#716 Shade

Transgression speaks to the wicked

deep in his heart;

there is no fear of God

before his eyes.

2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes

that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.

3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;

he has ceased to act wisely and do good.

4 He plots trouble while on his bed;

he sets himself in a way that is not good;

he does not reject evil.

5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;

your judgments are like the great deep;

man and beast you save, O Lord.

7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!

The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

8 They feast on the abundance of your house,

and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

9 For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light do we see light.

10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,

and your righteousness to the upright of heart!

11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,

nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12 There the evildoers lie fallen;

they are thrust down, unable to rise. Psalm 36 ESV

No fear of God - This is a thing that men come by easy, that they say:

• There is no God 

For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. 2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.…Psalm 14: 1-2

• The god I believe in is not concerned with the affairs of men

Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. 10 I distinguish the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come, saying: ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’ 11 I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, I will surely do it.…Isaiah 46: 9-11

• I am okay with my actions, it felt right or I did not feel bad at least

The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases. 2 All a man’s ways seem right to him,but the LORD weighs the heart. 3 To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.… Proverbs 21: 1-3

He does not reject evil - We are unbelievably vain in this age, and everyone of us without exception has a broken moral compass from the fall. Men can not sit long under the whole counsel of God, considering that some parts of God's word should not be mentioned for fear of conviction which may lead to outright rejection. There is a marked change in a man who puts his trust in God, first he will want to know God's law then second he will set out to do it. Sin will become gross to him because it is all against the greatest object of his love, God. His own sin will be more detestable than any. 

What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?…Romans 6: 1-2

For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in resurrection. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. 7 For anyone who has died has been freed from sin.…Romans 6: 5-7

Preserve man and beast - Everything has been so perfectly and marvelously designed, that even it's fallen state, the earth still provides for the many creatures upon it. There is beauty even in entropy, how marvelous is such grace, taller than mountains, deeper than oceans, higher than the heavens. 

Shadow of Your wings - It is to me as God protecting us from God, oh what a place, and no greater love than this that a man lay down his life for his friend. Hide me here Lord Jesus, not in the counsel of my pride, the flattery of my lips, the false assurances of my depravity, but in Christ alone, and the life He lived, the death He died, forsaken so that I shall never be. 

Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation. 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.…Matthew 23: 36-38

River of Your delights -

“The psalmist’s conception of religion is essentially joyful. No doubt there are sources of sadness peculiar to a religious man, and he is necessarily shut out from much of the effervescent poison of earthly joys drugged with sin. Much in his life is inevitably grave, stern, and sad. But the sources of joy opened are far deeper than those that are closed.” (Maclaren)

Foot of pride -

Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy? 6 But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.…James 4: 5-7

#715 At My Calamity

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;

fight against those who fight against me!

2 Take hold of shield and buckler

and rise for my help!

3 Draw the spear and javelin

against my pursuers!

Say to my soul,

“I am your salvation!”

4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor

who seek after my life!

Let them be turned back and disappointed

who devise evil against me!

5 Let them be like chaff before the wind,

with the angel of the Lord driving them away!

6 Let their way be dark and slippery,

with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!

7 For without cause they hid their net for me;

without cause they dug a pit for my life.

8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!

And let the net that he hid ensnare him;

let him fall into it—to his destruction!

9 Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord,

exulting in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say,

“O Lord, who is like you,

delivering the poor

from him who is too strong for him,

the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

11 Malicious witnesses rise up;

they ask me of things that I do not know.

12 They repay me evil for good;

my soul is bereft.

13 But I, when they were sick—

I wore sackcloth;

I afflicted myself with fasting;

I prayed with head bowed on my chest.

14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;

as one who laments his mother,

I bowed down in mourning.

15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered;

they gathered together against me;

wretches whom I did not know

tore at me without ceasing;

16 like profane mockers at a feast,

they gnash at me with their teeth.

