Psalm 147: He Gives and Takes Away {The God of It All}

by Jamie Gunter

Oh friends I am so excited to gush about one of the (in my opinion) most powerful and beautiful psalms. Within it you see our weakness, our deep reliance on a mighty God and you also see His response to our weaknesses- He will care for us, He will rescue us and bless us.

It is easy to believe God doesn’t care about you in the midst of great misery or pain. But that same misery and pain leads you to a closer walk with Jesus. God’s chief desire is not to be our puppetmaster, moving our strings and dictating our emotions for his pleasure. God LOVES His children. In our neediness and weakness God becomes our full provision and power, drawing us closer to Him.

In 1588 King Philip II of Spain wanted to overtake England from his Sister in Law, Queen Elizabeth I. Phillip sent Medina Sidonia with a massive fleet that was seven miles long ship to ship. 26,000 men strong against England’s smaller boats and smaller army. The Spanish Armada was the greatest army at the time and there was no question who would win. But- the wind. The Spanish sailed on fortresses on sea- massive ships designed to move with the wind, not against. The tiny English ships moved with AND against winds. The winds carried the Spanish straight for England, and then turned. The winds were against them after they arrived to battle and the English took advantage. They set fire to their own ships and sent them straight into the Spanish Armada’s fleets. The Spanish cut anchor lines in panic and the winds shifted their ships north where they were bashed against Ireland and Scotland’s coasts. They came home with one third of their men while England lost only one hundred in battle. If the Spanish had won, the mighty British Empire would have been Spanish. We might be speaking Spanish and historically been predominantly Catholic. It is also important to note that in the next ten years, two more Spanish Armadas were sent only to be battered by storms and have to retreat.

Why do I mention this? Because I think it’s fascinating…. :) and also because of the English insistence that God was on their side and turned the wind to ensure their victory. Englishmen quoted Psalm 147 constantly- it was even printed on coins and medals after their success- “He makes His wind blow and the waters flow”. God’s power is infinite, as is His love for His people.

As you read through the Psalm, look for the contrast of our weaknesses and God’s mighty strength.

  Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
    for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
    he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
    his understanding is beyond measure.
The Lord lifts up the humble;
    he casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
    make melody to our God on the lyre!

*God gathers us to Himself as His children and in our specific ailments He heals us. This is amazing when you read the next line which shows He knows the number of billions of stars and has named them all- yet He cares for our individual hurts. God is infinitely powerful and also infinitely loving.

He covers the heavens with clouds;
    he prepares rain for the earth;
    he makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the beasts their food,
    and to the young ravens that cry.

*God gives food to the beasts and the raven who cries- why are ravens mentioned so specifically when the more general word ‘beasts’ comes before? Ravens were deemed unclean to eat in the time period- they were the outcast of the animal world, and were a nuisance to people yet God feeds them just like other animals. He provides for the most ridiculed outcast.
   
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
    in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
    he blesses your children within you.
He makes peace in your borders;
    he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.
    He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
    who can stand before his cold?
 He sends out his word, and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,
    his statutes and rules to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!

*This portion literally lists God’s gifts- He strengthens you, He blesses you, He gives you peace, He provides for you. And then, my favorite part of this Psalm- the beauty of “He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes, He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.” Isn’t the word picture here beautiful?

Have you ever felt scared during an especially harsh ice storm in winter? I know in Boone there were many times I could not rely on my skill to get somewhere- I prayed for God to steady my hands and heart. The reality of me being very small and weak was clear on days the wind howled and ice was literally hurled from the sky. But then- He sends word and melts the ice and snow. In our times of panic, fear, weakness, with a word God can rescue us.

God’s rescuing and healing does not always look the way we want it to however. His plan is not made in order to make us happy or comfortable. His plan is to bring the nations to Himself. When we went through the months of consistently hearing nothing had changed with our baby and that we would lose him, we could’ve lamented that God wasn’t rescuing us, or our baby. That He wasn’t healing. But God did so much more- He brought us (and many others through Hayden) into a closer, more intimate relationship with Himself. He more than healed my baby boy- He allowed Hayden to never know human sorrow or misery or pain- but to only know love, and to go from living to being fully alive with Christ.

In his book “The Pleasures of God,” John Piper says “Surely it is because our fear reflects the greatness of his power and our hope reflects the bounty of his grace.” Our fear of God and our hope in God reveals His glory.

Lord, may we praise You in our joy-filled days and in our grief-stricken days. Thank You that You provide, bless, love, and protect us. May we not fear the unknown or the hard circumstances we go through but instead pray we use it as You ask- to point others toward Your holiness and to reveal Your glory. We long to know You more, serve You more, and to be more like You.
Amen.

