Category Archives: Psalms

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The Right Motive

Delight Yourself in the Lord

PREVIEW: King David is unashamedly praying for God’s blessing on his life and on his reign as king over Israel. He asked for it all: Divine favor, protection, success, and even long life. He clearly understands that he can do nothing without God: he can’t be an effective king, he can’t even live a decent life if God doesn’t grace him with what only God can give. So, he aggressively, boldly, pointedly asks. In everything David did, and in every prayer request he lifted to God, his motive was that God’s name could be lifted high throughout the earth and throughout every generation. When your motive, like his, is to squeeze the last ounce of glory for God out of your one and only life, then you, too, can unashamedly ask the Lord to empty heaven’s treasury of blessing nd pour it out upon you.

“If your heart delights in the Lord, expect the Lord to delight your heart.”

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 61:5-8

You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name. Add many years to the life of the king! May his years span the generations! May he reign under God’s protection forever. May your unfailing love and faithfulness watch over him. Then I will sing praises to your name forever as I fulfill my vows each day.

King David is unashamedly praying for God’s blessing on his life and on his reign as king over Israel. He asked for it all: Divine favor, protection, success, and even long life. He clearly understands that he can do nothing without God: he can’t be an effective king, he can’t even live a decent life if God doesn’t grace him with what only God can give. So, he aggressively, boldly, pointedly asks.

But David had a great motive for asking. It wasn’t just so he could reign as king over Israel more successfully, or just so he could have a problem free ministry, or just so he could live a longer life. All that was fine—and there is certainly nothing wrong in asking for any of it. What David mostly wanted was to squeeze the very last ounce of glory for God out of his one and only life. In everything he did, and in every prayer request he lifted to God, his motive was that God’s name could be lifted high throughout the earth and throughout every generation.

That’s a great motive for asking. It is also a sure way to receive from the Lord. In Psalm 37:4, David wrote, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” What do you desire in your heart? What do you seek in prayer? Make sure the Lord factors first and foremost in all you are hoping for—not because he needs that from you, but because he deserves that from you—and he will pour out his unlimited supply of heavenly grace upon your life.

God looks for people who are wholly bent on glorifying his name. And when he does, the treasury of heaven will open to that person in uncommon ways. The chronicler said, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

When the Lord looks today, may he find that person in you. And may you be blessed beyond your wildest imaginations!

My Offering of Worship: Memorize Psalm 37:4-5, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.” If your heart delights in the Lord, expect the Lord to delight your heart.

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Desperate Times Calls For Deliverance

God Delivers Those He Loves

PREVIEW: We all go through seasons that could be labelled as “desperate times.” So what is a believer to do in times like that? As the psalms teach us, we are to “unfurl our banner.” In other words, we are to declare our loyalty to God! We are to shout our trust in his goodness! We are to make clear to the world whose side we are on! We are to affirm our submission to his will and align ourselves once again to his sovereign purposes. We are to refuse to surrender to fear, self-pity and defeat. We are to intensify our intentions and redouble our efforts to be God’s man or God’s woman or God’s organization no matter what the times are like—good or bad. And then simply and patiently we are to entrust our lives to God our deliverer to save and help us with his strong right hand.

“The best thing believers can do in desperate times is to entrust the future to the One whose name is ‘Deliverer.’”

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 60:3-51

You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger. But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow. Selah Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.

David’s reign as king over God’s people came to be known as the Golden Age of Israel. Yet there were times during his reign, as you can discern from this psalm, that all was not well with the nation. There were situations and seasons where it seemed as if the people had abandoned their God, and God had abandoned his people.

On this occasion, David sensed that God had not been with Israel in battle as he had expected. We are not told why—if there was some national sin that caused God to withhold his favor, or if David’s leadership was to blame, or if God was just simply testing and deepening Israel. Admittedly, this psalm is shrouded in a bit of mystery, and at times, it is clouded with pessimism with occasional sun breaks of optimism.

That is so true of our lives as well. Sometimes we just don’t know. Sometimes difficult things happen, and after some serious soul-searching, we simply cannot produce an adequate explanation. I am sure many Christians who are caught in the vise-grip of our present unpredictable economy may be feeling this way today. And I certainly know of several God-honoring churches and missional organizations, too, that are experiencing severe financial challenges. I am sure a lot of believers right now would join David and say, “You have shown your people desperate times.”

