HOPE...

August 24, 2020

Worship in WORD

Ps 31 For the director of music. A psalm of David. 31 In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 4 Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth. NIV

Ps 31 For the choir director: A psalm of David. 31 1 O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don't let me be disgraced. Save me, for you do what is right. 2 Turn your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe. 3 You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger. 4 Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone. 5 I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God. Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Ps 31 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 31 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. 2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. 3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. 4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. 5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. KJV

Ps 31 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 31 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! 2 Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! 3 For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; 4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. ESV

I. Hope – vv. 1-8

II. Help! – vv. 9-20

III. Hail – vv. 21-22

IV. Heart – vv. 23-24

When I was a young child, I was afraid of the dark. I used to pull the cover over my head when my mom left the room after she prayed and sang to me when putting me to bed.  Fear of the boogeyman and things that go bump in the night, caused me to hold on tight to the edges of my sheet and blanket. Somehow, I thought I was safe under the shelter of my covers. I even imagined that something or someone was tugging at the sheets sometimes (sometimes it was my dad). I regret that the prayers and songs of my mom did not instill a sense of the presence of the Lord and cast out my fears. It makes me laugh to think that I thought I would be protected by my “impenetrable” fortress of cotton and wool. But in those days, it was my refuge from all my imaginary foes that came out in the darkness of night.

When we grow up, our childish fears give way to more real and substantive ones. Yes, we still have our imagined phobias we deal with, but for most of us, our fears are based on the reality of our circumstances.  And sometimes they can be debilitating. Fear of death or failure or disease or poverty may overwhelm us sometimes. They may drive us to drink or use drugs. They may lead us to immoral practices or idolatry of some sort. They may move us to become workaholics or recluses or health fanatics. They may cause us to “bury” our “talents” instead of using them to glorify God. In the end, these are all just “sheets and blanket” refuges and fortresses that we cling tightly to for our protection.

David’s life was no different than ours when it comes to facing fears. Like us, he sought shelter from his real enemies. They were not imagined boogeymen, but real foes who were trying to kill him. However, David did not run to the shelters the world provides. His trust was not in people or places or practices. His faith was in the power and protection of the Almighty God of the universe.

Three times David refers to God as a “refuge.” Two times he calls Him a “fortress” and a “rock.”

In verse two, we have the fullest use of these terms as David calls on God to be his “rock of refuge” and a “strong fortress.” Notice the progression of David’s prayer and testimony in verses 1-5.

In verse one, we see his action of going to the Lord for refuge:

Ps 31:1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refugeNIV

In verse two, we hear his appeal to the Lord:

be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me
NIV

In verses three and four, David acknowledges these twin truths. He uses them as his grounds for pleading with God:

³ Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
⁴ Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
NIV

In verse five, he abandons himself to the power and “padah” (Heb. for deliverance/redemption) of God.

Into your hands I commit my spirit;redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.
NIV

In the next “few” studies, I will return and visit each of these five movements or progressions in David’s prayer. The question we need to ask ourselves is, “Am I trusting in the “sheets” the world provides or the “shelter” God supplies?

Worship in Witness:

As I was praying this morning, after I finished my thoughts above, I began confessing to the Lord of my weakness of hope. It is going on six years that my wife left me and the sorrow that it brings me every day. As I wrote this last sentence, I see how it corresponds with the question I asked at the end of the previous section of my blog. But that is not what I want to talk about in this portion of my writings. No, it has to do with hope. The situation with my wife was shared to give context to my thoughts.

As I just related, I was growing weak in my hope. But then I realized that the pronoun was the problem, not hope itself. When I attached the word “my” with hope in this context, it focused all my confidence on my emotional bearings and abilities. The focus was on my subjective feelings and faculties to stay hopeful despite the length of her absence. But emotions are ephemeral. They ebb and flow throughout the seasons of our life and can change at a moment's notice. They are unsteady and unreliable.

