LHC Midday Word

Monday, 27 December 2021

Psalm Sixty Eight

For the director of music. Of David.

A psalm. A song.

May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;

may his foes flee before him.

May you blow them away like smoke –

as wax melts before the fire,

may the wicked perish before God.

But may the righteous be glad

and rejoice before God;

may they be happy and joyful.

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,

extol him who rides on the clouds;

rejoice before him – his name is the Lord.

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,

is God in his holy dwelling.

God sets the lonely in families,

he leads out the prisoners with singing;

but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

When you, God, went out before your people,

when you marched through the wilderness,

the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,

before God, the One of Sinai,

before God, the God of Israel.

You gave abundant showers, O God;

you refreshed your weary inheritance.

Your people settled in it,

and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.

The Lord announces the word,

and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:

‘Kings and armies flee in haste;

the women at home divide the plunder.

Even while you sleep among the sheepfolds,

the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,

its feathers with shining gold.’

When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land,

it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.

Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,

Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,

why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,

at the mountain where God chooses to reign,

where the Lord himself will dwell for ever?

The chariots of God are tens of thousands

and thousands of thousands;

the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.

When you ascended on high,

you took many captives;

you received gifts from people,

even from the rebellious –

that you, Lord God, might dwell there.

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour,

who daily bears our burdens.

Our God is a God who saves;

from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.

Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,

the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.

The Lord says, ‘I will bring them from Bashan;

I will bring them from the depths of the sea,

that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,

while the tongues of your dogs have their share.’

Your procession, God, has come into view,

the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.

In front are the singers, after them the musicians;

with them are the young women playing the tambourines.

Praise God in the great congregation;

praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.

There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,

there the great throng of Judah’s princes,

and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

Summon your power, God;

show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.

Because of your temple at Jerusalem

kings will bring you gifts.

Rebuke the beast among the reeds,

the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.

Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.

Scatter the nations who delight in war.

Envoys will come from Egypt;

Cush will submit herself to God.

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,

sing praise to the Lord,

to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,

who thunders with mighty voice.

Proclaim the power of God,

whose majesty is over Israel,

whose power is in the heavens.

You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;

the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.

Praise be to God!

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 68 : “defender” (v.5)

David’s appreciation of God’s true sensitive nature stands out in this beautiful verse: “a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling” (v.5).

All too many children have never known a loving father, either because he died or left when they were little, or he was an evil brute. What’s perhaps even more poignant is husbands dying young, leaving behind their widows who are left struggling financially and emotionally for the best years of their lives, perhaps with children to raise alone.

If you have tasted such emptiness, know God the Father is your “defender” and friend.

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READING

Psalm Sixty 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

-=-=-=-

SONGS

(Psalm 68:32-35)

Blessed be Our God LIVE at the TOWER of DAVID,

Jerusalem ~

Joshua Aaron

Let God Arise

Hosannah Music Kent Henry

Let God Arise

by Paul Wilbur

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Sunday, 26 December 2021

PSALM Sixty Seven

For the director of music.

With stringed instruments.

A psalm. A song.

May God be gracious to us and bless us

and make his face shine on us –

so that your ways may be known on earth,

your salvation among all nations.

May the peoples praise you, God;

may all the peoples praise you.

May the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for you rule the peoples with equity

and guide the nations of the earth.

May the peoples praise you, God;

may all the peoples praise you.

The land yields its harvest;

God, our God, blesses us.

May God bless us still,

so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 67 : “glad” (v.4)

Is praying just wishful thinking? There are 6 phrases starting with the ‘wish’ word “may” (for this or that) to happen in these 7 verses alone. It can look and sound like cloud cuckoo land. One of those prayerful wishes says “may the nations be glad and sing for joy” (v.4). For those who genuinely open themselves to the Lord the norm is not sadness but overflowing gladness.

