Tag: Psalms

The Lord Is My Light

Scripture: Psalm 27: 1, 8, 14

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?(1) My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.(8) Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.(14)

Scripture Commentary: Jesus brings the light of salvation.

When you walk in a dark room, you can’t see the furnishings. But turn on the lights, and you can see everything! The Lord is my light, and with Him, I can see the way. In His light, I can see the pitfalls, and the bends in the road.

Fear can be a dark shadow that can imprison you to the point where you think there is no way out. But Jesus brings the light of salvation.

Jesus is a strong tower; a hedge of protection.

This is what happens when you let Jesus in your life. He is your salvation, so why have fear? He is your strength and protection.

Knock on God’s door and He will open it to find you. Ask God and He will answer you.

We have all left God at times in our lives but take heart. He has never left us.

Read the Entire Chapter:

Psalm Chapter 27

Read Other Commentary from Psalms:

Take Shelter in the Lord for Every Storm

Teach Me Lord, and Order My Steps In Your Word

We Give Thanks to God, the Father

Scripture: Psalm 75: 1

Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.

Scripture Commentary: Give God thanks!

We give thanks to you, our Father, for sending your Son, Jesus Christ. We give thanks because you did not have to send Him. O God, you could have left us here to our own sinful ways. But because you love us, you sent your Son to show us the path to take.

Thank you for giving us what we need, not what we want. God, you are a forgiving God. We thank you for you are trustworthy.

God has no weakness or shortcoming.

The holiness of our God is terribly frightening for sinners but a wonderful comfort for believers. God has no weakness or shortcomings. He doesn’t lie, and He doesn’t tolerate, ignore or excuse sin.

Put yourself in God’s hands and feel the love and peace that Our Father has for you. When we put ourselves in God’s hands, we recognize that God has been our consistent helper for our entire life.

God has never left us but we may have left Him.

“Thank you for being who You are – Our God!”

Read the Entire Chapter:

Psalm Chapter 75

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Psalms:

God Is With Me; I Will Fear No Evil

Go to God for Help. He Won’t Let You Down

Come to Jesus’ Banquet Table

Part Three: Jesus Prepared Your Place At the Table (Jesus Is Our Great Shepherd)

There are seventy-two psalms and almost half speak about enemies. Enemies are those who oppose not only us, but also God’s ways. David is at the table asking God to keep his enemies from overcoming him because they oppose what God stands for.

David isn’t questioning his faith. He knows that God will triumph. But David did not want his enemies’ success to be an obstacle to the faith of others. When we see a person or a group that we consider to be doing well, keep in mind that it’s only temporary, as we all are temporary. We are here for a moment, but what we do while we are here in the name of Our Lord will carry on.

Psalm 25: 2

O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, the Perfect Shepherd, promises to guide and protect us through life to bring us into His Father’s house.

John 14: 2

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

God tells us He is our shepherd. Jesus tells us He is going to prepare a place for us, and He will come back for us. We can look forward to eternal life with Him.

Psalm 23: 6

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Jesus has a place for you in His Father’s house, and the banquet table is prepared. Your seat is waiting for you. Jesus paid the ultimate price for your seat when He went to the cross, died and rose from the grave. Jesus gave you the way to eternal life.

John 3: 16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Psalm 23

Psalm 25

John 3

John 14

Read Parts 1 and 2 of the sermon,

Part one: The Great Shepherd Restores the Soul

Part two: God Is With Me; I Will Fear No Evil

God Is With Me; I Will Fear No Evil

Part Two: I Will Fear No Evil (Jesus Is Our Great Shepherd)

Psalm 23: 4

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Yes, although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will have no fear because you are my God, my Shepherd. Death has no hold on me.

I am a child of God. I know Jesus died on the cross for my sins. And on the third day, He rose from the grave with all power.

I know where I’m going when I die. Do you?

I will fear no evil because Satan has lost. He lost me when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. He lost when I started to live a Christ-like life. God has forgiven me of my sins. I am a child of God. He lost because God comforts me.

God’s rod is my rock.

He is perfect, the true God. If I ask anything according to His will, He will hear me. I know that my petition is heard as long as my prayers are to His will. It is a comfort to know that God is there for me.

Psalm 23: 5

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

In Near Eastern culture during ancient times, it was customary (at a banquet) to anoint a guest with fragrant oil as a lotion. The host was also expected to protect his guest at all costs.

God offers His protection to you and me when enemies surround us. Sometimes we can see what God saves us from; other times, it may not be as obvious to us. If everything went our way at all times, we may say or think it’s all us and not God.

Read the complete chapter of the Scripture referenced:

Psalm 23

Please return next week for the final, Part 3, of the sermon, Jesus is Our Great Shepherd.

The Great Shepherd Restores the Soul

Part One: Jesus Is Our Great Shepherd

Psalm 23: 1

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

The Lord is my shepherd, maker, Father, protector, the Great Shepherd.

Our needs are taken care of. It’s not what we think we need; what He has for us is all we need.

David is writing out of his own experience as a shepherd to his father’s sheep as a young boy.

1 Samuel 16: 11

And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

Sheep are completely dependent on the shepherd for provision, guidance and protection.

As God’s children, we are dependent on Him for His guidance and protection. The New Testament calls Jesus the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, and the Chief Shepherd.

Psalm 23: 2

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

When you drive by or fly over farmland, you’ll see the green pastures. What a peaceful feeling that brings. This is the feeling you have when you truly place yourself in God’s hands.

Isaiah 43: 2

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

God will lead you to the path of rightness. If you go your own way, you are going to walk the path Satan has for you. Don’t think that Satan isn’t waiting to lead you. Check out the following verses below.

Job 2:2

And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Matthew 4: 1

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Now if the devil thought he could tempt Jesus, what do you think he can do with you? Without Jesus to protect you, you have no chance against Satan.

