Hello, my friend. What an exciting thing it is to see new life around us. I am blessed each week as I see students learning what it means in fact to be freed from the shackles of old sins and habits, old resentments, old indifference and to discover that, in fact, the Lord’s mercies are new every morning, every day, every new week, as Lamentations 3:22,23 tell us.
Our chapter for today is PSALM 21, and I keep wondering what you thought of it.
It seems almost like a personal soliloquy on the part of the king, as he reflects on the goodness of the Lord in his life. He rejoices from verse 1 through 7 on the Lord’s provision of strength, of joy and victory, granting him the desires of his heart, welcoming him with rich blessings, long life, making the king glad in the presence of the Lord. I don’t feel this was in any sense a recitation of how great the king was, but how wonderful the king’s God was. I think it is so important to review, from time to time, the wonderful blessings God has poured out on our lives. Even as that old song goes, which we learned as kids, “When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings–every doubt will fly, and you will be singing as the days go by.”
I think this is just what David is doing in this great anthem of praise to his God, whom he loves and serves. And I particularly love vs. 6 and 7, “Surely you have granted him eternal blessing and made him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord, through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.” Isn’t that good. David rejoiced in the conscious presence of the Lord. As Brother Lawrence put it so well, “A great benefit which the soul receives from the Presence of God is that faith grows more alive and active in all the events of life, particularly when we feel our need, since it obtains for us the strengthening of His grace when we are tempted. Also, by the practice of the Presence of God, by steadfast gaze on Him, the soul comes to a knowledge of God, full and deep, to an unclouded vision; all its life is passed in unceasing acts of worship and love, of prayer and praise and service. At times, indeed, life seems to be but one long unbroken practice of God’s Divine Presence.” (The Practice of the Presence of God.)
As John Oxenham put it, “Is your place a small place? Tend it with care! God set you there. Is your place a large place? Guard it with care! God set you there. Whate’er your place, it is not yours alone, but His who set you there.” And so we can know what He has placed in me, is His to care.
“Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of thanking you for all the blessings of life, large and small. Thank you for my friend who has joined in, for whom I give you special thanks, even as we pray for those in very special need.”
A blessing to know you, partner. Cheerio!
Village Schools of the Bible 