Burunche’s Blog

The LORD Is My Rock (2 Samuel 22:1-51)

For the choirmaster. Of David the servant of the LORD, who sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

He said: “I love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, 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. The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me. The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD and I cried to my God for help.

From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears. Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger. Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; glowing coals flamed forth. He parted the heavens and came down with dark clouds under His feet. He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness His hiding place, and storm clouds a canopy around Him. From the brightness of His presence, His clouds advanced— hailstones and coals of fire.

The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded—hailstones and coals of fire. He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them. The channels of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were exposed, at Your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. He reached from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from foes too mighty for me. They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support.

He brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me. The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands. For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His ordinances are before me; I have not disregarded His statutes. And I have been blameless before Him and kept myself from iniquity. So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, to the blameless You show Yourself blameless; to the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd. For You save an afflicted people, but You humble those with haughty eyes.

For You, O LORD, light my lamp; my God enlightens my darkness. For in You I can charge an army,

and with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.

He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way clear. He makes my feet like those of a deer and stations me upon the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me Your shield of salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your gentleness exalts me. You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not give way.

I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back until they were consumed. I crushed them so they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet. You have armed me with strength for battle; You have subdued my foes beneath me. You have made my enemies retreat before me;

I put an end to those who hated me. They cried for help, but there was no one to save them— to the LORD, but He did not answer. I ground them as dust in the face of the wind; I trampled them like mud in the streets.

You have delivered me from the strife of the people; You have made me the head of nations; a people I had not known shall serve me. When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me. Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their strongholds. The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock! And may the God of my salvation be exalted—the God who avenges me and subdues nations beneath me, who delivers me from my enemies. You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men.

Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name. Great salvation He brings to His king. He shows loving devotion to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”

God has delivered David, and David is beyond thrilled and exhilarated! ”I love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, 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.” There are many songs of triumph in the Bible, for example, the Song of Deborah in Judges 5:2-31. But for sheer joy and detailed description of God’s awesome power, it’s hard to top Psalm 18. As the introduction states, God has delivered David from Saul and from all of his other enemies, and David is over the moon!

”The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me. The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD and I cried to my God for help.” David has really thought he would die at any moment. At one point, David was on one side of a huge rock while Saul and his warriors were on the other side. Just as Saul was about to catch David, a messenger brought word of an attack by a rival nation, forcing Saul to break off the hunt for David and to go protect Israel.   

“He reached from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from foes too mighty for me. They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support.”  “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.” “You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men.

Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.”  David is strutting and gesturing and break dancing and gyrating. “Yo Lord! You the Man!”

APPLICATION: Are you stuck between a rock and a hard place? Has God brought you out of a nasty mess? Are you watching your tormentors run off with their tails between their legs? This psalm is for you! This psalm has given hope to untold numbers of people caught in bad situations and individual verses from this psalm have been used as the basis for large numbers of praise choruses that have inspired millions of people. One such chorus proclaims, “I will call upon the Lord, Who is worthy to be praised! So shall I be saved from my enemies. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock and let the God of my salvation be exalted!”

 No matter how David failed later in life, this psalm remains as a monument to his exuberant faith. David was the last-born son, the runt of the litter, nothing much to look at. David’s father, Jesse, thought so little of him that he routinely sent David out to herd sheep and goats exposing David to attack by lions and bears. Jesse may have thought that he had several other big handsome sons, so if he lost David, no biggie. But out there with the sheep, David had plenty of time to think and compose songs and to forge a tight relationship with God. David also became a sharp-shooter with a slingshot. Although we think of slingshots as toys for little boys, in Bible times, slings were the equivalent of long-range rifles, and being a dead shot with either hand was a major achievement for warriors.

What should you do with this psalm? If you find the length of this psalm a bit much, find the verses that speak the most directly to your current situation. Copy those verses on cards or on your cell phone so you can refer to them whenever necessary, and repeat those verses as many times a day as you can. The more you repeat these verses to yourself, the more meaningful they will become to you, and the more they will speak to you.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to find special messages of love from You in this psalm. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Prayer with Confidence in Final Salvation

A Prayer of David.

