Tag: psalms

Longing For God (Psalm 63)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

O God, you are my God; I seek you;
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
    I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
    and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
when I think of you on my bed
    and meditate on you in the watches of the night,
for you have been my help,
    and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

But those who seek to destroy my life
    shall go down into the depths of the earth;
they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
    they shall be prey for jackals.
But the king shall rejoice in God;
    all who swear by him shall exult,
    for the mouths of liars will be stopped. (New Revised Standard Version)

David, the psalmist, had a great longing for God.

This sort of longing has nothing to do with lustful desires which want something specific under the Christmas tree. To long for God is to have a deep inner wish for fulfillment and connection.

People have all sorts of longings in their lives, because they miss someone or are missing something important.

A parent longs for an estranged child to return, or at least to talk to them.

A spouse wishes to be with their loved one without the ravages of dementia.

A teacher has a deep longing to impact her students in a positive and profound way that will change their lives.

A person longs to see their friend realize the dream they have been seeking.

An individual has been living with chronic pain for years, and longs to be at least pain-free enough to enjoy the simple pleasures of taking a walk, visiting family, or going to a restaurant for a nice meal.

These longings, and thousands more, make up the future hope which keeps us going day after day. And they are all, in one way or another, related to the ultimate longing for divine connection.

Many types of longing come from a place of relationship, of love and support for another. It is this kind of longing that the psalmist had for God. The deep longing to experience a divine/human contact, to commune with the living God, is what motivated and fueled David throughout much of his life.

Like a person looking to satiate their thirst in a hot dry desert, is the one who actively seeks and goes after the longing they have. I believe that every person on planet earth has a deep abiding desire and need for something transcendent in this life, to encounter a power which is higher and greater than us – knowing that the basic nature of this power is loving and good.

My need for communion with God is on the same level as my daily need for water. I cannot survive without either of them.

Spiritual survival requires being watered and fed by an intimate relationship with our Creator. The presence of God is just as necessary and life-sustaining as food. Along with the psalmist David, God’s words are the spiritual food I need to live and survive.

Longing involves memory. Our various longings are often a remembrance of special events, seasons, or people. Deep hope activates those memories, and drives us to prayer, because God has the strength and the ability to honor those honest longings.

The greatness of God, and the divine purposes for this world, are heavy laden with longing. God’s heart longs for humanity to realize a renewed and revitalized relationship with God.

So, the Lord serves humanity in a myriad of ways, bringing deliverance from all that hinders us in a relationship with God, so that we might associate meaningfully and purposefully with what is good, right, and just.

We are invited by God to unpack the gift of faith, and the various spiritual gifts given to us, for the benefit of the church and the world.

God’s steadfast love is indeed better than life itself, because it is beyond what we humans can even conceive of as to what a good life truly is.

God is Love, and Love is God. Love transcends life and brings us to a place of connection beyond what our minds can imagine, and our hearts can only long for.

Since God is always gracious, loving, and good within God’s basic character, God always does what is good and loving. And that makes praise and adoration of God always open season.

Praising God reminds us of what God has done. The Lord is personally invested and involved in God’s big world. Thus, praise is quite appropriate whenever one is going through difficult times; because it accesses memories of God’s help in times past, enabling divine help in the present.

God’s gracious actions are both communal and personal. God not only helps others; God helps me. The Lord’s faithfulness endures throughout all generations. And God is big enough to notice me, and to help me in my own time of need.

Therefore, any occasion is appropriate in coming to God.

Are you in need of rest? Do you need encouragement? Are you in need of some help?

Then, come to God. Praise the Lord. Remember God. Consider the works God has done throughout history for God’s people. Do it during the day while working. Do it at night with your head on the pillow. Do it anytime, anywhere. Because God is there.

The Lord will provide – perhaps not on your timetable, yet God will nonetheless help, often in a way you may not expect.

Faith in God isn’t about trying to avoid God’s anger or wrath; faith is about syncing my wishes and my longings with the heart of God. That is called “repentance.” And it’s the way of finding our great inner longings satisfied.

We must tend to our relationship with the Lord; for God has made it possible to do so.

Receive this blessing from author John O’Donohue in his book, To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings…

Blessed be the longing that brought you here
And quickens your soul with wonder.

May you have the courage to listen to the voice of desire
That disturbs you when you have settled for something safe.

May you have the wisdom to enter generously into your own unease
To discover the new direction your longing wants you to take.

May the forms of your belonging—in love, creativity, and friendship—
Be equal to the grandeur and the call of your soul.

May the one you long for long for you.

May your dreams gradually reveal the destination of your desire.

May a secret Providence guide your thought and nurture your feeling.

