Chapter 34 has captured my meditations recently, and has helped me gain a biblical perspective on life no matter what I may be going through.
The first thing that jumped out at me in the first three verses was praise and blessing to the LORD! The very first thing the psalmist says before anything else is: "I will bless the LORD at ALL times, His praise shall be continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together." (NASB) I was struck with the thought that before he cried out to God for help--he praised God! Before he instructed his children in the fear of the LORD, he praised God! If there is praise to God on my lips, how can there be complaining for my trials? If my soul makes it's boast in the LORD, how can I pridefully take credit for anything? Praising God, magnifying the LORD and exalting HIS name should come first thing, each day!
The second thing I noticed in this Psalm was that David sought God and cried out to Him in verse 4, 6, 17 & 19. Each cry was a little different, but echoed the same theme...that being: "HELP! I NEED YOU LORD!" And with each time the outcome was the same: THE LORD HEARD, HE ANSWERED AND DELIVERED HIM! What a comfort to know that my God hears me each time I cry out to Him, He will answer me and deliver me...whether it be from fears or troubles or afflictions. Verse 10 sums it up by saying: "But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing."
The third thing that jumped out to me was in verses 11-14, where it says "Come you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD." Well, what does it mean to "FEAR THE LORD"? Six things popped out at me in these verses.
>Keep your tongue from evil (vs. 13)
>Keep your lips from lying (vs. 13)
>Depart from evil (vs. 14)
>Do good (vs. 14)
>Seek peace (vs. 14)
>Pursue peace (vs. 14)
Then I was convicted by the thought and question to my heart..."Do I fear the LORD and am I daily, consciously and actively teaching my children the fear of the LORD?" Not just teaching them right and wrong, and to behave and to get along with each other...but, do I share with them God's standard for life and how we should live by these standards because we fear Him, we respect and revere Him and treasure Him above all else because He is God and is worthy.
More thoughts to come...
1 comment:
Thanks Nanne. My thoughts of late have been riddled with fear/anxiety and those are the first things I express to the Lord. You've challenged me to praise first and then to lift up my cry.
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