Psalm 139: You Are Not Alone {God is With Us Always}

by Jamie Gunter

First, forgive me- things are about to get a little heavy here. If you don’t mind, I’m pretending you, precious reader, are taking my hand and trekking through the muck with me…

There is an ache that many of us have endured that perhaps we didn’t even know how to name. I would argue that all of us have gone through a season where we’ve suffered from this pain- I would name this affliction the longing to BE KNOWN. It’s sneaky, selfish, and life altering. We desire for others to see us, hear us, love us, want us, and to truly know us. We want friends with inside jokes, spouses who finish our sentences, and pets that do everything we tell them. 

But, sometimes we don’t have them. We are in despair because we are alone. And what is being alone? It is not being known. Being forgotten. 

Ok friend- here is where I tell you the good news…. Just kidding, not yet. But it’s coming. 

My story with Psalm 139: (and how it relates to loneliness…)

I lost my first baby boy when he was five days old. We knew we would lose him for my entire pregnancy. This was the saddest, most desperate, anguishing season of my life thus far. And I was lonely. People were swarming around us doing everything they possibly could after he died but there is a loneliness in the death of a child. You feel thrown into a pit of despair with your misery shoveled on top, suffocating you. 

But, God. He was there too. (Here’s the hopeful part…) It was the most excruciating time, but never have I felt God so tangibly by my side. He refused to leave me. In the time I desperately needed someone to know me, my grief, my pain, my constant heart’s cry- He reminded me. “I know you.” He witnessed the death of His Son. He knew my pain, my misery, my anguish. 

To the 139th Psalm I went, clinging to God’s promise to always be with me. I turned there to be reminded of the ways God treasures me, but found so much more. Not only does God fully know me but- get ready for it- He knows ALL THINGS. Not only that, but He taught me that this Psalm wasn’t really so much about me after all- it’s about Him. Any goodness in me reflects the One who is GOOD. It is about God being giving, loving, powerful, and wise. What mercy and grace is displayed in His knowing His children in such an intimate way. I am so grateful. Called the “Crown of the Psalms,” David’s beautiful song is a reminder of God’s omniscience (He knows everything), omnipresence (He is everywhere), and omnipotence (He can do anything).

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

    you discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down

    and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

You hem me in, behind and before,

    and lay your hand upon me.

   Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

    it is high; I cannot attain it.

The above verses tell us that God is all-knowing- He knows every thought, action, and emotion we have had and will have. He has “hemmed us in, behind and before” meaning He knows our beginning, our end, and hold us in His hand in the here and now. A picture of His love for His children.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?

    Or where shall I flee from your presence?

    If I ascend to heaven, you are there!

    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

 If I take the wings of the morning

    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me,

    and your right hand shall hold me.

God is everywhere. When David writes if I “ascend to heaven” he means God is there if we go up. “Make my bed in sheol” would be the grave, which is down. If I take the wings of the morning” would be where the sun rises, in the east and “dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea” would be west, the direction the sea would have been for David as he is writing in Israel. God’s hand does not leave you no matter, He holds you in the strength of His right hand. 

 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,

    and the light about me be night,”

even the darkness is not dark to you;

    the night is bright as the day,

    for darkness is as light with you.

This. This is soul stirring for me- as humans we will have the darkness of misery cover us, the grief of losing those we love- painful, excruciating circumstances but though we are blinded momentarily by our suffering, God is our light. He can do absolutely anything. What seems to be dark is actually covered in the brilliance of God’s light because He spoke it into being for His glory, to fit into His perfect plan. And if it is not good to us, it is still good because God is infinitely good.

For you formed my inward parts;

    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

    my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

    the days that were formed for me,

    when as yet there was none of them.

God has written our story from our conception to our death and knows what lies on every page throughout the life we live. There is the picture of God’s greatness, His holiness and sovereignty here. His works are great, nothing is hidden from Him, and His eyes see us- all of us, every thought, action, good and bad from the beginning. And He still sent His son to die for us. 

 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

    How vast is the sum of them!

If I would count them, they are more than the sand.

    I awake, and I am still with you.

God’s knowledge, wisdom, his thoughts are too vast for us to understand

Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!

    O men of blood, depart from me!

They speak against you with malicious intent;

    your enemies take your name in vain.

Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?

    And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?

I hate them with complete hatred;

    I count them my enemies.

An emotional cry from David that comes, I believe, from his devotion to God. A plea that God would crush His enemies and a promise of devotion. David hates what God hates and desires to love what God loves. (Idea partly taken from John Calvin’s Commentary)

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

    Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

    and lead me in the way everlasting!

A prayer:

God we pray You search our hearts and wipe away any evil, any sin, any thought, action, or emotion unpleasing to You. May we reflect Your love, Your grace, Your truth, Your holiness. May we be a light and a city on a hill.

