LHC Midday Word

Saturday, 18 December 2021

PSALM Fifty Nine

For the director of music.

To the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy’.

Of David. A miktam.

When Saul had sent men to watch

David’s house in order to kill him.

Deliver me from my enemies, O God;

be my fortress against those who are attacking me.

Deliver me from evildoers

and save me from those who are after my blood.

See how they lie in wait for me!

Fierce men conspire against me

for no offence or sin of mine, Lord.

I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.

Arise to help me; look on my plight!

You, Lord God Almighty,

you who are the God of Israel,

rouse yourself to punish all the nations;

show no mercy to wicked traitors.

They return at evening,

snarling like dogs,

and prowl about the city.

See what they spew from their mouths –

the words from their lips are sharp as swords,

and they think, ‘Who can hear us?’

But you laugh at them, Lord;

you scoff at all those nations.

You are my strength, I watch for you;

you, God, are my fortress,

my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me

and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

But do not kill them, Lord our shield,

or my people will forget.

In your might uproot them

and bring them down.

For the sins of their mouths,

for the words of their lips,

let them be caught in their pride.

For the curses and lies they utter,

consume them in your wrath,

consume them till they are no more.

Then it will be known to the ends of the earth

that God rules over Jacob.

They return at evening,

snarling like dogs,

and prowl about the city.

They wander about for food

and howl if not satisfied.

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.

You are my strength, I sing praise to you;

you, God, are my fortress,

my God on whom I can rely.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 59 : “Strength” (vv.9 & 17)

When we see “Strength” (vv.9 & 17) with a capital ‘S’ we know it refers to God. It’s not about physical strength at all – which we may or may not possess. It’s 100% about spiritual strength, and that’s very different.

Samson is famous, and it’s easy to imagine an amazingly muscle-bound physique, but it was not like that. Delilah asked him, “tell me the secret of your great strength” (Judges 16 v.6).

The first step to becoming “strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” (Ephesians 6 v.10) is to know a secret – it comes from above, not from within.

The next step is to “watch” (v.9) for Him and “praise” (17) Him.

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READING

Psalm Fifty Nine

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

-=-=-=-

SONGS

You are my strength

Hillsong

God is the strength of my heart

Don Moen

Friday, 17 December 2021

PSALM Fifty Eight

For the director of music.

To the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy’.

Of David. A miktam.

Do you rulers indeed speak justly?

Do you judge people with equity?

No, in your heart you devise injustice,

and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

Even from birth the wicked go astray;

from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.

Their venom is like the venom of a snake,

like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,

that will not heed the tune of the charmer,

however skilful the enchanter may be.

Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;

Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!

Let them vanish like water that flows away;

when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.

May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,

like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns –

whether they be green or dry –

the wicked will be swept away.

The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,

when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.

Then people will say,

‘Surely the righteous still are rewarded;

surely there is a God who judges the earth.’.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 58 : “tune” (v.5)

This Psalm is quite atypical of David, as there is in it, almost throughout, great harshness. We know how restrained he was towards Saul, despite the way he hounded him. But nastiness can easily rub off on us, so that we sadly react in similar vein.

The Psalm’s title is “to the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy’” - which clashes with the angriness of his prayer, part being “their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra … that will not heed the tune of the charmer” (vv.4-5).

Are your spirit and prayers ignoring God’s enchanting love tune? Time to switch to another tune? Don’t ‘play it again, Sam’!

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READING

Psalm Fifty Eight

Read by David Suchet

STUDY - LINKS

How Should You Read the Psalms?

- John Piper -

https://youtu.be/enxKd2YKgjI

-=-=-=-

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

-=-=-=-

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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Though You Slay Me –

Shane & Shane featuring John Piper

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Thursday, 16 December 2021

PSALM Fifty Seven

For the director of music.

To the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy’.

Of David. A miktam.

When he had fled from Saul into the cave.

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,

for in you I take refuge.

I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings

until the disaster has passed.

I cry out to God Most High,

to God, who vindicates me.

He sends from heaven and saves me,

rebuking those who hotly pursue me –

God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

I am in the midst of lions;

I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts –

men whose teeth are spears and arrows,

whose tongues are sharp swords.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.

They spread a net for my feet –

I was bowed down in distress.

They dug a pit in my path –

but they have fallen into it themselves.

My heart, O God, is steadfast,

my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and make music.

Awake, my soul!

Awake, harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 57 : “steadfast” (v.7)

Sometimes we’ve got to wake ourselves up, realising we’ve gone a bit numb. See how David tackled his emotions – physically he was taking “refuge” (v.1) in a cave, but spiritually “in the shadow” of the Lord. He felt “in the midst of ... ravenous beasts” (v.4) and “in distress” (v.6).

Don’t be demoralised! With David sing a different tune with different lyrics : “my heart is steadfast, O God ... I will sing and make music. Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn” (vv.7-8). What he is saying is that he’ll be worshipping before break of day. Not buckling - that’s being truly steadfast!

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READING

Psalm Fifty Seven

Read by David Suchet

STUDY - LINKS

How Should You Read the Psalms?

- John Piper -

https://youtu.be/enxKd2YKgjI

-=-=-=-

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

-=-=-=-

Psalms part 1

-Study by David Pawson-

https://youtu.be/qB3QV713xm0

Psalms Part 2

-Study by David Pawson-

https://youtu.be/hQJNMgIHVKwSONGS

-=-=-=-

SONGS

Psalm 57

Ian White

Wednesday, 15 December 2021

PSALM Fifty Six

For the director of music.

To the tune of ‘A Dove on Distant Oaks’.

Of David. A miktam.

When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

Be merciful to me, my God,

for my enemies are in hot pursuit;

all day long they press their attack.

My adversaries pursue me all day long;

in their pride many are attacking me.

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

In God, whose word I praise –

in God I trust and am not afraid.

What can mere mortals do to me?

All day long they twist my words;

all their schemes are for my ruin.

They conspire, they lurk,

they watch my steps,

hoping to take my life.

Because of their wickedness do not let them escape;

in your anger, God, bring the nations down.

Record my misery;

list my tears on your scroll –

are they not in your record?

Then my enemies will turn back

when I call for help.

By this I will know that God is for me.

In God, whose word I praise,

in the Lord, whose word I praise –

in God I trust and am not afraid.

What can man do to me?

I am under vows to you, my God;

I will present my thank-offerings to you.

For you have delivered me from death

and my feet from stumbling,

that I may walk before God

in the light of life.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 56 : “twist” (v.5)

Ever been misquoted, not innocently but maliciously? It happened to David, so you’re definitely in good company. He wrote, “my slanderers pursue me …all day long they twist my words” (vv.2 & 5).

What effect can it have on us? It can make us

[1] Fearful, exactly as David put it (“when I am afraid” v.3), but his effective remedy was “I will trust in you” (v.3);

[2] Paranoid (“they watch my steps” v.6) - it brought David to “tears” (v.8). Instead of exaggerating matters in your imagination, declare “I will know that God is for me” (v.9). Don’t under-rate prayer by thinking ‘it’s all I can do’! It’s plenty!

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READING

Psalm Fifty Six

Read by David Suchet