“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 [examined]tried me and have found [nothing evil]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.

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 [deliver]save those who trust in You from those who rise up against them.
Keep me as the [pupil]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. 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 their babes.

As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”

David’s life is in crisis once more and he is begging God for deliverance. “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 [examined]tried me and have found [nothing evil]nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.” Face it, many times we can do the right thing and still suffer in doing so. When trouble comes, we must ask ourselves if our cause is just and if our prayers are honest. If God visits us at night when all is quiet and tests us, will we be found righteous? Are we so careful with our statements that we have not said anything that can be held against us?

“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.” If we insist on our own way, we are likely to fail. But if we constantly refer to God’s Word as our guide, we can avoid destructive paths. At the same time, we need God to keep us in the right way so that we do not make fatal mistakes.

“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 [deliver]save those who trust in You from those who rise up against them.” Does God have to be reminded of His responsibilities to us? Absolutely not! But we, on the other hand, need constant reminders of our need for God’s mercy and grace and for his deliverance. Why is David so confident that God will hear his prayer? All those years David has spent herding sheep in the wilderness, he has had to depend on God as his only source of help. As David has protected his father’s flocks from lions and bears, he has been practicing for the day he will face the giant Goliath. Many times we grumble and complain as we endure difficulties, never realizing that God is preparing us for something far greater.

“Keep me as the [pupil]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. 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.” Make no mistake! David’s enemies are very real and extremely dangerous. David is begging God to protect him as if he were the pupil of one of God’s eyes. David’s enemies are lurking in secret places, waiting to see how they can destroy him.

“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 their babes.”  Even as David is pleading for deliverance, he is also wondering why “men of the world” enjoy good fortune and large families to whom they can leave rich inheritances.

“As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” Here David is avowing that when he dies, he will rise out of his mortal body to see God’s face and be reborn in God’s likeness. All believers share this same hope.

APPLICATION: During our missionary careers, we have observed a great deal of suffering. Being falsely accused and misunderstood is one of the most painful experiences anyone can undergo. Many times, we have found ourselves echoing the words of this psalm as we have begged for God’s deliverance. One of the things that has helped us endure has been the examples of patience under pressure that our Ghanaian friends have exhibited. One friend was awarded a trip to Japan, only to have the trip snatched away by a superior, who then manipulated to have our friend’s government appointment terminated. God delivered our friend from that situation, giving him a far better position in a thriving company with great benefits.

But what if we are not delivered? David avows, “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” No matter what life throws at us, if we perpetually honor God, love Him, and serve Him, when we die, we WILL see His face and we WILL awake in His likeness. As I am writing this, a friend’s elderly mother is dying. This wonderful lady came out of an animist background to become a strong Christian. For years, this humble woman has been an inspiration and an encouragement to all around her. Our friend’s heart is breaking; yet, he knows that not only will his mother see God, but he too will join her one day in God’s presence. This assurance is our hope and our future.

God has sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to die for our sins so that those of us who believe in Him will be justified by that blood sacrifice. Flawed as he was, David still functioned as prophet, priest, and king. If you will confess your sins and ask God to forgive you, He will do so freely. Why wait? The Ruler of the Universe wants to be your friend. You will never get a better offer anytime or anywhere.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have sinned and that nothing we can do is good enough to earn our way into Your heaven. Please forgive us our sins and help us to follow You all the days of our lives so that when we die, we will be with You in heaven forever. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Hope of the Faithful, and the Messiah’s Victory

A Michtam of David.

“Preserve [watch over] me, O God, for in You I put my trust. O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.”

As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”

Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take up their names on my lips.

O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You [uphold]maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance. I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol [the abode of the dead], nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Psalm 16 is a favorite because pf the assurance it brings us. “Preserve [watch over] me, O God, for in You I put my trust. All of us long for someone to preserve us and to keep us safe. God is the safest One in whom to put our trust.