Friend, when you feel alone, when something happens in your life that throws you and the winds of change blow, remember you are not alone, friend. You are fully and intimately known by the God of the Universe. Not only is He a good God, a holy God, a loving God, but He is GOODNESS, He is HOLINESS, He is LOVE. This is the One who will never leave you. We are in the best of hands.

For a beautiful version of Psalm 139 by MercyMe:

And congratulations, Jenny Shank! You won our subscriber contest from last week!

Psalm 119: Dust Off Your Bible {God's Word is Precious}

by Hannah Clements

I am secretly a lover of fun facts. Here are a few fun facts about the Word of God (from this neat website):

1.     Over 100 million copies of the Bible are sold each year. In fact, it is the best-selling book in history.

2.  The full Bible has been translated into 532 languages. It has been partially translated into 2,883 languages.

3.     The longest word in the Bible is “Mahershalalhashbaz" (Isaiah 8:3). (Try saying that out loud three times fast.)

4.     The top 3 highlighted books of all time on Kindle are 1) The Holy Bible by Crossway Bibles, 2) Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, and 3) The Hunger Games.

5.   The Bible is the most commonly stolen book in the world, most likely because it is so available in hotel rooms and places of worship.

Fun huh? Here are some scriptural facts to go along with these above.

1.     All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16

2.      For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12

All that to say, the Bible is pretty precious, a precious tool. For many of us, it is easily accessible – as easy as a click of a button on our phones or a quick look on the bookshelf. In my house, we own at least 6 Bibles. Often times, our access to the scriptures is taken for granted. For just a second, stop to remember that the Bible is not readily accessible in many countries around the world. If fact, owning a Bible can result in prison-time, torture, and even death. Many people search and wait for years to own a portion of the Bible. This is not meant to guilt you or I in to reading, but to remind you of the precious gift you have access to.

Psalm 119 is a beautiful reminder of how precious scripture is. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. It is scripture about scripture. More fun facts: Psalm 119 is divided in to 22 sections. Each section starting with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 119 was written to be sung and memorized in its entirety (whoa!). Psalm 119 continually proclaims the reverence and sovereignty of the Word of God. IT IS VALUABLE TO US (Psalm 119:72).  At some point today, grab yourself a cup of coffee, tea or your drink of choice and settle in for the reading of Psalm 119.

In your reading you will find:

·       Following God’s Word leads to Joy (119:1&2)

·       Knowing God’s Word helps us to obey (119:11&61)

·       God’s Word gives wisdom (119:24&98)

·       God’s Word revives and encourages us at our lowest (119:25,28 &50)

·       Hope (119:43&114)

·       Through His Word you will find Freedom (119:45)

·       Comfort in all our troubles (119:50&52)

·       His Word remains true (119:91, 151 &160)

·       Sweetness (119:103)

·       Guidance and light (119:105&130, 133)

·       Treasure (119:111&162)

·       A hiding place (119:114)

·       Loving God’s Word leads to peace (119:165)

Psalm 119 is full of praise for the scriptures and prayers for understanding, and prayers that God would give eagerness to read the scriptures. I don’t know about you, but Psalm 119 makes me want to go dust off the ol’ Bible. (I am sure I am not the only one whose Bible has ever been a little dusty). Psalm 119 points to the reviving power of the scriptures. The writer of these psalms knows the power of God’s Word yet the writer still has to pray that God would give an eagerness to read, that God would help the writer obey the instructions, and that there would be understanding when reading the Word. Maybe you can relate. Has your Bible been a little dusty lately? Have you lost your eagerness to read and study? Have you ever felt like you don’t understand what you are reading? You are in good company. Don’t be ashamed of these things. Rather admit that you could use some help (can’t we all) and join the writer of these psalms in praying for an eagerness to read and understand.

Not only has reading the Word been on my heart, but so has the prompting to memorize scripture. I have John 3:16 on lock, but I could certainly spend a little more time committing some others to memory. The recall of scripture to our minds is such a powerful tool to use against worry, anxiety, and any negative thoughts. Memorized scripture also serves as powerful prayers over our circumstances or over our loved ones. I challenge us to spend more time in the Bible and more time memorizing scripture. Isaiah 55:11 says that His word always produces fruit. Our reading and memorization will be fruitful.

Dear Lord,

We praise you for your Word. It is a gift to us. You Word is true. It is sweet. And It brings hope, freedom, peace and joy. God give us a desire to read and follow your Word. Help us to understand it, to know it and to share it.

Amen.

