A Happy Hiding Place

Do you take comfort in the fact that God protects you and watches over you? Do you take joy in the fact that God cares about you? Sometimes it's easy to get bogged down in the troubles of life and forget that we have God to take refuge in.

David says in Psalms 5:11, "Let all who take refuge in you be glad and ever sing for joy." In the protection of God is just a great place to be. It doesn't mean that the good times are going to roll non-stop, or that you'll always have everything you want, but you'll know that God is watching over you. That's more comfort than any thing or other person could provide.

Psalms 5:12 continues with "Surely you bless the righteous and surround them with your favor like a shield." God's favor is a pretty tough shield. There's not anything you could do that could protect you more. God loves you and He'll protect you. What an awesome reassurance we have!

Who Made You the Judge?

We pick up this Saturday in the middle of David's prayer in Psalms 5:9-12, where we find him describing his enemies to God, and asking God for resolution. In Psalms 5:9 David says some pretty harsh things about his enemies here. Often we're told it's bad to talk bad about your enemies, but when you're talking to God, he already knows how you feel about them, so telling Him is just being honest with Him.

Then David asks for resolution to the problem from God. Psalms 5:10 starts out with "Declare them guilty, O God!" Often we take this into our own hands, and we usurp God's divine right to judgement, and declare that a person is guilty. It's human nature to try to be like God. We need to remember that we are all guilty. Every one of us has committed a sin worthy of death; all sin is worthy of death.

David recognized God's right to judge his enemies. David knew that they had sinned and rebelled against God. Sin and rebellion are most commonly easy to spot. 1 Timothy 5:25 says that deeds that are not good cannot be hidden, and Galatians 5:19 says that the acts of the sinful nature are obvious. David could easily recognize their betrayal of God's principals, but David also recognized that he, as a human, had no right to pass judgement on another, since he also had been guilty of sin at times.

So the next time we go to pass judgement on someone, let's remind ourselves of David, and ask God to be the judge, since it's not our rightful place anyway.

Dwelling with God

What are the advantages to living close to God? Too often, we "serve" God from habit, or we only serve God when we can clearly see that it's beneficial to us. However, serving God is always beneficial to us. In Psalms 5:4-6 we find that no evil person can be close to God.

David says in Psalms 5:7 how we are to approach God. First, David recognizes God's complete control. It is only by God's mercy that we are allowed to approach Him. Second, David shows humility in bowing down. Bowing down is an outward way to show servitude to another. This is how we should always approach God: recognizing His supreme authority and showing our humility in service to Him.

Then, after showing the manner in which he has approached God, David makes his request in Psalms 5:8. David asks for only one thing: guidance. He asks God to lead him. He doesn't try to tell God where he wants to go. He doesn't ask God to lead him to a particular place. He just asks God to lead him and leaves the destination up to God.

These are two of the greatest advantages of serving God: protection and guidance. By living close to God at all times, we know that we are protected from evil; we're protected by God because in His presence no evil can dwell. By living close to God at all times, we are able to follow Him where He leads us. There is nothing more important in our lives than following God's will.

Our Morning Prayer

Do we take time in the morning to make our needs known to God? Psalms 5:1-3 shows us that David did. David made his needs known to God in the morning, and then waited in expectation through the day for those needs to be met. When we ask God for something, how often do we truly expect an answer? How often do we expect an answer so much that we wait in expectation through the day for the answers to our morning prayers to come?

How often, if we were to show the simple faith that David shows here, would our needs be met much quicker, or how much quicker would we recognize that our needs had been met? How often do we miss the answer to our prayer because we're never expecting it to be answered in the first place?

My prayer is that God will help me to have this simple faith so that when I pray, I will not only have faith that God will answer my prayer, but have such faith that I expect it to be answered in the very same day.

Confidence in God

Do you have confidence in God? Would you tell someone who opposed you that God listens to you when you pray? David had the courage to do just that. Psalms 4 is believed to have been written the morning after Psalms 3. This is during the time when Absolom is leading a rebellion against David. It's almost as if David sings this prayer to God knowing that some of his enemies might hear it.

David starts this psalm out with thanks to God (Psalms 4:1), then begins directly addressing his enemies (Psalms 4:2-5). He addresses them in such a manner that shows that he has the utmost confidence that God will take care of him, and protect him from them.

