Category: Psalms

Why We Don’t (or Don’t Need to) Fear

Old Testament: Job 35-37

*Poetry: Psalm 46

New Testament: Philemon Intro, see below


Throughout the Bible, the phrases “do not be afraid” and “do not fear” are repeated over and over.  This phrase is first used in Genesis 15:1, which says, “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.’”  The last time the Bible says this is in Revelation 2:10, which says, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”


In Psalm 46, we are given the reason why we should not fear.  Verse 1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”  Psalm 46 says this is the reason we will not fear.  When God is our refuge and strength, nothing can defeat us.  As nothing is stronger than God, when our strength is God, nothing can overpower us.  Therefore, we should not fear anything.  Verses 2-3 continue to tell us that there is no reason to fear, even if the earth should change, the mountains fall into the sea, the oceans roar, and/or the mountains shake.


Further on in the psalm, it says, “The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.”  If you didn’t have enough reason to not fear from verse 1, these 3 verses give you even more reasons.  The God who is our stronghold has brought about desolations on the earth against those who have opposed Him.  He has stopped wars and defeated men and their weapons over and over again.  Therefore, there is no longer any reason to fear.  We need to trust in God as our refuge, strength, and stronghold.

-Kaitlyn Hamilton

Reflection Questions

  1. What are your top five fears?
  2. How often does fear interfere with what you think God wants you to be doing or thinking?
  3. It’s easy to say, “Do not fear.” But harder to do. What are some practical daily steps you can take to help your brain overcome fear?
  4. How is God greater than all the things we fear?

Introduction to Philemon

The book of Philemon is Paul’s shortest letter that is included in our Bible.  Paul wrote it while in prison to his dear friend and fellow Christian, Philemon.

Philemon’s slave, Onesimus, had run away, had come to Paul, and had helped Paul while he was in chains for the gospel.  While there, Onesimus became a believer.  This book is Paul’s letter to Philemon urging him to accept Onesimus back, not as a slave, but as a dear brother in Christ; asking that Philemon welcome Onesimus “as you would welcome me.”

This book shows Paul’s mastery of persuasion.  He started by praising Philemon, then laid out a logical argument for kindly accepting Onesimus back, followed by an emotional argument.  Ending with “Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.”  Not only was Paul an amazing missionary, he was a master strategist.

-Steve Mattison

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Who Gets the Credit?

Old Testament: Job 30-31

*Poetry: Psalm 44

New Testament: Titus 2


Most people love to claim credit for themselves on any project that went well.  They may choose to neglect telling others that there was a group working on the project, and instead claim all the credit for themselves.  They may acknowledge the fact that a couple other people helped them, but downplay their contributions to the project.  Very few people are going to say that they were part of a group who did something great and emphasize the other people’s contributions to the project.


In Psalm 44, the psalmist says that they heard from their fathers what God did in the past.  Their fathers could have easily claimed that they did it all with their own skill.  They could have claimed that they drove the people out and possessed the lands by their own power.  But, they didn’t.  Their fathers could have also easily said that God helped them some, but it was still mostly by their own efforts that they did these things.  But, they didn’t.  Instead, they said to the Lord their God, “You with Your own hand drove out the nations;  Then You planted them;  You afflicted the peoples,  Then You spread them abroad.  For by their own sword they did not possess the land,  And their own arm did not save them” (vs 2,3a).  They fully acknowledged that God was the one who did all the work.  Without God, they could not have done any of these things.


God also works in our lives, like He did in the fathers’ of the psalmist.  Most of the time He’s not driving out herds of people before us or possessing lands for us, but He’s still working to do something great in us and for us.  When God does something in your life, do you acknowledge that He did it and that it was not by your own strength?  When people ask about it, do you tell them it was fully by God that these things happened, or do you briefly acknowledge it but claim you did most of it?  We need to acknowledge that God did something great and that it was not by our own power.

-Kaitlyn Hamilton

Reflection Questions

  1. Who do you most often give the credit to when something goes right in your life?
  2. For what events of your personal past can you give God glory? What did He do? What did He save you from? How did He show His strength, power and wisdom?
  3. How can you do a better job of giving God the credit and telling others (including children) what He has done for you? How can this help others, including the next generation?
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Thirsty

Old Testament: Job 25-27

Poetry: Psalm 42

New Testament: Titus Introduction, below


“As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and appear before God;”

Psalm 42 starts off with a piece of beautiful imagery.  The writer of the Psalm compares himself to a deer who is thirsting for water.  Deer – like all living creatures – need water to survive.  However, deer may use the plants they eat as a supplement to the water they need, in order to lessen the amount of times they need to find a water source.  Most deer need to drink water daily, especially if they have been running around lots.  By the time a deer chooses to look for water, it is extremely thirsty.