So what are you to do in those desperate times? Unfurl your banner, that’s what! In other words, declare your loyalty to God! Shout your trust in his goodness! Make clear to the world whose side you are on! Affirm your submission to his will and align yourself once again to his sovereign purposes. Refuse to surrender to fear, self-pity, and defeat. Intensify your intentions and redouble your efforts to be God’s man or God’s woman or God’s organization no matter what the times are like—good or bad.

And then simply and patiently entrust yourself to God to save and help you with his strong right hand. After all, the One who loves you goes by the name “Deliverer” for good reason. As David did, change your tune so that at the end of the day, you are placing well-founded optimism in the God who delivers! Again, the best thing you can do in desperate times is to entrust the future to the One whom Psalm 68:20 confidently declares, “Our God is a God who delivers.”

My Offering of Worship: If you are going through a season of desperation, do what David did in this psalm: Declare your undying, unconditional trust in the God who is above it all.

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I’m Still Standing

Evil People Will Pass, But God Remains Forever

PREVIEW: Chances are, at some point, people in your life will try to assassinate your character and ruin your reputation. And when that happens, remember this one thing: Though people can kill your body, assassinate your character, and ruin your reputation, they can’t steal your song. You see, at the end of the day, evil people will be no more, but your integrity will keep you in favored standing with the only One who has the power of eternal life and death. Powerful people may try to bring you down, but God’s power will prevail. He is your strength. People may try to force you out, but you have One whose name is Fortress. They may make your life miserable, but you belong to One who is your Refuge.

“Though people can kill your body, assassinate your character, and ruin your reputation, they never steal your song.”—Ray Noah

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 59:16

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

David was in trouble—due to no fault of his own. He had been a model citizen. In fact, he had proven himself a true national hero during a military crisis when Israel’s warriors had failed to step up and demonstrate courageous leadership. As you know from 1 Samuel 17, David had unintentionally made a name for himself on the battlefield by killing Goliath of Gath—the champion-giant of Israel’s archenemy, the Philistines.

As a result of this heroic act, David, still a young man, was recruited into King Saul’s army and fast-tracked right to the top as captain and confidant to the mercurial king. He was even given Saul’s daughter, Michal, as his wife. But things turned bad when the unstable king began to show signs of irrational and insane jealousy toward David. It got so bad that he “took out a hit” on David’s life.

This psalm was written when David got wind of Saul’s plan, forcing him to leave his wife, abandon his home, and flee for his life. As you can see from the title given in the Psalter (Psalm 59:1), Saul had sent his henchmen to stake out David’s house in order to carry out their immoral and illegal plot (Psalm 59:3). And according to David’s song, they were doing more than just trying to murder him: They were attempting to assassinate his character in the eyes of a nation that had come to adore him as their warrior-hero (Psalm 59:10-11). So, David writes about them and puts a tune to it—a song that preserves their evil in perpetuity and invites Divine destruction down upon their heads.

Now you might be wondering what all this has to do with you. Perhaps you’re asking, “Is there anything in this psalm that elevates it to the status of good devotional material meant for your edification today?” That’s a good question—I’m glad you asked. You see, although I doubt that you will ever have a “hit” taken out on your life, chances are there will be people in your life from time to time who will try to assassinate your character and ruin your reputation. And when that happens, you can hearken back to David’s experience and, if nothing else, remember this one thing:

Though people can kill your body, assassinate your character, and ruin your reputation, they cannot steal your song.

At the end of the day, evil people will be no more, but your integrity will keep you in favored standing with the only One who has the power of eternal life and death. Powerful people may try to bring you down, but God’s power will prevail. He is your strength. People may try to force you out, but you have One whose name is Fortress. They may make your life miserable, but you belong to One who is your Refuge.

Here is the deal, my friend: Evil people and unfair times will pass, but God stands forever. And you belong to Him, so you will stand forever, too! So go ahead and sing. I normally don’t recommend Elton John songs for worship, but you may want to even sing one of his: I’m Still Standing.