“O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.” If God is not taking care of us, what advantage do we have in being good? We fool ourselves if we think that our goodness will save us from calamities.

“O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You [uphold]maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance.”  No matter how much we might inherit through our families, it’s much more important for God to maintain our well-being. Our best inheritance comes from God and not from other people.

“I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.” We might be quite brave during the daytime; however, at night we have nothing to distract us. It is at night when we are forced to face the problems we have been able to ignore during the day. But night is also the time when God can speak to our hearts, comforting us and instructing us.

“I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope.” The key to being centered is to keep the Lord before us at all times. If we continue to look to God, we are far less likely to veer from one extreme to the other.  

“For You will not leave my soul in Sheol [the abode of the dead], nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” Our hope of being with God for eternity does not rest with us but with God.

“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” This verse is both a promise and an affirmation. When we are anxious and upset, we can repeat this verse to ourselves as many times as necessary until its truth sinks into our hearts. God is not promising fleeting pleasures but pleasures forevermore.

APPLICATION: There are some psalms that are short but memorable and that are spiritual treasures. Psalm 16 is one of those psalms. Let’s face it; many times, life is not fair. Workplace situations can become toxic. Friends can betray us. Sometimes our health or the health of our loved ones may fail. But throughout all these problems, God is still on the throne and God remains constant. No matter what kinds of problems we are facing, we can always count on God to strengthen us, to guide us, and to comfort us. We can talk to God, bringing our problems to Him and knowing that He has perfect solutions.

Are you struggling with something right now? Print out Psalm 16 in big print so that you can read it easily and post it where you can easily see it. Carry a copy of it on your cell phone and read it in spare moments. This psalm can bring healing and peace to troubled souls. Try it and see.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to see what a treasure You have given us in this psalm. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Who May Dwell on Your Holy Mountain?

A Psalm of David.

“O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?

He who walks with integrity and practices righteousness, who speaks the truth from his heart, who has no slander on his tongue, who does no harm to his neighbor, who casts no scorn on his friend, who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath, who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things will never be shaken.”

Want to be successful? Check out Psalm 15.

1. Walk with integrity and practice righteousness. Integrity has been defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. Integrity is closely related to the following virtues: honesty, uprightness, probity, rectitude, honor, honorableness, upstandingness, good character, being principled, being ethical and moral, righteousness, morality, nobility, high-mindedness, right-mindedness, noble-mindedness, virtue, decency, fairness, scrupulousness, sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness. Without integrity, we are only cardboard people.
2. Speak the truth from your heart. We have all been lied to as people attempt to manipulate us. In previous generations, being a man or woman of one’s word was one of the highest compliments possible. These days, world leaders have demonstrated a complete lack of respect for truth of any kind. Such examples encourage others to lie as well. But God is a God of truth and justice; God cannot bless liars.
3. Don’t have slander on your tongue. The definition of slander is to make false and damaging statements about someone. We cannot run around spreading rumors and running down people’s reputations and then expect God to bless us.
4. Don’t do harm to your neighbor. Here in Ghana, traditionally people have lived in compounds that might house several families, each occupying one or two rooms per family. In such close situations, it is vitally important for neighbors to get along well. If one family behaves badly toward all the others, the results can be chaotic. Fights may break out, injuring many people. Neighbors should be able to trust one another and help one another. God can’t bless people who are conspiring against those trusting them.
5. Don’t cast scorn on your friends. To cast scorn on someone means to belittle them, undermining their position and trying to build yourself up by running someone else down. Even if you are speaking the truth, you should focus on someone else’s good points and not on their bad points.
6. Despise the vile but honor those who fear the Lord. Psalm 1 warns us to shun the company of evil-doers, lest we begin to copy them. True story: We knew a Ghanaian businessman who was a cheat, a thief, a womanizer and heavily involved in the occult. This man attended church to keep up appearances and perhaps because God was still tugging on his heart. At the end of a church service, we watched as the Men’s Fellowship leader at that church came up to enthusiastically compliment this man on his goodness and generosity. We wondered what the Men’s Fellowship leader expected to gain from the businessman. We also wondered if the Men’s Fellowship leader would greet a poor church member as effusively. 
7. If you have sworn an oath, then stick to it, even if it costs you a great deal to do so. There used to be a saying when someone was avowing that they were speaking the truth, “I’ll swear on a stack of Bibles.” Oaths taken in court used to require the witness to raise their right hand and to place their left hand on the Bible as a sign that they were about to speak the truth and only the truth. To swear on a stack of Bibles would indicate that you were REALLY being truthful. But if you promise something today and refuse tomorrow because keeping your word has become expensive or difficult, your word is worthless.
8. Don’t lend your money with interest. Examine Mosaic Law and you realize that Jews were not supposed to charge other Jews interest, although they could charge interest to people from other nations. This injunction refers to demanding interest from those who should be granted soft loans that they can easily pay back. Since God has given you the money in the first place, it behooves you to be generous with God’s resources.
9. Refuse to take a bribe against the innocent. To accept a bribe is to perjure oneself while harming one’s neighbor as well. How can a holy God bless such behavior?
10.   If you do these things, you will never be shaken or moved. God is the One who establishes us. Psalm 75:6-7 tells us “For exaltation (promotion) comes neither from the east, nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.” Want to be firmly rooted spiritually? Want God to promote you? Do the right thing!

