The Essential Substances Found in the Walls of God's Fortress

 July 30, 2022

 

Worship in WORD

Ps 31:23-24 23 Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. 24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! ESV	Ps 31:23-24       23 Love the LORD, all his faithful people!    The LORD preserves those who are                      true to him,             but the proud he pays back in full.       24 Be strong and take heart,             all you who hope in the LORD.   The New International Version. (2011). Zondervan.
Ps 31:23-24 23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. 24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.   KJV	Ps 31:23-24 23 Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant. 24 So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

 

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

B.  Sovereign – vv. 14-18

1.       Surrender – vv. 14-15

2.       Shine – v. 16

3.       Shame – v. 17

4.       Silence – v. 18

III. Hail – vv. 19-22

A. God, for His Great Goodness – v. 19

B. God, for His Sheltering Presence – v. 20

C. God, for His Hesed [ds#j# ]#] – V. 21

D. God, Who Hears and Answers His People – v. 22

IV. Heart – vv. 23-24

A. Love – v. 23

B. Long – v.24

 

Thought flow: Hope→Help!→Hail→Heart

 

B. Long

If you recall what I wrote about last time, you will remember that I began at the end of verse 24 and not the beginning. I wrote about “hope” as a confident expectation as opposed to today’s view of hope as contingent and mixed with doubt. I also pointed out that the believers in Bible times (a misleading phrase, if anything) may have had a confident expectation. Yet they could have their hopes dashed by hoping in or for the wrong thing. They also could place their hope in a trustworthy source but misunderstand that source, be it a person or a promise. Unexpected outcomes do not necessarily mean the source was untrustworthy. However, it may indicate that our expectations were in error.

Leaving that aside now, I want to return to the first half of verse 24. Before I do, let me point out that I used the phrase “hope in the LORD” in a way that David did not. What I mean is that I used it in a way that implied that David was using it as an exhortation. However, this phrase was actually a description of those who already had a confident expectation.

 

“ ... all you who hope in the LORD.” ESV

 

The actual exhortation(s) come(s) in the first half of the verse.

 

“Be strong, and let your heart take courage...” NIV

 

Exhortation(s) or encouragement(s) directed towards those who “hoped in the LORD.” You may be asking, “what’s with the parentheses? They are there because there is a translational issue that will determine whether we have one or two exhortations in verse 24. I will say more on this later. There are two exhortations, at least, if you include verse 23. In that verse, we find this imperative: “O love the LORD, all ye his saints”(KJV).

Without this exhortation, obeying the one found in verse 24 is not achievable. Because without love for God, there is no motivation to follow the imperative: “Be of good courage (KJV)” or “Be strong (NIV, ESV, NLT).” Love for God (and supplied by the Holy Spirit – Romans 5:5) empowers and encourages us to persevere and have hope.

 

One more thing before I move on to “Worship in Witness.”

  

I mentioned a translational issue. Notice the difference between the KJV and the other translations above.

 

The KJV has:

 

“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart ...”

 

The NIV has:

 

“Be strong, and let your heart take courage ...”

 

As you can see, the KJV has an exhortation followed by a promise. The NIV (and all other translations I’ve consulted) have two complementing exhortations. Which is it? Not knowing Hebrew doesn’t help me in this matter. Perhaps  Derek Kidner’s comment on this verse will prove the most helpful here.

 

24. Let your heart take courage could equally be translated ‘he shall strengthen your heart’, as in AV. The latter seems the more meaningful: an assurance of help to those who dare to count on it, rather than a double exhortation. But in either case it does not promise an end to trouble: rather (cf. Luke 22:42, 43) the strength to meet it.

Kidner, D. (1973). Psalms 1–72: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 15, p. 150). InterVarsity Press.

 

Others have pointed out that this verse recalls to mind some other famous passages of Scripture.

 

31:24 The words strong and courageous recall the words of God to Joshua and Israel to prepare them for the conquest of the promised land (Dt 31:6–7, 23; Jos 1:6–7, 9, 18).

Warstler, K. R. (2017). Psalms. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 844). Holman Bible Publishers.

