Tag Archives: Psalms 128

Daily Bible Study

July 7, 2024 Bible Study — My Help Comes From the Lord

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Psalms 120-135.

Today’s passage starts off with the psalmist asking God to save him from lying lips and deceitful tongues.  Now I realize the psalmist was talking about those around him who were dishonest, but when I first read:
“What will he do to you,
    and what more besides,
    you deceitful tongue?”
my thought was that I should pray to God that He keep me from having a deceitful tongue.  That thought did not come because I think of myself as dishonest, but because I want to never become someone whom others wonder if I am telling the truth.  As we read on, we read the psalmist telling us that our help comes from the Lord, the one who made all that is.  He will not let our foot slip.  If we seek His help, He will keep us from being deceitful, or from committing other sins.  He does not sleep, or even momentarily drift off.  Whatever plans we make, whatever effort we put into a project, if those plans do not further God’s plans, if that project is not part of what God is doing, all of our effort will come to nothing.  So, let us watch God closely to see what He wants us to do next.  Let us rejoice when we hear people say that they want to worship God.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

July 7, 2023 Bible Study — God Is Building a House Where His People Will Live in Unity

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Psalms 120-135.

The psalmist has some great points for us in today’s psalms.  When we ask ourselves where our help will come from, let us join the psalmist in saying that our help comes from the Maker of heaven and earth.  If we place our trust in Him, we will have Someone watching over us who never sleeps, not even a short nap.  He will watch over our coming and going forevermore.  Then we can join with those who rejoice at the thought of going to God’s house, and by that I do not mean the building where we gather to worship.  No, when the psalmist talks of going to the house of the Lord, he is speaking of going to the place where God dwells.  And God lives within those who trust in Him.  So, when we go to God’s house, we are going to where God’s people live in unity.  We cannot build that “house” through our own effort, not even working with the most skilled people.  If we strive to build a “house” where God’s people live together in unity without God Himself being the architect and builder, our striving will be in vain.  So, when the psalmist rejoices with those who say, “Let us go to the house of the Lord,” he is rejoicing with those rely on God to build a place of unity for His people to dwell.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

July 7, 2022 Bible Study — Save Me Lord From Lies And Deceit, My Lies And Deceit

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Psalms 120-135.

When the psalmist wrote:

Save me, Lord,
from lying lips
and from deceitful tongues.

he was talking about his enemies, but I think we can gain some wisdom by applying his prayer here to ourselves.  Because all too often the trouble we face comes from the lies we tell and the deceit we practice.  And I know that only God can keep me from telling more of those lies, or practicing more of that deceit.  Fortunately, God does watch over us, and He will not allow our foot to slip (although He gives us the freedom to slide our foot along a slippery surface if we make that choice).  Our help comes from the Lord, so let us look to Him.  Also in today’s passage the psalmist writes that we should watch the Lord the way a slave watches the hand of his master.  We should keep our eyes steadfastly fixed on God, watching for the merest hint of displeasure, or the most insignificant flick of the fingers indicating something He wants done.  If we keep ourselves so focused, we will not have time to take any action of which He disapproves.  I know that I fail in following this advice all too often.

There was a lot more in these psalms which spoke to me as I read them, but I am going to stop here.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

July 7, 2021 Bible Study — Work Hard To Bring Attention To What God Has Done

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Psalms 120-135.

Today’s psalms have many different themes.  Yet, there a few themes repeat throughout them.  Let us lift our eyes to God and watch what He wants from us.  Help will come from Him in situations where no other can help us.  Let us dedicate ourselves to doing His will, watching Him for the slightest sign of what He would like us to do.  We must recognize that if God does not take our side, the wicked will destroy us completely.  But if we trust in the Lord nothing will be able to shake us.  Let us work hard at what we perceive to be God’s will, but recognize that all of our work will accomplish nothing unless God is working on it with us.  While we must work to do God’s will, only God can accomplish that for which we work.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

July 7, 2020 Bible Study Rescue Us From Liars and Deceitful People

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Psalms 120-135.

Today’s first psalm is so appropriate for today.  The psalmist cries out to God to be rescued from liars and deceitful people.  Certainly today many of our social problems are the result of people telling lies to advance their agenda, and when they do not lie they deceptively tell the truth by leaving out the parts which do not support the ideas they want you to believe.  In these times, who can we trust?  We can trust God.  He will watch over us and keep us from stumbling.  He neither slumbers nor sleeps.  God will watch over us as we come and as we go.   So, let us determine to go into His presence and keep our eyes upon Him.  No matter what goes on around us, let us keep our eyes focused on God for Him to signal to us what we should do.

The psalmist reminds us why we must do the above.  Because no matter how good our intentions, nothing we do will succeed unless God takes part in making it happen.  Unless God is on our side all of our efforts will be wasted.  This should also give us hope as we witness people advancing their plans with lies and deceit: God does not support the plans of those who lie and deceive.

