Psalm 40

The psalms are amazing. But add in U2 singing one? Wow.

The psalm posits that sometimes we're gonna be stuck a bit in our muck and mire, so be persistent. God will hear- and I love the wording used by U2, that He "inclined to hear my cry"- and He will set our feet on a rock. I also love when an Old Testament passage so clearly points us to Jesus- specifically when Christ tells us of building on a solid rock foundation, and that He is the rock.

But the wrap up of the opening? That many will see and know? That gives me chills. God's rescue of us is the catalyst for others coming to know Him. The rest of the psalm is about how God wants us, not our sacrifice or offerings. They are, in themselves, just things. They can be given without worship. But if our hearts are with God, even the small things are worshipful.

And it all starts with waiting patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 39

Kind of continuing on from Psalm 38, we see that God's 'cleansing' of our sin can be painful to the point of unbearable. We beg for God to let up.

Why is it that being restored to God has to be so hard?

Maybe it is the depth we've fallen to. Perhaps it is the height He is lifting us back up to. I don't know.

What I do know is that I find it interesting that in our sin, we don't want God anywhere around. But when the consequences of our sin are crashing down on us, we plead for His voice to speak peace.

Perhaps He is teaching us to not practice "fair-weather faith."

Psalm 38

Sin hurts, and sometimes, God must injure us as well to heal us of our sin. It sounds harsh to say that God wounds us when we're down, but really, it's just good medicine.

A surgeon must injure us to do open heart surgery. There is pain and there is a need t0 heal after the surgery, but without that surgeon's blade piercing the skin, our heart would eventually do much greater harm. It would kill us.

So, yes, God injures us. He makes a bad day worse. But He does so so that that bad day that got worse is not your last day. God hurts us so that tomorrow may be better, filled with hope and expectation, not dismay and failure.

God heals, and sometimes that hurts.

Psalm 37

Patience, patience, patience.

Wait on God, hold back anger, trust the Lord. How often do we hear that? How often do we offer this advice to others?

When we've been wronged, we want revenge. And we want it NOW. That's just human nature. A slight against you must be resolved ASAP. But is it ever really resolved when we take the matter into our own hands?

Now, God promises the wicked will be punished. He promises that justice will be delivered, but it will be in His time, in His way. And His handling of the situation will be final, the resolution sure. So why can't we wait and let God take care of it?

I think we should. I've had a few times in my life when I've very much known God wanted me to "Be still and wait for God." And you know what? Every time the resolution has been better than what I could have done on my own.

Wait on God, hold back anger, trust the Lord.

It may seem cliched, but it's good advice.

Psalm 36

The first four verses of this one hit home. How often have I walked into sin and then gotten so caught up in an attitude of arrogance and denial that I can't (or won't) see the evil it is?

Too many times.

It begins to consume me and I don't care. This psalm points out that I am, in fact, wicked.

Now contrast that with the overpowering vision of God's love for His people. Wickedness brings a claustrophobic feeling, but the love of God is all about the expansive views from under His wings.

The psalm asks, it seems, how can one see the love of God and it's freedom, yet still choose sin and it's captivity?

Psalm 35

Not to be too short- but this is another "God vindicate me and wipe out my enemies" psalm. That's not a bad thing, because it reminds us that we all get frustrated and want God to act. And it reminds us that it's OK to ask God to "Awake and rise to my defense!"

I want God to act. I mean, really badly. As I take stock of my life today, and there's been a lot of that- I've prayed something similar: "God, I need you to show up."

I'm not under attack, and I'm not even really frustrated- but I am excited. Nevertheless, I need God to show up. I look at the things that need to happen, the possibilities of what could happen, the time it will take to see said things accomplished- and I realize it is beyond me and my abilities.

Perhaps that is why I feel a peace beneath the overwhelming weight of things. I know God is there. I know He is capable.

I know He will show up.

Psalm 34

I will extol the LORD at all times;

his praise will always be on my lips.

I will glory in the LORD;

let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify the LORD with me;

let us exalt his name together.

Worship is better when it is with others. And it is sweeter and more intimate when it comes from a heart that has been broken and beaten and yet still dares to offer God appreciation.

When I am down, when I am weary, hearing the words of another who rejoices in God is always uplifting. I'm not talking about the fluffy, 'sunshine and rainbows' kinda praise that is borderline phony (to me, at least)- rather the praise that comes from a soul that knows things are tough- but that God is better.

A lot of people question why it is necessary for people to gather for worship- this is my response: God made us for relationships with Him and each other. Only through communal joy and suffering do we truly get to know God.

Psalm 33

It's an odd pairing, this idea of hope and fear arising when we encounter God. Yet it is a common pairing when dealing with God. Most of the time, when I'm afraid, hope takes a leave of absense. But when God appears, suddenly fear and hope are holding hands.

To get a better idea of why this is, look at the context of the psalm itself. It states explicitly that the things we normally trust in when fear arises- warriors, kings, war horses, etc- are useless to save us- but God's eyes are on those who fear Him. It also states that God considers everything we do.

Now, I've always looked at "fear God" as sort of Bible-speak for "respect/revere God," and I stand by that. But there is another element of "fear God" that is subtle in this psalm.

God is dangerous.