In the comparison of the desire for God and a deer panting for water, we see a deep longing.  To want God as extremely as a deer wants water is incredible.  The author, by writing this, admits that he cannot live without God, just as a deer cannot live without water.  He is not saying that he would like to follow God some of the time when it is convenient, but instead is saying that he needs God every single day of his life.  Do you realize and accept that you need God every moment of your life to survive?  Are you looking for Him in your life as eagerly as a deer searching for a singular water source to get it through the day?


Further on in the Psalm, the author says, “Why are you in despair, O my soul?  And why have you become disturbed within me?  Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him  For the help of His presence.”  He explains that he thirsts for God because of the help of His presence.  The author acknowledges that hoping in God is like a deer being refreshed with a drink of water.  Are you seeking after God and hoping in Him like a deer panting for the water?

-Kaitlyn Hamilton

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you find yourself longing for God everyday?
  2. When you are thirsty for more of God what do you do, where do you go, what quenches your thirst?
  3. What do you do when your soul is in despair? Where do you find hope?
  4. How can you share God with someone who is thirsty?

Titus Introduction

Paul wrote the book of Titus to his mentee, Titus, Paul’s “true son in our common faith,” whom Paul had left in Crete to strengthen the new churches there and to appoint elders in every town.  Paul detailed the qualifications of an elder in Titus 1:5-9.

Paul reminded all Christians to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Jesus’ return (which Paul also called our blessed hope).  Paul also told Titus to remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, etc.

Finally, in Titus 3:9-11, Paul pointed out that Christians should have unity, where he said, “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.   Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time.  After that, have nothing to do with him.  You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”

-Steve Mattison

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Finding Strength in the Struggle

Old Testament: Job 15 & 16

Poetry: Psalm 38

New Testament: John 18

It is easy to get to the end of our rope, to find that our cup is empty.  In moments like these we became frustrated at best.  Our weakness makes our goals out of our grasp.  Thankfully, we have someone on our side that can give us strength in our struggle and can fill our cup once more so we are not only capable, but we are ready to meet whatever challenge He has set before us.  So the question is, how can we access this power? Here are some scriptures to remind us to stop looking into ourselves but seek the strength of the Lord.

Cry out to the Ever-Present God:  We serve a God that is in every place at every moment. That means when his children cry out, He will answer them and can come quickly to their aid.  He welcomes our prayers, and our conversations with Him give us strength because we are reminded exactly who we are connected to.

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:7-10

“Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God.  Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.” – Psalm 38:21-22

Embracing Jesus as Our Advocate:  In our trials and tribulations,  we can find strength knowing that Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God, and He understands our struggles. By petitioning in His name, He is mediating for us.  Because of this connection, we can speak directly to our Heavenly Father, and furthermore, access the power of His Holy Spirit, which has the power to comfort, heal, and protect those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb.

“Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.” – Job 16:19-22

“Therefore [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” – Hebrews 7:25

Surrendering to God’s Will:  When we submit to the will of God, we are emulating Christ our Savior. Jesus submitted to the will of God every step of the way leading up to His death. God calls us all to be martyrs, not that we all give our lives on a cross, but that we all sacrifice our wills and intentions for Him.  God may call us to do a hard thing, but He also gives us the strength to accomplish it when we submit to His will.  His alone is sovereign and He alone can empower us to endure.

“Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” – John 18:11

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Of the three steps Aaron shared: Cry Out to the Ever Present God, Embrace Jesus as Our Advocate and Surrender to God’s Will, which comes hardest for you?
  2. What would it look like for you to do each of these steps in whatever situation you find yourself in this week? What is the benefit to each of these steps?
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Broken Pottery

*Old Testament: Job 1 & 2

*Poetry: Psalm 31

New Testament: John 11

Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.

Among all my enemies I am a disgrace, and among my neighbors even more. I am dreaded by my friends—they flee when they see me on the street. 

I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. 

If I told you that the above passage was from the book of Job, you’d probably believe me. But King David wrote those words in Psalm 31. He is in distress, weak with sorrow and grief, groaning and weak in his affliction. He is shamed and disgraced by those around him, broken. The description of his anguish is amazingly similar to Job’s experience.