Daily Bible Study

July 7, 2019 Bible Study — My Help Comes From the Lord

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Psalms 120-135.

I am going to touch on several things which the psalmist writes about in today’s psalms.  I doubt that I will be able to tie these things together because the psalmist does not tie them together.  Our help comes from God.  There are those who look to the mountains, or to the sea, and even some who look to idols.  Sometimes I look to the mountains or the sea when I need help, but not because I think they will help me.  No, I look to the mountains or the sea because they remind me of their Creator.  As for those who turn to idols for help, those idols have ears, but do not hear, eyes, but do not see, and mouths but do not speak.  I will trust in the Lord without Whose help I would already have died.  God watches over those who trust in Him all of the time.  He never sleeps, not even to take a short nap.  God’s eyes are upon us when we stay home and indoors and when we travel, even to the end of the earth and beyond (yes, God was watching over those men who walked on the Moon).

We can work ourselves to death, but if our effort does not have God’s support our work will be in vain.  However, if we are doing God’s work, He will give us time to rest and refresh our strength.  I am reminded of the pastors who spend so much time doing “Church” work that they neglect their wives and children.  When I wrote that I realized that those pastors have fallen into the workaholic trap that many others do as well.  God does not desire that you spend so much time doing His work that you do not have time for the family He gave you.

 

 

Daily Bible Study

July 7, 2018 Bible Study — God Never Slumbers, Nor Does He Sleep

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Psalms 120-135.

    I really like today’s psalms and they fit together in themes. I know what I want to write about them, but I am struggling finding a coherent way to start. Let us take out troubles to the Lord. There is nothing to be gained by looking to the mountains, or the wilderness, or “nature”. He will not allow us to stumble. He is always there to catch us. As I write this I am reminded of my mother’s failing health. She has been a fall risk for some time now and needs someone around to make sure she does not fall and cannot get up. Fortunately, my Stepfather has been there for her. However, he sometimes falls asleep and she does not want to wake him when she wants to go to the bathroom or get a drink. The psalmist reminds us that God never sleeps, not even so much as a short nap. God will always be there to steady us and keep us from falling. God will watch over us as we come and go, no matter where we may find ourselves. Even now in my Mom’s twilight years, God is there for her.

    I really love the metaphor the psalmist uses in Psalm 123. Let us focus our attention on God so that we can react to His slightest signal of what He wants us to do. He gives the example of a lowly servant girl watching her mistress for the least sign. We need to watch for God’s signals about what we should do, and the minute twitches which warn us that He is displeased with our actions. Going along with that is what the psalmist says in Psalm 127, where he tells us that no amount of hard work will accomplish anything useful if God is not part of it. We can work as hard as we are able, but if we are not doing what God directs, and if God is not taking part in our effort, we will accomplish nothing useful. There is so much more in these psalms, but I am out of time. Whatever you do, whatever your lot in life, remember that God neither slumbers nor sleeps and there is great joy in serving Him.

Daily Bible Study

July 7, 2017 Bible Study — Our Peace Comes From God

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Psalms 120-135.

    Once again I am unsure how I am going to bring my thoughts on all of these psalms into one coherent post. Perhaps I am putting too much effort into creating a post which ties my thoughts all together. I am not doing this blog to get credit for being a theologian, or student of the Bible. I am doing this blog in order to discipline myself to read the Bible daily and think about what I read. I certainly hope that what I write is of service to others, but that is not the purpose. Or, at least, that should not determine how and what I write.

    As Christians in this fallen world we find ourselves among those who will use our desire for peace as a means to lead us away from God. They do not seek the peace of God and their professions of desire for peace are lies designed to deceive us into compromising our integrity. However, if we lift up our eyes from the ground we will remember that our help comes from the Lord. His enemies may be lying in wait to ambush us, but He does not sleep, not even for short naps. He will watch our comings and goings. Our enemies may attempt to hide around the corner, in the glare of the sun, or in the shadows at night. It does not matter because those things provide no cover from God’s eyes. Whether it be noon day or night, God will be awake to watch over us.

    I love the symbolism given in Psalms 123 of a slave watching their master for the tiniest hint of approval or disapproval. That should be our attitude towards God. We should be constantly watching Him for signs that He approves of our actions, or that He disapproves of our actions. At the merest hint of His disapproval we should abandon our activity and the least sign that He approves of an action should motivate us to redouble our efforts. Psalms 127 tells us why such should be the case. No matter how noble our motivations, if our project does not have God’s full support we will waste whatever time and effort we spend on it. If it is not God’s project we will fail to accomplish the good we sought. We read a little further on in Psalms 131 about being neither haughty or proud, not concerning ourselves with great matters or things we do not understand. God will make clear to us what we need to understand.