Fret not

Psalm 37

 1  Fret not yourself because of evildoers; 

be not envious of wrongdoers! 

2  For they will soon fade like the grass 

and wither like the green herb. 

3  Trust in the Lord, and do good; 

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 

4  Delight yourself in the Lord, 

and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

5  Commit your way to the Lord; 

trust in him, and he will act. 

6  He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, 

and your justice as the noonday. 

7  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; 

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, 

over the man who carries out evil devices! 

8  Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! 

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 

9  For the evildoers shall be cut off, 

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 

10  In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; 

though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 

11  But the meek shall inherit the land 

and delight themselves in abundant peace. 

12  The wicked plots against the righteous 

and gnashes his teeth at him, 

13  but the Lord laughs at the wicked, 

for he sees that his day is coming. 

14  The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows 

to bring down the poor and needy, 

to slay those whose way is upright; 

15  their sword shall enter their own heart, 

and their bows shall be broken. 

16  Better is the little that the righteous has 

than the abundance of many wicked. 

17  For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, 

but the Lord upholds the righteous. 

18  The Lord knows the days of the blameless, 

and their heritage will remain forever; 

19  they are not put to shame in evil times; 

in the days of famine they have abundance. 

20  But the wicked will perish; 

the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; 

they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. 

21  The wicked borrows but does not pay back, 

but the righteous is generous and gives; 

22  for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, 

but those cursed by him shall be cut off. 

23  The steps of a man are established by the Lord, 

when he delights in his way; 

24  though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, 

for the Lord upholds his hand. 

25  I have been young, and now am old, 

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken 

or his children begging for bread. 

26  He is ever lending generously, 

and his children become a blessing. 

27  Turn away from evil and do good; 

so shall you dwell forever. 

28  For the Lord loves justice; 

he will not forsake his saints. 

They are preserved forever, 

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 

29  The righteous shall inherit the land 

and dwell upon it forever. 

30  The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, 

and his tongue speaks justice. 

31  The law of his God is in his heart; 

his steps do not slip. 

32  The wicked watches for the righteous 

and seeks to put him to death. 

33  The Lord will not abandon him to his power 

or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. 

34  Wait for the Lord and keep his way, 

and he will exalt you to inherit the land; 

you will look on when the wicked are cut off. 

35  I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, 

spreading himself like a green laurel tree. 

36  But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; 

though I sought him, he could not be found. 

37  Mark the blameless and behold the upright, 

for there is a future for the man of peace. 

38  But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; 

the future of the wicked shall be cut off. 

39  The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; 

he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 

40  The Lord helps them and delivers them; 

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, 

because they take refuge in him. 

‘Fret not yourself’ is David’s instruction at the beginning of this psalm. He repeats this three times so he clearly knows the ease at which humanity falls into a fretful state. We can fret, worry and become anxious, yet it is futile and unfounded. David reminds us that if you fret about evil and wrongdoers, ‘they will soon fade like grass’, if you are concerned about the wicked people who seem to prosper they, ‘will be cut off’, and if you worry for any other reason you need to know that, ‘it tends only to evil’. No good can come out of fretting, panicking or worrying, only anger and evil. 

David’s first point is that fretting is pointless, because if you know God, what are you worried about?! If you know the love and might of the Lord, if you are even beginning to understand something of His nature, what is there to concern yourself with? David’s second assurance is that wickedness will end - so what is the point of spending time concerning yourself with something that is going to fail and fall apart anyway? Thirdly, if you weren’t already convinced, consider; when you have been overly concerned about something, what good has it done? It has probably led to stress, anxiety, fear, anger. Did fretting ever change anything or benefit a situation? Or did it just lead to you feeling helpless and exhausted? These are the reasons why David, in his wisdom, tells you not to worry. Alternatively, he instructs three times you should, ‘Wait for the Lord’. Waiting for God is powerful. It exercises trust, grows confidence, gives security and will allow you to see that God is in action - the total opposite of what fretting achieves! David tells us that, ‘those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land’. Even if the wicked seem to be doing well for themselves, ‘in just a little while, the wicked will be no more’. So do not waste your time in fear or worry, but instead trust God and wait. For, ‘the arms of the wicked shall be broken’, ‘the wicked will perish’ and, ‘the wicked plots….but the Lord laughs’! Do not spend time concerning yourself with the schemes of evil that are in this world, for God is not concerned about them, instead, He laughs! He laughs at their false pride, their confidence in material things and their mindset of immortality. For God knows their comeuppance is coming, He knows their power, wealth and reign will end for they are not really in charge - He is! 