Interestingly, while David describes himself as ‘broken pottery,’ Job uses broken pottery to scrape his oozing boils.

loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes.   Job 2:7-8

I say…Ew. But Job said,

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.  Job 1:21

Would you be surprised to see that David echoes the wisdom of Job?

Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.    Psalm 31:21-22

Blessed be the name of the LORD.

I think that praise from the depths is maybe the most beautiful praise. It is certainly the most trusting. David, in his Psalm, invites us to join him in his trust, and I invite you to carry these words with you today:

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!   Psalm 31:24

-Susan Landry

Reflection Questions

  1. What does it look like to wait for/on the Lord?
  2. What steps can we take to help our heart take courage when we are in the depths?
  3. What can we learn from the examples of David and Job?
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Light. Will. Come.

Old Testament: Job Intro – found below

Poetry: Psalm 30

New Testament: John 10

Sometimes things are just hard. Life is not going our way. We’re feeling burdened, overwhelmed, or just plain sad. When we are stuck in the middle of these times, it can bring relief just to see the possibility of a light at the end of our dark tunnel. We don’t even have to see the light yet. Just knowing that it’s coming can lighten our load and bring a deep breath of hope.

I was talking with a friend recently who is feeling a lot of stress at work. My friend is doing her own job as well as another person’s job. When we talked, she told me that her company had posted the other person’s job and should be hiring to fill it soon. Even though her workload hadn’t changed, in that moment she felt a subtle lifting of her burden. The relief wasn’t there yet, but just knowing that it was coming gave her hope, and a boost to continue on until the relief actually showed up and she could go back to just doing her own job.

Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5b

Have you ever experienced insomnia? How about being up all night with a sick child (or sick self)? We’ve all been in those situations where we wish with every fiber of our being that morning would just arrive. And it does. Every single time.

Although some nights may be long and dark, joy will come again. The darkness may even get worse but God will meet you in your darkness and the light will come.

Life is not free of struggle or pain– not even for the most faithful servant of God. But in our pain and confusion, God is always with us, working for our good.

Isaiah 43:2 reminds us of that: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

It would be nice, wouldn’t it, if God promised that he’d take away all of our burdens? Snap his fingers and make everything sunshine and rainbows. The reasons why he doesn’t are probably many and accurate.

What he does promise us, though, is that not only will he be with us in the dark times (and as someone who is still afraid of the dark, that is no small gift) but he promises us that light will come. Let me say that again for those who need to let that sink in…

Light. Will. Come.

But even more than THAT, God doesn’t simply promise to give us peace at the end of the long, dark night. He offers dancing. Dancing!

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever. Psalm 30:11

Thanks, God. Thanks for being so kind to a dummy like me who, even though I know the morning always comes, still doubts…still fears in the darkness. And yes, thank you for asking, you may have this dance.

-Susan Landry

Reflection Questions

  1. Read Psalm 30 looking for how God is described and what He is doing/has done. Now re-read it and find how the Psalmist is responding. What image of God do you have after reading Psalm 30? What is your response?
  2. What is the darkest night/hardest struggle you have encountered so far? Are you still in it right now or have you already experienced some light/joy/and perhaps even dancing? How did you see God during the dark mourning – and also in the light morning?
  3. Who do you know who is stuck in a dark night right now and could benefit from hearing that the light is coming? How can you use God’s promises, His Word, and perhaps even this devotion to be an encouragement to this person? What/who can you also be praying for?
  4. After reading the Job Introduction below, how does it apply to today’s devotion?

Job Introduction

The Book of Job is about a righteous man named Job who remained faithful to God despite God allowing Satan to take everything from him except his life.  We don’t know who wrote this book, or even exactly when it took place.  Given Job’s age (he lived 140 years after the events recorded in the book), it’s likely Job lived around the time of Abraham, or possibly earlier.

In the first two chapters, we get a glimpse of one reason bad things happen to godly people – Job seemed to be a pawn in a cosmic battle to test Job’s integrity.  

Job had 3 “friends” who came to comfort him, but they were really more torment.  They consistently accused Job of hidden sins – otherwise, God wouldn’t be punishing him they said.  But Job consistently maintained his innocence.

Despite Job’s intense suffering, he maintained his belief in the resurrection, as is recorded in Job 19:25-27, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him, with my own eyes – I, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me!”  (This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible.)