This is where Psalm 31 came into my thinking as I prayed. The words “rock” and “fortress” flashed through my mind. Rocks can be steady and reliable, depending on their hardness and location. A fortress is a shelter and a safe place to do battle from, depending on its fortifications. My “feeling of hope” certainly was not a reliable rock and fortress for me. But neither were they for David. No, for him, the hope he had was not found in his subjective feelings, but in the Object of his hope. And his hope was in the Lord, his “rock of refuge” and “strong fortress.”

So there was my answer. The Lord had shown me that the phrase “my hope” was not incorrect so much as it was incomplete. My phrase needed to become a complete sentence. It had a subject, but it lacked a verb and a direct object. The Lord supplied them for me. The actual sentence should read, “my hope is in the Lord.” Or even more personally, “my hope is in You, Lord.” A rock can crumble. A fortress can be breached. So can my feelings. But if the Lord is my rock and fortress, then the object of my hope is indestructible and unbreachable.

It is not to say emotions are not necessary. They are essential because they are a barometer indicating the highs and lows in one’s faith walk. They indicate the low’s when the subject is present, but the Object of their hope is absent. And realizing this, they cry out in despair mixed with faith and hope for rescue by the Object.  They indicate the highs when the subject revels in the Object of their hope. And they burst out with praise and thanksgiving and joy to and in the Object of their hope. Our feelings of hope, which rise and fall, are then strengthened when wedded to the eternal Object of our hope. That is when we recognize and experience the hope we have in the glorious Triune God we worship.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcRooygDYsbwDLmK3bePJeGb-CvejKpheP39iA&usqp=CAU

Worship in Promise, Poetry, and Praise:

Lam 3:19-24

19 [O Lord] remember [earnestly] my affliction and my misery, my wandering and my outcast state, the wormwood and the gall.

20 My soul has them continually in remembrance and is bowed down within me.

21 But this I recall and therefore have I hope and expectation:

22 It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not.  [Mal 3:6.]

23 They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.  [Isa 33:2.]

24 The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.  [Num 18:20.]

AMP

The Prayer of the Pursued

Lord, You are my Rock

Come quickly to my Defense

Be my Mighty Fortress

Don’t keep me in suspense

My fears are all around

To You, my Refuge, I flee

My spirit yielded to You

My God of Victory and Verity

– Amen

Hope in Front of Me by Danny Gokey

I've been running through rain

That I thought would never end

Trying to make it on faith

In a struggle against the wind

I've seen the dark and the broken places

But I know in my soul

No matter how bad it gets

I'll be alright

There's hope in front of me

There's a light, I still see it

There's a hand still holding me

Even when I don't believe it

I might be down, but I'm not dead

There's better days still up ahead

Even after all I've seen

There's hope in front of me

There's a place at the end of the storm

You finally find

Where the hurt and the tears and the pain

All fall behind

You open up your eyes and up ahead

There's a big sun shining

Right then and there you realize

You'll be alright

There's hope in front of me

There's a light, I still see it

There's a hand still holding me

Even when I don't believe it

I might be down, but I'm not dead

There's better days still up ahead

Even after all I've seen

There's hope in front of me

There's a hope still burning

I can feel it rising through the night

And my world's still turning

I can feel your love here by my side

You're my hope

You're the light, I still see it

Your hands are holding me

Even when I don't believe it

I've got to believe

I've got to believe

I still have hope

You are my hope

  

Written By Brett James, Bernie Herms & Danny Gokey

Lyrics: https://genius.com/Danny-gokey-hope-in-front-of-me-lyrics

Video: https://youtu.be/RPEErtCjtg0

Psalm 31: The ups and downs, the seesaw way of life

Another long time has passed since my last blog. I went on vacation the last week of July to visit my kids and grandkids. I didn't get back until August 3rd. After a few days, I began this journal entry and have worked on it until today. I never seemed to be satisfied with what I was saying. Here is the finished work, finally! I hope it is written clearly enough, and that there are at least a few parts that will bless you or inform you in some way. I wrote a song, as you will see. Perhaps somebody with musical talent could set it to music for me. I have a tune in mind. It would be interesting if it was similar to the one you come up with. 😄