He is watching us, and He is stronger than our most powerful weapons. He is strong enough to save us from anything that comes against- weapons of war or famine included.

Have you ever been to a zoo, and locked eyes with a predator- like a lion or tiger? You are instantly drawn to them, wondering what it would be like to touch it, feel the fur over those giant muscles, be close enough to hear and feel the deep breaths they take. You are also instantly- and maybe only slightly- afraid. You fear what could happen if the big cat got loose.

Encounter God simultaneously makes you want to draw closer, and yet be careful. He is powerful enough to save or destroy- and He knows your heart, whether good or wicked. I want to know God more, and yet He is so awesome that it makes me nervous when I draw near to Him.

Godly fear raises hope. It's the great contradiction that brings life.

Psalm 32

I remember once, as a kid, I'd done something I knew my parents would not like. I'd said something I wasn't supposed to, and no one heard me, and I got away with it. But, I didn't. There was an oppressive weight of guilt on my back, and I couldn't enjoy anything- even playing with my favorite toys.

So, I confessed, and immediately felt a weight lift. And the funny thing was, my mom- who I confessed to, didn't punish me, she told me not to do it again and forgave me.

That's what I thought about when I read this psalm. I've always been quick to confess my sins- to God or the person I've hurt or wronged- and I think it's because I learned this early on about myself: I hate the weight of guilt. Not guilt given by another, but the guilt we feel when we KNOW we've done wrong. I can get physically sick with that feeling. That's the same sense I get about this psalm. That it is better to own up to your faults than carry them around and try to hide them.

For one, God knows already, you aren't keeping Him out of the loop. And when it comes to sins against others, they will know eventually, so better to own up now. It really bothers me when people never accept that they have a failing or a sin or a problematic attitude, or at least they never admit they do.

And the beauty of confession is that we are forgiven and surrounded by God's love. And we carry no weight of sin.

Psalm 31

I wanna focus on verses 3- 5 for this psalm, because I think they are key.

Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.

We often think of doing things in the Name of God along two lines: May I do good in the Name of God, and may I not screw up in the Name of God. These are good things to consider, and as far as our own actions and choices go, they are about all we can do. But there is a third "in the Name of God" scenario. This one, though, is all God.

David pleads here that God guide him for the sake of God's name. It is a plea that God protect His Own Name by leading and protecting David in his endeavors. It's bold, basically David is saying "I've done my part, now do Yours." And for us, it raises the question- have you ever been able to honestly plead this of God? Have you ever done your part, truly and purely done your part to the point you look to God and say "You're up!"?

Sure, we ask for God to vindicate us, to prove us right, but when we do it (I know when I do it) it's more that I get the vindication. David is saying "I've stood up for you God, now stand up for yourself." Then David goes on to say he's trusting himself to God. Totally.

And that's where the psalm gets really interesting.

Notice anything familiar about the next to last line? Jesus' final words (depending on which Gospel you read) are a quote of this. Perhaps Jesus is pointing us to Psalm 31 for a reason. Jesus is saying, "I've done my part, finished my work. Now, Father, prove yourself. I trust you completely."

Jesus (and David) did as God asked, and in faith, left the final proof of God up to the Father Himself. So often, I think we try to do all three "in the Name of God" actions- doing right, not doing wrong, and proving God. We use apologetics (defending the faith), we use logic, we use testimonials- all good things. But ultimately, in every life we touch and every endeavor we undertake, there comes a point where we can do no more. We will never save a soul, we will never heal the sick, we will never drive out a demon- these things happen only when God moves on our actions in His Name.

So do good. Avoid evil. Trust God and wait.

All in His Name.

Psalm 30

I know what it's like to be down, to be sad. It kinda stinks. I also know what it's like to be under attack- it also stinks.

But then, I also know what it's like to see God come to the rescue. To watch your accusers- human or spiritual- be silenced. To feel your sorrow melt away to be replaced by hope and joy. These are the birthplaces of our worship.

Yet, we often seem to forget to thank God when we are saved. We find something new to complain about or fear. And even if we do thank God, the amount of time spent there is infinitesimal to time spent begging for help.

Our cry, our promise, should instead be:

"LORD my God, I will praise you forever."

Psalm 29

This psalm opens with a plea for all creation to give God His due.

The rest of the psalm talks about...His voice?

Yeah, we open with how great God is and deserving of worship, then we get but a glimpse of Him. Maybe whisper is a better way of putting it, since it is only the vocal stylings of God we get to see. And yet, it proves the call to 'give God His due' in the first verses is very true and needed. With just His voice, the most powerful trees split, the lightning crashes, nations move.

Then, He sits back on His throne, presiding over all.

If simply telling God what He already knows about Himself brings on an awesome display of His power, why don't we do it more often?

Psalm 28

Do not drag me away with the wicked,

with those who do evil,

who speak cordially with their neighbors

but harbor malice in their hearts.

Repay them for their deeds

and for their evil work;

repay them for what their hands have done

and bring back on them what they deserve.

You just can't trust people.

That seems to be the problem here. How often have you known someone who is nice to your face, but trashes you as soon as you walk away? Maybe you've seen someone who claims to be another person's good friend, yet they constantly ridicule them and tear them down when that person is gone.

Or, perhaps, you are the guilty party?