In the end, God Himself confronted Job, and eventually blessed Job with twice as many possessions at the end of his life as he had before his downfall – including 10 more children.

This is a good example to show us that we don’t need to understand why bad things are happening, we must just remain faithful, no matter what.  Job also shows us that we can be honest with God when we are suffering and when we don’t understand why things are happening.

Finally, no matter what happens to you, may you, with Job, be able to say, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him, with my own eyes – I, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me!”

-Steve Mattison

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Deserving of Our Praise

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 16-18

*Poetry: Psalm 145

New Testament: 1 & 2 Thessalonians Intro – see below

Yesterday we looked at David dancing and worshiping God as the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem and placed in the Tabernacle. Today we are looking at a song of praise, written by the very same man, King David. 

This Psalm speaks of different aspects of who God is, and David tells us that he meditates on those attributes and tells everyone about them. I think that in this he also invites us to do the same. Last week in his class at Family Camp about the Bible, Steve Mattison spoke to us one day about meditating on the word of God, and on God’s goodness and on all His attributes, and how scripture calls for us to do this day and night. It simply means to keep reminding yourself of these truths and thinking about them all the time. That is what David speaks of himself doing in this Psalm. He says, “I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.” (Psalm 145:5 NLT)

Then the rest of the Psalm just speaks of how awesome God is. He speaks of how the Lord is slow to anger and abounding in love, how He always keeps His promises, and how He helps the fallen and the hungry and thirsty. David speaks of how God’s Kingdom with last forever and how God’s eyes are close to those who call on Him. There are many more that David speaks of here and all these attributes are amazing and worthy of all of our praise. 

So the question is, what can you praise God for today? I’m sure there are things that He has done for you that are deserving of your praise. But you may right now be in a difficult place, where you may be struggling and feel far from God. If you are, then something that would be a good practice for you at this time is to meditate on what God has done for you in the past, and praise Him for those things and praise Him for what He has promised to do in the future. It may seem difficult to do in the middle of the storm you may be going through, but remember Paul and Silas who were beaten and thrown into prison, or David when he was being hunted down by Saul, who wanted to outright kill him. They and others in the Bible and throughout church history, when they found themselves in a dark place chose to focus on God’s goodness, rather than their storm and to praise Him, because no matter what He is worthy of our praise.

So let me leave you with David’s words that he ends this Psalm with, “I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.” (Psalm 145:23 NLT)

-Jonny Smith

Reflection Questions

  1. Is God deserving of your praise? Why or why not (answer in more than a couple words)?
  2. What are some of the best ways for you to show your praise to God? How often do you do them?
  3. Do you meditate on God’s words and on His goodness/wonderful works? Would there be benefit in doing this more? If so, what benefits?
  4. Is God still deserving of your praise when you are in a difficult place and time? Why or why not (answer in more than a couple words)?

1 & 2 Thessalonians Introduction

Scholars believe Paul wrote the first letter to the Church in Thessalonica during his second missionary journey, while in Corinth – just a few months after he left Thessalonica, between 49 and 51 AD.  

The main theme of 1 Thessalonians is Jesus’ Second Coming.  Since Jesus is going to return, Christians are called to live lives worthy of God – blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father.  When Jesus returns, the dead in Christ will rise first, then the living will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.  Paul tells the Thessalonians to encourage each other with these words.

While unbelievers will suffer God’s wrath, “…God has not appointed us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians to correct the misunderstanding that the “Day of the Lord” had already come.   More details are given of Jesus’s return – when “he will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” – 2 Thessalonians 1:8.  Paul gives details of the rebellion that will take place before the return of Christ, and the rise of the “man of lawlessness” (the antiChrist).  Paul warns in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10, “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing.  They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”

May we take to heart Paul’s encouragement and his warning in these two books, and fervently seek the truth.  I’ll close with 2 Thessalonians 3:13, “And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.”

-Steve Mattison

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Legacy

*Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 7-9
*Poetry: Psalm 142
New Testament: Colossians 2

Think about all the people in your life, and the people that have come before you. There are always people that come to mind when you think about who you looked up to.

For me those people have been my parents, my grandparents, and uncles. I’ll always be grateful for the amazing people that God has provided.

Now how does this tie into Psalm 142 and 1 Chronicles 7,8,9? After reading 1 Chronicles 7,8, and 9, I realized that the list of names, from generation to generation, is a LEGACY. All the people then till now play a part in a much greater picture, and God knows every individual plan in HIS legacy.

