Psalms 113-114

Dear RTB’ers,

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people. (vv. 113:7-8) So often (but not every time) when I read Scripture’s mention of the poor and the needy I think of my own background – coming from “common” roots and, in fact, poor during my childhood, and the Lord has blessed me far beyond what my roots would have predicted.

But today I have someone else in mind – Dolly Parton. Yes, she surely was raised poor and she certainly sat with princes. We honor her today with the memory of her life. God gifted her with musical and business talents and she made life better for millions of people.

All of us were born poor and needy; all of us in need of God’s grace, His saving redemption through Jesus’ Cross and Resurrection. He has raised us from the dust and one day we will all sit with the princes of His people. All of us! GLORY!!

Blessings.

---

See also:

• October 10 (2022) / Psalm 113
• October 11 (2022) / Psalm 114

Psalms 111-112

Dear RTB’ers,

Two psalms today, one extolling the greatness of God and the other lauding His people (those who actively follow Him). So, one or two verses from each…

The works of His hands are faithful and just; all His precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. (vv. 111:7-8) I noticed the middle sentence, that His precepts are trustworthy. And I thought of the Ten Commandments – and it’s true. Yes, these are Commandments, directives, the Law! But they are also simply good suggestions, good guidance for good everyday living! Yes, trustworthy…!

My verse from today’s second Psalm is a great follow-up to what I just said, Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments! (v. 112:1b) But my focus here is the first eight words, Blessed is the man who fears the LORD… Then the psalmist goes on to describe how that man who fears the Lord is blessed – in his wealth, his generosity, his children, even when turmoil hits. Yes, blessed…!!

Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart…

Blessings.

---

See also:

• October 8 (2022) / Psalm 111
• October 9 (2022) / Psalm 112

Psalm 110

Dear RTB’ers,

For probably the first time in my life I have read Psalm 110 from the beginning with a reasonable degree of understanding. That understanding begins with the recognition that it is King David speaking. So in the first verse, “The LORD” is God, the Father and “my Lord” is Jesus. Then the rest of the Psalm is Messianic. All the second-person pronouns in verses 1-5 apply to Jesus and all the third-person pronouns in verses 4-7 apply to God, the Father. So, read the Psalm reflecting Jesus for the “You” pronouns and it all follows. It is truly a Messianic psalm!

Blessings.

---

See also:

• October 7 (2022) / Psalm 110
• May 2 (2023) / Psalms 95, 97-99, 101, 110, 144

Psalm 109

Dear RTB’ers,

Today’s Psalm took me by surprise. The header calls it “A Psalm of David”. So my first expectation is a psalm of praise. Then verses 2-5 sound like the beginnings of a lament. But instead, as we read on, what we get is David’s appeal for retribution upon an enemy, fifteen verses worth (vv. 6-20). Quite unusual! Both STS and my Study Bible put this Psalm into a class of “imprecatory” psalms – wishing harm or divine vengeance on an enemy. Of interest is that David, himself, is not seeking personal revenge; instead, he is asking God to exact justice for wrongdoings done to him. Thankfully, David closes with his customary prayer for deliverance: Help me, O LORD my God! Save me according to Your steadfast love! (v. 26) Still, the main body of the Psalm is unusual to me.

Two other notes… First, the apostles used verse 8 as a reason for replacing Judas: For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “…Let another take his office.” (Acts 1:20) Second, verses 24-25 sound a lot like Job – “an object of scorn”!

Blessings.

---

See also:

• October 5 (2022) / Psalm 109:1-20
• October 6 (2022) / Psalm 109:21-31

Psalm 108

Dear RTB’ers,

I can’t read today’s first five verses without singing them. They are two different songs, in verses 1-2 (“Melody”) and then in verses 3-5 (“Be Exalted”). What joy to read and sing!

Gilead is Mine; Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim is My helmet, Judah My scepter. Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast My shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph. (vv. 8-9) I can remember the first few times when I read through the Bible that these names, these locations were meaningless to me. Gilead…? I could sing that there was a balm in Gilead, but what was that all about? Moab…? I had read that Ruth was a Moabite, but what did that mean? Now I read these verses, these names and they are all familiar to me.

