Lessons from Psalms #6 - A family that follows the Lord

There are some beautiful pictures in the Psalms of what it means to just love God and build a home around serving Him as a family.

Psalm 127 opens with 'Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it'. We do spend most of our lives creating our own home and family, but we have to recognise that everything we have comes from God. Our children are 'a heritage of the Lord' (v3), not one of our achievements. The question the Psalms often seem to ask is: what are you doing with the gifts God has given you?

Psalm 128 gives a picture of gospel prosperity (not prosperity gospel!!). 'Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. You will eat the fruit of your labour; blessings and prosperity will be yours.' (v1-2) It's a principle, rather than a promise, that those who love God will live a life of blessing, though not one free of suffering. It's interesting that the picture of the godly family and their blessing is not one of isolation, but one that is part of the community of God's people: 'May the Lord bless you from Zion; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.' (v5) We're not meant to hide away trying to create the perfect home and family; we're meant to live out the gospel in community together, teaching our children by practical example of what it means to love God and others.

Psalm 1 is often described as the key to the Psalms, and the message is clear: following the Lord brings true joy and prosperity, whereas wickedness leads to judgement and destruction. I love the picture in verse 3 that the righteous person is 'like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither'. I've planted some trees in my garden recently and I was told that the main reason young trees die is lack of water. I am constantly amazed that I can pour basinfuls of washing up water on those trees and they soak it all up and seem thirsty for more! Good job I live in Wales where it rains all the time. But it made the picture in the Psalms more real to me, that if a tree is planted by streams of water, it never dies, because it always has replenishment. If we are truly going to live righteous lives and build godly families, we will constantly need refreshing from the Lord to do that. We will be constantly giving to others, so we need to be finding our nourishment in God. We can't follow God's ways and be good parents without completely relying on His strength and power. Ask God to bless your home and family, and then be prepared to obey Him.

Lessons from Psalms #5: Creator

'Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens...
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?' Ps 8:1, 3-4

'The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.' Ps 19.1

The Psalms are full of praise for God as Creator. There is such a sense of awe when the writers look around them, look up at the stars, and just see God's fingerprints. In Psalm 90, attributed to Moses, you can see the influence of Genesis 1-2 on the way he looks at God and on man's place in creation:

'Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.' Ps 90.2

That's what creation does: it shows us God's infinite greatness and puts us in our place. So often I feel like I'm running the show, and it's all about my plan, my progress and my achievements. But I'm missing the bigger picture.

'Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away...
Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.' Ps 90.10-12

Our lives are so fleeting in comparison with eternity, yet so often our hearts are rooted to this world instead of the next. This Psalm is a great reminder that though our lives are plagued with the restrictions and realities of death and time, we can find true satisfaction in receiving His mercy and plough our energies into work for Him that has value when done with the right motives: to serve.

'Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days...
establish the work of our hands for us –
yes, establish the work of our hands.' Ps 90.14,17

In the image of our Creator, we too can create. We can enjoy permanence through His everlasting nature. If I'm looking for my meaning and value in my work (whether in my job, or as a parent, or any other capacity), I'm never going to be satisfied. I'm never going to rest. But if I find my meaning in being a child of God, I can give my work 100% and then rest, knowing that He is God, not me.

When writing to the Corinthians, Paul tells them 'Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.' (1 Cor 15:58). He doesn't promise that we always get the results we want, but he tells us that it's worth giving God our best, because He sees and values a humble spirit that longs to please Him. So much of finding earthly contentment lies in seeing ourselves as God sees us, and not judging ourselves by the world's standards. Only then can we find the peace we crave.

Lessons from Psalms #4: God is Enough

'The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing...
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.' Ps 23:1,5-6

'I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.’
...Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance...
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.' Ps 16:2, 5-6, 11

Do we really believe that God is enough for us? That's the challenge of the Psalms for me. Time and time again, the different writers lift their eyes from circumstances that are less than ideal (in fact, mostly times of rejection, political instability and turmoil), and find in God a stability and fortress. They find in Him all they need. Can I say the same? How much am I content with God as God? Or do I just feel content in God when He gives me a nice house to live in, a happy family, a good job?

