God's care for those in Need

Read Psalm 68.

God helps those who cannot help themselves.  It is sinful pride that causes us to think we can live without dependence on the LORD.

David wrote this song so that the nation would be reminded of God's power.  His enemies are powerless against Him.  They will be scattered, driven away, melted and will perish.

Notice the specific groups of people in verses 9-10 who gain the LORD's special attention for defense and assistance.

1. Fatherless.  Those who have lost their parents or who have been abandoned by them can discover that God is available to meet their needs as a faithful heavenly Father; something many of them never had.

2. Widows.  In several places, Scripture provides specifics regarding the care of these women.  It is stated here that God is their protector.  Those who would mistreat or seek to take advantage of widows will in fact find themselves experiencing reprisals from the LORD Himself.

3. Solitary.   There are so many who live alone; single adults and the elderly.  They may and will experience times of loneliness, but no one is truly ever alone.  The LORD is omnipresent and is always available to those who seek Him.  His steadfast friendship supersedes what any other companion could supply.

4. Prisoners.  As they pay for their crimes, they not only lose their freedom but their livelihoods.  Time is lost to produce any income for their future.  But when an incarcerated person who has paid their judicial debt is released they need help.  God can open doors of opportunity for them and restore those lost years.

"In your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy." (v.10a)  

And, then to all of us we have these words of confidence for everyday:

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation."

4 Reasons to praise the LORD today

Read Psalm 67.

The source of all blessings is God's grace.  He extends to us what we do not deserve and what we cannot earn.  In the first verse, the psalmist reminds us that His grace to us is personal and relational.  He sees our need and our capacity in light of His purposes for us and responds...with His smile ("his face to shine upon us.")

While this song is one of praise, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, it is also missional in nature.  He called for everyone in the world to sing along.

Why should the LORD be praised?

1. God's saving power is extensive.

The personal knowledge and worship of God was not limited to Israel.  This wonderful "good news" is available to everyone.  As the promise was made to Abraham in Genesis 12, "in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."  The prophets preached that the Gentiles would worship the LORD.  Jesus' charge to His followers is that we are to teach all the nations.

2. God judgment is equitable.

He will correct every wrong.  When the LORD judges sin He does it "right."  Ultimately, all wrong-doing and evil is against God.  He keeps accurate records of all disobedience of words, thoughts and deeds.  His justice will prevail.  Unless there is personal repentance of these and faith in the blood of Jesus for forgiveness, there is eternal punishment waiting.

3. God's guidance is effective.

He will lead us to do what is right.  It may seem that the nations are out of control.  Certainly, Satan and his demons are at work to bring degradation and upheaval worldwide.  But the LORD is sovereign and all these things are working toward the climax of God's purposes.  His plan has been given to us in writing to know and to encourage us.

4. God's provision is evident. 

Our mental and physical strength to work comes from Him.  The opportunities to earn come from Him.  The blessing upon our work for income and increase are His.  He not only has promised to meet our needs, He does!

Praise HIM!

Here is the Test-imony

Read Psalm 66.

"There is no testimony without a test."  The psalmist has come through the test and made an "A".  In verses 10-12, he described it as coming through a fire, like a carrying crushing burden, and making it through a flood of water.  He saw the results of his prayers.

The word "awesome" (ESV) has to do with reverential fear and respect.  In Scripture it is how mankind is to react to the person and power of God.  The jaw drops in astonishment and we declare Him to be full of "awe."

In verse 5, we are invited to witness the mighty hand of God at work.  He performed miracles in the past by drying up the Red Sea for Israel.  He is active now as He observes and is aware of every move of people in all the nations (v.7).

"Yet" (v.12b).  The purpose of the test was not in the fire, the burden, or the water.  The purpose was that by coming through those things he would see the faithfulness of God and give Him glory.

God is good.  And, as a result of passing the test "you have brought us out to a place of abundance."

How did the psalmist respond?

He wrote a song so we could sing along with him and praise God.

He presented a special thank offering to God.

He recommitted himself to fulfill his promises and live for God.

Reasons to rejoice and keep your Promises

Read Psalm 65.

Everywhere David looked he found another reason to praise the LORD.  It was this all-encompassing awareness of God that motivated him to keep his promises to the LORD.

