Hello, my friend. Today we look at PSALM 36, another intriguing word from David, the servant of the Lord. The NIV has confusingly translated verse 1, “An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked.” The literal translation in the New American Standard and the Revised Standard versions is, “Transgression speaks to the ungodly deep in his heart.” What the NIV is saying is that David had received an oracle, or an insight deep within him, regarding the real meaning of wickedness. And then he describes ultimate evil in the next verse: “There is no fear of God before his eyes. He flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. The words of his mouth are mischief and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good. Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.” What a candid, compelling description of the source of all sin; it is deep within the heart of a person who has no intention of knowing and obeying and serving God. It is a heart matter, deep within ones spirit.
What a stirring, convicting paragraph. But then we see how David, in the following verses, contrasts this dismal picture with the glorious description of a person who seeks the Lord. David rejoices in a Lord whose love reaches to the heavens, whose faithfulness reaches to the skies, whose righteousness is like the mighty mountains, whose justice is as vast and as deep as the ocean. He stretches the edges of his descriptive skills to glorify and praise the Lord. I love this.
And then, in another vein, he continues by praising God for His priceless, unfailing love, which welcomes both high and low among men to find refuge in the shadow of His wings. And verses 8 and 9 are so rich, how can one describe the joy of loving the Lord better. “They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” Hey, isn’t that wonderful as we move into another week? As we walk with God, amidst the pressures and trials of life, we can feast, we can drink with delight, we can enjoy life and know that in God’s Word we see light. Two great contrasts in this chapter. It doesn’t take a brilliant person to obviously make the right choice.
Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful chapter, rousing us to the foolishness of unbelief. We feel ashamed at how meager is our enjoyment of you and long to love you well. Bless my friend who has joined in, and in particular those in very special need whom we love and for whom we daily pray.
It’s a blessing to be with you, partner, and I pray for you with joy and thankfulness. I thank God for you. Cheerio!
Hello, my friend. When we think of the evil men who have wrought indescribable havoc on the earth, Hitler, the Holocaust, etc., we can see in a small way how David must have thought during the writing of our PSALM 35 for today. It is one of those Psalms we call imprecatory, when the writer is calling down in the most severe terms the judgment of God on evildoers. During this time, David was in exile, fleeing Saul, and was probably a very poor man. It is amazing how strongly he seeks God’s destruction of his enemies and I doubt if we ever should pray a prayer like this today. Romans 12:19 says, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’”
But when David saw his enemies being judged he cries, in vs. 9, “Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in his salvation.” And I keep wondering whether or not, amongst the suffering ones in our world today there may not be some true Christian believers, who would with David say, in vs. 17, “O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions. I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you.”
And so in times like these, perhaps a precursor of even more terrible-times to come, we can pray God’s judgment on evildoers, and leave it with Him. As for us, we are commanded to be the channels of God’s grace to those in terrible need. It is amazing, in a way, how David, in the midst of all his anxiety and anguish still, from time to time, would speak about ‘delighting’ in the Lord, there in vs.9 and vs. 27. This, humanly speaking is impossible, when we are surrounded by a terrifying situation, but it is possible when we know that even more intimately we are surrounded by the presence of the Lord, who is our Shield and Strength.
Thank you, Lord, for helping us learn from passages even as stern as this, that you hate evil and will bring judgment on evildoers. But help us, by your Spirit, to leave our vengeance to you, and, instead, to return evil with good, with love, with kindness, with forgiveness. We pray for the suffering people of the world. Thank you, Lord.
Thank you, dear partners around the world, for your encouragement. I thank God for you. Cheerio!
Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness — 1 Timothy 4:7.
As we approach the Easter season, we mourn our sin that cost Christ so dearly on the Cross. As we confess and repent, we may consider turning to the spiritual disciplines to help us live in a manner worthier of being called disciples of our Lord and Savior.
What are spiritual disciplines?