However you know the duplicitous human, you know they can't be trusted. They are unreliable at best and an assaulting enemy at worst. Someone we need protection from.
Now, counter that view of two-faced people with this view of God:

Praise be to the LORD,

for he has heard my cry for mercy.

The LORD is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

and with my song I praise him.

The LORD is the strength of his people,

a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.

Save your people and bless your inheritance;

be their shepherd and carry them forever.

The people leave you worn out and weakened- God gives you strength, protection and something to trust. In a cynical world where it is probably right to be leery of people, God is stable and reliable. His word is His bond- literally. While you can't trust your neighbor to be honest- or even your family sometimes- God will not leave you hanging, He will never lie.

It is because of this that God is a "Fortress of Salvation." There will be no rug pulled out from under you with God- He will keep His word.

And that alone makes His salvation secure.

Psalm 27

I'm not afraid of the dark or monsters or bogeymen or cockroaches.

But I am afraid of things like failure and financial problems and illness.

So, I have a problem with fear. I really want to be fearless, I want to be bold and not at all anxiety plagued, but lately it seems that I am totally besieged with worries. The crazy thing is, most of my fears are over things I can't control, so what's the point of stressing? More to the point, who can help me overcome these fears?

The LORD is my light and my salvation—

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

of whom shall I be afraid?

It seems so simple, doesn't it? Just trust in God and all will be well. He'll build a fort- a Helm's Deep, if you will- around us and nothing will get us. But wait- that implies that God comes to us. Read on with the psalmist:

One thing I ask from the LORD,

this only do I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty of the LORD

and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble

he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent

and set me high upon a rock.

No, if we desire shelter from our fears, we must go to Him, and set up residence in His presence. Perhaps we become inundated with fears and worries when we stray too far from Him, following our own desires instead of His. Only when we recognize how vulnerable we are to the attacking hordes do we long again for the safety and protection of His stronghold- which we left because we wanted 'freedom.' Or because we felt that we were tired of waiting on God while in His presence. You know, the whole: "I'm doing God's will, why haven't I been blessed yet?"

I remain confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the LORD.

If we want His protection and His blessing, we must live by His timetable. It's why patience is a virtue. If we want to be fearless, it doesn't mean learning total independence and conquering fears on our own.

Quite the opposite, it means being wholly dependent on God and His protection.

Psalm 26

David comes off as pretty arrogant, doesn't he?

He talks of how good he is, how righteous he is, but we all know better. And so does David. In verse 11, we read:

I lead a blameless life;
deliver me and be merciful to me.

Did you see that? He uses two opposing thoughts- He is innocent, yet in need of mercy and rescue. Why?

What if the idea we need to get here is that we can never be good enough to not need God? We could keep all the rules, do all the right ordinances, toe all the right lines- yet need salvation. Because apart from God, nothing is perfect, we are all fallen.

Human perfection is still less than God's desire for mankind.

The law will not save us, only rescue by the blood of Christ. The difference between righteous and redeemed is bigger than we think.

Psalm 25

Show me your ways, LORD,

teach me your paths.

Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long.

That right there is the heart of this psalm, and maybe the heart of believing in Christ. We sure do think we know it all about being Christians, and by extension, we think we can save ourselves. We put our hope in following Rick Warren's latest 40 day whatever (Seriously dude, there are other Biblical numbers.), or in the latest program or self help idea. We put our hope in our money and our status, or our careers. We look at the chaos of our world today and cry out for a politician to make it better- but they never will.

But Psalm 25 makes one thing clear: God is our only hope. These other things may work for a season, but in the long run, they will falter. What it comes down to is the kind of relationship with God where you put your hand out for Him and wait for Him to walk you down the long and winding road of life. He knows the way, far better than we or any of our 'guides.'

If we are rescued by anything or anyone but God, it will wind up hollow.

We need to call to God for His wisdom and guidance. Put our hand in his, and trust in Him.

Only Him.

Psalm 24

Confession: I love this psalm.

The wording used, the imagery conveyed, I'd love for Peter Jackson to make a Lord of the Rings style movie of it. Of course, it would be three and half hours long, but it would be gorgeous.

Honestly, that's what I feel when I read this: like a King is being crowned and we get to see it- but only if we're worthy. "Clean hands and pure hearts." It sounds so easy. But it's not. We cover our hands with grime daily, and our hearts are so divided and corrupted by the desires that eventually lead us to the dirty hands. And idols? Sure we may not have a statue we bow to, but we worship plenty of false gods- celebrities, status, money, ourselves.

Just when I start to feel bad about my station in life- God shows up. The conquering King comes in, and I lift my head to see Him. And I realize- He has come from conquering MY enemies. Sin, death, and oppressors of the spiritual and physical varieties- they have fallen to the power of God.

And so, together with God, we celebrate victory.

Psalm 23

OK, really, what else can be said about this psalm.

Arguably the most famous, it is often read at funerals and times of great difficulty. It offers comfort to the hurting, and is beautiful with its pastoral imagery.

Reading it again, I see that it is more than just a 'death' psalm. In fact, it really isn't that at all. It is a 'hope for life' psalm. It tells us that we will have dark times, but that those are in fact NECESSARY to reach the life giving stuff. We must go through "Hell" on earth, but we need not go through it alone.

