Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction and irons— Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High, Therefore, He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He has broken the gates of bronze, And cut the bars of iron in two.
Psalm 107:10-16
Oh what a gloomy psalm …While the previous section of this Psalm (4-9) describes God leading His people out from the wilderness, where they were lost and homeless and so hungry and thirsty that they nearly died…this section describes God’s people as prisoners, sitting in darkness and the shadow of death – bound in affliction and irons. Why? The Scripture declares that it was because the people had rebelled against the words of their God, they had turned away from His instructions, and despised His counsel. So bad was their situation that they fell down, and the Psalmist says there was no one there to help them. It was then, at their lowest point, they cried out to God for help, or as one commentator put it, “God’s imprisoned people begged Him for help,” ~ “and He delivered/saved them from their distress, bringing them out of the darkness and shadow of death, and breaking their chains in pieces.” – I love the way David Guzik defines this answer from God as “pure grace and mercy.” Guzik goes on to quote commentator John Trapp, who said of this verse: “This is comfort to the greatest sinners; if they can but find a praying heart, God will find a pitying heart…”
They cried out to the LORD in their trouble: In their chains and hardship, God’s imprisoned people begged Him for help, and He answered. He saved them out of their distresses and broke their chains in pieces. This was pure grace and mercy from God; these prisoners were under God’s own discipline. Yet when they cried out to Him, He mercifully answered. (Guzik)
i. “This is comfort to the greatest sinners; if they can but find a praying heart, God will find a pitying heart, and rebels shall be received with all sweetness, if at length they return, though brought in by the cross.” (Trapp)
Enduring Word
Now, the psalmist again, and rightfully so, calls those who have seen and experienced such grace from the Lord to “give thanks to God for His goodness and wonderful works.”
Friends, where have you seen His grace and mercy … His goodness .. and His wonderful works? ` Let’s make it a habit, when we see these things, to stop and praise Him.
Sing Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
In any given dictionary you will find humility defined something like this … “a modest or low view of one’s own importance, humbleness, the state of being humble.” Most of these definitions are followed by a sentence structured around the word in the hope of making the definition clear. However, there is no clearer illustration of humility than what we are reading in Philippians today, specifically verses 3-8. What I love about Paul – is he doesn’t simply instruct the believers to let their actions be motivated by or in humility but he includes the perfect illustration in the person and actions of Christ.
Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interest of others as well. you should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had., who though He existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:3-8
Christ-like Humility
To this day I still remember the first day that I read this passage with any real knowledge or understanding and it still makes the same aww-inspiring impact on me when I read it today. What a beautiful perspective it puts on the love and actions of Jesus Christ on our behalf. From the humble cradle in the animal stall to the garden prayer, and the nails, thorns, and cross Christ was the ‘poster-child’ for humility – and we are called to have that same attitude. His attitude was one that”
wasn’t motivated by selfish ambition or vanity but –
was – steeped in humility and therefore –
even though He was God in the flesh He didn’t demand to be treated like God – but instead
He emptied Himself of His rightful authority and took on the form of a servant
by looking like other men
by sharing in human nature and –
humbling Himself and becoming obedient to death on the cross
Putting Away
Thus – if we are going to have the same attitude as Christ, we must practice humility – namely, by putting away any selfish ambitions or vanity. We must treat one another better than we treat ourself. we must be truly concerned about others – for only then is there any hope for our attitude to mirror the servant heart of Christ.
Response to God’s Word
Father, I ask again today for an attitude like that of Christ – a servant’s heart, an obedient spirit that puts Your will above my own or anyone else’s. I know this is Your will for me and for all of Your children. In Jesus’ name and power – and in accordance with Your will – I pray, Amen!
Love God Greatly
Be sure and check-out Wednesday’s blog post from the Love God Greatly team –
Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. 3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. 4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. 5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
Psalm 103:1-5
What a beautiful Psalm to remind us that our prayers should be filled with praise, acknowledging the greatness of the One to whom we pray. Read and listen, hear how David names and thanks God for the things He has done personally for him. Praising God like this comes from the heart – from within the very soul of a person – and it flows from a relationship built through time and trials and abiding with one another.