17 How long, O Lord, will you look on?

Rescue me from their destruction,

my precious life from the lions!

18 I will thank you in the great congregation;

in the mighty throng I will praise you.

19 Let not those rejoice over me

who are wrongfully my foes,

and let not those wink the eye

who hate me without cause.

20 For they do not speak peace,

but against those who are quiet in the land

they devise words of deceit.

21 They open wide their mouths against me;

they say, “Aha, Aha!

Our eyes have seen it!”

22 You have seen, O Lord; be not silent!

O Lord, be not far from me!

23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication,

for my cause, my God and my Lord!

24 Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,

according to your righteousness,

and let them not rejoice over me!

25 Let them not say in their hearts,

“Aha, our heart's desire!”

Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether

who rejoice at my calamity!

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor

who magnify themselves against me!

27 Let those who delight in my righteousness

shout for joy and be glad

and say evermore,

“Great is the Lord,

who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness

and of your praise all the day long. Psalm 35 ESV

After I read this Psalm I could see there was nothing in the title that alluded to a particular time that I could cross reference in other OT books about David's life, but much of his life in dealing with Saul and even later with Absalom resonate well. It also reminded me of C. H. Spurgeon, so I chose his commentary on the passage as my companion. Spurgeon stood up for God's word in a time where people pressed more and more to be entertained, unsatisfied with sound doctrine and ever desiring to water down the gospel. He was accused of many things, of lacking love and even being out of date in his approach, but he continued his work in defending the gospel, in looking for the Author's intent and holding it above the opinions and fancies of men, including his own. It is discouraging work for men, sad toil, to have to stand up against the so called church in order to defend the beauty of Christ's gospel. The honor of God is well worth our anxiety here, the glory of Christ brought down should cause the saints to stand up, and trust God that He will deal with our accusers.

Contend - Lord, I have not provoked, and I have wished no evil to begin with or even now, but I am chased by the hounds of hell, so I call upon You, Who is most just. Please defend me against those who maliciously attack. If they lie then show them for liars, if they wound then come to my aid. Remember when the Psalmist had every opportunity to end Saul's life and with that also his reign, but he refused to touch God's anointed? We have an accuser always that never ceases from pointing out our flaws, and he will gladly uphold that we deserve this, every lie and every mean rebuke, but we have an Advocate also, Who has paid our debt in full.

Turned back and disappointed - Let those who seek my ruin be disappointed, let them cease or find their own instead. We should never wish Godspeed to those who attack the people of God, or to those who intend to do anything against God.  

Angel of the Lord - The messengers of God have long been persecuted, and the Messenger of God Himself was most unjustly treated and falsely accused. It is the way of this present world to be politically correct, never call out any injustice against God, but rather to call God unjust for His claim of the moral high ground. Some will become uneasy at the thought of judgement, of using the word "enemy", but if a person hates the things of God then He is the enemy of God, and I am God's child. I will pray for that man to no longer be in rebellion against God's right nor against sound reason, but if he remain His enemy then he is my enemy as anyone who is against the gospel. I will plead with that man, reason with that man till we die, for I am his fellow human being, but the face of God will forever and rightfully be against sin, so will His final judgement.

Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”…Hebrews 10: 28-30

Their net for me - I have heard people say, "he had it in for me," and sometimes they spoke the truth. Men don't need for you to throw the first punch, to wrong them, an unjust man will go after a man better than himself purely for the sake of his own ego. He may hate you for the car you drive, that you get along well with your wife or are esteemed by others. He may even hate you for telling him the truth, or anything that he envies. It takes little for men to justify such in their minds, and they will lay a trap for you, hoping that when you fall in it every evil they have spoken of you will be seen as true.  