May your mind inhabit life with the sureness with which your body inhabits the world.

May your heart never be haunted by ghost-structures of old damage.

May you come to accept your longing as divine urgency.

May you know the urgency with which God longs for you.

Amen.

Pillow Thoughts (Psalm 132:1-12)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
King David, by Marc Chagall, 1962

O Lord, remember in David’s favor
    all the hardships he endured;
how he swore to the Lord
    and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
“I will not enter my house
    or get into my bed;
I will not give sleep to my eyes
    or slumber to my eyelids,
until I find a place for the Lord,
    a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

We heard of it in Ephrathah;
    we found it in the fields of Jaar.
“Let us go to his dwelling place;
    let us worship at his footstool.”

Rise up, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
    you and the ark of your might.
Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
    and let your faithful shout for joy.
For your servant David’s sake
    do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

The Lord swore to David a sure oath
    from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body
    I will set on your throne.
If your sons keep my covenant
    and my decrees that I shall teach them,
their sons also, forevermore,
    shall sit on your throne.” (New Revised Standard Version)

King David took great pains in providing for the house of the Lord; and was very concerned about the worship of Yahweh. He went well out of his way to ensure that a temple would be built for his God.

David made as many preparations as he possibly could before his death, so that his son Solomon could follow through and build the temple. The editor of the Book of Chronicles commented on this:

David gave orders to gather together the aliens who were residing in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. David also provided great stores of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, and cedar logs without number—for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. 

For David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorified throughout all lands; I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David provided materials in great quantity before his death. (1 Chronicles 22:2-5, NRSV)

The king did all of this because God came to David and let him know that he would not be the one to build the temple; that job would fall to his son Solomon. (2 Samuel 7:4-13)

David’s final instruction to Solomon and the people had to do with the construction of a house for the Lord his God:

“Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Go and build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into the house built for the name of the Lord.” (1 Chronicles 22:19, NRSV)

The worship of God, for David, was to be the central feature of the Jewish people. All Israel and Judah were to encourage one another in worship at God’s house, the Lord’s Temple, in Jerusalem.

The priests of God wore special clothing, and handled the holy implements and the Ark of the Covenant of God. Yet, they were to be also clothed with righteousness, making sure that their outward ceremonial rituals reflected an inner moral purity and holiness before God.

David was bound and determined to not only worship the Lord himself, but to see that the entire nation of Israel had the opportunity to worship together in a central place.

Maybe a question arises for you about why David was so driven to construct a house for God. What is it that motivated King David to spend so much of his planning and energy on making sure that a temple would be constructed for the Lord?

Now when the king was settled in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” (2 Samuel 7:1-3, NRSV)

A lot of events had transpired for David to be in the position of king, with peace all around him. The Lord had been with David, and brought him through the sort of adversities most of us will never know.

Once King David was at the pinnacle of peace and success, his thought were not about how to hold onto power, or to get more of it. He would lay his head on his pillow at night and wonder how he could give back to God for being so faithful.

And considering all that God had accomplished for him and for Israel, it seemed a travesty that he was luxuriating in a fine house, while the Ark of the Covenant – the objective presence of God among the people – was sitting in an old tent. So, David became determined to change that situation, because he could.

I wonder if when you and I are at a place in our lives where we feel safe and secure, prosperous and happy, our thoughts and dreams turn toward how we might give back to God in a worshipful way which will honor the Lord, as well as bless all the people of God.

I am curious what sort of things occupy your mind at night while your head is on your pillow, when you are feeling good about how your life is going.

Many, if not most, people will think about themselves, and what to do with what they have gained and/or accomplished. But what about you?

How will you respond to God’s grace, goodness, deliverance, and protection in your own life? What sort of ideas arise in your mind? What is in your heart to do for God and God’s people?

What are your pillow thoughts at night?

Presence itself is a great gift. The presence of God is incredibly gracious, good, and miraculous. And human presence, with each individual stamped with the image and likeness of God upon them, is also a wonderful gift from the Creator. And very much needed.

David enjoyed the presence of God, and longed for all the people to experience that divine presence. Although the Lord needed no temple to live in, David had in mind to provide one.

I imagine that King David understood that each person is a luminous icon of presence, reflecting God’s image, and needing the presence of God and others in order to have a nation who worships God as commanded in the Mosaic law.

Through communal worship at a designated site in Jerusalem, the Israelites could enjoy the beauty of God’s presence together, as well as the encouragement of one another.

Wherever there is presence and the acknowledgement of God and each other, there is freedom to offer affection, understanding, and respect.

It seems to me that these were the sort of thoughts that ran through King David’s mind, which made him determined to build a house for the Lord his God.

