November 23
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GOD MAKES A HOME FOR THE LONELY AND LEADS PRISONERS FREE
May God arise, may His enemies be scattered,
And may those who hate Him flee from His presence.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
As wax melts before a fire,
So the wicked will perish before God.
3 But the righteous will be joyful; they will rejoice before God;
Yes, they will rejoice with gladness.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
Exalt Him who rides through the deserts,
Whose name is the LORD, and be jubilant before Him.
5 A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows,
Is God in His holy dwelling.
6 God makes a home for the lonely;
He leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only the rebellious live in parched lands. -Psalm 68:1-6
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Based on a commentary by enduring word.com, most commentators believe this psalm is connected with the coming of the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6), celebrating not only that event, but also the faithfulness of God to give Israel victory over her enemies, and to make Jerusalem secure enough to bring the ark into the city. Verse 1 uses the phrasing of Numbers 10:35, David proclaimed the triumph of God over all His enemies. When God goes forth, no opponent can stand against Him. They are all scattered. Since Moses said those words when the ark of the covenant led Israel from Mount Sinai, David knew it was appropriate to say the same words as the ark came to Jerusalem, its resting place. As David brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6), he made a dramatic historical connection.
These first 6 verses emphasize what God does for His own people and how they should exalt him and sing praises. In verse6, I was particularly struck how he cares for the lonely and leads prisoners out of captivity into prosperity. We live in a very isolated and lonely world and in bondage to this world system and sins. We are admonished to give up rebellion in verse 8 for they are not blessed by God.
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REFLECTION
• How can you help the lonely and the captives from their helplessness?
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HELP ME AND SAVE ME ACCORDING TO YOUR MERCY ILMA’S VLOG
November 22
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HELP ME AND SAVE ME ACCORDING TO YOUR MERCY
Help me, LORD my God; Save me according to Your mercy.
27 And may they know that this is Your hand; You, LORD, have done it.
28 They will curse, but You bless; When they arise, they will be ashamed,
But Your servant will be glad. 29 May my accusers be clothed with dishonor,
And may they cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
30 With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD;
And I will praise Him in the midst of many.
31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy,
To save him from those who judge his soul. – Psalm 109:26-31
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According to a commentary on this psalm, in verse 26, David’s plea was straightforward and simple. Like the woman of Canaan with the demon-possessed daughter (Matthew 15:21-25), he asked God for help. As in verse 21, he asked for it on the basis of God’s mercy, not his own merit. It was very important to David that his enemies and all who looked on him knew that his rescue was from God’s hand; the LORD had done it. He didn’t want deliverance only for his own sake, but also for the glory of God. What a servant David was! He is loyal to credit everything to his Master and Lord. He never wants to be praised; instead, he points to God, the Almighty. Spurgeon says that “Ungodly men will not see God’s hand in anything if they can help it, and when they see good men delivered into their power they become more confirmed than ever in their atheism; but all in good time God will arise and so effectually punish their malice and rescue the object of their spite that they will be compelled to say like the Egyptian magicians, ‘this is the finger of God.’”
David understood that the curses of his enemies could never triumph over the blessings of God in his life. This would make David rejoice and his enemies be clothed with shame, wearing their disgrace as if it were a mantle. Maclaren says “The psalm began with addressing ‘the God of my praise’; it ends with the confidence and the vow that the singer will yet praise Him. It painted an adversary standing at the right hand of the wicked to condemn him; it ends with the assurance that Jehovah stands at the right hand of His afflicted servant, as his advocate to protect him.”
What a heart David has; constantly seeking God because he loves his Lord so much.
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REFLECTION
• How can we develop a heart that seeks out for God’s plan to be done in our lives?
DEAL KINDLY WITH ME FOR YOUR NAME’S SAKE ILMA’S VLOG
November 21
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DEAL KINDLY WITH ME FOR YOUR NAME’S SAKE
But You, GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name;
Because Your mercy is good, rescue me;
22 For I am afflicted and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
23 I am passing like a shadow when it lengthens;
I am shaken off like the locust.
24 My knees are weak from fasting,
And my flesh has grown lean, without fatness.
25 I also have become a disgrace to them;
When they see me, they shake their head.- Psalm 109:21-25
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Enduringword.com comments on verse 21 as David understood that it wasn’t enough to have his enemy judged. David needed help from God, from Yahweh Adonai. He asked on the basis of God’s name and mercy, not on the basis of his own righteousness. How many of us ask God for His help for God’s sake and not for our own sake? This amazes me because only a few of us believers actually do serve God authentically. Most of us come to God for help so we can be comfortable and get delivered. In other words, we want to get something or a favor from God for our own benefits, whether it is a need or a desire.