Think back to the people in your life. How did they react when they faced trials, or when the plan they had didn’t match God’s plan? How did it impact the people around them? Our actions in our times of hard ship impact the people around us, whether we see it or not. If you have kids, you know they watch everything you do. It’s the same with other people in our lives. It’s so important that your actions are viewed by everyone, and we need to be aware of how we act.

Think about what you do in your trials as we look at Psalm 142.

Psalm 142:1-3

“I cry aloud to the Lord, I plead aloud for his mercy. I pour out my complaints before him.”

“I cry aloud to the Lord.” This chapter comes from a place when David was in an extremely difficult trial. He was running from King Saul and hiding in the cave of Adullam from persecution.

Even in this dark season, David cries ALOUD to the Lord for his guidance, just as we should in our times of hardship.

Psalm 142:3 goes on to say, “Although my spirit is weak within me. You know my way.”

David trusts God in this time. He trusts that God knows his plan for David and will bring him through this.

What do you do when you face trials?

We have all been in places where all we seem to do is be mad at God in our situation. But what if we turn to God instead, and say, “God I am frustrated, HELP me. I know your plan is good.” How does that impact us, and God’s Legacy.

The way we react to our trials makes an impression. If we lash out in anger when things don’t go our way, we leave an impression. We may hurt feelings and say things we can never take back. Those moments of impact can change how that person we hurt acts, and then it continues. It’s like the saying goes, what comes around goes around. So, what if we spread around love, and trust in God, and watch that spread around. Let’s grow a Legacy of people who love and worship God, and love each other. Love and worship in our times of struggle can make all of the difference.

-Hannah Eldred

Reflection Questions

1) What trials may you be facing in life big or small?

2) How do you react in your trials?

3) How can you show love and worship in your trials? How does this impact God’s legacy?

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Joyful Obedience

Old Testament: 1 Kings 5-6

*Poetry: Psalm 119:1-80

New Testament: Acts 26


You and I are naturally rebellious. One of the first words learned in our arsenal is, “Why?” As early as toddlerhood, we’re ready to question, counter, and attack. Even as an adult, I recently made the remark to my mom that the more she tells me to do something, the less I actually want to do it. Ouch, sorry, Mom. Psychologists call this phenomenon psychological reactance, which suggests that when we feel like our freedom to behave in a certain way is restricted, we, well, react.


Obedience, which is averse to our fallen human state, is learned. The longest chapter of the Bible, Psalm 119, is an acrostic poem about the joy the psalmist receives from following scripture. It’s his love song to God’s Word. So how does rebellious human go to happy obeyer?


The first step is recognizing that God’s commands are not arbitrary. Looking to God’s character, we can see that His rules are a manifestation of His love for us. God is love—He wants what’s best for us. God is all-knowing—He knows what’s best for us.


He’s given us rules and principles to live by because He wants us to live within His will, within His design. God’s rules do not exist to restrict us; instead, God breathed them to give us freedom. Freedom from sin. Freedom from ugly, unwanted consequences. Freedom from death!


I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts (Psalm 119:45, NIV).


Now, I’m still learning obedience, and you are, too. Somedays, my obedience feels like an eye roll and “Ugh, fine,” instead of a “Yes, Lord!” I look to our happy Psalmist as an example to follow:


For I delight in your commands because I love them (Psalm 119:47, NIV).


I want to be able to say this about myself each day. This is a verse worth memorizing (just 10 words!) because we can use it to lead our hearts into joyful obedience.


I will leave you with the promise that your efforts will be blessed:


Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart (Psalm 119:1-2).

-Mackenzie McClain


Reflection Questions:

  1. In what areas of your life do you struggle to obey?
  2. This week, examine your heart. Are you obeying begrudgingly or joyfully? Do you fully trust that God’s commands are designed out of His great love for you?
  3. What blessings have you experienced from following God’s commands?
  4. What do you learn about God by reading Psalm 119?
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I Love the LORD Because…

Old Testament: Judges 19 & 20

Poetry: Psalm 116

New Testament: Luke 16

As was discussed in two previous days’ devotions, Psalm 116 is another of the Hallel (literally, “Praise”) Psalms that are particularly associated with joyous events for Jews. They are prominent in the liturgies of the primary seasonal festivals such as Passover, and Psalm 116 is additionally part of the “Egyptian Hallel” subset of Hallel psalms. Psalm 116 does not make specific reference to Egypt, Passover, or the Exodus of Israel, but it is very straightforward to adapt its structure into a prayer of praise for the salvation of the nation of Israel. By connecting the psalm to that event, it is easily transformed into a pedagogical device that teaches the listener to acknowledge God for His grace toward Israel.