Followers of Jesus learn about God-given spiritual disciplines from the Bible, and use them to go deeper in the Spirit-filled, gospel-driven, transformational pursuit of Christ-like holiness. The disciplines — solitude, fasting, Bible study, prayer and worship (to name a few) — restore famished souls, and help us more fully enjoy Jesus and the grace of the gospel.
Why do we need spiritual disciplines?
As disciples of Jesus we seek to become like our Master during his earthly ministry. Jesus fasted, ministered daily, and rose before dawn to pray and travel to the next place of ministry. He taught, worked hard, got so tired he slept in a storm-tossed boat (Luke 8:22-25), and withdrew and sought solitude when people pressed around him (Luke 5:16). He faced the Cross with resolve (Luke 9:51; Hebrews 12:2). He modeled resolute and focused discipline.
But ours is an undisciplined age. In today’s culture we dismiss discipline as regimented, legalistic and old-fashioned, and consequently we live shallow, flabby and indolent lives. But spiritual disciplines help us develop the kind of holy, rugged strength of character that Jesus displayed during his earthly ministry. The disciplines help us become more like Jesus (See Roman 8:29 and Hebrews 12:14). This does not happen by accident, but by an intentional process of learning and training, which is what Paul is referring to in his letter to Timothy in the verse quoted above.
Where do we start?
The gospel, of first importance (1 Cor 15:1-4), is always the start point for a journey of faith, including the spiritual disciplines. All who come to God trusting in the person and work of Jesus are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, who causes those in whom he resides to yearn for godly holiness. As we keep in step with the Spirit, He is able to produce more Christ-like fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). To display the fruits of the Spirit consistently requires discipline, including self-control, perseverance, and the ability to endure life’s ups and downs cheerfully. These are the qualities needed to live a godly and effective life (Romans 5:3-5; 2 Peter 1:3-10).
Not legalism, but blessing
Our foundation is Christ-focused and gospel-based, not self-focused and legalistic. We pursue the disciplines out of humble gratitude for the gospel grace that has saved us, not through boastful, superior, Pharisee-like self-justification. The reward of discipline is not drudgery, it is the blessing of freedom in Christ. Our motive is love of God, not love of self. The disciplines don’t make us more acceptable to God, they help us grow to be more like the One we love. The disciplines are not tiresome religious duties, they lead famished souls to the banquet of God. They equip God’s people for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Spiritual disciplines put us in the way of God’s sanctifying, character-building truth so that, through our unique personalities and gifting, we can better reflect the character of Christ (Romans 8:29) and live abundantly fruitful lives.
The role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the one who makes us more like Jesus — we can’t make ourselves more like Jesus. The Holy Spirit works through the disciplines to bring us closer to Jesus and make us more like Him. The disciplines help us submit to the Holy Spirit’s transforming instruction and power. The Holy Spirit preserves God’s people in faithfulness by giving the grace to persevere in the disciplines. The Holy Spirit is ever-faithful to help God’s elect to persevere to the end in those things that will make us like Christ. In turn, we must not harden our hearts, but instead respond to the Holy Spirit’s promptings and keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:16).
Spiritual warfare requires discipline
Paul said that he toils, struggling with all his [God’s] energy that he powerfully works within me (Colossians 1:29). Toil and strive means to work hard: to struggle. We are forgiven, yet tainted sinners becoming like Christ. Growth in Christian life comes by our responding to the grace the Holy Spirit initiates and sustains. The world, the flesh and the devil constantly war against us, so we will struggle to overcome sin in this mortal body. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Therefore, like a disciplined soldier, we put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17) Much of this struggle is against the flesh — the indwelling tendency toward sin. Galatians 5:17 warns us that the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit. The spiritual disciplines help us sow to the Spirit instead of the flesh (Galatians 6:8). The Holy Spirit grants us the grace to be faithful. Our role is to work with the Spirit in Spirit-ignited resolve until one day all struggle will end and we will be like Him (1 John 3:3).