Verse 22 says “For I am afflicted and needy” which is a confession of the state of his heart, how poor and needy it has become. David shows that he was the one broken in heart mentioned in verse 16. David’s misery was also physical. He felt his life was wasting away, complaining that his flesh was so weak. The hateful enemy either caused this physical weakness or took advantage of it. Being able to discern what the enemy’s tactics are is a clear indication of David’s intimacy with the Lord. He sees what these wicked people have done to him. They have depleted his energy and have somehow made progress at bringing him down. Yet, David knows that his Lord is faithful to deliver him and bring him vengeance and justice. Verse 25 says “I also have become a disgrace to them, when they see me, they shake their heads”. His enemies shook their heads in both pity and disgust when they look at him. How often do we automatically seek approval from man? In verse 25, we see David’s observance of how his enemies look at him. Should we be concerned how others see us or shouldn’t we only care how God sees us?
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REFLECTION
• How can we let go of “selfishness” when we ask God for help?
CURSES TO THOSE WHO CURSE ILMA’S VLOG
November 20
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CURSES TO THOSE WHO CURSE
May the guilt of his fathers be remembered before the LORD,
And do not let the sin of his mother be wiped out.
15 May they be before the LORD continually,
So that He may eliminate their memory from the earth;
16 Because he did not remember to show mercy,
But persecuted the afflicted and needy person,
And the despondent in heart, to put them to death.
17 He also loved cursing, so it came to him;
And he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him.
18 But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,
And it entered his body like water, and like oil into his bones.
19 May it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself,
And as a belt which he constantly wears around himself.
20 May this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD,
And of those who speak evil against my soul. – Psalm 109:14-20
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According to enduringword.com, In verse 20, David hoped that the sins of his enemy’s ancestors would also be held against his enemy, and that the remembrance of those sins would be continually before the LORD. In verse 16, David’s enemy and his companions despised the goodness David extended to them (which goes back to verse 5). Yet the hateful ways went beyond the wrong done to David; he also persecuted the poor and needy. This merciless cruelty to the broken in heart was completely contrary to the nature of God. Psalm 34:18 says that The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart and in Psalm 51:17, it says that God never despises a broken heart. As he loved cursing, so let it come to him: David’s prayer was rooted in simple justice. He wanted God to do to this enemy what that guilty man had done to others. David wanted the man to be clothed with curses. According to Spurgeon, retaliation, not for private revenge, but as a measure of public justice, is demanded by David and deserved by the crime. Surely the malicious man cannot complain if he is judged by his own rule, and has his corn measured with his own bushel.” David’s heart is full of compassion and mercy to the poor.
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REFLECTION
• Why is David so adamant at getting justice for injustice to the poor in spirit?
DAVID LEFT VENGEANCE TO GOD
November 19
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DAVID LEFT VENGEANCE TO GOD
May his days be few; May another take his office.
9 May his children be fatherless, And his wife a widow.
10 May his children wander about and beg;
And may they seek sustenance far from their ruined homes.
11 May the creditor seize everything that he has,
And may strangers plunder the product of his labor.
12 May there be none to extend kindness to him,
Nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be eliminated;
May their name be wiped out in a following generation. -Psalm 109:8-13
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Enduringword.com comments that this is a psalm of David, and is thought to be the strongest of what are known as the imprecatory psalms, David’s songs that call down curses upon his enemies. It is important to remember that these are prayers, committing vengeance unto God. With the greater revelation of grace and truth that came by Jesus Christ, we understand that we are to pray for the good of our enemies, and not for their ruin. Yet, we remind ourselves that David refused to act upon these curses; he left vengeance up to God. This is especially relevant regarding David, who knew what it was to take life with the sword. When David withheld vengeance, it was because he chose to, not because he lacked the opportunity, skill, or courage. This begins a long and intense set of curses that David pronounced against his enemy. There are some who think that verses 6 onwards describe the lying words that David’s enemies spoke against him, and that the use of the singular in that section proves it – as well as later in verse.
Morgan had this opinion: “I entirely agree with those expositors who treat this passage as the singer’s quotation of the language of his enemies against him.” It is fair to note that the tone of these curses is generally in the form of prophecies rather than immediate curses. David predicted the righteous judgment to come rather than pronouncing it – though, he certainly wished for this judgment.