Rejoice in the Lord - Spurgeon quote:

I shall rejoice in his salvation. We do not triumph in the destruction of others, but in the salvation given to us of God. Prayer heard should always suggest praise. It were well if we were more demonstrative in our holy rejoicing. We rob God by suppressing grateful emotions. - C. H. Spurgeon

Things that I do not know - The accusations they make are foreign to my knowledge. They invent treason and try to place my mouth as it's source, to give to Saul an excuse, that he may pretend to be at war with a traitor rather than with God's anointed. They accused God's Son of blasphemy. David put on sack cloth for these same men, weeping as they wept and mourning over their sickness, Christ healed the sick, fed the poor that his accusers neglected. If we pray this for ourselves thus far, remembering the grace given unto us, let us ask ourselves have we wept over their sin, prayed for their repentance, lamented their falling away.

At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him. 32 But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?” 33“We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God.”…John 10: 31-33

How long - I know You see this, that You see all and that You can do anything. When is it enough? What are You teaching me? Please rescue me, and all I have to offer in return is to praise You. 

Aha, Aha! - Spurgeon quote:

"Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me." As if they would swallow him. Uttering great lies which needed wide mouths. They set no bounds to their infamous charges, but poured out wholesale abuse, trusting that if all did not stick, some of it would. "And said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it." Glad to find out a fault or a misfortune, or to swear they had seen evil where there was none. Malice has but one eye; it is blind to all virtue in its enemy. Eyes can generally see what hearts wish. A man with a mote in his eye sees a spot in the sun. How like a man is to an ass when he brays over another's misfortunes! how like to a devil when he laughs a hyæna-laugh over a good man's slip! - C. H. Spurgeon

We have swallowed him up - David lived in the time of the law, before the Son of David came, a time when death was, to the mind of many, the thing to be escaped. I see myself at the end of the line, the lure for that great fish, and just as her mouth is about to close and forever seal me in, I am pulled clear of the water, away from her grasp. For the Christian, we can now rejoice, there is no need to wait for the outcome, praise God now, for death has been swallowed by victory. There is nothing left that can separate us from the love of God. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. 

#714 Depart and Do

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.


4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.


8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.


11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.


15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.


17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.


19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. Psalm 34 NKJV

A Psalm of David when he pretended madness. The story from whence this song is inspired may be found in 1 Samuel 21.

Bless the Lord at all times - Given the title we are also given context, if you read the passage in 1 Samuel 21 you will see that David takes refuge in a strange place. He flees the persecution of Saul to the land of the Philistines but also carries the sword of their greatest hero, Goliath, whose head David removed. He is being hunted by the king whom he has served well, and he is seeking refuge in the land of his former enemies. Looking back at such a stressful situation, he concludes that he should bless the Lord no matter the circumstance, not only privately but also with his mouth. He does not lift up his own craftiness, but he compels others to magnify the Lord and exalt His name as well. He is after all greater than the circumstances.

And were radiant - The moon is not a burning ball of gas, but when it looks full upon the sun, it lights the evening sky. Those that look to God begin to reflect His light.  

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

This poor man cried out - David was in enemy territory, anointed long before this, yet without place to safely lay his head. He has had to eat of the shew bread, and here among the philistines, he is surrounded by those who would love to take his head from his shoulders. There is a shadow here, somewhat hidden by David's humanity, but he does take on the image of a fool, a madman. Now he could sit beside the campfire of old age and recount this as wisdom, as cunning, but instead of calling himself the hero, he admits of his utter despair, his lack of means. He praises God instead. He gives glory to God for his delivery. He admits that in all of this he cried out, and no matter how others may spin it, he was delivered. 

Taste and see - One part of this is the testimony of David's life, look here at what God brought about. I was anointed and chosen by God, no one else saw that coming. I fought a giant as a small boy, no one else was willing or thought it possible. I am being chased, hunted by a man of greater means, who would love to kill me, yet I am still alive. I am in the presence of my enemies, those who would gladly drink up the last drop of my life, yet I am still alive. Though I may have stumbled in this and shot from the hip at times, my cry was to the Lord, He is worthy of my trust. There is war without, but there is also a battle raging within, put your trust in God and see that He is good. 