My Offering of Worship: Are you being unfairly criticized, vilely opposed, threatened with termination for no good cause, or being generally mistreated? Do what David did: take it to God. Pour out your heart to him in a psalm of your own creation. Seriously, you will feel a lot better.

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When the World Cries “Uncle”

There’s a Day Coming When Evil Surrenders

PREVIEW: In the psalms, King David not only prayed for an abrupt and horrible end to the wicked, but prophetically declared that those who witness that end will literally be compelled to acknowledge that God is indeed the righteous judge of the earth who avenges his people. That isn’t just a pipe dream, by the way. It will happen someday. The world will one day have to acknowledge, albeit reluctantly, that God is the righteous judge and that he has vindicated his people. Sometimes it looks as if evil has gotten away with it—but there is a day coming when God will be vindicated, and Jesus will be acknowledged as King of kings and Lord of Lords, and you will be recognized by this evil world as the one God has loved.

"Does it looks as if evil has gotten away with it? A day is coming when God will be vindicated, Jesus will be hailed as Lord, and this evil world will confess that you are the one God loves." —Ray Noah

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 58:10-11

The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then at last everyone will say, “There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.”

Read this entire psalm and I think you will agree with me that for the most part, it’s not too cheery. I doubt that you will come away from it feeling uplifted and ready to take on the day. It is just not that kind of psalm. But it’s still God’s Word, and therefore, it must have something in it that the Holy Spirit wants to use to encourage and enlighten us today.

When you think about it, we can identify with what David is feeling. He is pouring out his frustration before God with the wicked who are in positions of power. And much like today, the manipulation, lying, cheating, and downright wickedness of ungodly rulers who use their power to abuse the righteous and frustrate their righteous intentions has caused David to get good and angry. So, in this prayer, righteous indignation flies off his lips in the most descriptive language as he calls on Almighty God to so crush the wicked that they become a very public cautionary lesson on what ultimately will happen to those who oppose God and abuse his people.

The psalm ends with David not only praying for an abrupt and horrible end to the wicked, but prophetically declaring that those who witness that end will literally be compelled to acknowledge that God is indeed the righteous judge of the earth who avenges his people.

That isn’t just a pipe dream, by the way. It will happen someday. The world will one day have to acknowledge, albeit reluctantly, that God is the righteous judge and that he has vindicated his people. Fast-forward to the end of God’s book, the Bible, to Revelation 3:9, and to the end of the present age, where the Apostle John records these words from the exalted Christ’s very own lips:

I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.

Sometimes it looks as if evil has gotten away with it—but there is a day coming when God will be vindicated, and Jesus will be acknowledged as King of kings and Lord of Lords, and you will be recognized by this evil world as the one God has loved. One day, perhaps soon, maybe later, finally the wicked will be forced to say “uncle!”

So, hang in there—that day is going to be spectacularly great!

My Offering of Worship: If you haven’t done it for a while, pray for the righteous judgment of God to come against those who are perpetrating violence against God’s innocent people. We have been so conditioned in our Christian culture to pray only for mercy, but there is also a time when we must appeal to God for his justice to be revealed.

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For Cave-Dwellers

It’s Where God Does His Finest Work

PREVIEW: David ran into a cave to escape King Saul but ran straight into God instead. That’s what happens in caves. And though the cave was the most frustrating experience of David’s life, in hindsight, it turned out to be the most fruitful. You see, the cave became the place of testing and separation, and forging for David until, as an unknown poet has said, he was “pressed into knowing no helper but God.” Pressed into knowing no helper but God—that’s what happened in the cave, and that’s the one thing David was going to need if he were to be a great king. And that’s what you will need if you are going to live an extraordinary life.

If you are in the deep darkness of a cave-like experience, be of good cheer. God does his best works in caves! It is where he resurrects the dead."—Ray Noah

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 57:1

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.

This psalm is a song for cave-dwellers, as you’ll notice in the title: “A psalm of David A miktam. When he had fled from Saul into the cave.”

At this point in his life, David had expected to be king with a kingdom, but instead, he ended up in a cave hiding from another king, Saul. And this wasn’t just an overnight stay; the cave became his home for a spell—months if not years—and with no prospect that it would ever be different.

