Tuesday, 7 December 2021

PSALM Forty Eight

A song.

A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise,

in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

Beautiful in its loftiness,

the joy of the whole earth,

like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,

the city of the Great King.

God is in her citadels;

he has shown himself to be her fortress.

When the kings joined forces,

when they advanced together,

they saw her and were astounded;

they fled in terror.

Trembling seized them there,

pain like that of a woman in labour.

You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish

shattered by an east wind.

As we have heard,

so we have seen

in the city of the Lord Almighty,

in the city of our God:

God makes her secure

for ever.

Within your temple, O God,

we meditate on your unfailing love.

Like your name, O God,

your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;

your right hand is filled with righteousness.

Mount Zion rejoices,

the villages of Judah are glad

because of your judgments.

Walk about Zion, go round her,

count her towers,

consider well her ramparts,

view her citadels,

that you may tell of them

to the next generation.

For this God is our God for ever and ever;

he will be our guide even to the end.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 48 : “Zion” (vv.2 & 11-12)

What makes “Zion” so “beautiful” and “the joy of the whole earth” (v.2)? Not the “mountain” itself (v.1), nor its “citadels” (v.3), nor even its “temple” (v.9). “Great is the LORD” (v.1), so it’s his presence that makes it “holy” (v.1).

That’s the reason why Zion, as well as the city of Jerusalem too, represent God’s presence, people and purposes “for ever and ever … to the end” (v.14). It is named 7 times in the New Testament, 5 times in Old Testament quotes. Revelation 14 v.1 see “the Lamb standing on Mount Zion.” Hebrews 12 v.22 says “you have come to Mount Zion …” Well, have you personally?

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READING

Psalm Forty Eight

Read by David Suchet

STUDY - LINKS

How Should You Read the Psalms?

- John Piper -

https://youtu.be/enxKd2YKgjI

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Prayer in the Psalms:

Discovering How to Pray

Timothy Keller

https://youtu.be/QgwzuFG5LCk

Psalms - Overviews

(The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/j9phNEaPrv8

The Book of Psalms

(The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/dpny22k_7uk

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Psalms part 1

-Study by David Pawson-

https://youtu.be/qB3QV713xm0

Psalms Part 2

-Study by David Pawson-

https://youtu.be/hQJNMgIHVKwSONGS

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SONGS

PSALM 48

Ian White

City of Elohim (Psalm 48)

- James Block-

Psalm 48 - City of the Great King

- Jason Silver -

Great Is the Lord

- Maranatha! Music [with lyrics]

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Monday, 6 December 2021

PSALM Forty Seven

For the director of music.

Of the Sons of Korah.

A psalm.

Clap your hands, all you nations;

shout to God with cries of joy.

For the Lord Most High is awesome,

the great King over all the earth.

He subdued nations under us,

peoples under our feet.

He chose our inheritance for us,

the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.

God has ascended amid shouts of joy,

the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.

Sing praises to God, sing praises;

sing praises to our King, sing praises.

For God is the King of all the earth;

sing to him a psalm of praise.

God reigns over the nations;

God is seated on his holy throne.

The nobles of the nations assemble

as the people of the God of Abraham,

for the kings of the earth belong to God;

he is greatly exalted.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 47 : “ascended” (v.5)

Look at how wound up the Psalmist gets : “sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises” (v.6). He babbles four times the same words in quick succession. What’s he on? Why so hyper? A promotion in his job? A party in the family? A sporting success? He wants the whole world to know! “Clap your hands, all you nations!” (v.1).

He’d ‘seen’ something incomprehensible : “God has ascended” (v.5). Who has? Where from, and where to? It is just like in “when you ascended …” (Psalm 68 v.18).

They saw Jesus! Compare Ephesians 4 vv.8-10.

Isn’t that exciting - super exciting?

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READING

Psalm Forty Seven

Read by David Suchet

STUDY - LINKS

How Should You Read the Psalms?