 

In those verses, the LORD promises that He will be with them. Therefore, the exhortation to be “strong and courageous” is possible because the Almighty God would be with them! Here in Psalm 31:24, the promise is the same, whether it be direct (KJV – “he shall”) or indirectly (ESV -“take courage.”

 

Worship in Witness

Amid all this discussion about the exhortations found in verses 23 and 24, we cannot forget the context in which they are made. God’s people were suffering persecution, and mockery by those identified as “the proud (v.23).” The call to love, faithfulness, and courage was being given in such a context. However, faithfulness does not automatically lead to vindication, deliverance, and peace.

 

The closing exhortation is very telling about the nature of psalmic faith. It is understood that Yahweh does not automatically and instantaneously solve problems. This faith calls for courageous hope in the midst of circumstances that give little evidence of relief or divine intervention. We should also note that admitting the absence of these things does not lie outside the bounds of that faith. In addition, these verses admit that sometimes encouragement is needed and makes a difference.

Hubbard, R. L. J., & Johnston, R. K. (2012). Foreword. In W. W. Gasque, R. L. Hubbard Jr., & R. K. Johnston (Eds.), Psalms (p. 160). Baker Books.

 

Let us remember this truth when we face tribulation in our lives and feel like giving up –Like God has abandoned us or doesn’t care. Let us also remember these exhortations to love God and be strong.

 

One final thought here:

 

If one reflects further on these commands, I think they will see a symbiotic* or interdependent relationship between the two exhortations. Love is necessary, but it can grow weary or cold by the many onslaughts of sufferings and dangers it faces. I have found this so in my life. Sometimes, I question God’s love for me when I face trials. Let us encourage ourselves to seek His power to love Him more when this occurs. Let us remind ourselves of who He is and what He has done in the past. Finally, let us recall His promises to us (rightly understood) in His word.

Love must constantly be strengthened by faith in the promises of God (the Lord “preserves...and pays back v. 23). Likewise, it perseveres with a patient waiting and longing and confident hope in the LORD (v24). Thus faith, hope, and love are essential ingredients in the fortress walls of God’s protecting presence!

 

One final ingredient should be added. It should resound against the walls of God’s shelter.

 

Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thess 5:18

(from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 by Holman Bible Publishers.)

 

* SYMBIOTIC

sym·bi·o·sis: (sĭm′bē-ō′sĭs, -bī-), n. pl. sym·bi·o·ses (-sēz)

1. Biology A close, prolonged association between two or more different organisms of different species that may, but does not necessarily, benefit each member.

2. A relationship of mutual benefit or dependence.

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/symbiotic

I guess I could have just said “interdependent,” but symbiotic sounds cooler 😎 😆

 

Worship in Promise, Poem, Prayer, and Praise

Image: https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/joshua-trees-heart-rock-picture-id1296003362?k=20&m=1296003362&s=612x612&w=0&h=FnSFqwASGsWR_IlnfI_M1_44TDBwXg1EKl-bGtTyNSA=

Verse:  AMPLIFIED BIBLE (AMP), Publisher: Lockman

I Call to You

 

Lord, when I am in deep despair

I call to You for Your tender care

 

When life to me makes no sense

And trials and fears grow intense

I cry out to You, my hope and stay

For strength to cope amidst the fray

 

And You, my God, come to my aid

When I am lost and so afraid

 

You bind me closely to Your side

You are my shelter in which I hide

I see the dawn of grace appear

And faith rises up and conquers fear!

 

 

Be My...

 

Come, Lord Jesus, be my life

Amidst the sorrows and the strife

Be my strength all the day

In the battles, among the fray

- Amen

 

Strong and Mighty

Strong and mighty are Your arms
They are able to protect and encase
They guard me against life's harms
Yet gently hold me in Your embrace

Hold me up in the battles I'm in
And swiftly catch me when I fall
By Your strength, the fight I'll win
O God Almighty and Lord of all
- Amen

 

In the Meantime: by Hannah Kerr

Even in the waiting, You are kind

I rest in surrender

I don't expect an answer overnight

Your purpose is higher

Oh, so much higher than mine

Even in the waiting, You are kind

 