Psalm 84 is all about longing for the courts of the Lord. The stand-out section for me reads:

'Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.' Ps 84:5-7

Baka, or Baca, is 'the thirsty valley'. It's like a desert place where only a certain type of balsam tree will grow. God's people make it a place of springs - they show faith which dares to dig blessings out of hardship. It's not that the place itself magically transforms when they get there.

I can see the spiritual barrenness around me and pray for streams of living water from on high to refresh the land, but sometimes I feel that challenge from the Psalmist: I need to start digging deeper. When I'm finding deep refreshment in the Lord, that will flow out to others around me.

Lessons from Psalms #3: History

You can't read the Psalms without getting a real sense of history. From the account of creation in Genesis, to the story of God's dealings with the descendants of Jacob, leading them out of Egypt (as recorded in Exodus), even up to the exile of Israel to Babylon, all of these historical events inspire the psalmists to write songs of praise to God and to warn God's people to obey Him and remember all His deeds.

Psalms 77-81 feature elements of Exodus and Deuteronomy as they recount God's dealings with Israel to explain their current situation and provide hope for the future. Psalm 77 is a personal cry to God, remembering His promises and works:

'I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds' Ps 77:11-12

The Exodus from Egypt is one of the biggest, most significant events which the Psalmist remembers (see v15-20), as this was in many ways a definitive act of salvation in which God set apart Israel as a people for Himself. Continuing with this focus, Psalm 78 gives a long history of Israel, teaching lessons from it, to evoke praise and faithfulness in God's people in the present:

'so that the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.
Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.' Ps 78.6-7

The main lesson to be learnt from the history of Israel, it seems, is that we need to have real faith in God, a faith that is willing to trust Him and not constantly look for something better elsewhere. The psalmist's main judgement on Israel is that 'they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance.' (Ps 78.22) They occasionally had moments of revelation and repentance, but often they paid God lip service whilst their hearts were not loyal to Him (v36-37). This is one of those times where Scripture just cuts right to the heart of the matter and exposes our so-called good intentions as merely playing at being good to try to get away with as much as possible. It doesn't work with God! He sees our every thought. And this is where the history in the Psalms is so valuable for us today as Christians. It's our history too. If we're honest, we have exactly the same tendencies as Israel did, to go along to church and sing all the songs, but then to desire the same things as everyone else. We may not do anything visibly wrong, but we're just kidding ourselves if we think God will be satisfied with anything less than our whole devotion, love and obedience.

Where is the hope in this sorry history then? Ps 78:68-72 talks about God choosing Judah, and raising up David to lead them. The hope has to be in God's persistent goodness, despite His people's disobedience and lacklustre faith. Psalms 79-80 lead us in crying out to God for restoration, healing and forgiveness:

'Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;
may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
for we are in desperate need.
Help us, God our Saviour,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
for your name’s sake.' Ps 79.8-9

Finally, Psalm 81 reiterates many of the key points of the Law from Exodus and Deuteronomy, to remind God's people that He has infinite grace and infinite resources to satisfy them. We don't need to look elsewhere!

'I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it...
But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.’ Ps 81:10, 16

Lessons from Psalms #2: The Messiah

The idea of the Messiah is a massive concept in the Psalms. As I've been reading them, I see so many glimpses of Jesus Christ. It could be in the form of prophecies which were fulfilled in the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Or it could be pictures, ideals which were only made reality in Him.

