September 29, 2015
Worship: He Leadeth Me by Joseph H. Gilmore, Be Thou My Vision by… ?
He Leadeth Me
Words: Joseph H. Gilmore
Music: William B. Bradbury
Ps 23:3
Topics: Guidance
He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heav'nly comfort fraught!
Whate'er I do, where'er I be
Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.
Refrain
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom,
By waters still, over troubled sea,
Still 'tis His hand that leadeth me.
Refrain
Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since 'tis my God that leadeth me.
Refrain
And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict'ry's won,
E'en death's cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.
Refrain
(from Biblesoft Hymnal, PC Study Bible electronic database Copyright © 2003-2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
Be Thou My Vision
Words: unknown author, translated to English Mary E. Byrne
Music: "Slane" (folk Irish tune)
Num 10:31
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul's Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
(from Biblesoft Hymnal, PC Study Bible electronic database Copyright © 2003-2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
Witness: Today is certainly different than yesterday. It is as if I switched days and today was Monday and yesterday was Tuesday. Usually I get a lot done on Monday and am too tired to do anything on Tuesday. This week was the opposite. Needless to say, by the time Monday was over, I was frustrated and discouraged. I thought nothing would get done this week. After all, Tuesdays was always a day marked by sleepiness and lethargy for me, wasn’t it? However, after getting up at 6:15 am to go to work for some meetings and returning home, suddenly I had energy and was able to clean the house, vacuum, mop the kitchen floor, empty the dishwasher, do 4 loads of wash, clean and straighten up the garage, and mow the front and side yard. I had energy I didn’t expect I’d have.
A spiritual application came to mind as I wrote this. Many times we are tired and weary in the Christian walk. We are waiting for strength to come today, but it doesn’t, and we are frustrated and discouraged. But wait, though strength tarries today, tomorrow is coming. Rest and wait. The disciples were told to wait for the promised coming of the Holy Spirit and when He did, oh the power they received. Child of God, though your strength be weak today, rest, wait, and trust God. The power will come. Use the time to seek the Lord in prayer. That is what the disciples did while waiting for the promise (Acts 2:14).
WORD:
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Before I go any further with this verse; I must clear up one issue. Is it “paths of righteousness” or “right paths”? The NIV 2011, NLT, NET, and the HCSB have “right paths”. The KJV, NIV84, NASB, ESV, and the ASV have “paths of righteousness”. So which is it? Well, the latter versions mentioned are considered, for the most part, to be more literal, so that settles it right? Not really. Both are correct. One may be more literal than the other and I found two different resources saying the opposite in reference to what was the literal translation. I think sometimes that term is over worked. If you look in any lexicon of the Hebrew, or Greek, for that manner, you will not see just one word listed as the meaning of the word. Consult any concordance of the various versions that include Hebrew and Greek and you will see that a particular word is translated differently in various passages throughout the bible. The context often determines the translation. I will quote some various sources and let you decide. In any event, with God as my Guide, He will never lead me down a wrong path, nor will He lead where unrighteousness prevails!
“The poet glories that Jahve leads him carefully and without risk or wandering in
ma±gleey-tsedeq, straight paths and leading to the right goal”
(from Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.)
23:3 b. The third blessing that comes from the Lord's leading is guidance in the right way (paths of righteousness). A good shepherd knows the right paths on which to bring the sheep home safely.
(from Bible Knowledge Commentary/Old Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries; Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries. All rights reserved.)
Psalms 23:3
In right paths, or right ways. He conducts me in the straight path that leads to Himself;
(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
Paths of righteousness - "the way of the just" (Isa 26:7); that justification whereby He graciously accounts believers righteous through faith, and enables them to be righteous by His inworking Spirit.
(from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the cpaths of righteousness for his name's sake.
(c) Plain or straight ways.
(from Geneva Notes, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2005, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
When we need to know which way to go, He shows us the right path and then goes before us to prepare the way
Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). With the Word Bible Commentary (Ps 23:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
in the paths of righteousness] Usage is decisive in favour of rendering thus, and not, in straight paths. The word for righteousness nowhere retains its primary physical meaning of straightness.
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