To put these things in to practice, I wanted to share a few resources with you:

For going deeper in Psalm 119 – A church of several of my dear friends, Exodus Church in Belmont, NC, is going through Psalm 119. Tune in to hear sermons here -https://theexoduschurch.org/sermon-series/psalm-119-volume-one/

Also from Exodus Church – Psalm 119 in Music form! Click here for a FREE download - https://theexoduschurch.org/music/

(Beautiful) Resources for putting scripture to memory here – https://shop.wellwateredwomen.com/collections/journals/products/word-before-world-memory-journal

I recently picked up the “Open Your Bible” study by Rachel Myers and Amanda Bible Willams of She Reads Truth because I needed a little accountability and direction lately in opening my Bible. I am really liking it so far and think you will to. - https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/open-your-bible-bible-study-book-P005757875

Finally, I crafted a set of 6 watercolor verse cards from Psalms. I want to give them away to one of you. Use them to memorize scripture, post them around your house, or mail one to a friend for encouragement. Enter to win by subscribing to Create In Us Collective! Over on the right enter your e-mail address under the Join Our Tribe section. (If you're on your phone scroll to the bottom and click "view in web browser"). Our winner will be announced on the blog next week!

Psalm 100: Serve Him Well {The God Who Doesn't Need Us But Wants Us}

by Kayla Cook

Somewhere in a box in a closet (or maybe in an attic or a garage) in a small town in North Carolina is a cassette tape. On this cassette tape is a recording of a very confident, very southern 6 year old, reciting Psalm 100. That very confident, very southern 6 year old was me. It's a recording of one of the first scriptures I ever remember learning.



I have clear memories of my first grade teacher, who I absolutely adored, pressing record, telling me to speak slowly and clearly, and there I went, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness..." For the record, I had absolutely no idea what the King James "all ye lands" meant, but I could totally get down with making a joyful noise and serving with gladness.



Let's look at Psalm 100. In the King James, it's titled "A Psalm of praise." In the NIV, it's titled "A psalm.  For giving grateful praise." In the ESV, which I'm using today, it's titled "His Steadfast Love Endures Forever: A Psalm for giving thanks." Read it here:

1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD,

all the earth!

2 Serve the LORD with gladness! 

Come into his presence with singing!

3 Know that the LORD, he is God!

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!

5 For the LORD is good;

his steadfast love endures forever,

and his faithfulness to all generations.



Full disclosure: it may be summertime, but the livin' ain't easy right now. I'm navigating some things, both external and in my own soul, that are just plain hard. There have been very recent times that I have been angry and sad. I have said, even and sometimes only to God, "it's not fair!" And the reality is, it's not fair. (Holy Spirit has reminded me that also not fair was Jesus going to the cross in my place...) I want you to know that I'm not writing this from a place where I feel like making a joyful noise. I've felt that before, and I know I will again, but it isn't today, and that's okay. My feelings aside, there are some things I want us to know about Psalm 100, verse by verse.



verse 1: "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!" 

This isn't a suggestion- it's a command. For all of us. The verb "make" tells us this is something we have to consciously do, and if you're on this planet, this command is for you. This includes the parts of the earth that tell of God's beauty, and it includes the parts of the earth that tell so clearly of the fall. All means all, and we're all to make a joyful noise.



verse 2:  "Serve the Lord with gladness!  Come into his presence with singing!"

There is a reason we begin our church services with music- it's a biblical command to "come into his presence with singing!" We are commanded to serve with gladness, not with grumpiness. When it came to household chores or any undesirable task, my mom used to tell us as kids, "Do it with a loving heart." We rolled our eyes at the time, and we sometimes joke about "the loving heart" as adults, but my mom was teaching us about serving with gladness. We are commanded to serve with gladness, not grumpiness, because y'all, we get to. We get to serve him. God doesn't need me- the Kingdom and the power and the glory are already his- and yet, his banner over me is love.  He invites me to be a part of what he is doing, and I get to say yes. Loving as he is, he lets us choose, knowing full well we won't always choose right. But by his grace, we can choose more and more correctly. We can choose to serve Him, and we can choose to do it with gladness.



verse 3:  "Know that the Lord, he is God!  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture."

To me, this short verse speaks of so many things. First, it speaks of God's sovereignty- He alone is over everything, and we are not actually over anything. He is the author and perfecter (Hebrews 12:2), which means I don't have to write my own story. It also means He may include some things I would like to skip, but He alone is God.

This verse also speaks of God making us, and if He made us, there are some things we can know about ourselves.

-He made us in His own image, and He called His creation of mankind "very good" (Genesis 1:26, 31). The people around us are also His image bearers, and should be treated as such.

-His works are wonderful (Psalm 139) and a masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10).

-No matter who else forgets us, He will not forget- He has engraved His people on the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:15-16). 

This verse also reminds us we are the sheep of His pasture. Jesus is the good shepherd (John 10:11), and He tenderly cares for us, friends (Isaiah 40:11). We can rest in His personal care. 