God made a covenant with King David that He would 'raise up (his) offspring to succeed (him)', and that He would 'establish the throne of his kingdom forever.' (2 Samuel 7) The various writers of Psalms, including David and his son Solomon after him, consider this promise of God and depict a king who rules with justice over Israel, but also beyond Israel too. The Psalms delight in God's particular choice of Israel:

'He has founded his city on the holy mountain.
The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
city of God' Ps 87.1-3

But the Psalms also look forward to a day when God will place a king to rule with His justice and righteousness over the whole world:

'May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.' Ps 67.4

These two aspects of truth find unity in Jesus because He is the messianic descendant of David, king of Israel and His rule is universal:

'He made known to us the mystery of His will... to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment — to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.' (Eph 1:9-10)

It's amazing the way the Psalms unite the idea of one perfect king whose rule extends beyond Israel to the other nations too. Look at Psalm 2:

'“I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.
Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.' Ps 2:6-8

And the picture of the Christ, God's chosen King, is a beautiful one which we can clearly see fulfilled in Jesus:

'May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor.
May he endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
In his days may the righteous flourish
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.
May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth...
Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.' Ps 72.4-8, 17

In verse 17, God's covenant with Abraham ('I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you' (Gen 12:3) is shown to be fulfilled in this Messiah, who is Jesus Christ. How amazing the unity of Scripture is! How wonderful is our King Jesus!

Lessons from Psalms #1: Zion

I've been really digging into the Psalms as one Bible book I want to get to know a lot better this year. So often I dip into Psalms here and there, but I hadn't really systematically gone through the whole book before. I've always been fascinated at how rich and deep these poems are, and I particularly wanted to look more at how Christ features in the Psalms, as a Messiah and a King.

But the first thing I really want to write about is the theme of Zion - partly because I remember being asked by a friend at school what the word 'Zion' meant. I had no idea. And to be honest, I don't think I really understand this word properly now. I've had a look in the New Bible Dictionary and a few other places, and I've been gleaning from the Psalms more about what Zion is and what it means for us as Christians.

Zion as a place where God dwells
When David captured the city of Jerusalem and made it Israel's capital, the ark of the covenant was installed in a tent shrine on Mount Zion. So, in a strict sense, Zion means that place in Jerusalem where the ark was, and so where God's presence dwelt in a special way.
But it comes to symbolise God's earthly dwelling amongst His people in a broader way - especially when Jerusalem is plundered and God's people are taken off to exile in Babylon. Zion becomes this centrepoint of longing for the faithful remnant of God's people who are waiting to see God return to His people and lift the curse upon them for the nation's disobedience.

'By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.'

Ps 137:1

Zion as a place God loves
Prophets like Isaiah spoke of a day of future salvation, when the people would be restored to God as their true husband. Zion would be rebuilt and God's blessing on it would extend to bless the nations of the world. God's relationship to Zion is compared to marriage. His love is unchangeably set upon the people of Zion, and His righteousness guarantees her liberation.

'as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you... You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.'

Isa 62:5-7

The challenge of Zion to us
So here's the challenge for us as Christians:

- Do we long for God?

'How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.'

Ps 84:1-2

- Do we see our home as the heavenly city we wait for?

'There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.'

Ps 46.4

We can thank God that we no longer need Jerusalem, Mount Zion in an earthly sense. We don't need a special temple to go to meet with Him, because Jesus has torn down the curtain and made the way for us. By His Spirit He dwells in us! (2 Tim 1:14, 1 Jn 3:24)

We feel the weakness of our flesh every day, the struggle we have to connect with God because of all the sin and distraction that threatens our intimacy with Him. Let's not forget that the day is coming with all those barriers will be gone forever. (Rev 21)

I was thinking of how, when my husband goes away, I am so excited for his return. That's how I should feel about Jesus' second coming! Let's live in eager expectation for that day!

Psalms 58-59: Responding to enemies

Lessons from David- Psalms 58-59

Hate their behaviour, don't imitate it
David's rants against unjust men, and calls for God to punish them, may seem unpalatable to modern taste, but at least he does not descend to act like them. In so many films and books, heroes repond to their enemies by treating them in exactly the same way. We are not to be enticed to become like them.

Leave it to God to judge them
David is calling on God to act, not for God to authorise his own vigilante campaign. He recognises that it is God's place to deliver and punish others.

