#875 Eyes

To you I lift up my eyes,

O you who are enthroned in the heavens!

2 Behold, as the eyes of servants

look to the hand of their master,

as the eyes of a maidservant

to the hand of her mistress,

so our eyes look to the Lord our God,

till he has mercy upon us.

3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,

for we have had more than enough of contempt.

4 Our soul has had more than enough

of the scorn of those who are at ease,

of the contempt of the proud. Psalm 123 ESV

A Psalm looking to our God.

To You I lift up my eyes - Where is your hope? Where does your affection rest?

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.… Hebrews 12: 1-3

O You who are enthroned in the heavens - In whom have we believed? I know Whom I have believed, and so I am a vagabond here, looking heavenward, trusting Christ unto glorious admittance. There is the sky that I see, and at night the heavens I see somewhat, but faith would take my eyes beyond. The Psalmist magnifies God above all, eternal in the heavens. Oh that I would remember that I am dust, that I would step aside and call above myself. 

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master - 

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9 And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’… Isaiah 6: 8-9

…18 Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20 The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these.… John 5: 18-20

As the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress - A man or woman's heart plans their course, but the Lord directs their steps. We look to our Father for direction, He is our Boss above bosses, King above kings.

…38 Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” 39 Going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40 Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.… Matthew 26: 38-40

…49 I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it. 50 And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.” John 12: 49-50

…17 Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that that prophet speaks in My name.… Deuteronomy 18: 17-19

So our eyes look to the Lord our God, till He has mercy upon us - Where was the blind beggar looking? We look everywhere else, friends, family, self, governments, but they have such limited jurisdiction. I did not know nor could I form words so eloquent with my mouth to ever surpass these, "Lord have mercy upon me, remember me, I believe."

…37“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him. 38 So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who led the way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”… Luke 18: 37-38

For we have had more than enough contempt - "Where is your God, O Israel?" "I would not follow a God like Him, a God that allows such suffering, a God that does not allow or give you your every want." There is an answer, but it stings and comes so unnaturally to the natural and fallen man. "We all like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. He is holy and we are not. We have all thought more highly of ourselves than we ought."

Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease - Job could have written this. His friends spoke from health, as if that were the measure of righteousness. If you have been brought low then be thankful that you can now look up. Those who deride you only look at what they perceive to be their success, and this is their best life now, this is the only heaven they will know. Pity them this, that they cannot see, that they have arrived. They would not have a God that does not grant material wealth, they would rather exalt themselves. They would not have a God that sends people to hell, so in the end they did not want God, they get what is left. 

…29 But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let your brothers listen to them.’ 30‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”… Luke 16: 29-31

Of the contempt of the proud - The fall.

…15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.… Romans 12: 15-17

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#874 Bethel

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

2 Our feet have been standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem!

3 Jerusalem—built as a city

that is bound firmly together,

4 to which the tribes go up,

the tribes of the Lord,

as was decreed for Israel,

to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

5 There thrones for judgment were set,

the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

“May they be secure who love you!

7 Peace be within your walls

and security within your towers!”

8 For my brothers and companions' sake

I will say, “Peace be within you!”

9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

I will seek your good. Psalm 122 ESV

A Psalm of Ascent, let us go.

I was glad when they said to me, "let us go to the house of the Lord" - Forsake not the assembly. This was a difficult thing for me, for many reasons, and I was not glad. As a youth, I would fake illness on Sunday so I could stay home and watch cartoons. Then I would miraculously recover when someone asked me to take a trip through the woods and fish the creek. Like the people, who followed Jesus for the fish and the bread, I didn't mind going on pizza night, or when there was a youth event with all you can eat tacos. On Wednesday nights, me and some other kids would go to the 7 eleven by my church. This was in the days when cigarettes were on the counter and even on a stand in the aisle, and one of us would distract the cashier while the others would steal smokes. On Sunday nights it was the same; my mom would ask us where we were, and it was a big church so we told her we were sitting in the balcony, and I would even look to see where she was sitting so I could say, "I was above you, I saw you sitting with Linda or Mrs. Parton." My mom was glad to be there because she saw it as obedience to the One Who saved her, but all I saw was hypocrisy, not mine, that never bothered me. 

Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem - Three times a year, God commanded them to come to the feast at Jerusalem. Some of these pilgrims came many miles. 

Jerusalem, built as a city that is bound firmly together - David took this city from the Jebusites and began to fortify it as the capital city. He brought the tabernacle and the ark here, and though he did not build the temple, he was instrumental in gathering the materials for it's preparation.

David and the Jebusites

To which the tribes go up - God establishes the way to approach, where, and this was the place for all of Israel to come worship the one, true God. After Solomon's reign was over there was a split among the tribes, and the northern tribes decided to separate and have their own king. This was understandable in that Solomon's son promised to be a dictator who would not listen to wisdom. The temple was still in Jerusalem though, and this had not changed, nor the mandate of the feasts. The apostasy does not start with Jeroboam, there were high places that were abominable to God in Solomon's reign. Solomon had broke the law that God gave to kings and took many wives, also building places of worship to their gods. Jeroboam knows the mandate of the feasts, but offers the people a different way. He is afraid that if he lets the people return to Jerusalem, to worship at the temple, their hearts may go astray, not from God, but from him. He makes them golden calves to worship, but calls it Judaism, and look, now you don't have to make that long pilgrimage to Jerusalem 3 times a year. You can worship God here, the way you want to and at your convenience. It was not just watered down, it was heresy, and he led the people astray. 

…21“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.… John 4: 21-23

We are all called to worship the Creator, under the unity of truth, found in His word, not emotions, feelings, and those that would add or take away for their convenience or to fill the pews, don't follow. Go where God is held up, where He is preached in a way that honors and glorifies Him, not your ego. Roman Catholicism has done to Christianity what Jeroboam did to Judaism, keep the name but the Spirit and truth is gone. It's convenient because you can have a man tell you that you're saved, pay an indulgence to get a loved one out of purgatory, but God is not bound to anything but His own word. Mormons are called Christian by some as well, but they have considered the writings of an apostate teacher, Joseph Smith, to be on par with the Bible. They worship another Christ, who they think is Michael the archangel, even though God has made it clear that we do not worship angels, and Christ has made it clear, that He and the Father are One.

…57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. John 8: 57-59

…7 which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a divine curse! 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!… Galatians 1: 7-9

…23 At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you in advance.… Matthew 24:23-25

Calling something worship doesn't make it acceptable to God. Calling a place the house of God, does not make it so. It is important that we meet with other believers, receiving the means of grace that God provides through the body of Christ, but convenience is not the first question. Do they hold God's word above their own opinions, are they seeking material blessing or the honor and glory of God? 

Signs of false teachers

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem - 

- Peace was her name, pray that her condition may verify her title. Abode of Peace, peace be to thee. Here was a most sufficient reason for rejoicing at the thought of going up to the house of the Lord, since that sacred shrine stood in the centre of an area of peace: well might Israel pray that such peace should be continued. In a church peace is to be desired, expected, promoted, and enjoyed. If we may not say "Peace at any price, "yet we may certainly cry "Peace at the highest price." Those who are daily fluttered by rude alarms are charmed to reach their nest in a holy fellowship, and abide in it. In a church one of the main ingredients of success is internal peace: strife, suspicion, party spirit, division, --these are deadly things. Those who break the peace of the church deserve to suffer, and those who sustain it win a great blessing. Peace in the church should be our daily prayer, and in so praying we shall bring down peace upon ourselves; for the Psalmist goes on to say, They shall prosper that love thee, or, perhaps we may read it as a prayer, "May they have peace that love thee." C. H. Spurgeon

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#873 Keeper

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

2 My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;

the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

6 The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

8 The Lord will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121 ESV

The second Psalm of Ascents, a song of degrees. 

