Plenty of Cause for Praise

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul!
    O LORD my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
2     covering yourself with light as with a garment,
    stretching out the heavens like a tent.
3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
he makes the clouds his chariot;
    he rides on the wings of the wind;
4 he makes his messengers winds,
    his ministers a flaming fire.

5 He set the earth on its foundations,
    so that it should never be moved.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
    the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they fled;
    at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.
8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down
    to the place that you appointed for them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass,
    so that they might not again cover the earth.

10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
    they flow between the hills;
11 they give drink to every beast of the field;
    the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
    they sing among the branches.
13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
    the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
    and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
15     and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
    and bread to strengthen man's heart.

16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly,
    the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 In them the birds build their nests;
    the stork has her home in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;
    the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;
    the sun knows its time for setting.
20 You make darkness, and it is night,
    when all the beasts of the forest creep about.
21 The young lions roar for their prey,
    seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they steal away
    and lie down in their dens.
23 Man goes out to his work
    and to his labor until the evening.

24 O LORD, how manifold are your works!
    In wisdom have you made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the sea, great and wide,
    which teems with creatures innumerable,
    living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships,
    and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.

27 These all look to you,
    to give them their food in due season.
28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;
    when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
    when you take away their breath, they die
    and return to their dust.
30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
    and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
    may the LORD rejoice in his works,
32 who looks on the earth and it trembles,
    who touches the mountains and they smoke!
33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
    I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
    for I rejoice in the LORD.
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
    and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 104:1-35 ESV

When was the last time you expressed your love and adoration to God? I mean, really let Him know how much you appreciate Him? In this psalm, the anonymous author echoes David's words in Psalm 103.

Bless the Lord, O my soul… – Psalm 103:1 ESV

His word-for-word use of David's lyrics is not a case of plagiarism but a recognition of the truth behind their meaning. He understands that true worship begins in the soul, or man's heart. So, he repeats David's words, but makes them his own by adding a personal touch to explain his cause for rejoicing.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!
    O LORD my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty… – Psalm 104:1 ESV

While David focused on Yahweh's love, grace, mercy, and provision for His people, this unnamed psalmist concentrates His attention on the wonder of Yahweh's handiwork, particularly His creation. 

You are dressed in a robe of light.
You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;
    you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds.
You make the clouds your chariot;
    you ride upon the wings of the wind.
The winds are your messengers;
    flames of fire are your servants. – Psalm 104:2-4 NLT

Using his sanctified imagination, the psalmist tries to picture the moment Yahweh created the heavens and the earth. Familiar with the oft-repeated details of the creation account, he describes God as arrayed in light, a symbol of His purity, power, and life-giving nature.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. – Genesis 1:1-4 NLT

God began His act of creation by illuminating the darkness with the light of His presence. It is no coincidence that the Genesis account records the presence of light before the sun, moon, and stars came into existence. Without advanced scientific training or a degree in cosmology, the psalmist inherently understood that God was the original source of light.

In the Book of Revelation, the apostle John records his vision of the New Jerusalem, the divinely designed and constructed city that will be the final home for God and His people at the end of the age. After destroying His first creation, God will begin again.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” – Revelation 21:1-4 NLT

When God recreates heaven and earth this time, there will be one dramatic difference.

And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. – Revelation 21:23-25 NLT

The psalmist had no way of knowing what John saw in his vision, but he inherently knew that God was the source of light. He understood the power and majesty of God because he could see it in the universe around him. When he witnessed the seas and the mountains, he could only conclude that they were the handiwork of an all-powerful God who was to be treated with awe and admiration.

But the psalmist didn't stop with his admiration for God's creative ability; he went on to describe God's life-sustaining power.

You make springs pour water into the ravines,
    so streams gush down from the mountains.
They provide water for all the animals,
    and the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
The birds nest beside the streams
    and sing among the branches of the trees.
You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home,
    and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor.
You cause grass to grow for the livestock
    and plants for people to use.
You allow them to produce food from the earth… – Psalm 104:10-14 NLT

The entire creation was designed to support and sustain life, but specifically human life. Man was the apex of God's creation and was intended to be the caretaker of all that He had made. The rest of the creative order was designed as the source of human flourishing and fruitfulness.

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth,c and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

So God created human beingsd in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened. – Genesis 1:26-30 NLT

The psalmist understood that God had designed the earth for mankind. He could survey the world around him and see that every facet of the creation pointed to God’s sustaining power. The LORD had created an environment in which life would not only survive, but thrive. His power kept the stars and planets in their places, provided light and warmth from the sun, and food for every living creature, including man.

They all depend on you
    to give them food as they need it.
When you supply it, they gather it.
    You open your hand to feed them,
    and they are richly satisfied.
But if you turn away from them, they panic.
    When you take away their breath,
    they die and turn again to dust.
When you give them your breath, life is created,
    and you renew the face of the earth. – Psalm 104:27-30 NLT

The psalmist was blown away by it all, and he expressed his awe in the form of a prayer.

May the glory of the LORD continue forever!
    The LORD takes pleasure in all he has made! – Psalm 104:31 NLT

He knew that the universe was no accident and that the ongoing existence of humanity could not be left to chance. Yahweh was the only logical explanation for all that existed and the only hope for its continued flourishing. Without God’s ongoing power and provision, life as we know it would be unsustainable. And, as the psalmist thought about this sobering truth, he could only respond in worship and praise.

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.
    I will praise my God to my last breath!
May all my thoughts be pleasing to him,
    for I rejoice in the LORD. – Psalm 104:33-34 NLT

Let's face it, most of us take God for granted. We rarely think about the fact that each breath we take is a gift from Him. Unless we happen to be standing at the brink of the Grand Canyon looking out over its majestic landscape, we probably don't get blown away by His creative handiwork. We rarely stand in awe of His power and creativity as we drive to work or mow the grass. But if we could train ourselves to think "godly" thoughts and look for Him daily in the world around us, we would probably be more grateful and a lot less grumpy!

So, let us adore Him, sing His praises, and shout about His incredible mercies. Remind one another of His limitless love. We have much for which to be grateful, and there's more to come.

Let all that I am praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! – Psalm 104:35 NLT

Father, give me eyes to see You, lips to praise you, ears to hear you, hands to serve you, feet to follow you, and a lifetime that is filled with adoration for who You are and all that You have done. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The LORD Reigns

1 Oh sing to the LORD a new song;
    sing to the LORD, all the earth!
2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
    tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!
4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
    he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
    but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
    ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
    bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;
    tremble before him, all the earth!

10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!
    Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
    he will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
    let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12     let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13     before the LORD, for he comes,
    for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
    and the peoples in his faithfulness. – Psalm 96:1-13 ESV

This psalm is prominently cited in a song ascribed to King David when he brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. As the centerpiece of Israel’s worship, the Ark represented the presence of God. During their days wandering through the wilderness, the Israelites were comforted by the fact that Yahweh's Shekinah glory rested above the mercy seat, which served as the lid for the Ark. So, when David relocated the Ark into his capital city, he wrote a celebratory song that reminded the people of Israel of the goodness and greatness of their God.

In penning the words to his song, David borrowed heavily from Psalm 96, incorporating some of its most memorable lines to encourage the heartfelt worship of Yahweh among his people. God's presence among them was not to be taken lightly or for granted. As the sovereign King of the universe, Yahweh demanded honor, reverence, and unwavering allegiance from His covenant people. Their obedience to His commands was not optional, and their steadfast devotion to Him alone was not up for debate. He had clearly communicated the terms of His relationship with the people of Israel, and He expected wholehearted compliance on their part. 

“I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.” – Exodus 20:5 NLT   

If they wanted to experience Yahweh’s presence, power, and provision, they would need to be faithful. By bringing the Ark into Jerusalem, David was relocating God's presence into the heart of his capital and reminding his people of their complete reliance upon Him for all their needs. He alone could protect them from their enemies, provide for all their needs, and pour out forgiveness and redemption for their sins. Without Yahweh, they would be just another nation striving to preserve their existence in a world marked by hostility and mired in sin.

Psalm 96 opens with the words, “Sing to the Lord a new song.” This was a call for the people of Israel to praise Yahweh, not just for His past acts of deliverance but for His present activity in their lives. He was present and moving powerfully in their midst. The God who created the universe and delivered their ancestors from their captivity in Egypt was still moving mightily in their lives. That is why the psalmist states, “Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does” (Psalm 96:2-3 NLT).

As David celebrated the arrival of the Ark into Jerusalem, he used the words of Psalm 96 to encourage faithfulness among his people. He wanted them to understand their need for God and their obligation to declare His glory to the nations around them. Every time Yahweh moved among His people, they were to declare His majesty, power, and sovereignty to the surrounding nations. His glorious deeds among His people were to be a testimony to His greatness and evidence of His role as the one true God. That is why the psalmist addresses the pagan nations and calls on them to reject their false gods and worship Yahweh alone.

O nations of the world, recognize the LORD;
    recognize that the LORD is glorious and strong.
Give to the LORD the glory he deserves!
    Bring your offering and come into his courts.
Worship the LORD in all his holy splendor. – Psalm 96:7-9 NLT

But their acknowledgment of Yahweh depended on the Israelites’ faithfulness and willingness to declare His glory. If God's people don't see Him as active in their lives and refuse to declare His power and presence, the nations will continue to seek help and hope from false gods. God’s people were to declare, “The Lord reigns!” (Psalm 96:10 ESV). But this was to be more than lip service or pious-sounding rhetoric. It was to come from the heart and express their own personal experience. 

This psalm provides a glimpse of what it means to worship God. It is less an activity than an awareness of God's character and attributes. It is a recognition of who He is, what He has done, and what He will do because of His unchanging character. God is loving and kind. He is holy and righteous. He is powerful and completely in control. What He says, He will do. He can be trusted. He is reliable. Even when things do not appear to be going as expected, and God seems nowhere in sight, He is there.

His character is consistent with His behavior, and it is in keeping with His word. If we don’t understand who God is, we will never truly worship Him. The reality of HIS faithfulness allows us to be faithful to Him. If we view Him as untrustworthy, we will doubt and disobey Him. If we don’t believe His promises, we will never rest in them. And we will never be able to say, “The Lord reigns!” and mean it. Our testimony to God's goodness and greatness will become second-hand and lack personal evidence that He is alive and active in our lives. This lack of firsthand experience with Yahweh will weaken our testimony and fail to impress a lost and dying world that our God rules and reigns.

Our worship of God is fickle and feeble at best. It tends to be based on present circumstances. If things are going well, our God is good and worthy of praise. If things are going poorly, we begin to doubt Him and even complain about our lot in life. When we do, we portray Yahweh as a fickle, fairweather God who can’t be trusted or relied upon. 

Even when we worship Him, our efforts can portray a half-hearted commitment that paints God as an add-on to our lives rather than the sole focus of our affection. We turn worship into an activity that we only participate in on Sundays. Our devotion to Him is relegated to a worship hour and a particular music style. The entire endeavor becomes more about us than Him. We judge the effectiveness of our worship based on our personal tastes. If we enjoy our worship service of choice and like the music and the message we hear, we believe we’ve worshiped. But we can go through that process and never acknowledge God's lovingkindness, faithfulness, righteousness, truth, and strength. We can feel good, but leave without having grown closer to God. In essence, the worship service becomes more about us than Him.

This psalm reminds us that God is to be our focus. Not because of what He is currently doing for us, but simply because of who He is. He is God, and there is no one else like Him. He is God, and He is entirely trustworthy and true. He is God, and is all-powerful, and capable of doing whatever He chooses to do. If He is not doing what we THINK He should be doing, He has a very good reason. If He allows difficulty into our lives, He is not asleep, apathetic, or impotent; He has a plan.

Yahweh has made us, and we are His sheep. We belong to Him, and He knows what is best for us. But do we trust Him? Do we believe He is strong enough to meet any and all of our needs? Do we comprehend just how much He loves us? The psalmist reminds us that when God made a promise to David that his kingdom would endure forever, even the people's unfaithfulness and disobedience could not alter that promise's reality and reliability. God's word endures. His faithfulness is unfailing. His lovingkindness is everlasting. His truth never falters. His strength never diminishes.

Tell the nations about his splendor.
Tell all the nations about his amazing deeds.
For the LORD is great and certainly worthy of praise;
he is more awesome than all gods. – Psalms 96:3-4 NET

Father, so often I attempt to worship You in ignorance. I try to sing Your praises but I don't fully understand or appreciate who You are. I tend to sing only when I feel like it. I praise You only when You’ve done something for me. Yet You are worthy of praise all the time. You are loving, kind, righteous, holy, trustworthy, and powerful to save. Help me come to know You better so that I might better worship You rightly. Not just for what You do but just because of who You are. And may I be able to declare to the nations, “The LORD reigns!” and truly mean it because I have experienced it in my own life. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Right Response to a Righteous God

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.

1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
    to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
    and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
    to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work;
    at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 How great are your works, O LORD!
    Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
    the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
    and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8     but you, O LORD, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O LORD,
    for behold, your enemies shall perish;
    all evildoers shall be scattered.

10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
    you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
    my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
    and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the LORD;
    they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
    they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the LORD is upright;
    he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. – Psalm 92:1-15 ESV

In this psalm of thanksgiving, the unidentified author provides a litany of reasons to praise Yahweh. His exuberant song takes the form of a prayer, with his words spoken directly to the One whose blessings he enjoyed.  He expounds on the benefits of verbally declaring God’s unfailing love and faithfulness and proudly admits his habit of doing so regularly.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to the Most High.
It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
    your faithfulness in the evening… – Psalm 92:1-2 NLT

In this eloquently written song of praise, the psalmist paints a clear picture of how the people of God should respond to Him. We will see life from a different perspective as we reflect on all that He has done in the past and all that He is doing around us in the present. As we read the Scriptures, we discover His character and learn about His great acts of goodness and righteousness toward His people over the years. Reflection on who God is and how He interacts with His people results in increased optimism and trust.

You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!
    I sing for joy because of what you have done.
O Lord, what great works you do! – Psalm 92:4-5 NLT

We are more apt to rejoice even when things do not appear to go the way we would like them to go, because we know and understand His character. Thanksgiving and praise come more readily and freely because we see life from God's perspective. He is powerful, loving, righteous, just, and causes His people to live fruitful lives even in times of difficulty.

We tend to forget that God is ruler over everything and everyone. As we survey the disturbing state of the world, it can sometimes appear as if God is somehow a powerless spectator to the events taking place or, worse yet, a disinterested deity who could do something about it, but chooses not to. But the psalmist reminds us that God reigns and rules on high.

But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever. – Psalm 92:8 NLT

God is in complete control, and He is all-powerful. Praise and thanksgiving come naturally when we genuinely believe these things about God. But when we doubt His power and majesty and don't recognize His faithfulness and love for us, we find it hard to thank Him in times of difficulty.

