The Psalms Challenge

[Jayne]

DAY 44 - PSALM 37:1-13  [Book 1]

He Will Not Forsake His Saints

Of David.

Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
    be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
    and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
    over the man who carries out evil devices!

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
    Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
    but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
    though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
    and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous
    and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
    for he sees that his day is coming......

[Jayne]

If this is not a psalm of encouragement in the Lord, I don't know what is.

All of us have struggled with evil and evildoers - fretting over life's conundrums.  But this psalm says that we are go focus on God.

 "Trust in the Lord, and do good"

That's all there is to it.  We don't have to worry ourselves to death and anxiety and mental anguish over others who do wrong - even if it affects us personally.

 "Trust in the Lord, and do good"

This is the key to staying in the will and protective wings of God.  Not saying life will be rosy or pain free, but life will be bearable and worries will not plague us.

I'm not just making this up to be making up something to commentate on.  I have lived out this principle after worrying myself almost to the grave.

[ayin jade]

Psalms 42 and 43 have a connection, as one can see in my study on them at this link. 

http://desertstudies.blogspot.com/2014/01/psalms-42-and-43.html

[Jayne]

56 minutes ago, ayin jade said:

Psalms 42 and 43 have a connection, as one can see in my study on them at this link. 

http://desertstudies.blogspot.com/2014/01/psalms-42-and-43.html

Thanks!!  I'm going to read it!!

[Jayne]

DAY 45 - PSALM 37:14 - 29  [Book 1]

...The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
    to bring down the poor and needy,
    to slay those whose way is upright;
15 their sword shall enter their own heart,
    and their bows shall be broken.

16 Better is the little that the righteous has
    than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
    but the Lord upholds the righteous.

18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
    and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
    in the days of famine they have abundance.

20 But the wicked will perish;
    the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;
    they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
    but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the Lord[c] shall inherit the land,
    but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
    when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
    for the Lord upholds his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old,
    yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
    or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously,
    and his children become a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good;
    so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice;
    he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
    but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
    and dwell upon it forever...

[Jayne]

DAY 46 - PSALM 37:30-40  [Book 1]

[finishing up psalm 37]

…...The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
    and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
    his steps do not slip.

32 The wicked watches for the righteous
    and seeks to put him to death.
33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power
    or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
    and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
    you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
    spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
    though I sought him, he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
    for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
    the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
    because they take refuge in him.

[Jayne]

DAY 47 - PSALM 38 [Book 1]

Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord

A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.

O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,
    nor discipline me in your wrath!
2 For your arrows have sunk into me,
    and your hand has come down on me.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh
    because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
    because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
    like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds stink and fester
    because of my foolishness,
6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
    all the day I go about mourning.
7 For my sides are filled with burning,
    and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and crushed;
    I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

9 O Lord, all my longing is before you;
    my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
    and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
    and my nearest kin stand far off.

12 Those who seek my life lay their snares;
    those who seek my hurt speak of ruin
    and meditate treachery all day long.

13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
    like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14 I have become like a man who does not hear,
    and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

15 But for you, O Lord, do I wait;
    it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16 For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,
    who boast against me when my foot slips!”

17 For I am ready to fall,
    and my pain is ever before me.
18 I confess my iniquity;
    I am sorry for my sin.
19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
    and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20 Those who render me evil for good
    accuse me because I follow after good.

21 Do not forsake me, O Lord!
    O my God, be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
    O Lord, my salvation!

[Jayne]

This psalm gives great reason as to why David was called a man after God's own heart.  It wasn't because he was a goody-goody nor perfect.  David sinned greatly....and more than once.

BUT, David always eventually acknowledged his sin.

And he ALWAYS made it clear that he felt to his bones how much his sin was an affront to God.

He never excused himself or tried to gloss over his sin.

This is a GREAT psalm to read in times we feel prideful or like everyone else sins, but "not us".

[Jubilea]

It certainly seems to be the meditation of one who has been humbled.

[In Him]

1 hour ago, Jubilea said:

It certainly seems to be the meditation of one who has been humbled.

David knew God’s Heart.