Burunche’s Blog

The Suffering, Praise, and Posterity of the Messiah

To the Chief Musician. Set to [Aijeleth Hashahar]“The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent.

But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip [Show contempt with their mouth], they shake the head, saying, “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have surrounded Me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.

But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! Deliver Me from the sword,
My precious life from the power of the dog. Save Me from the lion’s mouth and from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me. I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You.

You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him; but when He cried to Him, He heard.

My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever!

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; all those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive. A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, they will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has done this.”

There are some times when David’s psalms overlap between the personal and prophetic. On one level, this psalm describes Davd’s despair at the repeated vicious attacks of his enemies. Day after day and night after night, David continues to beg God for relief; yet no relief appears. On a higher level, this psalm prophesies the sufferings Jesus the Messiah later suffered at the hands of religious leaders more afraid of the Romans than of God.

“But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed.” All this time, David persists in reminding himself of God’s previous mercies and deliverance; meanwhile, David’s critics mock him for his ridiculous faith.

“Many bulls have surrounded Me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” These are the verses where the personal and prophetic blur. While David is describing his own despair, he is also predicting the events of the morning of Good Friday when Jesus will endure a mock trial and be nailed to a cross. Roman soldiers will throw dice for Jesus’ garments.

“My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever!

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; all those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive. A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, they will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has done this.”

Eventually, David emerges unscathed from all his trials. Eventually, Jesus will triumph over death and the grave, rising from the dead on Easter morning. Throughout David’s sufferings and those of Jesus, God will triumph completely.

APPLICATION: The test of a prophet is whether or not his prophecies come true. Judging David by that test, he is truly a prophet. David lived roughly 1,000 years before Jesus, so how could David predict describe Jesus’ sufferings so accurately? Only God could give David such insights. It is ironic that the same people who refuse to accept Psalm 22 as a prophetic description of the sufferings of the Messiah are fully ready to believe in the arrival of ancient aliens on earth or the existence of the lost city of Atlantis.

How can this psalm help each of us? As you read this psalm, see what verses appear to speak to your situation and then turn those verses into prayers. Are you facing undeserved vicious opposition? “But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! Deliver Me from the sword,
My precious life from the power of the dog. Save Me from the lion’s mouth and from the horns of the wild oxen!”

“For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him; but when He cried to Him, He heard.“ “Lord, You have not hidden Your face from me. You have promised that when I cry, You will hear me. Lord, I believe that You are hearing me and that You are going to deliver me from those who hate me.”

Repeatedly, God describes David as a man after His own heart; yet, David has suffered periods of extreme discouragement and doubt. If David has suffered and yet God has delivered him, we too can trust God to deliver us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to take heart that You stand ready to deliver all who call on Your Name. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Joy in the Salvation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

“The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord; and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

For You meet him with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
He asked life from You, and You gave it to him—Length of days forever and ever.
His glory is great in Your salvation; honor and majesty You have placed upon him.
For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.

Your hand will find all Your enemies; Your right hand will find those who hate You.
You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger; the Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them. Their offspring You shall destroy from the earth, and their descendants from among the sons of men. For they intended evil against You; they devised a plot which they are not able to perform. Therefore You will make them turn their back; You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces.

Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power.”

 “The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord; and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah” David is celebrating, and we are invited to celebrate with him! God has delivered David once more, bringing salvation and giving David his heart’s desire.

“For You meet him with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
He asked life from You, and You gave it to him—Length of days forever and ever.”  David has watched as his predecessor Saul has messed up, forfeiting the chance to found a royal dynasty. Now it is David’s turn, and he might be excused if he is nervous. What if David also fails to do God’s will? But God has saved David and has made him king and has given him sons to carry on his legacy.

Why does David speak of everlasting life? Surely, David realizes that some day he too will become old and die. We must remember that David has a three-fold ministry as prophet, priest, and king, foreshadowing the Messiah. Here David is prophesying about the eternal life that only God can give, something beyond traditional Jewish beliefs at that time. David is looking beyond the grave to being with God forever.

“His glory is great in Your salvation; honor and majesty You have placed upon him. For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.” David is not trusting in his own wealth or power but in God’s salvation and blessings. David trusts that God has established him and that he will be secure because of God, not through his own efforts. But notice something else. David says that God has made him “exceedingly glad” with His presence. Say what? How is this possible All those lonely nights herding sheep have forced David to depend on God for comfort and companionship. In the stillness of the desert with nobody else around, David has learned to listen for God’s quiet voice of comfort and assurance.

“Your hand will find all Your enemies; Your right hand will find those who hate You.
You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger; the Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them. Their offspring You shall destroy from the earth, and their descendants from among the sons of men. For they intended evil against You; they devised a plot which they are not able to perform. Therefore You will make them turn their back; You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces.”

Does God have enemies? Absolutely! Many people hate God because He is good and all-powerful and they are not. Satan and one third of the angels fell from heaven because they rebelled against God; now those same fallen angels roam the earth, seeking anyone who is unhappy to turn their hearts and minds away from God’s goodness. But the wonderful news is that no matter how hard Satan tries, God will still win.

“Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power.” We cannot possibly give God all the praise and glory that He deserves. Only God can achieve perfection. But we can praise God for His mighty power and the marvelous things that He does.

APPLICATION: These last few days have been very difficult. At our hospital, we have lost two teenagers with chronic problems who we thought would recover and go home to rejoice with their families. A preacher friend who has gone on to glory used to say that “We are only in advertising while God is in management.” Even though we have prayed earnestly for these children and their families, God has allowed them to die at this time. How can we praise God under such circumstances? But on the other hand, how can we not praise God? God has allowed us to do our best to try to help these people. We can only pray that during the months of hospital admission, God has demonstrated His love, His mercy, and His grace to the families involved.

