The eyes have it

It was an old hymn on my mind when I awakened this morning -- Open My Eyes That I May See. I remember singing it as a child in church. Curious about the author, it turns out to be a woman named Clara Scott, who wrote a number of hymns but this is the one that has had lasting popularity. She is also known as the first woman, and maybe only woman, to publish an anthology of hymns, around 1895, about the same time this hymn was written.

Remember Madame Guyon and her second way of approaching prayer -- Beholding the Lord or Waiting in His Presence ? -- I said that I hadn't been able to proceed with that pattern because I had so much trouble sitting quietly? Well, maybe the Lord gave me this hymn this morning to help, encourage, and challenge me.

Open my eyes that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee
Ready my God Thy will to see
Open my eyes, illumine me
Spirit Divine!

What first comes to mind, for me, is, of course, an historical event: when the archaeologist (Egyptologist), Howard Carter, discovered King Tut's ancient tomb, with its incredibly wealthy collection of gold artifacts. When he at least found the narrow stairway leading down to the burial chamber, he called over to the man who was sponsoring the expedition, Lord Carnarvon, to come down so he could be present when the chamber door was actually opened. The workmen began to push back the final debris to reveal the opening. Lord Carnarvon asked urgently, "Do you see anything" and Carter answered triumphantly, "Yes, wonderful things!"


I remember that sometimes when I read the Scripture -- YES, wonderful things are here!

Clara was probably thinking, not about King Tut, since that discovery was not until 1922 and she died in 1897, but Psalm 119:18. "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."

This verse is in the 3rd stanza of Psalm 119, the longest psalm in the Bible, and the longest chapter, with 176 verses. All are about God's Word and how it enables us to live victorious lives and bring honor and joy to God.

The ancient poet who wrote this Psalm uses various words in this stanza to describe God's Word: "law," "commands," "laws," "statutes," "decrees,"
"word," and finally "counselors." What a comforting thought: "Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors."

A counselor, when they us well, can direct us and advise us.
Our Counselor knows us thoroughly, inside and out. He knows what we need and is eager to give us good gifts, far more than Howard Carter was able to bring out of King Tut's tomb.

Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem, with the verses of each stanza begining with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet (22 letters). Each verse of this 3rd stanza begins with Gimel, the 3rd letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

King Tut's tomb contained the most lavish and beautiful artifacts ever found. They are, at various times, paraded to musuems all over the world for public admiration and astonishment.

But none of them compares to what we find in God's Word.

The word "open" used here is the same word that appears in the account of Balaam when the Lord opened his eyes to see the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn (Numbers 22:31).

It is not talking about physically opening the eyes. It refers to removing a veil, or covering. A miraculous revealing of something God wants us to see. Like when Jesus walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. "Their eyes were opened and they recognized Him" (Luke 24).

It doesn't mean the Word itself is veiled or unclear. It means our eyes of understanding are clouded with our earthly experiences and preconceived notions.
Our eyes are not focused on the revelation before us. We are distracted and we are truly suffering from 'attention deficiency.'

It takes the Holy Spirit's power to settle us down, focus our eyes and minds, and lead us to dig, really dig deep, like Howard Carter did at that ancient burial site, to uncover the wealth of joyful truths God has for us in His Word.

Open my ears that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear
And while the wavenotes fall on my ear
Everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for Thee
Ready, my God, Thou will to see
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit Divine!

And, finally,

Open my mouth and let me bear
Gladly the warm truth everywhere
Open my heart, and let me prepare
Love for Thy children everywhere.....

Jewels

Yes, He'll Come Back for Us!

The last few mornings the song that has awakened me is an old one -- one I haven't heard in years -- When He Cometh.

I looked for it in our church hymnal, but it was not included in that collection. But I did find it in another hymnal, and so re-read all the words:

When He cometh, when He cometh
To make up His jewels, all His jewels,
Precious jewels, His loved and His own.

CHORUS: Like the stars of the morning
His bright crown adorning
They shall shine in their beauty
Bright gems for His crown.

He will gather, He will gather
The gems for His kingdom
All the pure ones, all the bright ones
His loved and His own.

