I have actually completed another journal entry in one day. This one reminds us that God is working in us for His glory but that does not exempt us from trials, opposition, and falsehoods said about us. Even as I say this, there is a thought that has flashed before my mind. I wonder when I will be tested on what I have written this morning?
July 10, 2018
Worship: For Your Splendor by Christy Nockels
I am so concerned with what I look like from the outside
And will I blossom into what You hope I'll be?
Yet You are so patient just to help me see
And will I blossom into what You hope I'll be?
Yet You are so patient just to help me see
The blooms come from a deeper seed that You planted in me.
Sometimes it's hard to grow when everybody is watching.
To have your heart pruned by the One who knows best
And though I am bare and cold, I know my season's coming
And I will spring up in Your endless faithfulness.
Chorus:
With my roots deep in You
I will grow the branch that bears the fruit
And though I'm small, I still will be standing in the storm.
Cause I am planted by the river
By Your streams of living water
And I will grow up strong and beautiful all for Your splendor Lord.
So with my arms stretched out I am swaying to Your heartbeat.
I am growing with the sound of Your voice calling
You are bringing out the beauty that You had put in me
For Your joy and for Your glory falling.
With my roots deep in You
I grow the branch that bears the fruit
And though I am small, I still will be standing in the storm.
Cause I am planted by the river
By Your streams of living water
And I will grow up strong and beautiful all for Your splendor Lord.
Ohhhhh... You raise me in Your love, love, love,
You raise me in Your love
You raise me in Your power.
Thank You, Lord.
With my roots deep in you
I will grow the branch that bears the fruit
And though I'm small, I still will be standing in the storm.
Cause I am planted by the river
By your streams of living water
And I will grow up strong and beautiful all for Your splendor Lord.
Oh Your splendor, Lord.
Sometimes it's hard to grow when everybody is watching.
To have your heart pruned by the One who knows best
And though I am bare and cold, I know my season's coming
And I will spring up in Your endless faithfulness.
Chorus:
With my roots deep in You
I will grow the branch that bears the fruit
And though I'm small, I still will be standing in the storm.
Cause I am planted by the river
By Your streams of living water
And I will grow up strong and beautiful all for Your splendor Lord.
So with my arms stretched out I am swaying to Your heartbeat.
I am growing with the sound of Your voice calling
You are bringing out the beauty that You had put in me
For Your joy and for Your glory falling.
With my roots deep in You
I grow the branch that bears the fruit
And though I am small, I still will be standing in the storm.
Cause I am planted by the river
By Your streams of living water
And I will grow up strong and beautiful all for Your splendor Lord.
Ohhhhh... You raise me in Your love, love, love,
You raise me in Your love
You raise me in Your power.
Thank You, Lord.
With my roots deep in you
I will grow the branch that bears the fruit
And though I'm small, I still will be standing in the storm.
Cause I am planted by the river
By your streams of living water
And I will grow up strong and beautiful all for Your splendor Lord.
Oh Your splendor, Lord.
Lyrics: https://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/c/christy_nockels/for_your_splendor.html (some corrections made)
Witness:
I came across this song the same day I heard the other one I used in my last journal entry. I see the heart of the psalmist in the lyrics to this song. Confessing, on the one hand, their weakness, frailty, impatience, and concern for the external. And on the other hand, they profess their trust in the God who plants, prunes, protects and provides the nourishment to grow in the midst of all this world throws at them. Out of all this, something beautiful grows. This is done all because God loves us, but the love God wants us to experience is not a self-focused love – “hey look at what God did for me, I am beautiful!” That would be too small a love. It would be idolatry on our part and God’s as well. No, His aim is higher than that by reason that He is the Most High God. Therefore, He is sowing, watering, fertilizing, and pruning so –
I will grow up strong and beautiful all for Your splendor Lord.
How much higher and more excellent and loving is the beauty, God brings out of our lives. An attractiveness which exhibits His glory and not ours.
Lord, keep me from the pride
That seeks the glory from others
But let Your seed in me abide
And flower into splendorous colors
That display Your love and grace
Amidst a stark and barren land
A hollow and vacuous place
In hues bold and grand!
Our Lord and the Apostle Peter use different motifs to declare this same truth.
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Matt 5:14-16 NIV
10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV
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11 Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence. *
13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
NIV (1984)
* spouting malicious accusations
NIV (2011)
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Ps 27:11-14
11 Teach me how to live, O Lord.
Lead me along the right path,
for my enemies are waiting for me.
12 Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I've never done;
with every breath they threaten me with violence.
13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord's goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
14 Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for 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 27:11-14
11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
KJV
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Ps 27:11-28:1
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.
13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
ESV
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I have considered the vertical aspect of David’s plea. That his prayer was to exalt God and glorify Him by following His way. I have also looked at the ethical dimension of his entreaty. In a previous journal entry, I said,
He didn’t want to lower himself to the depraved level of his enemies. Instead, he sought to rise above them in his manner of conduct and character. (see my blog from 7/2/2018)
But there is an experiential reality that prompted this petition. I discovered this dimension in my reading of various commentaries on verses 11-12. The godly will always have their enemies. Falsehoods and lies will follow the devoutest of believers. Verse 12 could just as easily be applied to the only One who was entirely innocent of all sin. Our Lord was mocked and slandered in His trial. False witnesses gave phony testimonies concerning the Lord. David was experiencing this as well. I owe my observations on this truth mainly to Spurgeon in a work called, Spurgeon’s Expository Notes. I will end with several excerpts from that work. They contain other nuggets of truth besides the one I am expounding on. Remember that we can avail ourselves of the promises and provisions in this Psalm because of what Christ did for us in His life and His death on the cross and His resurrection.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."John 16:33 NIVPsalms 27:12David found enemies, and as will you, and the holier you are, the more shall you have of them. Birds pick the ripest fruit; the highest towers cast the longest shadows; and so is it that the highest holiness is generally the object of the most cruel attacks. Well, what are they to do who are passing through this trial? Do? Why go to their God about that as well as about everything else.(from Spurgeon's Expository Notes. Biblesoft Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)Psalms 27:12It is their delight to be cruel, to say unkind, unjust, untruthful things which lacerate the heart; and the more some people can tear good men’s reputations to pieces, the more pleased they are. I must say that it is hardly less than a miracle, that any true servant of God should for any length of time escape even from the vilest slander, so base is the tongue of men.(from Spurgeon's Expository Notes. Biblesoft Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)Psalms 27:12Am I addressing anyone who is being slandered? Has somebody borne false witness against you? Well, be very thankful that it is false. I do not quite understand why it is so often said, “You see, it is such a downright falsehood, and that is what grieves me so.” But, dear friend, it is much better that it should be false than true. If anyone brings an accusation against me, I shall be glad to find that it is false. Let not that be the sting of the trouble which really is the sweetness of it; be glad that they cannot say anything against you unless they speak falsely. However, if you expect to go to heaven without being slandered, you expect what you are not likely to get; for God himself was slandered in Paradise; our Lord Jesus, in whom was no fault, was slandered when he was upon the earth; his apostles and followers in all ages have had the same treatment; sad here is David saying, “False witnesses are risen up against me.”(from Spurgeon's Expository Notes. Biblesoft Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
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