Look at the flow of David’s thoughts poured out into words. He remembers how God has poured Himself out – both to him and for him and through the praises he reaches a testimony of being renewed like an eagle. Notice how this prayer of praise – declares a wholeheartedness and an acknowledgement of God’s holiness. David expresses his own desire to not forget the good things God has done for him and then begins to name them … forgiveness, healing, redemption, love and mercy are the things he names but suddenly, it’s as though you can hear David become overwhelmed at the thought of all God has done for him as he exclaims that his whole life is FILLED with good things – following these words of praise it’s as though he exhales with the realization that because of all of these good things his strength has been renewed and he feels young and strong – like an eagle. One commentary explains that ‘exhale’ like this: “The eagle molts: it casts off its old feathers and grows new ones, thereby gaining a new lease on life. Regardless of the believer’s age, he finds the strength and vitality he needs to do the Lord’s will.”
The eagle molts: it casts off its old feathers and grows new ones, thereby gaining a new lease on life. Regardless of the believer’s age, he finds the strength and vitality he needs to do the Lord’s will.
BibleRef.com – Psalm 103:5
The rest of the Psalm is just as beautiful as he begins again to name and expound on the good acts and character of God. The final passage of the Psalm, verses 20-23, is a call by David to the LORD’s angels, armies, servants, and even his own soul to give praise to Yahweh!
It is clear and evident that praising God leads to more praises. Remembering and naming the things He has done sparks more and more praise to flow until there is an energy and excitement to ignite the fire of praise in everyone – clearly emphasizing the importance of prayer and the beautiful benefit of the outcome.
Be sure and read the final LGG Blog of this study on “The Importance of Prayer”.
2I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. 3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.
Psalm 145:2-3
For me, soaping this passage might look like the following –
Scripture:2I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. 3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness. Psalm 145:2-3
Observation:1. David makes it personal. He isn’t simply leading others to praise God – He is declaring his personal heart felt adoration for His God. 2. David is committed, pledging to praise God every day – forever. 3. David declares the Lord to be great and worthy of praise. 4. David is certain that no one can measure God’s greatness.
Application: If I am to emulate David, who was a ‘man after God’s own heart, I should seek to praise God forever and ever. I will declare His greatness, remember that He is “most” worthy of praise, and not allow anyone a greater place or tribute in my life – not because I’ve been told that He is great or because other people are praising Him but because I personally know that so great is He, His greatness cannot be measured.
Prayer: Father, thank you for David’s reminder that you are great and most worthy of praise. Help me to praise you throughout every day of my life, forever and forever. – Amen!
My SOAP
SOAPing Scripture is a beautiful and helpful technique of studying and understanding God’s Word. However, it is important, when doing so, to allow yourself the time and the joy of mining for other treasure. Or, as I like to say, to chase some ‘scripture squirrels’. So, naturally when my study for today – The Importance of Prayer by Love God Greatly – called for me to read Psalm 145 and SOAP only verses 2-3 – I ended up chasing down some squirrels.
As we discovered yesterday, praising God makes for a great time of worshipful prayer. This Psalm of David is an excellent example. He begins by lifting up, or exalting, the Lord in verse 1 and is still praising Him in verse 21. David declares in his own singular praise – I will exalt you, my God and King, and I will praise your name. Keep reading though and you will see that his praise leads to more praise, followed by an invitation or the expressed hope (4) for others to continue the praise – “Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power.” Watch, then, as he purposes to meditate on some of the most beautiful characteristics and works of our God. According to David, when we think of God’s majestic, glorious splendor and His wonderful miracles we will proclaim His greatness. And because praise is contagious God’s awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue not just his own; David will proclaim God’s greatness, yet not just His greatness toward David, but an extensive resume’ of God’s character and previous works.
He keeps His promises;
He is gracious in all He does.
The Lord helps the fallen
He lifts those bent beneath their loads.
He gives them their food as they need it.
He satisfies the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
He is filled with kindness.
The Lord is close to all who call on him,
He grants the desires of those who fear him;
He hears their cries for help and rescues them.
The Lord protects all those who love him
He destroys the wicked.