What is amazing with David is that even his vengeance, he lifts it up to God so that he won’t do the wrong thing. He leaves everything in God’s hand. He never operates on his own strength or understanding, something that is a novelty in our world today.
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REFLECTION
• How can we develop the habit of dependence on God on everything?
THOSE WHO SEEK THE LORD PRAISE HIM ILMA’S VLOG
November 17
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From You comes my praise in the great assembly;
I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him.
26 The afflicted will eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. May your heart live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD,
And all the families of the nations will worship before You.
28 For the kingdom is the LORD’S and He rules over the nations.
29 All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who go down to the dust will kneel before Him,
Even he who cannot keep his soul alive.30 A posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation.
31 They will come and will declare His righteousness
To a people who will be born, that He has performed it.- Psalm 22:25-31
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King David certainly knows how his God provides. In verse 25, he appreciates those who fear the Lord and acknowledges and respects them. In verse 26, he consoles those who are afflicted just as Jesus in Matthew 5 comforts those who are afflicted or poor in spirit as well as those persecuted for His sake. David encourages them to look up to God’s promise that He will provide for them and alleviate them of their pain and suffering. He says a blessing to those who are faithful to the Lord and pray that their hearts continue to submit and offer their hearts to the Lord.
In verse 27, he gives a hopeful perspective to all those who worships the Lord and passes on to their families such praise. In verse 28, he reminds us all that everything belongs to God and he is in control and rules all things. Verse 29 recounts the equality that God gives his creation. God treats everyone justly and that whatever we sow, we will reap. In verse 30, King David reminds us of the promise that God’s people made to God, that the next generation will know all the good deeds that the Lord has made. In verse 31, David says a prophetic prayer: that all those who live for God’s righteousness, many generations will rise from them and that they will all witness to the magnificence of God’s creation and His plan for mankind. David clearly tells us that those who constantly seek the Lord will never stop declaring their awe of God’s mighty deeds and goodness.
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REFLECTION
• How is praising the Lord a result of seeking Him?
SAVE MY SOUL FROM THE SWORD ILMA
November 16
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SAVE MY SOUL FROM THE SWORD
But You, LORD, do not be far away;
You who are my help, hurry to my assistance.
20 Save my soul from the sword,
My only life from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion’s mouth;
From the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.
22 I will proclaim Your name to my brothers;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 You who fear the LORD, praise Him;
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel.
24 For He has not despised nor scorned the suffering of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from him;
But when he cried to Him for help, He heard. – Psalm 22:19-24
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According to a commentary, verse 19 is the request of Psalm 22:11 is repeated her. David seemed to believe that he could endure anything if he enjoyed the conscious presence of God. His plea is not focused on the change of his situation, but on the presence of God in the crisis. How many of us focus on God’s presence when we are in trouble and trials? We automatically want to change or solve the problem, don’t we?
In verse 22, David declares how he will praise the Lord in the whole assembly and his trust and his knowledge of God’s character is reflected in the following verse 23. He admonishes all of God’s people to continue to give the Lord all the praise and give Him all the respect and adulation that only Him alone is worthy of.
In verse 20, he asks deliverance from the sword. According to Horne’s commentary, “The wrath of God was the ‘sword,’ which took vengeance on all men…it was the ‘flaming sword,’ which kept men out of paradise.”
In verse 24, David repeats his trust in the Lord and how much he knows His faithful God. He looks forward for deliverance because He knows that God will never turn His back on His own people. How many believers focus on the promises of God and His faithful character which leads us to a hopeful perspective in life? Why is it so easy for humans to dwell on the negative instead of the promises of God?
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REFLECTION
• Why must we remember fear the Lord always?
DO NOT BE FAR FROM ME O LORD ILMA’S VLOG
November 15
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DO NOT BE FAR FROM ME O LORD
Yet You are He who brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You from birth;
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.
11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near;
For there is no one to help. 12 Many bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
13 They open their mouths wide at me, as a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax; it is melted within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a piece of pottery,
And my tongue clings to my jaws; and You lay me in the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me;
They pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones.
