HOW TO READ THE PSALMS

I consider all Your commands.

I learn Your righteous laws.

I will obey Your decrees.Psalm

119.6-8

The Psalms were written by David and men like him whose hearts were set on knowing God.

The very first Psalm tells us the secret to understanding:  “Meditation.”

 Blessed is the one…whose delight is in the Law 

and who meditates on His Law day and night.

    Ps. 1.-2

The method of the “secret of ‘Meditation’” is found in these three verses of Psalm 119.6-8.

V. 6—I will consider  all Your commands.

V. 7 –I will learn Your righteous laws.

V. 8—I will obey Your decrees.

To “meditate day and night on the Law of the Lord” (Ps. 1.2) is simply “consider all God’s commands.”

To “consider all” God’s commands is easy enough. 

To “consider” is simply to read prayerfully and thoughtfully.

Yes.  That’s all.  Just read.  Prayerfully and thoughtfully.

Whatever You read, read prayerfully and thoughtfully, and God will do the rest.

Jesus puts it just as simply:

If you continue in My word, 

you will know the truth,

and the truth will set you free.

 John 8.32

If you abide in Me, 

and My word abides in you,

ask whatever you wish 

and it will be done for you.

John 15.7

If we ask anything according to His will, 

He hears us.

And …we know that we have 

what we asked of Him.

1 John 5.14-15

If you read prayerfully and thoughtfully, 

the Holy Spirit will “guide you into all truth” (John 16.13).

The Holy Spirit will enable you

to learn some of what you read.

We cannot learn everything, 

but we can learn some 

and the Holy Spirit will lead us to the things 

we need to know 

at the time we are reading.

From what we read and learn,

the Holy Spirit will give us

 the wisdom and power 

to obey and do 

what He is guiding toward.

In these three simple steps

—consider, learn, obey—

we become like the tree of Ps. 1.3

that “yields its fruit in season and…prospers.”

We will be like the 

“oaks of righteousness, 

a planting of the Lord 

for the display of His splendor.”  Isaiah 61.3

We will be wise to be like the man 

who built his house on rock 

by hearing and then doing what Jesus said.

It would be foolish 

not to do so.

Matthew 7.24-27

THE POWER OF WORDS

PROVERBS 10

 

Who is wise and understanding among you?

Let them show it by their good life,

By (words spoken) in the humility that comes from wisdom.

James 3.13

 

James 3.2 says that the tongue is the more powerful than even the pen, which is said to be greater than the sword.

Proverbs tells us of the power of the tongue, our words, our lips.

 

An excellent project is to read Proverbs looking for verses that refer to the power of the tongue.

 

Here is a sampling of the many, many verses about the tongue found in Proverbs.

 

These verses are all from chapter 10.

 

 

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,

But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence....v. 11

 

Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,

But a rod is for the back of one who has no sense….v. 13

 

The wise store up knowledge,

But the mouth of a fool invites ruin….v.14

 

Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips

and spreads slander

is a fool….v.18

 

Sin is not ended by multiplying words,

but the prudent hold their tongues…..v.19

 

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,

But the heart of the wicked is of little value….v.20

 

The lips of the righteous nourish many,

but fools die for lack of sense….v.21

 

From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,

But a perverse tongue will be silenced….v.31

 

The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,

but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse….v.32

 

 

Speak to others  

as you would have them  

speak to you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REBELLION AGAINST THE SABBATH--ISAIAH 58

Shout it aloud, do not hold back.

Raise Your voice like a trumpet.

Declare to My people their rebellion

and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.                                               

Isaiah 58.1

 

 

Shout.  Raise voice.  Declare.  Proclaim.

 

Vv.1-5--

 

            V. 1 identifies rebellion and sins as the point of these messages.

Vv. 2-5 lists specific ways rebellion leads to sinful 

           violations of the Sabbath.

 

I can proclaim the reality of rebellion that leads to sin.

Rebellion begins with the rejection of the invitation,

"Come.  Follow Me."

 

This is all that was asked of Adam.

It is all that is asked of us.

Failure to invest Sabbath time with You is rebellion that exposes us to all the corruptions, destructions, and death of Satan. 

John 10.10.  Mt. 4.1-16--Jesus' Temptations

 

The proclamation is that the emptiness and error of their life can be easily corrected:

 

 

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

\Matthew 4.17

 

I can proclaim the gracious glory of Your love, grace, mercy, and healing.   Luke 4.19-20+++

 

 

You can speak for Me, Ed.