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come - Considering the passage before, the Psalmist's dealings with deceitful men, it is a revelation and a different direction. It is a revelation of the circumstance, the surroundings and the ways of men. If it is your great hope, if you are banking on some inherent goodness in them, that your good will not return evil from them, this is a vain hope. Do you have the power to change men's hearts, raise them from the dead? No, it is more than he can accomplish, he must look up. I was talking to a friend yesterday, recounting the Tsunamis in the east, and how the elephants began to act differently, not listening to their trainers, they took off for the high ground. They sensed what the tourist and other people did not, they had ears to hear, they heard and ran to the place of hope. The song writer could fall deep in the mire of depression, could be washed away by the waves if he continues to look at things at ground level, but he chooses to look up.

My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth - This is a high hope, and eternal perspective. The Maker of all is above all.

…2 Open the gates so a righteous nation may enter—one that remains faithful. 3 The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal.… Isaiah 26: 2-4

He will not let your foot be moved - In Psalm 119 we hear the Psalmist resolve to abide in the word, but we also hear his plea to be kept in the way. 

- In the original the words express a wish or prayer, --"May he not suffer thy foot to be moved." Promised preservation should be the subject of perpetual prayer; and we may pray believing; for those who have God for their keeper shall be safe from all the perils of the way. Among the hills and ravines of Palestine the literal keeping of the feet is a great mercy; but in the slippery ways of a tried and afflicted life, the boon of upholding is of priceless value, for a single false step might cause us a fall fraught with awful danger. To stand erect and pursue the even tenor of our way is a blessing which only God can give, which is worthy of the divine hand, and worthy also of perennial gratitude. C. H. Spurgeon 

He, Who keeps you, will not slumber - We may rest in this, that God does not sleep, does not change, cannot be moved. Never has a house been built by Him in the sand, He is the rock upon which all that last will withstand.

The Lord is Your Keeper - Have you noticed a theme yet? Hope not in self, what you have done, can do, but look up to Him, Who can keep even amidst the trials, that from eternity, will not make even a single grain upon the beach. The answer is always outside of you, above you, it is always God, and when you come alive to this, it is Christ (God) covering you, and His Spirit bringing you. 

…5 For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.… 2 Corinthians 4: 5-7

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night - This encompasses all time, awake or asleep. When things are clear or dim, we shall not be burned up, nor shall we be left in the dark. The safest place is in the shadow of the cross, Christ bears the full heat of God's wrath, and in the dark hours, the place of atonement protects the mind from wandering into error.

- Doubtless there are dangers of the light and of the dark, but in both and from both we shall be preserved--literally from excessive heat and from baneful chills; mystically from any injurious effects which might follow from doctrine bright or dim; spiritually from the evils of prosperity and adversity; eternally from the strain of overpowering glory and from the pressure of terrible events, such as judgment and the burning of the world. C. H. Spurgeon

1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I decided to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.… 1 Corinthians 2: 1-3

…13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.… Ephesians 4: 13-15

He will keep your life - 

- God is the sole keeper of the soul. Our soul is kept from the dominion of sin, the infection of error, the crush of despondency, the puffing up of pride; kept from the world, the flesh, and the devil; kept for holier and greater things; kept in the love of God; kept unto the eternal kingdom and glory. What can harm a soul that is kept of the Lord? C. H. Spurgeon

Your going out and Your coming in - The pilgrimage to the festival and the return home. When I go to face the world at work, or return to my family at night.  

…19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28: 19-20

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#872 Distress

In my distress I called to the Lord,

and he answered me.

2 Deliver me, O Lord,

from lying lips,

from a deceitful tongue.

3 What shall be given to you,

and what more shall be done to you,

you deceitful tongue?

4 A warrior's sharp arrows,

with glowing coals of the broom tree!

5 Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,

that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

6 Too long have I had my dwelling

among those who hate peace.

7 I am for peace,

but when I speak, they are for war! Psalm 120 ESV

A song of Ascents. The first in a series of 15 Psalms that some would associate with steps or to bring up.

- “We shall consider them as songs sung by those pilgrims who went up to Jerusalem to worship… These songs of desire, and hope, and approach are appropriate for the pilgrims’ use as they go up to worship.” (G. Campbell Morgan) This being likely so, then we know that Jesus sang these songs on His many journeys to Jerusalem from Galilee.