But where do we learn about God? How can we grow in our confidence in His character and power? One way is through the reading of His Word. As we read the Scriptures, we are given a glimpse into the incredible character of God as it is exposed in the stories of God's interactions with mankind. We see examples of His love, mercy, kindness, and righteousness, as well as His anger, justice, holiness, and hatred of sin. We also see God's redemptive nature. From the stories of the Old Testament, we learn that God longs to redeem and rescue His people from their slavery to sin and introduce them to the life of freedom He so graciously offers.

But the psalmist sees God's handiwork in his own life and declares his personal experience with God's power, provision, and blessings.

But you have made me as strong as a wild ox.
    You have anointed me with the finest oil. – Psalm 92:10 NLT

For the psalmist, Yahweh wasn't a distant deity who rarely entered into the affairs of men; He was a personal and intimate God who made His presence known in tangible ways.

My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
    my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents. – Psalm 92:11 NLT

The Bible is a picture of who God is. The stories are reminders of His character. He is the same today as He was then. But we can also learn of God's character as He works in and around our lives today. But we have to know what to look for. We can see His faithfulness and love as we encounter other believers who come alongside us in times of difficulty. Their love is an expression of His love. We can see God's power when we see marriages restored or sicknesses healed. We can see God's provision every time we eat a meal, deposit a paycheck, or pay a bill. He provides the means to do them all. We can see God's matchless mercy and grace every time we find ourselves falling into sin yet again. Despite our failure to remain faithful, we can go to Him and receive forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

Like the psalmist, we can see God in our lives, but we have to train ourselves to look for Him. When we learn to see Him, we will begin to thank Him, sing His praises, and declare His goodness and mercy. And the older we get, the more we will be able to look back on our lives and see the signs of God's presence and power on display. And while our life may feature moments of pain, suffering, and disappointment, we can sing His praises along with the psalmist.

The righteous flourish like the palm tree
    and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the house of the Lord;
    they flourish in the courts of our God.
They still bear fruit in old age;
    they are ever full of sap and green,
to declare that the Lord is upright;
    he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. – Psalm 92:12-15 ESV

Father, it is good to give You thanks, but I confess that I spend far too much time complaining and far too little time being grateful. Yet, when I look back on my life, I see so many examples of Your love, mercy, grace, and power. You have given me much to be thankful for and I have no excuse for my ingratitude. I have been richly blessed and am totally undeserving of all that You have done. Thank You for your kindness, patience, unfailing love, and commitment to my well-being. Without You, I would be nothing. Help me to sing Your praises more regularly and joyfully so that others may know just how good and great You are. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Necessity of Neediness

To the choirmaster. Of David, for the memorial offering.

1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
    O LORD, make haste to help me!
2 Let them be put to shame and confusion
    who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
3 Let them turn back because of their shame
    who say, “Aha, Aha!”

4 May all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
    say evermore, “God is great!”
5 But I am poor and needy;
    hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
    O LORD, do not delay! – Psalm 70:1-5 ESV

Who knew David could be a man of few words, but in this psalm, we see him cut to the chase and make his point to God in record time. He doesn't beat around the bush, but instead comes out and tells God what he wants. "Please God, rescue me!" (Psalm 70:1 NLT), and he asks God to do it quickly.

Evidently, David's need was overwhelming, and he felt the need to demand immediate action by God. In a Psalm of so few words, it is interesting to note what David took the time to say. He expressed his need for God's salvation, his desire for justice for his enemies, and, most importantly, his awareness of his condition.

This was not the first time David felt compelled to call out to God in a moment of distress. In fact, this rather short psalm is almost a word-for-word copy of a section of another psalm he wrote.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
O Lord, make haste to help me!
Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God! – Psalm 4-:13-17 ESV

Davi can’t be accused of plagiarism because he authored both works, but he does borrow heavily from his previous psalm. In both cases, he states, "I am poor and needy." This short phrase speaks volumes about David's awareness of his condition. There is no hint of pride or self-sufficiency. His self-disclosing statement exhibits no sign of arrogance or hubris. Instead, it reveals a man who is painfully aware of his status and unashamed to admit it to God. 

David is the king of Israel who commands a great army and lives in a beautiful palace surrounded by wealth and opulence. But inwardly, David knows he is needy, destitute, and unable to meet his needs. Whatever his circumstance, David knows he can’t save himself; he needs God. So, he begs God to hurry to his aid without delay.

O God, hurry to me.
You are my helper and my deliverer.
O Lord, do not delay.– Psalm 70:5 NLT

The first step in seeing God work in our lives is recognizing our need for His intervention. We must come to grips with our deficiency and His sufficiency. But that is harder than it sounds for most of us. We tend to want to solve our problems and meet our own needs. When faced with difficulties, our initial reaction is to rescue ourselves and, if successful, pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. It is hard to help someone who refuses to see their need for help. But David had reached the point where he would no longer let pride stand in his way. He knew that God was his helper and savior. He understood that there was nothing he could do to solve his problem. He needed God, so he called to Him.

David knew from experience that those who call on God are seldom, if ever, disappointed. He had learned that dependence upon God was a sign of strength, not weakness. Confession of his own insufficiency may be hard on the ego, but it is well worth any pain his pride may have to endure. Calling on God in his time of need had always proven to be the right response.

May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you.
May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually,
“May God be praised!”– Psalm 70:4 NLT

In his second letter to the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul shared a personal account about his own moment of crisis and need. Paul had just disclosed that he received “visions and revelations from the Lord” (2 Corinthians 12:1 NLT). He described being “caught up to paradise” where he “heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words” (2 Corinthians 12:4 NLT). Yet, despite these potentially ego-boosting experiences, Paul states that God graciously kept his pride in check.

So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. – 2 Corinthians 12:7-8 NLT

Paul provides no details concerning the nature of his “thorny” problem but states that he repeatedly begged God to remove it. However, he received the same response from God all three times.

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT

And Paul’s takeaway from this ongoing “need” was amazingly positive.

So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT

Paul learned to see his problems as divinely ordained opportunities to witness God's power in his life. His “weaknesses” proved to be positive and not negative. His insufficiency wasn’t a detriment but a blessing in disguise. This knowledge led him to make the seemingly contradictory statement: “When I am weak, then I am strong.” 

From a human perspective, Paul’s words seem illogical and irrational. However, when viewed through Paul’s understanding of God’s power and sovereignty, they make all the sense in the world. His message of strength in weakness and joy in suffering was a regular part of his personal story and became integral to his pastoral message. He delivered a similarly nonsensical life lesson to the believers in Rome.

…we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. – Romans 5:3-5 NLT

Paul and David shared a common dependence on God’s power and provision. Both men knew that their insufficiencies were assets and not liabilities. They viewed themselves as little more than unworthy vessels through which the power of God flowed. Paul put it this way to his audience in Corinth:

…we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed, always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body. For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal body. – 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 NLT

It is normal and natural to despise weakness. Nobody longs to be powerless, helpless, and hopeless. David cried out, “O God, please be willing to rescue me. O Lord, hurry and help me” (Psalm 70:1 NLT) because he wanted to be delivered from his distress. Three separate times, Paul asked God to remove his thorn in the flesh. But both men knew their weakness, while unenjoyable, was the perfect opportunity to see God work.

All those who believe in an all-powerful, loving, and compassionate God must recognize the reality of their own weakness and His strength. They must come to grips with their need for Him. There is no place for self-sufficiency in the life of the believer. Self-reliance is dangerous for a God-follower because it diminishes one’s need for His help. The confession, “I am poor and needy,” must precede the statement “You are my help and my deliverer” (Psalm 70:5 ESV). Failure to recognize and confess our own insufficiency will always diminish our dependency upon God. If we are capable, God becomes dispensable. But David and Paul would warn against such a self-reliant and self-delusional outlook. They would encourage us to sing the chorus to the old hymn, “I Need Thee Every Hour.”

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Ev'ry hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

Father, it seems the longer I live the more I recognize my true neediness. I guess it is that I am slowly learning the valuable lesson that I cannot save myself. I am not smart enough or powerful enough to rescue myself from the troubles of life. I need You. Thanks for the daily reminders of my own neediness. Help me to keep turning to You for help. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

What’s God Done for You Lately?

To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm.

1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
2     sing the glory of his name;
    give to him glorious praise!
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
4 All the earth worships you
    and sings praises to you;
    they sing praises to your name.” Selah

5 Come and see what God has done:
    he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
    they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
7     who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
    let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

8 Bless our God, O peoples;
    let the sound of his praise be heard,
9 who has kept our soul among the living
    and has not let our feet slip.
10 For you, O God, have tested us;
    you have tried us as silver is tried.
11 You brought us into the net;
    you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
12 you let men ride over our heads;
    we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
    I will perform my vows to you,
14 that which my lips uttered
    and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
    with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17 I cried to him with my mouth,
    and high praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened.
19 But truly God has listened;
    he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God,
    because he has not rejected my prayer
    or removed his steadfast love from me! – Psalm 66:1-20 ESV

What has God done for you lately? That should be an easy question for any Christ-follower to answer because the reality is that God is acting on our behalf in countless ways each and every day. But the sad truth is that we sometimes fail to see His activity in our lives. His seeming unavailability or absence can result in our failure to ask for His assistance or to expect His intervention So, we go it alone. We muddle on through life attempting to take on all our problems on our own and ignoring the availability of His power, grace, and mercy.

For many of us, our testimony is a dusty, faded photograph that captures an event that happened sometime in the distant past. It was momentous, life-changing, and an unforgettable experience, but it is still a fading memory. Much time has passed since our conversion experience, and we have lived more years than we would like to remember. Life has been filled with ups and downs, and, hopefully, we have grown in our knowledge and understanding of God. But if someone walked up and asked us what God had done for us lately, what would we have to say? How would we answer?

It would have been a simple question for David, and he would have had a ready response. He said, “Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me” (Psalm 66:16 NLT). David had a story to tell, a recollection to recount of what God had done in his life. And as we have worked our way through the Psalms of David, we have seen plenty of proof that David had ample stories to share of God’s goodness, grace, mercy, power, and provision. God was actively involved in David’s life. His response to the question, “What has God done for you lately?” would probably have been, “How much time do you have?”

In this psalm, David discusses the glory of God’s name.

Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!
   Sing about the glory of his name! – Psalm 66:1-12 NLT

He expresses how glorious God is.

How awesome are your deeds! – Psalm 66:3 NLT

He invites others to “Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!” (Psalm 66:5 NLT). David recounts what God has done in the past for His people, but he also shares the more personal and up-to-date accounts of God’s activities in his own life. And that is the story most people want and need to hear.

A lost and dying world is looking for a living, active God who is engaged daily with those who worship Him. Our salvation story is significant, but God didn’t stop saving us at conversion. He is still redeeming, rescuing, refining, and restoring us each and every day of our lives. He is disciplining, teaching, and constantly forgiving us. He is leading, directing, healing, and patiently molding us into the likeness of His Son.

Like David, we should be able to say, “Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!” (Psalm 66:5 NLT). Yes, we can recount the biblical stories of God’s deliverance of the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt. We can regale others with the miraculous account of how He parted the waters of the Red Sea and allowed His people to escape their Egyptian pursuers. Most of us can recite the pertinent details about the battle of Jericho, David’s defeat of Goliath, or the thrilling account of Daniel in the lion's den. We can provide ample evidence of God’s former acts of deliverance in the lives of others, but are we able to answer the question, "What has God done for you lately?"

David could say, “I cried out to him for help” (Psalm 66:17 NLT), and testify that “God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer” (Psalm 66:19 NLT). David wasn't willing to live a vicarious faith, depending solely upon the stories of God’s activities in the lives of others. He wanted an up-close-and-personal relationship with God, filled with his own testimonies of divine deliverance, mercy, and grace. Most of David’s psalms are his recollections of what God has done for him. 

David never discounted or dismissed the stories of God’s past actions in the lives of His chosen people. Those well-worn tales of God’s deliverance were essential to his understanding of God’s character. But David was unwilling to settle for a God who lived in the ancient past. He needed an up-to-date, here-when-you-need-Him God whose presence and power were personal and palpable. David was willing to offer sacrifices to God for His well-documented actions on behalf of His people, but he was looking for more. He fully expected God to show up in his own life, giving him ample reasons to offer praise and a personal testimony to God’s presence and power.

We are each proof of God’s presence. Our daily lives should provide evidence of His love, grace, mercy, power, forgiveness, and, ultimately, of His existence. God is not silent or relegated to stories from the past. His power has not waned, and His miracles have not ceased. His capacity to intervene on behalf of His people has not diminished. So, what has He done for you lately? Like David, may we say, “Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.”

Father, You have given me ample stories to tell of Your presence in my life. Forgive me for not telling others. You have proven Yourself faithful to me time and time again, but I don’t always pass that news along to those around me. Place in me a growing desire to sing Your praises to all those willing to listen. Create in me a desire to talk You up on a consistent basis. May I become increasingly more a satisfied customer – the best advertising of Your power, presence and provision. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Unchanging Love. Incomparable Power.

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.

1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
    protect me from those who rise up against me;
2 deliver me from those who work evil,
    and save me from bloodthirsty men.

3 For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
    fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
4     for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5     You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
    spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah

6 Each evening they come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, bellowing with their mouths
    with swords in their lips—
    for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”

8 But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
    you hold all the nations in derision.
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress.
10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
    God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

11 Kill them not, lest my people forget;
    make them totter by your power and bring them down,
    O Lord, our shield!
12 For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
    let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,
13     consume them in wrath;
    consume them till they are no more,
that they may know that God rules over Jacob
    to the ends of the earth. Selah

14 Each evening they come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
15 They wander about for food
    and growl if they do not get their fill.

16 But I will sing of your strength;
    I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
    and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress,
    the God who shows me steadfast love. – Psalm 59:1-17 ESV

Saul’s hatred for David was intense, and it didn’t help that he was occasionally possessed by an evil spirit that fueled his hatred. In this psalm of lament, David recalls a particularly distressful occasion when Saul sent men to his house to murder him. It was part of a series of disturbing events that began when Saul’s son Jonathan discovered his father’s plot to assassinate David. Upon discovering this distressing news, Jonathan warned his friend.

“Tomorrow morning,” he warned him, “you must find a hiding place out in the fields.I’ll ask my father to go out there with me, and I’ll talk to him about you. Then I’ll tell you everything I can find out.” – 1 Samuel 19:2-3 NLT

True to his word, Jonathan met with his father and tried to persuade him to spare David’s life.

“The king must not sin against his servant David,” Jonathan said. “He’s never done anything to harm you. He has always helped you in any way he could. Have you forgotten about the time he risked his life to kill the Philistine giant and how the Lord brought a great victory to all Israel as a result? You were certainly happy about it then. Why should you murder an innocent man like David? There is no reason for it at all!” – 1 Samuel 19:4-5 NLT

Saul listened to his son’s counsel and called off the assassination, stating,  “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed” (1 Samuel 19:6 NLT).