Therefore do not waste your physical, emotional or mental energy on worrying. Alternatively focus on the life you are meant to lead. Pursue the life of righteousness that God is calling you to and do not allow the plots and aims of evil distract you. Instead trust in God and ‘wait patiently’ for Him. Of course, this does not mean that wicked things will not come your way or that you should bury your head in the sand and ignore terrible circumstances, but it does mean that they should not be your focus, or take much of your time or energy. David knows very well the traumatic trials that can come your way, and he has now learnt as an old man that there are troubles, but complaining and worrying about them won’t make them go away, but God will. So his commendation is to seek God, pray and restfully wait for God to intervene. You can be assured that God sees, hears and laughs at the ridiculous notion that the wicked will win, so just wait.

This psalm guarantees that those who trust in God and wait for Him will; have the desires of their heart satisfied (v4), receive justice (v6), ‘inherit the land’, ‘delight themselves in abundant peace’, be upheld (v17), and will not be put to shame (v19). Isn’t that worth spending your time contemplating?! For God sees and knows what people are up to. He knows the righteous from the wicked. He knows whose ways will ultimately prosper, and he lets you into the secret through this psalm too! You need to focus on the way you are living and not waste time concerning yourself with the acts of others. You cannot change them. Remember that God is laughing at those who are wicked as he sees the demise of their evil ways. One day they, ‘like smoke will vanish away’, You can however change your own mindset and behaviour to ensure that you are honouring and trusting God with your life. 

Do you need to change your focus today and move from fretting into faith? 

‘Commit your way to the Lord, rest in him, and He will act.’ (v5).

reject evil

 Psalm 36:1–12 (ESV):  

1  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. 

When you do something wrong, do you ever try to cover it up? Or explain it away as if it’s not such a bad thing? This is what David tells us happens in the heart of the wicked. People that have done wrong and do not admit it, that try to make it sound ok to have wickedness in them and remain unrepentant of sin, are wicked. Trying to appease guilt and shame by diminishing the extent of your wrongdoing is not ok. It is not humility, kindness or understanding, it is wickedness. This is because when you try to explain away sin, it leads to pride as you, ‘flatter yourself’ that you can manage to convince others of your not-so-bad behaviour and feel good about these powers of persuasion rather than confessing the sin and hating it (v2). Pride in the cover up may cause you to feel less bad, but it separates you from truth, justice and righteousness which are the qualities God wants you to have and enjoy. You should not attempt to hide sin or make it seem less terrible. Sin is sin. It is wilful disobedience to God, purposefully doing the things you know you shouldn’t, turning your back on good and pursuing evil. Yet we all do it, sin i mean, so there is grace for forgiveness and restoration, but you need to ensure that in your life sin is hated and called out, not hidden, accepted or excused. It is the work of the devil trying to take you off track by getting you to accept and excuse wrongdoing so that you can continue living sinfully instead of pursuing righteousness and God’s presence. 

If you wish to honour God with your life yet find yourself trying to appease your own soul and mind through covering up sin, know that you are in danger of becoming one whose, ‘words … are trouble and deceit’. It is a slippery slope and if this behaviour becomes embedded in your life then you will cease, ‘to act wisely and do good’. It is a terrifying truth. If you know that you absolve yourself from sin by making excuses and downplaying it, then this is your warning to stop. If you are one who professes to believe in and follow God; sin is to be hated not tolerated in your life. If you know you have been doing this, then you can repent today. You do not have to become untrustworthy, troublesome, deceitful or foolish. In order to be made right with God, you must, ‘reject sin’ for evil and holiness cannot co-exist. You are fooling yourself if you think this is possible. You can admit your wrongdoing and confess your sin to God, and be forgiven. Then God can then restore you to righteousness. 

After these verses on excusing sin, David speaks of the greatness of God. This is in order to remind you why living with Him is a much better way than living with sin. Those who seek righteousness have the marvellous privilege of being able to enter into relationship with God. Those who pursue evil do not. They miss out on getting to know God, who is; steadfast in His love, faithful, righteous and just. Yet if you live God’s way and get to know Him you will get to know that; you’re always loved, you have everlasting companionship, you’ll get trustworthy guidance, and you will be shown truth and justice. God's love is secure and encompasses everything He is; faithful and righteous, fair and just, wants to save you and all that you love, protects and restores you, provides for you, sustains and refreshes you. 

