News:

Help us Congratulate the Winner of Mini Challenge #106~My Favorite Things
Here
Congratulations Fotobirder!
Bird Photos In Snow

Main Menu

Random Image

Freedom to Worship

Owner: Jeanne Lee

Mini Challenge Winners

Help us Congratulate the Winner of Mini Challenge #106~My Favorite Things
Here
Congratulations Fotobirder!
Bird Photos In Snow

Today's Verse

Site Menu

Shoutbox

Oldiesmann: I'm not aware of any Jenny. Not sure why activity has died down on this site so much though 2023-06-12, 00:06:36

JennyW: Also, does anyone know other photo sharing sites that are Christian? 2023-05-16, 08:47:03

JennyW: Hello Everyone! I really miss activity on this site. I've been discouraged by photography sites where you have to sort through so much explicit content in order to see photos that truly glorify God. I'd love to see this site pick up again. 2023-05-16, 08:46:36

Janet: Carol, I am just reading this.  So sorry for your loss, glad your beloved Don knew the Lord and you have the assurance of his eternity  and that you WILL see him again.  Much love to you.  Janet 2022-06-18, 08:49:36

Oldiesmann: So sorry for your loss Carol. Praying for you and your family :( 2022-05-01, 17:13:05

Carol: My husband Don is with the angels.....Our family was able to hold  ourselves together for the last moments.  Juar rhoufhr you might want to know. 2022-04-29, 23:35:15

Carol: Thankful:  Don is home from hospital.  I found him unconscious with head outside on the floor and the rest was in the shower.  At the same moment, one son was walking through the front door to visit.  Two fire trucks came racing in and they took over After 2021-12-29, 22:01:26

JennyW: Autumn is shaping up to be quite beautiful this year! 2021-10-02, 12:24:03

JudyB: I will be back this evening to start July's thoughts..... The wedding was beautiful! 2021-07-02, 11:51:09

JudyB: June is finally started! 2021-06-07, 12:34:35


Psalm 28

Started by Al Moak, April 22, 2003, 06:59:50 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Al Moak

Psalm 28

It's approximately six in the morning, and the ram's horn has sounded atop Zion.  As the people are streaming up the hill, David wants to accomplish three things.  He wants the people 1) to pray for their own needs that day, 2) he wants them to pray against their enemies, and 3) he wants them to praise the Lord for His gracious help.   What a wonderful way to start the day!  Each and every one of the people needs very much to start the day with this kind of dependence upon their Lord, with this kind of reaffirmation of his/her relationship to Him in every aspect of daily life – and so do we!

They're first led to confess their absolute dependence upon their covenant Lord. They begin by telling Him that in all likelihood they're going to be crying out to Him many times that day, and that they will very much need Him to hear them each and every time.  They sing, "To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock: do not be silent to me!"  In this way they're asking Him not to "tune them out" when they call.  Of course, He wouldn't actually "tune them out," but He would have them to pray this so that they'll be more aware of His personal relationship to each of them.

The alternative is awful indeed!  They sing, "Lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit!"  In other words, each singer confesses that his courage and success in each situation of daily life is absolutely dependent upon his Lord hearing him, answering him, and acting on his behalf. The "pit" being referred to is sheol, the place of the dead, and those who descend to it have no further hope.                 

So of course each of these people wants to be heard and answered each and every time he cries out to the Lord, each and every time he "lifts up his hands toward Your holy sanctuary."  The sanctuary is the place God commanded to be built in order to remind every worshipper of His Providence and mercy during the exodus from Egypt.  They still need that mercy on a daily basis! 

Having sung this prayer for his needs that day, the worshipper then prays for his constant seperation from God's enemies.  He doesn't want to be drawn away with them nor to become one with them, because they "speak peace with their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts."  So instead, he prays that these enemies  will receive just recompense for their evil actions.

We might tend to think that this is an unusually vindictive prayer and that  instead prayer should be made for the welfare of one's enemies. However, we need to be aware of two things: 1) this isn't a personal prayer against individuals, but a general prayer against enemies of God and of God's people. The worshipper who prays this prayer might at the same time pray for the repentance of individual enemies.  Secondly, God's people should have God's perspective.  They need to remember that God says, "they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands." So, paraphrased, they're saying, "Lord, STOP them!  Don't let them hinder Your work!" He'll answer that prayer.  The worshipper believes it and sings, "He shall destroy them and not build them up."

Finally, each worshipper is led to praise the Lord for actually hearing and answering him!  They sing, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him!"  It's an expression of confidence in Jehovah.