But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.…Romans 7: 23-25

Lips from speaking deceit - It may seem at the time, in the heat of things, by nature or by imitation of others, that this is a logical means to get what we want. David pretended to be less than what he was, yet God was the One Who truly delivered him. He was the One that anointed David and would preserve His anointed through this. Christ was among a people who would not accept Him for Who He was, His enemies were everyone. He was despised by men for being of low estate, yet God had anointed Him as well. He did not pretend at being God, for He was the second person of that Being, but He also did humble Himself, yet in truth. He, Who knew no sin, became sin for us that the justice of God might be fulfilled, that we would be saved, yet the honor of His holiness be left intact. 

“To teach men how to live and how to die, is the aim of all useful religious instruction. The rewards of virtue are the baits with which the young are to be drawn to morality. While we teach piety to God we should also dwell much upon morality towards man.” (Spurgeon)

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who,existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.…Philippians 2: 5-7

The face of the Lord - God is Holy and that will be eternally and therefore infinitely against sin, so the man that persists in evil will always in the end come against an unchanging God. We should not confuse His patience and long suffering for condoning. 

Broken heart and contrite spirit - This is upside down to us, and to the men that followed David it would be as well, that God is with them. We tend to look upon wealth, the fat at our table, or the lack of struggle as a sign of God's blessing, though many of the wicked enjoy so much that this world has to offer as well. Some look at material riches and decide that there is no need of God. Jesus said He came to seek and save the lost, that it was the sick who needed a physician, it was those that mourn who would be comforted. If we could in any state desire to be a help to those in pain, and whether rich in this world's goods or not, see ourselves still and yet as beggars regarding the spiritual, then we would be most blessed of men for sure. Those that stayed with David must have felt unsteady, hungry and uncertain at times, much like those who follow Christ. He said, "if the world hated me it would hate you also, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." No one can offer you more than the God of the universe, nothing in this dying world can ever compare with eternity. 

Shall be condemned - David knows to put his trust in God, not in himself for he is full of error, but God has brought him through the seemingly impossible, has loved him aside himself, and is faithful to the work He has started in David, bringing him to his calling. Where have you put your trust?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.…Romans 8: 37-39

The one who saw it has testified to this, and his testimony is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 36 Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.” 37 And, as another Scripture says: “They will look on the One they have pierced.”…John 19: 35-37

#713 Worthy

1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.


4 For the word of the Lord is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.


6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
he puts the deep into storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the people of the world revere him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.


10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.


12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down
and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.


16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.


20 We wait in hope for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33 NIV

Matthew Henry wrote of verses 1-11:
Holy joy is the heart and soul of praise, and that is here pressed upon the righteous. Thankful praise is the breath and language of holy joy. Religious songs are proper expressions of thankful praise. Every endowment we possess, should be employed with all our skill and earnestness in God's service. His promises are all wise and good. His word is right, and therefore we are only in the right when we agree with it. His works are all done in truth. He is the righteous Lord, therefore loveth righteousness. What a pity it is that this earth, which is so full of the proofs and instances of God's goodness, should be so empty of his praises; and that of the multitudes who live upon his bounty, there are so few who live to his glory! What the Lord does, he does to purpose; it stands fast. He overrules all the counsels of men, and makes them serve his counsels; even that is fulfilled, which to us is most surprising, the eternal counsel of God, nor can any thing prevent its coming to pass. -Matthew Henry

From the upright - It is a vain thing for us to put forth praise with our lips when our hearts are so far from doing the will of God. Praising the Holy when we have no desire to it ourselves, simply falls into the realm of religious ambiguity. We are weekend warriors and not Christians at all if we have a church face and praise, yet live all the rest of our time to the surface of ourselves. 

