Religiosity

More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. The ending of this psalm is a continuation of the revelation of God. The Law of God was better than fine gold and sweet. It states there is great reward in keeping the laws and following the teachings of the Bible. 'Cleanse' from sins that no one knows about but me and God. That is profound. David is telling us in the last verses in prayerful ways that all we say and do should be to God's glory. I am really feeling the line "Cleanse me f...

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. The beginning of this passage is referring to sunrise and sunset. It mentions the law is perfect. That means that it is not wrong; it is infallible. Whatever the Lord says is true and not to be contradicted or misconstrued. It continues with virtues of the Lord: pure, enlightening, perfect, right, clean, enduring, true and righteous. This passage continues the revealing of the Lord. It is written...

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveal knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. This psalm is The Perfect Revelation of the Lord or a revealing of the Lord. It was written by David. It unites the 2 ways God has revealed Himself to us--His creation and His word. The firmament is how far you can see on the horizon. This passage is a praise to God about the creation of the heavens and earth. It reminds me that God spoke the world into being. I think of all the beautiful landscapes and seascapes that would not exist without God. When I look at a sunset or a mountain or a waterfall, I see God. The Bible is another way that I can learn from God. His words and deeds are a guide for me to follow. I need to trust in His revelation to me no matter how it happens.

You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; You have made me the head of the nations; A people I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me they obey me; The foreigners submit to me. The foreigners fade away, and come frightened from their hideouts. The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me; He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; Youhave delivered me from the violent man. Therefore, I will give thanks to You, O Lord among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name. Great delivereance He gives to His king, and shows mercy to His anointed, to David and his descendants forevermore. This is the conclusion of this psalm. David is acknowledging that God has brought him up from a lowly shepherd boy to be King. He does not have to strive or work as others do. He remarks about the fact that he has servants to do his bidding. He g...

I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. I have wounded them, so that they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet. For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me. They cried out, but there was none to save; Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them. Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind; I cast them out like dirt in the streets. David is telling of his heroism in destroying those that wanted to defeat him. He gives all the glory for the victory to God. David cast out those that were against him as he became King. God gives us the strength we need for all the battles we face everyday. This passage reminds me that my battles are nothing compared to the war that David was involved in. However, God does not look at these circumstances differently. He arms me...

For who is God, except the Lord? and who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer and sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip. This passage states that God is the Lord. God is a rock that we can depend on. God gives His people strength to withstand what comes their way. The way is made perfect. Again the comparison to words in the New Testament are seen. He makes our way so our feet do not slip. This passage speaks to me in a special way tonight. I am having a panic episode and feeling lost and alone. Knowing that God is giving me the strength I need to go through this is comforting and gives me hope. God's way is perfect and He enlarged the path and made it so ...

With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd, For You will save the humble people, but will bring down haughty looks. For You will light my lamp; The Lord God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. As for God , His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. These verses give some morality lesson that will be repeated in the New Testament. Merciful, Blameless, Pure, Humility. The Lord will bring light into where there is only darkness which is where sin is. God's way is the ONLY way. It is perfect. Again David refers to God as a shield. This is a very soothing and hopeful passage. It tells us how to live our lives in God's way. God will protect us like a shield IF we trust in Him.

He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord. And have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgments were before me, and I did not put away His statutes from me. I was also blameless before Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity, therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight. This passage continues in praise of God and David's worthiness. God 'delighted' in David because of his faithfulness to God. David believed that he had been reward because he had kept his hands clean. 'For I have kept the ways of the Lord' is the way to a new life with Jesus in the New Testament. David states that he did not turn from the laws of God. This passage is very reassuring to me that IF I do the right things ...

The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them. The the channels of the sea were seen, the foundations of the world were uncovered at Your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters, He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me, They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support. These verses continue in telling of God's power. He thundered, scattered, and vanquished the enemies. The last verse is key: the Lord was my support. Without God and His power David would have been destroyed. Without God's strength and power David would have been defeated and Israel would have disappeared. This passage tells me that God is ultra-powerful and can withstand ANYTHING. There is nothing more powe...

Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, because He was angry. Smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down with darkness under His feet. And He rode upon a cherub and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, his thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire. These verses reveal the power of God and the dangerous things that He is capable of. This passage reminds me not to take God for granted. His powers are great and unmerciful if He is angered.

The pangs of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears. David is revealing how he thought he was going to die. Thoughts of Sheol, the place of the dead, were engulfing his thoughts. He thought death was imminent. At the worst time, he called to God and God heard him and delivered him from death. This reminds me of that Dallas Holm song " At my worst he found me, At my worst he cried, At my worst he died...." Many times I think that my life is terrible and things are unfair. I need to look at the broader picture and know that all I need is God. That God will hear my cry and answer and save me from whatever befalls. I have several experiences where I thought I may die. I was not really afraid for me---I was worried about my family.

I will love YOU, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength in who I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. Psalm 18 was the one that David prayed after Saul and his other enemies and been defeated. This in the longest psalm at the beginning of Book 1 of the Psalms. The MOST basic reason to praise God is given here: HE IS WORTHY to be praised. The more we praise Him, the more His light will shine upon us. Our Lord inhabits praise. Light brings us closer to God. God is that Light. I love these verses. The Lord is a rock---unmoved, solid; a fortress---a place of safety in times of troubles and danger; a deliverer-----a savior that brings us back from the brink of despair and failure. GOD STRENGTH TRUST WORTHY PRAISE SALVATION Those words are the basic message in this passage.

They have closed up their fat hearts; with their mouths they speak proudly. They have now surrounded us in our steps; They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth, as a lion is eager to tear his prey, and like a young lion lurking in secret places. Arise, O Lord. Confront him, cast him down; deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, with Your hand from men, O Lord, from men of the world who have their portion in this life, and whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, and leave the rest of their possession for thier babes. As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. 'Fat hearts' refers to the luxuries that men seek. David writes that they are proud and vain in their possessions. Those that are seeking to kill him are like predators lying in wait. David asks that God strike these proud, vain men down. They have much to leave their children ( an inheritance) . These m...

I have called upon You; for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech. Show your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You from those who raise up aginst them. Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, from the wicked who oppress me, from my deadly enemies who surround me. David has faith that if he calls upon God, that God will hear him and answer. David understands the lovingkindness of His Heavenly Father and knows that it is He who has kept him safe from those who want to kill him. David realizes that God will protect him from the enemies. This passage continues in the theme of David calling on the Lord and trusting in Him. I like the line that states ' keep me as the apple of your eye'. I did not know that this came from the Bible. Someone that is the apple of your eye is someone special that you love and care for and that you would do anything to protect. David has this typ...

Hear a just cause O Lord, attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips. Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright. You have tested my heart ; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Concerning the works of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer. Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip. This passage is asking again for God's ear to hear the prayers being uttered. It states that God has tested the writer's heart. He states that he has kept from Satan's ways (destroyer). He is asking for God to help him stay to the path and that he not slip into ungodliness. This was written by David. He is asking God to help him stay on the path of righteousness and that God KNOWS his heart because He has tested and tried him. I ask the same.