So, what will you do with your thoughts and your life?

Almighty God of all hope, of our thoughts and dreams: In humility, we give you thanks for all of creation; and for everything you give us. We praise you for forgiving us of our guilt and shame, even before we ask. You raise us from our broken state and make us whole. You give us the peace we yearn for.

Blessed God, fill us, your people, with your divine Spirit. Be our light in the darkness. Envelop us with your presence. Orient our hearts toward your justice; and help us always praise you. Let us ever be mindful of your power and grace in the world. Let us live as one with you in grace and in truth. Amen.

With God In the Dark (Psalm 3)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
By Unknown Artist

Lord, I have so many enemies!
    So many are standing against me.
So many are talking about me:
    “Even God won’t help him.”
But you, Lord, are my shield!
    You are my glory!
    You are the one who restores me.
I cry out loud to the Lord,
    and he answers me from his holy mountain.
I lie down, sleep, and wake up
    because the Lord helps me.
I won’t be afraid of thousands of people
    surrounding me on all sides.

Stand up, Lord!
    Save me, my God!
In fact, hit all my enemies on the jaw;
    shatter the teeth of the wicked!
Rescue comes from the Lord!
    May your blessing be on your people! (Common English Bible)

I don’t like cockeye arrogant people. It irks me when a person believes that their way is the only way. Such persons within the church tend to think God is always on their side. Their pride leads them to believe that God won’t help anyone who differs from them.

That sort of arrogance causes the proud person to become a self-appointed judge of all things. So, they have no problem believing that they are God’s instrument of judgment toward those who don’t agree with them.

Ironically, in their delusion, enemies of God actually believe they are on God’s side.

These were the sort of persons that opposed the psalmist, King David. They thought they knew better about how to reign over a kingdom than David did. So, David prayed with a lot of flavor for God to disprove the arrogant assertions of his enemies.

David rightly asserted that trust has its foundation in God, and not in the beliefs of humans. He discerned that God is his shield and protection against the foe. David believed that the power of God can repel any attack, as well as restore anyone to any position, as God sees fit.

The contrast in the psalm is between humble David and his proud enemies. David was the sort of person who called on God when he was in trouble. David’s enemies were the kind of people who first formed their own opinions and laid their own plans, then told God to bless what they came up with.

That’s not only the difference between humility and pride; it is also the difference between wisdom and foolishness, intelligence and stupidity.

Whatever David’s opponents would do is no match for the protective encircling presence of God around him. Although proud enemies are like wild animals with powerful jaws, God can snatch anyone out of their teeth.

Even though David’s enemies advanced against him with arrogant self-confidence, God can rescue anyone from any army. No plan formed against the godly person shall succeed. The Lord can deliver one from any and every situation.

With God, one’s fear is mitigated by faith; and sleep eventually comes with a relaxing trust in the Lord. The faithful Christian arises with a prayer in their heart saying:

Almighty God, everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day. Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity. And in all I do today, direct me to the fulfillment of Your purposes, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

The godly understand that the Lord never slumbers nor sleeps. God is ever-present with needed watch-care. And so, we declare along with the psalmist:

I look to the hills!
    Where will I find help?
It will come from the Lord,
    who created heaven and earth.

The Lord is your protector,
and he won’t go to sleep
    or let you stumble.
The protector of Israel
doesn’t doze
    or ever get drowsy.

The Lord is your protector,
there at your right side
    to shade you from the sun.
You won’t be harmed
by the sun during the day
    or by the moon at night.

The Lord will protect you
and keep you safe
    from all dangers.
The Lord will protect you
now and always
    wherever you go. (Psalm 121, CEV)

Even though the believer may become burdened with distress and adversity, without any sign of relief, they never cease to cry out and call upon God. They trust in God’s promises. They support themselves with their knowledge of God. They endure and persevere through all things.

In the end, the faithful will realize blessing and goodness. The unfaithful and arrogant won’t.

Perhaps you have been tossing and turning every night. If you sleep at all, your dreams are nightmares. During the day you might have the wherewithal to resist doubt and distress. But at night, your defenses are down, and waves of anxiety come upon you like a bunch of unwanted thugs.

In your disquieted state, make your repose to God. There is no shame in discouragement and defeat, for all the godly will suffer in some way. You shall ultimately prove victorious over all your fears, because of your reliance upon the Lord.

Whereas the ungodly puffed up person relies upon themselves, they shall be overcome by the smallest of perils. They do not realize that the routines of prayer, mindfulness, self-awareness, and the singing of hymns regulate and regimen the mind, even when unwanted situations persist for days, weeks, months, or even years at a time.