David returned to Saul’s court and participated in a battle with the Philistines, where he “attacked them with such fury that they all ran away” (1 Samuel 19:8 NLT). This victory rekindled Saul’s jealousy of David and caused him to renege on his earlier vow. One evening, while David played his harp in Saul’s presence, the king became enraged at the sight of the young warrior and attempted to pin him to the wall with a spear.

As David played his harp, Saul hurled his spear at David. But David dodged out of the way, and leaving the spear stuck in the wall, he fled and escaped into the night. – 1 Samuel 19:9-10 NLT

David must have known that Saul’s actions that evening resulted from “the tormenting spirit from the LORD” (1 Samuel 19:10 NLT). He reasoned that the king was not himself and could not control his actions. This was the second time Saul had tried to run David through with a spear (1 Samuel 18:10-11). But rather than running away, David returned home and went to bed. Saul, still enraged and determined to rid himself of David once and for all, sent troops to his home to arrest him. David’s wife, Michal, helped him escape and then arranged his bed to appear as if he were sound asleep under the covers. When Saul’s troops returned and discovered that David was not there, they informed Saul of his escape.

So David escaped and went to Ramah to see Samuel, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. Then Samuel took David with him to live at Naioth. When the report reached Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, he sent troops to capture him. – 1 Samuel 19:18-20 NLT

This was the occasion that prompted David to write Psalm 59. I’ve had bad days, but I’ve never had someone who was out to kill me (at least that I know of). I’ve never been hunted down like a wild animal or had armed mercenaries lying in wait outside my home, just waiting for me to show up so they could take me out. But David had, and he wrote this psalm because of it.

David knew what it meant to be hated, harassed, hounded, and hunted. He had experienced what it means to fear for your life. Every time he woke up, he knew it would be another day filled with more of the same thing. But he also knew something that I too easily forget. He knew that God was with him, for him, and would rescue him, no matter what he faced that day. That is why he could say, “But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress” (Psalm 59:16 NLT).

David had experienced God's unfailing love on previous occasions, so he knew that he could trust God to show up no matter what he faced that day. He believed that God loved him and His love never failed. While his friends had turned their backs on him, David’s God was faithful and true, and would never let David down.

In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me.
    He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies. – Psalm 59:10 NLT

Not only was God unfailing in his love and unwavering in His support for David, but He was incomparable in power. In other words, God loved David, and that love was backed by a strength that could protect David from anything and everything he faced. Love alone is not enough to prevent calamity from happening to someone dear to us. Many have had to watch helplessly as their loved ones died right before their eyes. Soldiers have had to watch, powerless to help, as their comrades died on the battlefield. Their love for their brothers, while strong, was incapable of preventing their deaths. But God’s love for us is backed by a boundless power. He not only loves us, but is capable of protecting, rescuing, and saving us. His power to save us is motivated by His desire to protect and preserve us. He rescues us because He loves us. He saves us, not just because He can, but because His love demands it.

David knew about God’s love because he had experienced it. But it was more than a sentimental, sappy kind of love. It was love expressed in power, exhibited in strength, and proven in acts of divine intervention. David knew he was loved because he was still alive, despite all those who wanted him dead. His next breath was a reminder of God’s love. Seeing the sun come up in the morning was an opportunity to thank God for His love and deliverance.

But as for me, I will sing about your power.
    Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.
For you have been my refuge,
    a place of safety when I am in distress. – Psalm 59:16 NLT

David’s problems still existed, and his enemies were still determined to end his life. But He knew that God would see him through the day, because God loved him, and that love was backed by a power to preserve and protect him from any trial he may face.

O my Strength, to you I sing praises,
    for you, O God, are my refuge,
    the God who shows me unfailing love. – Psalm 59:17 NLT

Father, how easy it is to forget that You love me – unceasingly. Somehow I know You are all powerful but I sometimes doubt that You love me enough to make that power available to me each and every day. I fail to recognize that the very fact that I am alive is proof of Your power and Your love for me. Without Your sustaining power and unfailing love, I would cease to exist. You give me the strength I need to make it through the day. You lovingly sustain me, helping me make my way through the trials of life. May I learn to sing Your praises each and every morning, grateful for another day to serve You and watch You work in my life. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Yet, I Will Praise Him

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.

1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
    as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
    and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
    a multitude keeping festival.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation 6 and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
    therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
    from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
    at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
    have gone over me.
8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,
    and at night his song is with me,
    a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock:
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
    because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my bones,
    my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation and my God. – Psalm 42:1-11 ESV

This psalm opens with one of the most well-known and beautifully poetic lines in the Scriptures. 

As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God. – Psalm 42:1-12 ESV

This simple expression of deep longing for fellowship with God is attributed to the sons of Korah. What makes these beautifully poetic words so significant is the background of the men who wrote them. The sons of Korah were the descendants of a man who led a hostile rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings. His mutinous act is recorded in the Book of Numbers

One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly. They united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the Lord’s people?” – Numbers 16:1-3 NLT

Korah and his cohorts questioned Aaron’s right to serve as Israel's high priest. These men were jealous, and, as sons of Levi, they declared their right to serve as priests before God. But Moses revealed that their actions were an affront to the LORD. The Korahites already served in God’s Tabernacle, but dissatisfied with their role, they demanded the right to serve as priests.

Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well? The LORD is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?” – Numbers 16:10-11 NLT

Moses devised a plan to put down the rebellion that would allow God to settle the matter.

“You and all your followers must come here tomorrow and present yourselves before the Lord. Aaron will also be here. You and each of your 250 followers must prepare an incense burner and put incense on it, so you can all present them before the Lord. Aaron will also bring his incense burner.” – Numbers 16:16-17 NLT

To rally the rest of the Israelites to their cause, Korah spread dissent among the people, and a large crowd gathered to watch the showdown between Aaron and his challengers. But things didn’t turn out well for Korah and his companions.

The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel. – Numbers 16:32-33 NLT

God had been ready to destroy all the people of Israel, but when Moses interceded on their behalf, God chose to kill the ringleaders and their families. But He spared the sons of Korah.

…the earth opened up its mouth and swallowed them with Korah, and fire devoured 250 of their followers. This served as a warning to the entire nation of Israel. However, the sons of Korah did not die that day. – Numbers 26:10-11 NLT

Despite their father's rebellion, the sons of Korah were given a second chance. God allowed them to continue serving in His Tabernacle, and their descendants would play a significant role in David’s royal administration, serving as warriors and worship leaders.

“…the most remarkable thing to note about the sons of Korah is that during the time of King David, they became the great leaders in choral and orchestral music in the tabernacle. Heman the Korahite had a place of great importance as a singer, along with Asaph (a Gershonite) and Ethan or Jeduthan (a Merarite). These individuals played an important role in the thanksgiving services and pageantry when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem. David formed an elaborate organization for song, instrumental music, and prophesying through these men.” – gotquestions.org

So, with that background in mind, the words of this psalm carry even greater weight. These descendants of Korah were intimately familiar with the wrath of God. They had grown up hearing the sordid details of their patriarch’s disobedience and ultimate demise at the hands of the LORD. Yet, they had been graciously spared and allowed to serve Yahweh.

Yet, the author of this psalm displays his anguish at having been separated from his duties and unable to serve in God’s house. Some catastrophic event has prevented him from coming before Yahweh, and this forced separation has left him distraught and deeply troubled.

My heart is breaking
    as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
    leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
    amid the sound of a great celebration! – Psalm 42:4 NLT

Yet, even as he wrestles with grief and confusion, he reminds himself that God has not forsaken him. His difficulties cannot truly separate him from his God. He expresses his belief that this momentary light affliction will and he will be restored.

Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God! – Psalm 42:5-6 NLT

Even as he suffers, he feels God’s love. His lack of access to God’s house has not diminished his awareness of God’s presence.

…each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me,
    and through each night I sing his songs,
    praying to God who gives me life. – Psalm 42:8 NLT

He has moments of despair and doubt. His enemies taunt him and ridicule his faith. But he continues to believe that His God is good and gracious. He relies on his belief in God’s sovereignty and saving power.

Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God! – Psalm 42:11 NLT

The fact that this psalm was written by a descendant of Korah makes it all the more remarkable. This man had inherited a legacy of rebellion and knew the consequences of his ancestor’s actions against Yahweh. Yet, he knew that the same God who destroyed his ancestor was loving, gracious, forgiving, and fully capable of restoring him to fellowship. So, even while he still suffered, the psalmist fought off his discouragement with songs of praise and adoration to God. He bolstered his weakened faith with reminders of God’s presence, power, and provision. He fought off the verbal attacks of his enemies with words of affirmation and inspiration that focused on the faithfulness of God.

Father, when times of difficult arrive, it is easy to assume that I am somehow separated from You. It can feel as if You have abandoned me. But like this “son of Korah,” I want to learn to focus on your goodness, greatness, and presence. You have promised to never leave me or forsake me and I want to believe that promise even when my circumstances seem to contradict it. You are faithful and You have never given me a reason to doubt Your presence, power, and provision. You have always come through for me and You always will. I will put my hope in You because You are my Savior and God. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Name You Can Trust

To the choirmaster: according to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
    I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
    I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

3 When my enemies turn back,
    they stumble and perish before your presence.
4 For you have maintained my just cause;
    you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.

5 You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;
    you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins;
    their cities you rooted out;
    the very memory of them has perished.

7 But the LORD sits enthroned forever;
    he has established his throne for justice,
8 and he judges the world with righteousness;
    he judges the peoples with uprightness.

9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,
    for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

11 Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion!
    Tell among the peoples his deeds!
12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
    he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

13 Be gracious to me, O LORD!
    See my affliction from those who hate me,
    O you who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 that I may recount all your praises,
    that in the gates of the daughter of Zion
    I may rejoice in your salvation.

15 The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
    in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16 The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment;
    the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah

17 The wicked shall return to Sheol,
    all the nations that forget God.

18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
    and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

19 Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail;
    let the nations be judged before you!
20 Put them in fear, O LORD!
    Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah – Psalm 9:1-20 ESV

This Psalm opens with what appears to be a musical notation: According to Muth-labben. The exact meaning of this phrase is unclear, but the NIV translates it as “The Death of the Son” and treats it as the name of a tune to which the Psalm was to be read. 

This Psalm of praise and thanksgiving to God opens with David declaring his intentions.

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart. – vs 1

I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. – vs 1

I will be filled with joy because of you. – vs 2

I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. – vs 2

No timeline or details are provided that might explain David’s excited declaration. It’s impossible to know what event may have prompted this impassioned promise to sing God’s praises, but David does give a list of reasons for his joy and gratitude.

1. His enemies had retreated because God had defeated them.

2. God’s defense of David had vindicated his right to rule as God’s vice-regent.

3. As the true King and Judge of the earth, God had decided in David’s favor.

4. God had “rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked” (NLT)

5. In His sovereignty, God had blotted out their names forever.

6. The victory of God had been complete and comprehensive.

It seems likely that this was a compilation on David’s part. He was looking back on his life and recalling the numerous occasions when God had intervened and rescued him from difficulty. This wasn’t about one isolated incident. From David’s perspective, God had a proven track record of faithfulness that showed up in His sovereign intervention in the affairs of his life.

David may have been the king of Israel, but he viewed Yahweh as the King of the universe, who “reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne” (Psalm 9:7 NLT). As the Judge of the world, God was just, fair, compassionate, and righteous in all His judgments. He never showed partiality or ruled unjustly. His verdicts were always accurate and free from corruption or coercion. God could not be bought off or deceived by the clever arguments of men, and David found God’s integrity to be a source of joy in a world filled with uncertainty and populated by untrustworthy men who could not be trusted.

David was intimately familiar with Yahweh’s character because he had seen it in action. He knew and understood God’s nature because he had witnessed it throughout his life. But the Psalms are more than a personal journal of David’s experiences, they are an expression of his grasp of God’s greatness and goodness. In this Psalm alone David reveals that his God is all-powerful, just, eternal, righteous, faithful, merciful, sovereign, impartial, holy, and wrathful.

David’s understanding of God’s nature produced in him a growing sense of trust and confidence. With each trial he encountered, David saw God show up and pour out His justice, mercy, and compassion. That is why David could say with confidence, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you” (Psalm 9:10 NLT).

To know God’s “name” is to be familiar with His reputation. Those who follow and trust God do so because they know Him to be trustworthy and reliable. He has proven Himself to be powerful and present in their lives. The Hebrew word translated as “name” can also mean “reputation” or “fame.” To trust in the name of God is to trust in who He is – His nature, character, and reputation. It is to stand on His past accomplishments and to rely on His track record of reliability. God had proven Himself to David time and time again, and had shown Himself to be faithful, powerful, righteous, just, trustworthy, merciful, and holy. So David trusted in the name of God. When in trouble, he appealed to the name of God.

But for David, recognition of God’s goodness and greatness was not enough. He was emboldened to turn his gratitude into songs of praise, and he wanted everyone to join in.

Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem.
    Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds. – Psalm 9:11 NLT

David wasn’t a one-man band, he was the director of a massive choir made up of fellow Israelites who lifted their voices in praise of their gracious, all-powerful King and Judge.

God was worthy of praise because of all He had done in the past. David had found God to be a shelter and a refuge in the past, so he knew God would be so in the future. He was faithful, consistent, reliable, and unchanging in His nature. David knew he could turn to God and find mercy and help no matter how difficult the situation. He knew from experience that God had a special affinity for the helpless and the hopeless, rescuing and restoring them in His grace and mercy.

David had seen God judge righteously and justly, bringing judgment on the wicked and avenging the righteous, and he was confident that God would do it again. For David, God's works were “unforgettable” and “marvelous.” They were worth singing about, talking about, and relying upon. No matter how bad things got, David knew he could trust in his God because he knew Him well.

Father, I want to know You like David did. I want to trust You like David did. I want to understand the full scope of Your character and be able to rest in the integrity of who You are based on all You have done. Give me eyes to see Your reputation all around me. Help me know You better and better with each passing day. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Knowledge of God

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
    consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,
    my King and my God,
    for to you do I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
    in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
    evil may not dwell with you.
5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
    you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
    the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
    will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
    in the fear of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
    because of my enemies;
    make your way straight before me.

9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
    their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
    they flatter with their tongue.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
    let them fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
    for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
    you cover him with favor as with a shield. – Psalm 5:1-12 ESV

In this Psalm, David issues another prayer to God, asking for His favor and help in a time of great need. No timeline is provided or details given that might shed light on the circumstances David is facing, but it is clear that he is going through difficult days. He mentions his “groanings” and cries for help, which indicate that he is a man facing a desperate situation. For the Jews, each new day began at sundown, and David seems to indicate that his prayer began at that moment and lasted throughout the night. His situation was so dire that he regularly spent his nights in prayer and welcomed the dawn by continuing to call out to God.