Look back with me to verses 5-13, and note that by proclaiming some simple yet profound truths of God, like His greatness and the fact that He is worthy of praise, David’s Psalm turns from the singular ‘I will’ statements to declaring that ‘everyone will’ and ‘they will’.
Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness.
Psalm 145:7
David knows what it is to benefit from or to see the Lord’s mercy and compassion or to experience His goodness. He knows how his own heart responds in praise to these things and surmises, based on his own experience, that because the Lord is merciful and compassionate and because the Lord is good to everyone, that His faithful followers will also cry out in praise. He says, they will speak of the Glory of God’s kingdom, they will tell about His mighty deeds and give examples of His power and talk about the majesty and glory of His reign.
… your faithful followers will praise you. 11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power. 12 They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
Psalm 145:10b-12
David ends the Psalm with the same declaration that he opened with, the pledge that “I will praise the Lord.” He then entreats everyone on earth to do the same. May we follow David in this most worthy quest. May our eyes and hearts and minds be opened to see, to hear, and to experience God – and then may we respond with praise – not just silent or whispered praises to Him but bold and confident praise that will testify to His goodness, His mercies, His grace, love, and magnificent works. May our praise ignite more praise both in us and in all those who hear or see what He is doing.
I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.
Psalm 145:21
Me, from the inside out
Reflection: What is something you can praise the Lord for today? I invite you to be the spark and leave a comment below.
But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
6 I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. NLT
Observation:
The Genesis Saga: The Cupbearer and Royal Baker
So , not only was Joseph a dreamer – apparently he was also an interpreter. sometime after Joseph was put in prison Pharaoh had two of his officials, a cupbearer and a royal baker, put in prison. As God would have it, they were placed in the same facility where Joseph was being kept and he was made their attendant. While they were there the cupbearer and royal baker both had a dream that left them noticeably depressed. They shared the dreams with Joseph and they (well, at least the cupbearer) were delighted that he was able to interpret them. Joseph was most likely delighted as well – since it gave him hope that they would mention him to Pharaoh and he would release him. Unfortunately, while things went just as Joseph had predicted from the dreams, his name was not mentioned and he remained in prison.
TODAY’S FOCUS VERSE
David wrote this Psalm in a very emotional state. He spills out frustration, confusion, fear of his enemy, desperation, great sorrow, hunger for God’s attention, worry, suffering, shame, and embarrassment. “BUT…” (you have to love the ‘buts’ of God’s Word – right?). After spilling out all of these emotions he responds to his own rant, breakdown, or what I would call a panic attack with the expressed determination and declaration, “But I trust in Your faithfulness.” His trust was so solid that he even declared a time of rejoicing, certain that God would both deliver and vindicate him. Don’t you love this? I do. I love that David open and close relationship with God, especially knowing that God refers to David as “a man after My own heart”. Don’t you see, God wants to have this kind of relationship with us – one where we are open and honest, not hiding our hearts from Him but laying them open before Him – truthful of our doubts but so confident in Him that trust and praise always win out.
But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’ NLT
While we shouldn’t doubt God, when doubts arise – and they will – we should cry out to Him like David did. We should also follow-up our questions and concerns with declarations of His faithfulness, His goodness, and our trust in Him to ‘deliver’ or meet whatever need we have expressed. When we do this praise is sure to follow and overwhelm the emotions of doubt.
Doubt brings sorrow; faith brings praise
BibleRef.Com
PRAYER: RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD
Father, help me never doubt you. Surely I have seen Your goodness and faithfulness all the days of my life. Help me in the throes of suffering and trials of this life to trust You, to remember, to call out to You, and to look for Your deliverance, and to praise You when it comes! – In Jesus’ Name – amen and amen.
How was God’s faithfulness shown to Joseph in prison?
How have you seen God show His faithfulness to you when you were in a season of despair?
WANT MORE?
(I’m sure that I’ve shared this before but the highlighted portions came to mind when I was reading/writing and I couldn’t resist sharing again – I encourage you to read the lyrics and then take some time to sit [or dance] before God in worship.)