Ps 31 For the director of music. A psalm of David. 31 In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 4 Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth. 6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. 8 You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place. 9 Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. 10 My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. 11 Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends — those who see me on the street flee from me. 12 I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. 13 For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life. 14 But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. 17 Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave. 18 Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous. 19 How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. 20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues. 21 Praise be to the Lord, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city. 22 In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. 23 Love the Lord, all his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. 24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. NIV

I. Hope – vv. 1-8

II. Help! – vv. 9-20

III. Hail – vv. 21-22

IV. Heart – vv. 23-24

Psalm 31 is a mixed bag. It contains verses filled with hope and trust, as well as distress and pleading. The ups and downs, the seesaw way of life, are all reflected in this song of bewailing and belief, of plaint and praise.

Constable notes:

This lament-thanksgiving (or lament-trust) psalm grew out of an experience in David's life in which his foes plotted to kill him. That incident reminded David that the Lord would protect those who trust in Him. He urged others who might encounter similar affliction to love and trust in God as well.

(Biblesoft: from Thomas Constable's Notes on the Bible. Copyright © March 4, 2014 by Thomas L. Constable. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)

The exact historical setting is unclear. Some commentators place it in the time when Saul was pursuing him to kill him. Others say it was in the time when Absalom, one of David's sons, rose in rebellion against him to try to wrest the kingdom from him. To me, it makes no difference what the particular chapter in David's life this psalm refers to. This psalm is a reflection on the past and could relate to multiple experiences in his life, not just a singular one.

Two observations

This is a God saturated psalm. That becomes clear from the highlighted words above. It is not a doctrinal treatise on the attributes of God. Instead, it is God’s attributes applied! Not a dry description of who God is, but a testimony dripping with the character of God as He intersects with David and his life. It is vital that we learn doctrine. We cannot know anyone in depth unless we gain a breadth of knowledge about that person. Yet facts about someone in itself will not lead us to know and understand someone fully. Only through actual interaction with someone can we apply this information and have a real and more profound knowledge of who they are. This interaction is seen clearly in Psalm 31.  If you go back through the psalm, you will observe that it is densely packed with the words “I” &  “me,” in almost every verse. (see vv 18-20; 23-24 for the exceptions).

This leads to my second observation, which is the proper use of testimony. There is no hint of pride or boast, no whitewashing of the days of David’s life. It is a testimony that is raw and honest. It testifies to the interplay between David’s fears and God’s faithfulness. It demonstrates that God is a refuge and deliverer, but such things might take time to come to fruition. God’s deliverance might be relatively quick (v. 22) or long and drawn out (v. 10). As someone has said, “God is not a vending machine.” You cannot “just name it and claim it.” But neither must you be silent. Like David, we can bring our burdens and fears to the Lord boldly but humbly.

We must approach our God with a dependant demeanor, not a presumptuous posture or haughty habitude. For our God, who hears will save, restore, and deliver the humble. And He who is mighty is also merciful. He is full of compassion and goodness and unfailing love. And in all these things, He is consistently righteous and just. People of the LORD: “Behold your God!” (see Isaiah 40:9 and whole chapter for that matter)

Worship in Witness:

Doctrine is downplayed in many evangelical circles today. For some, it is seen as divisive and better left untouched. For others, it is viewed as dry and dull. This has opened up the way to much confusion, false doctrine, and the inroads of cultic teaching into the church. It is not possible to propose a full solution to the problem in a few short paragraphs (or even in a book, for that matter – as long as evil pervades this world and imperfect people exist). Perhaps, however, a few suggestions might prove helpful.

First of all, we must be students of the Scriptures. We must be approved workers of His word. "A minute a day will keep the devil away," will not do. Think of the training and education you received to do what you do for a living. Should we not then invest time and effort in the study of the Bible, the supreme book of all ages?