I will praise You

You see every season of my life

I will trust You

You're using every moment by design

In between expecting

In between receiving

Before I know the answer

Before I see the reason

You're moving in the meantime

 

Even in the waiting, You are good

Even when I'm doubting

If things are gonna turn out like I think they should

Even in the waiting, You are good

 

I will praise You

You see every season of my life

I will trust You

You're using every moment by design

In between expecting

In between receiving

Before I know the answer

Before I see the reason

You're moving in the meantime

You're moving in the meantime

 

Here in the waiting

My hope remains

Here in this place

My heart finds strength

 

Here in the waiting

My hope remains

Here in this place

My heart finds strength

 

I will praise You

You see every season of my life

I will trust You

You're using every moment by design

In between expecting

In between receiving

Before I know the answer

Before I see the healing

You're moving in the meantime

You're moving in the meantime

 

Lyrics: in the meantime, Lyrics. (n.d.). Lyrics.com. Retrieved July 29, 2022, from https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/2110043/Hannah+Kerr/in+the+meantime.

Video: https://youtu.be/qR46yDtHySg

 

For Further Thought or Study

Many a believer has been deluded by magical thinking regarding God’s promises. They claim them as a spiritual “talisman” or “incantation” that can be clung to or cited to ward off evil. They expect immediate and miraculous results. God may intervene immediately and miraculously. However, God’s promises normally fall under the category of providence and sanctification. Both are sovereign and progressive works of God and involve the passage of time. Immediate deliverance and answers may be desired and comforting but leave out God's sanctifying and faith-building purposes. Paul sought immediate relief from a “thorn in the flesh,” but God had other purposes by leaving the thorn. Thus, the thorn of pain became a thorn of grace and God’s strength!

 

Place Your Hope in the One Who is Trustworthy

 June 27, 2022

 

Worship in WORD

 

Ps 31:23-24 23 Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. 24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! ESV	Ps 31:23-24       23 Love the LORD, all his faithful people!    The LORD preserves those who are                      true to him,             but the proud he pays back in full.       24 Be strong and take heart,             all you who hope in the LORD.   The New International Version. (2011). Zondervan.
Ps 31:23-24 23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. 24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.   KJV	Ps 31:23-24 23 Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant. 24 So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

 

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

B.  Sovereign – vv. 14-18

1.       Surrender – vv. 14-15

2.       Shine – v. 16

3.       Shame – v. 17

4.       Silence – v. 18

III. Hail – vv. 19-22

A. God, for His Great Goodness – v. 19

B. God, for His Sheltering Presence – v. 20

C. God, for His Hesed [ds#j# ]#] – V. 21

D. God, Who Hears and Answers His People – v. 22

IV. Heart – vv. 23-24

A. Love – v. 23

B. Long – v.24

 

Thought flow: Hope→Help!→Hail→Heart

 

B. Long

We are nearing the end of our journey through Psalm 31. We’re looking at the final verse and subpoint in my outline of this psalm. When developing this outline, I began with only the four major headings. If I remember correctly, the subpoints developed progressively as I reached each new heading. The final two subpoints came late in my study of this psalm. I remember coming to verse 24 and asking myself how I could keep the alliteration going. I felt the word “Love” would be appropriate for verse 23. That was an easy one, but what about verse 24? There were no words beginning with “L” in this verse (unless you go with “let,” as found in the ESV). I finally landed on the word “Long.” I know what you are thinking now. “The word ‘Long’ does not appear in verse 24.” Or does it? If the word itself does not appear here in our English translations, perhaps the thought is there behind a word used in this verse. Maybe it can be found in the word “hope.” When we think of the word “hope,” is there not a sense of longing inherent in it? When we hope for something, is there not a feeling of anticipation as we wait for it to arrive?

The word used here is y¹µal (yaw-chal’). It has “the idea of “tarrying” and “confident expectation” and “trust.” ¹  Y¹µal is usually translated as “hope” or “wait.” How often have I heard it said that in Scripture, the word hope means “a confident expectation.” It is often put in a way that shames us for using it the way we use it today. But were the people in biblical times any different than us? Hope may mean “a confident expectation,” but as we will see, hope may be misdirected or misinformed.

