LHC Midday Word

Thursday 23 December 2021

PSALM Sixty Four

For the director of music.

A psalm of David.

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;

protect my life from the threat of the enemy.

Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,

from the plots of evildoers.

They sharpen their tongues like swords

and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.

They shoot from ambush at the innocent;

they shoot suddenly, without fear.

They encourage each other in evil plans,

they talk about hiding their snares;

they say, ‘Who will see it?’

They plot injustice and say,

‘We have devised a perfect plan!’

Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

But God will shoot them with his arrows;

they will suddenly be struck down.

He will turn their own tongues against them

and bring them to ruin;

all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

All people will fear;

they will proclaim the works of God

and ponder what he has done.

The righteous will rejoice in the Lord

and take refuge in him;

all the upright in heart will glory in him!

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 64 : “upright” (v.10)

When David begins “hear … O God … my complaint” (v.1), the impression isn’t good. Is this going to be a tedious moan from a disgruntled individual? Fortunately not.

David wasn’t like that. But godly men, especially leaders, have enemies who pose a “threat” (v.1), who “aim their words like deadly arrows” (v.3) and “plot injustice” (v.6).

The world isn’t all sweetness and light, and neither was any Christian church or organisation ever free of nastiness. David is persuaded that good will triumph, and ends “let the righteous rejoice in the LORD … let all the upright in heart praise him!” Amen???

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READING

Psalm Sixty Four

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 64

Smokie Norful

Psalm 64

Oppressed but Rejoicing

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Wednesday 22 December 2021

PSALM Sixty Three

A psalm of David.

When he was in the Desert of Judah.

You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,

my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land

where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary

and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands.

I will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.

Because you are my help,

I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you;

your right hand upholds me.

Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;

they will go down to the depths of the earth.

They will be given over to the sword

and become food for jackals.

But the king will rejoice in God;

all who swear by God will glory in him,

while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 63 : “bed” (v.6)

The words of a simple song run like this: ‘when you’re worried and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep, and you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings.’ David prayed “on my bed I remember you … through the watches of the night” (v.6).

It’s hard to keep up two conversations at once. Ignore the voice in your head, and talk to your Head. David had death threats (see v.9).

What was his coping strategy? “Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me” (vv.7-8). Result? “The king will rejoice in God” (v.11). It works!

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READING

Psalm Sixty Three

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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SONGS

PSALM 63

Ian White

Psalm 63 (Better Than Life)

Shane and Shane

Psalm 63 Desert Prayer

Sons of Korah

Thirst For You

Cece Winans

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Tuesday 21 December 2021

PSALM Sixty Two

For the director of music.

For Jeduthun.

A psalm of David.

Truly my soul finds rest in God;

my salvation comes from him.

Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I shall never be shaken.

How long will you assault me?

Would all of you throw me down –

this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

Surely they intend to topple me

from my lofty place;

they take delight in lies.

With their mouths they bless,

but in their hearts they curse.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

my hope comes from him.

Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I shall not be shaken.

My salvation and my honour depend on God;

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, you people;

pour out your hearts to him,

for God is our refuge.

Surely the lowborn are but a breath,

the highborn are but a lie.

If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;

together they are only a breath.

Do not trust in extortion

or put vain hope in stolen goods;

though your riches increase,

do not set your heart on them.

One thing God has spoken,

two things I have heard:

‘Power belongs to you, God,

and with you, Lord, is unfailing love’;

and, ‘You reward everyone

according to what they have done.’

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 62 : “tottering” (v.3)

Most people (probably all) have episodes when we yearn to withdraw to a safe place. Are you feeling under pressure today? David did. He felt just like a “leaning wall” or “tottering fence” (v.3). Ready to collapse. Yes, the great King David felt at the end of his tether. Insincerity surrounded him. “With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts, they curse” (v.4).

What can one do about it? “Find rest … in God” (v.5) for your soul. How? Know “He alone is … my fortress” (v.6). “Trust … at all times” (v.8). When you feel wobbly, say “two things … you, O God, are strong … you, O Lord, are loving” (vv.11-12).

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READING

Psalm Sixty Two

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 62

Ian White

My delight and my Reward

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Monday 20 December 2021

PSALM Sixty One

For the director of music.

With stringed instruments. Of David.

Hear my cry, O God;

listen to my prayer.

From the ends of the earth I call to you,

I call as my heart grows faint;

lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For you have been my refuge,

a strong tower against the foe.

I long to dwell in your tent for ever

and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

For you, God, have heard my vows;

you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

Increase the days of the king’s life,

his years for many generations.

May he be enthroned in God’s presence for ever;

appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.

Then I will ever sing in praise of your name

and fulfil my vows day after day.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 61 : “refuge” (v.3)

In the words of the Tom Jones song, ‘it’s not unusual’ to have emotional and spiritual struggles. Many psalms express a sense of desperation in a crisis. That’s helpful in itself, because we imagine wrongly nobody else has ever gone through anything similar. The tougher the test, the greater the support we need.

Church can lift us sometimes. Or a chat with a friend. Or reading a Bible promise. But our true ‘go-to’ solution is the Lord himself, “my refuge, a strong tower against the foe” (v.3).

So if your “heart grows faint” (v.2), cry “lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (v.2). That “will protect” you (v.7).

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READING

Psalm Sixty One

Read by David Suchet