- Who wrote or collected these Psalms is not known. “The author of these fifteen Psalms is not known; and most probably they were not the work of one person. They have been attributed to David, to Solomon, to Ezra, to Haggai, to Zechariah, and to Malachi, without any positive evidence. They are, however, excellent in their kind, and written with much elegance; containing strong and nervous sentiments of the most exalted piety, expressed with great felicity of language in a few words.” (Adam Clarke)

In my distress I called to the Lord - I am not certain of who the writer is, and so not the situation either, but the principal is universal. It has been my sad experience that it takes much pressure to bring me to call out, yet we are told to pray without ceasing. If this has brought him to such a place then the situation cannot be trivial or even considered only to it's ill, but if you are God's child and it has brought you to pray, know that all things work together for good. 

…6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.… Philippians 4: 6-8

And He answered me - The best answers from God are the ones I cannot with reason perceive, and though I gave Him the play book of what would work best, according to my limited wisdom, yet He answers in His own time and way, according to His good purpose. Some times the best and most honest petition is "Lord, save me." Prayer builds relationship, which builds trust, and though we would prefer a crystal ball or a 12 step self help program, that is not faith.

…5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.… Hebrews 11: 5-7

Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue - When people believe what is not true about you it can be most distressing, but what better place to plead your case. God knows and if it is only slander then other men may be hard to convince of the truth, but God is quite aware. We should also pray this of our own tongues, for much evil comes of speaking what we do not know, taking someone's word against another and not considering the source. Thou shalt not lie, shalt not bear false witness, these should be written on our eyes and read before we speak. 

What shall be given to you - We reap what we sew. Lord, please put a guard before my mouth, extinguish the pride in my heart.

…25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.… James 1: 25-27

With glowing coals of the broom tree - Some describe the broom tree as a Juniper, and if the tongue as been shooting off darts, then judgment will bring these back upon it, but hold fast. The devil used but words in the garden, "hath God said." In our day there is a barrage of misinformation, malicious words, half truths which are whole lies; it is a race to get others to think evil of your opponent, truth would only get in the way. 

…15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.… Ephesians 6: 15-17

Woe to me that I sojourn in Meshech - This and Kedar describe barbaric tribes, bloody men, and perhaps the Psalmist did not dwell with either, but poetically compares his present company to these men. Sometimes I cannot very well differentiate between those in the building they call church and those outside. Sometimes I would prefer the company of the latter. 

- iii. “The verbs ‘dwell’ (garti, ‘sojourn’) and ‘live’ (sakanti, ‘tabernacle,’ ‘dwell’) are significantly chosen. Even though the psalmist may have enjoyed a permanent residence, he felt as if he was no more than a sojourner among his contemporaries. He did not feel at home among an ungodly people.” (VanGemeren)

Among those who hate peace - This would in no means be limited to any place, for they can be found everywhere in this world. 

I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war - Remember this started with lying lips, and where they are there will always be strife. 

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#871 Tav

Taw or Tav 

Let my cry come before you, O Lord;

give me understanding according to your word!

170 Let my plea come before you;

deliver me according to your word.

171 My lips will pour forth praise,

for you teach me your statutes.

172 My tongue will sing of your word,

for all your commandments are right.

173 Let your hand be ready to help me,

for I have chosen your precepts.

174 I long for your salvation, O Lord,

and your law is my delight.

175 Let my soul live and praise you,

and let your rules help me.

176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,

for I do not forget your commandments. Psalm 119: 169-176 ESV

The last letter of Psalm 119.

Taw is the 22nd letter of the Hebrew alphabet, having a numerical value of 400. 

Tav is the last letter of the Hebrew word emet, which means 'truth'. The midrash explains that emet is made up of the first, middle, and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet (aleph, mem, and tav: אמת). Sheqer (שקר, falsehood), on the other hand, is made up of the 19th, 20th, and 21st (and penultimate) letters.

Thus, truth is all-encompassing, while falsehood is narrow and deceiving. In Jewish mythology it was the word emet that was carved into the head of the golem which ultimately gave it life. But when the letter aleph was erased from the golem's forehead, what was left was "met"—dead. And so the golem died.

