June 19, 2017
Worship: When the Saints by Sarah Groves
It's more than I can handle
But your word is burning like a fire shut up in my bones
And I cannot let it go
And when I'm weary and overwrought
With so many battles left unfought
I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
Lord it's all that I can't carry and cannot leave behind
It often overwhelms me
But when I think of all who've gone before and lived the faithful life
Their courage compels me
And when I'm weary and overwrought
With so many battles left unfought
I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
I see the shepherd Moses in the Pharaohs court
I hear his call for freedom for the people of the Lord
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awakening to the value of her soul
I see the young missionary and the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear
I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sisters standing by the dying man's side
I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down the door
I see the man of sorrows and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy load
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
Songwriters: Sara Groves
When the Saints lyrics © Music Services, Inc
Video: https://youtu.be/xc6X_ZBpqQs
Witness:
Today has been a battle of allegiance ̶ of courage over cowardice, faithfulness versus doubt, living the truth or being a hypocrite. Even now as I write I am keeping a young Christian brother in suspense, who has reached out for my help. Without going into the details, which are complex, I believe I have legitimate reasons why I should not step into help. Yet, there may be higher reasons why I should. This need is financial, and though I have always supported him in the past, I wrestle with the feeling that he should be more aggressive in finding work to provide for his family and his personal expenses. I also am concerned about my own financial needs and the needs of my own family. Finally, I wrestle with trusting God to provide for me as He provides for my friend through me. As if the Lord wished to give words to my worry, a song is playing in the background as I write.
Hello Lord
Hello Lord, it's me your child
I have a few things on my mind
Right now I'm faced with big decisions
And I'm wondering if you have a minute, cuz
Right now I don't hear so well
And I was wondering if you could speak up
I know that you tore the veil
So I could sit with you in person
And hear what you're saying but
Right now, I just can't hear you
I don't doubt your sovereignty
I doubt my own ability to
Hear what you're saying
And to do the right thing
And I desperately want to do the right thing
But right now I don't hear so well
And I was wondering if you could speak up
I know that you tore the veil
So I could sit with you in person
And hear what you're saying but
Right now, I just can't hear you
And somewhere in the back of my mind
I think you are telling me to wait
And though patience has never been mine
Lord, I will wait to hear from you
Oh Lord, I'm waiting on you
I have a few things on my mind
Right now I'm faced with big decisions
And I'm wondering if you have a minute, cuz
Right now I don't hear so well
And I was wondering if you could speak up
I know that you tore the veil
So I could sit with you in person
And hear what you're saying but
Right now, I just can't hear you
I don't doubt your sovereignty
I doubt my own ability to
Hear what you're saying
And to do the right thing
And I desperately want to do the right thing
But right now I don't hear so well
And I was wondering if you could speak up
I know that you tore the veil
So I could sit with you in person
And hear what you're saying but
Right now, I just can't hear you
And somewhere in the back of my mind
I think you are telling me to wait
And though patience has never been mine
Lord, I will wait to hear from you
Oh Lord, I'm waiting on you
Right now I don't hear so well
And I was wondering if you could speak up
I know that you tore the veil
So I could sit with you in person
And hear what you're saying but
Right now, I think you're whispering
And I was wondering if you could speak up
I know that you tore the veil
So I could sit with you in person
And hear what you're saying but
Right now, I think you're whispering
Video: https://youtu.be/bd2nAWoS_j0
Since I wrote this earlier during the wee hours of the morning, I have decided to help my friend and brother out. It looks like the other person who said they would help, may come through, and I have sent an amount that makes up the difference. God is good, but I wonder if I have let Him down because the amount I sent was a third of what I was originally going to send. It became easier to make the decision when the sacrifice was not as great. Imagine if our Savior held out for a sacrifice that didn’t cost Him His life. Perhaps a just a horrible beating. There would be no forgiveness of sins and no eternal life. But Christ chose to make the ultimate sacrifice. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He said,
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:42 NIV
Any great sacrifice will contain the human element, a desire to be delivered. But the divine response is to yield to the will of the Father. So, the divine Son delivered Himself up in order to deliver us from our sin. And I too must follow my Lord’s example and yield, with His help, to my heavenly Father’s will. This is the Lord whom I must call upon to be delivered from my sins. This is Jesus, my Lord and my God (John 20:28).