Keep trusting in God and praising Him
'O my Strength, I watch for You;
You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God'. (9)

'But I will sing of Your strength in the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.' (16)

David keeps praising God- he doesn't just moan about his enemies all the time! We too need that perspective.

Psalms 54-55: Calling out in a crisis

Lessons from David- Psalms 54-55

These two psalms really emphasise God as the One to turn to in a crisis. David is surrounded by enemies and anguish and trouble, yet he can say:
'Surely God is my help; the Lord is the One who sustains me... I will praise Your Name, O LOrd, for it is good. For He has delivered me from all my troubles.' (4-7)

In faith based on God's character and God's previous actions, David expects to be saved. And so in Ps 55 the tense moves to a continual present:
'I call to God, and the Lord saves me... He hears my voice' (16-17)

David thus encourages the people to exercise the same dependence and faith in God:
'Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He wil never let the righteous fall.' (22)

Don't turn away from God in a crisis- He's the best One to turn to.

Psalm 37: Reasons not to worry

Lessons from David- Psalm 37

Don't worry! Because...
-enemies of God will wither and die away (1-2)
- need to trust in the Lord, delight in Him, and He will give you the desires of your heart (3-4)
- you have committed your way to Him, so believe in His promises (5)
- need to be patient in God's timing (7)
-worrying leads to anger and other sins- cut it off now (8)
-The Lord upholds the righteous (17)
-your inheritance will endure for ever (18)
-disaster will not be your end (19)
- you have a God who blesses, so you can give generously to others (21-22)
- God makes your steps firm (23)
- Remember other believers: God never forsook them, why should He forsake you?
- You are protected forever by God (28)
- You have a future (37)
- You have a salvation (39)
- God delivers all who take refuge in Him (40)

Psalms 20-21: Trusting in God

Lessons from David- Psalms 20-21

These two psalms hold similar messages- we as humans need to recognise our limitations and trust in God completely. He will answer us and help us (1), and as David prays 'May He give you the desire of your heart' in Ps 20, he testifies in Ps 21 that God has done this (2).

The Lord saves His anointed (6), so instead of trusting in chariots and horses, we need to trust in the Lord (7).

Then we will be able to praise God more, as we see His glory more clearly. David spends most of Ps 21 thanking God for granting his requests (4-5)- but more than this, for giving him 'eternal blessings' and the 'joy of His presence' (6). This is the best of all.

Ultimately, David knows that his stability as a king depends not on his own strength but on God's grace (7). And David has the wisdom to look forward to the time when God will return to judge the wicked (8-12). God will be exalted in this as much as in saving the faithful.

Psalm 19: The God who is wise

Lessons from David- Psalm 19

'The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands' (1)

All of creation witnesses to the existence of a generous and wise God. He can create things well- and does so with grandeur. Just look at the sun (5-6), the centrepoint of our universe. God is brighter, everlasting and more majestic than this.

And God's wisdom is also revealed to us in His Word, described here as perfect, trustworthy, wisdom-giving, joyous, radiant and precious. 'By them is Your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.' (11)

How often do we view God's commands as limiting factors on our lives? Instead we should follow the psalmist's example, and humbly come befre God's Word so that our errors can be discerned (12). By coming to God's Word humbly and prayerfully we are asking God to change us to be increasingly blameless and holy.

'May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.' (14)

Psalm 15: The need for holiness

Lessons from David: Psalm 15
This psalm reminds us that God is holy and requires holiness from us. Only one whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous can dwell with Him. He wants us to speak the truth from the heart, be careful not to speak ill of others, and seek the good of others too.

God wants us to honour those who fear Him and keep our promises 'even when it hurts'. If we do these things we will 'never be shaken', and the Bible gives us so many examples of people who were shaken by sin (such as David in his encounter with Bathsheba).

Even though Jesus has saved us by His righteousness, our holiness is important to God. Our conduct should reflect the kind of God He is and what He has done for us- purified us from all sin.