Though this psalm talks a great deal about darkness and enemies, it is not their presence that steals the psalm. It is the fact that our shepherd- our God- is ever present. He is always there, walking with us through it all.

And at times, fighting off the attackers.

Psalm 22

I think this captures the struggle we all face, but refuse to admit- at least publicly.

Sometimes, it really hurts to love God.

There are times when we feel distant from God because we sin, or because we just don't care. There are times God feels far off because it's been a while since we prayed or read His Word. But this psalm isn't about these. It's about being smack dab in the middle of where God wants you, and you want Him badly, but He seems distant. As if He's ignoring you.

And that goes against everything we've been taught in Sunday School and Church to believe about God. He is ALWAYS there. He will never leave us or forsake us.

So why then would Jesus, with His practically last words, quote this psalm? Why would He choose a psalm that accuses God of forsaking His beloved?

I haven't a clue.

I have guesses, though. Maybe these moment of God 'leaving' us are to remind of what that was like so we can better relate to those who do not know Christ. Maybe it is a test of faith to see if we will really cling to God. Maybe it's to get us to seek God in a different way.

None of that really matters in the context of the psalm. For all we know, David was just having a bad moment when he penned the opening words. What does matter is that by the end of the psalm, David has claimed that God will show up for the poor, the oppressed, the beaten. He believes it so much he talks of how he will celebrate when others see that God is still there and in control.

It's hard to trust God when it seems He isn't paying attention. But then, faith has never supposed to have been easy. If there were a formula or an incantation to get God to do what we wanted when we wanted it, then He would not be the wild God that calls to us in our heart.

God will do what God wants, we just need to trust that He is what He says He is: Good.

Psalm 21

It pays to be God's friend.

It does NOT pay to be His enemy.

The king- aka David aka God's friend- asks and receives. He is blessed with riches and victory. Any thing good the king has or does is credited not to himself, but to the 'unfailing love' of God. This is grace.

But the enemies of the king- aka the enemies of God- are incinerated. Not just defeated, but utterly destroyed and all traces of their lineage with them. Annihilation.

The thing about this juxtaposition is that both the king and the enemies are devoted to God. In the Old Testament, when God said He wanted something to be devoted to Him, He wanted it totally destroyed: no living thing left breathing, no structure left standing. The enemies of the king are devoted to God by their physical destruction. The king is devoted to God by his spiritual destruction of self. The king recognizes that he is nothing, and all the good is by the grace of God. Since the king here is David, it makes sense he'd say that, being the same guy who also says things like "Surely I was sinful at birth."

We need to recognize as David has that it is God who is good, and it is through Him alone that Good wins out.

It is all about God.

Psalm 20

What strikes me about Psalm 20 is not that it is a prayer for blessing. No, it is that the prayer is not for the psalmist, but for the reader.

Most psalms (all of them so far) have been about the psalmist and God, but this one is about you and me. Moreover, it's about you and me being blessed by God.

David prays that you and I would know success in our plans, that they be blessed by God. He prays that God protects you and I. Then, he talks about how he knows God can and will do those things. David says, basically, that he prays these things of blessing for us because he himself has experienced them, and he knows God can do them in our lives as well.

And he says that when we receive them, he and all the believers will rejoice. Because WE were blessed.

Do we pray for these things for each other? What's more, if we do, do we rejoice, do we celebrate when they happen?

I think we should.

Psalm 19

This past weekend, the family and I were at my Mom's house, which sits about 5 miles between the nearest tiny towns. Thursday night was cold, and I took our dog out right before bedtime, and looked up at the sky. The clouds were thin, the moon was huge and bright, the air was crisp- it reminded me of the best parts of living in the country.

I love the sky. Or as the psalmist puts it, the heavens. I love them when they are bright and clear, or when they are dark and stormy. The heavens are a canvas, and each day is God's fresh painting declaring His glory. David applies some personification to the sky, saying it speaks- then quickly (and poetically) declaring that they never make a sound.

Standing there in the yard, the heavens were screaming at me that this beauty was for me- and at the same time that I was small. Not in a degrading way, but in a "God is so big..." way.

Psalm 19 goes on about the beauty of the sky for a bit then does what at first seems an about face to talk about the law. But it's not- he is saying the law of God is beautiful as well. And that it conveys how big God is, while we are small.

Lastly, David prays that these thoughts be pleasing to God. If God offers us the sky as a way of communicating beauty to us, perhaps our thoughts are a painting to Him?

Psalm 18

6 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
13 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, LORD,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

Now, that's an entrance!

I love the image of a powerful, protective, and, yes, angry God coming to the rescue. I've made no secret of my love for watching storms approach, and I think that image- a dark, voluminous cloud slowly bubbling forth chewing up the ground beneath it- is conjured up here.

What I find most interesting, however, is that God approaches in the image of a storm to bring us peace. The image described in Psalm 18 is terrifying to anyone in His path. But for the one who called Him, the God-lover in need, it is salvation and safety. For at the center of the turmoil and storm is light. Incomprehensible light.

And why, why would such a powerful God leave His throne to rescue one little person? The answer is the most beautiful part of the psalm:

He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

He delights in you. He delights in me. He looks on you and me like I look on my kids when they do something for the first time or do something really well. It's love, but it is also enjoyment, pride, and hope all rolled into one.

