September 6, 2021
Worship in WORD
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For the director of music. A psalm of David.
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.
NIV |
Ps 31 For the choir director: A psalm of David. 9 Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away. 10 I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within. 11 I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors—even my friends are afraid to come near me. When they see me on the street, they run the other way. 12 I am ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot. 13 I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror.
My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life. 14 But I am trusting
you, O LORD, saying, “You are my God!” 15 My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. 16
Let your favor shine on your servant. In your unfailing love, rescue me. 17
Don't let me be disgraced, O Lord, for I call out to you for help. Let the wicked be disgraced; let them lie silent in the grave. 18 Silence their lying lips—those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly.
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 31
To
the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
9
Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with
grief, yea, my soul and my belly. 10
For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength
faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. 11 I
was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbors,
and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me. 12 I
am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel. 13
For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took
counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. 14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD:
I said, Thou art my God. 15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine
enemies, and from them that persecute me. 16
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake. 17
Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be
ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. 18
Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and
contemptuously against the righteous.
KJV |
Ps 31
Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. 10 For my life is spent
with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my
iniquity, and my bones waste away. 11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a
reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. 12 I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. 13 For I
hear the whispering of many—terror on every side! —as they scheme together against me, as they 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 hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! 16 Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love! 17 O Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you;
let the wicked be put to shame; let them go silently to Sheol. 18 Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt.
ESV |
I. Hope – vv. 1-8
A.
Action – v. 1
B.
Appeal – v. 2
C.
Acknowledge – vv. 3-4
D. Abandon – v. 5
E. Abhor – v. 6
F. Acclaim! – vv. 7-8
II.
Help! – vv. 9-18
A. Sorrow – vv. 9-13
1. Soul sickness – vv. 9-10
2. Societal scorn – vv. 11-13
1. Surrender – vv. 14-15
2.
Shine – v. 16
3.
Shame – v. 17
4.
Silence – v. 18
III. Hail – vv. 19-22
IV. Heart – vv. 23-24
Thought
flow: Hope→Help!→Hail→Heart
B.
Sovereign – vv. 14-18
1. Surrender – vv. 14-15
Much
of what David says and prays in verses 14-18 can already be found in verses 1-7.
VanGemerem
notes (see full quote in “Further notes”):
The repetition reveals the psalmist’s heightened sense of confidence in his Redeemer.
VanGemeren, W. A. (1991). Psalms. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Vol. 5, pp. 267–268). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
How often faith grows – the
Holy Spirit cultivating our trust in our faithful God – as we pray. David
demonstrates this in verses 14-15:
14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand;
rescue me from the hand of
my enemies and from my persecutors!
Ps 31:14-15 ESV
Here we see the tale of
two hands! One is the “hand” of God and the other the “hand” of
his enemy. An enemy who despises not only God but also all who place their trust in Him. This has
been the story from the beginning and will be so to the end of time. In Genesis,
we see the hand of unredeemed humanity rise up against God in the building of the
“tower of Babel” (see Gen. 11:1-9). And in Revelation, we see this same hand defeated for all
time (see Revelation 20:7-10). And in between, fallen humanity constantly raises its
hand against God’s people.
· Trials are inevitable:
1 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.
1 Thess 3:1-4 NIV
18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.
John 15:18-20 NIV
· The world will plot:
1 Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.
3 "Let us break their chains," they say,
"and throw off their fetters."
Ps 2:1-3 NIV
· But God gets the last laugh:
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then he rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 "I have installed my King
on Zion, my holy hill."
Ps 2:4-6 NIV
· He will destroy them in the end:
They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
Rev 20:9 TNIV
· Eternal ruin is the destiny of the “god” they follow:
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:10 TNIV
· And they will join him there:
All whose names were not found written in the book of life were thrown into the lake of fire.
Rev 20:15 TNIV
Worship
in Witness:
The phrase “there is strength
in numbers” is found to be an erroneous assumption when it comes to God vs.
humanity. Even when the walls are closing in and defeat seems to be imminent,
God rescues His children.
What does this deliverance look like?
·
It may come in the form of a
jailbreak:
17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."
Acts 5:17-20 NIV
·
It may come when death and the
world take a holiday:
3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth."
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days many from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
Rev 11:3, 7-12 TNIV
V But, it is ultimately seen in a cross and an empty tomb! – It is the foundation of our present deliverance and the surety of our future and final salvation
This is the flow of thought that the author of Hebrews uses
as well. In chapter eleven, he speaks of the faithful who were victorious over
the world in life and death. Their deliverance (salvation) took on many forms
(see Heb. 11:32-38).