Psalm 24-25: How to search for God... and find Him

Lessons from David: Psalms 24-25

In Ps 24, David reflects on God's purity and majesty and how men can worship Him. Earth belongs to Him (1), He is the King of glory (7), strong and mighty (8). Therefore 'He who has clean hands and a pure heart' (4) can seek Him and worship.

Ps 25 elaborates more on what it means to seek God. It involves trusting in Him (1), and looking to Him for guidance- 'Show me Your way, O Lord, teach me Your paths.' (4)

It involves asking for forgiveness (7) and deciding to live God's way instead (8). But it is not just one-way. God is loving and faithful to those who obey Him (10). He makes His covenant known to us (14), and comforts us in loneliness, and anguish (16-17). He actively rescues us and gives us refuge (20).

It is a relationship to wonder at and rejoice in.

Psalm 29: Do you have a right view of God?

Lessons from David- Psalm 29

'ascribe to the Lord glory and strength... the glory due to His Name, worship the Lord in the splendour of His holiness.' (1-2)

Do you have a right view of God? This is a life-changing question. And as we look at this psalm, life-changing truths emerge.

We are to give God the attributes of glory and strength. We are to recognise His transcendence, His blazing light, His mighty power that can do anything we could imagine, and much more. Our purpose in life and future glory is to give God the glory due to His Name. Life is not about raising yourself to a higher salary and better living standards, but raising awareness of God and seeing more people praise Him.

Do we have any idea what the splendour of holiness looks like? Probably not, because we are so sinful. But God's blinding purity is the most beautiful sight for sinful men. It is the sight we can be granted only in heaven when we ourselves have been purified.

In v3-9, many great verbs and adjectives are used to describe God's glory: thunders, powerful, majestic strikes, breaks, shakes, twists, strips. He is 'enthroned as King for ever' (10). But even more fantastically, He 'gives strength to His peole' and blesses them with peace (11). We are shown grace from this God of glory, and that is our greatest motivation for worship.

Psalm 51: What to do when you mess up

Lessons from David: Psalm 51
David wrote this psalm after a series of disastrous events in which he demonstrated a spectacular lack of godly leadership and went from one sin (adultery) to another (murder). He had dishonoured God. And his attitude in this psalm is one we can copy when we too dishonour our Lord:
-Ask for mercy (1)- not because you deserve it, but because God is loving and compassionate.
-Acknowledge your sins (3)- particularly that they are against God (4)- and God's right to judge you.
-Ask for cleansing (7)- only God can make you 'whiter than snow'.
-Ask for joy and gladness (8)- which stems from an assurance of salvation (12).
-Ask for God to give you a pure heart (10)- only through His enabling can you be pure, along with His Holy Spirit's help (11).
-Share God's desire for purity with others and encourage them too to receie forgiveness (13).
-Praise God (14-15).
-Understand that instead of rituals or outward gesutres ('I'll go to churh more' etc), God wants a 'broken and contrite heart' (v17).
-Praise God that through the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, we can come to Him for cleansing with confidence.

Psalm 22: When David saw Jesus

Psalm 22

I've been looking at the connection between David and Jesus, and Psalm 22 is a pretty massive connection!

It's a psalm which David wrote, and it clearly prophesies about Jesus' death on the cross, an event which would not take place for hundreds of years.

On the cross, Jesus cried out v1: 'My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?' This showed that at that point in time, the Trinity was ripped apart as God the Father poured out His wrath for sin on His Son, the innocent and perfect atoning sacrifice.

But Jesus' quote also pointed His observers to what was happening. The psalm contines in v3-5 to talk of God's sovereignty, and the way He has always saved those who trust in Him. Those watching Jesus die see Him as one rejected by God, and their words virtually repeat v8: 'He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue Him.'

The people could not see that Jesus was enduring the shame of the cross so that they could be saved if they believed.

Jesus also quoted the psalm to show how prophecy was being fulfilled. Being poured out like water, being parched, being pierced in hands and feet, having garments divided- all these details came to pass.