Praise in the mouth of a sinner is like an oracle in the mouth of a fool; how uncomely is it for him to praise God, whose whole life is a dishonouring of God? It is as indecent for a wicked man to praise God, who goes on in sinful practices, as it is for an usurer to talk of living by faith, or for the devil to quote Scripture.” (Watson, cited in Spurgeon)

7You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: 8‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 9They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”…Matthew 15: 7-9

No king is saved by the size of his army - Everything that men fight over already belongs to someone else. They should praise the maker, realizing that no army, none of the works of their hands or all their wonderful clichés combined will save them. Sadly it is often the same in the church as in politics, men look to riches, men look to numbers, grabbing up putting forth leaders who tickle their ears. It is all vanity, and none of it will be able to contest the claim of the Creator. 

Unfailing love - Those that put their hope and trust in things of an eternal nature escape the utter despair and agony of those who waited upon such things that are fading. If God is true and heaven and earth pass away but His word remains, then where would a wise person devote most of their time? What would lead and guide you through this world to the next?

Science and the Bible

#712 Mule It Over

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,

whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,

and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away

through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;

my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah

5 I acknowledged my sin to you,

and I did not cover my iniquity;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly

offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;

surely in the rush of great waters,

they shall not reach him.

7 You are a hiding place for me;

you preserve me from trouble;

you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,

which must be curbed with bit and bridle,

or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,

but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.

11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,

and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! Psalm 32 ESV

A Psalm of meditation, and I think there is nothing in Scripture that is not worth our time to pause and reflect, but when we come into the Psalms I think they are not only meditation but good instruction on how to pray. David pours out his heart in not only praise but also in pain and awe of the mercies of God. There is a Selah at the end of verses 4, 5, and 7, so let us pause and reflect. 

Transgression is forgiven - Most today would rather say they have not transgressed, have not defied God's just condemnation of sin. They would say instead that it is not sin or that Christ had died so that they could continue in the thing that he died for. Everyone sees themselves in a position much higher than they are, humility is for the weak, repentance is for sinners which in their mind they are not at least to any great degree. I dare not look Him in the face, I cannot demand anything from God, I refuse to say fair or unfair because I do not want what is fair in my case, but if I could just touch the hem of his garment. 

And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7“Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”…Romans 4: 6-8

Impute (counts) iniquity - He does not right it down, and it is a debt I could not, for lack of means repay except by way of eternal vanquishment. Someone else has picked up my note, cancelled my debt, and set me aright. In this frame of mind I no longer wish to hold a grudge against my neighbor, but rather tell of how great a blessing I have received. I deserved something that I did not get, I received something so wonderful that I did not deserve. 

When I kept silent - Like Adam and Eve I tried to cover my nakedness myself, my own way, and it led to worse and deeper places. It kept me from Your presence, Your peace was gone, I felt tired, old and weathered by my sin. You came and laid Your hand upon my heart so that I could feel the guilt and know the source of my suffering.

I acknowledged my sin to You - Sinner come quickly to this place.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.…1 John 1: 8-10

When You may be found - Don't hide your sin from God, you can't, it is impossible, delusional. We are not guaranteed a time, there is no calendar to mark that this is the day, or when I see this then I shall repent. Seek the Lord while He may be found.

We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first. 15 As it has been said: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion.” 16 For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt. Hebrews 3: 14-16

You are a hiding place - Why did I hide from You, when all along my deliverance was in You. 

With my eye - Look to where the Master looks, set your eyes upon His will, only do what you see the Father doing. 

Horse or a mule - Animals without understanding outside of pain and force, the bridle, the whip, the bit, for they are hard to turn, and even more difficult to turn back. Men backslide and then try to hide, protecting their image before other men but unconcerned about the eyes of God. The Psalmist described the way well in Psalm 1, blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly...but his delight is in the law of the Lord, where he meditates day and night. How can you expect to know God's will if you do not read His letter to you? How can you hear without ears or see without eyes? In our stubbornness we cannot be turned back to safety, in our pride we will die unless corrected. 