 

Worship in Witness

As I mentioned above, inherent in the word “hope” is that of longing. We are hoping, waiting, and longing for something to take place. We desire a blessing to come. Or for something to happen... or not. However, the thing expected may never come to pass. And the thing we hope won’t occur just might. It is then we find that our hopes have been dashed. Our longing has turned to disappointment. Perhaps this is why when we think of hope today, it is often tinged with a little (or a lot of) doubt. Is this only a modern-day phenomenon? Do we see this occur in the Bible? For example, did not the two on the road to Emmaus have their hopes turned to disappointment? While traveling home from being with the 11 apostles following Jesus’s death, these two were joined by a stranger who, we learn, was actually the risen Lord incognito. When Jesus inquired of them about what they were talking about, Luke records their response in this way:

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped* that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.

Luke 24:17b-21a NIV

They had confidently expected but were disappointed at the apparent outcome. Cleopas and his companion’s problem here was not a deficient hope. Their problem was a misinformed and misdirected hope. These two not only had their facts wrong, but their view of Christ was also in error. In other words, when we hope, we must be confident that our source is trustworthy. A promise is only as good as the reliability of the one making it. 

When we hope in a person, a promise made by them, or a human organization, it will always be mingled with doubt (after all, we live in a fallen world). So the dependability of the object of our hope is essential if we are to have a “confident expectation” of them. It is only logical then that person precedes promise. The promise is meaningless if the person is not trustworthy and dependable. Once that is established, we must ensure we understand the promise. Even if the source is reliable, our understanding of their promises may not be. The problem in Luke 24 involves two people with a defective view of both person and promise. The person of Jesus was reliable, but they failed to see that. They failed to see He was God incarnate, making Him perfectly trustworthy. And they had misunderstood His words and the promises found in the Old Testament concerning Him. Therefore, their hope sank into the quagmire of error because it was not founded on the Rock, who is Christ.

 

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand;

All other ground is sinking sand.²

 

One more thought before I finish this section – and this perhaps is the most important thing I want to convey. David did not encourage God’s people to have a confident hope based on God’s promises. No, he told them to “hope in the Lord” Himself. And though God promised to preserve His people and punish the proud, no details were given on how He would fulfill His promises. This detail is key to our hope. Our hope is in the Lord, not our hope in the outcome we desire. Therefore, we must trust God and wait (another way to translate y¹µal) for the details to appear. Yet, we often place our longings in what we desire, not God Himself. So when things don’t turn out as we want, we are disappointed and can even blame God for it. As a result, some have lost their trust in God, and some have even walked away from the faith.  That is because we have looked past God to the blessing(s) we desire instead of trusting God to fulfill it according to His will. God promises His people protection and deliverance, but He rarely tells us when or how. That’s where hope comes in: a confident expectation that God will provide us with what we need when we need it and in a manner that is best for us and will bring Him glory. And His glory is the place we find our deepest needs satisfied.

Hope (Long for) and Trust in God

and  

Leave the Details to Him!

 

Worship in Promise, Poem, Prayer, and Praise

 

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.SReZJUC1o8GwdoP_M60SGAHaFt%26pid%3DApi&f=1

 

God, You are…

God, You are my hope.

Amid the sunny day,

And the darkness when I grope

For Your hand to lead the way.

 

God, You are my Rock.

To You, O Lord, my hymn I raise,

When my foes jeer and mock,

And friends lavish me with praise.

 

God, You are my peace.

Though the storm rage outside,

And my fears inside increase,

In Your calm embrace, I will abide.