The Psalm is most naturally structured into three parts, but let us draw out the first two verses as an introductory dialogue (ellipsis of psalm text in bold):

I love the LORD. Why? Because He hears my voice, my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me. How should I respond? …. I shall call upon Him as long as I live.

The psalmist has provided a simple justification for the reader, all of us, to reverence and petition God: Because He hears me; the implication is that God answers those petitions. And because He hears me I should not fail to call on Him again and again.

Beginning in verse three, the psalmist builds upon the introductory dialogue to stretch and flesh out what could be the reason for calling on God and a more specific supplication: Cords of death wrap around me; the terror of the grave has come upon me; I found distress and sorrow. It is easy to see how this text was associated with Passover and the exodus: these words could be those of enslaved Israel, looking for deliverance from Egypt. Now look at verse four: Then I called upon the name of the LORD… “Save my life!” Taken in association with the enslavement in Egypt, these are the collective words of Israel, longing for deliverance, longing for God to “Hear my voice and incline His ear to me” (v 1). Verse four ends the first part of the psalm. 

The second part of the psalm does not begin with a description of the salvation desired by the writer (later usage: the nation of Israel), but instead utilizes another introductory statement: Gracious is the LORD .. our God is compassionate … the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. (vv 5-7). Only in verses 8-11 is the desired salvation described. The psalmist acknowledges God for who He is before getting to specifics about what He has done. Cast as part of the Hallel, we have Israel 1) acknowledging God as LORD and 2) thanking God for salvation from Egypt. To see a record of a similar acknowledgment, take a look at Exodus 15, a poem or song of adoration sung by Moses and the Israelites after passing through the sea.

Finally, beginning in verse 12, the psalmist builds out eight verses to answer the question What shall I render to the Lord? It is the question that must be asked after reflecting and acknowledging what He has done. And the answer, given in the text, is a catalog of options for worship and reverence toward God.

When the psalm is sectioned as outlined here, one can see how it was adapted for the celebration of Passover. It provides context (terrible circumstances, like Egypt) and a call for salvation, it identifies the LORD God as the agent of deliverance, and then provides options for adoration of God. Imagine sitting around a table, each member of a family saying or offering (perhaps competitively?) an option for active reverence: “I shall lift up the cup of salvation” (the mealtime allusion is especially apt in relation to Passover), “I shall pay my vows to the LORD” and “I’ll pay my vows in the presence of all His people.” The point is that the reverence, acknowledgment, and worship derive directly from the active role that God takes (took!) in deliverance from the circumstances of verse three.

Psalm 116 is a wonderful outline of one context for the why and what of thankfulness toward God: I may be in terrible circumstances, but the God that is gracious and compassionate can and will rescue me. In response, I bow to Him in reverence and worship, declaring my thankfulness to Him in the presence of others.

-Dan Siderius

Postscript

The Psalms, as poetry, always carry some underlying structure, though perhaps lost in the translation from Hebrew to English. One of the features of many psalms that I appreciate is doublet structure, in the form of question-and-answer. For example, Psalm 116:1:

Question: I love the LORD

Answer: Because He hears my voice

These doublets can be used to impart rhythm to the reading of certain psalms. One way to take advantage of the inherent rhythm is to speak the psalms antiphonally, where one person reads the first part of the doublet and a second person reads the response. Another option is to incorporate movement, by walking through the first half of the doublet, pausing, and then resuming with the second half. It can greatly liven the Psalms!
If you are interested in reading the Psalms whose translation purposefully retained rhythmic and melodic elements, I encourage you to use the Coverdale Psalter (e.g., Psalm 116: https://psalter.liturgical-calendar.com/en-emodeng/Coverdale/116) or its newer revision, the New Coverdale Psalter (available for viewing online: https://bcp2019.anglicanchurch.net/index.php/downloads-pdf/).

Reflection Questions

  1. How would you finish the sentence/poem/song which begins, “I love the LORD because…”? Think on it, write it down, share it with the LORD. Who else could benefit from hearing your testimony of why you love the LORD?
  2. What are some options for how you can respond to the LORD? Write them down as well. Some responses, perhaps some we do most often, are not very good responses – if your list includes any poor responses you can cross them out now. Put a star next to a response you will work on today.
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