Little children, little children
Who love their Redeemer
Are the jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own.

God was so good to remind me of those words from my childhood. We ARE His jewels - His precious jewels. His loved and His own....Probably the writer of these words was thinking about Malachi 3:16-17:

Then they that feared the LORD spoke often to one another; and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD and thought upon His name.

And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serverth him

Here is how the Amplified Bible states it:

And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly
recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My
peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.

Remember the parable of the man who found the treasure in the field? How he hid it and then returned to buy the whole field? Usually we think of the field as being the world and we are looking in the field and come across the treasure. We give up all we have to buy the field and possess that treasure!

But wonder if the field is the world, but the One looking in the field is God Himself, searching for His treasure. And when He finds it He gives up all His has to possess that treasure -- which is us! And the everything He had to give up was His beloved Son --

It works that way, too!

I looked at the early morning sky today. We don't have as many early morning stars here as we do in the evenings. But in the beginning glow of the pre-dawn sunrise, that one star that was shining was very bright!


Venus is our "morning star" here on earth. In the heavenly kingdom, Jesus Himself is the Bright and Morning Star!

I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright and Morning Star. Revelation 22:16

I wonder about that book of remembrance mentioned in Malachi. Is that the "scroll written on both sides" mentioned in Revelation 5? The scroll no one could open and poor John wept, overcome with grief that no one could be found worthy to open the scroll.....and...

Then one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. Revelation 5:5

What we lose when we lose words

Here's a practical word we don't use anymore: fetch.

It means "to go and get and bring back" - that's what we mean when we ask our dog if she wants to play "Fetch."

We want her to chase the stick (or ball) and bring it back so she can chase it again!

It took us a while to get our dog to understand.

We would throw the ball and she would chase it, grab it, and then run the other direction. So we would have to chase her and retrieve the ball so we could throw it for her again.

We kept explaining the "rules" of fetch.

She seemed reluctant to play our way. And then we realized she probably just didn't want to play "fetch." She wanted to play "chase" -- as in "please chase me."

I remember mother asking me to "fetch" her an item from her sewing box or her Bible from the dining room table.

"Fetch" is a good word. There is no one-word synonym for it in the English language. We have to use a whole sentence to express the same thought - like go and get and bring to me.

What a waste! All those words to express what one word would express!

I don't know when fetch began disappearing from our language, but it is a great loss.

Another loss is the word "succour." It literally means "to run to the cry of a child," and was used to refer to "bringing help when it is needed."

The word is not used much any more, but I can remember reading it in the King James Bible -

     For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He
       is able to succour them that are tempted.  (Hebrews 2:18)
   
What a comforting thought! What relief it brings!

Because He suffered with temptation, we can count on Him to come to our aid - we, His children, cry
to Him and He helps us!

A child cannot help himself and so cries for assistance - for help in time of trouble.

That's what God wants us to do - cry out to Him!
Like David did throughout the Psalms!

My NIV translation of Hebrews 2:18 says this:

       Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted,
       He is able to help those who are being tempted.

And The Message paraphrases it this way:

        He would have already experienced it all Himself --
        all the pain, all the testing -- and would be able to
        help where help was needed.

You know, somehow, in all these new ways of expressing God's Word, and trying to help us 21st century Christians understand the ancient thoughts,
I miss the idea of "succour" - God's children - us -
crying out for His help and He comes running.

I love that thought - He is our Father and stands
ready to help us as we cry to Him -



Another thing I miss - do we often remember that Christ also "suffered" in resisting temptation? that
He experienced, not just the temptation, but also
the "suffering" and "pain" in dealing with it.



Don't we sometimes  foolishly reckon (another old word) that it was easy for Him? At least, a lot easier than it is for us?

I think it was harder, because He yearned to please His Father more ..... and the stakes were so much higher.....

Building Character

Watch your thoughts -- they become your words.

Watch your words--they become your actions.

Watch your actions--they become your habits.

Watch your habits--they become your character.

Watch your character--it becomes who you really are.

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray.
He who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous.

1 John 3:7

...we obey His commands and do what pleases Him. And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded. 1 John 3:22-23

The Kind of Prayer God Answers

On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their
voices together in prayer to God.

"Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the  earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His anointed One.

"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:23-30

It seems to us that sometimes God answers prayer and sometimes He doesn't. In this prayer it is clearly demonstrated that He did answer.


What is the kind of prayer God answers?

1. A prayer that is actually prayed

Verse 24: "When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God."
Pay attention to what is happening. Bro Mike reminded us of our participation in the National Day of Prayer last May. 

We laid aside our petitions, our promotions, our own comments and agendas and predetermined answers to important questions.... and our thoughts about what kind of government we need or want.

We just prayed. Together.

2. A Prayer that recognizes God for who He is.

Verse 24: Sovereign Lord, you made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them....

They were acknowledging God's authority over everything.

3. A Prayer that is guided by God's Word

v. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit....

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

God's word sparks our prayer. It prompts, informs and inspires us.

4. A Prayer that Recognizes God's sovereignty.

Verses 27-28 ....They [Herod and Pontius Pilate] did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.

God was in control -- in every detail.

5. A Prayer that seeks God's help to do God's Work.

Bro Mike talked about taking a 30-day inventory of our prayer life and see how much of our prayers center on us and our own needs and requests. Things to make our lives easier.

Verse 29: Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.

Remember what we signed up for. We are on assignment. We need to be in the right place at the right time to accomplish our assignments .

Bro Mike talked about going to Israel and seeing all the young men and women in uniform and carrying guns. They were on assignment. Bro Mike and his group were tourists - not in uniform and not carrying weapons.

Conclusion: Bro Mike referred again to how much our our prayers gravitate to our own stuff.

God is really interested in our prayer life. He is the Creator, the one at the beginning and the one at the end. We are in the middle -- along for the ride, at His invitation. We need to "buckle up."

This was a really great message for all of us. Bro Mike said he was himself challenged during his preparation to expand his prayer life to emphasize God's will and His word - not centering on His blessings to benefit himself.

I think just about all of us there were also challenged in the same way.

Do we lack faith? Or imagination? Dean Koontz

Surprising words from Dean Koontz:

Creation in all its ravishing beauty, with its infinite baroque embellishments and subtle charms, with all the wonders that it offers from both the Maker and the made, with all its velvet mystery and with all the joy we receive from those we love here, so enchants us that we lack the imagination, less than the faith, to envision an even more dazzling world beyond, and therefore even if we believe, we cling tenaciously to this existence, to sweet familiarity, fearful that all conceivable paradises will prove wanting by comparison.

                 From One Door Away From Heaven

They're All Around Us

We went with a friend today to TDECU to help her with some estate planning. A delightful woman named Leah assisted us. She led us over some hurdles in dealing with one of our friend's investment companies and we were so happy with the advice she gave.

Our friend stepped out to take a "cigarette" break and I asked Leah if she had ever smoked. She replied "Yes, indeed, I used to smoke, probably more than anyone you have ever met. And I drank vodka, large mugs, several times a day."

She elaborated. When she smoked she couldn't even take a shower without stopping in the middle for a cigarette break! (Yes, that is probably more than anyone else we know!). And she just couldn't stop drinking. What changed? Was it hard to stop?

Her answer, "Jesus!"

Here is her story: When she had been married about 6 years, and had 3 small children, she found out her husband was a cocaine addict and they lost everything they owned. She took the kids and left, without a place to stay, and she suddenly became a mother living on the streets. For a week she and the kids lived in her car. Each morning she took them to Bucc-ees to wash up for school and she for work. No one at work knew what was going on. At that time she was working at TDECU at one of the "answering call" desks.

She was desperate and didn't know where to turn. How long could she keep the kids with her if they were staying in the car? She was frantic.

One day a retired minister called in with questions about his account. She helped him, and at the end of the call he graciously thanked her for her help and asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Without thinking, she blurted out, "Yes, PRAY for me!" Then she told him the story...He asked her a question which surprised her. The question was "Have you ever asked Jesus Christ to take over your life? Have you put your trust in Him?"

No one had ever asked her that question.
He led her to accept the message of Christ's salvation there on the phone. She says, "Right there. In the middle of the room, with 40 people around me, I accepted Christ!"