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

2 Tim 2:15 ESV

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

John 17:17 ESV

This is important in our study of God's word as well as in teaching it to others. How dissatisfying it is when you are sitting in a class with a teacher that has not prepared and appears to be "just winging it."

We must also be discerning and not gullible. We must weigh all teachings (i.e., doctrine) by the word of God. We should balance healthy skepticism with humble receptiveness. Let us be noble and not negligent when being instructed by a preacher or teacher or author.

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Acts 17:11 NIV ('84)

We must lay aside our pride and prejudices as best we can when approaching the Scriptures. It is the inerrant, infallible word of God. However, we are fallen creatures and subject to error, false logic, and preconceived notions when we study the Bible. Even the righteous will fall prey to this sometimes.

42 Then Job replied to the Lord:

2 I know that You can do anything

       and no plan of Yours can be thwarted.

3 You asked, "Who is this who conceals My counsel with ignorance?"

       Surely I spoke about things I did not understand,

       things too wonderful for me to know.

4 You said, "Listen now, and I will speak.

       When I question you, you will inform Me."

5 I had heard rumors about You,

       but now my eyes have seen You.

Job 42:1-5 HCSB (2005)

Use useful tools wisely. Commentaries are very helpful, as well as Bible Encyclopedias and Dictionaries. Other reference works, such as Study Bibles and Concordances, are profitable as well. If you are a hardy learner, don't be afraid to pick up theological works and monographs on certain doctrines. But again, weigh these by the word. Don't outright reject something just because it was not what you were taught by someone else you respected. Putting all our trust in one teacher, preacher, scholar, or even ourselves is dangerous. It will result in an unbalanced and narrow (though comfortable) mindset when it comes to an understanding and applying Scripture. This will lead to an unstable walk in our life, as well.

Where there is no guidance, a people falls,

but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Prov 11:14 ESV

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

but a wise man listens to advise.

Prov 12:14 ESV

A word of caution is necessary here. If the reference work or person you are reading or listening to does not believe the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible word of God, then view what they say with a grain of salt. What they say might be God's truth spoken through a donkey, but it also may be the devil speaking through a serpent.  It is high time for the church to be more discerning when it comes to false teaching. Read the Epistle of Jude.

But let us not let anger get the best of us. I left a church once in anger. The Pastor had adopted some of the false teaching popular in some segments of the Evangelical Scholarship. The one which says that God does not know the future because it hasn't happened yet. Known as "Open Theism," this pernicious false teaching has invaded a small portion of believing academia. It is filtering down now into some churches, such as the one I left. But I jumped up in anger in the middle of the service and stomped out. Later, I did try to correspond with the Pastor, who had suggested we do that. He wrote a short email, specifying the point of contention and his viewpoint on the matter. I wrote a lengthy treatise on the issue (no one can ever accuse me of being brief about anything 😂). He never replied. Perhaps if I had approached it more calmly in the beginning, he might have been more responsive to me. However, anger got the best of me, and I should have followed Paul's exhortation to Timothy, his son in the faith.

²⁴ And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

2 Tim 2:24-26 ESV

We might be better received by those we disagree with if we begin with a calm but forceful defense. A hot-tempered and explosive tirade (like I often see on social media) creates more heat than light.

I have gone on longer than I should have. There is much more that could be said. Don't let culture or convenience influence what you know, or silence you from speaking about what is the clear teaching of God's word, or capitulate to the world's beliefs or ethics. Some things are shibboleths that we must stand for, such as the truth of the gospel.* Others, such as tongues or healing or the end-times, can be charitably discussed and disagreed upon.

Let me finish with a point I made earlier in my Worship in the Word section above. Doctrine should never be divorced from everyday life. Orthodoxy should lead to orthopraxy. I believe this is the reason why many feel theology is dry and boring. It has been taught without reference to our life situations. There is no effort to intersect doctrine with the daily. Psalm 31 is theology in action or doctrine in dialogue with life. David applies what he knows of God with his experiences in life. This, of course, is all based on David's study and knowledge of God's word.

