Voice of the Heart (Page 3)
Praising and pleading with God the Judge – Psalm 9
Praising, and pleading with God the Judge. Psalm 9 A new year in a broken world. Sometimes the wicked seem to win. This side of heaven life is still like that for the believer. Praise for past rescue: Psalm 9:1-12 David and his kingdom are under threat, but he looks to One far greater than any enemy. Every deliverance is a signpost to God and His ways, to His final victory. God’s justice is a source of hope and joy.…
Approaching the New Year with God.
Approaching the new Year with God. Psalm 90, a Psalm of Moses. The setting is Moses in the wilderness, with all the troubles and losses he faced there. Depressed? No, for he knows God. The Eternal God: Psalm 90:1-2 “We are a moment, You are forever”. He never ages, He is outside of time. The Sovereign God: Psalm 90:3-6 He decides the lifetime of us all, yet is outside of time Himself. He decides all the affairs of this world.…
Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room 6 – The Lord
Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room 6 – The Lord. Psalm 110. The Lord says to my lord, “Sit at my right handuntil I put your enemies under your control.” Psalm 110 verse 1, New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. A King like no other – verses 1 to 3 A Priest like no other – verse 4 A Conqueror like no other – verses 5 to…
A Story to Remember
A Story to Remember – Psalm 78. A Psalm by Asaph Poor memory of God’s goodness? Yet we will make a way to remember what is important. Asaph was the director of music in the Temple, and author of many of the psalms. “My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— things we have heard and known, things our…
What is Man? – Psalm 8
Psalm 8 What is Man? In the 18th century the idea arose that God has no interest in man. The Universe is a vast machine that God made and no longer cares about. Man is just part of the clockwork. In the 19th century Man said that God doesn’t exist. Naturalism (there is nothing but Nature) inevitably led to Nihilism (Man has no significance at all). This is a great blow to any idea of our dignity. We are so…
Resting in Righteousness – Psalm 7
Resting in Righteousness Psalm 7 There is an awkwardness in thinking about Judgement. Is God harsh? Or perhaps my own experience of personal injustice bites too deeply? David cries out in a plea for protection from men terrible as lions. He looks in his own heart. “Am I innocent?” He thinks about God the righteous Judge, asking Him to deal with injustice. Evil and trouble bring their own judgment upon themselves. He moves from plea to praise. “I will give…
Confident prayer from the sick-bed of tears – Psalm 6
Psalm 6 Confident prayer from the sick-bed of tears Luther’s Tentatio It would’ve been around February. March. 2006. And a group of 25-30 students had just returned from their summer break to engage in their second year of classes at George Whitefield College. A Bible College located right on the beach at Muizenberg. In Cape Town, South Africa. As the students take their seats. And enjoy catching up on what each other had been up to over the holidays. The…
Guide Us Guard Us – Psalm 5
Psalm 5 For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David. Turning to God 1 Listen to my words, Lord,consider my lament.2 Hear my cry for help,my King and my God,for to you I pray.3 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;in the morning I lay my requests before youand wait expectantly. Psalm 5 God and the Wicked 4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;with you, evil people are not welcome.5 The…
Enlarging the Narrow Place – Psalm 4
psalm 4 For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David. When Life Closes In 1 Answer me when I call to you,my righteous God.Give me relief from my distress;have mercy on me and hear my prayer. Psalm 4 When People Oppose You 2 How long will you people turn my glory into shame?How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?3 Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself;the Lord hears…
The God Who Saves – Psalm 3
Psalm 3 A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom. “God will not save him” 1 Lord, how many are my foes!How many rise up against me!2 Many are saying of me,‘God will not deliver him.’ God will save him! 3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,my glory, the One who lifts my head high.4 I call out to the Lord,and he answers me from his holy mountain.5 I lie down and sleep;I wake again,…
Reflections on Time and Eternity
Psalm 90 It’s good to stop at the end of the year and reflect on who God is and to regain perspective. 1.Ask God to teach you to number your days. 2.Resolve to find satisfaction in Him. 3.Ask that His Kingdom will stretch from shore to shore.
Refuge and Raging – Psalm 2
Refuge and Raging – The World we all live in Psalm 2 ‘This is where we [really] live’ North Korean missiles, Trump, G20 riots, Medicare details and the Dark Web. And that’s just this week! Vain rebellion, verses 1-3 1 Why do the nations conspireand the peoples plot in vain?2 The kings of the earth rise upand the rulers band togetheragainst the Lord and against his anointed, saying,3 ‘Let us break their chainsand throw off their shackles.’ Fearing God as…