According to your faith, you can speak for Me.

 

Lord, God, Almighty.  Savior.  My Lord! 

I can speak for You.

 

You have given me much grace and truth.

You have given me Your love. 

 

One day, You gave me a little yellow flower and said,

"How do I love thee?

Let Me count the ways."

 

You have shown me countless ways You love me.

You show me more every day.

 

 

 I pray that you may have power …

to grasp how wide and long and high and deep

is the love of Christ,

And to know this love that surpasses knowledge--

That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3.16-19

FRETFULNESS

PSALM 37

 

V.  1--

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong. 

Romans 2.4--

You who pass judgment on someone else, at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

 

The principle of the Psalms is that our "enemies" are within us.

The enemy we have to contend with is that within us that responds negatively to whatever is happening around us or to us must be confronted, confessed, and cleansed.

 

Fretfulne3ss and enviousness that are within us are the problems that are enemies, not the evil and wrong people around us.  These latter are not the cause of our reactions.  They only give reason to expose the condition of or heart.

 

The key prayer of the key prayer of the Psalms is

Psalm 139.23-24--

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts.  See if there is any wicked way in me , and lead me in the way everlasting.

 

V.  8--

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it only leads to evil.

 

The goal of Psalm 37 is to assure us that holiness, righteousness, and patience of the godly will be rewarded. 

This would fit with the prayers of Paul (Eph. 1.15-21; Phil.1.9-11; and Col. 1.9-14) that we be given knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of God's will and way, such as holiness, righteousness, and patience. 

In our following Jesus by faith and obedience, our Lord works all things

together for good.

(especially hard, hurtful things--James 1.2-5; 2 Cor. 12.9-10, and others) 

 

God works all things together for His purposes of our becoming like Him, in His image, in true righteousness and holiness (Eph.4.22-24) and love.

(1 Timothy 1.5--"Love comes from a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith.")

 

 

DON'T FRET.

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART.

CONSIDER THE HEAVENS

PSALM 19

 

Your heavens.  Your Creation.

You created immense heavens as You prepared to create us.

 

Why the extravagance?

So I can see how incredibly great You are.

For my joy and amazement.

The Grand Canyon and countless other places of beauty.

The aurora borealis. 

 

Vv.  2-6--

To read this list of wonders is an invitation to consider a slide show of creative wonders, wonders of creation.

 

The Internet is filled with 10 pictures of wonders of the Heavens and the Earth.

 

Here is brief listing of wonders You offer us. 

 

As I reflect on the invitations of Your Word, You open my eyes to ever greater glory.  You lift my heart into Your heart as I consider these Words which You had men write centuries ago. 

 

Here is the list:

 

The Law is perfect,

Refreshing the soul.

The Law always fill us with new life that is perfected with its perfections.

 

The Statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,

Making wise the simple.

These Words will always direct us into increasing wisdom for righteousness and holiness.

 

The precepts of the Lord are right,

Giving Joy to the heart.

There is great joy in learning how to say and do the right thing in the right way at the right time.

Proverbs tells us of the beauty and value of

a word that is fitly spoken.

 

 

The commands of the Lord are radiant,

Giving light to the eyes.

Like the sun for the earth,

Scripture delights the eyes of the soul.

 

The fear of the Lord is pure,

Enduring forever.

Fearing loss of eternity with You causes us to run from evil to purity.

 

The decrees of the Lord are firm,

And all of them are righteous.

Trustworthy and firm,

Every single letter of every decree is authorized by the Lord Jesus.  Mt. 5.15-17.

 

 

Conclusion: 

 

God's Words are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

They are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the honeycomb.

By them Your servant is warned;

in keeping them there is great reward.

THE WISE IN HEART

Proverbs 16.21

 

THE WISE IN HEART ARE CALLED DISCERNING,

AND GRACIOUS WORDS PROMOTE INSTRUCTION.

 

Wise--

Discerning, intelligent, discreet, understanding

Able to cause other to understand,

Able to teach for understanding

 

 

Gracious--

Sweet

Hebrew word used only twice, here and in 27.

 

Honey--

Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:  if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Pro 24.14

 

 

Instruction--

Learning, teaching, instruction, persuasiveness

 

 

I must have wisdom in my heart in order to be able to discern the words that others need. 

I must apply careful attention to what others need and then find the words of wisdom in my heart to speak "sweetly," graciously, so You can instruct others with the words You have given and directed me to use for them.