Are you living knowing the good of these things? Or are you missing out because of unresolved sin? 

David has written this psalm showing the danger of sinful acts contrasting with the beauty of God for you cannot have both in your life. God is good, loving, pure, holy and right, therefore He cannot be in the presence of evil and wickedness. So the enticement from David is to show you how wonderful God is, as surely you want these attributes in your life as they are so much better than any enjoyment, peace or comfort that transgression can impart. David invites you to put an end to sin and seek God as there is a way for every sinner to become righteous and good. It does require effort and humility but the steadfastness of God’s love, His loyalty, righteousness, truth and justice are freely available for all. You can know and receive boundless love, kindness, favour and direction from the Lord. God made a way for you to do that when you confess sin and ask for forgiveness. So any barrier to you getting to know God is gone. God poured out the punishment for your transgressions and sin upon His son, Jesus as he died. Jesus was punished and put to death for all wickedness. In his last moments Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). This applied to those around him then as much as it does for you and the rest of mankind! Sometimes you don’t know what you’re doing or why, but you are stuck in unhealthy attitudes and actions. When you look to Jesus, you can know that he spoke those words over you too. You can be forgiven. Your sin has been crucified with Christ so that you can know the presence of God and His goodness in your life. 

If you know that you are forgiven and free, and you have been living knowing His presence, then, you can still get things wrong. So ask God to not let, ‘the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away’. I love that this is at the end, for we can all get to know how great it is to have God in our lives, but let us not get proud about it, or cocky as we need the constant reminder to keep away from evil in order to remain righteous. As great and awesome as God is, we can forget it and get lost in our walk through life, losing touch with Him and who we are meant to be, so let not arrogance or evil come into your life but, ‘watch your life and your doctrine closely’ (1 Timothy 4:16).

When friends become enemies, what do you do?

 Psalm 35:1–28 (ESV):  

1  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 dishonour 

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. 

David is telling of a time when he was unfairly harassed and persecuted. He did not deserve it, and he really suffered at the hands of his former friends; emotionally as well as physically. David could not think of any harm he had committed, he had been kind to them, and then one day, those he once worked with turned against him for no apparent reason. Have you ever been in such a position? Where once those you’ve liked, loved, worked well with, became enemies? If so, do not fear, it is not your fault. This just clearly show how the devil and his army is at work. He will use and manipulate people to make your life difficult. There won’t necessarily be a reason other than the fact that you’re doing your best to honour God with your life. This is the reality for God’s people whether you’re a king like David, a cleaner, home maker, minister, cashier, office worker, engineer, retired or anything else. The reality is there will be people out to get you just because you stand for a kingdom they do not and they have been enticed into evil by the devil. This is the situation David is describing. 

Even though you can understand where the attack is coming from, it is still painful. David knew and he still suffered. So, David told God about it all - what was going on and how he felt, and he asked Him to intervene. David needed help to remember who he is, not to be persuaded by the words others were speaking about him or to start to believe the falsehoods that were being spread. He asked that God would save him and cause the enemy to get caught in their own schemes. 

David realised that there was no point in him fighting for himself, this was not simply a matter of people being mistaken and being able to be corrected. Therefore it would be pointless to try to stand up for himself and fight for his innocence, they simply weren’t interested. So, he implored God to sort it out as he knew that he couldn’t. This is a powerful thing to do. It reminds me of Jesus being before his accusers and being silent - it takes great self-control and confidence in God to not retaliate or argue your case. Yet there is great strength in silence when you know God can do far more than you can, and you let Him.

In order to maintain your innocence and wellbeing, your reputation and character, it is often best if you pray and wait, and continue to do what you know is right. It will be difficult and painful, but do as David did and implore God to deal with it. David had learnt that doing things his own way usually went badly and was exhausting, so now he has learned to lean into God and let Him do His thing in His timing. God knows how to deal with any situation and He desires to preserve His anointed ones, His people. Instead of panicking and worrying, pray and remind yourself of God’s power and presence and that one day you will be ‘exulting in his salvation’. 

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!” 

