Psalm 20: God - The Trustworthy Name

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 
 They collapse and fall,
    but we rise and stand upright.

                             Psalm 20:7-8

We put opur trust in a lot of different things in life. We put our trust in our money, our status, our friends, our family, our health. But at some point, every one of these things will fail us. We will lose our job, our friend will betray us, our family will let us down, we will get sick.

But God will never fail us. He is the one person we can confidently put our trust in. If we trust in Him, He will answer us, He will rescue us, He will support us, and He will never abandon us. He is the one person will enough love, power, and commitment to warrant our complete trust. 

Psalm 19: God - The Perfect Lawgiver

  

The law of the LORD is perfect,
        reviving the soul;
    the testimony of the LORD is sure,
        making wise the simple;
    the precepts 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 rules of the LORD are true,
        and righteous altogether.
    More to be desired are they than gold,
        even much fine gold;
    sweeter also than honey
        and drippings of the honeycomb.
    Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
        in keeping them there is great reward.
(Psalm 19:7-11 ESV)

  I heard an analogy once about the laws of God that I thought was very good.

A boy and his father went to go fly a kite. The boy was very young. It was his first experience with kite flying. His father helped him, and after several attempts the kite was in the air. The boy ran and let out more string, and soon the kite was flying high. The little boy was so excited; the kite was beautiful. Eventually there was no more string left to allow the kite to go higher. The boy said to his father, “Daddy, let’s cut the string and let the kite go; I want to see it go higher and higher.”

His father said, “Son, the kite won’t go higher if we cut the string.”

“Yes, it will,” responded the little boy. “The string is holding the kite down; I can feel it.” The father handed a pocketknife to his son. The boy cut the string. In a matter of seconds the kite was out of control. It darted here and there and finally landed in a broken heap. That was difficult for the boy to understand. He felt certain the string was holding the kite down.

The commandments and laws of God are like the kite string. We may feel like they hold us back, like they keep us from living life to the fullest. We may feel, like the little boy, that without them we would enjoy our life more, be free to soar. But like the kite, the commandments and laws of God are what make a successful life possible. They lead us and guide us upward. Obedience to these laws gives us peace, hope, and direction.

That is why David rejoices about the laws of the Lord in this Psalm. He understands that the laws of God don't restrain us. They allow us to soar.

Psalm 18: God: The Rock

What do you think of when you hear "The Rock"? Perhaps you think of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the wrestler turned movie star with the crazy eyebrows. Or maybe you think of Alcatraz, the infamous prison outside of San Fransisco also known as "The Rock".

Why are Dwayne Johnson and Alcatraz referred to as "The Rock"? The term, as in reference to these two signifies power, might, unbreakability, wrath, steadfastness. The name is intended to induce fear and respect.

This use of the term "The Rock" came straight from the Bible and is used in reference to God. In Psalm 18 David refers to God as the "Rock" three different times. This is how he describes God in this Psalm:

    Then the earth reeled and rocked;
        the foundations also of the mountains trembled
        and quaked, because he was angry.
    Smoke went up from his nostrils,
        and devouring fire from his mouth;
        glowing coals flamed forth from him.
    He bowed the heavens and came down;
        thick darkness was under his feet.
    He rode on a cherub and flew;
        he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
    He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
        thick clouds dark with water.
    Out of the brightness before him
        hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
    The LORD also thundered in the heavens,
        and the Most High uttered his voice,
        hailstones and coals of fire.
    And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
        he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
    Then the channels of the sea were seen,
        and the foundations of the world were laid bare
    at your rebuke, O LORD,
        at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
(Psalm 18:7-15 ESV)

 Wow, what a picture of God! The might, and power, and wrath. He really is the ultimate "Rock". But we need not be afraid of God. We need not suffer His wrath, if we turn to Him, and accept His Son and the righteousness we have in Him. David follows this description of God by saying:

    The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness;
        according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
(Psalm 18:20 ESV)

    With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
        with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
    with the purified you show yourself pure;
        and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
    For you save a humble people,
        but the haughty eyes you bring down.
(Psalm 18:25-27 ESV)

Make no mistake, God is to be feared. His awesome power and wrath should cause us to tremble before Him. But we can take comfort in Him if we submit ourselves to Him. Though He is powerful and wrathful, though He is "The Rock", He is also merciful and forgiving to those who love Him.