…in the morning I will present my case to you and then wait expectantly for an answer. – Psalm 5:3 NET

David makes clear the motivation behind his all-night prayer sessions. He knew that God was the Judge, the differentiator between the righteous and the wicked. Only Yahweh could discern truth from lies and make a just determination on David’s guilt or innocence.

O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
    you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked.
Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence,
    for you hate all who do evil.
You will destroy those who tell lies.
    The Lord detests murderers and deceivers. – Psalm 5:4-6 NLT

David knew what it was like to be slandered and falsely accused by his enemies. His son Absalom had portrayed him as an unjust and uncaring king who regularly failed to mete out justice for his people (2 Samuel 15:1-4). As a king, David faced a constant barrage of false accusations designed to question his integrity and undermine his authority. But he knew that God was not fooled by these cleverly worded condemnations. Yahweh was all-knowing and could see into the hearts of men. He could not be deceived by their lies or manipulated by their false allegations against His servant. In fact, David rests in the confidence that his enemies have no access into God’s throne room. Because of their wickedness, they have no right to enter His presence to present their case against David.

But David is fully confident to come before God. He even boasts that his current situation will not prevent him from entering the Temple to offer sacrifices to God.

Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
    I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe. – Psalm 5:7 NLT

His predicament would not prevent his access to the Almighty. Even when facing difficulty, David knew he was welcome to come before his Judge and King. In times of trouble, he would turn to the only One who could help. As a king himself, David understood the sovereign rule of God. He was in charge. He alone possessed the power and authority to do anything about David’s problem. But he was also David’s God, so He deserved honor, respect, and worship. David understood the holiness and righteousness of God, and never forgot that He was set apart and separate from the sinfulness of men – including the wicked, prideful, evil doers, liars, murderers, and deceitful.

God was not like earthly kings who could be all those things and more. He was a righteous, holy King who was just, good, and merciful. So David could appeal to His unfailing love and ask for protection and guidance. 

Lead me in the right path, O Lord,
    or my enemies will conquer me.
Make your way plain for me to follow. – Psalm 5:8 NLT

Unlike David’s enemies, who lied and flattered for their own benefit, God was truthful, loving, and a righteous judge who always dealt justly and honestly with men. When David needed peace, he knew he could find it in God. When he needed direction, he could trust Yahweh to provide it. When he needed vindication, he knew God was the only reliable source.

David saw God as a place of refuge and protection. He could run to God in the tough times and find comfort in God’s open, loving arms. David understood the mercy and love of God because he had experienced it. That is why he could sing God’s praises even while suffering. He could experience joy even when surrounded by those who were out to destroy him. David had repeatedly found God to be his protector and provider. God had proven Himself faithful to David in the past, so he knew he could trust him for the future. He knew if he called, God would hear. He knew if he was under attack, verbally or physically, God would protect him. He knew if his enemies mistreated him, God would deal with them justly.

My enemies cannot speak a truthful word.
    Their deepest desire is to destroy others.
Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
    Their tongues are filled with flattery.
O God, declare them guilty.
    Let them be caught in their own traps.
Drive them away because of their many sins,
    for they have rebelled against you. – Psalm 5:9-10 NLT

David was humble enough to understand that he was not the real focus of his enemies’ attacks. Their assaults on him were really aimed at God. He was just the inconvenient intermediary. As God’s chosen king, David was the lightning rod for the attacks of the wicked and unrighteous. In rebelling against the Lord’s anointed, they were really rebelling against God. In questioning the sovereignty of David, they were denying the sovereignty of God. But David knew that his position and power had been ordained by God. He had not earned or deserved his role as king. Yahweh had placed David on the throne and he served at Yahweh’s pleasure.

This awareness of God’s sovereignty and providence caused David to take his problems to the only One who could do anything about them.

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
    that all who love your name may be filled with joy. – Psalm 5:11 NLT

He knew that when he was at a loss for what to do next, God would show him what to do because God was his King, guide, protector, provider, judge, advocate, and refuge. God was his source of joy and peace, the object of his praise, the focus of his prayers, the answer to his problems, the director of his paths, and the reason for his worship. The prophet Hosea calls on all the people of God to share that confident and unwavering perspective of God. 

Oh, that we might know the Lord!
    Let us press on to know him.
He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn
    or the coming of rains in early spring. – Hosea 6:3 NLT

Father, I want to know You more. I want to have an understanding of Your character and nature like David did. Knowing You didn’t rid David of all his problems, but it gave him a different perspective on how to handle and view them. I want to respond to the circumstances of life as he did – prayerfully, expectantly, worshipfully, and joyfully. I want to understand Your holiness better, rest in Your love more often, and sing Your praises in the good times and the bad times. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

When Things Look Down, Look Up

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

1 O Lord, how many are my foes!
    Many are rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul,
    “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
    my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4 I cried aloud to the Lord,
    and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

5 I lay down and slept;
    I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
    who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Arise, O Lord!
    Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
    you break the teeth of the wicked.

8 Salvation belongs to the Lord;
    your blessing be on your people! Selah – Psalm 3:1-8 ESV

While Psalm 2 addressed the issue of foreign adversaries standing opposed to God’s anointed king, this Psalm portrays a more intimate and internal threat. David has had to abandon Jerusalem and his throne because his son, Absalom, has taken over his kingdom. The details of this tragic event are recorded in the Book of 2 Samuel.

Absalom had recently returned from Geshur, where he had been living in exile after having killed his half-brother, Amnon. The sordid details of this story paint a less-than-pleasant picture of David’s homelife and parenting skills. He had a large and rapidly growing family because of his many wives. These marriages were in direct violation of God’s command.

“The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord.” – Deuteronomy 17:17 NLT

While David had managed to remain faithful to Yahweh, his large blended family was anything but a picture of domestic bliss. His violation of God’s command produced a series of unfortunate events that ultimately led to the events recorded in Psalm 3. Chapter 13 of 2 Samuel 13 records Amnon’s lust-fueled rape of his half-sister Tamar. This violent act went unpunished by David, leaving Tamar in a state of mourning over the loss of her virginity. She was damaged goods and, in that culture, would likely remain unmarried the rest of her life. When her brother Absalom saw that their father was not going to deal with Amnon’s crime, he took matters into his own hands and arranged for Amnon’s death. This crime also went unpunished by David. Rather than stepping up and meting out justice, David remained silent and allowed Absalom to escape to Geshur. 

In time, David allowed his exiled son to return, but refused to restore their relationship. In time, Absalom became embittered by his father’s passive-aggressive behavior. David’s avoidance of his son only fueled Absalom’s disrespect and resentment for him. Eventually, Absalom devised a plan to steal the throne from his father. Through a series of clever ploys, Absalom managed to win the hearts of the people and pull off a bloodless coup that forced David to abandon Jerusalem and concede the kingdom to his son.

Psalm 3 was written as all this was going on. So, David was going through some significantly trying circumstances. He had lost everything, including his kingdom, the love of his own son, and the respect of his people. His world had been turned upside down. To make matters worse, his enemies used this collapse of David’s fortunes to torment him. They accused God of having abandoned His anointed kind.

“God will never rescue him!” – Psalm 3:2 NLT

Even as David fled the capital, he was confronted by a man named Shimei, who took the opportunity to berate the fallen king and accuse him of getting what he so richly deserved.

As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul’s family. He threw stones at the king and the king’s officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him. “Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. “The Lord is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!” – 2 Samuel 16:5-8 NLT

These were dark days for David, but this Psalm reveals his understanding of God’s faithfulness. Despite all that had transpired, David maintained a confidence in God that came from personal experience. He knew his God was a shield about him – a form of protection from attack. No matter how bad things got, David knew God would preserve and protect him.

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
    you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the Lord,
    and he answered me from his holy mountain. – Psalm 3:3-4 NLT

As a warrior, David used his familiarity with the tools of his trade to describe the faithfulness of God. Yahweh was as reliable as the shield a soldier used in battle to protect himself from certain death. David viewed God as his greatest defense because he knew that his life existed for God’s glory. He had been called and commissioned by God. His reign had been God’s idea and only He could give David honor in the sight of others. David may have lost his throne, but he knew he was in God’s hands. Others may have lost their respect for David, but he knew that ultimately any honor he received was from God and not from his position or possessions. God gave David’s life “weight.” In other words, it was David’s relationship with God that gave his life value – not his job, title, or resume. That is why David could sleep well at night, even when his world seemed to be falling apart.

I lay down and slept,
    yet I woke up in safety,
    for the Lord was watching over me.
I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies
    who surround me on every side. – Psalm 3:5-6 NLT

Despite his losses, David maintained his confidence in God. He knew that God cared for him and was fully capable of rescuing him. His circumstances did not alter his understanding of God. Yes, he had run away from his own son. He had abandoned his throne and was hiding in the wilderness. But David knew that God was the lifter of heads. The Almighty could revive David’s fortunes and even restore him to the throne – if that was His will. That is why David expressed his confidence in God even as he abandoned the city to his son.

“If the Lord sees fit, he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again. But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.” – 2 Samuel 15:25 NLT

David knew his God. He had faith in his God. He could rest in his God. He had confidence in his God. So, he cried out to his God. Then he waited. David was not going to let circumstances determine His view of God. A bad day would not alter his understanding of the goodness of God. Unexpected and unwelcome events should never cause the believer to doubt the power or presence of God. Instead, life's adversities should cause us to turn to Him for help, hope, and healing. Cry out. He answers.

Victory comes from you, O Lord.
    May you bless your people. – Psalm 3:8 NLT

Father, give me the confidence of David. Give me a view of you that is not determined by my circumstances. Help me to see Your faithfulness in the midst of difficulty. Help me to trust You even when things seem out of control, unfair, and difficult to understand. You are my shield, glory, and the lifter of my head. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Do Not Be Anxious

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” –  Matthew 6:25-34 ESV

If, as Jesus has suggested, we are supposed to lay up treasures in heaven and not on earth, then why would we need to worry so much about the things of this earth? And if, as He has already pointed out, our hearts are to focus on heaven, where our treasure is, then the things of this earth should have far less appeal to us than they normally do. And yet, as followers of Christ, we find ourselves just as anxious about and attracted to the things of this earth as anyone else. We have financial concerns. We worry about how to pay the bills and how to put food on the table. We get anxious about everything from the brand of clothes we buy to where we will take our next vacation. But Jesus reminds us “not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25 NLT).

Those in Jesus’ audience that day were probably a lot more justified in worrying about these kinds of things. They were most likely common laborers, farmers, and fishermen. Their daily lives were marked by a constant struggle to provide food and decent clothes for their families. For the fishermen, the next catch was never a sure thing. For the farmer, his hard work of preparing the soil and planting the crops could never guarantee a good harvest. He was at the mercy of the weather and the whims of nature. So, when Jesus tells them not to worry about life, it is as if He is telling them not to breathe. 

The real issue Jesus seems to be addressing here is faith or the lack of it. He even calls them “you of little faith” (Matthew 6:30). Their worry and anxiety reveal their lack of trust in God. Part of their problem was that they were putting all their stock in the things of this world, not the next. They were consumed by worry over earthly possessions or temporal matters. Their “treasure” was not in heaven because they were expecting all of God’s blessings to come in the here and now in the form of tangible gifts or much-needed necessities. They weren’t even trusting God to provide those things. Instead, they worked for and worried about them. They struggled to provide for themselves, rather than trusting God to give them what they needed.

Like so many today, they believed the solution to their problems was always more money. And yet, Jesus told them, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24 ESV). In their culture, money was a sign of God’s blessing; it was tangible proof that you were approved by God. But Jesus told them something quite different. Followers of God were to put their trust in God. They were to turn to Him for all their needs, including food and clothing. But while God may choose to provide money as a means to meet those needs, money is not to be seen as our savior. He alone provides what we need, and He may choose to bless us with little or with much. He may determine that our needs are far less than we believed them to be. The clothes God provides for us may not be the brands or styles we prefer but if our real worry is about being clothed, that shouldn’t matter to us.

The problem seems to be that our worry revolves around status, not survival. Few of us are anxious about where we will get our next meal, but we do get concerned about how many times per week we get to eat out. Our worry is not about putting food on the table, but about the quality of life we desire.

Our constant worry and ever-present anxiety reveal our lack of faith in God. It also exposes our love affair with the things of this earth. Too often, we seek our satisfaction in things and attempt to find our self-worth in the quantity and quality of our possessions. Our houses, clothes, and cars become outward symbols of our status. Yet, Jesus asks, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:27 NLT).

He wants to know why we don’t trust God to meet our needs. God cares for the birds of the air and the flowers in the field, so what are we so worried about? Jesus even reminds us that thoughts of food and clothing “dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs” (Matthew 6:32 NLT). God knows our needs better than we do and He can discern the difference between wants and legitimate necessities. So, maybe we would be better off using Jehovah-Jireh, the LORD Who Provides, what our real needs are. Instead, we bring him our list of needs and demand that He provides all that we ask for. When He doesn’t, we get concerned and, sometimes, even angry. We doubt His faithfulness and question His love for us. But too often, we have turned wants into needs. We have allowed our love for the things of this earth to replace our love for God and our trust in His faithfulness. We measure His goodness based on what we believe to be His generosity. The more He gives us, the more we think He loves us. But Jesus reminds us that God promises to meet all our needs.

As disciples of Jesus, we should share the outlook of the apostle Paul.

I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:11-13 NLT

Contentment versus covetousness. That’s the problem. We must learn to trust God, to put our faith in Him, knowing that He loves us and has His best in store for us. God has promised to meet our needs, and He has also assured us that our greatest treasure is laid up for us in heaven, not on this earth. We are citizens of another kingdom. This world is not our home, and the things of this earth that we spend so much time coveting and worrying about will not last. They will all rust, decay, and fall apart because they are temporal. They are the things the unbelievers seek and desire because they have no idea of an afterlife. But for children of God, our treasure is to be elsewhere. Our hope, satisfaction, and contentment are to come from something other than the things of this earth.

We are to trust in God for everything. This is why Jesus tells us, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 ESV). We are to seek His kingdom, not our own. We are to seek His brand of righteousness, as made available through faith in Christ. The quantity of our earthly treasures is not an indicator of our right standing with God. The number of material possessions we enjoy on this earth should fool us into thinking we are somehow blessed by God. Our treasures are in heaven. Our hope is in God. And our faith is strong because our God is faithful.

The apostle Paul taught his disciples to follow the command of Christ. He told them, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6 ESV). Then he added this important disclaimer: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 ESV). Notice that he doesn't promise that God will give us all we request. When we share our needs with God, He will replace our anxiety with peace as we recognize His love and concern for us. Jesus reminds us, “Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs” (Matthew 6:32 NLT). Peace comes when we recognize this fact and rest in His ability to provide all we need according to His sovereign will and perfect timing.