Also, this is completely a side note but I feel like someone reading this needs to hear this. My fellow Collective writer Jennifer Smith said this when she spoke at a women's conference this past fall, and I have carried it with me ever since.  She said, "God didn't make you to hate you."

Boom. I also feel so compelled to add:

You're a part of the "all people" in Luke 2:10, and you're a part of "the world" that God SO loved and the "whosoever" in John 3:16.  He loves you so and wants to give you eternal life.  Jesus wants you to have it- He came so you could have life, and have it in the fullest possible way (John 10:10), and He died so you wouldn't have to be separated from God anymore. Go re-read that bit about His creation being very good and His works being wonderful and a masterpiece. Those aren't my words trying to make you feel good, those are the very Word of God, and it never returns void (Isaiah 55:11).

Back to our regularly scheduled psalm...



verse 4:  "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!  Give thanks to him; bless his name!"

I don't know if my parents explicitly taught me this or if I just picked it up from listening to them pray, but I begin my prayers with a simple "thank You."  I actually usually start with the phrase "thank You for today." I fully believe that we can bring our thoughts and feelings to God, and I trust that He wants me to tell Him what I need (Philippians 4:6).  Let's bring our thanks for what He has already done before we start rattling off a list of needs, even when, perhaps especially when, our needs are great.  I say this because (just like everything God does, because He's so loving like this) it's not just for His glory, but it's for our benefit!  It is good for me to say thank you, because it makes me remember all the ways He's already been faithful.  Remember that time I told you that the best predictor of what God is going to do is what God has already done?  Saying "thank you" helps me recount those things He's already done, those prayers He has already answered, those ways He's shown Himself good and faithful.  He gets the glory, and He uses it for my good, building my confidence in Him.



verse 5:  "For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations."

All those things I've told you about in verses 1-4?  Serving with gladness, acknowledging His sovereignty and living under His protection, giving thanks and praise?  They are ways we get to experience the goodness of God. His faithful love lasts forever. For. Ev. Er. He's faithful to all generations- to my grandparents, and to my tiny daughter. This part is so important to me, because even though I say I trust God, and even though I want to trust God, the reality is I have to continually return to Him by His help and His grace. I have to continually return because I worry about my people- my husband and my child and my grandparents and my parents and my siblings and my nephew. Four generations I just listed, and I choose to trust Him when He says He is faithful to all of us and beyond. He loves me and mine, and He loves you and yours, with a love that never, ever ends. He is good. 



Father, thank You for today.  Thank you for your Word, and that it always achieves Your purposes.  We praise You for your goodness, for your always and forever love. Help us serve you with gladness, from a place of love for You and not as an act of striving or as a way to try to earn Your love, which You give us so freely. Forgive us when we forget that it's something we get to do, not something you make us do, and forgive us when we make it about us when it's all about You, Jesus. Help us choose wisely; help us choose You. Lord, may it be so.

Psalm 91: When I’m Scared {God is My Protector}

By Jennifer Smith

Painted in my bible beside Psalm 91 are a glittery pair of angel wings. The wings are open in a position of strength and assurance and protection. After reading this passage a few years ago this picture, to my mind, most accurately represented Psalm 91 - the Psalm of Protection.

This Psalm is famous for its strong and reassuring language of God’s protection over those “who love Him” and “know His Name”. Soldiers carry a copy of this Psalm in their uniforms and in many Western cultures children are taught to recite this Psalm before bed. It is sung at funerals. And exorcisms. (Isn’t new knowledge fun?!)

The writer of the Psalm isn’t explicitly stated, but like many of the previous Psalms we’ve studied this summer it is attributed to David, a man who knew the power and sheer importance of having God’s physical protection. But as much as this Psalm describes physical protection - it’s about so much more than that. It’s about a protection of far greater importance:

Spiritual protection.

Here’s our Psalm for today:

Psalm 91
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”



We’re going to break up our reading into sections, so follow along with me:

Verses 1-2. Living with God, choosing to walk with Him, abiding with Him day to day offers amazing spiritual protection. My nearness to Him keeps my mind and my heart set on God’s will and God’s ways. When I live with God I speak and say, “I trust you. You are like a castle built around my heart with sentries guarding every door and window.” Rest, child. God is watching over you.

Verses 3-6. This is where we get to the bird analogy. And if you know me and my affinity for song birds in the wild (Not in my house. People, please.), you’ll know I find this language powerful. These verses tell me God will act as a protector keeping us from any enemy: those who mean to harm us, hurt us, scare us, destroy us. It says His faithfulness will act as our shield. Not our faithfulness to Him, but His to us. My human faithfulness is faulty at best, but God’s faithfulness is at worst, perfect.

Verses 7-9. If we keep abiding with the Lord, we’ll be safe. Those who refuse to keep Him in their hearts won’t share in this blessing of protection. These verses say that thousands may fall on either side of you. There are many engaged in the very same battles as you, but because you have made God your home, what may hurt them will not touch you. Abiding with and trusting in the Lord gives you a grace-filled advantage when facing fear and hurt.

