the Psalms can also have a tremendous impact on our everyday lives. As Christians, we are supposed to live “to the praise of his glory.” But sometimes, we struggle to remember the Lord when times are good, and sometimes we forget to remember the Lord when times are hard. Instead of recognizing the Lord and following his path, we may think only about what we will do next or about how others are to blame for what has happened to me. Instead of responding in a godly way, we may react with frustration. We may find ourselves taking out those frustrations on those around us. If we do remember the Lord, we struggle to know how to express ourselves in either situation correctly. We need a book that guides our feelings and helps us express our emotions so that our hearts are tender and loving toward each other and our Lord. The need for this kind of book is not missed on God, who provides us with 150 Psalms. The Psalms help us to understand what to think about God, but they also touch on our emotional side, telling us how to feel. They dig down deep into our hearts and help us on a deeper level. In the Psalms, there are feelings of loneliness, awe, sorrow, regret, remorse, discouragement, shame, triumph, marveling, delight, joy, gladness, fear, anger, peace, grief, desire, hope, broken heartedness, gratitude, zeal, pain, and confidence. The list of feelings goes on and on. Many of these emotions we may struggle to connect with if our life experience is limited, but as we grow older, we will connect with them more and more. John Piper put it like this, “The Psalms carry, express, and shape our feelings and emotions.” I think that sums up the benefits. Psalms teach us to correct and express our emotions. If we don’t know what we are feeling, we can find our feelings in the Psalms. If we know what we are feeling but struggle to express those feelings, we can see the Psalmist expresses it better than we could ever hope to. And if we need guidance on how we ought to feel when our feelings are betraying what we know is right, some Psalms encourage us to remember the love of God and put our trust in him. These songs do more than refine our doctrine. They refine the feelings of our hearts as we try to do what is right. An example of this is Psalm 73. As Asaph envies the wicked, who prosper in this life, he says, “All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.” Have we ever felt envious toward a wicked relative or neighbor and started questioning all of the sacrifices we are making for the Lord? Then, we go to the sanctuary, like Asaph, and discern the end of the wicked. Then, we turn our hearts like Asaph and say, “When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire beside you.” The Psalmist points to our deepest and darkest feelings, and then he brings us out of it to see what matters most! We are given Psalms of lament and praise because we need both to handle the two extremes in life. The Psalms help us understand how lamenting or grieving over bad things is normal, but also how God is expecting us to see all that he has done and praise him anyway. Do we struggle with that? How many of us forget what God has done when things get tough? Make your default response to go to the Psalms. Conclusion The message of the Psalms is to praise the Lord. This is what all of the instruction is leading us toward. Ultimately we are created for this purpose, to be, “To the praise of his glory,” and we must come to understand that the Lord alone is worthy of the highest praise. No matter how difficult or enjoyable our life becomes, we must praise his name. We praise his name in song, we praise his name in prayer, we praise his name by telling what he has done to those around us, and we praise his name by putting our faith in him when things get tough. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

These Psalms call for justice over evil.

These Psalms call for justice over evil.

If you've read the Psalms, you've probably noticed the wide range of topics and emotions that spill out from these Hebrew poems and verses. David writes Psalm 51 and pours out his confession of sin to God. He writes Psalm 8 and describes God's glory and majesty. And he also writes Psalm 35, where he calls on God to destroy his enemies. These Psalms are really prayers that give voice to what the writer was experiencing at the time. In the same way, movies give voice to what the screenwriters and directors are experiencing, what they find to be true in life. When they paint a grim picture of the future of humanity, they give voice to a feeling of hopelessness about the human condition. When they tell stories of humanity rising out of the ashes to enter a better future, they give voice to the desire we have as human beings to make a better world in which we can conquer evil and live in peace. In this chapter, Josh talks with us about a few of the categories he's found in the prayers, the longings and desires, we see in front of us on the screen. And interestingly enough, these prayers are often quite similar to the prayers prayed by David and the other psalmists. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com.

Every person of faith will encounter difficulties that make them wrestle with doubt and disappointment.  These Psalms (42-43) instruct us to "hope in God" and seek the light of His countenance in the dark times. 

