Psalm 70

Psalm 70

1MAKE HASTE, O GOD, TO DELIVER ME; MAKE HASTE TO HELP ME, O LORD.

2Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.

3Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.

4Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.

5But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.

This psalm is so short. It makes me think of Ecclesiastes 5-- "let my words be few." God is truly our help and deliverer, and we are truly truly poor and needy. The psalmist's desperate pleas to God in the first 2 verses show how our relationship with him should be as well--we should turn to him first, pouring out all our anxieties and woes on him, because we KNOW that he will rescue us. Acknowledging our depravity makes our joy in God's salvation so much better. And that should cause us to desire to magnify and glorify God. I think that recently he's given me so much peace. and he's so persistent in knocking on my hard head. he knows my shortcomings, what i am afraid to do, what doesnt cross my mind. and up he goes and plunks everything right in front of me. old friends i havent bothered to keep in touch with are suddenly reaching out to ME, and a lot of them seem very receptive and interested in talking about things that matter for eternity. Praise God that he would choose to use a hopeless vessel like me. and yet, i still somehow have the boldness to demean his glory and make everything about me. i'm so selfish. but God is good and his work through sanctification is soo sweet.

Psalms 69

Psalm 69

For the director of music. To the tune of "Lilies." Of David.

1 Save me, O God,
for the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in the miry depths,
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.
3 I am worn out calling for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
looking for my God.
4 Those who hate me without reason
outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,
those who seek to destroy me.
I am forced to restore
what I did not steal.
5 You know my folly, O God;
my guilt is not hidden from you.
6 May those who hope in you
not be disgraced because of me,
O Lord, the LORD Almighty;
may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me,
O God of Israel.
7 For I endure scorn for your sake,
and shame covers my face.
8 I am a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my own mother's sons;
9 for zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.
10 When I weep and fast,
I must endure scorn;
11 when I put on sackcloth,
people make sport of me.
12 Those who sit at the gate mock me,
and I am the song of the drunkards.
13 But I pray to you, O LORD,
in the time of your favor;
in your great love, O God,
answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire,
do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
from the deep waters.
15 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
or the depths swallow me up
or the pit close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love;
in your great mercy turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from your servant;
answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
18 Come near and rescue me;
redeem me because of my foes.
19 You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed;
all my enemies are before you.
20 Scorn has broken my heart
and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
for comforters, but I found none.
21 They put gall in my food
and gave me vinegar for my thirst.
22 May the table set before them become a snare;
may it become retribution and [a] a trap.
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.
24 Pour out your wrath on them;
let your fierce anger overtake them.
25 May their place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute those you wound
and talk about the pain of those you hurt.
27 Charge them with crime upon crime;
do not let them share in your salvation.
28 May they be blotted out of the book of life
and not be listed with the righteous.
29 I am in pain and distress;
may your salvation, O God, protect me.
30 I will praise God's name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the LORD more than an ox,
more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.
32 The poor will see and be glad—
you who seek God, may your hearts live!
33 The LORD hears the needy
and does not despise his captive people.
34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and all that move in them,
35 for God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will settle there and possess it;
36 the children of his servants will inherit it,
and those who love his name will dwell there.

Though David never makes slight of his struggles and pains, fears, and distress, he never ever fails to glorify God. wow just amazing that when reading the psalms and meditating on them you must come to praise God. I wish that my testimony and sharing with people would be like David's. You just can't help but see how great God is, even when David is hurting. so yup wanted to agree with Joyce and Ashley about how good our God is. He is so blindingly beautiful and wonderful that life's pains cannot dampen the brightness. One passage I wanted to look at though was:
6 May those who hope in you
not be disgraced because of me,
O Lord, the LORD Almighty;
may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me,
O God of Israel.
I think we all feel this way because our hearts are deceitful above all things and because we are still such sinful creatures, and we do bring disgrace to Christ's sacrifice every day. But even worse, to cry out O Lord, may those unsaved not be turned away from you because of me! May I not shame you before them and present to them a false image of you; may I not through my sin cause the non believing friends you've placed in my life to be disgusted by you! I don't know why God chose me or any of us when we bring so much disgrace to His name. But He is good and faithful to do His good work in even my failures. Praise the God who was and is and is to come, whose loving kindness is everlasting :)

oh hey! forgot to tell you guys that I and 5 other people are performing "Holy Holy Holy" accapella tonight at 7:00 Boelter 3400. Its called Coffeehouse and its just an opportunity for people to donate to missions. specifically one to ensenada mexico