The kingdom life is an other-worldly life marked by…

…heavenly values, not earthly ones

…an eternal perspective, not a temporal one

For the average Jew, material prosperity was viewed as a sign of God’s blessing. Affluence was proof of God’s approval. To have much was to be loved much by God. But in this section of His sermon, Jesus refutes that mindset.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures in earth…but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19, 20, 21 ESV

Jesus knew that His fellow Jews were predisposed toward a life focused on the here and now. Their desires were driven by the temporal pleasures this world offers. Even King Solomon, the son of David, shared their propensity for earthly pleasures and treasures.

I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless. So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.

I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me. I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!

So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. – Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 NLT

In the end, Solomon sadly concluded that It was all meaningless because you can’t take it with you. None of it was capable of delivering what it promised. That is why Jesus warned, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own…a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God” (Luke 12:15, 21 NLT).

 The problem is not with the temporal things themselves but with our affection for them. Paul provides us with some insight into how we should refocus our attention on those things that truly matter.

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. – Colossians 3:1-4 NLT

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. – 1 Timothy 6:17-19 NLT

Money and materialism are not the cause of our problems; it is our inordinate love of them that produces so much pain and sorrow.

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. – 1 Timothy 6:6-10 NLT

The treasures of this earth offer short-term returns on our investment in them. They are temporal, not eternal. Instead, we are to treasure that which is lasting.

This is about loyalty. It forces us to ask the question, “What do we love most, the things of this earth or the kingdom of God?” During trials, our true allegiances are revealed. When we face the potential loss of those things we love dearly, our true affections get exposed.

You can’t serve the kingdom of God and the kingdom of this earth equally. That’s why Jesus calls us to have an eternal perspective. When we love the things of this world, it becomes obvious, and our love shows up in the form of anxiety. Worry is a common malady for all men, regardless of income level or social status. We worry about not having enough or losing what we already have. Five times in 10 verses, Jesus uses the word “anxious,” and He ties it to temporal, earthly things:

• Life

• Food and drink

• The body

• Clothes

• The future (on earth)

In contrast, Jesus reminds us that those who are approved by God trust Him for all of the following things:

• Life

• Food and drink

• Our bodies

• Our clothes

• The future

Worldly pleasures and treasures produce divided allegiance and result in worry and stress. But when we make God our focus and the treasures He has laid up for us our greatest desire, we will be truly blessed and find that there is no reason for worry. Our God will meet all our needs, both now and for eternity.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Constructive Faith

1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.

3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. 5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.

6 Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Gate of Yeshanah. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 7 And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River. 8 Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired. 10 Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired. 11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters.

13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate.

14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

15 And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king's garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David. 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool, and as far as the house of the mighty men. 17 After him the Levites repaired: Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired for his district. 18 After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai the son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. 19 Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress. 20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai repaired another section from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired another section from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib. 22 After him the priests, the men of the surrounding area, repaired. 23 After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah repaired beside his own house. 24 After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and to the corner. 25 Palal the son of Uzai repaired opposite the buttress and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. 27 After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel.

28 Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. 29 After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired. 30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite his chamber. 31 After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate, and to the upper chamber of the corner. 32 And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired. – Nehemiah 3:1-32 ESV

Nehemiah had a plan for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem but he would need manual labor to carry it out. This would be back-breaking work that required both strength and precision. Each work crew was assigned a gate to repair and, once the gate was completed, they were to construct the wall that led to the next gate. Their efforts needed to coordinate with the next team of builders so that the walls could be joined together seamlessly. This massive undertaking required brute force, keen engineering skills. craftsmanship, and a great deal of patience. But the people took on the project wholeheartedly and enthusiastically. Individuals from every walk of life joined in the effort, working side by side to see that the walls of their beloved city were rebuilt.

The work of rebuilding the walls began at the Sheep Gate at the northeastern corner near the Temple Mount. This section of the wall was repaired by the priests under the direction of Eliashib the high priest. He was the grandson of Jeshua, the former high priest, who had played a major role in rebuilding the altar of God so that the sacrificial system could be reinstituted.

Jeshua son of Jehozadak joined his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his family in rebuilding the altar of the God of Israel. They wanted to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as instructed in the Law of Moses, the man of God. Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site. Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the Lord each morning and evening. – Ezra 3:2-3 NLT

The Sheep Gate played an important part in the sacrificial system as well. Located near the Temple Mount, this gate provided easy access for the shepherds who tended the flocks used for the Temple sacrifices. The reconstruction of this gate became a high priority and was taken on by the priests themselves. Even the high priest rolled up his sleeves and joined in the work. Once they completed their gate, they consecrated it, setting it apart as holy to the LORD. This symbolic act was meant to remind the people that their work was to be done “as to the LORD” (Proverbs 16:3). The gates and walls were intended to provide protection, but they would also be a constant reminder of God’s presence, power, and provision.

It is interesting to note that the men of Jericho worked beside the priests. This brief reference would have struck a chord with the Jewish audience who read Nehemiah’s recounting of this momentous occasion. The mention of Jericho would have conjured up the stories they had been told as children. When the Israelites first crossed over the Jordan in their attempt to conquer the land of Canaan, they encountered the fortified city of Jericho. God gave Joshua the following instructions for taking this seemingly impenetrable city.

Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.” – Joshua 6:1-5 NLT

Just the day before, Joshua had encountered an unknown and well-armed soldier. When Joshua asked whether he was a friend or foe, the man said, “I am the commander of the Lord’s army” (Joshuah 5:14 NLT). This pronouncement caused Joshua to fall to the ground in fear and reverence. It was from this divine messenger that Joshua received his orders to take the city of Jericho. By following the LORD’s command, the Israelites enjoyed a surprisingly easy victory over their enemies.

When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. – Joshua 6:20-21 NLT

The city of Jericho was eventually rebuilt and occupied by the Israelites. The walls that had fallen were restored, and the men who called this city their home came to assist in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Those who had the joy of living in the place where God gave the Israelites their first victory were more than happy to play a role in rebuilding the walls of their capital city.

Nehemiah goes on to chronicle the various groups that participated in the rebuilding process. While these names are unknown to modern readers, their inclusion gives the impression that people from every walk of life took part in this God-ordained project. The work was not done by peasants alone. Everyone from the high priest to the local government officials played their part. It was a community-wide effort. But there is one side note that reveals at least one group who chose to bow out of the proceedings.

…the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord. – Nehemiah 3:5 ESV

These elitist upper-class snobs deemed themselves too high and mighty to get their hands dirty. But Nehemiah paints a much more harsh reality. He describes them as unwilling to serve their Lord. They were too good to serve Yahweh.

Yet, their less affluent neighbors labored diligently and willingly to rebuild not just one section of wall, but two.

…the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. – Nehemiah 3:27 ESV

No indictment is leveled against these unnamed nobles, but the Proverbs have much to say about men like them.

A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor. – Proverbs 29:23 BSB

When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom. – Proverbs 11:2 BSB

Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. – Proverbs 18:12 BSB

Despite the pompous attitude of the nobles of Tekoah, the work continued. Others pitched in and, over time, the gates were rebuilt and the walls were restored. This communal project was a testament to Nehemiah’s organizational skills and his powers of persuasion. He had successfully convinced the people of Judah to pool their efforts and accomplish a seemingly impossible task under less-than-ideal circumstances. They labored side by side for months on end, enduring harsh weather conditions and putting up with constant harassment from their enemies. Nehemiah’s description of their efforts makes it sound like everything went off without a hitch. He describes no injuries, setbacks, mishaps, or arguments. This was a do-it-yourself project of epic proportions that would have featured endless opportunities for frustration and confrontation. Mismeasured blocks would have needed to be repaired or replaced. Pulled muscles and broken limbs would have sidelined many, slowing down the work and increasing the workload of others. 

And as the following chapter will reveal, the entire project was met with increasing hostility from the local inhabitants. Sanballat and Tobiah were relentless in their attacks, mocking the people of Judah for Don Quixote-like quest to do the impossible.

“What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” – Nehemiah 4:2 NLT

“That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” – Nehemiah 4:3 NLT

But the work went on and the walls went up. Perseverance and patience were necessary. Faith was a non-negotiable requirement. Determination and cooperation were indispensable. And the people would need to constantly remember that they had Yahweh on their side. The words of Nehemiah needed to ring in their ears as they hammered, hauled, chiseled, and chipped their way to completion.

“The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall.” – Nehemiah 2:20 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Jehovah-Selah

1 I love you, Lord;
    you are my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
    and my place of safety.
3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and he saved me from my enemies. – Psalm 18:1-3 ESV

YHWH-Selaʿ – “The LORD My Rock.” In this Psalm, David provides several descriptions of Yahweh, each of which could be used in conjunction with His name to provide further details concerning His character. First, he describes Yahweh, the LORD, as his strength (ḥēzeq). In Hebrew, this masculine noun conveys the idea of power to provide help in times of need. For David, this hope in God’s capacity to deliver him from difficulty was not a case of wishful thinking but a proven reality. In fact, the descriptor for this Psalm states, “He sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.”

David wasn’t speculating about Yahweh’s strength; he spoke from first-hand experience and added a string of nouns to further describe the extent of God’s power: rock, fortress, savior. shield, power, and place of safety. For David, these words served as literary instruments to support his “song” of praise to Yahweh. They blended together to form a musical tribute to his all-powerful, ever-present-in-times-of-need God.

In the early part of his life, David spent years living as a fugitive, constantly on the run to escape the wrath of King Saul. The prophet Samuel had anointed him to be Saul’s replacement, but Saul was not going to vacate the throne willingly or easily. Jealous of David’s military successes and growing popularity among the people, Saul viewed him as a threat and repeatedly tried to eliminate him. But God continually protected and preserved David.

Even after becoming king, David experienced the presence and power of God in his life as he successfully led the armies of Israel to victory over their enemies. He recognized Yahweh’s hand in it all and couldn’t help but sing His praises.

This song comes from a thankful heart. David could remember the dark days of hiding in caves to escape the mercenaries Saul had sent to kill him. In those moments, he felt all alone and defenseless. The presence of his “mighty men” did nothing to bolster his confidence. The anointing of Samuel failed to provide him with hope. So, in his anxiety and fear, he turned to Yahweh.

The ropes of death entangled me;
    floods of destruction swept over me.
The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
    death laid a trap in my path.
But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
    yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
    my cry to him reached his ears. – Psalm 18:4-6 NLT

In David’s moment of need, God responded.

He heard me from his sanctuary – vs 6

He opened the heavens and came down – vs 9

The Lord thundered from heaven – vs 13

He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies – vs 14

He reached down from heaven and rescued me – vs 16

…the LORD supported me – vs 18

He led me to a place of safety – vs 19

…he rescued me – vs 19

The Lord rewarded me – vs 20

…he restored me – vs 20

God had regularly shown up in David’s life; it wasn’t sporadic or a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This pattern of deliverance was a common occurrence and David learned to rely upon it during his darkest and most difficult days. That’s why he was able to describe Yahweh as his rock.

The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
    May the God of my salvation be exalted! – Psalm 18:46 NLT

The term “rock” conjures up images of stability and strength. A rock is immovable and unshakeable. Jesus used this imagery to illustrate a life “built” on the “rock” of His message of salvation.

“I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built.” – Luke 7:47-48 NLT

The Hebrew word carries the image of a rocky crag or cliff under which a weary traveler might find safety from a storm. It was in such a spot that David found a cave in which to hide and seek refuge from the bounty hunters who sought his life. The imagery of the rock was one of David’s favorite metaphors for referring to Yahweh.

O Lord, I have come to you for protection;
    don’t let me be disgraced.
    Save me, for you do what is right.
Turn your ear to listen to me;
    rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
    a fortress where I will be safe.
You are my rock and my fortress. – Psalm 31:1-3 NLT

David used “rock” and “fortress” as virtual synonyms. The Hebrew word for “fortress” is mᵉtsudâh and can also be translated as “house of defense.” The word "Masada" is a Hebrew word that means "strong foundation or support." It is also the name of an ancient fortress in Israel that was built on a natural rock plateau thousands of feet above the Dead Sea. This stronghold became a symbol of Israel’s resistance to the Romans during the later part of the 1st Century A.D.

This seemingly impenetrable mountain fortress housed a small contingent of Jewish rebels who held out against the Romans for months, finally ending their occupation by taking their own lives. For David, these images of fortresses, houses of defense, rocky crags, and well-hidden caves served as perfect metaphors for Yahweh. They are tangible yet, obviously, insufficient symbols of God’s ability to care for His own in any and all circumstances. Unlike the mountaintop fortress of Masada, God never succumbs to the enemy’s attacks. David found God to have a perfect track record when it came to His role as rock, fortress, savior. shield, power, and place of safety.

He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
    from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
    but the Lord supported me.
He led me to a place of safety;
    he rescued me because he delights in me. – Psalm 18:17-19 NLT

This imagery of the rock also appears in the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians, Paul provides insight into an Old Testament event that involved a miraculous “rock” through which God met the needs of the Israelites.

I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. – 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 NLT

This is a reference to the story found in Exodus 17. Under the leadership of Moses, the people of Israel are making their way to the land of Canaan. On their journey, they arrived at a place called Rephidim where they discovered no water to drink. As was their habit, the people grumbled at Moses and he took their complaint to God. Yahweh’s response was simple and direct.

“I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on.” – Exodus 17:6 NLT

Fast-forward 40 years and the scene shifts from Rephidim to Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. Once again, the people complained to Moses because there was no water to drink and, as before, he took the problem to God, who responded:

“You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.” – Numbers 20:8 NLT

Notice that, this time, God instructed Moses to “speak” to the rock, not to strike it. But at the story unfolds, Moses, in his anger decides to do things his way. Gathered the people together

“Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill. – Numbers 20:10-11 NLT

Attempting to elevate his stock among the disgruntled Israelites, Moses gave the impression that this miracle was his doing and, in doing so, robbed God of glory. This mistake would cost him dearly. God informed Moses and his brother Aaron, that their actions would prevent them from entering the land of Canaan.

“Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” – Numbers 20:12 NLT

But Paul ignores this part of the story and focuses on the rock. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he reveals that this was not just any rock. In fact, he infers that this was a “spiritual rock that traveled with them” (1 Corinthians 10:4 NLT). But is Paul suggesting that this physical rock somehow accompanied the Israelites as they made their way from Rephidim to Kadesh. There is a rabbinic tradition that takes just such an interpretation, but it is unlikely that this was Paul’s meaning.

Paul was using the story of the physical rock to remind his readers of Jehovah-Selah, Yahweh My Rock. He likely had in mind Moses’ statement from Deuteronomy 32.

“I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
    how glorious is our God!
He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.
    Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong;
    how just and upright he is!” – Deuteronomy 32:3-4 NLT

Paul wanted the believers in Corinth to understand that Jesus was God. As the Son of God, He took on human flesh and made God visible to mankind. John points out the amazing nature of the incarnation.