He helped her take care of her immediate physical needs for herself and her children. Since then, she has moved back home with her mother. Her children are now 6, 7, and 13. They are doing well, and they love their grandmother. Leah studies the Bible daily. Her sister has become a Christian and her mother is now attending church. She is still in contact with that pastor, who lives in Angleton.

The chains of smoking and drinking? She says, "I didn't even realize I had quit. One day it just occurred to me that I hadn't had a cigarette or a drink in several weeks! I have not missed either one. I have never looked back."

Leah has a sparkling smile and eagerness to share the message of Christ. We prayed with her -- yes, right there, in her office at TDECU, where, after several promotions, she now handles investment questions.

What a blessing it was to talk with her -- to hear her testimony -- to see the photos of her with her children and her mother at happy events -- and we thanked God for changing her life.

She is now so wealthy! She has everything!

I just have one question....Why hadn't anyone ever asked her before about turning her life over to God? People like Leah are all around us.....

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. These then are the things you should teach, encourage and rebuke with all authority. Titus 2:12-15

Christian and Hopeful Approach the River of Death

From Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan


Christian and Hopeful are journeying together and getting near the Celestial City, but first they must
pass through the River of Death.




Christian and Hopeful begin their last earthly journey.....

I saw when they awoke that they prepared to go up to the City.

However, the reflection of the sun upon the City, which was pure gold, was so extremely bright that they could not with the natural eye look directly upon it. They had to look through a glass made for that purpose.

As they went on they were met by two men in golden raiment whose faces shone like the light.

Christian asked the men to go along with them. They said they would, but added, "You must go on your own faith."

So I saw in my dream that they all went on together till they came in sight of the gate.

They come to the river....

Between them and the gate was a deep river, dark and cold, and there was no bridge.

At the sight of the river the pilgrims turned pale, and were silent. The two men said, "You must go through, or you will never get to the gate."

"Is there no other way?" they asked.

"Yes," said the men, "but since the foundation of the world
only two, Enoch and Elijah, have been permitted to go that way, nor shall any others ever be so permitted until Christ comes again."

Then they accepted the inevitable.


Crossing the fearful river....

Entering the water, Christian began to sink. He cried to his good friend Hopeful, "I sink in deep water, the billows go over my head; all His waves go over me."

"Be of good cheer," said Hopeful, "I feel the bottom, and it is good."

Then said Christian, "Ah! my friend, sorrows of death have surrounded me; and I shall never see that happy land."

Then an awful horror and darkness came over Christian so that he could not see what was before him. He could not quite remember or speak coherently of the good things he had enjoyed in the way of his pilgrimage. But what words he spoke indicated he had great fears of dying in that river before reaching the beautiful gate.

They that stood by perceived that he was troubled over sins he had committed, both before and after he became a pilgrim.


Hopeful holds on and brings them through....

Hopeful, therefore, had all he could do to keep his brother's head above water.

"Brother, I see the gate, and I see the saints standing by to receive us," he consoled Christian.

But Christian said, "It is you, it is you they wait for. Jesus Christ would have come to my rescue. But because of my sins He has brought me into this snare and left me," was his reply.

Then Hopeful said, "My brother, these troubles and distresses that you go through in these waters are no sign that God has forsaken you. They are sent to call to your mind that which you have received of His goodness, that you may trust Him in your distress."

Then Christian seriously reflected for a moment as Hopeful added these words, "Be of good cheer, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole."

Then Christian broke out in a strong voice, "Oh, I see Him again, and He is saying, "When thou passeth through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee...."

Then they both took courage. Soon Christian found ground to stand on, and the rest of the river was shallow.



They cross over the river...

Reaching the other side, on the bank of the river, they saw the two shining ones waiting for them.

When the pilgrims came out of the water, the two angles saluted them, saying, "We are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation."

Now they went along together toward the gate. Though the City stood on a great high hill, the pilgrims went up the hill with perfect ease because of the two heavenly ones leading them by the arms and because their mortal garments had been left in the river.