God does love us, after all.

Psalm 17

Let my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.

Nothing feels better than vindication.

The underdog winning a hard fought game. Being proven right when you were the only one standing for something. Having accusations be proven false.

I like winning, and I like being proven right. Maybe a little too much. But there are many times when we follow God that we do things that may seem a bit...off. To other people, at least. A lot of times its that we do something like avoid taking the easy way around something, or we choose honor when it's harder than the other option, or tell the truth when it hurts. It's these times when we want- no, we need- to be vindicated. That our choice to follow God was right.

But the need for this vindication needs to not be for our own glory. We should desire vindication not for our stance, but for our God.

Still, there are times when we just need to know that we are doing the right thing, and the best way to get that knowledge is by getting God's approval. Sometimes things around are falling apart, and we are holding firm to God's will, and we just need a victory.

Vindication. I echo this psalm's plea.

Psalm 16

Keep me safe, my God,
for in you I take refuge.

God protects. That is the theme here. But I notice something else in this psalm- David seems to indicate his love and adoration for God is because God keeps him safe.

I kinda struggle with that, if that's the case. It seems to me that the act of making our devotion to God contingent on God propping us up in safety and luxury is a bit phony. Now, I realize that this psalm taken in context of David's other psalms makes more sense- David clearly loves God in the good and the bad, and this is probably just an emotional, thankful declaration.

But don't we do this, anyway? Don't we say we love God when things are good, we are safe, and the bank account is full? But tough times come, and we start to doubt, start to question- sometimes get angry with God for 'coming through?

I'm guilty.

What about you- what do you think of this psalm? Do you catch yourself offering your love to God on the contingent He take care of you?

Psalm 15

It's really easy to read this as a formula for how to live. "Check this off and you are 10% there!" And these are good things to seek- blameless, honest, not slamming others, honoring God.

But this is not a formula. This is not the "How to be a good Christian" equation. What it is is the hopes God has for what we can be. So then, what does it look like for us?

Blameless/Righteous: Doing nothing we should feel guilty for. There is a confidence that comes from this, knowing we are in the good will of God, because we haven't done something He detests. I know for me, a lot of stress comes when I know I did something wrong, and I'm waiting for the punishment. I'd love to be free of that.

Speaks the Truth: Honesty. Not just telling the truth when we have to, but not shielding others from the truth. Being honest with someone can hurt, but lying is always going to eventually hurt worse. Tell someone what you really feel. And the flip side- tell yourself the truth. Own your problems, don't deny they exist.

No Slander/No Wrong/No Slur: It seems the 'it' thing is to tear others down. We feel better when we feel we "are better" than someone. Our words to others can kill their spirit. I get we tell jokes about one another, but we need to be very careful to read the person's feelings. They usually aren't too hard to see. Know when it crosses the line from "good, clean fun" to you being a jerk.

Despise the Vile/Honor God: We know that God doesn't want us to hate people, but we also need to know that God doesn't want us to want their lifestyle. I see this verse as a compare and contrast: There is not enough room in your life to honor God and adore vile people. This DOES NOT mean we are not to love people, it means we cannot become dependent on them and have the type of friendships where we need them more than they need us. We need to befriend and love them, but if it ever keeps us from honoring God, we must walk away.

Keeps an Oath: This is why I don't trust people. Too often, I am told something will be done, or will be taken care of- then it isn't. I know I can be guilty of it myself, but we seem to have grown really callous about not following through on our commitments. We need to be better about just being honest and saying, "Yeah, I know you want me to do that, I'm just not going to be able to do it." Just be up front, and don't make a commitment you have no intention or motivation to keep.

Good Lenders/No Bribes: If you're willing to lend money to someone, don't be a jerk about it. It ruins friendships. If you can, lend without expectation of return. And don't ever let money sway you to turn a blind eye to injustice. Boiled down, this verse screams: don't be greedy.

I say this is not a formula, because apart from Christ, these things are impossible. It is with the coming of Christ that it finally become possible to live this way. And to finally see the fulfillment of:

LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?

Psalm 14

God is like the big kid that stood up for the weaker kids against all the bullies.

That's the basics of this psalm, which is beating a similar drum of the last few psalms. God as rescuer.

There is another thing, though. It's another oft repeated idea in the psalms:

Man is bad.

But this psalm goes further. It seems to say EVERYONE is corrupt, NONE seek God. Hyperbole- or God just calling it as it is. Personally, I think it could be both, but more in the latter. Everyone messes up, everyone rebels against God. In the context of this psalm, no one is even looking for God.

David closes with the hope that God- not man- will raise up salvation. If anything is true about our world today, it is that we think a human with enough political power, or intelligence, or money, or popularity can save us. We don't need God because we have science and Brad Pitt.

It's a good thing God's salvation is not dependent on our getting straightened up.

Psalm 13

There have been soooooo many times in my life this psalm has been a daily source of hope. It's been back in my mind recently.

We all reach a point- a breaking point, if you will- where we just can't take it anymore. We are swarmed and swamped with junk, and all we can do is cry for mercy. Our will is broken by our attackers, whether they are human, spiritual, or emotional. No person or pill can save us. We can only appeal to God.

And, sometimes, He takes His sweet time getting back to us.