Psalm 68

1Let ^(A)God arise, let His enemies be scattered,
And let those who hate Him flee before Him.
2As ^(B)smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
As ^(C)wax melts before the fire,
So let the ^(D)wicked perish before God.
3But let the ^(E)righteous be glad; let them exult before God;
Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.
4Sing to God, ^(F)sing praises to His name;
^(G)Lift up a song for Him who ^(H)rides through the deserts,
Whose ^(I)name is the LORD, and exult before Him.
5A ^(J)father of the fatherless and a ^(K)judge ^[a]for the widows,
Is God in His ^(L)holy habitation.
6God ^(M)makes a home for the lonely;
He ^(N)leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only ^(O)the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
7O God, when You ^(P)went forth before Your people,
When You ^(Q)marched through the wilderness, Selah.
8The ^(R)earth quaked;
The ^(S)heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
^(T)Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9You ^(U)shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God;
You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched.
10Your creatures settled in it;
You ^(V)provided in Your goodness for the poor, O God.
11The Lord gives the command;
The ^(W)women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host:
12"^(X)Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home will ^(Y)divide the spoil!"
13^[b]When you lie down ^(Z)among the ^[c]sheepfolds,
You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And its pinions with glistening gold.
14When the Almighty ^(AA)scattered the kings there,
It was snowing in ^(AB)Zalmon.
15A ^(AC)mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
16Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks,
At the mountain which God has ^(AD)desired for His abode?
Surely ^(AE)the LORD will dwell there forever.
17The ^(AF)chariots of God are ^[d]myriads, ^(AG)thousands upon thousands;
The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.
18You have ^(AH)ascended on high, You have ^(AI)led captive Your captives;
You have received gifts among men,
Even among the rebellious also, that the LORD God may dwell there.
19Blessed be the Lord, who daily ^(AJ)bears our burden,
^(AK)The God who is our salvation. Selah.
20God is to us a ^(AL)God of deliverances;
And ^(AM)to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death.
21Surely God will ^(AN)shatter the head of His enemies,
The hairy crown of him who goes on in his guilty deeds.
22The Lord said, "^(AO)I will bring them back from Bashan.
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea;
23That ^(AP)your foot may shatter them in blood,
The tongue of your ^(AQ)dogs may have its portion from your enemies."
24They have seen ^(AR)Your procession, O God,
The procession of my God, my King, ^(AS)into the sanctuary.
25The ^(AT)singers went on, the musicians after them,
In the midst of the ^(AU)maidens beating tambourines.
26^(AV)Bless God in the congregations,
Even the LORD, you who are of the ^(AW)fountain of Israel.
27There is ^(AX)Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them,
The princes of Judah in their throng,
The princes of ^(AY)Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28Your God has ^(AZ)commanded your strength;
Show Yourself strong, O God, ^(BA)who have acted on our behalf.
29Because of Your temple at Jerusalem
^(BB)Kings will bring gifts to You.
30Rebuke the ^(BC)beasts in the reeds,
The herd of ^(BD)bulls with the calves of the peoples,
Trampling under foot the pieces of silver;
He has ^(BE)scattered the peoples who delight in war.
31Envoys will come out of ^(BF)Egypt;
^(BG)Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God.
32Sing to God, O ^(BH)kingdoms of the earth,
^(BI)Sing praises to the Lord, Selah.
33To Him who ^(BJ)rides upon the ^(BK)highest heavens, which are from ancient times;
Behold, ^(BL)He speaks forth with His voice, a ^(BM)mighty voice.
34^(BN)Ascribe strength to God;
His majesty is over Israel
And ^(BO)His strength is in the skies.
35O God, You are ^(BP)awesome from Your sanctuary
The God of Israel Himself ^(BQ)gives strength and power to the people
^(BR)Blessed be God!

i dont even know what to say. like ash said in the last post, God does things for a reason, and its for him to know alone. everything, even about things we can't understand and seem unjust, like in numbers 5, about the jealous husband and unfaithful wife. it takes alot to say, God is good, blessed be his name always. but it shouldn't be because that is the truth, and we're either deceived or deceiving ourselves if we think otherwise, or think just because we can't understand God is being unjust.

God IS strong. God IS awesome. God DOES provide. these are all statements of faith and truth.
my soul is glad.

Psalm 67

1 God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us -Selah
2 That Your way may be known on the earth, your salvation among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. 4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth. Selah. 5 Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. 6 The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us. 7 God blesses us, That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.

It is so joyous when we can call on God's attributes because we know that they are true of Him. For no one else can we say the same thing because we are all so fickle. In the midst of all these things that we are going through we can know for sure that God will be gracious to us and bless us because He loves us. What a glorious thought. It is God's desire that His way be known throughout the earth, and He shows that through creation and the earth. God's salvation though must be shared. I've accepted the fact that God does not elect people for salvation for a reason, and that reason is His and His alone. For what greater glory could we bring Him if we asked that he save the soul of one more person? God blesses us, He truly does.

Psalm 66

Psalm 66

Praise for God's Mighty Deeds and for His Answer to Prayer.

For the choir director. A Song. A Psalm.

1Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
2Sing the glory of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
3Say to God, "How awesome are Your works!
Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give feigned obedience to You.
4"All the earth will worship You,
And will sing praises to You;
They will sing praises to Your name." Selah.
5Come and see the works of God,
Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men.
6He turned the sea into dry land;
They passed through the river on foot;
There let us rejoice in Him!
7He rules by His might forever;
His eyes keep watch on the nations;
Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
8Bless our God, O peoples,
And sound His praise abroad,
9Who keeps us in life
And does not allow our feet to slip.
10For You have tried us, O God;
You have refined us as silver is refined.
11You brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.
12You made men ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water,
Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.
13I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall pay You my vows,
14Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke when I was in distress.
15I shall offer to You burnt offerings of fat beasts,
With the smoke of rams;
I shall make an offering of bulls with male goats. Selah.
16Come and hear, all who fear God,
And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.
17I cried to Him with my mouth,
And He was extolled with my tongue.
18If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear;
19But certainly God has heard;
He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
20Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer
Nor His lovingkindness from me.

i was talking to joyce and remembered that it was my day to post yesterday. sorry girls for screwing up the schedule. you can still post today ash.
lately i have been wrestling with darkness. the kind that tempts us to ask the questions what if? what if God doesn't exist? what if i'm just not meant to be loved? what if this happened instead? what if i did this? its so easy to sink into despair without really sinking. i'm paddling furiously even when God's got me in a lifeboat. sounds ridiculuous, but that's what we look like when we don't trust in Him.
lately my darkness has been dissipated by bursts of joy. this morning, my heart wasn't right as i walked to campus, but i found myself fidgeting in class because i became overwhelmed with an urge to love people.
this psalm's like a burst of joy from the heart put into words. its like he's saying "hey...worship God!" "look at what God has done in my life!" "listen to me about my God!" God is so real girls. His care for us in our lives is very real. were it not for His sustaining our every breath, we would drop to the ground breathless, dead. Blessed be our great great God.

Psalm 65

Psalm 65

1Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.

2O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

Each of us will one day come to give an account before God. Either we inherit wrath, or we receive grace.

3Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.

4Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

It is indeed such a blessed thing to know Christ, for only then can we experience true satisfaction. What a generous gift!! This is true love; being an heiress of God is such a divine blessing! Has that transformed every inch of our lives, as it should?

5By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:

6Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:

7Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

8They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.

9Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

How ungrateful, demeaning, and undeserving I am to question God's providence in my own life, when he has provided and enriched his people from the beginning of time. We are actually the richest of all people-- so blessed that we can never NOT take anything for granted.

10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

11Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.

12They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.

^ how cute!!

13The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

Ahh.. what a beautiful psalm. i think God really did this so divinely.. ive been thinking and questioning more about my future, forgetting that it is GOD's future, and that i'm such a blind little bloodbug. i was thinking, concerning weeder classes, what if i'm a weed?! but i know God never intended for me to feel like a weed-- maybe something just a bit higher up, like a sunflower. but he loves us more than the lilies, so i guess probably an animal instead of a plant.. a human?!?! but "human" has such a negative connotation--it's riddled with all the struggles, the pain, the complications that we undergo because of our own folly. no, i would rather be a lily or a sunflower. but then again, God's will is God's will, and i am not a sunflower, but a human, and i have been granted the gift of consciousness and reasoning, and my only hope for my life is that my thoughts and my heart will be set on Christ, the one true solid foundation.

so i guess you can call this my stream of consciousness. sanctification may seem so painful, but realizing God is perfecting me, so bittersweet, but realizing again that this is God's will for me, so beautiful. the beauty lies in how God can transform porous and broken earthly vessels into shining lights that beam for him.

and it is pleasing to him.





(ashley: i feel that way about missions too, sometimes, that my faith isnt strong enough to withstand a normal American life or the pursuit of the American dream, that it seems so easy and romantic just to be able to live a simple life in the chinese farmlands, eating rice every day and ministering to the people--trusting God with everything. i wonder.. would God bless us for it? in a way it may be a way we can give up everything we have for Christ--truly making it cost us everything, but if it's not God's will, then we surely would not survive..
irene: consider this a divine revelation-- my xanga
sarah and joyce: hehehe)

Psalm 64

Psalm 64

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from that noisy crowd of evildoers.

3 They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim their words like deadly arrows.

4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent man;
they shoot at him suddenly, without fear.

5 They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares;
they say, "Who will see them [a] ?"

6 They plot injustice and say,
"We have devised a perfect plan!"
Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning.

7 But God will shoot them with arrows;
suddenly they will be struck down.

8 He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

9 All mankind will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.

10 Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD
and take refuge in him;
let all the upright in heart praise him!

my turn again :) Reading this passage makes me wonder about evil people. The bible talks about evil people all the time but I don't think i've meant anyone evil in my lifetime. I know we're all evil becuase of sin but someone lacking the conscience that God gave all of us, someone who has evil plan and evil snares spoken about in psalms. We've grown up in a relative society when all evil-ness can be traced by to some psychological incident/environment/problem. And we are supposed to delight in the fall of the wicked but can we rejoice in hell? eternal torment? I get so upset over the pains of this world and yet can any of it compare to hell? Can famine and murder, war, and rape compare to hell? And I have determined that this God who condemns men to hell is a good God. Therefore I must see all the pain of this world and still determine that he is good. It is so hard. My eternal pains have returned-pains for world suffering but then so much more for the damned. How do we survive with such a pain, such a knowledge? Will we all go mad? Still thousands of Christians before us have lived with this pain and so will we. And in the midst of it all we must still "rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him," for the psalmist says, "let all the upright in heart praise him!"