APPLICATION: In one hospital where I worked, I printed off Psalm 15 and posted it on the door of the Administrative Office as a reminder for the office workers. Was this action effective? I’m not sure how much effect it had on others, but it helped remind me of priorities.

As missionaries supported by donations, we must always be aware that the money coming in is God’s money and not ours. We must be good and careful stewards of those funds, praying before disbursing them. The two areas in which we spend the most, apart from our modest living expenses, are school fees for health worker trainees and patient bills. This last year has been brutally difficult for our patients and their families as prices have soared and incomes have plummeted.

During this rainy season, we have had to assist families whose patients require blood or medicines several times a week. For us, the requirements of Psalm 15 have assumed additional importance. Our situation is simple: either we follow Psalm 15 as completely as possible, or we cannot expect God to bring in donations.

Want God’s blessings on your life? Follow Psalm 15.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Father, help us to follow the tenets of Psalm 15 so that our lives will meet your approval. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus

The Fool Says There Is No God (Romans 3:9-20; Psalm 53:1-6)

For the choirmaster. Of David.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. (The Hebrew words rendered fool throughout the Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.)

The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD. There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the company of the righteous. You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed, yet the LORD is their shelter.

Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people,

let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!“

Throughout the world, people worship God in various ways. Most people groups believe in a Supreme Being; however, the attributes of these gods vary. Here David complains about those who deny the existence of God as being morally deficient. Why? Because anyone who denies the existence of God is establishing himself or herself as the god of his/her life and is demonstrating absolute foolishness in the process.

“The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” God is as close as our heart beats, and yet many people refuse to acknowledge Him. In turning away from God, these people leave themselves open to corruption and become increasingly evil.

“Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD. There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the company of the righteous. You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed, yet the LORD is their shelter.” Evil blinds people so that they become progressively worse. The oppressed and vulnerable are the natural prey for evil ones. But God is still on the throne, and God can overwhelm the evil ones with dread.  

“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people,

let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!“ What captive people is David describing? At the time David wrote this psalm, the Israelites were subject to attack from all sides. Although we remember King Saul for his evil deeds, Saul did fight valiantly for Israel against surrounding tribes. Now David is begging God to show Himself mighty and to deliver Israel from all its enemies.