Verses 11-13. God loves us so much He has charged His angels with our protection. That bumper sticker that says, “Don’t drive faster than your angel can fly”? Yeah, that’s a real thing. God has given His angels the task of caring for us. He’s also given us access to His own incredible strength and power. We will be able to stand in that power and strength against those who come after us, like Satan. (In fact Satan quoted this section of Psalm 91 to Jesus while trying to tempt Jesus in the desert. You know there’s power in a verse when Satan tries to use it against Jesus and those who love Him!)

Verses 14-16. Here’s the crux of all of it, friend. Right here in these final verses. When I call to God, in love and in trust and in friendship He will do four things:

He will be with us. (When God is standing beside us, what can harm us?)
He will rescue us. (He will pull us away from danger.)
He will honor us. (He has given us a place of honor because He sees us clothed in the redemption of Jesus.)
He will satisfy us. (In Him, we have everything we could ever need or want.)

When I first read this Psalm and painted those angel wings all those years ago I would have never realized that one day I would live these verses. There was a period in my life where I clung to these words like a raft on an open sea. A situation in my family gave me cause for great fear and I sailed on uncertain waters for about two years. But I used this Psalm and I clung daily to my Savior, saying over and over to Him, “I trust you, Jesus.”

And I was delivered. I was kept and I was hidden and I was sheltered. I definitely came out of the situation worse for the wear and I went through some incredibly scary and painful days, but those days ended. And, after all was said and done, I had actually been given the greatest gift of my life- the knowledge that being fully dependent on God and not on myself is the safest place to be. Had I not been in a situation where the outcome was unequivocally and completely out of my control I would have never been given the real life experience that God is faithful and true to those who call on His Name. 

This Psalm doesn’t promise we won’t walk through horrible things. In fact, quite the opposite! This Psalm tells us scary things will happen. We will be attacked. We will fight intense battles. Satan will try to ensnare us. But this Psalm also promises we will never be alone. When we call out to God He will be with us with all His faithfulness and gracious goodness.

If you find yourself in a season of fear and you are in need of protection, lean in and listen. God is with you. He will not leave you. His angels are charged to watch over you, for heaven’s sake! Stay close to Him in prayer and tell Him you trust Him (and here’s the kicker: actually mean it!).

It is my great prayer that the next time fear and uncertainty come to our door we will stand brave and whisper over and over until the storm passes, “I trust you, Jesus.”

Psalm 51: God Doesn't Want Our Sunday Best. {He Wants Our Broken Mess.}

Hey Friends, Hannah here to bring you week 7 of Summer in the Psalms. A little behind the scenes before we dive in to this week’s Psalm. When Andrea suggested we do Psalms throughout the summer, it was an immediate “yes!” from me. You see, last summer I read through the Psalms and it rocked my world! I love the Psalms because they are completely relatable – with every range of emotion present in the writings. One of many lessons learned while reading – bring your every emotion to God, every doubt, question, or celebration – bring it to Him! I am so excited that you are reading along with us. I do challenge you to read through Psalms in its entirety. I firmly believe you will never be the same because scripture is like that.


Ok let’s get going! This week we dive in to Psalms 51. To be completely honest, I somewhat was voluntold to do this one. It wasn’t my original plan, but I have enjoyed picking it apart. It is rich and deep. Psalm 51 is likely familiar to you. Familiar or not – stop right now, pull out your Bible or your phone, and read through its entirety.

Now that you have read (I am trusting you on this), a little back ground for you. Psalm 51 was written by David after coming to terms with his sin. 2 Samuel 11&12:1-24 is what is happening prior and during his writing of this Psalm. 2 Samuel is action packed and full of drama. So much so that 2 Samuel 11 starts with an affair and ends with murder. A quick run-down – David is chilling on the roof, spots Bathsheba, calls for her, has sex with her and she gets pregnant. Bathsheba is married to Uriah who is off fighting in the war. David tries to cover his tracks and “right his wrongs” by calling for Uriah to come home and encourages him to “go to his wife” (if you know what I am saying!). Uriah being the loyal soldier he is, won’t do it. Even after David takes a step forward and gets Uriah drunk he still won’t go home. So, what else is David to do but arrange the death of Uriah by putting him on the frontline. (Quick lesson here: we can’t right our own wrongs.)

According to commentary, David sits in his sin without repenting for a good amount of time. Several months pass – maybe even a year, and David has not confessed and repented of his sins to God. So, the Lord sent Nathan to speak truth and to help point David back to his first love – thus we get Psalm 51 – David’s repentance and reconciliation to God.