Psalm 17: God - Our Vindicator

    Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry!
        Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
    From your presence let my vindication come!
        Let your eyes behold the right!
(Psalm 17:1-2 ESV)

The word "vindicate" means to clear someone of blame or suspicion, or to show or prove them to be right, reasonable, or justified.

In this psalm, David describes God as his vindicator. People have apparently been saying bad things about David, or spreading lies about him. But instead of arguing with them about his character, or trying to prove them wrong, David turns to God as his vindicator. He knows that God knows the truth about him and the He will bring it to light. He knows that God has searched him and tested him to see that the contents of his heart are pure, and that is enough for him.

God is our vindicator. He knows our hearts, our minds, and our character. We should concern ourselves with making our hearts right with Him. If we are confident that we are right before God, we have nothing to fear or worry about what other people might think of us. If we are in the truth, we can be confident that God will make that truth known. We don't need to feel like we have to prove ourselves to other people to gain their approval. God's is the approval we should seek. If we are doing that, we can be confident that we will vindicate us.

Psalm 16: God - The Source of Contentment

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.
⁶ The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

⁷ I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.^[d]
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being^[e] rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.
¹⁰ For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.^[f]

¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

What is the secret to having contentment? Is it having everything that I want, or even everything that I need? Is it in having enough to live comfortably without worry, or , at least, enough to live at least as comfortably as those around me?  Is it about "having" at all?

In Psalm 16 David reveals the secret to contentment. It's not about "having" anything, but about trusting the One who has everything.

God is the creator of everything. He is the source of all good, and in Him is the power to supply everything we need. Indeed, everything that we are, and everything that we have, and everything that we could ever need comes by Him. Whether we "have" or whether we "have not" has no bearing on our contentment when we put our trust in the One from whom all things come. As Paul puts it in his letter the the Phillipians:

    Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
(Philippians 4:11-13 ESV)

Paul says that the secret to contentment is exaclty what David says in Psalms. It is in trusting in the One who strentgthens us. And knowing that in whatever circumstance. that He is taking care of us and will provide for us.

Psalm 15: God Welcomes Us to Dwell with Him

    O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent?
        Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
(Psalm 15:1 ESV)

In this Psalm David is reflecting on who is able to dwell with God. He gives a whole list of qualities that a person who can dwell with God should have.

But what strikes me more when I reflect on it, is not what type of person it takes to dwell with God; but just the mere fact that we can. It is beyond comprehension to me that we even can dwell with God. But it's more than that we "can" dwell with God, but that He actually welcomes us and desires us to dwell with Him. We were created to dwell with Him, the end for which we were made was to be with Him, and to be in relationship with Him.

"Who shall dwell on your holy hill?" God's desire is that all would. And He graciously welcomes us to.

Psalm 14: God - The Ever-Watching Father

  

 The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man,
        to see if there are any who understand,
        who seek after God.
(Psalm 14:2 ESV)

I love to watch my sons, especially when they don't know that I am watching. I like to watch them to see if they are doing what I teach them and the things that I have shown them. It especially brings me joy when I catch them mimicking the things that I do, like fixing their toys, or pretending to shave.

God is the same way. He is a proud father who is always watching His children. He watches to see if we will follow Him, to see if we are doing what He has taught us. And I'm sure, just like me with my kids, it brings Him immense joy when He "catches" us mimicking Him.

So let us endeavor to make our Father proud. To do as He has taught us, and to bring Him joy while He watches us do so.