One thing difficult for us to realize here is that many of the children who come to the hospital are from terrible home situations, places where people worship traditional fetishes and practice all sorts of vile things. One child whom God sent to us several years ago had likely been sold to someone as a child slave. When this little girl became sick and was sent home, her grandmother beat her; in fact, even during the child’s hospital stay, the grandmother was still physically abusing her. Thankfully, we were able to place the girl with our hospital chaplain and his family. We give money for the girl’s upkeep and education and she is enjoying school for the first time in her life and making good grades as well.

God is still on the throne, even if we do not understand His ways. But we can still agree with David, “Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power.” We don’t have to understand God to praise Him. And when we praise, God gives us more light.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we praise and bless You for Your mighty works in our lives. Help us to trust You even when things become dark or difficult. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Assurance of God’s Saving Work

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
May He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion; may He remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah

May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your purpose.

We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright. Save, Lord! May the King [Commissioned One, Messiah] answer us when we call.”

Once more, David gives us a psalm that is short but memorable. There are two main parts of this psalm: a general blessing on the hearers and a specific request for help for the king from the Messiah, the King of the Universe.

1. “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you..”

Sooner or later, every one of us is going to face problems. When trouble comes, it helps to know that the God of Jacob, the Lord of the Universe, will defend us when we call.

• May He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion; may He remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice.” Although the temple in Jerusalem no longer exists and burnt offerings are no longer offered, we can still beg God for help. God will help us because of His mercy and grace.
• “May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your purpose.” This verse assumes that our hearts’ desires and purposes are acceptable to God. We cannot ask for God to bless anything evil.
• “We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.”  This statement assumes that God will definitely save those who call on Him. The psalmist is already planning the celebration when God moves.

• “Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.” How can David say this? David is speaking from repeated experiences of God’s deliverance.

• “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright.” No matter what kind of weapons our enemies have, God is more than sufficient for any challenge, and at the end of the day, we will be victorious.
• “Save, Lord! May the King [Commissioned One, Messiah] answer us when we call.” Here David is calling on the King of the Universe, the Messiah, to deliver him as the king of Israel.

APPLICATION: For a haunting musical presentation of this psalm, you can go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFMKDlyiH-U

This psalm is another faith builder. Once more, we can thank all the rotten experiences that David endured, for he could never speak of God’s deliverance if he had not been forced to depend on God.

There’s an old saying, “What makes for good judgment? Bad experience!” Very few of us learn from good experiences; most of us learn from mistakes. But praise God, we aren’t stuck with our messes. God is still a Deliverer and He is more than equal to any problem. Right now we are struggling with one of those thorny problems that we can’t talk about. But God already knows all the facets of the situation and He has a perfect solution. Our job is to keep looking at Him and continuing to seek His guidance.

Two years ago, we returned to the U.S. for a few months, knowing that my husband’s remaining brother was dying with complications from Agent Orange. We had one evening and the following morning with him before he died on August 29, 2021. What we didn’t anticipate was that one of my brothers would be dying from COVID pneumonia as we were leaving the U.S. to return to Ghana. (We went with his blessing and the blessing of his family.) Throughout these harrowing experiences, it was God who kept us steady and centered. Would we willingly endure these experiences again? Nope! But have these experiences enabled us to sympathize with others in their grief and loss? Of course. Our testimony throughout all of this is that God is faithful and that He is our Deliverer.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are facing sticky situations, and we need Your light, Your truth, and Your guidance. Thank You, that You will bring perfect solutions for us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Perfect Revelation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of  the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength[my rock] and my Redeemer.”

This psalm is only 14 verses long, but it’s very powerful. There are three main parts.

1. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.” The first part of the psalm describes the marvels of God’s creation in brief but memorable words.
2. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of  the Lord are true and righteous altogether.” The second part praises God’s laws, commandments, the fear of the Lord, and the Lord’s judgements.
3. “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength[my rock] and my Redeemer.” The final part of the psalm is a heart-felt prayer for the magnificent Lord of the Universe to cleanse our hearts and minds.

APPLICATION: Why does a psalm that ends with a prayer for spiritual assistance begin with a description of the magnificence of God? God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. God will remain God, whether or not we praise Him; however, we praise God to remind ourselves of God’s greatness. Unless we remember how great God is, how can we trust Him to help us spiritually?

This psalm has special significance for my husband and me. When we first met at a church prayer meeting, there was a praise chorus based on this psalm that echoed and re-echoed in our hearts and that became part of our story as a couple. (If you’re interested, you can find the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-ykfw3-i7s for the video with words.)

I find the last few verses are the ones I use the most. “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength[my rock] and my Redeemer.” The older I get, the more I realize that many of my sins stem from presumption based on previous experiences. As we gain experience, we may assume Olympic status as jumpers to conclusions. There is also an increasing temptation to overlook our personal sins while we magnify those of others. Jesus addressed this problem when he compared critics to people walking around with huge beams of wood in their own eyes while they were searching for tiny specks in the eyes of other people.

There’s also another application of these last verses. When we speak, do our words honor the Lord? If we are reading things or enjoying posts on social media, are we entertaining ourselves with things that honor God or not? If someone sends us questionable videos, do we watch them before deleting them? Remember the old computer adage: GIGO-Garbage In Garbage Out.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, keep us back from presumptions sins; let them not have dominion over us. And let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.

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.