APPLICATION: Thanks to satellite TV, we can get several international channels. There are many programs such as “Unsolved Mysteries” or “Ancient Aliens,” or “The Scariest Night of My Life.” All these programs have one thing in common: They refuse to acknowledge the presence of God and focus on all kinds of bizarre happenings, including occult activities. Highly educated people come on these programs, purporting all kinds of bizarre ideas about visitors from other planets, the lost city of Atlantis, and the religious rituals of ancient people that even involved human sacrifice. But throughout these programs, there is no mention of God; instead, there are all kinds of other weird theories.

Why are these programs so popular? The temptation is the thrill of hidden ancient knowledge that might have nothing to do with God. Such programs hold out the possibility that people can be their own gods without any need for the Lord God of the Universe.

As a child, I was fascinated by archaeology and I also read everything I could about Native Americans and their culture. I understand the appeal of these programs, and I am not rejecting them out of hand. Whether or not you should watch such programs is your choice, but you need to ask yourself why such things fascinate you and their possible spiritual effects. We all have a limited amount of time in our lives. We need to invest that time as wisely as possible. If we focus on media that denies the existence of God, our passion for God will slowly die. Choose wisely!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be wise in our choice of entertainment, including the books we read and the media we watch. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

How Long, O LORD? (Habakkuk 1:1-4)

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

“How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I wrestle in my soul, with sorrow in my heart each day? How long will my enemy dominate me?

Consider me and respond, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death, lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes rejoice when I fall.

But I have trusted in Your loving devotion; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for He has been good to me.”

This short psalm is self-explanatory and the verses speak for themselves. David is crying out to God for relief and encouragement. David’s plight may well be ours as well.

APPLICATION: Live long enough and sooner or later, you will find yourself in a miserable situation with no quick way out. You might have joined an organization with an excellent boss and a positive work environment, only for that boss to leave and for the work environment to become toxic. As your fellow workers continue to migrate to other places with better pay and better working conditions, you wonder if it’s time for you to move also. Sometimes you feel trapped by circumstances; your family might be happily settled in a good community with excellent schools. Should you risk your family’s happiness by changing jobs? And if you change jobs, will the next workplace present similar challenges to those you are facing now?

During my surgical training in the 1970’s, I frequently found myself as the only female or one of a handful of females in a program. In those days, we took call every other night or every third night, spending long periods working in sleep deprivation. Anyone who complained was guilty of wimping out, and we all kept quiet for fear of losing our residencies. Sadly, in one program, one of the biggest obstacles was another female resident who was bound to enhance her own standing by tearing down those below her. Somehow I found myself as one of her targets. The situation was worsened because I was struggling to overcome severe depression occasioned by the breakup of a long-term relationship. All I could do was to continue to work; yet, it was that very pressure that God used to bring me back to Himself.

Why do I tell this story? You need to know that God can redeem the very worst situations possible. When David wrote this psalm, he was in despair. “How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I wrestle in my soul, with sorrow in my heart each day? How long will my enemy dominate me?” Sounds wretched, right? But David ends the psalm by refusing to give in to despair. “But I have trusted in Your loving devotion; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for He has been good to me.”

When we say, “God is good all the time,” it seems like a cliché. But that simple statement remains true. No matter what kind of pressure you are under and no matter how dark your situation appears, God is still there and He remains good. If you don’t feel able to pray for yourself, recite this psalm to yourself as many times as you need to until the truth sinks into your soul.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, let everyone who reads these words and who is discouraged remind themselves of Your Goodness by repeating this psalm until it becomes part of them. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Godly Are No More

For the choirmaster. According to Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

“Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things. They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”

“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold. (Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; MT like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified sevenfold.) You, O LORD, will keep us; You will forever guard us from this generation. The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.”

Once more, David is complaining to God. David feels surrounded by scoundrels who will say anything to manipulate and gain power and influence. These guys are BAAAAD and proud of it! David is so disgusted that he begs God to cut off all flattering lips, double hearts, and proud tongues.

But wait, there’s still hope. For centuries, the Psalms have encouraged and inspired millions of people and this Psalm is no exception. After describing the problems, David goes on to praise God for His watch care and His faithfulness.