So, to any of you reading these words today, if this is your first time reading through the Bible or if you’ve only read it a few times, keep reading on. The more you read, the more you will come to know the God who is your Salvation. Glory!

Blessings.

---

See also: October 4 (2022) / Psalm 108.

Psalm 107:33-43

Dear RTB’ers,

A few verses today brought back a memory: When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, He pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; but He raises up the needy out of affliction… (vv. 39-41a). There was a time in my academic life when I was seriously mistreated by a professor. But I still had to deal with him, and there came a morning of reckoning. My church group and I prayed over this upcoming meeting and I went to his office around 9:00 am. No answer on his door, so I sat in a reception area for an hour or so. Finally, one of the administrative assistants asked me if I was waiting for Dr. XXXX. When I said yes she continued, “You didn’t hear? He went blind last night. He developed a detached retina in one eye and they had to close both eyes. He’s going to be out for six months.” Naturally I was stunned, but I also recognized that God had delivered me. I was given another professor to oversee my “work” and everything went forward smoothly. Truly, God had “raised up the needy out of his affliction”.

The rest of you, times in your life when God raised you out of your affliction…?? Thank Him and maybe tell us!

Blessings.

---

See also: October 3 (2022) / Psalm 107:33-43.

Psalm 107:1-32

Dear RTB’ers,

Now we leave Chronicles for almost a full month and go back to the Psalms. It’s a very different feeling to go from a writer reciting Israel’s history to an author extolling God’s greatness and goodness. And we see both of those today – His greatness over all creation (see Ps. 107:20, 25, 29) and His goodness in restoring men from their distresses.

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. (v. 6, repeated in vv. 13, 19, 28) It is interesting that the Lord delivered people who were going about their affairs (wandering, Ps. 107:4-5 and sailing, Ps. 107:23-24) and those who were sinful and rebellious (Ps. 107:11, 17). So too with us. It would be a good activity for us to think back to times in our lives when He delivered us from … whatever!!

Our dear friend, Mark B., quoted Ps. 107:19-22 in a note to Carol and me this morning. He has prostate cancer and is trusting God for healing. Verse 20 is especially appropriate for his situation: He sent out His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Mark has asked for our prayers and prayers from our St. Andrew’s congregation. Could you please join us in praying for Mark’s healing? In his own words, “Jesus is my doctor, and He says, ‘Your faith has made you well.’ ”

Blessings.

---

See also:

• October 1 (2022) / Psalm 107:1-16
• October 2 (2022) / Psalm 107:17-32

I Chronicles 29

Dear RTB’ers,

Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the LORD. (v. 9a) I was chatting with our treasurer, Ellen Backs, on Sunday and she was recounting how generous our congregation is and has been the past few years. She was also remembering how difficult my last few years as treasurer had been, when we ran deficit budgets two or three or four years in a row. And it was a difficult time for us. However, it was only the operating budget that was in deficit. Our congregation had given in abundance for other needs – Uganda, Avanza, the Mission Committee and our missionaries, ARDF, memorials, etc. And we don’t even have records of private giving to other needs. So yes, we’ve always had a generous congregation!

King David praying: O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building You a house for Your holy name comes from Your hand and is all Your own. (v. 16) And our congregation, like King David’s people, have recognized God’s hand in all our giving and thanked Him with grateful hearts.

For all things come from You, and of Your own have we given You. (v. 14b)

Blessings.

---

See also: April 30 (2023) / I Chronicles 26:20-29:30.

I Chronicles 28

Dear RTB’ers,

King David speaking, …for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought… (v. 9b) I find this verse to be both encouraging and “scary”. I am happy to know that the Lord searches me and knows my thoughts because I want to know that His Holy Spirit is there to guide and comfort me in all that I am thinking. The “scary” part is that all too many of my mental ramblings are “unworthy” thoughts that I would not want any of my friends to know about! But God does know them, all of them. That helps me to dismiss those thoughts (and actions), knowing that the Lord is right there beside me. …the LORD searches all hearts…

Blessings.