When they drew near the gate, they were met by a company of the heavenly host, of whom, in introduction, the shining ones said, "These are the men who loved our Lord when in the world and left all for His service. He sent us to guide them Home, and we have brought them thus far, that they may  go in and see the King."

The heavenly host gave a joyous hallelujah, saying, "Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb."

Then also came out several of the King's trumpeters to welcome the pilgrims with heavenly music.

Then they walked on together to the gate and were admitted into the eternal City. They were given new costumes which shone like white gold. Then all the bells of Heaven rang out with joy, and one said, "Enter ye into the joys of thy Lord."

Then all the multitude sang out with loud voices: "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."


And so Christian and Hopeful arrived at their home.


Rev 21:18; Ps 73:4-5; Is 3:2; Heb 1:14; Heb 12:22-23; Rev. 21:1-4; Matt 5:12; I John 3:2; Jude 14-15, Rev 19:9; Rev 22:14.

How A Father Loves

 

                                                               How a Father Loves 

The Lord your God is in your midst; the Mighty One will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17    

I love this image! God, our loving Father, holding us, soothing us, calming us as we fret, whispering a lullabye, rejoicing in His love for us...."O how He Loves You and Me'!   

Short Thought of Comfort for Every Day

After His resurrection, when Christ appeared to Peter, He asked him, "Peter, do you love Me?" Peter said, "Yes, You know I love You!"

What I notice today is what Jesus didn't say. He didn't say, "Peter, will you deny again?" "Peter, will you fail Me again?"

What Jesus didn't say brings me great comfort.

The Meaning of History- James M Boice

Thoughts on redemption....



"But all are not to be redeemed. That is hard saying, yet it is the teaching of the Word of God.

... to make the Christian view of history complete  there must be added to the other doctrines already considered--creation, providence, revelation and redemption--the doctrine of God's final judgment at the end of history.

Christians express belief in this doctrine in the Apostles' Creed: "From thence [that is, heaven]
He [Christ] shall come to judge the quick and the dead."

In saying that Christ is to judge the dead as well as the living (the quick) the Creed is saying that in the ultimate analysis the meaning of history is not found only at the end of history -- as if everything had been building up to one final peak of accomplishment    which shall then be judged fit or not fit for glory.

The meaning of history is rather found in any given moment in the choice or choices made by any given individual no matter who that person is, where he nor she has come from, nor how important he or she may seem to be...

The important moment in history is always now."

  --From Foundations of the Christian Faith by
James Montgomery Boice.

In Uniform - Thoughts from Oswald Chambers

Thoughts from Oswald Chambers

O Lord, I would crave more and more to put on love like a garment, that in my contact with men that is what they will most lastingly recognize.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While He was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on His head. Mark 14:3

The characteristic of love is that it is spontaneous; it bursts up in extraordinary ways; it is never premeditated. The reason Jesus called Mary's act "a good work" was because it was wrought out of spontaneous love to Himself. It was neither useful nor her duty; it was an extravagant act for which no one else saw any occasion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love is not blind; love sees a great deal more than the actual; it sees the ideal in the actual, consequently the actual is transfigured by the ideal. That is a different thing from "halo-slinging," which means you have your own idea about other people and expect them to live up to it, and then when they don't, you blame them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We have to dedicate ourselves to love, which means identifying ourselves with God's interests in other people, and God is interested in some funny people, viz., in you and me!

The First Gleam of Heaven - C S Lewis

                                        The First Gleam of Heaven - C S Lewis

Good advice from C S Lewis:

"To trust Him means, of course, trying  to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you wouldn't take his advice.

Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him.

But trying in a new way, a  less worried way.

Not doing those things in order to be saved, but because God has begun to  save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions,  but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first gleam of heaven is already inside you."

                                        ---From Mere Christianity 

{At sunrise, we see the gleam first, and then the sun. There is never a sun without the gleam announcing its appearance!}

Psalm 29 - Part 6 - One more thing

The LORD gives strength to His people;

The LORD blesses His people with peace.

Psalm 29:11

Where are God's people during the storm?

   -- In the temple praising Him

Where are the angels?

   -- In heaven praising Him

Where is God?

   -- Enthroned as always, King of the Universe,

       Sovereign over all, in heaven

The flood of Noah's day was a flood of judgment.