Ezekiel 9:4 depicts a vision in which the tav plays a Passover role similar to the blood on the lintel and doorposts of a Hebrew home in Egypt.[1] In Ezekiel’s vision, the Lord has his angels separate the demographic wheat from the chaff by going through Jerusalem, the capital city of ancient Israel, and inscribing a mark, a tav, “upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” 

In Ezekiel's vision, then, the Lord is counting tav-marked Israelites as worthwhile to spare, but counts the people worthy of annihilation who lack the tav and the critical attitude it signifies. In other words, looking askance at a culture marked by dire moral decline is a kind of shibboleth for loyalty and zeal for God.[2] Wikipedia

Let my cry come before You, O Lord - Praying to pray. It is an old writing, yet the disciples asked the Lord to teach them how to pray as well. The Psalmist seems humble in this, not taking the relationship for granted. 

12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment. 13 Is any one of you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.… James 5: 12-14

Give me understanding according to Your word - I should not want to think myself wise in any matter that has not conformed to a proper understanding of Scripture. He continually ask to be taught; he continually prays. 

…6 But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.… Matthew 6: 6-8

…2 You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.… James 4: 2-4

My lips will pour forth praise - For hearing, for answering, delivering and teaching. 

…5 Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.… Philippians 4: 5-7

My tongue will sing of Your word - Praise and preaching, recounting the testimonies of God for they are not just a true history, but the essence of righteousness itself. It originates from the Holy One, and lives on as righteous, even as He is forever Holy. I don't think that the true partaker in this can remain silent, jars of clay can only hold so much, broken jars leak at every crack. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 

For I have chosen Your precepts - You have shown, I believe You are right, but let Your strength keep me. 

I long for Your salvation, O Lord - That which is has turned my heart to that which is to come. 

- He speaks like old Jacob on his deathbed; indeed, all saints, both in prayer and in death, appear as one, in word, and deed, and mind. He knew God's salvation, and yet he longed for it; that is to say, he had experienced a share of it, and he was therefore led to expect something yet higher and more complete. There is a salvation yet to come, when we shall be clean delivered from the body of this death, set free from all the turmoil and trouble of this mortal life, raised above the temptations and assaults of Satan, and brought near unto our God, to be like him and with him for ever and ever. I have longed for thy salvation, O Jehovah; and thy law is my delight. The first clause tells us what the saint longs for, and this informs us what is his present satisfaction. God's law, contained in the ten commandments, gives joy to believers. God's law, that is, the entire Bible, is a well spring of consolation and enjoyment to all who receive it. Though we have not yet reached the fulness of our salvation, yet we find in God's word so much concerning a present salvation that we are even now delighted. C. H. Spurgeon 

And let Your rules help me - Obedience is the highest form of praise.

I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant - 

- Notice this confession; many times in the psalm David has defended his own innocence against foul mouthed accusers, but when he comes into the presence of the Lord his God he is ready enough to confess his transgressions. He here sums up, not only his past, but even his present life, under the image of a sheep which has broken from its pasture, forsaken the flock, left the shepherd, and brought itself into the wild wilderness, where it has become as a lost thing. The sheep bleats, and David prays, "Seek thy servant." His argument is a forcible one, -- for I do not forget thy commandments. I know the right, I approve and admire the right, what is more, I love the light, and long for it. I cannot be satisfied to continue in sin, I must be restored to the ways Of righteousness. I have a home sickness after my God, I pine after the ways of peace; I do not and I cannot forget thy commandments, nor cease to know that I am always happiest and safest when I scrupulously obey them, and find all my joy in doing so. Now, if the grace of God enables us to maintain in our hearts the loving memory of God's commandments it will surely yet restore us to practical holiness. C. H. Spurgeon

… 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.… Matthew 18: 12-13

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#870 Sin and Shin

Sin and Shin

Princes persecute me without cause,

but my heart stands in awe of your words.

162 I rejoice at your word

like one who finds great spoil.

163 I hate and abhor falsehood,

but I love your law.

164 Seven times a day I praise you

for your righteous rules.

165 Great peace have those who love your law;

nothing can make them stumble.

166 I hope for your salvation, O Lord,

and I do your commandments.

167 My soul keeps your testimonies;

I love them exceedingly.