The Ultimate Sacrifice
“Not my will, but Yours be done,”
Said the Lord and did not run
When Judas gave Him up with a kiss
That echoed in the garden like a satanic hiss.
His disciples ran, and one denied with a cuss,
But He yielded His life and died for us.
WORD:
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Ps 26:8-27:1
8 I love the house where you live, O Lord,
the place where your glory dwells.
9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 But I lead a blameless life;
redeem me and be merciful to me.
12 My feet stand on level ground; in the great
assembly I will praise the Lord.
NIV (’84)
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Ps 26:8-27:1
8 I love your sanctuary, Lord,
the place where your glorious presence dwells.
9 Don't let me suffer the fate of sinners.
Don't condemn me along with murderers.
10 Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,
and they constantly take bribes.
11 But I am not like that; I live with integrity.
So redeem me and show me mercy.
12 Now I stand on solid ground,
and I will publicly praise the Lord.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
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Ps 26:8-27:1
8 Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:
10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.
11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.
12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord.
KJV
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Ps 26:8-12
8 O Lord, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells.
9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 in whose hands are evil devices,
and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.
ESV
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David loves the Lord and His glory. He not only eschews the company of the wicked in life (vs. 4-5), he also does not want to have any fellowship in their death (vs. 9-10). The wicked are described as:
· Men of Mayhem – “bloodthirsty men” (ESV, NIV v. 9)
The words translated “bloodthirsty men” is literally “blood men.” Translators clarify this phrase, but I like the literal translation. It’s more pungent. It also covers more ground than “murderers” because it covers not only the one who takes an innocent life, but also the violent who seek to pick a fight, enact torture, or enjoy war.
<D* (d¹m) blood. This important word appears 360 times in the OT, most often in Lev. (88 times) and Ezek. (55 times), followed by Ex. (29 times), Deut. (23 times), and Ps. (21 times). These occurrences can be divided roughly in a two-to-one ratio, into two general categories: (1) the shedding of blood through violence and havoc resulting usually in death, as in war or murder; (2) the shedding of blood, always resulting in death, in a sacrifice to God. (from Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Copyright © 1980 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)
· Workers of wickedness – “in whose hands are wicked schemes” (NIV v. 10a)
It would seem a strange mixing of metaphors to use hands as holding wicked schemes or plans. Hands are associated with action, and plans are related to the mind. However, note what the TWOT says.
The primary meaning of this noun is "the terminal part of the arm used to perform functions of man's will."
(from Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Copyright © 1980 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)
· Perverters of probity* – “and whose right hands are full of bribes” (ESV, NIV v. 10b)
Whether it is speaking of those who give bribes or those who take bribes is not clear. The USB OT Handbook recognizes this interpretive issue.
In verse 10 b whose right hands are full of bribes does not make clear whether this refers to those who offer bribes or those who take them; perhaps the taking of bribes is what is in focus here (see 15:5 b).
(from UBS Old Testament Handbook Series. Copyright © 1978-2004 by United Bible Societies. All rights reserved.)
It matters little whether it is speaking of the giver or the receiver or both. What seems clear is that the terminus of the bribe is upon those who have the power to declare judgment (See Isa 1:23; Ezek. 22:6-12; Mic. 3:11). They are not like the One to whom David refers to in v. 1. Our God does not take bribes (Deut. 10:17) but judges uprightly. And David, who as king, had such powers to declare judgments, would rather associate with and imitate the One who acts with integrity and uprightness.
The Law says this of those who take bribes:
"Cursed is the man who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person."
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
Deut 27:25 NIV
And gives this exhortation:
"Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.
Ex 23:8 NIV
David, who loved the house of the Lord (v. 8) and desired to abide in it (Psalm 27:4) had already declared that one who desired to do so would, along with other things, not take a bribe (Psalm 15, see esp. v. 5).
In contrast to the wicked, David declares in verse 11:
But I lead a blameless life;
redeem me and be merciful to me. NIV
or
But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
I will stop here and say more on vs. 11 tomorrow.
* probity in American English
(ˈproʊbəti ; prōˈbətē; ˈprɑbəti ; präbˈətē)
Noun
uprightness in one's dealings; integrity
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Source of quote: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/probity
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