Psalm 13 cries out in an almost primal way. Essentially, it tells God, "Rescue me, or I'm dead. And then what good am I to You?" As far as arguments with God, I think this is a good one. I mean, if we stand for God, and the enemies of God destroy us, then how does that make God look good? And to your response of "Jesus died on on the cross," I respond, "He got better." God not delivering us ultimately when we are His is bad press for God. True, we believers will get ultimate victory in Heaven, but in the here and now, that consolation is far off.

So, what's the consolation here and now? Why is Psalm 13 still an amazing source of fresh lemonade when life hands you worm infested, rotten, dried out lemons?

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the LORD’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

Despite all the trouble, all the attacks, God's love is unfailing. His salvation is sure. God WILL rescue us. He can't not rescue us. He is unfailing.

He has and will always be good to us.

Psalm 12

I generally don't trust people, it's just safer that way.

Really, I mean, look at the world today and you see verses 1 and 2 being proved true all over the place. You need not look to the news- look around your life. Friends will fail you, bosses will lie straight to your face, and when you need help- people vanish.

You think I'm cynical? Need some help with my trust issues?

Prove me wrong.

I give you that people sometimes mess up, disloyalty and lies are not a part of their core character for most people. But we all do it. Some more than others, some less. And so, I don't count on other people until they've proven themselves over a good period of time. Being stabbed in the back by Christians too many times to count has made me this way.

I, like David here, call out to God for silence for the boastful, unfaithful liars. I want God to intervene and call them out. And I realize this means me, too. I've hurt people with lies and haven't always been there for friends when they need me. I've even done some backstabbing myself.

We're all pretty false, aren't we?

Not God. His words are "flawless." Notice that contrast in the psalm- people can't be trusted, but God's words are pure. Right.

Flawless.

What I draw from this psalm is hope for those of us that don't trust people. Sure, we've been let down and lied to by friends, co-workers, leaders, and family. But not God.

God will never deceive us or let us down.

Psalm 11

When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?

This is the one that got me. I've been hearing this phrase or a variation of it for a while now, usually in regards to some politician trying to scare us into siding with them. But even though it is now a catchphrase, it doesn't mean it's not true.

For as long as I can remember, we have called the US a 'Christian nation.' I've long believed this is more of a cultural thing than an actual spiritual thing. I say that because if we really were a 'Christian nation,' the foundations would be stronger. Churches would be less full (yep, I said less) and more passionate about going to the people. Marriages would never last only 72 days (gotta be topical). There would be no controversy over the Pledge of Allegiance because the "one nation, under God" part would be visibly true. Abortion would not be the issue it is. Our savior would be Jesus, not a political figure or celebrity.

Looking at Americans today, we seem to realize that we are not- at the foundation- Christian any longer. And we are paralyzed on how to get back to that. Back to Him.

Verse 1 tells us how: take refuge in God. Run not to Dr. Phil, Oprah, or the government when things are hard- run to God. We as a people are not righteous (no, not one). God is righteous. We cannot save ourselves, let alone our nation. We think we can, and so did Israel. They begged for a king, a human ruler, but God kept telling them that He was their King. Finally, God gave them their king, and nothing really got better. Because they sought salvation by human righteousness, not God's righteousness.

So, when the foundations, the core things, are being destroyed, they are being destroyed by our hands. We are not righteous.

But God is.

Psalm 10

Why do good things happen to bad people?

Why do liars get away with it? Why do the bullies never get punished, the greedy never have a bad day with their money?

It's frustrating. And it is very much the way of the world today. People are growing angry about it- just look at the state of politics or the Occupy (insert location) movement. People are tired of the people they perceive as wicked getting away with it. But they feel helpless.

And perhaps the most maddening thing of all is when it seems that these people don't care if they get caught by God- or don't think they will.

It's maddening because, at least to us, it seems they are right. For every Bernie Madoff that gets caught- how many more guys like that get away with it? Sure, we don't see what happens when they come face to face with God, but for us- here and now- we want to see justice.

So did the psalmist. He starts by asking why God seems distant when times are tough. Why does it seem God is far from us when we face trials or we are the victim? Why does God 'delay' His justice?

The psalmist reminds us that God DOES see our afflictions, He does notice our pain. And, He acts. It may not be on our timetable, but He does act. I find myself asking these questions lately- God, why can't we seem to get a leg up on our finances? God, why do we keep having bad things happen? God, why can't I get relief?

God does hear this, and He does act. But He also allows us to learn in the painful times. Sometimes it just depends on how long it takes us to learn.

Psalm 9

Vindicated.

That's the word I'd use to describe what the psalmist wants God to be. I agree with him. It really does seem like more and more, bad people are getting away with stuff. It seems injustice in all corners of the world is on the rise. We believers in Christ keep saying that "God is good." "God is just." "God will take care of us."

But the world doesn't see it.

David has, and that's why he recognizes and praises God for His justice and mercy- on the righteous. And that's why I listen to David, but get super irritated with the 'sunshine and rainbows God' of a lot of Christians. They say those things above, but it comes across as more of a "Well, this is what I think He is, though I've never been tested and tried enough to see it for real." I listen to David because he balances his unbounded optimism with realism. He recognizes there are going to be bad times, he's been in them. And because he has seen God's rescue, God's justice on his enemies first hand, David can offer a hope founded in personal experience.