Ultimately Jesus quoted this psalm to remind Himself of the promises of God-
'He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one' (24);
'The poor will eat and be satisfied' (26);
'All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord' (27). 'They will proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn- for He has done it.' (31)

On the cross, Jesus thought of us. When He proclaimed, 'It is finished', He died knowing He would be raised... and so would all those who died in faith.

David could not have known this, but God's Spirit rested on him, and in this psalm, he had a glimpse of Jesus. How much more privileged are we, to have the full picture in the New Testament!

Psalms 13-14: Dealing with depression

Lessons from David- Psalms 13-14

The Psalms cover every aspect of human experience, and Ps 13 focusses on times of depression and despair. It would be unrealistic of us as Christians to be surprised when we encounter these emotions. The Bible never promises that life will be easy. We could be going through tough times- we could even be medically diagnosed with depression as an illness. It is very hard to stay joyful when the chemicals in your brain aren't allowing you to get out of the trough of despair.

But God is faithful through good times and bad. As a Christian, the important thing is to follow David's example and keep trusting in God's 'unfailing love' and rejoicing in His salvation. This doesn't necessarily mean being happy, but it means that you can be assured that God has done everything to solve your biggest problem: separation from Him because of sin.

Ps 14 particularly cuts to the heart of the human condition. 'All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no-one who does good, not even one.'

But God has planned for salvation and made provision for it in the cross of Jesus Christ- that is the thing we can always reflect on to make us glad.

Psalms 6-7: Turning to God in a crisis

Lessons from David- Psalms 6-7

Even in his darkest moments of gut-wrenching sorrow (6-7) David turns to God and asks for mercy and healing (2). He does this because he trusts in God's unfailing love (4), and affirms his belief at the end that God will answer his prayer.

In Ps 7, a more detailed picture is given of God- showing us why David (and we) should trust Him. God is someone to take refuge in, because He can save and deliver us from deadly foes (1-2). God is a God of justice (6), who is righteous and searches minds and hearts, to bring an end to the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure (9).

He saves the upright in heart (10). We should echo David in saying:
'I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the Name of the Lord Most High.' (17)

Pursued but not alone

Lessons from David- 1 Samuel 19-20

David's situation in these chapters is not good. In fact, it is dire.

For a while he lives precariously in Saul's house (again evading Saul's deadly spear), and runs away to find Samuel- the prophet who anointed him. Why? To reaffirm his calling? To ask what God was doing? To be with someone Saul feared and respected? Maybe all these things.

It is understandable that so many Psalms speak of anguish, but affirm a trust in God. Even in dark times, David saw evidence of God's hand providing for him and protecting him:
-the warnings he received from Jonathan and Michal
-Jonathan's intervention
-the Spirit working on those who came to capture David, even Saul himself
-the arrows signal

God provided Samuel and Jonathan to comfort, reassure and help David to escape Saul's wrath. They were able to affirm his innocence ('He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel... Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David' 19.5) whilst still giving glory to God.

Jonathan particularly stands out as a model of sacrificial friendship, placing his relationship with his father on the line to save David. He doesn't think of his own satus and power, but of David's- he evidently believes and supports God's anointing (20.15).

Jonathan loves God, and his care for David is an outworking of that. David has to face a time of lonelienss and persecution, but Jonathan will be praying for him.

Psalm 16: The joy of knowing God

Lessons from David- Psalm 16

'apart from You I have no good thing' (2)

David here shows a single-minded devotion to God, treasuring Him above all else and recognising Him as the source of all goodness.

Next to God, David delights in the saints (3) as the people of God. Christians have an unshakable bond with other believers, because we all share the same secure lot and delightful inheritance in heaven (5-6). We have all come to realise that there is nothing but sorrow in pursuing other gods (4). How much do we cultivate deep relationships with people at church, regardless of their age, job or background?

David praises God and sets Him before himself (7-8). His heart is glad and he is secure (9), because of the hope of resurrection (10). How much more (post-Jesus) can we rejoice in this hope!

'You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.' (11)