There is so much here for us – promises of reconciliation, unfailing love, great compassion and overwhelming grace. But for my sanity, I want to focus on three points.

1.      We can be clean.

We are all sinners in this world (Romans 3:23). The only exception is Jesus Christ. None of us better than the other, all dirty on our own accord. But the good news, the Gospel, is that we are forgiven from our sin. True repentance, confessing and turning from our sin, results in unfailing love and compassion from the Good Father.  God meets our sin with overwhelming grace. So much so that we don’t have to wear our scarlet letter or carry the guilt of our sin like a heavy load of dirty clothes. Not only does he forgive us but Hebrews 8:12 says “For I will forgive their wickedness and I will never again remember their sins.” If you have never confessed your sin and taken this step in becoming a believer in Jesus or you like David have been hiding in shadow of your sin for a season, follow David’s lead in Psalm 51:7 and pray “Purify me from my sins and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Dear friend, confess your sins and then walk as someone covered in righteousness of Jesus Christ not as someone cast down in shame.

2.      Be the Nathan to your David.

As believers, we are called to repentance, but we are also called point others to Jesus with our words and our actions. Sometimes that means we bring to light the sin in the lives of our people. However, before we do that, we need to get ourselves together. Matthew 7:3-7 says “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of the log in your own eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrites! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” Go get yo’ self together by repenting first (see point #1). Then at the Lord’s direction and only at the Lord’s direction, speak truth to your friend. Don’t be afraid to step on their toes, but most of all remind them of the grace and forgiveness that is given in place of their sin. After Nathan and David’s conversation, David was immediately convicted and turned from his sin. It is important to note that it took some time before David repented prior to this conversation. Being the Nathan to our David, doesn’t mean that our friends will automatically come back to God. Sometimes it means that we have a conversation and/or pray and believe God’s promises for them, waiting for their reconciliation. Don’t give up hope.

On a personal note, I hate confrontation. Being a Nathan stresses me out. There have been times in my life that I felt the Lord calling me to be a Nathan and I didn’t listen. I was fearful of burning a bridge and loosing a friend so I didn’t. Guess what, I lost the friend anyways. Moral of the story, be obedient no matter what the price, friends.

3.      God doesn’t want our Sunday best. He wants our broken mess.

We will wrap up here with my favorite point of the post. I have come to terms that I am a lot messy and broken both literally (I type this with a broken foot) and figuratively. But I find so much hope in Psalm 51:17. It says “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” God doesn’t want us to clean up first before we come to Him. Get this, He already knows our biggest and darkest secrets, our most shameful moments, and our messy past. We don’t have to hide from Him. He wants us to come just as we are. The sacrifice he wants from us is our actual mess. God wants you and your sin, you and your anger, you and your broken heart, you and all your ugly. You don’t have to dress up to come to the throne. Bring it all. You won’t be rejected. In fact, not only will you be welcomed but your brokenness will be traded for beauty because of Jesus.

Dear Lord,


Thank you for mercy, grace and forgiveness. Help us to turn from our sin, point others to Jesus and to bring every part of our broken lives to you. You are the God of restoration and healing. We believe in you for that today.

Amen.

For continued worship -

Psalm 40: Know Your Need {The God of Our Every Moment}

by Andrea Noles

Here we are, smack dab in the middle of summer.
Beaches are covered, sprinklers are on go, and all the fireworks have been let off (well, most)!

So how are you?
How’s your soul?
How’s your mind?
What is God teaching you?

Well, that surely was intrusive.
But, sometimes I just like to cut to the chase.
Sometimes I can’t stand all the small talk we humans do and I just want to ask questions that matter.

Anyone else ever feel this way?
I have a few friends in my life that are the best question askers. I could sit for hours and talk the day away.

So let’s talk dear friend.
Can we put on the brakes for a bit and assess our summer selves?
I found this fun little Fruit of the Spirit quiz @
http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/quiz/fruit-of-the-spirit.aspx?ec=1
Click on over and check in with yourself. It’s a simple 10 question test.

I hope you took it!

I loved some of the questions!
“What time of day is your favorite?”
“Where is your favorite place to pray?”

But I felt like they missed an important question that matters in the life of a believer.

“Are you poor and needy?”

Poor and needy?
Isn’t this Christian life abundant and joyful? Aren’t we called to serve and work?

This one question brings me back to the root of any fruit that is developing in my summer soul.
Because Jesus calls us to be poor in spirit. He expects us to need Him in all circumstances.
We were never meant to do our summer life alone.

Psalm 40 is our next chapter featured in our series and I think it’s the perfect mid-way point for summer.
Here we find David, pointing all things back to God. Telling the story of how God drew him from the pit of destruction and set his feet upon the rock. He tells of a new song in his mouth.