These were all “witnesses” (Heb. 12:1),
but Christ is the ultimate witness. Let me end with Hebrews 12:1-3. Let these
words encourage, edify, and exhort us to persevere when we face the enemy. Lord, grant us
patience in suffering as we wait for the promise deliverance You will provide.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Heb 12:1-3 NIV
https://upbc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/EasterSundayMorning21-04-19-RO-900x630.jpg
Post Note: Life may be a “roller coaster,” but the ride will always end in triumph for those who ride with Jesus by their side. (to see my previous journal entry ←click here – you will need to in order to understand my Post Note. Only ten have read it so far 😢😇)
Worship
in Promise, Poem, Prayer, and Praise
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His Eyes
His Sovereign Tapestry
When sorrows in life doth lace
A sovereign tapestry
May I by Thine own divine grace
Accept them joyfully
May all the trials that I must face
On this life’s stormy sea
With skillful hands, indelibly trace
The life of Christ in me
When Trials Come by Keith and Kristyn Getty
When trials come, no longer fear
For in the pain our God draws near
To fire a faith worth more than gold
And there His faithfulness is told
And there His faithfulness is told
Within the night, I know Your peace
The breath of God brings strength to me
And new each morning, mercy flows
As treasures of the darkness grow
As treasures of the darkness grow
I turn to Wisdom not my own
For every battle, You have known
My confidence will rest in You
Your love endures Your ways are good
Your love endures Your ways are good
When I am weary with the cost
I see the triumph of the cross
So in its shadow, I shall run
Till You complete the work begun
Till You complete the work begun
One day all things will be made new
I’ll see the hope You called me to
And in your kingdom paved with gold
I’ll praise your faithfulness of old
I’ll praise your faithfulness of old
Keith & Kristyn Getty
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music
Lyrics:
(with punctuation corrections)
http://www.scripturezealot.com/2009/09/23/when-trials-come/
Video: https://youtu.be/RmiScN_p3SE
Further
Notes:
I continue here with another excerpt
is from Lange’s commentary (Phillip Schaff, General Editor). I had included a part
of it in my previous journal entry. However, since it is rather long, I have divided
it into several portions. Here is the second segment.
Homiletical and Practical
Starke: Believing hearts speak with their God as a child with his father,
secretly lament their troubles to Him, are comforted by His almighty protection
and commit themselves to His Divine government.
—Although we may not prescribe the time and hour of help to our God,
yet He allows us to call upon Him to hasten the help, though with entire
resignation to His will.
—He who allows himself to be led by human advice and wisdom alone,
often errs, but he who is guided by the advice of God can accomplish great
things. If Satan and his followers have ventured even to lay snares for our
Redeemer, how much more will he strive to do us harm? But he who has the Lord
of strength with him will not be injured by him.
—The impenitent know of no true sorrow for sin; but the penitent feel
anxiety of conscience so, that soul and body are often nigh to death.
—A true servant of God is not excluded forever from the light of
grace, nor cast out in the darkness.
—God’s chamber of grace has many secret corners, in which our enemies will
be obliged to leave us alone.—Believers may strengthen themselves and confirm
their confidence in God by a faithful use of the promises of grace and a
believing use of prayer.
Calvin: Nothing is more difficult when we see our faith mocked by the whole
world, than to direct our words to God alone and to rest in the testimony of
our conscience that He is our God.
Osiander: Although we are sinners, yet we may call upon God for help on account
of the unreasonableness of our enemies, when our cause is a just one.
Selnekker: These are glorious consolations to a godly man: 1) that God gives him
to know heavenly wisdom; 2) that He protects him against all tyrants and all
misfortunes; 3) that He gives him everlasting treasures and everlasting goods,
eternal life and eternal blessedness.
Menzel: How shall suffering Christians strengthen their confidence and their
faith? David refers us: 1) to God’s righteousness, 2) to His strong power, 3) to
the honor of His name, 4) to His faithfulness and goodness, 5) to his own
example and experience.
—We learn: 1) what distresses and trials befall the believer; 2) that
our dear Lord God does not reject His own children on account of such
weaknesses, but spares them, and indeed can suffer that they pour out and
lament their weaknesses before Him; 3) we should be careful not to meddle with
those who are plagued and troubled.
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14–18
In broad strokes the psalmist repeats the various elements already introduced
as a transition to the hymn of thanksgiving (vv. 19–24). Several phrases are
repeated and show a direct connection with the other sections:
v. 1: “let me never be put to shame” (so
also v. 17);
v. 2: “come quickly to my rescue; …
save”; vv. 15–16: “deliver me.… save me”;
vv. 2–4: “my rock of refuge, a strong
fortress.… my rock and my fortress.… my refuge”; v. 14: “You are my God”;
v. 4: “Free me from”; v. 15: “deliver me
from”;
v. 5: “Into your hands I commit my
spirit”; v. 15: “My times are in your hands”;
v. 6: “I trust in the LORD”; v. 14: “I
trust in you, O LORD”;
v. 7: “in your love”; v. 16: “in your
unfailing love.”
The
repetition reveals the psalmist’s heightened sense of confidence in his
Redeemer.
VanGemeren,
W. A. (1991). Psalms. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible
Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Vol. 5, p. 268).
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
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