Psalms

Teach Me

/ The Pastor

Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.
[Psalms 119:66 ESV]

Good judgment is in short supply, oh God, and i’m not pointing fingers. Good judgment is in short supply with me concerning Your Law.
Teach me.
Help me.
Show me.
Your Law is good, right and pure.
Your Law is perfect, enduring and sure.
I know this but i need good judgment that i may follow Your Laws rightly.
I need good judgment that i may glorify You more fully.
Teach me to know Your Law more deeply, oh God.
I give You thanks that You have given me knowledge of You through Jesus Christ.
I give You thanks that You have given me Your Holy Spirit.
I give You thanks that You have saved me.
Thus,
i want to know Your Law better and have better judgment that my obedience in this world would glorify You.
You deserve that, so help me.
Teach me, oh God, teach me.
Give me good judgment for i believe in Your commandments.

Praying the Psalms ~ The List

/ The Pastor

Let’s keep the list going. Can you add to it?

“Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise?” [Psalms 106:1‭-‬2 ESV]

Who can utter Your mighty deeds, Oh Lord?
Who can declare all your praise?
I will certainly try but my list will be far from complete.
For Your deeds are numerous and Your faithfulness unending.
Your love endures forever and Your might is unmatched.
You created all that I can and can not see.
Your creation is a thing of beauty.
Your wonders never cease.
You formed me from within my mother’s womb – I came forth from You.
You breathed life into me.
You declared all life to be precious.
Though a sinner You gave me Jesus.
Though a sinner You gave me Your Spirit.
Thus, I will live with You.
You raise up the lowly.
You humble the proud.
Hand in hand, we will stand before You in worship.
You have defeated all Your enemies.
You have subdued them all.
You have chased away my fear.
Oh God,
You are worthy of my worship.
You are worthy of all honor.
You are my God.
You are always with me – never have You departed.
You are always true – never have You been deceptive.
You are always holy – never to be corrupted.
You are.
Oh Lord, this is but a minuscule list – so much more can be said.
And so I will continue to praise and give You thanks, for Your steadfast love endures forever and ever.
Amen.

Is It Right to Praise the Lord?

/ The Pastor

This “Psalm” was inspired by Psalms 146-150; Psalms with the bookends “Praise the Lord“.

Is it right to praise the Lord?
Oh let me think…
He is awesome and mighty
Gracious and merciful
Faithful and just
Powerful and gentle
Father
Shepherd
Creator
He has made the heavens and the earth.
He breathed the breath of life into all living creatures.
He perfectly made everything
We sinned
But He vowed reconciliation and restoration through crushing Satan.
And He followed through on His promises.
He sent Jesus
Jesus lived and loved and healed and forgave
Jesus suffered and died and was buried
Jesus rose victorious
Jesus reigns
Sins are forgiven
Death and Satan and tears are no more.
Joy and peace and Life forevermore.
Oh sinner, is it right to praise the Lord?
Yes
YES!
Praise the Lord!

I Got This

/ The Pastor

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! [Psalms 46:10 ESV]

I got this.
Take it easy.
Calm down.
Be still.
Remember, I am God.
I am sovereign.
I am LORD.
I Am.
Why do you worry?
Why do you get discouraged?
Why do you let others get you down?
Don’t you trust me?
Be still and remember.
Be still and know.
Be still for I Am.
I am Creator
I am Father
and I will reign forever.
All my enemies and yours, WILL be defeated.
All my opponents and yours, WILL be put to shame.
For I have won the victory.
I Am 
So why, oh why, won’t you be still?
Take it easy.
Stop worrying.
I got this.

Praying

/ The Pastor

I have been on a roll recently, writing prayers…

Praise be to God!

Maybe this is coming out of the spiritual discipline I have taken on this Lent: Using a prayer journal.  It is amazing what happens when you just let go and not force something out, but just let your spirit pray; talking and listening to God.  I’m still trying to get used to handwriting my prayers in my journal, but I am finding that I am enjoying this more and more.  The hand cramps force me to slow down, and I need that.

The following prayer is one I wrote to be used as the prayer before I preach the sermon on Feb 24th.  In the back of my mind I was thinking about Psalm 27.  I wrote and posted a prayer based on that Psalm the other day.

So let us go to God in prayer as we prepare for worship…

Father in heaven, you are a holy and awesome God.  You are worthy of all praise and worship.  You are faithful and full of grace.  In you there is shelter and life.  In you there is salvation.  May we seek your face in the midst of fear.  May we seek your shelter in the midst of storms.  And may we dwell in your house forever and ever. Through Jesus Christ you have conquered all that would besiege us and promised us a future; you have promised us life through faith in Jesus Christ.  Strengthen our faith in the face of fears and may we always seek you.  Now may the words of my mouth and the mediation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, Oh God, our Rock and Redeemer, Amen.

May God bless your day 🙂

The pastor -|—

Psalm 15 — “holy hill” living

/ The Pastor / 3 Comments

This week I have been drawn to Psalm 15 (the assigned Psalm for this Sunday, Aug. 30).  I am not sure if I am preaching on this yet…I am still pondering it and praying about it.  Here are some of my initial thoughts thus far, but first here’s the text:

1     Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

2     He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

3     and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

4     who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
5     who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things
will never be shaken.

Verse 1 contains a question about who may dwell in the sanctuary; who may “live on your holy hill”.  Following this question the psalmist goes on to answer his own question.

Verse 2 is about faith; about what’s in the heart.

Verse 3 flows out of verse 2.  What’s in our heart will dictate how we will speak to and about other people.  If we live blameless lives, do what is righteous and speak truth from our heart then we will naturally speak well of our neighbor and do them no wrong.

Verse 4 – 5a flows out of verses 2 and 3.  This verse talks about our actions.  It is one thing to say we have faith in Christ and talk a good game, but what do our actions say.  James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.” (oddly enough that is part of the second lesson for Sunday).

And when all is said and done, the ending of verse 5 says, “He who does these things will never be shaken.“

I don’t know about you, but I don’t always follow the “formula” in verses 2 – 5a.  So I guess I will not dwell in God’s sanctuary and live on his holy hill…

…but maybe this is not a Psalm of law or one prescribing certain behaviors before I can enter God’s presence, but rather describing how a believer lives outside the sanctuary; outside the walls of the church building.  Maybe Psalm 15 is descriptive rather then prescriptive…”He who does these things will never be shaken.“

Those are my thoughts now…as I am still processing.  Feel free to share you thoughts.  God bless!

-edh-