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. – John 1:18 NLT

Paul told the believers in Colossae the very same thing.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. – 1:15 NLT

For Paul, Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of the rock that provided for the Israelites’ physical thirst. But Paul points out that Jesus is a “spiritual rock,” and, as such, He provides spiritual sustenance. Jesus Himself supported this claim.

“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” – John 7:37-38 NLT

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, “whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14 ESV).

Fast-forward to the Book of Revelation, where John records the words of Jesus as He sits on the throne of David and rules over His kingdom on earth.

 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.” – Revelation 22:5-6 NLT

Jesus as Jehovah-Selah (Yahweh My Rock), will ultimately provide for all the needs of His people. He will satisfy their spiritual thirst. He will meet their every need. He will rule over a kingdom of perfect righteousness where sin, suffering, pain, and death are no longer a threat or even a possibility.

But even before that day arrives, HIs followers can rejoice in the reality of His protection and provision as the rock on which they stand.

Christ is my firm foundation
The rock on which I stand
When everything around me is shaken
I've never been more glad
That I put my faith in Jesus
'Cause He's never let me down
He's faithful through generations
So why would He fail now?
He won't, He won't

I've still got joy in chaos
I've got peace that makes no sense
So I won't be going under
I'm not held by my own strength
'Cause I've built my life on Jesus
He's never let me down
He's faithful in every season
So why would He fail now?

He won't, He won't

Firm Foundation lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

No Pain, No Gain

1 Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David, trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?” 2 And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.’ I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place. 3 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here.” 4 And the priest answered David, “I have no common bread on hand, but there is holy bread—if the young men have kept themselves from women.” 5 And David answered the priest, “Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is an ordinary journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?” 6 So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.

7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsmen.

8 Then David said to Ahimelech, “Then have you not here a spear or a sword at hand? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.” 9 And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it, for there is none but that here.” And David said, “There is none like that; give it to me.” – 1 Samuel 21:1-9  ESV

The next ten chapters of the book of 1st Samuel will chronicle the life of David as he spends the next years of his life running from King Saul. Having received the news from Jonathan that Saul was still determined to take his life, David made his way to Nob, which was about two and a half miles southeast of Gibeah. There, he sought out Ahimelech, the high priest.

David was running out of options. He could no longer go home and his relationship with Samuel the prophet had reached an end. David most likely avoided any contact with Samuel because that would be what Saul expected him to and the prophet was probably under surveillance. David had said his final goodbyes to Jonathan, knowing that they would probably never see one another again. So, in need of food and shelter, David turned to the high priest.

His arrival at Nob caught Ahimelech off guard. He was surprised and a bit scared to see David arrive by himself, without his usual allotment of troops. It seems that Saul’s volatile nature was well-known and justly feared. Ahimelech jumped to the conclusion that David had shown up as an agent sent by Saul to wreak havoc on the priests of God. This would ultimately prove not to be a farfetched idea because, in the very next chapter, Saul commands the execution of every single priest in Nob for aiding and abetting David (1 Samuel 22:6-23).

David assured Ahimelech that he was not there to do them harm. Yet, he also lied to the high priest, assuring him that he was on a top-secret mission for the king, the nature of which he was not free to divulge. This deception was used to obtain food for him and his men and to keep the high priest from asking further questions. It also reveals a certain sense of fear and a lack of trust on David’s part. He was not yet willing, ready, and able to put all his reliance upon God. He was in a tight spot and was willing to lie to preserve his own life. As time went on and David began to see God’s miraculous provision and protection, he grew increasingly more confident in God’s capacity to care for his every need. But at this point in the story, David is fairly unfamiliar with the whole fugitive lifestyle and is simply doing whatever he has to do to stay alive.

When David asked Ahimelech for bread, the only thing the high priest had available was the showbread that was put on display in the Tabernacle as part of a weekly sacrifice to God. The book of Leviticus provides us with important details regarding the showbread. It was to be changed out weekly, and the old bread was to serve as food for the priests. But they were required to eat it in a holy place and only while in a purified state because it was considered holy.

“You shall take fine flour and bake twelve loaves from it; two tenths of an ephah shall be in each loaf. And you shall set them in two piles, six in a pile, on the table of pure gold before the Lord. And you shall put pure frankincense on each pile, that it may go with the bread as a memorial portion as a food offering to the Lord. Every Sabbath day Aaron shall arrange it before the Lord regularly; it is from the people of Israel as a covenant forever. And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place, since it is for him a most holy portion out of the Lord's food offerings, a perpetual due.” – Leviticus 24:5-9 ESV

Ahimlech’s reticence to share the bread with David and his men was based on the requirement that the bread was holy and not to be eaten by anyone other than the priests and only if they were ceremonially pure. David was able to assure Ahimelech that his soldiers were ceremonially pure because there were no soldiers to begin with. David was alone. There is no indication in the text that David had taken time to gather any troops before he fled. He was completely on his own but knew that Ahimelech would have found that news even more suspicious. So he fabricated the part about his traveling companions. 

But David also assured the high priest that he and “his men” were pure; they had no had any sexual relations. This was certainly true of David because he had not seen his wife Michal for several days. But David never addressed the issue that the showbread was dedicated only for priestly consumption and he was not a priest or even a member of the tribe of Levi. He was a Benjamite. Yet, David took the bread.

Were his actions wrong? In lying to the high priest and taking bread that had been dedicated to God and reserved for the priests alone, was David guilty of violating the Mosaic Law? Did he sin against the Lord? For an answer, we have to turn to the lips of Jesus who took time to address this very story.

“Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?” – Matthew 12:3-4 ESV

Jesus is addressing a group of Pharisees who have just accused His disciples of breaking the Mosaic Law by “harvesting” grain on the Sabbath.

Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.” – Matthew 12:1-2 NLT

Jesus referred back to this historical, real-life event in David’s life in order to make a point to His adversaries. He compared what David did with His own disciples eating the heads of wheat on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, with their legalistic mindset, had declared Jesus and His followers to be in violation of God’s law. For Jesus, the actions of the disciples were justified because they were simply meeting the normal human need to eat. Jesus used the same reasoning on another occasion, when He said to the Pharisees, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:11-12 NLT). According to Jesus, David was simply trying to stay alive, so his actions were necessary and, therefore, justified.

But what David didn’t know was that his actions were being observed by someone who was on Saul’s payroll. Doeg, the Edomite was in charge of all of Saul’s flocks and it may be that he had it in for David, because he was jealous of his success. After all, David had started out as a shepherd but had risen to a place of power and prominence in the king’s court, and had even married into the king’s family. Perhaps Doeg hoped that by ratting on David, he would be elevated up the royal food chain and move from the pasture to the palace. But regardless of his intent, Doeg made his way to Saul with news about his enemy’s presence in Nob. David’s respite would prove brief and the role Ahimelech played in helping David would prove deadly.

Having been forced to leave Gibeah in a hurry, David was unarmed and defenseless. He had no troops and little hope of staving off any soldiers sent to capture him. So he inquired of Ahimelech whether there were any weapons in the priestly compound. It just so happened that the sword of Goliath, the Philistine champion whom David had killed in hand-to-hand combat, was in the Tabernacle wrapped in a priestly robe. This was the very same sword David had used to cut off the giant’s head. The symbol of his earlier victory would become a sign of hope for the future.

Having retrieved the sword, David took the five loaves of ceremonial showbread and said his goodbyes to Ahimelech. He then began what would be a long and difficult period of running, hiding, and learning to trust in God. In the years that lie ahead, David would find himself experiencing a wide range of life lessons that would increase his faith in God and strengthen his resolve to serve God faithfully. The man and leader David would eventually become would be a direct byproduct of the trials and tribulations of this less-than-pleasant phase of his life. For David, the phrase, “no pain, no gain” could have been the tagline for his life. He would discover the difficult truth that persecution often precedes exaltation. He would endure years of suffering before he ever experienced his crowning. The daily experience of loss and pain would preface his eventual reign.

Years later, when David finally experienced release from Saul’s dogged pursuit and was crowned the king of Israel, he expressed his gratitude and love to God for all He had done.

I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
    my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    and I am saved from my enemies. – Psalm 18:1-3 ESV

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Blessed to Be a Blessing

14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. – Philippians 4:14-23 ESV

Paul was grateful, and he expressed that gratitude to the Philippian church. They had lovingly and generously reached out to him in what they believed to be his time of need. Paul didn't want his earlier admission of having no need to come across as ungrateful. The last thing he wanted to do was offend his brothers and sisters in Christ because they had heard of his predicament and reached out in love and concern.

Paul wanted them to know that he was appreciative because not every church had been as kind and caring. Not only had some of the places in which he had preached failed to give toward his ministry, they had also rejected his message. While Paul had been ministering in Macedonia and Thessalonica, it had been the Philippians who had donated toward his ministry and provided for his needs.

Yet Paul, always trying to keep their minds focused on what is truly important, reminds them that their eternal reward is of far greater value than any temporal benefit he may have received from their gift. God was going to reward them for their generosity. He would bless them for their willingness to sacrifice on Paul’s behalf. The gift was not the important thing. It was the condition of hearts behind the gift.

The generosity of their gift had left Paul well-supplied and in need of nothing but,  more importantly, their gift had been “a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18 NLT). Paul was blessed, God was pleased, and the Philippians were fruitful. What more could Paul ask for?

And Paul wanted the Philippians to know that God was going to care for them because of their gracious and loving generosity.

…this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19 NLT

God loves a cheerful giver, and God expresses that love by generously meeting their needs so that they might be equipped to give again. Paul expressed this very same idea to the church in Corinth.

Remember this – a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. – 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NLT

Paul was not preaching a prosperity gospel or promoting the idea of giving to get. Personal reward should never be the motivation behind generosity. That is a totally self-centered and selfish approach that does not comport with Scripture. But gracious, selfless giving is proof of the Spirit’s work in an individual’s life; it reveals His presence and power.

But if a Christian allows reward or recognition to be his motive for giving, he will never enjoy the blessings of God. Jesus made this perfectly clear in His Sermon on the Mount.

“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” – Matthew 6:2 NLT

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.” – Matthew 6:5 NLT

“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.” – Matthew 6:16 NLT

Giving that is motivated by the praise and applause of men will be the only reward they receive. The admiration of others is no substitute for the blessings of God. To have men speak well of you may inflate your ego but it never increases your favor with God. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus exposed the danger of seeking the praise of men.

“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.” – Luke 6:26 ESV

Men may be impressed by our outward displays of generosity but they are unable to see into our hearts. But God can. That is why Jesus went on to say, “Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them” (Luke 6:30-31 ESV). Give with no strings attached and no expectation of reward or recognition for your actions. Let it be an outflow of the heart.

Paul expressed his thanks, but he didn’t want the Philippians to mistakenly assume that it was the nature of their gift that had earned them a reward from God. He didn’t want them to think that God was now somehow obligated to them or owed them a blessing. It was their love for Paul that was of greatest importance; the gift was simply an expression of that love.

We can all give, pray, and fast, expecting God to reward us for doing so. But if we don’t do it out of love, our giving, praying, and fasting have no value in God’s eyes. In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul stressed that even the greatest display of generosity or sacrifice would be of no value without the presence of love.

If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. – 1 Corinthans 13:3 NLT

Paul was able to declare that God had met every one of his needs, and he knew that God would continue to do so. God Almighty wasn’t reliant upon the Philippians to meet Paul’s needs. He could have sent an angel to minister to Paul. But God allowed the Philippians the joy of knowing what it is like to be instruments in His hands. They were allowed to experience the blessing of being the tools through which He accomplished His will for Paul’s life. Their sensitivity to the Spirit’s leading, as evidenced by their gift to Paul, was meant to remind them that God was working in them and through them. This brings us full circle to a statement Paul had made earlier in his letter to them.

Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. – Philippians 2:12-13 NLT

God was working in them and it was evident in the way they lived their lives. Their gift had blessed Paul, pleased God, and would result in His gracious reward of them. For Paul, the most important thing was that God be glorified in all things. It was never about the Philippians or Paul; it was all about the greatness and goodness of God. Paul firmly believed his imprisonment for the sake of the gospel would bring glory to God. It seems evident that God had already used Paul’s incarceration in Rome as a means to bring the good news of Jesus Christ into the household of Caesar.

Paul closed his letter by bringing greetings from the believers in Rome, including “those of Caesar's household” (Philippians 4:22 NLT). Because of Paul’s arrest and imprisonment, the gospel had infiltrated the royal palace and resulted in the salvation of some of Nero’s servants. God was using Paul’s less-than-ideal circumstances to bless the lives of others, and Paul was a willing and eager participant in the entire process. He was blessed to be used by God and closed his letter with a prayer that his readers experience God’s grace so that they too might continue to be willing instruments in His hands.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. – Philippians 4:23 ESV

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

There’s No Need To Bargain With God

1 Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel, saying, “This is what the Lord has commanded. 2 If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

3 “If a woman vows a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father’s house in her youth, 4 and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. 5 But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. And the Lord will forgive her, because her father opposed her.

6 “If she marries a husband, while under her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound herself, 7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. 8 But if, on the day that her husband comes to hear of it, he opposes her, then he makes void her vow that was on her, and the thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she bound herself. And the Lord will forgive her. 9 (But any vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, anything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her.) 10 And if she vowed in her husband’s house or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, 11 and her husband heard of it and said nothing to her and did not oppose her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. 12 But if her husband makes them null and void on the day that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning her pledge of herself shall not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the Lord will forgive her. 13 Any vow and any binding oath to afflict herself, her husband may establish, or her husband may make void. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows or all her pledges that are upon her. He has established them, because he said nothing to her on the day that he heard of them. 15 But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her iniquity.”

16 These are the statutes that the Lord commanded Moses about a man and his wife and about a father and his daughter while she is in her youth within her father’s house. – Numbers 30:1-16 ESV

The people of Israel are encamped near the border of the land of Canaan, and Moses is attempting to prepare them for the fast-approaching day when they will have to cross over that border and begin their conquest of the land promised to them by God. Much of what Moses has communicated to them has been practical advice concerning matters of worship and sacrifice.

When they finally enter the land, their lives will be consumed by fighting and attempting to create new lives for themselves. Their old way of life will be over as they transform from wanderers to conquerors. Rather than living in tents as nomads, they will find themselves enjoying the comforts of home in houses and cities they didn’t build.

With all the changes they will face in the days ahead, Moses stressed their need to maintain the religious rites and rituals that God had given them at Sinai. They were to keep all the commands regarding sacrifices and offerings. Just because they were entering a time marked by military conquest, they were not to abandon their relationship with and commitment to God.

Now, in chapter 30, Moses addresses a rather strange topic that is unfamiliar to the modern Western mindset. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, Moses brings up the issue of making vows. This is not a reference to wedding vows, but to the making of verbal commitments and, in most cases, commitments made to God. They are sometimes referred to as oaths.

