I encourage you to click the link to the video for the song of worship. Shane & Shane include an excerpt from a sermon by John Piper on suffering that is very powerful and edifying.
Journal Entry from
November 18, 2015
Worship: Psalm 23 (Surely Goodness & Mercy) by Shane & Shane
Psalms 23 (The Lord is my Sheppard)
Verse:
The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want
In green pastures He makes me lie down
He restores my soul and leads me on for His Name
For His Great Name
Chorus:
Surely goodness surely mercy
Right beside me all my days
And I will dwell in Your house forever
And bless Your Holy Name
Verse:
You prepare a table right before me
In the presence of my enemies
Though the arrow flies and the terror of night is at my door
I'll trust you Lord
(Chorus)
Surely goodness surely mercy
Right beside me all my days
And I will dwell in Your house forever
And bless Your Holy Name
Bridge:
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
You are on my side (2X)
(Chorus)
Surely goodness surely mercy
Right beside me all my days
And I will dwell in Your house forever
And bless Your Holy Name
video: https://youtu.be/gxLlpViTcic
Witness:
I sat and sat trying to think of something to say. That’s when the song “Forever” by Keri Jobe started playing. Near the end of the song, a poem is recited by its author Isaac Wimberly. I decided that I would share it with you. I hope it blesses and lifts your spirit to praise our Awesome God with words, though way too inadequate, are acceptable to God from those whose hearts are humble and sincere.
“The Word”
If there are words for Him, then I don’t have them
You see, my brain has not yet reached a point
Where it could form a thought
That could adequately describe the greatness of my God
Where it could form a thought
That could adequately describe the greatness of my God
And my lungs have not yet developed the ability
To release a breath with enough agility
To breathe out the greatness of His love
To release a breath with enough agility
To breathe out the greatness of His love
And my voice, my voice is so inhibited
Restrained by human limits
That it’s hard to even send a praise up
Restrained by human limits
That it’s hard to even send a praise up
If there are words for Him, then I don’t have them
My God
His grace is remarkable
Mercies are innumerable
Strength is impenetrable
Mercies are innumerable
Strength is impenetrable
He is honorable, accountable, and favorable
Unsearchable yet knowable
Indefinable yet approachable
Indescribable yet personal
Unsearchable yet knowable
Indefinable yet approachable
Indescribable yet personal
He is beyond comprehension
Further than imagination
Constant through generations
King of every nation
Further than imagination
Constant through generations
King of every nation
But
If there are words for Him then I don’t have them
If there are words for Him then I don’t have them
You see my words are few
And to try and capture the one TRUE God
Using my vocabulary will never do
And to try and capture the one TRUE God
Using my vocabulary will never do
But I use my words as an expression
An expression of worship to a Savior
A Savior who is both worthy and deserving of my praise
An expression of worship to a Savior
A Savior who is both worthy and deserving of my praise
So I use words
My heart extols the Lord
Blesses His name forever
He has won my heart, captured my mind
And has bound them both together
Blesses His name forever
He has won my heart, captured my mind
And has bound them both together
He has defeated me in my rebellion
Conquered me in my sin
He has welcomed me into His presence
Completely invited me in
Conquered me in my sin
He has welcomed me into His presence
Completely invited me in
He has made Himself the object of my sight
Flooding me with mercies in the morning
Drowning me with grace in the night
Flooding me with mercies in the morning
Drowning me with grace in the night
But
If there are words for Him, then I don’t have them
If there are words for Him, then I don’t have them
But what I do have… Is Good News
For my God knew that man-made words would never do
For words are just tools that we use
To point to the Truth
So He sent his son Jesus Christ as THE WORD
Living proof
For my God knew that man-made words would never do
For words are just tools that we use
To point to the Truth
So He sent his son Jesus Christ as THE WORD
Living proof
He is the image of the invisible God
The firstborn of all creation
For by Him all things were created
Giving nothingness formation
The firstborn of all creation
For by Him all things were created
Giving nothingness formation
And by His word He sustains, in the power of His name
For He is before all things and over all things He reigns
HOLY IS HIS NAME!!
For He is before all things and over all things He reigns
HOLY IS HIS NAME!!
Praise Him for His life
The way He persevered in strife
The humble Son of God becoming the perfect sacrifice
The way He persevered in strife
The humble Son of God becoming the perfect sacrifice
Praise Him for His death
That He willingly stood in our place
That He lovingly endured the grave
That He battled our enemy
And on the third day rose in victory
That He willingly stood in our place
That He lovingly endured the grave
That He battled our enemy
And on the third day rose in victory
Praise Him because He rose!!
Hallelujah, He rose!!
He is everything that was promised
Hallelujah, He rose!!
He is everything that was promised
Praise Him as the risen King
Lift your voice and sing
For one day He will return for us and we will finally be
United with our Savior for eternity
Lift your voice and sing
For one day He will return for us and we will finally be
United with our Savior for eternity
So it’s not just words that I proclaim
For my words point to the WORD
And the WORD has a name
Hope has a name
Joy as a name
Peace has a name
Love has a name
And that name is Jesus Christ
Praise His name FOREVER!
For my words point to the WORD
And the WORD has a name
Hope has a name
Joy as a name
Peace has a name
Love has a name
And that name is Jesus Christ
Praise His name FOREVER!
WORD:
Ps 23:5-6
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. NIV |
Ps 23:5-6
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
KJV
|
Hope has a name. Joy has a name. Peace has a name. Love has a name. May I suggest that “goodness” has a name. “Mercy” has a name. A name… the name above all names… JESUS!
I will praise His name forever because I will dwell in His house forever.
Notice the word “follow”. These attributes of God - fully displayed in our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ(John 1:18; 1`4:9) - are personified and viewed as following the psalmist and all of God’s saints. What does this word mean? One resource declares confidently:
The verb translated follow means “to accompany,” “to go with”; it should not be given the meaning of “to pursue, to run after.”
(from UBS Old Testament Handbook Series. Copyright © 1978-2004 by United Bible Societies. All rights reserved.)
However, another resource says:
Goodness and mercy will not simply follow, but will pursue him. The verb used here (Heb radap) is used elsewhere in a predominantly hostile sense. That it is given a benevolent sense here makes its usage even more striking
Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 1012). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
To pursue or not to pursue. That is the question. Strongs says this about this word:
OT:7291
OT:7291 radaph (raw-daf’); a primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively [of time] gone by):
KJV – chase, put to flight, follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute (-ion, -or), pursue (-r).
(Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Vines says:
PURSUE radap OT:7291, “to pursue, follow after, pass away, persecute.”
(from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Another Hebrew resource says similar things about this word. Thus, I must conclude that there is a sense of, not only accompaniment but literally, of pursuit. But what does that mean? In what way do these pursue us? I will finish this line of thought tomorrow.
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