““For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.” The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold. You, O LORD, will keep us; You will forever guard us from this generation. The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.”

APPLICATION: As I am writing this, we have just marked the 22^nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Those attacks are some of the most scurrilous ever mounted; however, far more amazing are the stories that continue to come out concerning the heroism of quiet individuals. Repeatedly, we learn of police, fire fighters, emergency personnel and private citizens who led hundreds of people out of the twin towers despite overwhelming odds. On a day when vileness attempted to exalt itself, God raised up valiant men and women who brought many to safety. The passengers on United Flight 93 took over the airplane, allowing it to crash rather than allowing it to turn back to attack the White House. Military service personnel and others moved quickly into the Pentagon, saving as many people as possible.

No matter how bad things look, God is still on the throne and He is still sovereign. Nothing is hidden from God, and He can deliver us from danger or give us the necessary courage to face danger or even death courageously. On one of the worst days in American history, God empowered the heroes and heroines.

PRAYER: Father God, Thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thank You that You are our Deliverer and our Protector. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

In the LORD I Take Refuge (Habakkuk 1:12-17)

For the choirmaster. Of David.

In the LORD I take refuge. So how can you say to me, “Flee like a bird to your mountain! For behold, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men. The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked; His soul hates the lover of violence.

On the wicked He will rain fiery coals and brimstone; a scorching wind will be their portion. For the LORD is righteous; He loves justice. The upright will see His face.”

“In the LORD I take refuge. So how can you say to me, “Flee like a bird to your mountain! For behold, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.” David is undoubtedly writing this psalm out of his experiences with Saul pursuing him mercilessly. Although Saul has made a good beginning, he has refused to totally obey God, thereby eliminating himself from having a long reign as king and founding a dynasty. God has rejected Saul, choosing David, whom the prophet Samuel describes as being “a man after God’s own heart.” But Saul isn’t about to give up the throne without a fight, and he is doing everything he can to kill David. There are many people prepared to spy for Saul in hopes of gaining royal favor, leaving David to run from place to place seeking shelter.

“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”  Saul’s regime is an extremely mixed collection of half-hearted acknowledgment of God along with outright rebellion. Under Saul, the truly righteous remain silent, leaving David with little support.

“The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men. The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked; His soul hates the lover of violence.” Confronting inadequacy, David encourages himself by reminding himself of God’s power and might. Even if David has no idea of Saul’s next move, God is fully aware and also knows all those who are pretending to support David even as they continue to report to Saul. David does not love violence for its own sake while Saul revels in violence.

“On the wicked He will rain fiery coals and brimstone; a scorching wind will be their portion. For the LORD is righteous; He loves justice. The upright will see His face.” David does not have to take revenge on Saul or any of the others opposing him, for God will handle the wicked. David’s main duty at this point is to make sure that he is walking righteously and justly.

APPLICATION: I accepted Jesus as a teenager; however, I slid away from Him while I was in college. When I came back to Jesus ten years later, for many nights I was troubled by a horrible dream. I dreamt that I was stranded on a fiery planet on which there was no shelter. I could feel an evil presence threatening to destroy me as painfully as possible. My only refuge was to chant “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!” over and over. Eventually, when Satan couldn’t terrify me, the dreams stopped.

There is power in the Name of Jesus. Dean Sherman, a veteran teacher on spiritual warfare for Youth with a Mission, YWAM, avows that there is more power in one drop of the blood of Jesus than in all the forces of hell. Through the years, I have found that calling on Jesus in times of stress and difficulty is the most effective means of clearing my heart and mind.

We can always turn to God as our Source of comfort, of encouragement, and protection. The same God who protected David from Saul’s onslaughts stands ready to protect you as well. Why not call on Him?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to find their refuge in You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Perils of the Pilgrim

Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble? In pride the wicked pursue the needy; let them be caught in the schemes they devise. For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God. He is secure in his ways at all times; Your lofty judgments are far from him; he sneers at all his foes. He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”

His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue. He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.