Now, why would Moses be bringing up this topic at this particular point? It sounds a bit out of place, but it makes sense when one considers that the Israelites were preparing to enter a strange new land where they would face a host of unexpected and unfamiliar situations. As they found themselves going into battles against much larger and more skilled armies, it would be tempting to make vows to God in an effort to secure success. A vow could be a promise made to God in exchange for His blessing or a guarantee of safety. It might go something like this: “God, if you will bring me back safely from this battle, I will dedicate my firstborn child to Your service.”

We see just such a conversation in the book of Judges. Jephthah, one of the judges of Israel found himself facing a battle against the Ammonites. In an attempt to garner God’s assistance in defeating his enemy, Jephthah made a bargain with the Almighty.

And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, “If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” – Judges 1130-31 NLT

Jephthah meant well, but his vow would come back to haunt him. The text goes on to indicate that “Jephthah led his army against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave him victory” (Judges 11:32 NLT). But then it adds this unexpected note:

When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy. She was his one and only child; he had no other sons or daughters. When he saw her, he tore his clothes in anguish. “Oh, my daughter!” he cried out. “You have completely destroyed me! You’ve brought disaster on me! For I have made a vow to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.” – Judges 11:34-35 NLT

According to the book of Judges, Jephthah kept the vow that he had made. But the whole point of the story is the danger of making rash or hasty vows. God takes the swearing of oaths and the making of vows seriously.

When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved. – Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 NLT

“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin. However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God.” – Deuteronomy 23:21-23 NLT

Notice the last part of that Deuteronomy passage. “It is not a sin to refrain from making a vow.” In other words, vows should be made circumspectly and cautiously. As the Ecclesiastes passage puts it: “It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.”

In chapter 30 of Numbers, Moses addresses this potentially dangerous issue of oath-making because he knows the people will soon encounter difficult situations that will tempt them to make unwise commitments to God in an effort to guarantee a particular outcome. So, he reminds them to do so with caution.

A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do. – Numbers 30:2 NLT

But then, Moses adds a few important exceptions or exclusions to this rule. He addresses the vows made by women, particularly married women and single young women who are still living under their father’s authority. He begins with those who are unmarried. If one of these young ladies was to make a vow to God, it would be binding, unless her father overheard it and determined to disavow or dismiss it. As the head of the household, he had that right and authority.

“Vows were voluntary promises to do or not do specified things if God would or would not do something else. They also expressed thanks when God had done something special. They usually involved fasting or abstaining from other lawful things or giving God some special gift or offering. Moses explained the basic principles governing vows first (v. 2). The Israelites were to take their promises to God seriously and not brake them (cf. Eccles, 5:4-5).” – Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Notes on Numbers

If a father became aware of his daughter’s vow and deemed it unacceptable, he could annul it, and she would be bound by her father’s decision. His annulment of her vow would release the young lady from her commitment to God.

The same thing would be true for a married woman. If she made a vow to God and her husband determined it to be unacceptable, she would be obligated to submit to his decision. His disavowal would free her from any obligation to God.

…if her husband refuses to accept her vow or impulsive pledge on the day he hears of it, he nullifies her commitments, and the Lord will forgive her. – Numbers 30:8 NLT

This all hinges on the issue of headship. A young woman, while unmarried, remained under his father’s protection and authority. As soon as she married, she came under the headship of her husband. And both the father and the husband answered directly to God. The test does not address whether God would hold the father or husband responsible for the breaking of the vow. There could be a case in which a father forced his daughter to break her vow but, in doing so, he violated the will of God. This authority given to the father and husband was not to be taken lightly, and Moses makes it clear that if the father or husband failed to dismiss the woman’s vow, she remained obligated to God.

In the case of widows or divorcees, they were directly answerable to God. With no husband to watch over them, God acted as their protector and provider. So, if they made a vow to God, they would be held responsible for keeping it.

If, however, a woman is a widow or is divorced, she must fulfill all her vows and pledges. – Numbers 30:9 NLT

This admonition was intended to make these women think twice before making vows to God. But it also suggests that God would be watching over them and protecting them from doing anything rash or thoughtless.

As the psalmist later attested, vows were to be taken seriously and made soberly.

Make vows to the Lord your God, and keep them.
    Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One. – Psalm 76:11 NLT

Once the Israelites entered the land, they were to refrain from making bargains with God. If they attempted to buy God off by making vows they never intended to keep, they would pay dearly for it. This entire section of the Book of Numbers seems to be advocating for a simple trust in God’s sovereignty and providential care. There was no need to make deals by offering God something in exchange for His blessings. He had already promised to go before them and pave the way for their success. His faithfulness guaranteed His presence and provision for all their needs. Vows would be unnecessary and, yet, once made, they were to be taken seriously. God would hold His people accountable. But He was also gracious and provided a means by which rash vows could be disavowed. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A New Generation and a New Opportunity

52 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 53 “Among these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names. 54 To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance in proportion to its list. 55 But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. 56 Their inheritance shall be divided according to lot between the larger and the smaller.”

57 This was the list of the Levites according to their clans: of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites. 58 These are the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. And Kohath was the father of Amram. 59 The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister. 60 And to Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. 62 And those listed were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward. For they were not listed among the people of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the people of Israel.

63 These were those listed by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who listed the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. 64 But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness.” Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. – Numbers 26:52-65 ESV

The census ordered by Jehovah had more than one purpose. Not only would it determine the number of men eligible for military service, but it would also provide the basis for each tribe’s land allotment once they entered Canaan. Since Moses was ordered to conduct the census tribe by tribe, the final number of each tribe’s combatants would reflect their overall population size and their appropriate share of the inheritance. Knowing that the apportionment of the land could be a potential landmine, God gave Moses strict instructions regarding its division and allotment.

“Divide the land among the tribes, and distribute the grants of land in proportion to the tribes’ populations, as indicated by the number of names on the list. Give the larger tribes more land and the smaller tribes less land, each group receiving a grant in proportion to the size of its population.” – Numbers 26:53-54 NLT

It only made sense that the larger tribes would receive a larger portion of the land. But to prevent the larger tribes from using their influence to grab the best land for themselves, God ordered Moses to use a lottery system to determine how the land was divided and assigned.

“But you must assign the land by lot, and give land to each ancestral tribe according to the number of names on the list. Each grant of land must be assigned by lot among the larger and smaller tribal groups.” – Numbers 26:55-56 NLT

Because of his role as the leader of the nation of Israel, Moses found himself in a delicate and somewhat difficult position. Not only was he responsible for convincing the people to enter the land and begin its conquest, but he would also have to determine the boundaries of each tribe’s land allotment. Even while God had ordered this task to be accomplished through the casting of lots, there was still a good chance that one or more of the tribes might be dissatisfied with the location or physical characteristics of the land they received. It didn’t help that virtually every square inch of Canaan was already occupied by other nations that were not going to give up their land without a fight. So, Moses had his work cut out for him.

But God had sovereignly ordained a strategy that would protect Moses from accusations of self-aggrandizement or using his power to promote his particular tribe. Moses was a member of the tribe of Levi and God had already determined that this tribe would receive no allotment of land in Canaan. They were to serve as priests and the caretakers of the Tabernacle, and God had already made it clear that He would provide for all their needs once they arrived in the land of promise.

“Remember that the Levitical priests—that is, the whole of the tribe of Levi—will receive no allotment of land among the other tribes in Israel. Instead, the priests and Levites will eat from the special gifts given to the Lord, for that is their share. They will have no land of their own among the Israelites. The Lord himself is their special possession, just as he promised them.” – Deuteronomy 18:1-2 NLT

The tribe of Levi would not own any land in Canaan, so no one could accuse Moses of showing favoritism to his own clan. But without land, how would the Levites feed their families, flocks, and herds? God had made provision for that as well.

“You priests will receive no allotment of land or share of property among the people of Israel. I am your share and your allotment. As for the tribe of Levi, your relatives, I will compensate them for their service in the Tabernacle. Instead of an allotment of land, I will give them the tithes from the entire land of Israel.” – Numbers 18:20-21 NLT

God had arranged a way for them to have ample food to eat. Not only that, He had ordained a plan to provide for their living arrangements. While they would receive no allotment of land, they would be given cities located within the other tribes’ territories.

“Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites from their property certain towns to live in, along with the surrounding pasturelands. These towns will be for the Levites to live in, and the surrounding lands will provide pasture for their cattle, flocks, and other livestock. The pastureland assigned to the Levites around these towns will extend 1,500 feet from the town walls in every direction. Measure off 3,000 feet outside the town walls in every direction—east, south, west, north—with the town at the center. This area will serve as the larger pastureland for the towns.” – Numbers 35:2-5 NLT

God had made ample preparations and provisions for the Levites. In doing so, He had ensured that there would be no way for Moses to use his power to reward his own tribe. God had protected him. But while the Levites were exempt from military service, they were still included in the census.

The men from the Levite clans who were one month old or older numbered 23,000. But the Levites were not included in the registration of the rest of the people of Israel because they were not given an allotment of land when it was divided among the Israelites. – Numbers 26:62 NLT

The Levites were numbered but not required to register for military service. They would continue to serve as priests and perform the duties assigned to them as caretakers of the Tabernacle.

But this chapter ends with a rather somber reminder of the previous generation. Nearly 40 years earlier, God had ordered that a census be taken when the people were camped at the base of Mount Sinai. It had been a year since they escaped their enslavement in Egypt and they were well on their way to their final destination – the land of promise. So, God ordered Moses to conduct a census to ascertain their exact number.

A year after Israel’s departure from Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai. On the first day of the second month of that year he said, “From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their clans and families. List all the men twenty years old or older who are able to go to war. You and Aaron must register the troops, and you will be assisted by one family leader from each tribe.” – Numbers 1:1-4 NLT

The number came to 603,550, not including the Levites. Nearly 38 years later, the number had not changed dramatically; they could still field 601,730 eligible men for combat duty. God had sustained their numbers all throughout the four decades they had wandered in the wilderness. But Moses points out that while the numbers were relatively the same, the names and faces had changed.

Not one person on this list had been among those listed in the previous registration taken by Moses and Aaron in the wilderness of Sinai. For the Lord had said of them, “They will all die in the wilderness.” Not one of them survived except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. – Numbers 26:64-64 NLT

The previous generation had blown their chance to enter the land of Canaan. Thirty-eight years earlier, they had the opportunity to cross the Jordan River and begin the conquest of the land, but they refused. When the spies reported that there were powerful nations occupying the land, the people made the fateful decision to reject God’s offer of an inheritance and decided to return to Egypt instead. But God would not allow them to return to their former enslavement. As punishment for their disobedience, they were doomed to wander through the wilderness until every last one of them died. The only two members of that generation who would enter the land of Canaan were Caleb and Joshua, the two spies who had tried to convince the people to trust God and obey His command to enter the land. But their words had fallen on deaf ears.

Now, 38 years later, those two men would be the sole survivors of the previous generation who would have the privilege and honor of crossing the Jordan River and occupying the land that had been promised to them by God. They had waited four decades, but now their hopes and dreams would finally be fulfilled. Their faithfulness and resilience would be rewarded by God and both men would play significant roles in Israel’s conquering and occupation of the land of Canaan. The Lord had cleaned house and was ready to fulfill His promise to provide His people with their inheritance, using these two faithful men to lead the way.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Faith is the Victory

10 And the people of Israel set out and camped in Oboth. 11 And they set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness that is opposite Moab, toward the sunrise. 12 From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered. 13 From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites, for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord,

“Waheb in Suphah, and the valleys of the Arnon,
15 and the slope of the valleys
that extends to the seat of Ar,
and leans to the border of Moab.”

16 And from there they continued to Beer; that is the well of which the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, so that I may give them water.” 17 Then Israel sang this song:

“Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!—
18 the well that the princes made,
that the nobles of the people dug,
with the scepter and with their staffs.”

And from the wilderness they went on to Mattanah, 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the valley lying in the region of Moab by the top of Pisgah that looks down on the desert. – Numbers 21:10-20 ESV

Having been denied safe passage through the land of Edom, the Israelites attempted to make their way through the Negev. However, their efforts were hampered by the Canaanites who occupied that territory. So, they reversed their steps and headed east around the borders of Edom to the western borders of Moab. This would have been a long and circuitous journey that left the Israelites frustrated by their slow progress. It was an unexpected and unwelcome detour that required the people of God to extend their time in the wilderness but there was a reason for this delay. God was waiting for the remainder of the first generation of Israelites who had refused to enter Canaan the first time to die off. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses recalls the nearly 40-year death march the Israelites were forced to make because of their refusale to obey God’s command.

“Thirty-eight years passed from the time we first left Kadesh-barnea until we finally crossed the Zered Brook! By then, all the men old enough to fight in battle had died in the wilderness, as the Lord had vowed would happen. The Lord struck them down until they had all been eliminated from the community.” – Deuteronomy 2:14-15 NLT

And as that earlier generation slowly died off, the time grew closer to when the next crop of Israelites would face the decision to obey God and enter the land of Canaan. But as they drew closer to Canaan’s border, God warned the people to give the people of Moab a wide berth.

“Do not bother the Moabites, the descendants of Lot, or start a war with them. I have given them Ar as their property, and I will not give you any of their land.” – Deuteronomy 2:9 NLT

When the very last member of the earlier generation died, the Israelites were given permission to cross the border of Moab and enter the land of Ammon,

“Today you will cross the border of Moab at Ar and enter the land of the Ammonites, the descendants of Lot. But do not bother them or start a war with them. I have given the land of Ammon to them as their property, and I will not give you any of their land.’” – Deuteronomy 2:18-19 NLT

As before, the Israelites were to refrain from taking any land from the Ammonites. These people were close relatives of the Israelites and God declared their property to be off limits. God had awarded Lot’s descendants this land and the Israelites had no claim to it.

But the day came when God ordered the Israelites to begin their conquest of the land of Canaan. The older generation was gone and, after a nearly 40-year delay, it was time for God’s people to obey His command and enter the land of promise.

“Then the Lord said, ‘Now get moving! Cross the Arnon Gorge. Look, I will hand over to you Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and I will give you his land. Attack him and begin to occupy the land. Beginning today I will make people throughout the earth terrified because of you. When they hear reports about you, they will tremble with dread and fear.’” – Deuteronomy 2:24-25 NLT

Moses attempted to negotiate a treaty with Sihon, the king of the Amorites, but he was not interested in peace talks. That’s when God informed Moses to drop the peace overtures and have the people pick up their weapons.