The song ends with a climactic chorus of praise to Him Who ALWAYS hears, Who ALWAYS blesses His dear people, and Who in fact blesses them by means of their anointed King.  So they joyfully sing that God "is their strength, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed." 

Our Lord Jesus Christ is now our anointed King, and, through Him God will hear YOU today!  So you, when you pray for your church today, too can have the confidence of the worshipper here, who closes by singing, "Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up forever!"

Do you begin your day this way?  Do you realize that you're going to need His grace and strength  many times each day, and that you should be prompted to cry unto Him on each occasion? Do you pray that He'll hear you each and every time?  Do you realize that it isn't really your day, after all, but that it really belongs to Him, and that you're prayers will therefore not only result in your success, but also in His glory?

It's approximately six in the morning, and the ram's horn has sounded atop Zion.  As the people are streaming up the hill, David wants to accomplish three things.  He wants the people 1) to pray for their own needs that day, 2) he wants them to pray against their enemies, and 3) he wants them to praise the Lord for His gracious help.   What a wonderful way to start the day!  Each and every one of the people needs very much to start the day with this kind of dependence upon their Lord, with this kind of reaffirmation of his/her relationship to Him in every aspect of daily life – and so do we!

They're first led to confess their absolute dependence upon their covenant Lord. They begin by telling Him that in all likelihood they're going to be crying out to Him many times that day, and that they will very much need Him to hear them each and every time.  They sing, "To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock: do not be silent to me!"  In this way they're asking Him not to "tune them out" when they call.  Of course, He wouldn't actually "tune them out," but He would have them to pray this so that they'll be more aware of His personal relationship to each of them.

The alternative is awful indeed!  They sing, "Lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit!"  In other words, each singer confesses that his courage and success in each situation of daily life is absolutely dependent upon his Lord hearing him, answering him, and acting on his behalf. The "pit" being referred to is sheol, the place of the dead, and those who descend to it have no further hope.                 

So of course each of these people wants to be heard and answered each and every time he cries out to the Lord, each and every time he "lifts up his hands toward Your holy sanctuary."  The sanctuary is the place God commanded to be built in order to remind every worshipper of His Providence and mercy during the exodus from Egypt.  They still need that mercy on a daily basis! 

Having sung this prayer for his needs that day, the worshipper then prays for his constant seperation from God's enemies.  He doesn't want to be drawn away with them nor to become one with them, because they "speak peace with their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts."  So instead, he prays that these enemies  will receive just recompense for their evil actions.

We might tend to think that this is an unusually vindictive prayer and that  instead prayer should be made for the welfare of one's enemies. However, we need to be aware of two things: 1) this isn't a personal prayer against individuals, but a general prayer against enemies of God and of God's people. The worshipper who prays this prayer might at the same time pray for the repentance of individual enemies.  Secondly, God's people should have God's perspective.  They need to remember that God says, "they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands." So, paraphrased, they're saying, "Lord, STOP them!  Don't let them hinder Your work!" He'll answer that prayer.  The worshipper believes it and sings, "He shall destroy them and not build them up."

Finally, each worshipper is led to praise the Lord for actually hearing and answering him!  They sing, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him!"  It's an expression of confidence in Jehovah.

The song ends with a climactic chorus of praise to Him Who ALWAYS hears, Who ALWAYS blesses His dear people, and Who in fact blesses them by means of their anointed King.  So they joyfully sing that God "is their strength, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed." 

Our Lord Jesus Christ is now our anointed King, and, through Him God will hear YOU today!  So you, when you pray for your church today, too can have the confidence of the worshipper here, who closes by singing, "Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up forever!"

Do you begin your day this way?  Do you realize that you're going to need His grace and strength  many times each day, and that you should be prompted to cry unto Him on each occasion? Do you pray that He'll hear you each and every time?  Do you realize that it isn't really your day, after all, but that it really belongs to Him, and that you're prayers will therefore not only result in your success, but also in His glory?


Marilyn

Being a worshipper I can totally identify with this Psalm (song). I can just hear the people singing to the Lord of His answer to their prayers, I have cried out to the Lord many times and never almost never forgotten to praise Him for the answers even though I have not seen them with my own eyes. Praising Him and thanking Him is a the greater part of my prayers. Thanking Him for those unseen answers. Thanking Him in faith that my prayers have already been answered.
"Good people take care of their animals, but even the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel" Prov. 12:10
Click for North Bend, Oregon Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150        My Website