David is not the best at hiding his emotions, which really helps this girl on the other side of the Old Testament.
He is the writer who reminds me that he’s been there too. He has felt afraid, anxious, and depressed.

David is poor and needy and he tells us this in Psalm 40 because we need to be needy too.

We need to remember to call on Jesus when life is good and when life is hard.
We have to remember Him when the Cheerios get thrown all over the floor, or when we are running late, or while we are waiting in 5:00 traffic.
Here’s what I want you to remember tonight…

You need Him.

God’s not gonna write out your grocery list. But, He can remind you to be thankful when the last thing you want to do is go to the grocery store.

God’s not gonna discipline your child. But He can remind you of your own sin and depravity the next time your kid does something to drive you crazy.

God’s not gonna budget your money and do your taxes. But He can help develop a more disciplined lifestyle and give you wisdom to make wise financial decisions.

God wants you to need Him. He already knows your need, but He’s looking for a heart to listen.
So stop and tell Him and then watch Him work His good over your life.

Will you pray this prayer with me tonight?

Father, I wait patiently for you. Hear my cry tonight. Set my feet upon a rock and make my steps secure. Put a new song in my mouth. I delight to do Your will and will faithfully share of Your goodness. I am poor and needy. 

Amen

Psalm 34: Teaching Them To Taste {God is Good}

By Andrea Noles


I’m always looking for a lesson. Maybe it’s the teacher in me, but I always hear this whisper inside asking, “What can you learn here, Andrea?”

Maybe it’s more than the mere fact that I am a teacher by trade. Maybe it has something to do with “The Teacher” in me, as in the Holy Spirit. One thing I’ve learned for sure is when you are raising kids, you are constantly teaching and learning.

Right now I am teaching my one year old what to eat and what not to eat.
Most days I say things like, “Yummy cucumber, chew it up and put it in your belly.”
Or, “No buddy, you can’t eat that marker.”
Needless to say it’s normal and necessary for a one year old to put everything in his mouth.
He wants to experience it all.
But I can’t let him eat markers and dirt, and plastic. I have to teach him what to taste.

To taste is to experience the sensation of flavor. 
A man named David knew a little bit about “tasting” in a spiritual sense.
His writings throughout the book of Psalms are windows into his heart and mind. They are merely Gospel glimpses of what life with Jesus is like. Even though he never met Jesus. His heart was stirred up by the Holiness of God and he wrote all about it in Psalm 34.

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
David is saying, “When you bless the Lord and carry words of worship in your mouth, you’ll taste the Christian life.”

“My soul makes its boast in the Lord, let the humble hear and be glad.”
Here he is shouting, “The only credit I can give is to my Father and when I do that, others will see and taste His goodness.”

“Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.”
This is David’s invitation. “Let’s make God the most important part of our lives. Let’s make his name known.”

The next few verses go on to tell us about David’s deliverance from his fears and the radiance of those who seek God’s face.

In verse 8 he commands us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.”

Isn’t it so hard, y’all?
The day in and day out grind of life can get the best of us, and tasting the goodness of the Lord is sometimes the last thing we think about.
Hustle, hurry, move, get it done. This way of living is so easy to slip into.

The Holy Spirit in me moves me to the slow life.
To slowly prepare my lunch. To look a little longer into the eyes of a stranger. To sweep my floor for the 19th time, with a thankful heart.

Some days I think I just chew up all the goodness and quickly swallow. I forget to taste how good this life really is. I forget about Jesus.

Friends, what we really need most is to REMEMBER.
We are forgetful people. We forget why we are here. We forget the Gospel, and because of this, we miss out on moments the Holy Spirit wants to engage with us. He wants to be our teacher. And like all master teachers, he will teach us to taste.

One of my favorite parts of my job as a literacy teacher is showing my kids how to taste stories. To go beyond the lines on the page and ask questions that engage their mind. I want them to walk in the shoes of the characters and feel what they feel.

Maybe if I can teach them to love books, then one day they will fall in love with the Creator of the Greatest Story? Maybe they will accept David’s invitation to taste and see that the Lord is good? Maybe my readers will be future gospel teachers and disciples of all nations? Some days I think about these things as we are segmenting sounds in words and using our best voices to read with expression.

Let’s start remembering…
To taste and to see the Greatest Story we know.

We can start this simple practice by seeing needs around us.

The woman who needs a hand at the grocery store.
The man who just lost his wife and sits alone most days.
The mom who just wants to talk because she’s been home with her kids all day.
The little boy who just wants to eat dirt.
The difficult person in your life who may need you more than you know.

Let’s put down the dirt, the markers, and the plastic food and really taste this Christian life.
Rise up early, read the Word, journal your thoughts, and all the people you say you’ll pray for, really pray. They need more than the praying hands emoji.

You will surely be radiant, dear friend. Now go make the Gospel beautiful.