Psalms To See Me Through: Psalm 12—God Is A Helper Against The Treacherous

For the choir director; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David. 

Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases to be, for the faithful disappear from among the sons of men {v.1}.

The world is full of so much evil that sometimes it’s hard to see the good. It is easy to feel as though we are the only righteous ones left. Another righteous man of God felt the same way when he faced a very evil king and queen and five-hundred of their prophets. Elijah confronted those five-hundred on Mt. Carmel and the God of Heaven answered him by fire. But one threat by Jezebel in retaliation sent Elijah running for his life. Words can frighten and intimidate. This is one of the devil's most devious schemes. Elijah  hides in the desert afraid for his life and overwhelmed by his circumstances. God finally asks him, “Elijah, what are you doing here?” Has God ever asked you that question? He has me; too many times. Too many times I have felt overwhelmed with my circumstances, wondering how long I will have to endure. God knew what Elijah was doing⸺he was hiding. I hide. You hide. The Lord is telling us it is time to come out of our cave.

Elijah answers the Lord of Hosts, 

I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away” {1 Kings 19:14 NASB}.

It is so easy to feel like we are the only ones left that serve God. The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life {see 1 Jn. 2:16} reign over our culture; finding the righteous can be challenging through the darkness. But God doesn’t let Elijah stay there in his dark night of the soul; He assures him that he is not alone, and that God has set aside for Himself those that will not succumb to the darkness that seems to be ruling. God Reigns.

Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him {1 Kings 19:18. NASB}.

When I feel like Elijah did while hiding in his cave, I remember God’s promise to me⸺I remember His goodness. He will not leave me, will not forsake me.

They speak falsehood to one another; with flattering lips and with a double heart they speak. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things; who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?” {vv. 2-4}.

Words can be hurtful. They can tear down and cause pain. People will not always speak well of you⸺no matter how good you are. The culture today is full of words and people talking. The cowardly hide behind their computers while spewing hate. No one knows them nor do they need to prove their character. They spew vile with seemingly little or no consequence. But what they is speak falsehood. They believe that no one will hold them accountable. It is our fallenness displayed in self-aggrandizement. 

Be not wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and turn away from evil {Prov. 3:7}.

For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith {Rom. 12:3}.

The Lord will always rise to defend those who love Him; those who are desperate; those in despair. The Words of the Lord are true; reliable; dependable; He will fight on behalf of the needy.

“Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will set him in the safety for which he longs.” The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth refined seven times. You, O Lord, will keep them; You will preserve him from this generation forever. The wicked strut about on every side when vileness is exalted among the sons of men” {vv. 5-8}.

Not one Word that God has spoken has failed. Not one. His Word does not fail. Are you afflicted today? God says He will arise on your behalf. Are you needy today? God will raise you up according to His Word. His Word has been tried and tested and passes with flying colors. Every time. God will keep you; that is His promise. Let the wicked speak what they will. Let those who hurt you with their words say what they will. The wicked strut but God preserves you.

To read all the Psalms in this series click here: Psalms To See Me Through

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Sabbath Sanctuary: The Path

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Mark 1: 1-45

Walk by Faith

There will come a time and there will come a day
You will face tests and trials but I have come to say
I will not let one of you go even when you stumble
I will protect you and cause your enemy to fumble

Though things may get hard I give My grace to you
So you can walk by faith and know just what to do
You will not smell like smoke when you stand in My Name
Those who hear My Word through you won’t be the same

So even if you can’t see all the way in front of you
Walk by faith and not by sight do as I would do
I will protect you and defend you when you do what is right
Take My grace and love with you and all of My power and might

Piper Green ©2004

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight {Proverbs 3:6}.

Rest in Him this Sabbath; He guides your every step...the steps of the righteous are ordered (see Psalm 37:23).

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Introduction to the Tabernacle

Psalms to See Me Through: Psalm 11—The Lord Is A Refuge

In the Lord I take refuge; How can you say to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain;  For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string to shoot in darkness at the upright in heart {vv. 1-2}.

It is no surprise that the devil seeks to harm those that love the Lord. Jesus warns us that we will have trouble in this world; not to frighten us or cause us to flee in fear, but so that we have peace knowing He is always with us.

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world  {Jn. 16:33 NASB}.

So that you may have peace…

The Lord is a refuge and a defense against the enemy’s attack. He is our protection—He is Jehovah Nissi our banner.

In Exodus 17, the Israelites are fighting the Amalekites and struggling in the battle. Moses however, set himself on a high place, and when he raised his hands the Israelites prevailed in battle, when he rested his arm, they faltered. Aaron and Hur set Moses on a rock and held up his arms until the the Israelites won the victory. After the victory, Moses built and altar and called the name of it Jehovah-Nissi, or Jehovah My Banner. Moses explains why Jehovah is their banner; because the Lord hath sworn he will war with the Amalekites from generation to generation. For the New Testament Church, this promise holds true still today. He will fight for us on our behalf against the devil and his minions. Jesus’ death and resurrection sealed our victory forever. He is our Banner; He is our refuge. 

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? (v.3)Jesus is our foundation; the devil cannot take this away. Don’t forget. Don’t bow to the devil’s schemes. Don’t panic. Rest. He cannot destroy the foundation. Build your foundation on the Lord, and when the wind and storms blow, you will not fall.

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it {Matt. 7:24-27}.

 The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates.  Upon the wicked He will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face. {Ps. 11: 4-7}.

Do you know that the righteousness of God is not only a gift He bestows on believers that have faith in Jesus, but it is a divine attribute? In the study of Systematic Theology, the righteousness of God is an attribute of God, “God’s moral purity is [H]is righteousness. This is as it were, God’s holiness applied to his relationship with other beings.”[1]“God is morally spotless in character and action, upright, pure, and untainted.”[2]

What does this mean for us? It means that “God would have remained perfectly righteous had he simply condemned everyone... at great cost to [H]imself, however, God offered salvation to these wicked human beings and did this in such a way that [H]e remained righteous. The death of Christ allowed [H]im to remain just at the same time that [H]e became the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom 3:26).”[3] 

Verse seven then is a beautiful promise. God is righteous, pure and untainted, and we the righteous, will see His face…close your eyes for a moment and imagine the beauty of His face.

Life is hard. Dreams seem fleeting. Trouble seems to be all around. Many times it even seems the devil is gaining ground through those that hate what is right. The Lord is righteous in punishing the wicked; He is also just and righteous in welcoming us into His presence to behold His precious face. Do not fret or worry. God has you in His hand. The Lord hath sworn he will war with your enemies from generation to generation.

[1] Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 3rd ed., (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013), 258. 

[2] Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd ed., (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001), 496.[3]Ibid., 45.

To read all the Psalms in this series click here: Psalms To See Me Through

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