David had run into the cave to escape Saul, but the thing is, he ran right into God. That’s what happens in caves. And though the cave was the most frustrating experience of David’s life, in hindsight, it turned out to be the most fruitful. You see, the cave became the place of testing and separation and forging for David until, as an unknown poet has said, he was “pressed into knowing no helper but God.”

Pressed into knowing no helper but God—that’s what happened in the cave, and that’s the one thing David was going to need if he were to be a great king.

By the way, it was there in the cave that David wrote three of his most moving psalms—Psalms 34, 142, and our psalm for today, Psalm 57. So, I would like to make an observation from each of these three psalms that are especially relevant if you are in a “cave” of your own right now:

To begin with, if you’re in the cave, look up—God is there! David penned Psalm 34:18 in his cave: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” In the cave, a brokenhearted David came into a profound experience of the God of the brokenhearted. And so will you if you will look for God there.

Next, if you are in the cave, speak up—God is listening! Talk to God; he can handle it! That is what David did, and it was great therapy. In his cave, David wrote these words in Psalm 142:1-2, “I cry aloud to the Lord…I pour out my complaint before him; before him, I tell my trouble.” If you are complaining about your cave to everyone else but God, you’re missing a great opportunity to talk to the only one who can do something about it. So try talking to him!

Finally, if you’re in a cave, toughen up—God is at work! Embrace your cave; God’s purpose is being served there. He’s teaching you, like David, how to “king it!” David wrote Psalm 57:2 in the cave: “I cry out to God, who fulfills his purpose for me.” Don’t short-circuit the cave—you’ll miss God’s purpose!

If you are in a cave right now, I want to encourage you not to worry. God’s got a lot of experience with caves. You see, he’s been there! The Son of David, Jesus, was put in a cave. When he died, they buried his lifeless body in a cave, which looked like it would be his permanent resting place! But his enemies didn’t know that God does his best work in caves because the cave is where God resurrects dead stuff! A cave was where a dead Messiah became a Risen Savior—and the cave is where your dead dreams or dead ministry or dead career or dead marriage will take on resurrection life.

I don’t know about your cave—how deep, dark, and devastating it is—but I do know that God works in caves! David ran into his cave looking for refuge, and he found resurrection.

And you will, too. So hang in there—look up, speak up, and toughen up—resurrection is coming!

My Offering of Worship: What makes you cry today? Whatever it is, remember that your tears are a reminder that God knows, God sees, God cares, and God will never forget what it is that causes you such deep pain. Take comfort in that, child of God!

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Tears In A Bottle

God Collects Them In His Bottle

PREVIEW: It is likely that no one truly knows the depth of what you are feeling right now. Maybe no one will ever see those tears that have rolled down your cheek—and the intense hurt that caused them. Even if they see your tears, how sad it is that long before your pain is healed, people will forget and move on. But there is One who sees…and One who cares…and One who never forgets. And he wants you to know that, my friend. And that One, your Heavenly Father, simply asks you to take comfort in his compassion and to place your trust in him.

“The next tear that spills down your cheek is a reminder that your tears never just dry up and fade into a painful memory, they go right into the bottle of the One who truly cares.”—Ray Noah

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 56:8

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

Aren’t tears a mysterious part of what it means to be human? It is strange that we have the capacity to cry—to expel water from our eyes when we are sad. It seems to serve no real purpose—although science can explain the physiological “why,” and mental health experts can explain the psychological “why.”

That still leaves the question of “why tears”—why were we created with that capacity?

Perhaps this psalm provides a clue. Maybe they are to remind us that God cares about the things that make us sad enough to shed tears. So much does he bear our sorrow that he collects our tears in a bottle, as the New Living Translation says, or as other versions put it, “he records them in his ledger.” In other words, God takes note—implying that he is not only aware of our sadness, but he will not forget it.

What is it that is making you cry today? A heart broken by a fractured relationship? A dashed hope or the death of a dream? A failed family? A personal sin? The consequences of a past mistake that continues to haunt you? What is it that you feel such deep sadness over?

It is likely that no one truly knows the depth of what you are feeling right now. Maybe no one will ever see those tears that have rolled down your cheek—and the intense hurt that caused them. Even if they do see your tears, how sad it is that long before your pain is healed, people will forget and move on.