The unfaithful don’t understand that consistent rhythms of faithfulness done day after day, despite one’s circumstances, leads to a good life.

This liturgy of life in communing with God perhaps happens best at night.

On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night. (Psalm 63:6, NIV)

In the night, Lord, I remember your name,
    that I may keep your law. (Psalm 119:55, NIV)

If you are a night owl, then use the time after everyone is in bed to take advantage of the quiet time with God. Your faith can be and is being forged in those dark hours after sunset. Allow yourself to fall asleep in God’s protective hands.

If you are a morning person, arise before the dawn and let the unhindered time when everyone else is sleeping bring you close to God in prayer and devotion. Let the coming of the day be shaped by the consistent discipline of scripture reading and contemplative prayer.

I rise before dawn and cry for help;
    I have put my hope in your word. (Psalm 119:147, NIV)

May the dark hours be to you blessing and honor. May the glory and power of God be seen, even in the night. For God sees you, and is with you, now and forever. Amen.

The Most High Shall Lift Up the Needy (Psalm 113)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
By Unknown Artist

Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord;
    praise the name of the Lord.

Blessed be the name of the Lord
    from this time on and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations
    and his glory above the heavens.

Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,
who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?
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.
He gives the barren woman a home,
    making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord! (New Revised Standard Version)

The psalmist calls for praise to God, because the Lord is the God both far and near, both transcendent (high above and over) and immanent (close by enough to respond quickly).

God is a dynamic force and presence in this world.

It is God who sees the poor and needy from on high, and comes near to lift them and give them a place alongside those in power and with authority.

It is the Lord God almighty who observes the childless woman from afar and draws near to ensure that she becomes a joyful mother.

Today’s psalm is the first of six psalms (Psalms 113-118) which make up the Jewish Hallel – prayers of thanksgiving added to the morning service of worship on the days of festive Jewish holidays. 

This collection of psalms tells a story of God’s merciful acts in history for the people of Israel. The Israelites express joy and thanksgiving, because the Lord noticed them, and actively worked on their behalf.

Christians, too, make use of Psalm 113 for praise and worship. In the stories of both Hannah in the First Testament, and Mary in the Second Testament, the transcendent God listened to them, and was immanently present in helping them to conceive children.

This is a concerned and engaged God, who hears the humble, and lifts them beyond what they can even ask or imagine. (1 Samuel 2:1-10; Luke 1:39-57)

Yet, some may wonder why their prayers have not been answered.

Some are confused as to why God seems aloof in the midst of their needy circumstance.

There are yet many more who are discouraged by all of the terrible natural disasters which devastate people’s lives, and the existence of war and hatred and injustice around the globe.

And there are plenty of women who want children, but are unable to conceive; while there are women with children who treat them poorly.

Where is this good God when there is so much bad going on?

The psalmist exclaimed that God raises the poor, lifts the needy, and gives the barren woman a home. There is, however, no timetable set on precisely when this will happen.

Many a barren woman in the biblical stories was in that position for year after year. Sarah in the Old Testament, and Elizabeth in the New, were two elderly women who had a child in their old age. Beyond what was biologically possible, God nevertheless gave.

There was also many a person in the Bible who died, while never having had a change in their circumstance. Even in such cases, the humble and godly poor person shall be rich in heaven; and the needy person will experience plenty for eternity.

This isn’t meant to be a pat answer now in the present; rather, it points to the need for hope, the confident expectation that the unwanted and awful circumstance I am experiencing today will not always be true of me.

Just one implication of this is that even the destitute can praise God. Even the needy can give thanks, while they are simultaneously crying out for help.

The Christian will someday have a seat with Christ in the heavenlies. This is a hope built into one’s faith commitment. It is a sure thing in the future, just as much as the present reality I currently face.

No matter whether one is rich or poor, in plenty or in want, in a full house of children or none at all – every person has a reason to praise God and express gratitude for the One who sees from on high, and draws near with what is truly helpful for this present time – whether that help is in the form of tangible resources and assistance, or intangible comfort and encouragement.

Unfortunately, there are people in this old fallen world of ours who create the conditions of poverty for others; manipulate circumstances that opens a large gap of need for the underprivileged; and exclude people who are not in power and have no earthly authority.

God does not want injustice for people; oppression and exclusion is inconsistent with the Lord’s sense of justice and mercy. The psalmist affirms those who languish on the ash heap of life that they will be lifted up. Their present experience of despair will not last forever.

A day is coming when those in need will have their justice, where the malevolent forces of this world will be leveled, and the needy will sit with princes.

Discouragement does not have the last word. The day of praise will break through and overcome the day of despair.

Praise be to God!

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all the poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, O God, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.