Sometimes those you have loved and looked after stab you in the back. David tells of how painful, confusing and frustrating that is. He really, deeply cared for the people that have now taken the opportunity to try to destroy him, no wonder he is ‘bereft’. He has invested in relationships, helped, prayed and cared for the very people who now are trying to tear him apart. It is heart wrenching when those we have invested in turn their backs on us and start to attack. Do not fear or worry if this happens to you. It shows their character and commitment, not yours. Just make sure that you are not fuelling the dispute by engaging. Sometimes remaining silent is more powerful than fighting for your reputation even in their eyes. David doesn’t try to convince them about how good and innocent he is, how he has always wanted the best for them, instead he turns to God. He tells God what is going on, how unfair and painful it is. He knows that if people have turned against in this way, clubbing together to increase their hatred then there is no point trying to reestablish relationship. They will just use the opportunity to further fuel their fury. Maintain innocence in your behaviour. Do not be persuaded to use underhand techniques or to verbally fight back. That can cause you more anger and upset and destroy your character and reputation making you no longer the innocent party in the matter. God can sort out the situation. You will need to exercise restraint and self-control as you trust God to rescue you. He can shut the mouths of lions, part seas, bring bones to life so he can sort out the bullies and betrayers.

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 dishonour 

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. 

David’s first response in this section is to know God is close. When others have let him down, abandoned and turned against him, he needs to know God is listening and is close by. You will need to know the comfort and strength of God’s presence too when you encounter such a time, so ask for it. Ask God to not only triumph over the enemies, but to also help you with your emotions, your sense of self and bring you comfort and assurance. God can do all of that and all at the same time!

As well as acknowledging the lost relationships, remember those whom are still standing with you. There are still those who are championing you, who really know you and care about your situation. Thank God for them! Allow them to look after you, support you and provide for you. God has given you these ones to help you, so let them. Appreciate these people and, as David does, pray for them to be able to celebrate with you when the trial is over. Do not be totally overcome by those whom have abandoned and mistreated you, but be aware of those who are still with you. Look out for them and show your love and gratitude, and invest in these relationships. 

Finally, remember that, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”. God is awesome, He is Lord and he cares about you and so will bring restoration and good to you out of this situation. The end of this torment is certain, for God brings good to those that love Him. You need to ensure that you are walking right before God and that even in trial you honour and worship Him. David does. He is clear that he is innocent in this matter and unlike his enemies he does not rejoice in others’ downfall or demise, but instead commiserates with them and rejoices in God. Even when he is accused and harassed. Keep your heart pure, and keep firm in God as your source of joy. For this trial will transform into a time of worship as you see the wisdom and power of God bring vindication and relief so, ’rejoice in the Lord, exulting in his salvation’ You can rejoice now, even in the midst of trouble, for you can know the truth that this trial will end, that God will restore and will pour out favour on those who follow and honour Him.

Are you trusting in what is temporal or eternal?

 Psalm 33:1–22 (ESV): 

Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! 

Praise befits the upright. 

2  Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; 

make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! 

3  Sing to him a new song; 

play skilfully on the strings, with loud shouts. 

4  For the word of the Lord is upright, 

and all his work is done in faithfulness. 

5  He loves righteousness and justice; 

the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. 

6  By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, 

and by the breath of his mouth all their host. 

7  He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; 

he puts the deeps in storehouses. 

8  Let all the earth fear the Lord; 

let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! 

9  For he spoke, and it came to be; 

he commanded, and it stood firm. 

10  The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; 

he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 

11  The counsel of the Lord stands forever, 

the plans of his heart to all generations. 

12  Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, 

the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! 

13  The Lord looks down from heaven; 

he sees all the children of man; 

14  from where he sits enthroned he looks out 

on all the inhabitants of the earth, 

15  he who fashions the hearts of them all 

and observes all their deeds. 

16  The king is not saved by his great army; 

a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 

17  The war horse is a false hope for salvation, 

and by its great might it cannot rescue. 

18  Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, 

on those who hope in his steadfast love, 

19  that he may deliver their soul from death 

and keep them alive in famine. 

20  Our soul waits for the Lord; 

he is our help and our shield. 

21  For our heart is glad in him, 

because we trust in his holy name. 

22  Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, 

even as we hope in you. 

Are you righteous and full of thanks and praise? 

