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Worship: Hosanna by Paul Baloche
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You, we long for You
'Cause when we see You we find strength to face the day
In Your presence, all our fears are washed away, washed away
Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus
Hear the sound of hearts returning to You, we turn to You
In Your Kingdom broken lives are made new, You make us new
'Cause when we see You we find strength to face the day
In Your presence, all our fears are washed away, washed away
Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus
'Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence, all our fears are washed away
‘Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence, all our fears are washed away, washed away
Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus (2X)
Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna, Hosanna
Songwriters: Paul Baloche / Brenton G. Brown
Hosanna lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group
Witness:
Days have passed since I last wrote. And for the usual reasons as I have given in the past. The familiar mix of fatigue, focus deficit, financial diversions, and faith-based amusements (i.e., Christian movies). As I thought of things I could write about leading up to sitting down tonight, several things arose in my mind. However, they elude me now as I try to recall them. This seems to be a common problem I have. I keep telling myself to get a small notepad to write them down, but I keep forgetting to purchase one – go figure (oh the irony of it all).
One thing that has come to mind while I was musing in the shower today was about David expressing his deep desire – his one desire – to be in God’s presence. Yet, as I thought of David’s profession, I realized how often that desire is unfulfilled in my life because of the aforementioned distractions and divergencies. I am sure that David felt and experienced these things too else why would he pray:
Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.
Ps 119:36-37 NIV
I came to the conclusion that the problem lies in what our Lord said to His slumbering disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matt 26:41b TNIV
Too often we let (I let) the flesh get the best of us. So we sleep or worry or play. But our Lord gives the solution – "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (Matt. 26:41a NIV).
WATCH:
- · Watch the Lord as He battled temptation by saying, “not My will but Yours be done” (see Matt. 26:39).
- · Watch out for the Tempter of the “flesh.” (see 1 Peter 5:8)
PRAY:
- · Pray the words of our Lord in submission to the Father.
- · Pray the prayer above of David in Psalm 119:36-37.
WATCH & PRAY:
- Donned with the armor of God. (Eph. 6:10-18)
Lord, though my flesh is weak
Let me in my spirit speak
A prayer to follow Your way
And not fall into sin’s sway
In Your presence let me abide
And from temptation let me hide
From foolish play let me cease
And all waste, worry, and caprice
Turn my heart to do Your will
And in Your company be still
Because You are my God
And I stand on holy sod
In Christ name, I pray
And trustingly say
- Amen –
WORD:
Ps 27:4-6
4 One thing I ask of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
NIV (84)
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Ps 27:4-6
4 The one thing I ask of the Lord—
the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
delighting in the Lord’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple.
5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
he will hide me in his sanctuary.
He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
6 Then I will hold my head high
above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,
singing and praising the Lord with music.
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 27:4-6
4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
KJV
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Ps 27:4-6
4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
ESV
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1. Presence – David earnestly desired to personally experience God’s presence – v. 4
2. Protection – Which led to experiencing God’s protection – vs. 5
3. Promotion – And experiencing exaltation – v. 6
4. Praise – And culminating in God’s praise – v. 6
Spurgeon:
This verse gives an excellent reason for the psalmist's desire after communion with God, namely, that he was thus secured in the hour of peril. For in the time of trouble, that needy time, that time when others forsake me, he shall hide me in his pavilion: he shall give me the best of shelter in the worst of danger. The royal pavilion was erected in the centre of the army, and around it all the mighty men kept guard at all hours; thus in that divine sovereignty which almighty power is sworn to maintain, the believer peacefully is hidden, hidden not by himself furtively, but by the king, who hospitably entertains him. In the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me. Sacrifice aids sovereignty in screening the elect from harm. No one of old dared to enter the most holy place on pain of death; and if the Lord has hidden his people there, what foe shall venture to molest them?(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
Wiersbe:
David was living in the wilderness of Judea, away from the sanctuary of the Lord, but he was still able to enter into fellowship with his God. God's house was but a tent (vv. 5-6), for the temple had not yet been built, but it was still referred to as "God's temple" (see 1 Sam. 1:9, 33 ). The imagery in verses 4-6 is the Old Testament equivalent of "abiding in Christ" (John 15:1-8). In the ancient Near East, when a visitor entered his host's tent, the host was personally responsible for his protection and provision, and the flimsy tent became a fortress.(from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.)
I am tempted to get sidetracked on the meaning of “dwelling” or “shelter’ or “pavilion,” and “tabernacle” or “sanctuary” or “tent.” Where these the same or different, etc.?(see quotes above for some various views)
But in the end, the answers to such an investigation would bear little practical fruit. For, in the end, it is not the where that matters but the Who that matters. A tent affords little protection from flaming arrows in itself. No, but if the Lord abides there, then any insubstantial facility becomes an impenetrable fortress (as was declared in verses 1-3).
His tent is in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.
There he broke the flashing arrows,
the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.
Ps 76:2-3 NIV
Notice also the change of imagery in the last clause of this verse. From a place of refuge to hide to a place of elevated height.
I quote again from Spurgeon and Wiersbe:
He shall set me up upon a rock. Immutability, eternity, and infinite power here come to the aid of sovereignty and sacrifice. How blessed is the standing of the man whom God himself sets on high above his foes, upon an impregnable rock which never can be stormed! Well may we desire to dwell with the Lord who so effectually protects his people.(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
The word "beauty" in verse 4 means not only the glory of God's character but also the richness of His goodness and favor to His people (16:11; 90:17; 135:3). David took time to meditate and to contemplate the wonders of God's grace. He came away from his times of worship feeling the rock under his feet and seeing above and beyond the enemy to the victory God had prepared.(from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.)