There is One who sees…and One who cares…and One who never forgets. And he wants you to know that, my friend. And that One, your Heavenly Father, simply asks you to take comfort in his compassion (Psalm 103:13), and to place your trust in him. In fact, so strongly does he desire your trust, that he repeats the invitation twice for emphasis.

I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? … I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:4,10-11)

I hope you will do that. Entrust those tears to God. And let the very next tear that fills your eyes and spills down your cheek be a reminder that your tears never just dry up and fade into a painful memory, they go right into the bottle of that One who truly cares!

My Offering of Worship: What makes you cry today? Whatever it is, remember that your tears are a reminder that God knows, God sees, God cares, and God will never forget what it is that causes you such deep pain. Take comfort in that, child of God!

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Betrayed

Life’s Most Devastating Pain

PREVIEW: Betrayal is a painful part of the human experience. No one gets a pass in life on being stabbed in the back by someone thought to be a friend, not even the greats: Not Julius Caesar, not William Wallace, not the brightest theological mind who ever lived, the Apostle Paul, not even the most perfect human being who walked the earth, Jesus Christ. And if Jesus had his Judas, guess what? You’ll have one, too, at some point in your life. But since it will happen, we must remember that it doesn’t help much to continually dwell in a state of “why me?” or “how could she?” or “why did he.” Healing begins when we bring our truest, rawest feelings into God’s presence, as often as necessary, until we begin to regain our spiritual vitality and emotional stability—and then understand that God will use our friend’s betrayal to equip us to transform our world.

“Consider that God may want to use your pain to transform your world.” —Ray Noah

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 55:22

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

What’s the worst thing that could happen to you? I suspect that right up there, close to the top, would be the utter horror of being betrayed by someone who has been very close to you. What makes betrayal’s shock, humiliation, and devastation so unbearable is that it comes from the hand of one with whom you have entrusted your inner thoughts, secret aspirations, and even life itself. The pain of betrayal is perhaps the worst of all.

David was enduring that pain—that’s the reason for this psalm: “It is not an enemy who taunts me—I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me—I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you—my equal, companion, and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.” (Psalm 55:12-13)

As you read through this sad song, you will experience some raw emotions leaking out of David, emotions that range from feeling as if he could just curl up and die (Psalm 55:4) to being overwhelmed with dread and fear (Psalm 55:5) to escapist thinking (Psalm 55:6-8) to outright anger and revenge (Psalm 55:15). It’s just natural to feel all those things when someone who shouldn’t have has stabbed you in the back.

Betrayal is a painful part of the human experience. No one gets a pass in life on being stabbed in the back, not even the greats: Not Julius Caesar, not William Wallace, not the brightest theological mind who ever lived, the Apostle Paul, not even the most perfect human being who walked the earth, Jesus Christ. And if Jesus had his Judas, guess what? You’ll have one, too, at some point in your life.

David had a man named Ahithophel—a once trusted confidant who turned on him. (2 Samuel 15:12) This may be the unnamed man of which David is venting in Psalm 55. Ultimately, David turned away from the wide range of negative and corrosive emotions described above by taking his pain to the Lord. And that’s the best therapy for betrayal. It doesn’t help much to continually dwell in a state of “why me?” or “how could she?” or “why did he.” Healing begins when we bring our truest, rawest feelings into God’s presence, as often as necessary, until we begin to regain our spiritual vitality and emotional stability.

It may take a while to get past the devastating pain, the seething anger, and the insatiable hunger for revenge, but we must not give up until victory comes. David didn’t. He just kept bringing his pain back to God: “But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” (Psalm 55:16-17) That’s how you get the upper hand in a betrayal.

And by the way, if you are going through the painful wound of betrayal right now, remember you are walking where great people have walked before. Their greatness came because they didn’t allow betrayal to ruin them; they learned how to turn their pain into greater submission to the Lord. David did (read 2 Samuel 15:25-26). So did Jesus. He responded to Judas’ treachery with obedient submission to the will and purposes of God. And look what happened: he transformed the world.

Perhaps God wants to use your pain to transform your world, too!

My Offering of Worship: Are you experiencing the lingering pain of feeling betrayed by one you considered a close friend? Consider that God will use your experience to position you for greater usefulness in his plan to redeem the part of the world in which he has placed you. There is biblical precedence, after all!