If you love God and follow Him, then joy and gratitude should be what you display. It does not matter how you do it, what instrument you use, or the method or quality of your worship. Use whatever you can to praise Him; sing, shout, play music, speak, just ensure you are giving gratitude and praise to God. This is the encouragement David gives. No matter your circumstances, where you live or what is happening in your nation, God still deserves the glory. You can worship because you know that, ‘The counsel of the Lord stands forever’. Rather than reading the news and becoming afraid, or looking around and seeing desperation, danger and disaster, relying on world powers and their armies or clever plans to sort out the events of the world, let your security rest in the One who, ‘stands forever’. For He, ‘spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.’ What God says goes. He is secure, enduring and capable so He can be relied upon and trusted in when other people and things can't. He is firm and stable and has out-smarted any worldly intelligence. He knows what He is doing and why. This world adapts and changes, succeeds, inspires, rises, falls and can depress and demotivate. However, God’s words and actions stand firm and endure forever. Therefore consider what you are spending your time looking into and believing. Things of the world are temporal, things of God, eternal. 

The world and its views and values are fleeting, sometimes unsubstantiated and silly. God’s are unchangeable, reliable, considered and true. What views, values and events are you concerned with and focussed on? Are you more reliably researching the latest news story or the truths of the Bible? Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that people should not be aware of what is going on around them, what I am saying is do not let the things of this world out-trump the things of God in your life. Do not become persuaded, afraid, or despondent about the things going on around you, but rest in the power, majesty, capability and eternity of God instead! This psalm reminds us that kings, armies and war horses are powerless to alter; salvation, personal conflict, famine and starvation. No world power, or authority can resolve these issues. Only God can (v16-19). Therefore do not expend much of your time and energy on the things that really cannot help you, instead look to God. As He alone can provide the solution. He offers you salvation, forgiveness, internal peace and comfort and will provide and sustain you. Other sources may make big promises but they cannot alter the state of your soul let alone provide sustenance for the body. Trust in God, He can give you whatever you need. 

Strength, power, land, possessions and riches cannot do much to cause a nation to stand - consider the Roman Empire, Babylon or even the British Empire - all have once been considerable, powerful, strong world influencers, and now they are History. World influence and power exist for but a short time, but God’s will, His plans, influence, power and riches last forever! So why trust in temporal things?! Consider what you are building your life upon. Relying on and investing time and mental energy in world issues can be a distraction from worshipping God. Do you have a good balance? What are you influenced by and what develops your views and values?

When you delight and revel in the splendour of God you will learn that His strength, influence, power and love will never tire, run out or fade. God is the One that can sustain and protect as well as diminish and destroy. Therefore, ‘stand in awe of him’. Do not let other things blind you to His power and majesty, but stand firm in your faith in the One who ‘stands forever’. Set your mind to not be overcome by the things of this world, but in all ways and experiences, in every way, worship God. Remind yourself of who He is, what He has done and what He has promised and your fears and concerns will melt away as you realise the beauty and enormity of the Lord your God. 

Therefore; shout for joy, praise, give thanks, make melody, sing, play and shout to God, ‘For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness’.

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 Psalm 34:1–22 (ESV):  

1  I will bless the Lord at all times; 

his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

2  My soul makes its boast in the Lord; 

let the humble hear and be glad. 

3  Oh, magnify the Lord with me, 

and let us exalt his name together! 

4  I sought the Lord, and he answered me 

and delivered me from all my fears. 

5  Those who look to him are radiant, 

and their faces shall never be ashamed. 

6  This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him 

and saved him out of all his troubles. 

7  The angel of the Lord encamps 

around those who fear him, and delivers them. 

8  Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! 

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 

9  Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, 

for those who fear him have no lack! 

10  The young lions suffer want and hunger; 

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. 

11  Come, O children, listen to me; 

I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 

12  What man is there 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  Turn away from evil and do good; 

seek peace and pursue it. 

15  The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous 

and his ears toward their cry. 

16  The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, 

to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 

17  When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears 

and delivers them out of all their troubles. 

18  The Lord is near to the brokenhearted 

and saves the crushed in spirit. 

19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, 

but the Lord delivers him out of them all. 

20  He keeps all his bones; 

not one of them is broken. 

21  Affliction will slay the wicked, 

and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 

22  The Lord redeems the life of his servants; 

none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. 

'Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!' Corporate worship is good. We should be inspiring others into praising and honouring God. Throughout this psalm David is testifying about God, sharing something of what has done, not because he is boasting but because he wants others to be caught up in the excitement of who God is. So he tells them of God’s goodness to himself, specific ways God has come through motivating those around him to praise God with him. What a great example of how we should share breakthroughs, God’s provision, sustenance and power even in small things, as God is working there as well as in mighty miracles and dramatic turnarounds. David tells how God; hears the poor and humble, releases from fear, saves those who fear God, sends angels, provides, gives life, brings good, delivers, comes close to hurting people, and protects. David has experienced these things and he is telling us about it because he wants to inspire us to worship God. It doesn't matter if you feel like it, or are having a good or bad season, God is still doing these things and deserves your praise. David invites you to celebrate in the goodness of God to others, are you? And, are you sharing stories from your life with others to inspire them to worship God? 

When you consider your life, there are probably a fair few instances where you wonder where God was or what He was up to. You can reflect on all of the trauma, all of the blessings, or a fair mix of both. If you do the first two then your stories of celebration or commiseration will not inspire others to develop their relationship with God. Your stories of your life can and should inspire worship, faithfulness and obedience to God. 

If your stories are all of a depressing nature then you are certainly not testifying about the goodness of God in your life. You are probably failing to see it or appreciate it and you are not inspiring yourself or anyone to worship. If that is your circumstance then I encourage you to ask God where He is in those things. I guarantee that He is present and working, you just need to see it. It is trues that, 'Many are the afflictions of the righteous'. However the promise is that, 'the Lord delivers him out of them all.'! So, even if you feel stuck in a rotten situation, you can know that firstly, it is not surprising it is actually quite normal for someone who is following God, so you're clearly going right there. Secondly, that God can and will deliver you out of it as you are one of His children. So even in the difficulties and hardest times of your life God is seeking to do good to you, do you see it? If not, ask God to show you what He is doing and then you can thank God like David did, thank Him even for the small things like a new day, a kind word and provision. I am not saying that you should deny your troubles, certainly not, but, 'At all times' God is worthy of praise. Are you worshipping Him in every situation? 

On the other hand, if you are only saying how wonderful God is and how blessed your life is and not being real about the hardships, then how can anyone relate? Life is tough. People know that and are ok with that, you should be ok with that too and and able to admit it. It is not unrighteous to say life is hard. You can do that without losing faith as you know that God is always present and working. It is just you are suffering, 'the afflictions of the righteous' and life is not very pleasant right now. Don’t downplay your disappointment, grief, or frustration. You can be real and still honour God and inspire others to know Him and worship Him too. David strikes the balance brilliantly. He experienced much hardship, disaster and fear. He told God about his afflictions and prayed for relief, provision, guidance and salvation. When he was going through the tough times he had a rant and prayed hard without forgetting who he was or who God is. Then when the trials ended, which he knew they would, he praised God. He did not hide his shame, sin or difficulties, but shared his experiences to encourage others to worship. David knew that when God helps one of us out He helps us all, and so we should all be celebrating with joy together as we see the beautiful way God interacts in our lives. We can honour God with our stories, inspiring others to dig in, to breakthrough and to worship. We also should be motivated to worship God for His work in others’ lives too.

So, next time you are with a group of believers, how are you going to inspire worship?

End the pain of sin

 Psalm 32:1–11 (ESV):  

1  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! 

This psalm is a lesson not to hold onto guilt and sin. Instead of wrestling with the internal conflict, you can acknowledge your sin to God and be forgiven. It may seem a scary thing to do, but surely it is better than ‘groaning all day long’ and wasting away. 

David uses three words for wrongdoing in this psalm, showing that in whatever way you can get it wrong, he did it all! He had rebelled against God (transgression), he had gone away from the way of life he knew he should be on, he had not met the standard God required (sin) and had acted in a corrupt, twisted manner (iniquity). David’s confession was difficult because he had to realise the enormity of his actions. He had to acknowledge that he had fallen short of living a life that was acceptable to God, he had also wantonly turned away from what he knew was right in order to become corrupt through his decisions and actions. This shows the completeness of David’s wrongs. No wonder it was hard for him to accept let alone admit! It is no surprise that it took him a while to come to terms with it himself and then approach God with it. It can be the same for you can’t it? When you completely mess up, let yourself, others and God down, causing chaos, pain and corruption through your choices, it is hard to admit isn’t it? It is much easier and pleasant to try to justify yourself and make excuses for why you behaved that way, yet that does not deal with the internal distress that you experience, it does not lead to forgiveness or relief. It just leads to internal anguish and even physical suffering. Have you had enough of these results of your sin?