- John Piper -

https://youtu.be/enxKd2YKgjI

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Prayer in the Psalms:

Discovering How to Pray

Timothy Keller

https://youtu.be/QgwzuFG5LCk

Psalms - Overviews

(The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/j9phNEaPrv8

The Book of Psalms

(The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/dpny22k_7uk

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Psalms part 1

-Study by David Pawson-

https://youtu.be/qB3QV713xm0

Psalms Part 2

-Study by David Pawson-

https://youtu.be/hQJNMgIHVKwSONGS

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SONGS

PSALM 47

Ian White

-Psalm 47 (Shout to God) -

Mercy Worship

Psalm 47 - Clap Your Hands

Jason Silver

Clap your hands you peoples

Israel & New Breed -

Clap Your Hands

Charlie LeBlanc- (Hosanna! Music)

Sunday, 5 December 2021

PSALM Forty Six

For the director of music.

Of the Sons of Korah.

According to alamoth.

A song.

God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall;

God will help her at break of day.

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see what the Lord has done,

the desolations he has brought on the earth.

He makes wars cease

to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

he burns the shields with fire.

He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.’

The Lord Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 46 : “ever-present” (v.1)

The Psalmist says “God is our refuge and strength” (v.1). It’s a declaration of faith, not just for himself but for all his people (“our”, not “my”). Jehovah isn’t ‘on a break’ every so often; He is “ever-present” (v.1) and doesn’t miss a moment. Why?

Because we constantly need Him, our “ever-present help in trouble.” We don’t always feel (i.e. sense) His presence, due to our own dullness of spirit rather than absence on His part.

We pray a lot in faith (vv.1-9), and then occasionally, out of the blue, he replies, “be still, and know that I am God” (v.10).

He “will be exalted … in the earth” (v.10). And in you!

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READING

Psalm Forty Six

Read by David Suchet

STUDY - LINKS

How Should You Read the Psalms?

- John Piper -

https://youtu.be/enxKd2YKgjI

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Prayer in the Psalms:

Discovering How to Pray

Timothy Keller

https://youtu.be/QgwzuFG5LCk

Psalms - Overviews

(The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/j9phNEaPrv8

The Book of Psalms

(The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/dpny22k_7uk

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Psalms part 1

-Study by David Pawson-

https://youtu.be/qB3QV713xm0

Psalms Part 2

-Study by David Pawson-

https://youtu.be/hQJNMgIHVKwSONGS

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Psalm 4:4 and Psalm 46:10

Living Hope Church

guess speaker - Alistair Taylor

Trusting God in difficult times

Timothy Keller

SONG

Psalm 46 - Shane & Shane (Lyrics)

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PSALM 46

Ian White

Fred Hammond - God Is My Refuge

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God Is My Refuge

Made Me Glad - Hillsong Worship

Saturday, 4 December 2021

PSALM Forty Five

For the director of music.

To the tune of ‘Lilies’.

Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.

A wedding song.

My heart is stirred by a noble theme

as I recite my verses for the king;

my tongue is the pen of a skilful writer.

You are the most excellent of men

and your lips have been anointed with grace,

since God has blessed you for ever.

Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;

clothe yourself with splendour and majesty.

In your majesty ride forth victoriously

in the cause of truth, humility and justice;

let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.

Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;

let the nations fall beneath your feet.

Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;

a sceptre of justice will be the sceptre of your kingdom.

You love righteousness and hate wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions

by anointing you with the oil of joy.

All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;

from palaces adorned with ivory

the music of the strings makes you glad.

Daughters of kings are among your honoured women;

at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.

Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:

Forget your people and your father’s house.

Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;

honour him, for he is your lord.

The city of Tyre will come with a gift,

people of wealth will seek your favour.

All glorious is the princess within her chamber;

her gown is interwoven with gold.

In embroidered garments she is led to the king;

her virgin companions follow her –

those brought to be with her.

Led in with joy and gladness,

they enter the palace of the king.

Your sons will take the place of your fathers;

you will make them princes throughout the land.

I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;

therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 45 : “enthralled” (v.11)

This Psalm is described in the heading as ‘a wedding song’ and pictures a royal bridegroom. He is “the most excellent of men” (v.2) - a picture of Christ.

A spectacular quote from verses 6-7 states : “about the Son he says, ‘your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever … God, your God, has set you above your companions” (Hebrews 1 vv.8-9).

The focus turns from the glory of the groom to his great love for his bride (the church). We need to take this in properly. It seems beyond wonderful, too good to be true. “The king is enthralled by your beauty” (v.11). ‘How marvellous … my Saviour’s love for me!’

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READING

Psalm Forty Five

Read by David Suchet