In this Lonely Place

 

Lord, in this lonely place

I long to see Your face

So I come before

            Your throne of grace

 

For Your mercy, Lord, I plead

To find the strength that I need

To Your will alone

                        may I concede

 

As I walk this path of sorrow

Future fears may I not borrow

But in Your hands

            place my every tomorrow

— Amen

 

You Alone by Kim Hill

I lift my eyes when I am troubled
I lift my hands; I lift my heart
And there I stand, knowing nothing can defeat me
Just as long as I know where You are

In You alone
Is where I find my comfort
In You alone
You’re my only hope
In You alone
My heart has found a resting place
In You alone
In You alone

So I won’t fear though darkness hides me
No, I won’t let my courage sway
For You are near and at the brightness of Your glory
The shadows of the night melt away

In You alone
Is promise I can cling to
In You alone
You’re my security
In You alone
My soul has found a dwelling place
Only in You alone

What could separate me from Your love?
Neither life nor death, nor anything at all
Anything at all

In You alone
Is where I find my comfort
In You alone
You’re my only hope
In You alone
My heart has found a resting place
Only in You alone
Only in You alone
Only in You alone

 

Lyrics: https://genius.com/Kim-hill-you-alone-lyrics

Video: https://youtu.be/tkOsovM3e-M

 

¹(from Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Copyright © 1980 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)

2(from Biblesoft Hymnal, electronic database Copyright © 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

*The Greek word used in Luke 24:21 shares the same root as the Greek word used in the Septuagint version of Psalm 31:24 (e)lpi/zw)

 

 

For Further Thought or Study

I remember a fictional story being used as an illustration during a chapel service back in Bible college. It is the story of a man caught in a flood. As the water rose, he moved up to the second story of his house. Just then a man in a rowboat approached the window the man was looking out. He told him to climb aboard. However, the man declined, saying, "no God will deliver me." So the man in the boat shrugged and sailed on. The water continued to rise and the man in the house was forced to climb out onto his roof. As he did a man in a motorboat happened to be passing by. He told him to hop on board, but the man refused, claiming God would rescue him. The water began to engulf his roof so he climbed onto the chimney. Suddenly a helicopter flew into view and hovered over the man clinging to his chimney. A ladder was dropped and a man in the helicopter told him to grab the ladder and they would lift him up into the copter to safety. The man adamantly refused and said, "God will come to my aid!" Well, the man eventually drowned. Standing before God, being very upset, he asked God why He didn't rescue him? But God responded, "what are you talking about? I sent you a rowboat, a motor boat, and finally a helicopter!"

Here was a man who was confident in God but definitely misunderstood His promises!

ARNDT: All temporal and eternal consolation arises from this faith and hope, that God is our God.

Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., Moll, C. B., Briggs, C. A., Forsyth, J., Hammond, J. B., McCurdy, J. F., & Conant, T. J. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Psalms (p. 222). Logos Bible Software.

 

MATTHEW HENRY: Those know not how to value their hope in God who cannot find joy enough in that hope to balance their grievances, and silence their griefs.

Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., Moll, C. B., Briggs, C. A., Forsyth, J., Hammond, J. B., McCurdy, J. F., & Conant, T. J. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Psalms (p. 222). Logos Bible Software.

 

Psalms 31:24: Trust must rely only on our God. All other confidences are empty vanity. They who thus trust may cast away all fear. Let them meet every trial bold as the lion. Courage will become more courageous. Strength from above will make the heart more strong.

(from Commentary on the Psalms, by Henry Law, Biblesoft formatted electronic database Copyright © 2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

 

Psalms 31:23

Be of good courage. This exhortation is to be understood in the same way as the preceding; for the steadfastness which the Psalmist here enjoins is founded on the love of God of which he had spoken, when renouncing all the enticements of the world, we embrace with our whole hearts the defense and protection which he promises to us. Nor is his exhortation to courage and firmness unnecessary; because, when any one begins to rely on God, he must lay his account with and arm himself for sustaining many assaults from Satan. We are first, then, calmly to commit ourselves to the protection and guardianship of God, and to endeavor to have the experience of his goodness pervading our whole minds. Secondly, thus furnished with steady firmness and unfailing strength, we are to stand prepared to sustain every day new conflicts. As no man, however, is able of himself to sustain these conflicts, David urges us to hope for and ask the spirit of fortitude from God, a matter particularly worthy of our notice. For hence we are taught, that when the Spirit of God puts us in mind of our duty, he examines not what each man’s ability is, nor does he measure men’s services by their own strength, but stimulates us rather to pray and beseech God to correct our defects, as it is he alone who can do this.

(from Calvin’s Commentaries, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005-