These Psalms focus on declaring who God is and praising Him for His unchanging character

These Psalms focus on declaring who God is and praising Him for His unchanging character

The pilgrims in ancient Israel would recite the fifteen Psalms of Psalm 120-134 as they journeyed to Jerusalem. These Psalms can encourage us as we sing worship songs and journey together in our walk with God.

In our Psalm summer so far we’ve come across many different kinds of Psalms expressly fit for every season of the soul. Today, as Psalm 91 lies open before us, we come to what many call a Psalm of consolation.[1]These Psalms express deep relief and comfort, but because they tend to focus so much on…… Continue reading Morning = Psalm 91, The Shadow of the Almighty

July is our "Church in Denver" series, and guest speaker Christine Hersh kicks things off. This summer various Denver churches will all be focusing on the Psalms of Asaph (Psalm 50, 73-83). These Psalms give voice to a communal lament and cry for God’s mercy on a national scale. We believe they provide appropriate language to engage God collectively about our cultural moment.

In this lesson, we continue to focus on the Psalms that point to Jesus' coming in His work on earth as the suffering Savior and as well as our living Shepherd and sovereign God. Among these Messianic type Psalms, we'll look more closely at those that predicted, about seven-hundred years before crucifixion was even invented, that Jesus was destined to come to be the final, once-for-all, sacrifice through the horrific method of the Roman crucifixion, These Psalms show in a more experiential way, His sacrificial walk as He would cry out to the Father in the agony. Agony, not of the excruciating pain, but of the separation from the Father that the penalty of sin demands for all. We also discuss Psalms that point to Jesus Christ in His true and always holy position as the exalted and sovereign God of all creation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/biblestudyweekly/message

When you hear a song, does it take you back to a specific point or memory in your life? Do you and your family or friends have a list of songs that you will always return to that remind you of previous times? Songs are like soundtracks for our lives. The people of Israel had a soundtrack for their lives, specifically at times of the year when they would journey to Jerusalem. This soundtrack is called the Psalms of Ascent. These Psalms of Ascent are situated toward the end of the book of the Psalms; Psalms 120-134. As we enter into our new series, Summer Playlist, we will look at each of these Psalms to understand their history, importance and their applicability to our lives here and now in 2019. So grab a Bible, open it to Psalm 120 and join us on our journey with the best list of songs you'll hear all summer: Summer Playlist.

Throughout the Psalms, we see a picture of Christ that awakens praise and worship. These Psalms summon us to stand in awe and adoration of the King of Kings. 

The Royal Psalms help us see the relationship between God and King. These Psalms describe Christ the King.

Introduction to the Hallel Psalms Brayden and Tali kick off their first podcast introducing themselves and talking about the importance of the Hallel Psalms (Psalm 113-118). These Psalms are especially significant when we understand that Yeshua sang these songs just hours before giving his life. If you'd like to listen to these podcasts weekly, make sure to follow or subscribe so that you will automatically be notified each week.

These Psalms offer both lament and thanksgiving. The reality is that both of these exist in our world, and they exist for all of us. The hope, though, is that God is present in it all, and in it all for all of us!

How do you feel in times of trouble? Afraid? Alone? Defeated? These are all real emotions David felt and faced. These Psalms encourage us in knowing our Father in Heaven lives us so much, and will never fail to protect us. He even knows every tear you may cry!

Today, we look at the fruit of "joy". In the Psalms, we read of David's loss of joy that occurred as a result of sin that occurred in a very relational context (Psalm 32, 51). These Psalms take us back to the story of David and Bathsheba and how David got into the mess he did by trying to make his own joy.

Today, we look at the fruit of "joy". In the Psalms, we read of David's loss of joy that occurred as a result of sin that occurred in a very relational context (Psalm 32, 51). These Psalms take us back to the story of David and Bathsheba and how David got into the mess he did by trying to make his own joy.

In Psalms 22-33 King David describes a wide range of circumstances, and the widest range of emotions and heart-cries. But whatever situations he faced, each Psalm concludes with a ‘last word’ or ‘bottom-line’ -expressing his overriding confidence in God’s goodness and faithfulness. These Psalms remind us how vital it is to have a sure and certain ‘bottom line’ that God is good, all the time.

God transforms lives. These Psalms join together to give us a picture of what His transformation looks like - forgiveness from beginning to end.