They look, they stare at me; 18 They divide my garments among them,
And they cast lots for my clothing. – Psalm 22:9-18
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According to a commentary, David seemed to believe that he could endure anything if he enjoyed the conscious presence of God. His plea is not focused on the change of his situation, but on the presence of God in the crisis. Hasten to help Me…. Deliver Me…. Save Me: Picturing his adversaries as vicious animals (the dog…the lion’s mouth…the horns of the wild oxen), David pleaded for the help and deliverance from all these trials.
These lines reflect not only the great danger and misery of both David and his Only Begotten Son, but especially their trust in the LORD God as their deliverer. He and He alone is their hope.
What do we usually do when we are beset by troubles and conflicts? Don’t we become discouraged and hopeless? That is our human nature. In this psalm, we witness again how David, just like Jesus automatically run to God for defense. They do not defend themselves automatically. Instead, like little children, they go to God and rely on Him to get protection. We, humans, rely so much on our own strength especially in times of trouble and danger because we have been so corrupted by the world’s system.
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REFLECTION
• How can we learn to depend more on God for deliverance and protection?
MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME ILMA’S VLOG
November 14
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MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Far from my help are the words of my groaning.
2 My God, I cry out by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest.3 Yet You are holy,
You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
4 In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You rescued them.
5 To You they cried out and they fled to safety;
In You they trusted and were not disappointed.
6 But I am a worm and not a person,
A disgrace of mankind and despised by the people.
7 All who see me deride me; they sneer, they shake their heads, saying,
8 “ Turn him over to the LORD; let Him save him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him. – Psalm 22:1-8
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This psalm of David is directly spoken by Jesus according to Matthew 27:46, on the cross at about three o’clock. How can David have known that he spoke exactly what Jesus was going to experience over a thousand years later? This was a prophetic word that David which clearly was revealed to him by God’s Spirit. In the life of David, we witness many instances where he could have written such agonizing cry to his Lord. After all, he went through a lot of suffering, trials and attacks from his many enemies. While this psalm was certainly David’s agony in his life experience, it is even truer of Jesus the Messiah than of David. Jesus deliberately chose these words to describe His agony on the cross in Matthew 27:46. Boice comments that “We can be fairly certain that Jesus was meditating on the Old Testament during the hours of his suffering and that he saw his crucifixion as a fulfillment of Psalm 22 particularly.”
The repetition of My God twice must have expressed the deep pain and agony Jesus must have felt on the cross, something that King David must have felt as he wrote this psalm. It is amazing how God has known that all these same lines will be spoken by His one and only Son, whom He allowed to go through the ache and anguish to save mankind. Perhaps we are going through the same pain in our lives right now because of an illness or a death in our family. Could you imagine how much more painful it was for Jesus to carry all our sins?
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think Jesus uttered these same lines at the time of His death?
THIS IS THE DAY TO REJOICE AND BE GLAD ILMA’S VLOG
November 13
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THIS IS THE DAY TO REJOICE AND BE GLAD
This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let’s rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please, O LORD, do save us;
Please, O LORD, do send prosperity!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD;
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God, and He has given us light;
Bind the festival sacrifice to the horns of the altar with cords.
28 You are my God, and I give thanks to You;
You are my God, I exalt You.
29 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His mercy is everlasting. -Psalm 118:24-29
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Enduringword.com comments on verse 24 as the verse when Jesus quoted verse 22 (at Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10-11, and Luke 20:17), He did so in response to the praise and hosannas given to Him at what is commonly called the triumphal entry. Since this psalm is prophetically connected with that event, the day mentioned here can be prophetically understood as the day Jesus formally entered Jerusalem as Messiah and King. It is true in a general sense that the LORD makes every day, and there is reason to rejoice and be glad in every day. Yet specifically, the day the LORD made to rejoice and be glad in was the day Jesus entered Jerusalem with hosannas welcoming Him as Israel’s Savior. If on that day human voices failed to rejoice and be glad, Jesus said that the very stones would cry out their praises and hosannas (Luke 19:40).
It is a sad to watch many of us take for granted each and every day the Lord has made. We become so complacent and ungrateful. We fail to rejoice and be glad that we have another day to serve the Master of all masters and King of all kings. We are consumed living for ourselves that we have forgotten the faithful God who loves us so much that He gave his only Son, so we could be reconciled to Him. We have failed to walk in His light and constantly praise Him. As the psalmist reminds us in verse 29 to be grateful for God because He is good and His mercy lasts forever. Let us never fail to acknowledge and worship a faithful and loving Father who gives us all the time to come close to Him.
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REFLECTION
• How can we manifest gratitude to God and be glad for the days we are given?