At this point in his life, David had become fed up with the internal anguish he felt about his wrongdoings. He had had enough of moping about and the incessant guilt that played around in his head. Have you ever felt the same? Where guilt dances around your mind and you feel ashamed and surrounded by accusation and pain when you have sinned? It is quite normal to feel that conviction and personal disappointment. Many others, including David have felt like that. He realised that even though admitting his sin felt like an enormous thing to do, that there would be no relief if he didn't. He knew he had done wrong in God's eyes and therefore if he wanted to make things right he had to be honest with God about it. It always feels awkward when you have to apologise doesn't it? Yet you know the relationship will benefit, but it is uncomfortable to acknowledge out loud what has happened and try to make amends. However, just like David in this psalm we can see that the faint glimmer of the hope of forgiveness and restoration is better than the internal and physical shame you bear. 

David was suffering physically as well as emotionally and mentally for whatever it was he had done. He knew the sin had separated him from God, and this was causing him anguish. Even though he knew he had to go through the emotional upheaval of confession, he hoped through admitting it and apologising, that God would hear and forgive. It is difficult to hear your sin out loud, to confess what you have done wrong. There’s an embarrassment, either because you know you should have done better or because you are ashamed to admit the truth of what you have done. It clearly took David a while to come to the point where he could even express what he had done wrong to God as he admits that, 'my strength was dried up' by the time he did so. David endured the discomfort of unforgiveness, guilt, shame and pain for some time before he had enough of it, before the pain outweighed the embarrassment.  Sometimes you too bear the shame for a long time because you try to hide or discount your wrongs due to fear or embarrassment. Yet you cannot escape your mind. You may not want to admit it, but you know that something you have said or done, or the motive in which you did something was wrong. This develops to cause internal discomfort and can lead to physical illness - David explains this well in this psalm. We know that David suffered for a while with being unforgiven as his, ‘bones wasted away’ and he had no strength left. That doesn’t happen overnight, he carried the guilt shame and internal anguish around with him for a while and it affected his body and mind. This can happen to you too when you fail to confess and repent of your wrongs. Sadly, sometimes people need to feel the guilt and shame and the detrimental effect this can have on body and mind before they’re able to approach God and know the relief and comfort of His forgiveness and restoration. David felt it. He eventually got to the point where he was more fed up with the pain of his error than fearful and ashamed of admitting it. 

Are you fed up with the pain and remorse of your iniquities? Do wish to receive forgiveness? If so, you can. You do not have to wait, you can know God’s forgiveness and restoration right now. You do not need to wait and suffer any more for what you’ve done wrong. David endured hardship and heartache before he came to God for forgiveness. His recommendation is that you can come to God any time, and sooner is better so that you do not suffer as much - you can experience forgiveness and relief right now!  David says, ‘I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity…..and you forgave the iniquity of my sin’. When you apologise to God, don't cover it up or leave anything out. If you want to know freedom and relief like David did be honest about what's gone wrong, how you're feeling about it and ask Him to forgive and restore you. God will do it.

God has dealt with any wrong you have done through His son Jesus. You do not need to suffer for it as Jesus already has, your suffering does not add to repentance. You can live free because Jesus took all the embarrassment, pain, shame, guilt and punishment upon himself as he died, so that you do not have to bear the weight of it. Are you accepting the forgiveness and freedom Jesus died for today? When you do you will know the relief, peace, joy and comfort of God’s forgiveness. Then you can, ‘Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!’

Is God's reputation on the line?

 Psalm 31:1–24 (ESV): 

1  In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; 

let me never be put to shame; 

in your righteousness deliver me! 

2  Incline your ear to me; 

rescue me speedily! 

Be a rock of refuge for me, 

a strong fortress to save me! 

3  For you are my rock and my fortress; 

and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; 

4  you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, 

for you are my refuge. 

5  Into your hand I commit my spirit; 

you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. 

6  I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, 

but I trust in the Lord. 

7  I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, 

because you have seen my affliction; 

you have known the distress of my soul, 

8  and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; 

you have set my feet in a broad place. 

9  Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; 

my eye is wasted from grief; 

my soul and my body also. 

10  For my life is spent with sorrow, 

and my years with sighing; 

my strength fails because of my iniquity, 

and my bones waste away. 

11  Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, 

especially to my neighbours, 

and an object of dread to my acquaintances; 

those who see me in the street flee from me. 

12  I have been forgotten like one who is dead; 

I have become like a broken vessel. 