David shares his failures as openly as his victories, it's why his "God is good" doesn't ring hollow. There is something for us all there to learn.

Psalm 8

I can't help but here the old hymn when I read these verses.

The funny thing about the majesty of God- at least in this psalm- is that none of the things that make God majestic are things we call majestic. Beautiful, inspiring, and joyous- yes. But majestic? Maybe the moon and stars thing.

What I notice is that the first thing we really get to see that makes God majestic is that He has built a stronghold against His enemies. It's made not of God's might, power, or strength. It's made of the praise of children and infants. If you're not a parent, you don't understand that, not completely. A few weeks ago, at church, Kristin (my wife) nudged me and nodded at Leslie and Kenna, our kids. They were both singing along with the song. This was new- and it WAS majestic. A few days ago, Leslie, our oldest who is turning into an avid reader, asked for a Bible. (The one she has is one of those Gideon's type new babies get, and the writing is tiny.) I understand much better as a parent why Jesus would later say that unless you believe like a little child, you'll never enter heaven.

A child's faith is majestic.

And hard to tear down if you're the enemy.

Psalm 7

I like hearing about God as a warrior- an avenger.

Truthfully, I feel like life in general can be a bully from time to time. Actually, a gang of bullies called Finances, Stress, Temptation, Satan, Jerks, Oppressors, and the IRS. It'd be nice to know that someone has your back, someone steps in and rescues you by laying waste to the bullies.

David believes God is that rescuer. God is armed and dangerous and after the bad guys.

But, as we get a description of God prepping for battle, David reminds us of something about evil and wicked people: They do more damage to themselves than God will.

"Whoever is pregnant with evil
conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit they have made.
The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads."

What an image! When we are wicked (and yes, you and I are often the people referred to here) we are pregnant with evil (vile desires), conceive trouble (sin) and give birth to disillusionment (we stop walking with God...and sometimes take others with us). Not only that- we fall into our traps- traps we lay for others that get us. Lies we tell to hurt others but get found out. Enticing others to sin- yet we ourselves get caught in it.

We would do well to remember this. Not only when evil comes after us (evil will get it's justice, either by its own hand or God's), but also when we are caught up in our own wickedness. We also would do well to remember that God is righteous, and all that goes along with that.

Psalm 6

I remember once, when I was in elementary school, a game of tackle football. I was tiny, by any standards, and somehow ended up on the bottom of a pile of a half dozen kids- which included a nine year old pushing 175. I still remember the feeling of being trapped. You wanna talk about crying out?

As an adult, and especially this last week, I've felt that crushing weight of being trapped in a pile. Only this time, the weight comes from the burdens of adulthood and assaults of a spiritual nature.

I've felt just as trapped as when I was 9.

There have been nights with little sleep, there has been brokenheartedness. Some of it brought on by outward assaults, some brought on by the sin I've engaged in. I wonder- "How long, LORD, how long?"

I love that David suddenly changes his tune in verse 8. He goes from a total lack of hope, to the surety that God has heard his cries. He is confident, he is bold.

Because he believes God has heard him- and trusts God will act.

When people finally got off me in that pileup, and I could breathe freely again, I too was encouraged. I knew I was free, and I knew I'd live. For David, it's as if God waded in and started pulling the pileup off of him- not one burden at a time, but all at once. From crushing weight to breathing free all at once.

It offers you and I hope, for sure.

Psalm 5

It really makes for great theater, this image of a person screaming out to God.

Lt. Dan on the mast of the Jenny in Forrest Gump is a great example. But it's just one of many. There is something about seeing a person broken and needing God that makes good drama.

Until that person is you.

Then, it hurts.

This psalm is about a man who sees and is pursued by wicked people. He calls to God to be God- in other words, punish the wicked and reward the righteous. He asks God to be just. He wants the wicked to be "destroyed" and "banished." We don't see a lot of mercy in David's initial requests from God about his enemies.

Then, in verse 11, there is grace.

"...let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy."

There is hope. I take this to mean that those who David have just prayed to be crushed, even they, if they choose to turn to God, can find refuge. David would know. He has been arrogant and wicked and lied, he has engaged in intrigue. Bloodthirsty and deceitful? Let's just ask Bathsheba's husband. Oh, that's right, David had him killed to hide his infidelity with the man's wife.

Yet, David says he can enter God's presence. Why would a man as vile and as wicked as a murderous adulterer be allowed in God's presence?

Because God is as merciful as He is just. David got that.

We need to get it as well.

Psalm 4

I've been doing a lot of verse 1 lately:

Answer me when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

I know God is aware of me, and I know He is constantly so. Yet, even David felt the need to give a kind of "Hey God, over here- I need you to pay attention to me!" It's not wrong to ask- even demand- God's attention. But I think maybe it's more for us to feel better than it is to actually change the attention God is giving us. He's pretty invested and interested already.

I also share David's frustration with people turning to anything and anyone else for security. I'm kind of a political watcher, and I've been noticing a trend that people think a politician can make things better. In fact, there is a very loud cry in America right now like in verse 6, "Who will bring us prosperity?"