“Look, I have begun to hand King Sihon and his land over to you. Begin now to conquer and occupy his land.” – Deuteronomy 2:31 NLT

The victory was overwhelming. Moses chronicled the event by giving God all the glory:

“…the Lord our God handed him over to us, and we crushed him, his sons, and all his people.  We conquered all his towns and completely destroyed everyone—men, women, and children. Not a single person was spared.” – Deuteronomy 2:33-34 NLT

In this chapter of Numbers, Moses refers to “the Book of the Wars of the Lord” (Numbers 21:14 ESV). This was a record of Israel’s victories recorded in the form of songs. The people were just beginning to witness the overwhelming power of God on their behalf and this victory over the Amorites was to be the first of many. The songs were intended to promote a sense of hope and confidence among the people of God.

After their defeat of the Amorites, the Israelites continued on to Beer, where God quenched the thirst of the people with refreshing water. And the people responded in grateful song.

“Spring up, O well!
    Yes, sing its praises!
Sing of this well,
    which princes dug,
which great leaders hollowed out
    with their scepters and staffs.” – Numbers 21:17-18 NLT

Israel was experiencing a sense of renewed confidence as they witnessed firsthand the power and providence of God. He was graciously preparing them for the days ahead and helping them to understand that anything was possible when they placed their faith in Him.

But while they were getting closer to the land of Canaan, they were not quite ready to take on the challenges that lie across the border. So, God continues to prepare them for the difficult days ahead.

Their enthusiasm, while admirable, would not be enough to bring victory against the nations living in Canaan. What the Israelites really needed was increased confidence in the power of God. Ultimately, the conquest of the land would be up to Him. They were going to need to learn to trust Him implicitly. Cockiness was not an acceptable substitute for confidence in God.

They were learning the timeless lesson recorded in the old hymn, “Faith is the Victory.”

Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled;
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.

Faith is the victory! (Faith is the victory!)
Faith is the victory! (Faith is the victory!)
Oh, glorious victory
That overcomes the world.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Trust and Obey

1 And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there.

2 Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.” 6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, 7 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” 9 And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him.

10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” 13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy. – Numbers 20:1-13 ESV

Nearly 40 years have passed since the Israelites first arrived at the border of the land of Canaan but refused to obey God’s command and take possession of it. Due to their rebellion, they had spent the last four decades wandering through the wilderness between Egypt and Canaan until that generation died off. God was not going to allow them a second chance to take possession of their inheritance. That privilege would be passed to their sons and daughters.

Ever since the Israelites had been delivered from their captivity in Egypt, they had shown a propensity for complaining and, ultimately, rebellion. They had a habit of viewing everything from a negative perspective, and this problem went all the way to the top.

This chapter opens up with the death of Miriam, the elder sister of Moses and Aaron, and what is significant about the timing of her death is its location. She takes her last breath on Earth in a place called Kadesh.

This had been a regular camping point for the people of God during their days in the wilderness. They had been here before, years earlier, and had proven their penchant for rebellion and refusal to obey God’s commands.

“You also made the Lord angry at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-hattaavah. And at Kadesh-barnea the Lord sent you out with this command: ‘Go up and take over the land I have given you.’ But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God and refused to put your trust in him or obey him. Yes, you have been rebelling against the Lord as long as I have known you.” – Deuteronomy 9:22-24 NLT

Kadesh was located near the southern borders of Canaan and it came to represent a kind of stop sign in the lives of the nation of Israel. It was as if this spot was as far as they could force themselves to go in their quest to occupy the land that God had given them. It would be in Kadesh that Miriam’s life would come to an end. She would never set foot in the land of promise all because she had chosen to question God’s will by attempting to wrest leadership from the hands of her own brother. This less-than-flattering scene from Miriam’s life is recorded in Numbers 12. She and Aaron joined forces to demand equal billing when it came to leading the nation.

They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” – Numbers 12:2 NLT

They weren’t content in their roles and desired to share the leadership responsibilities with their brother. But God did not agree.

“Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed. – Numbers 12:8-9 ESV

For her part in the attempted coup, Miriam was struck with leprosy but Moses interceded for his sister and begged God to heal her, which He did. But while Miriam was spared the pain and social ostracization that comes with leprosy, she would be denied entry into the land of Canaan. She paid dearly for her rebellion.

The story of her death is followed by yet another example of rebellion on the part of the people. The people found themselves in Kadesh once again and, more specifically, at a place called Meribah. That name had a special significance to the people of Israel – for both good and bad reasons. It was at Meribah that God had performed a miraculous sign by providing them with water out of a rock.

In Exodus 17, we have recorded this first encounter with "the rock." On that occasion, they were in the early stages of their wilderness experience. When they came to the wilderness of Sin, they discovered that there was no water for them to drink. So the people did what they were prone to do – they complained, and Moses did what he was prone to do – take the matter to God.

God instructed him to take his rod and strike a particular rock. When he did, water gushed from the rock. In the book of Corinthians, Paul tells us something significant about this remarkable water-producing rock.

…and all of them drank the same miraculous water. For they all drank from the miraculous rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. – 1 Corinthians 10:4 NLT

Now there was a legend taught by the rabbi that claimed this rock actually traveled with the people of Israel. There is no Scriptural basis for this theory, but in Numbers 20, the “rock” makes an appearance once again. Whether it was the very same rock or just another rock through which God provided for the peoples’ needs, Paul’s point is that the rock symbolized Christ. It was He who had been with the Israelites all the time they were in the wilderness, providing life-sustaining water for them. In fact, in Exodus 17, when it states that God told Moses to strike the rock, that word means to "strike, beat, scourge, ravage, slay, or wound." It’s the same word used when God "smote" the firstborn of Egypt. It paints a picture of the scourging and beating of Christ at His trials and crucifixion. Jesus would become the source of living water. During His encounter with the Samaritan woman  Jesus told her, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water" (John 4:10 NLT). Just a few chapters later, John records Jesus telling a crowd, "If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within" (John 7:37-38 NLT).

In chapter 20 of the book of Numbers, we have not a retelling of the story of Meribah, but another Meribah. This is one of those "deja-vu-all-over-again" types of experiences. Meribah means " argument" or "strife." The name stems from the actions of the people of God because they argued or quarreled with God on both occasions. The second time, God instructed Moses to take up his rod again, but this time He specifically told Moses to SPEAK to the rock – not strike it. In Exodus 17, Moses receives clear instructions from God to strike the rock.

“Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” – Exodus 17:5-6 ESV

But this time, Moses was told to speak to the rock.

“You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.” – Numbers 20:8 NLT

But in his anger with the people, Moses disobeys God and strikes the rock, not once but twice. Not only that, before taking out his anger on the rock, he addressed the people and vocally declared his frustration with them.

“Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” – Numbers 20:10 NLT

His actions produced the desired result; water poured from the rock. But in disobeying God, Moses incurred His wrath. Think about it. If what Paul says in 1 Corinthians is true – that the rock is a representation of Christ, then Moses is taking out his anger on Christ. The first time Moses struck the rock, it was a representation of the death that Christ must suffer so that we might have life. But from that point forward, Christ's life-sustaining power was available for the asking. There was no need to "beat" it out of Him. He had provided before and He would provide again. All Moses needed to do was ask. But instead, He struck the rock in anger, and this action would prevent Moses from entering the land of promise. Like his sister, Miriam, Moses would die in the wilderness, having been denied entrance into the very land he had strived so long to reach. Aaron would suffer a similar fate.

This is a difficult passage. It seems as if Moses and Aaron received a punishment from God that far outweighed the crime. But in his commentary on the Old Testament, Matthew Henry sheds some helpful light on this passage.

"First, They did not punctually observe their orders, but in some things varied from their commission; God bade them speak to the rock, and they spoke to the people, and smote the rock, which at this time they were not ordered to do, but they thought speaking would not do. When, in distrust of the power of the word, we have recourse to the secular power in matters of pure conscience, we do, as Moses here, smite the rock to which we should only speak, Secondly, They assumed too much of the glory of this work of wonder to themselves: Must we fetch water? as if it were done by some power or worthiness of theirs. Therefore it is charged upon them (v. 12) that they did not sanctify God, that is, they did not give him that glory of this miracle which was due unto his name. Thirdly, Unbelief was the great transgression (v. 12): You believed me not; nay, it is called rebelling against God’s commandment, ch. 27:14. The command was to bring water out of the rock, but they rebelled against this command, by distrusting it, and doubting whether it would take effect or no. They speak doubtfully: Must we fetch water? And probably they did in some other ways discover an uncertainty in their own minds whether water would come or no for such a rebellious generation as this was. And perhaps they the rather questioned it, though God had promised it, because the glory of the Lord did not appear before them upon this rock, as it had done upon the rock in Rephidim, Ex. 17:6. They would not take God’s word without a sign." – Matthew Henry, “Numbers,” Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible

Disobedience, unbelief, and seeking glory for themselves. That was their sin, and it is the sin of many today. We disobey God because we do not believe God. We don’t trust His word. And even when we do obey, we do it to get the glory for ourselves. But while Moses and Aaron were God’s chosen leaders, He would not tolerate their behavior. Moses’ anger-induced actions caused him to disobey and dishonor God. In doing what he did, Moses drew the people’s attention away from God and made himself the star of the show. He robbed God of glory by demonstrating a blatant disregard for His word. For this Moses would pay dearly.

“Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” – Numbers 20:12 ESV

God will provide but He requires obedience. He will provide but He will not share His glory. He will provide but He expects His people to believe. But because Moses didn’t believe God, he ended up dishonoring God. He learned the painful lesson that God is holy and demands that we treat Him as such.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Sufficient Source of Sustenance

20 And the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.

21 “To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting, 22 so that the people of Israel do not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the people of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithe of the people of Israel, which they present as a contribution to the Lord, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said of them that they shall have no inheritance among the people of Israel.”

25 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Moreover, you shall speak and say to the Levites, ‘When you take from the people of Israel the tithe that I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present a contribution from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe. 27 And your contribution shall be counted to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress. 28 So you shall also present a contribution to the Lord from all your tithes, which you receive from the people of Israel. And from it you shall give the Lord's contribution to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all the gifts to you, you shall present every contribution due to the Lord; from each its best part is to be dedicated.’ 30 Therefore you shall say to them, ‘When you have offered from it the best of it, then the rest shall be counted to the Levites as produce of the threshing floor, and as produce of the winepress. 31 And you may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. 32 And you shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have contributed the best of it. But you shall not profane the holy things of the people of Israel, lest you die.’” – Numbers 18:20-32 ESV

The tribe of Levi had been set apart by God and assigned responsibility for caring for the Tabernacle and overseeing the elaborate sacrificial system He had ordained for the nation of Israel. Of the 12 tribes of Israel, they were the only ones that would not be given an allotment of land in Canaan. Rather than inheriting a designated area within the land of promise, they would be given 48 cities located within the territorial boundaries of the other tribes.

“Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, where a person who has accidentally killed someone can flee for safety. In addition, give them forty-two other towns. In all, forty-eight towns with the surrounding pastureland will be given to the Levites. These towns will come from the property of the people of Israel. The larger tribes will give more towns to the Levites, while the smaller tribes will give fewer. Each tribe will give property in proportion to the size of its land.” – Numbers 35:6-8 NLT

This meant that members of the tribe of Levi would be distributed among the other tribes of Israel. In a sense, as God’s “holy ”ones, they were to permeate the rest of God’s people and provide a positive spiritual influence on the nation as a whole. In return for their faithful service as priests and caretakers of the Tabernacle, the Levites would enjoy the provision of God.

“You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.

“To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting…” – Numbers 18:20-21 ESV

God promised to meet all their needs. However, their compensation would not come in the form of agricultural commodities or livestock. They would grow no crops of their own. They would own no flocks or herds. Yet, God would provide for them through means of the sacrificial system. God would graciously share with the Levitical priests the gifts given to Him by the people.

“These are the parts the priests may claim as their share from the cattle, sheep, and goats that the people bring as offerings: the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach. You must also give to the priests the first share of the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, and the wool at shearing time. For the Lord your God chose the tribe of Levi out of all your tribes to minister in the Lord’s name forever.” – Deuteronomy 18:3-5 NLT

“God was the unique inheritance to the Levites. He was the focus of their service, the source of their sustenance, and the significance of their calling. Their inheritance included cities, daily food, and a constant vocation, but it did not include the same type of land inheritance given to the other tribes of Israel.” – www.gotquestions.org

In their position as God’s mediators, the Levites played a vital role in protecting the spiritual and physical well-being of the people. They served as guardians of the Tabernacle with the responsibility of preventing any unauthorized individual from attempting to enter the holy place or come in contact with the consecrated items contained within it.

“From now on, no Israelites except priests or Levites may approach the Tabernacle. If they come too near, they will be judged guilty and will die. Only the Levites may serve at the Tabernacle, and they will be held responsible for any offenses against it.” – Numbers 18:22-23 NLT

Failure to do their job would have dire consequences for all involved. So, God stressed to Aaron the serious nature of their role. Holiness was a high priority for God and the Levites were to help the nation of Israel maintain its set-apart status by requiring obedience to His commands

In return, God would provide for all their needs. Yet, the Levites were still expected to contribute a tithe based on His gracious gifts to them. In other words, they were to offer a tithe on the tithe. When the people gave their tithes to God, the Levites would receive a portion as a gracious gift from God. But God expected them to a tithe in return, as a token of their gratitude toward and complete reliance upon Him.

“You must present one-tenth of the tithe received from the Israelites as a sacred offering to the Lord. This is the Lord’s sacred portion, and you must present it to Aaron the priest. Be sure to give to the Lord the best portions of the gifts given to you.” – Numbers 18:28-29 NLT

They were instructed to treat the tithes of the people as if they were the produce they had grown, the flocks they had raised, and the fruits they had cultivated.

“When you present the best part as your offering, it will be considered as though it came from your own threshing floor or winepress.” – Numbers 18:30 NLT

This was intended to create a sense of total dependence upon God. He was to be their sole source of provision and by giving a tenth of what they received back to Him, they would be demonstrating their complete reliance upon His grace and mercy. But God warned them to take this command seriously and obey it religiously. There was no room for debate or differences of opinion.

“You Levites and your families may eat this food anywhere you wish, for it is your compensation for serving in the Tabernacle. You will not be considered guilty for accepting the Lord’s tithes if you give the best portion to the priests. But be careful not to treat the holy gifts of the people of Israel as though they were common. If you do, you will die.” – Numbers 18:31-32 NLT

Disobedience would result in God’s disapproval and, ultimately, the death of the guilty party. If they treated the tithes of the people with disrespect, they would pay with their lives. Those gifts and offerings had been dedicated to God and were to be revered as His possessions. He was graciously sharing with them what was rightfully His. And what He really wanted them to understand was that He was to be their portion. The Hebrew word is חֵלֶק (ḥēleq), and it can be translated as “portion,” “part,” or “territory.”

While they would receive no land as their inheritance, God would serve as their territory. The benefits they would normally expect to receive from land ownership would be provided by God Himself, and He would prove to be a more than sufficient source of sustenance. Yet, His goodness would be directly tied to their obedience.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.