He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net. They are crushed and beaten down; the hapless fall prey to his strength. He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”

Arise, O LORD! Lift up Your hand, O God! Do not forget the helpless. Why has the wicked man renounced God? He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.” But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found. The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.

You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear, to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed, that the men of the earth may strike terror no more.”

It’s a question as old as mankind and the psalmist is angry! “GOD, WHY DO YOU ALLOW WICKED PEOPLE TO GET AWAY WITH THEIR EVIL DEEDS? ARE YOU HIDING? DO YOU CARE? AND IF YOU AREN’T HIDING AND IF YOU REALLY CARE, WHY DON’T YOU SMASH THE WICKED AND WIPE THEM OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH????”

“In pride the wicked pursue the needy; let them be caught in the schemes they devise. For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God. He is secure in his ways at all times; Your lofty judgments are far from him; he sneers at all his foes. He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”  The psalmist can scarcely stand this arrogance. The wicked are prowling lions, lurking to catch the helpless and innocent. If God is really up there and cares, why hasn’t He stopped these outrageous people in their tracks? 

 “But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found. The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.”  Throughout the Bible, God refers to Himself as the Father of the fatherless. Traditionally, fathers have protected their wives and children. Widows and orphans have found themselves at the mercy of the wicked with no protector apart from God.

“Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found. The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.”  You can almost hear the psalmist pleading with God to act according to His nature and wipe out evil doers.  

“You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear, to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed, that the men of the earth may strike terror no more.”  Is the psalmist encouraging God or himself or both? The psalmist ends by begging God again to move and eliminate those terrorizing the innocent and vulnerable.

APPLICATION: There are many cultures in which it is difficult to talk about the fatherhood of God. We were shocked when we first arrived in Ghana and witnessed polygamy and the evils and abuses it can bring. For a time, we lived with a businessman and one of his four wives, along with a few of his forty plus children. (We never knew the exact number.) Two of the wives lived in other parts of town and one wife was dead. The remaining wife was a virtual prisoner in the house, never venturing out. We watched as one wife, a brilliant teacher, was forced to stand in the noonday sun in the courtyard for an hour as she begged for money to pay her children’s school fees. Even the young favorite wife had to travel several miles across town at night for conjugal visits. For those raised in such circumstances, describing God as a father would bring nothing but horrible images. These days children in America and Europe may struggle with similar problems due to being raised in marriages marred by divorce. It is difficult to become a good father without role models.

If God is the perfect Father, why does He allow evil to exist, let alone to flourish? We must remember that God is not merely the perfect Father for the good and virtuous but also for the wicked. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

“Wait, God! You mean You want Vladimir Putin to repent? You want terrorists of all kinds to repent? You want slum lords and loan sharks who victimize the poor to repent? You want those involved in the drug trade and sexual trafficking to repent? You want corrupt politicians who have betrayed their countries to repent?” God’s answer is a resounding, “Yes!” Does this mean that God would rather see the wicked repent than that He is forced to destroy them? Yes again. God has known all these people from the womb and He has loved them for their entire lives. God has loved the wicked so much that He has sent Jesus to die on Calvary for those people as well as for the rest of us.

God is not watching from a distance but is intimately connected with every part of our lives. God sees the evil deeds of the wicked as well as the casual evil the rest of us do while we excuse ourselves by comparing ourselves to others. “Well, I’m certainly not THAT bad!” The plain fact is that all of us are sinners in need of a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have sinned and that nothing we can do is good enough to wipe out those sins. As Your children, we now beg Your forgiveness and ask You to accept us to follow You all the rest of our lives. We trust in Your Mercy and Your Grace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

I Will Give Thanks to the LORD

(For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David)

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will recount all Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

When my enemies retreat, they stumble and perish before You. For You have upheld my just cause; You sit on Your throne judging righteously. You have rebuked the nations; You have destroyed the wicked; You have erased their name forever and ever. The enemy has come to eternal ruin, and You have uprooted their cities; the very memory of them has vanished.