The key reason people make vows to God and do not keep them is they have no awareness of His involvement in their lives and feel no accountability to Him.  At important junctures in life such as weddings, the births of a child, a life and death situation or in times of a major stress or need, it is normal for people to pray and make promises.  God hears those prayers (v.2).  Then, as life moves on, they tend to forget and treat those words as unimportant.  However, God does not forget us or what we said we would do.  Indeed, He reminds us of His presence everywhere.

How does God show Himself to be present and powerful?

He forgives our sins. (v.3)

He satisfies our souls in worship. (v.4)

He created the mountains. (v.6)

He created the seas. (v.7)

He paints the sunrises and sunsets. (v.8b)

He controls the water cycle of earth. (vv.9-10)

He provides the growth of crops. (v.11)

He provides the multiplication of the animals in the pastures. (vv.12-13)

Why is the God of heaven so personally involved in these details?  "So that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs." (v.8a)

Don't let evil discourage You

Read Psalm 64.

Do not be discouraged by what unbelievers say and do.  Do not waiver in your faith.

David prayed for God's protection from wicked people who plotted against him.  He described their lies and threats as weapons of war, swords and arrows.  He was innocent, yet they ambushed him with their words.

Even more, these evil enemies had taken time to carefully devise their plans to kill him.  They thought they could execute the perfect crime against David and go undetected.  Obviously, David found out.

"But God."  Not only did David know, but God knew.  This prayer looked to God for action.  The LORD could destroy evil-doers with their own devices.

When God punishes sin, there are two results in verses 9-10 that bring Him glory.

1. Among all people.

The purpose of God's judgment is to strike fear in the hearts of all people.  No one will get away wrong-doing.  Such accountability for personal sin should cause everyone to stop and think about their own fate.  The response should be one of repentance toward God and faith in Him.

2. Among believers.

God's judgment is a reminder to believers that He will eventually deal with all injustices.  That truth alone should cause rejoicing in the midst of persecution.  In the meantime, we take refuge in Him.

For those who are Lonely, Thirsty, and Hungry

Read Psalm 63.

The inscription of this song indicates that David was in a southern wilderness area of Israel.  Looking out over the "dry and weary land" provided a perfect analogy of how he felt spiritually.

1. Lonely

Being in the desert, he was away from the place of worship in Jerusalem.  The isolation created within him a desire for the presence of God.  He may have been surrounded with his men and other followers, but no one else could fill that spiritual emptiness inside.  In verse one, he sought the LORD "early" or "earnestly".  The root word in Hebrew is "dawn".  Spending time with God was the first thing on His agenda for the day.

2. Thirsty

Waking up in the morning in an arid environment, his body craved water.  But in a very similar manner he had a thirst for God's presence, His power, and His glory.  Jesus called it "living water" in John 4:10.

3. Hungry

Traveling in the wilderness, food supplies were somewhat limited.  A sumptuous feast would have been a pleasurable thought.  Yet, only God could satisfy the hunger of his heart.  And, it was not just in the morning time that he prayed and meditated on God's goodness to him.  At night, in bed (v.6), when things were quiet, his thoughts reviewed how the LORD had helped him and how God had protected him.

Why did he feel this way toward God?

"Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips shall praise you." (v.3)

There is power in Silence

Read Psalm 62.

David was teetering on the edge, just about to fall.  Surrounding him were scoundrels ready to push him over.  But he understood full well "that power belongs to God" (v.11).  So, he waited.  Twice he stated that he waited in silence for the LORD to deliver him.

Waiting in silence may be the most difficult of all the Christian disciplines.  Suffering in quiet can be agonizing.  It is natural for us to gripe and complain, argue and defend, when being mistreated.  We want to bend the ear of anyone who will listen, just to be heard. 

Kenneth Boa in his classic book, "Conformed to His Image" wrote, "Silence is at odds with the din of our culture and the popular addiction to noise and hubbub.  This discipline relates not only to finding places of silence in our surroundings but also to times of restricted speech in the presence of others." (p.83)

Waiting on God is not just being quiet.  Having poured one's soul out to God in prayer, we then must listen with expectation to what He has to say to us in solitude, from the Scriptures, or from encounters with others.  It involves trusting that He is active on our behalf, even when we cannot see any movement at all.  Our hope must be in Him, not in the circumstances that are seen.  The real power belongs to the LORD.

"He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength....but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:29, 31)