Many sorrows - Sin is always accompanied eventually by sorrow, guilt, more lies to cover up earlier lies, the loss of innocence, the loss of integrity. Jesus offered this instead:

All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. 28Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and Iwill give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.…Matthew 11: 27-29

#711 Into Thy Hands

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me.

3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.

4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.

5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord.

7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;

8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.

9 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.

12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.

15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.

17 Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.

22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.

23 O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. Psalm 31 KJV

In thee - The Psalmist is not afraid to put all of his eggs in one basket. I am going to put my trust with the Creator, and regardless of the circumstance, who else can be so qualified?  

In Thy righteousness - Deliver me because I am of Abraham's seed, because I am king, because my throne was prophesied long before me, but no, by none of these things and in no way by my merit, for it has brought me so much grief, but in Thy righteousness. Deliver me oh God according to Your mercy and grace. 

Bow down Thine ear to me - It is a wonderful thought that some commentators have proposed, a man so sick or so near the end of his life, that there is barely enough strength for a whisper. I am reminded of mother Ruth in this, she has Parkinson's disease and her voice will often trail off into a whisper, a sleepy sort of twilight sound, as she continuously nods off. I have to turn everything off, the tv, shut the door to the laundry and bring my ear towards her or else I miss it all. 

Thou art my Rock - In the verse before it is "be" and now it is because "Thou art", he has laid down the cornerstone of faith from the first, trusting in a righteousness not his own. 

“If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!” 24Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” 25When Jesus saw that a crowd had come running, He rebuked the unclean spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you to come out and never enter him again.”…Mark 9: 23-25

Thou art my Strength - I cannot climb out of this net, I look at arms and legs that are spent, incapable, inferior to my situation, but Lord, truly You are strong to deliver. 

Into Thine hand I commit my spirit - Spurgeon put this too well:

Into thine hand I commit my spirit. These living words of David were our Lord's dying words, and have been frequently used by holy men in their hour of departure. Be assured that they are good, choice, wise, and solemn words; we may use them now and in the last tremendous hour. Observe, the object of the good man's solicitude in life and death is not his body or his estate, but his spirit; this is his jewel, his secret treasure; if this be safe, all is well. See what he does with his pearl! He commits it to the hand of his God; it came from him, it is his own, he has aforetime sustained it, he is able to keep it, and it is most fit that he should receive it. All things are safe in Jehovah's hands; what we entrust to the Lord will be secure, both now and in that day of days towards which we are hastening. Without reservation the good man yields himself to his heavenly Father's hand; it is enough for him to be there; it is peaceful living and glorious dying to repose in the care of heaven. At all times we should commit and continue to commit our all to Jesus' sacred care, then, though life may hang on a thread, and adversities may multiply as the sands of the sea, our soul shall dwell at ease, and delight itself in quiet resting places. -C.H. Spurgeon

The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father,into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this,He breathed His last. 47 When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.”…Luke 23: 45-47

Thou hast redeemed me - After being sold unto and practitioners of sin, as slaves there was only one way for us to be set free. The cry is the cry of every child to their father, please get me out of here, whether I am here because I stumbled in my own stupidity, arrogance or ignorance, please Father take me out because I am Yours. I belong to You, You have paid the price.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20

That regard lying vanities - David hates those who are puffed up, trusting in themselves who were made by God, or in idols that were made by men. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. He trust the maker of all.

Because of my iniquity - This is my grief, why it is so hard to believe of Your good intent, because I have sinned, I have so often laid a snare for myself, this makes it difficult to cry out to You, but where else can I go?  Blessed are they that mourn, who grieve over their sin, for they shall be comforted.

Fled from me - My friends and family have run at the sight of my approach, the stores have all flipped their signs to closed when they see me, for the trouble is great. No one wants to associate with me for they think, "where is his God now? Look how He must hate him."

But I trusted in Thee - I was a man of great sorrow that no one wanted to share with me, even those who used to greet me kindly, who would break bread with me, have all started to believe the slander that rages about me.