But the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment. He judges the world with justice; He governs the people with equity. The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the nations. For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted. Be merciful to me, O LORD; see how my enemies afflict me! Lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all Your praises—that within the gates of Daughter Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation.

The nations have fallen into a pit of their making; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.

Higgaion Selah

The wicked will return to Sheol—all the nations who forget God. For the needy will not always be forgotten; nor the hope of the oppressed forever dashed. Rise up, O LORD, let not man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your presence. Lay terror upon them, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men.

Selah”

“When my enemies retreat, they stumble and perish before You.” Reading this psalm, we’re reminded that David spent much of his early career as a warrior with King Saul chasing his men and him all over Israel, particularly the most desolate country possible. At one point, David and his men were hiding in the wilderness near the Dead Sea. Saul nearly caught David, but God delivered him.

“For You have upheld my just cause; You sit on Your throne judging righteously. You have rebuked the nations; You have destroyed the wicked; You have erased their name forever and ever. The enemy has come to eternal ruin, and You have uprooted their cities; the very memory of them has vanished.”  Sometimes we view current events and despair. Is God really still on His throne or not? David’s answer is a resounding “YES!” NEVER, NEVER, NEVER FORGET THAT GOD STILL REIGNS! People make terrible choices because they misuse free will, but God remains sovereign.

“But the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment. He judges the world with justice; He governs the people with equity. The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.” We can trust in the Lord at all times, no matter how severe the trials we are going through.

“Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the nations. For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted. Be merciful to me, O LORD; see how my enemies afflict me! Lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all Your praises—that within the gates of Daughter Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation. The nations have fallen into a pit of their making; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.”

God gives people a chance to do course corrections and act righteously; however, God does not allow people to persist in evil-doing. Every dictator who ever lived eventually dies. Every person who mistreats others eventually dies. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 9:27-28 that “Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.” At present, Vladimir Putin, the head of the Russian government, is persisting in his war on the innocent nation of Ukraine, but Putin will eventually die and answer for his evil deeds.

“The wicked will return to Sheol—all the nations who forget God. For the needy will not always be forgotten; nor the hope of the oppressed forever dashed. Rise up, O LORD, let not man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your presence. Lay terror upon them, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men.” No matter how powerful a particular nation might be, God still has the final word. Despite all Saul’s attempts to wipe out David, God protected David, preserving his life so that he could become king. We too may trust in the Lord, knowing that He hears us and will deliver us.

APPLICATION: “Sooner or later, he’s goin’ to get his comeuppance!” I was working in Charleston, WV, and a crusty old fellow from back in the hollers was describing one of his neighbors who was an irritating nuisance. There are many times when we don’t understand why God doesn’t do something about evil people right now! Why allow the international drug trades and sex trades to flourish? Why allow cybercrime? Why allow corruption in government? We want deliverance and we want it immediately.

God views events from an eternal point of view. Difficult as it is to believe, God has sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for evil people as well as good people-for the Hitlers and the Putins. Why? Because all of us have sinned and have come short of the glory of God. There is not a single person on earth who can earn his or her way into heaven. None of us is justified by the good deeds we have done; we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ and in the blood sacrifice He has made for our sins.  If Vladimir Putin repents today and believes in Jesus, trusting Jesus for his salvation, Putin will go to heaven. But if he rejects Jesus, he will go to hell. The same thing goes for drug lords and those manipulating sexual slavery.

In David’s case, Saul persisted in his sins without repentance and eventually died in battle. Hitler committed suicide, presumably without repentance. We will never know the fate of many evil men until eternity. But the message of this psalm for us is simple: we can trust God to deliver us and to protect us, no matter what happens. Trials will come and we will have to endure them, but God will be with us in the trials and will bring us out of them.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are suffering in various ways and are desperate for answers and encouragement. Please send Your light and Your grace into our hearts and help us to remember that You are our Supreme Deliverer. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.