Notice two things:

1] to “sing for joy” is what a glad heart does;

[2] those who feel the joy of the Lord within them wish all “the nations” of the world to have it as well. If we’re glad we’re saved, we’ll spread glad tidings!

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READING

Psalm Sixty 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

-=-=-=-

Psalm 67

Ian White

Saturday, 25 December 2021

PSALM Sixty Six

For the director of music.

A song. A psalm.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!

Sing the glory of his name;

make his praise glorious.

Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!

So great is your power

that your enemies cringe before you.

All the earth bows down to you;

they sing praise to you,

they sing the praises of your name.’

Come and see what God has done,

his awesome deeds for mankind!

He turned the sea into dry land,

they passed through the waters on foot –

come, let us rejoice in him.

He rules for ever by his power,

his eyes watch the nations –

let not the rebellious rise up against him.

Praise our God, all peoples,

let the sound of his praise be heard;

he has preserved our lives

and kept our feet from slipping.

For you, God, tested us;

you refined us like silver.

You brought us into prison

and laid burdens on our backs.

You let people ride over our heads;

we went through fire and water,

but you brought us to a place of abundance.

I will come to your temple with burnt offerings

and fulfil my vows to you –

vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke

when I was in trouble.

I will sacrifice fat animals to you

and an offering of rams;

I will offer bulls and goats.

Come and hear, all you who fear God;

let me tell you what he has done for me.

I cried out to him with my mouth;

his praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened;

but God has surely listened

and has heard my prayer.

Praise be to God,

who has not rejected my prayer

or withheld his love from me!

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 66 : “glorious!” (v.2)

To be “tested” or “refined” (v.10) is not enjoyable. We don’t choose such experiences. The Psalmist writes about being in “prison” and having “burden on our backs” (v.11), of passing “through fire and water” (v.12). Not nice!

Are you feeling confined, shut in? Or weighed down with many problems? Or drowning in money worries? Or being scorched by stress? No? Really? Lucky you, then! But - if the answer is ‘Yes’, know it won’t last! Why on earth not? “God brought us to a place of abundance” (v.12). So “shout … sing … make his praise glorious … say … awesome!” (vv.1-3).

Happy Christmas!

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READING

Psalm Sixty Six

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 66

Ian White

Shout to the Lord

Hillsong

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Friday, 24 December 2021

PSALM Sixty Five

For the director of music.

A psalm of David. A song.

Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;

to you our vows will be fulfilled.

You who answer prayer,

to you all people will come.

When we were overwhelmed by sins,

you forgave our transgressions.

Blessed are those you choose

and bring near to live in your courts!

We are filled with the good things of your house,

of your holy temple.

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,

God our Saviour,

the hope of all the ends of the earth

and of the farthest seas,

who formed the mountains by your power,

having armed yourself with strength,

who stilled the roaring of the seas,

the roaring of their waves,

and the turmoil of the nations.

The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;

where morning dawns, where evening fades,

you call forth songs of joy.

You care for the land and water it;

you enrich it abundantly.

The streams of God are filled with water

to provide the people with corn,

for so you have ordained it.

You drench its furrows and level its ridges;

you soften it with showers and bless its crops.

You crown the year with your bounty,

and your carts overflow with abundance.

The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;

the hills are clothed with gladness.

The meadows are covered with flocks

and the valleys are mantled with corn;

they shout for joy and sing.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 65 : “turmoil” (v.7)

David lives nigh on 3000 years ago, but in practice mankind continues to be ‘man’ without the ‘kind’. He wrote about “the turmoil of the nations” (v.7) as he saw it then. Do we observe any significant improvement after 3 millenia? Precious little.

The gospel has impacted large numbers profoundly, but the overwhelming majority everywhere resist the message of salvation. David prays “O God our Saviour, the hope of all the ends of the earth … you call forth songs of joy” (vv.5 & 8). In the song it says ‘I cannot tell how he will win the nations’ –

but he will. Then the turmoil will be over! Period!

==========

READING

Psalm Sixty Five

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