I said in my haste, I am cut off - There is no hope I thought, this is the end, I could not with human eyes see any way of deliverance, but somehow You have saved me. You did not disown me, and You heard me cry. I will testify of Your mercy, that all men should know to place their trust and affection nowhere else, it is the Lord Who alone can deliver, Who saves to the utmost. 

57 At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him. 58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”…Acts 7:57-59 

Father, let this be my prayer too, into thine hands I commit my spirit, do not let me live an ordinary life, let it rather be as the moon, reflecting the glory of the Son. 

Pearls of wisdom

#710 Before Dawn

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.


4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.


6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O Lord,
you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.


8 To you, O Lord, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9 “What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
O Lord, be my helper!”


11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! Psalm 30 ESV

This Psalm is referred to in some text as a dedication of the house of David and in others the temple. David did not build the temple, but it would be a mistake to make that a disqualifier in the heading. He was a man of war, and while God did not allow him to build the temple in his time, the kingdom did suffer much violence. No one enters the kingdom of God except by the sacrifice of God, the battle against sin and death that took place on the cross. This war, this sacrifice led to a time of peace, the time of the temple, and the chief end and purpose of man. David did not build but he gathered, hewn stones, wood, bronze, gold and silver. He had the plan for the temple, and so it is likely he would write a song for its dedication. He also found much reason to praise God for the building of his own house, it was the fulfilling mark of a promise to a shepherd boy from long ago. The road to king was not an easy ascension for David, it was marked rather by much turmoil and heartache. Whether the house or the temple, to David the praise belongs to God, for it was He Who established him.

Preparation of the temple

David's Palace

From among those who go down to the pit - David fittingly sees himself as numbered among the dead, as we are all once "dead in our trespasses and sins", but God has drawn him up. God has rescued him, has been his avenger, his healer and taken him from death unto life. "Extol" means to praise enthusiastically, and while the palace is a wonderful, material blessing to thank God for, even more so is  life itself, to be saved not only from death but in death and unto eternity. 

Joy comes with the morning - I remember wading through a creek one late afternoon, and I was desperately racing the sun, looking for one last chance at that telling flash of gold. I found no brown trout though and I do not recall if there was even a rainbow that evening, but the sun was dropping faster than I could work and all I could think was just one last cast. After several last casts I found myself completely in the dark. I have told this much of the story before, but I remember being relieved when I finally found camp, my clothes were wet so we dried them by the fire and I shivered, unable to sleep that night. I have been lost before as well, fallen asleep in the cold without the proper gear, and oh what joy it is to find the morning. When the sun makes itself known, you know that everything is going to get better, the path is easier to see and the air comes up a bit in temperature. David spent many a night on the run, hidden in caves, in fear of his life, yet looking at where he had been and what he had been through, he knew that God was able to see it to completion. When Jesus goes before earthly judges, unrighteous men, is sentence to death, yet He knows, He has been anointed, the night will be dark, the earth will shake, the pain of God's justice will hurt like a man may never explain, but Joh comes in the morning. 

You hid Your face - Holiness will always turn it's back to sin, and this is the time we should have sorrow, that we should want to be chastened, otherwise we would not be his. Having God's presence while suffering is better than His absence in comfort. So many think they are prepared because of a healthy bank account, good genetics, and influential friends, but it is the presence of the Lord, that is all that matters, and without His eternal presence we could not be called into being. 

Will the dust praise You - Everything will but it will not be the same as the praises of His children. David was made for this, and he will call the people to praise also. He sees this as the chief end, to praise God and wake up His people. He is going to tell of God's goodness, what He has brought him through, and how He has lifted him up. In the end it is not let's make a deal, but rather, "Oh Lord, be merciful to me."

I will give thanks - Why? For every dark circumstance, for my utter inability, for every dark and frozen night, You have still caused my sun to rise, You have been my reprise.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.  Matthew 6: 9-13