The role of other believers
Spiritual disciplines include growth in fellowship with other believers. Many Biblical disciplines are corporate — they cannot be practiced without other Christians. So, we should study the Word, not just on our own, but also in fellowship with other believers. Worship is not just private — it is also corporate. Koinonia (community) can only be practiced with others. Spiritual disciplines are not just for private use but for mutual edification. We are expected to exhort and encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), helping each part work properly together as the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4) of whom Christ is the head (Colossians 1:18).
We are saved through faith in Christ. Finally, we give an account before God of how we spend our lives (Romans 14:12) and will face reward or loss based on how we lived our lives (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). So, let us use our time profitably not only in this life, but to best prepare us for eternity as well.
Concluding thoughts
A master musician has the freedom to play anything he or she likes, and can play with excellence and joy. Similarly, a great artist paints with joy and freedom. Underpinning this level of excellence are many disciplines mastered, sometimes painfully, over time. Discipline is the only way to freedom. It is the necessary context for spontaneity and joy in Christ.
Disciplines can’t be mastered in one’s spare time. Godly people are never lazy people. However, we cannot discipline ourselves into heaven. Only Jesus lived a life worthy of that. We cling to Christ by faith. However, one of the surest signs that someone does indeed cling to Christ is his or her ever-deepening desire to know Christ better and to become as much like Him as possible. We are disciples at the feet of Christ. Therefore, let us discipline ourselves to be more like our Master, who we will enjoy forever.
Lord Jesus, you warn us so strongly against the wide gate and the easy, well-trod way that leads to destruction. You remind us that the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and that those who find it are few. Holy Spirit, lead along the path of truth, and help us keep in step with the Spirit, that we might live an abundant and fruitful life, for the glory and purposes of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
By Warwick Alcock, Director of Strategic Operations, Village Schools of the Bible
Acknowledgements Whitney D. S. Spiritual disciplines for the Christian life. NavPress, 2014.
Hello, my friend. These are in many ways terrible days. So vs. 18 in our PSALM 34 for today seems remarkably appropriate. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” This is one of the Psalms especially addressed to the fearful. Psalm 34 is an acrostic psalm, each verse beginning with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet which has 22 letters. This is significant, I think, because David felt the importance of this Psalm deserved very careful literary treatment. And let’s look here at some of the blessings God provides for any who are gripped by anxiety, uncertainty, fear.
Verse 2, “My soul will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.” This means that in times of deep stress we are particularly eligible to know God’s care and His loving presence. He continues, vs.4, “I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.” And vs. 6 is startling, “This poor man called and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and He delivers them.” The difficulties may not be immediately removed, but the anxiety can be taken away when I know the Lord is alongside in this time of trouble.
I hope you have made the time to read and ponder this great, comforting, enabling Psalm. It is remarkable in the way it speaks to us in our time. Vs.8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Fear the Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” I have always taught that fearing the Lord means fearing disappointing Him. It doesn’t mean I should think of Him in terms of terror, but in terms of a kind of love that, above all else, desires to bring Him pleasure by all that I am, by Grace.
I am amazed by the way verses 6 and 17 promise deliverance from all my troubles. Vs.19 says, “A righteous man may have many troubles but the Lord delivers him from them all.” How can this be, when one continues to have huge difficulties, even after trusting the Lord? I think this chapter teaches that the Lord’s strong presence alongside us, day by day, delivers us IN our troubles even though the pressures and problems may remain.
“We’re thrilled and thankful, Lord, for a chapter of assurance like this. We praise you, Living Word, for giving us your written word, with such comfort and strength. Bless my friend who has joined in and those in special need. Thank you, Lord.”
And my deepest thanks, partner, for your encouragement. I thank God for you. Cheerio!
These meditations on the Psalms were written by Village Schools of the Bible Founder, Monty Sholund and first published in book form as Monty’s Musings on the Psalms in 2000.
Village Schools of the Bible 