God's people were rescued and safe in the Ark.

Is this psalm reminding us that there is a final storm

of judgment coming?

Is it warning us to get ready, using the thunderstorm as a powerful image?

The only ones who will be ready for judgment are God's people...the ones to whom He gives strength to withstand the storms and on whom He gives His peace...

The ones who have been rescued and found safety

in the hands of Christ.

We see a future judgment in Revelation, Chapter 19.

The scene is described by John:

     Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters, and peals of thunder, shouting:

    

          Hallelujah!

          For our Lord God Almighty reigns

          Let us rejoice and be glad

          And give Him glory!

     I saw heaven standing open and there before

     me was a white horse, whose rider is called

     Faithful and True. With justice he judges

     and makes war....

     He treads the wine press of the fury of the

     wrath of God Almighty.

     On his robe and on his thigh he has the name

     written:

                     King of Kings and Lord of Lords

The only ones who will be ready for judgment are God's people  - the ones to whom He has given His peace.

     Rejoice, the Lord is near...And the peace of God

     which transcends all understanding, will guard

     your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

                -- Philippians 4:5, 7

Another thought from Dr. Boice:

     Do you remember the words of the angels to the shepherds at the mid-night announcement of the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:14?

        Glory to God in the highest, and on earth

        peace to men on whom His favor rests....

     This in the very pattern of Psalm 29, as Franz Delitzsch noted more than a hundred years ago.

It begins with the angels giving praise to God in heaven: Gloria in excelsis.

And it ends with the blessing et in terra pax, that is, "Peace" to those on whom his favor rests.

And God blesses His people with peace

    

Psalm 29 - (Part 5) Verses 10-11

The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;

The LORD is enthroned as King forever.

The LORD gives strength to His people;

The LORD blesses His people with peace.

Psalm 29:10-11

In the first stanza of this psalm (verses 1-2) David appeals to the angels in heaven to join in a chorus of praise to God.

It is somewhat unusual to see a psalm requesting the "mighty ones" (angels) to praise the LORD, since that is what they do all the time anyway.

Perhaps David was realizing his (our) own inadequacy and was challenging everything in God's creation to join together to exalt the majesty of the LORD God Almighty!

Or maybe something else is motivating David...

I think of him having a heart so full of joyful praise that he can't contain it.

Like that song we love to sing:

     And when the love spills over

       and music fills the night

       And when you can't contain your joy inside

       Then dance for Jesus! dance for Jesus!

       Dance for Jesus and live!

David's heart spilled over with joy and praise and he shouts to all around him -- let's all praise God!

Asking the angels to join him was a spontaneous act responding to the goodness and majesty of God!

In the second stanza (verses 3-9) we see a horrific storm approaching and trace its path as it makes its relentless way from the sea to the desert, so powerful it destroys great forests and seems to make the mountains tremble.

This storm is full of sound and fury and signifies the power of God over nature.

And where are the people?

Safely in the temple praising God!

So the angels are in heaven glorifying God and the human creatures are in God's temple praising Him....

Reminding us that God's creatures will respond to Him in praise, no matter where they are!

And where is God?

The Third Stanza

Verses 10-11

This brings us to the third and final stanza - verses 10-11.

The storm has passed, but God remains as the enthroned King of the universe.

The earth and its people were shaken, but the LORD was in control, as always.

And this is how the psalm ends.

What remains after the storm is God Himself, reigning sovereign, as He always has and always will.

The psalm does not say the people were frightened - they were in the temple worshipping.

Maybe they were exhilarated by the display.

And they felt the strength and peace of God.

There is an interesting note about verse 10:

     God sits enthroned over the flood...

 the LORD is enthroned as King forever...

A storm of this magnitude would produce heavy rain

and there would be flooding.

But it would be localized floods, from Mount Hermon to the desert, from the highlands to the lowlands....in the Holy Land...

The Hebrew word in Psalm 29:10 for flood is only used one other place in Scripture, and that is in Genesis 6-9 when we read the account of the great flood of Noah.

All Jews would know that portion of Scripture well.