David's answer is not a president, or business man, or an economic plan. Really, his answer has nothing to do with prosperity as we'd like it, but rather seeing and knowing God. There we find a different kind of prosperity. And peace.

David concludes again that he will sleep well. You've heard 'sleep of the just' and 'sleep like a baby.' David sleeps like the safe. Rescued by God, and guarded.

Better than Ambien.

Psalm 3

David was a man at war.

He had been all his life. Saul, the Philistines, now his own family. People wanted him dead. But it wasn't just these enemies 'foreign,' David had internal enemies as well.

It's this that I can relate to. Sure, I feel from time to time that someone is out to get me- the IRS, other drivers, the cat- but mostly I feel the attacks from the enemies within me and the unseen enemies. Things like anxiety, fear, spiritual oppression, temptation, and doubt keep me up at night.

Which is the take-away I got from this Psalm. In verse 5, we read:

I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.

It is so nice, and so important that I get a good night's sleep. But when I am besieged by enemies and anxieties, I do not sleep well. David trusted so much in God that in the midst of being pursued and attacked, he could sleep. And when he woke, he still trusted in God, and called for Him to "break the teeth" (ouch) of the wicked.

David believed God fought for him.

Maybe we should as well.

Psalm 2

The image of God on His throne, laughing at the plans of the "power players" is an ... interesting one. It's also comforting.

Lately, it seems a lot of news is about political leaders making plans. With an election year ahead of us, lots of promises are being made and plans being tossed around. They talk like they are saviors, that they are coming to rescue us. At least, that's here in America. In other parts of the world the politicians and leaders threaten those who call on Christ. Just a few weeks ago I saw a story that claimed there were no public Christian churches in Afghanistan, due to leaders 'making it more difficult' for Christians.

'Kings' with plans.

On a personal level, I make plans. Actually, I make demands. I plot and conspire ways to manipulate God to do what I want Him to. I maneuver and move to control God. It is all about me. Narcissist.

And like with the plotting kings, God laughs.

The irony is, my plans would succeed if they were merely subjected to God's will. If my endeavors (and the endeavors of the leaders of the world, for that matter) were for the sole purpose of glorifying God, they would exceed my wildest dreams of success. Because God wants to "make the nations your inheritance,the ends of the earth your possession."

You want that? I do. The way to get it is simple: Kiss the Son. Pledge yourself to God, bend your will to Him, respect Him.

Or He will laugh as He crushes your rebellion, no matter how small it is.

Psalm 1

You know how you should kinda ease your way into new things?

Well that didn't happen.

On day one of the Psalm experiment, I woke up to a faith sledgehammer in the face of how far from living out Psalm 1 I am. Before I got to work (a 15 minute drive) I'd walked in step with the wicked by getting angry at bad drivers, and sat in the seat of mockers by making fun of the Prius driver holding up traffic.

The first thing I learned from that was that the first Psalm is about habits. Those I have are bad ones. They start by just one day of letting a temper get the best of me, or a small slip of the tongue or glance of the eye. Subtly, the instances have grown, and now they are habits.

Which led me to the second lesson of the day: I am not righteous.

Sure, we all know this, but when it is placed in the context of this Psalm, it's very evident. This Psalm says that the righteous will be prosperous in all they do. Today, everything I did turned to crap. Bills came in that weren't expected, a full jar of jelly was dropped and shattered by one of the kids, more business red tape for the Gate came up- I was totally overwhelmed, and I cracked. I got angry. I got frustrated. I got kinda depressed.

Then, in the midst, God said, "See, you're not so good after all."

Not in the "Gotcha!" way, but in the "It's time to wake up and see what's going on" way.

So, that's day one. Let's hope day 2 is just as informative and challenging.

But, maybe a little more happy?

One Thing

The other night, I couldn't sleep.

Anxiety, stress, temptations, and a little too much caffeine probably had a lot to do with it. In any case, I found myself looking at the Psalms, and while searching for a totally different verse, came across Psalm 27:4- one I've heard so often, it tends to lose its impact. This time, it didn't.

One thing I ask from the LORD,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.

I wondered at the simplicity of it, that longing to be with God, to be in worship with God, communion with God, daily.

Then, I wondered at how little I actually do seek Him daily. Sure, I read the Bible, I pray, but that "One Thing," that consuming desire to be with Him? That's been absent, or on low levels for some time.

Then the thought struck me: The Psalms are some of the clearest forms of worship we know. What if seeking God could start with trying to live out that worship, as shown in the Psalms?

So, beginning Sunday, October 16, I will read Psalm 1 in the evening, before bed. then, on Monday, I will seek to live out this Psalm. Then, Monday evening I will blog about my experiences and lessons learned through the day. I'll read Psalm 2 that night, then apply it on Tuesday...and so on. I will attempt to do Monday- Friday for the application days- because weekends often find me unable to get online for various reasons.

But why share just my experiences? What if other people wanted to take up this challenge and then share what God is doing with them? Ta-daaa! The blog has a comment section, AND I've set up a Facebook page for the blog (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rescue-From-Lesser-Things/121565491284646). Just 'like' it and share in either place.

I don't know what will come of this. But it will, in theory, put God on the forefront of our minds during the day. Maybe it will clean up our messy lives, maybe it will get us seeking God more. Definitely, it will put us on the path to seeking that "One Thing" that matters most.