March 23, 2011
Wow! So much to say about these three chapters.
Psalm 50 - God Wants True Worship
God doesn't "need" our sacrifices. He already owns everything. What He wants from us is our obedience to Him. When He has our obedience then He will have our sacrifices (which are a symbol of our obedience). What God hates is sacrifice without obedience, trying to fake obedience or "buy" God's help and protection. Whatever possesses people to think they can fool God? I can't remember the reference right now but I can't help but think of the verses where God says, "Can't the maker of eyes see? Can't the maker of ears hear?" God says in Psalm 50:15 - "Call to me in times of trouble. I will save you, and you will honor me."
Notice the order: we call on Him → He saves us → we praise Him. Jane (Her Name Was Jane) has Jeremiah 33:3 written as a cross reference to this verse. "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." But God says to the wicked (my paraphrase): Why do you act like you know me? You turn your back on the things I've said, so obviously you hate my teachings. You don't set yourself apart; you join thieves; you take part in adultery; you speak evil and make up lies. I have kept quiet so you think I haven't noticed or that I agree with you. But, "I will scold you and accuse you to your face." Think about this! Or I will tear you apart and no one will save you.
People who honor me are those who are obedient to me. They bring offerings of thanks. I, God, will save those people.
Psalm 51 - A Prayer for Forgiveness
There is always hope. It has to start with honesty. You have to admit your sins and confess them. Psalm 51:6,7,10 - "You want me to be completely truthful, so teach me wisdom. Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be white as snow. Create in me a new heart..."
Submission. Admitting and confessing your sin. Changing your ways. Repentance. All things we need to do to experience God's forgiveness (and blessings) in our lives. Psalm 51:17 - "The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit. God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin."
And if we refuse to humble ourselves and confess?
Psalm 52 - God Will Punish the Proud
This Psalm reminds me of Psalm 1 and 140. "You think up evil plans. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, making up lies..." The next verses are bone chilling. 5 "But God will ruin you forever. He will grab you and throw you out of your tent; he will tear you away from the land of the living." Wow! Grab... throw... tear. 7 "Look at what happened to the man who did not depend on God but depended on his money."
But, those who trust in the LORD? They are like a green (fresh, growing, alive) olive (illuminated by the Holy Spirit) tree (strength), trusting in God's unfailing love, resting in the promises of your name. (Written in Jane's KJV)
Jane's handwritten Cross References for these chapters ~
Psalm 133 - How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
Psalm 20:7 - Some trust in chariots, others in horses, but we trust the LORD our God.
Deuteronomy 32:3 - I will announce the name of the LORD. Praise God because he is great.
Psalm 118.6–8 - I will not be afraid, because the LORD is with me. People can't do anything to me. The LORD is with me to help me, so I will see my enemies defeated. It is better to trust the LORD than to trust people.
See marked verses in II Samuel 7.
Wow! So much to say about these three chapters.
Psalm 50 - God Wants True Worship
God doesn't "need" our sacrifices. He already owns everything. What He wants from us is our obedience to Him. When He has our obedience then He will have our sacrifices (which are a symbol of our obedience). What God hates is sacrifice without obedience, trying to fake obedience or "buy" God's help and protection. Whatever possesses people to think they can fool God? I can't remember the reference right now but I can't help but think of the verses where God says, "Can't the maker of eyes see? Can't the maker of ears hear?" God says in Psalm 50:15 - "Call to me in times of trouble. I will save you, and you will honor me."
Notice the order: we call on Him → He saves us → we praise Him. Jane (Her Name Was Jane) has Jeremiah 33:3 written as a cross reference to this verse. "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." But God says to the wicked (my paraphrase): Why do you act like you know me? You turn your back on the things I've said, so obviously you hate my teachings. You don't set yourself apart; you join thieves; you take part in adultery; you speak evil and make up lies. I have kept quiet so you think I haven't noticed or that I agree with you. But, "I will scold you and accuse you to your face." Think about this! Or I will tear you apart and no one will save you.
People who honor me are those who are obedient to me. They bring offerings of thanks. I, God, will save those people.
Psalm 51 - A Prayer for Forgiveness
There is always hope. It has to start with honesty. You have to admit your sins and confess them. Psalm 51:6,7,10 - "You want me to be completely truthful, so teach me wisdom. Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be white as snow. Create in me a new heart..."
Submission. Admitting and confessing your sin. Changing your ways. Repentance. All things we need to do to experience God's forgiveness (and blessings) in our lives. Psalm 51:17 - "The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit. God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin."
And if we refuse to humble ourselves and confess?
Psalm 52 - God Will Punish the Proud
This Psalm reminds me of Psalm 1 and 140. "You think up evil plans. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, making up lies..." The next verses are bone chilling. 5 "But God will ruin you forever. He will grab you and throw you out of your tent; he will tear you away from the land of the living." Wow! Grab... throw... tear. 7 "Look at what happened to the man who did not depend on God but depended on his money."
But, those who trust in the LORD? They are like a green (fresh, growing, alive) olive (illuminated by the Holy Spirit) tree (strength), trusting in God's unfailing love, resting in the promises of your name. (Written in Jane's KJV)
Jane's handwritten Cross References for these chapters ~
Psalm 133 - How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
Psalm 20:7 - Some trust in chariots, others in horses, but we trust the LORD our God.
Deuteronomy 32:3 - I will announce the name of the LORD. Praise God because he is great.
Psalm 118.6–8 - I will not be afraid, because the LORD is with me. People can't do anything to me. The LORD is with me to help me, so I will see my enemies defeated. It is better to trust the LORD than to trust people.
See marked verses in II Samuel 7.
Thou hast done it!
I just now went to look up the verses that Jane had marked in II Samuel. In doing so I realized that I recorded the wrong Psalm as her cross reference in my journal. I wrote Psalm 133 and I should have written Psalm 113. Here is the correct Psalm.
Psalm 113 - Praise the LORD. Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets the name of the LORD is to be praised. The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people. He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD.
An entire Psalm about praise and God's protecting hand. Then I went to II Samuel 7 to see what verses she had marked.
"Go, do... for the LORD is with thee.. .the LORD himself will establish his kingdom... You know your servant... for the sake of your word and according to your will you have done this great thing... How great you are O Sovereign LORD... there is no God but you... do as you promised... let your name be magnified... You are God!... Your words are trustworthy, and you have given this good promise... with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever."
Above these verses in II Samuel 7 Jane has written, "Do as thou hast said!" And then above Psalm 50:1 – 52:9 she has written, "Thou hast done it!" God's promises are true. He does what He says He will do. Praise the LORD!
Next Entry: Psalm 53:1 – 55:23
Next Entry: Psalm 53:1 – 55:23
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