Blessings Lyrics[this song and its rights do not belong to me]
We pray for blessings We pray for peace Comfort for family, protection while we sleep We pray for healing, for prosperity We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering And all the while, You hear each spoken need Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things
‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops? What if Your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You’re near? And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
We pray for wisdom Your voice to hear And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love As if every promise from Your Word is not enough And all the while, You hear each desperate plea And long that we’d have faith to believe
‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops? What if Your healing comes through tears? And what if the thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You’re near? And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
When friends betray us And when darkness seems to win We know that pain reminds this heart That this is not, this is not our home It’s not our home
‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops? What if Your healing comes through tears? And what if the thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if my greatest disappointments Or the aching of this life Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy And what if trials of this life The rain, the storms, the hardest nights Are Your mercies in disguise?
A song used at the dedication of the temple: by David
David’s Response to Answered Prayer
This psalm begins with an acknowledgment that a prayer has been answered. It seems to be a recounting or a testimony of what it was all about and how David’s sorrow turned into joyful dancing. However, don’t miss the line of lament in verse 7 where David says the Lord rejected him and he was terrified. Note the progression from there, David cried to the LORD (8), David’s focus was the Lord (9), and David seeks the LORD’s mercy – indicating he knew that he deserved God’s displeasure and rejection. Suddenly David’s lament is turned into dancing and he says he can no longer stay silent. Oh that we would all respond so joyfully with praise when God answers our prayers.
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
Psalm 30:11-12
In these two verses David realizes, with great joy, that his prayers have been answered and he gives God the credit. He makes his joy known and pledges to always give God thanks.
How then should we live?
When God removes or improves our suffering we should make it known. We should not be silent when God acts on our behalf. Instead, we should, without hesitation or timidity give thanks to the LORD. Our responses not only bring delight to God but they have the power to make His name known to others around us, which may in turn encourage them to pray or praise God as well.
My Response
Father, Thank You for all the times You have turned my mourning into dancing! Let me never withhold praise that is due Your name. Let me dance and sing with joy – making Your goodness, greatness, mercy, grace, and love known! And in this, may You be glorified.
Going Deeper
Don’t forget to read the LGG Blog Post lovegodgreatly.com/blog/
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. 2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. 3 They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard
Psalm 96:10-13
Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly.
11 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! 12 Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy 13 before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.
Psalm 19 For the choir director: A psalm of David.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. 2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. 3 They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.[a] 4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth and their words to all the world. Read More
Psalm 20 For the choir director: A psalm of David.
In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm. 2 May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem.[a] 3 May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings. Interlude
May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed. 5 May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers.
6 Now I know that the Lord rescues his anointed king. He will answer him from his holy heaven and rescue him by his great power. 7 Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God. 8 Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm.
9 Give victory to our king, O Lord! Answer our cry for help.
One of the things I love about God is His Faithfulness. Trust is hard for me but with God I don’t have to worry about whether or not I can trust Him. It isn’t simply that there are verses that declare Him to be faithful; don’t get me wrong, since we walk by faith and not by sight this would be enough, but His actions bear witness to His Word. Or, as our verse says – “He ACTS in a faithful manner -“. Because He does I know that He is reliable. He is a dependable REFUGE. And, there is truly NO ONE on earth or in heaven like Him. No wonder David wrote in Psalm 16:8 – “I constantly trust in the LORD; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” As we head out of one very challenging year and into all the unforeseen of another – may David’s bold and confident statement become our mantra. May it define us and become our strength both day and night, on our mountain-tops and in our valleys. May it be a light of encouragement to those who are watching. When troubles come and they see that we aren’t shaken perhaps they will ask why – and may we be ready with an answer – like David – for the HOPE that is within us! The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psalm 18:2
1 O Lord, hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my prayer, for it comes from honest lips. 2 Declare me innocent, for you see those who do right.
3 You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say. 4 I have followed your commands, which keep me from following cruel and evil people. 5 My steps have stayed on your path; I have not wavered from following you.
6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. Read More
Psalm 18 For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. He sang:
I love you, Lord; you are my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. 3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.
4 The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. 5 The grave[a] wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. 6 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. Read More
Me From the Inside Out 