Let us then adopt David's attitude towards God's word and what it teaches:

9 The fear of the Lord is pure,

enduring forever.

The ordinances of the Lord are sure

and altogether righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the comb.

11 By them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors?

Forgive my hidden faults.

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;

may they not rule over me.

Then will I be blameless,

innocent of great transgression.

14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:9-14 NIV ('84)

Or be like Job when we are wrong:

5 I had heard rumors about You, 

   but now my eyes have seen You.

6 Therefore I take back my words

   and repent in dust and ashes.

   Job 42:5-6 HCSB (2005)
        

One final point:

It is not enough merely to study the Bible and learn a great deal of doctrinal truth. We must also love Jesus Christ more as we learn all that He is and all He has done for us. Learning and loving should lead to living, allowing the Spirit of God to enable us to obey His Word. This is how we glorify Him in this present evil world.(from The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright © 1989 by Chariot Victor Publishing, and imprint of Cook Communication Ministries. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)

* This, and what is contained in the Gospel Coalition confessional, are what I believe are the essential beliefs we must defend. The details of each doctrine may differ from believer to believer. Still, I think we must not abdicate the central or core truths expounded here. To do so would be to destroy the faith in which we stand. (click the highlighted link above if you wish to read the confessional)

¹⁰ At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, ¹¹ and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. ¹² Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, ¹³ but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Matt 24:10-13 NIV('84)

Worship in Promise, Poetry, and Praise:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6e/66/9d/6e669daf722a41bc44d5336cdc41ecf5.jpg

A Song of Testimony: (My composition)

Verse 1:

Faithful and good, righteous and just

Merciful, mighty, One we can trust

A refuge, a shelter from the enemy's thrusts

Cherished by Him who made us from dust

Chorus:

He's my LORD

And my God

He's my Savior

And my Rock

Almighty fortress

His foes He withstands

By loving and loyal

Omnipotent hands

Verse 2:

Provider and guider, trusted and true

Defender, redeemer, no other like You

Rescues from evil the wicked one spews

To You, my Deliverer all glory is due

Chorus:

He's my LORD

And my God

He's my Savior

And my Rock

Almighty fortress

His foes He withstands

By loving and loyal

Omnipotent hands

Wilderness: by Anna Byrd

I could pray for deliverance

I could beg You for greener pastures

I could question why I'm still here

Shake my fist and demand an answer

But right here, right now

Is where I start to know You better

So right here, I'll stay

Even in the wilderness

I know I'm not alone

Even in the desert place

Your river overflows

Even in the wasteland

Through the darkest valley, there is hope

'Coz even in the wilderness

You won't let go

I could settle for what I want

I could ask for the easy way out

But You've proven that You're still good

In the midst of the valley of doubt

But right here, right now

Is where I start to know You better

So right here, I'll stay

Even in the wilderness

I know I'm not alone

Even in the desert place

Your river overflows

Even in the wasteland

Through the darkest valley, there is hope

'Coz even in the wilderness

You won't let go

You will lead me, You will keep me

You will never let me go

You will lead me, You will keep me

You will never let me go

Even in the wilderness

I know I'm not alone

Even in the desert place

Your river overflows

Even in the wasteland

Through the darkest valley, there is hope

'Coz even in the wilderness

You won't let go

Even in the wilderness

I know I'm not alone

Even in the desert place

Your river overflows

Even in the wasteland

Through the darkest valley, there is hope

'Coz even in the wilderness

Even in the wilderness

You won't let go

You won't let go

Lyrics: https://www.letssingit.com/gateway-worship-feat.-anna-byrd-lyrics-wilderness-8cplzrq

Video: https://youtu.be/tUJf6zUJVFY

The story behind the song: https://youtu.be/gSen-4ckbo8