When you put ourselves in Jesus’s hands, you have contentment. Psalm 23 does not focus on the animal-like qualities of sheep but on the discipleship qualities of those who follow Our Lord and Savior.

However, when you choose to sin, you go your own way. Don’t blame God for the place you find yourself.

Psalm 23: 3

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

God won’t lead you to a wrong path.

He restores you because He loves you. He loved us before we loved Him.

God sent His Son to pay for your sins. And by sending His Son, He made a way for you to go to Him directly without anything or anyone intervening.

He restores your soul out of love, but if you are rebellious and disobedient, you are going against your own best interest.

Read the full chapters of the Scriptures referenced:

Psalm 23

1 Samuel 16

Isaiah 43

Job 2

Matthew 4

Please return later this week for Part Two of Jesus Is Our Great Shepherd.

Go to God for Help. He Won’t Let You Down.

Scripture: Psalms 30: 1-3, 10

I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.(1-3) Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.”(10)

Scripture Commentary:

The Lord, Jesus Christ, not only died for you but also still looks out for you, even today. If you are in need, go to Him for help. (It’s funny that when we think everything is OK, we go about our lives as if nothing has happened. We become secure within ourselves until we need His help again.)

The feeling of our own invincibility is only temporary.

All that you have comes from God. Be careful that the wealth, power and fame doesn’t have an intoxicating effect on you. Do not feel so self-secure and self-reliant that you believe you are independent of God.

Don’t be trapped by a false security of prosperity.

If you say you have faith in God, then you must trust Him in both good and hard times. The hard times are the times that, if you believe in Him, you will witness for His love.

Depend on God for your security.

Do not depend on your earthly possessions for they will disappear. However, God will never leave you, so do not leave Him!

Read the Entire Chapter:

Psalms Chapter 30

Praise the Lord

Sermon: Praise the Lord

Psalm 117

O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.

This psalm uses a few words but says a lot. The message is powerful. Let the world hear you praise the Lord.

Psalm 117 is not only the shortest in the Bible; it is also the middle chapter of the Bible.

At what point are you in your life? Looking at most of you here, I don’t think that we are at the beginning of life. Or are we?

Life truly begins the day you accept Jesus Christ.

If you have just accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and believe He died and rose from the grave on the third day, you are at the beginning of your life.

The new you is reborn; the old you dies. When I say the new you is born, I’m saying that the things you used to do hold no interest for you. You look at the world differently. The partying, drinking, and other things that made you happy don’t work anymore.

Or are you in the middle of your life? You have accepted Christ but haven’t changed how you are living. If that’s you, ask yourself if you’ve given God praise at any time.

Give God the praise.

You’re here today. Give God the praise! He has given you this day as well as every day up to now. You aren’t in the grave.

If you have a place to stay, clothes on your back, and food to eat, give God the praise!

If you are at the end of life, then you know what life has been, and only because of God’s love are you here now.

Have no fear.

Death has no hold on you if you belong to God. You know where you are going because you have accepted Jesus. God’s love and faithfulness endures forever.

We can’t say we’ve been faithful to God all our lives but He loves us so much that He forgives and forgets our wrongs. He is faithful and loves us all.

If God did nothing else for you, He would still be worthy of our highest praise.

Put Your Trust In God

Scripture: Psalms 25: 1, 4-5, 7

In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. (1) Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.(4-5) Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good. (7)

Scripture Commentary: Put your trust in God. He will not fail you.

David asked God to keep his enemies from overcoming him because they opposed what God stood for. Enemies oppose not only us but also God’s way of living. David put his trust in God.

When we place money, success, prestige, and lust in our lives, we then live in opposition to God’s laws. At that point we are living as Satan wants us to live.

If Christians live in opposition to God, then our family and friends think living for God is futile. Christians must keep the Lord Jesus Christ front and center at all times.

Pray for guidance.

Place yourself in His hands. Let Him guide you in the path of righteousness.

The first step is to want to be guided and to realize that God’s primary guidance is in the Word. Read Psalms 119. It tells of the endless knowledge found in God’s Word.

Don’t be tempted to demand answers to all your questions. Be prepared for God’s direction and guidance. Seek and you will find the path that God has prepared for you.

Read the Psalms Referenced:

Psalms 25

Psalms 119

You Are My God; Earnestly I Seek You

Scripture: Psalms 63: 1-8

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
    and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
    my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

6 On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help,
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

Scripture Commentary: Lord, I earnestly seek you.

When I earnestly seek you, your shield of salvation has saved me. Your gentleness made me great.

David probably wrote Psalms 61, 62, and 63 when he was seeking refuge during Absalom’s rebellion. If we are cut off from our friends, our loneliness will not let us seek God. For He is always with us. We are His children. He will never leave us.

Read the Entire Chapter:

Psalms Chapter 63

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep …

Scripture: Psalms 3: 5-6

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.  I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.

Scripture Commentary: I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

Sleep does not come easily during a crisis.  David could have had sleepless nights when his son Absalom rebelled and gathered an army to kill him.  But David slept peacefully, even during the rebellion.

What made the difference?

David cried out to the Lord, and the Lord heard him.  The assurance of answered prayer brings peace.  It is easier to sleep well when we have full assurance that God is in control of all circumstances.  

Trust God with your burdens.

If you are lying awake at night worrying about things you can’t change or control, pour your heart out to God.  Tell Him you trust Him, and give the burden to Him.  God will take care of every situation.  And by giving your problem to the Lord you are telling Him all your trust is in His hands.

Do this, and leave it alone.  If you try to fix it, you’re saying that you don’t trust God.  Give it to him, then thank Him and go to sleep.

Read the Entire Chapter:

Psalms Chapter 3