168 I keep your precepts and testimonies,

for all my ways are before you. Psalm 119: 161-168 ESV

A continuation of Psalm 119, God's word inspires awe.

Shin is the 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet with a numerical value of 300. In English it can represent the relative pronouns, that, which and who. 

According to Judges 12:6, the tribe of Ephraim could not differentiate between Shin and Samekh; when the Gileadites were at war with the Ephraimites, they would ask suspected Ephraimites to say the word shibolet; an Ephraimite would say sibolet and thus be exposed. From this episode we get the English word shibboleth. cited from Wikipedia

Shin also stands for the word Shaddai, a name for God. Because of this, a kohen (priest) forms the letter Shin with his hands as he recites the Priestly Blessing. In the mid-1960s, actor Leonard Nimoy used a single-handed version of this gesture to create the Vulcan hand salute for his character, Mr. Spock, on Star Trek. Cited from Wikipedia

Princes persecute me without cause - No request, just stated, this is the reality of the Psalmist life, whom I believe to be David. He was persecuted by King Saul, but also by a prince of his own loins, Absalom. 

ii. “It was well that the sufferer could truthfully assert that this persecution was without cause. He had not broken their laws, he had not injured them, he had not even desired to see them injured, he had not been an advocate of rebellion or anarchy, he had neither openly nor secretly opposed their power, and therefore, while this made their oppression the more inexcusable, it took away a part of its sting, and helped the brave-hearted servant of God to bear up.” (Spurgeon)

iii. “This division is remarkable in that it is one of the only two which contain no petition (other was Mem, 197-104). That fact is the more remarkable because its opening sentence shows that the singer is still conscious of the circumstances of trial.” (Morgan)

But my heart stands in awe of your words - The letter shin is seen by some to share the structure of the heart, and this is a heart ablaze. This will offend some, but I use to say how can there be a God when there is so much evil, pain and agony in this world? I have come to understand that there is death because of sin, that is the wages of sin, but that it persists in this world, even against men and women who have not wronged their assailants, that is love. Go back to the garden, everything that God created was called good, even our parents, Adam and Eve, directly created by God, were good. When man fell in the garden, a just and righteous God, Who is called Holy, Holy, Holy, has the right over His creation, and the right over what He has made, to uphold justice, and with a word, undo all that was made. He chose not to destroy everything at that time, but now every child born by procreation, coming out of fallen mankind, is born into sin. 

…4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge. 5 Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me. 6 Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.… Psalm 51: 4-6

Paul teaches us that love is patient, and herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and gave His son to die for our sins. The apostle Peter said:

…8 Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.… 2 Peter 3; 8-10

I rejoice at Your word, like one who finds great spoil - The plunder after a battle, and one not won by him, one that overshadows present circumstances with princes and kings. We day dream of finding treasure, men turn great amounts of earth over, in pursuit of diamonds and gold. The Psalmist rejoices like a man, who having just lost his job, comes home to find that someone has left him a winning lottery ticket. They try to bring him low, but God's word brings him up. 

I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love Your law - If I hate this, then naturally I love that. If I come to know the word, love the word, then I will hate sin.

i. “If we keep clear of all lying, our song will be the more acceptable because it comes out of pure lips. If we never flatter men we shall be in the better condition for honouring the Lord.” (Spurgeon)

Seven times a day I praise You - He would not be a Sunday only worshiper. Seven is the number of perfection, which should not inspire legalism, because that would not be true worship. This is from a changed heart and often because.

Nothing can make them stumble - It is the gospel of peace. We love what we cannot attain unto outside of Christ perfection, atonement and glory. He is the keeper of our feet. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path, that I may not stumble blindly into the dark. 

I hope for your salvation, O Lord - He has believed the report.

ii. This hope is very much like faith. “Faith is the exercise of the soul in a sense of need, in desire, and in trust. Faith goes to God on the ground of the promise; hope in the expectation of the thing promised. Thus hope implies the operation of faith.” (Bridges)

For all my ways are before You - His bar is set at the highest set of eyes, so everything below is exceeded, and if accused otherwise, God will be the judge of his accusers.

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