Then, in Psalms 4:6-7, David contrasts hid faith in God with the faith that his enemies have. He shows that his enemies have faith in the things of the world: grain and new wine. David's faith, however, is in the joy of the Lord. David is an example here of Colossians 3:2, having set his faith in God, not on the things of the world like his enemies.

Lastly, in Psalms 4:8, we see David's confidence again in God. He says he can rest well at night because his peace comes from God. Do we have enough confidence in God to place our entire trust in Him, and have peace knowing that He's watching over us?

Running and Singing

Merry Christmas to all the readers who find themselves faithful in the study of God's word! Let's remember the reason we celebrate this season: God our Heavenly Father sent His Son down to earth to teach us and ultimately become our final sacrifice for sin. Let us give thanks this Christmas that we can have salvation because of the birth that we now celebrate.

In Psalms 3:1-2 we see that David is being pursued by Absalom, his rebellious son. During this troubling time, we see that David is writing a song of prayer to the Lord. He doesn't start out with a complaint; he doesn't start out with a praise. He starts out by just telling God what's going on in his life. He doesn't make any bones about it, he just states the facts -- "God, I've got a lot of enemies here, and they're saying you won't deliver me."

Once David has told God what's going on, he makes a statement in submission and worship of God. Psalms 3:3-6 shows David's trust in God, and makes a massive statement about his past experiences with God's grace -- "You protect me, comfort me, and when I talk to you, you answer. I can sleep easy knowing I'm in your hands. I won't be afraid no matter how many people come after me." David doesn't say "you give me everything I ask for." He just puts his trust in God's protection and comfort, knowing that God is listening, and that God will answer.

Now that David has told God what's going on in his life, and he's let God know that he recognizes that his life is totally in His hands, Psalms 3:7-8 outlines David's request to God -- "Deliver me from my enemies, because only you can. Bless your people." Even in David's request to the Lord, the attitude of submission remains. When we pray, is this the attitude we bring to the altar with us? Do we submit ourselves to God completely? I know often I find myself demanding things from God, and I have to humble myself and say "not my will, but yours".

As we celebrate the birth and life of Christ today and throughout the new year, let's keep a humble spirit. We are the temple of the Lord. You wouldn't go to your friend's house and demand that he do something for you. You are God's house; be reverent to Him, you're just a guest in your body. Let's all pray with the spirit of David -- "God, I'd like your help and deliverance, but I'm in your hands."

Walk the Right Way or Be Blown Away

What kind of people do we let influence us? Psalms 1:1 starts the Psalms out by talking to us about what kind of people we should definitely not listen to: the wicked, sinners, and mockers. Then Psalms 1:2 tells us what the righteous man does: delight in the law of the Lord, and meditate on it day and night. I know I don't always do what God tells me to with a good spirit. Sometimes I want to grumble and complain about how hard it is. Usually, it's also at those times that I'm the absolute furthest from thinking about God continually.

Psalms 1:3 goes on to characterize this righteous man: like a tree planted by water, yielding fruit in it's season, whose leaves don't wither, and whatever he does prospers. Note that this tree always has the water that it needs for survival all the time, but it doesn't always yield fruit. It yields fruit when it's meant to yield fruit, in it's season. But either way, whatever he does prospers. Those righteous endeavors meant for good will be successful, although there's not just a steady stream of fruit from them all the time.

Psalms 1:4 then describes the wicked: chaff blown away by the wind. Chaff is the loose seed coverings, leaves, and stems from grain. The way that you get rid of chaff from your grain is by tossing it up into the air while the wind is blowing, and the wind will catch the light stuff and blow it away, and just the seeds and grain will fall back down. What a terrible thing to be considered the trash that gets blown away from the good stuff. Psalms 1:5 then tells us what sinners can't do: stand in the judgement or the assembly of the righteous.

The "stand" here is from the Greek qûm, literally meaning rise, accomplish, confirm, enjoin, make good, help, lift up, perform, remain, rise, establish, strengthen, or succeed. The wicked and sinners will literally fail at every hand in the judgement and where the righteous assemble. We don't need to do anything but love them and welcome them, their wickedness will quickly separate them unless they turn to God; we don't need to force God on them, but just be an example.

The last thing in the opening chapter of Psalms, Psalms 1:6, is that there are two roads: righteous or wicked. It says God watches over the righteous, but the wicked will die. Which road are we going to walk? I want to walk the righteous road, with God watching over me. I don't want to be blown away with the trash.