13  For I hear the whispering of many— 

terror on every side!— 

as they scheme together against me, 

as they plot to take my life. 

14  But I trust in you, O Lord; 

I say, “You are my God.” 

15  My times are in your hand; 

rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! 

16  Make your face shine on your servant; 

save me in your steadfast love! 

17  O Lord, let me not be put to shame, 

for I call upon you; 

let the wicked be put to shame; 

let them go silently to Sheol. 

18  Let the lying lips be mute, 

which speak insolently against the righteous 

in pride and contempt. 

19  Oh, how abundant is your goodness, 

which you have stored up for those who fear you 

and worked for those who take refuge in you, 

in the sight of the children of mankind! 

20  In the cover of your presence you hide them 

from the plots of men; 

you store them in your shelter 

from the strife of tongues. 

21  Blessed be the Lord, 

for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me 

when I was in a besieged city. 

22  I had said in my alarm, 

“I am cut off from your sight.” 

But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy 

when I cried to you for help. 

23  Love the Lord, all you his saints! 

The Lord preserves the faithful 

but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. 

24  Be strong, and let your heart take courage, 

all you who wait for the Lord! 

This psalm seems to be a prayer of a disordered, troubled mind. One who is in imminent danger and is trying to figure out what to do and desperate for help. Urgently seeking God in the midst of the ‘terror on every side’. It appears that outside circumstances and internal thoughts are producing a time of great disturbance for the writer. For example at the start of the psalm it says, ‘Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! 3 For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me’. Asking God for refuge and protection, yet also knowing that God provides it shows the distress and disordered nature of his mind. David needs to know security and protection and so is asking God for it, yet he also knows that God IS those things already. What a natural, heart-felt response to a time of desperation and attack. David knows who God is and asking for Him to be who he knows He is, because at the present moment he is threatened and hounded and struggling to see God’s protection, guidance, security, and strength. This whole psalm demonstrates clearly the disordered, rushed prayer of desperation. Don't you find it comforting to have this written to know that it is ok when we pray the same way?! When you find circumstances overwhelming and distressing, it’s ok to speak out even if it seems jumbled. God can make sense of it and hears your heart. 

David flits from; calling for rescue to knowing God rescues, trusting in God, talking about how terrified he is, requesting God’s grace and acknowledging His goodness. This shows the devoted love of God that David has. Even when he is surrounded by enemies, is terrified and weak, he still acknowledges the presence of God and seeks Him for his rescue. David does not accuse God of having caused the situation or say that God has run off and left him. He still knows God is his refuge and rock. it is just David is aware that he is struggling to see that right now because of the turmoil and danger he is in. 

Yet, even in his terror and desperation David acknowledges that, ‘for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me’. David still trusts and looks to God for the way to go, the way to respond and live. He knows that God does and will guide him because David trusts in Him and God will help because God’s reputation is on the line if He doesn’t! As a known, committed follower of God, David recognises that God will be glorified through this situation. Are you aware of that in the midst of chaos and distress? That whatever is happening now is not the end of the story, but restoration and the glorification of God is waiting to be revealed?! What an expectation and assurance David has of God’s intervention, and of his standing with God. David has shown his commitment to following God in many different circumstances. He does so when things are going well and when things aren’t because even when situations change God doesn’t. God is still good, loving, strong, secure and helpful no matter what you are facing. Accepting this truth and trusting in Him as David does is the reality of living life as a follower of God. Being a committed christian means accepting the nature of God through every circumstance of life, leaning into Him, trusting and obeying Him even when it looks like life as you have known it is over. Then you too can build the same level of trust and dependence on God that David has. You can still be assured that even in the most terrible of situations that God will do you good for His name’s sake. 

So, consider the faith you have. Are you committed and assured of God's relevance and presence in all circumstances?  Are you living knowing that God’s reputation could be on the line if He does not rescue you from a time of trouble and distress? Will God restore you for his 'names sake'? Clearly God did rescue David. Later in the psalm he says, ‘The Lord preserves the faithful’. David’s dedication to following God paid off - he survived, was rescued and strengthened because he remained faithful. Do you remain faithful to God when the going gets tough? 

God rewards the committed, faithful follower, 'how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you' God will reward those who are loyalty and dedicated to Him. Not only will he rescue and protect you from trouble, but He will also share his goodness with you which he has even 'stored up'! How kind of God is that?! The question is, are you living in such a way to receive God's goodness and to expect His glorification in and through your life?