In English we would translate the word deluge, or The Flood here in verse 10.

According to James Montgomery Boice, there is  another fact to consider: the Hebrew word sits is actually sat (past tense).

So we should properly read the verse:

     God sat enthroned over The Flood of Noah, continues to be enthroned, and will be enthroned forever.

So God was in control then, He is in control now, and He will be in control in the future.

He is in control of all storms - from the storm of Noah to the storms in our lives.

He saved His people then; He saves us now; and He will save us in the future!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise Him ye creatures here below

Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

AMEN! and AMEN!

Psalm 29 - (Part 4) Verses 3-9

(3) The voice of the LORD is over the waters;

The God of glory thunders,

The LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

(4) The voice of the LORD is powerful;

The voice of the LORD is majestic.

(5) The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;

The LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

(6) He makes Lebanon skip like a calf

Sirion like a young wild ox

(7) The voice of the LORD strikes

with flashes of lightning.

(8) The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;

The LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh

(9) The voice of the LORD twists the oaks

and makes the forest bare,

And in his temple all cry "Glory!"

In the first stanza of Psalm 29 (verses 1-2) David appeals to the heavenly angels (the 'mighty ones') to proclaim God's glory!

He is yearning for all God's creatures - Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts -- to join us as we praise our LORD!

Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness (verse 2) -- which would be right where the angels are eternally -- in God's actual presence -- witnessing first hand His Holiness!

We, too, should always praise God right where we are!

Second Stanza - Verses 3-9

The second stanza (verses 3-9) describes a great storm.

When we read the words we can't help but be reminded of great storms we have experienced -- the thunder and lightning and whirling winds. Hurricanes and tornadoes.

It is not hard to imagine early Christians and later believers huddled in their dwellings, whether it be humble cottages or great walled castles, reading this hymn aloud to their children to calm their fears during the fury of a storm.

Our Puritan forefathers continued this tradition.

It appears the storm David is describing gathers its power out over the Mediterranean Sea - "over the mighty waters" could refer to that; but we don't know for certain.

Where the storm begins to gather its strength is not the main point of the section -- the emphasis is on the Voice of the LORD.

Though David is describing the majesty of God as revealed in the storm, he is chiefly concerned with the power of God's voice, not in the thunder itself.


The thunder is a poetic image for the infinite power of God's voice.

God's Voice

We first think of the power of God's voice in creation -- He spoke and as a result of His Voice, the earth and the universe and all they contain were created (Genesis 1).

And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light....'let there be an expanse between the waters'...and it was so...'let the land produce vegetation' and it was so.....

And we read about that voice again in Revelation 21:3:

  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will live with them and be their God.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.



The specific phrase the voice of the LORD occurs seven times in this stanza of Psalm 29: once in verse 3, twice in verse 4, and then again in verses 5, 7, 8 and 9.

The Path of the Storm

In verses 5-8 the storm moves inland and strikes Lebanon and moves downward, twisting and uprooting the great cedars and oaks, with flashing lightning, stripping the forests bare throughout the area and then shaking the desert.

(Sirion is an Old Testament name for Mount Hermon,
the highest peak in Syria.)

The storm is so fierce it even seems to make the mountains tremble.

Notice in verse 7 the flashing of the lightning, quite accurately, is linked to the thunder of God's voice.

The southern desert of Kadesh is where the Hebrews spent much of their wilderness journey, led by Moses,  after escaping from Egypt.

So the storm has moved from the Sea, over to the lands north of Israel, and then through Israel, and down to the wilderness.

And where are the people?

Verse 9 tells us that they are in the temple praising God!

Is David still talking about "the mighty ones" -- the angels he calls on (Verse 1) to join him in praising God?

Maybe. But since he doesn't refer to them by a special title as he did in verse 1, likely he means God's people here on earth.

This is a beautiful picture - in the midst of the storm  the angels are in heaven praising God and God's people on earth are gathered in His temple down here praising Him!

Another striking picture is to imagine God's people, for three thousand years, finding comfort in the majesty and power of the God revealed in these verses!

Praise God from whom all blessing flow!

Praise Him all creatures here below!

Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts!

Praise Father, Son and holy Ghost!