Psalm 24 - Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?

Psalm 24

           A psalm of David.

​The Lord owns the earth and all it contains,

the world and all who live in it.

For he set its foundation upon the seas,

and established it upon the ocean currents.

Who is allowed to ascend the mountain of the Lord?

Who may go up to his holy dwelling place?

The one whose deeds are blameless

and whose motives are pure,

who does not lie,

or make promises with no intention of keeping them.

Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord,

and vindicated by the God who delivers them.

Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor,

Jacobʼs descendants, who pray to him. (Selah)

Look up, you gates!

Rise up, you eternal doors!

Then the majestic king will enter!

Who is this majestic king?

The Lord who is strong and mighty!

The Lord who is mighty in battle!

Look up, you gates!

Rise up, you eternal doors!

Then the majestic king will enter!

Who is this majestic king?

The Lord who commands armies!

He is the majestic king! (Selah) The NET Bible

"Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?"- That is the question of the day.  I don't know about you, but that is a daunting prospect to me.  Indeed who can consider themselves pure and holy enough to approach the Lord? Especially when you put it into an Old Testament context, where only those who obey all the laws are considered pure and holy.  I am encouraged by King David's attitude though.  He certainly wasn't a perfect man, but still he had a heart to seek after the Lord, and the Lord honored his desires.  Shifting to a New Testament context, we know that the grace of the Lord allows us to approach the Lord based on the cleansing blood of Jesus.  The Lord desires that we approach His holy hill, so He made a way so that we can ascend into  His presence, despite our human frailty and failings.

"Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor."- I have trouble relating to the "blameless" part, but I can  identify with those who "seek his favor".  That's one reason I love the Psalms so much, because King David and the other psalmist were not prefect men, but they had a heart of worship, and were able to overcome their personal failings to find their way up the mountain of the Lord, to exalt Him and give Him the worship due His name.

The second part of psalm 24 is a great hymn of praise. Imagine, if you will, the great crowd of worshipers, who had ascended up the hill of the Lord, examining themselves on their journey according the the first part of the psalm.  Now they are gathered on top of the hill, in the temple, waiting expectantly for the Lord, the King of Glory to arrive. Hear the trumpets sound and the cymbals clang as the worshipers raise their voices to announce the arrival of the King of Kings, giving glory to His name.  The psalmist puts it in terms of the gates of the temple themselves rising up and declaring the glory of God.  It's as if the temple and the people have become one in worship to the King.  Do you see how this foreshadows the New Testament revelation that the temple of the Lord is the body of believers, the body of Christ?  We ourselves are the gates of the temple that declare the majesty and glory of the King of King and Lord of Lord. Hallelujah!

Now listen to the Sons of Korah version of Psalm 24 which is very inspirational:  

Psalm 24 - Sons of Korah

Psalm 23 (part 2) The Dream Box

Psalm 23 (part 2)

The Dream box.

There is something about dreams.  Sometimes your subconscious talks to you, sometimes God talks to you, and sometimes last nights extra jalapeños pizza talks to you!  I had a dream the other night that falls somewhere in that range.  Since I've been studying the Psalms, it might be helpful to relate that dream to Psalm 23.

In the dream, a large box was delivered to my house.  The wrapping was old and  yellowed, and the return address was my childhood home.  The ship date was 1965.  Opening it I discovered that my father had packed up several artifacts from my teenage years, and had them put into storage to be delivered to me 50 years in the future. In the box were many things that reminded me of things we had done together, times we had been together, and reminders of how much he loved me.

Psalm 23 is sort of like that.  In it our heavenly Father, our Shepherd, has packed several reminders of all the things He does for us and all the times that we have been together.

"I shall not want"- Remember all the times that the Father has provided for us.  Like the psalmist, I too can say that "I have never seen the children of the righteous begging bread".  Now there have been times when there wasn't all that I thought I wanted, but there has always been as much as I needed.  "Still waters" yes, "green pastures", yes.  In the most tumultuous times, there has been a place of still waters and in the driest of times there have been green pastures, as long as I remembered to ask the Father where to find them.

"He restored my soul" - This is the feeling that I had when I received the dream box.  Even though my father has been gone for many years, that box brought back many memories of how much he loved me.  It restored that sense of being loved that me soul needed.  Our heavenly Father also knows how to bring those things to us that will restore our souls, bringing peace and love to our lives when we need it most. Are you experiencing tumultuous times, where you have lost your peace?  Let the good shepherd lead you to the green pasture and restore your soul.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,"- I am reminded of the great hymn "It is well with my soul".  That hymn was written in the middle of the Atlantic ocean at the spot where the author had lost his entire family to a ship wreck.  That ship had been sunk in a violent storm, but the waters were now calm as the author contemplated his losses.  How often it is that the Lord is able to restore our souls, even in the midst of the most violent upheavals that this life can throw at us.  "When sea billows blow.... It is well with my soul."  Can you find the Lord's peace, even at the place our your biggest loss, and trust Him even in the darkest depths of the valley of the shadow of death?

"I fear no evil, for You are with me;Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." - Some of the things in my dream box reminded me of how my father had protected me.  A farm can be a dangerous place with treacherous mechanical equipment and temperamental livestock.  My father taught me how to be safe around farm equipment and gave me a large black dog that watched over me whenever I was in the pastures with the livestock. I also have his old cane, that he used like a shepherd's staff to prod the cattle in the way that he wanted them to go. It is a strong cane that you can lean on, and is a comfort and a protection in times of trouble.

"You prepare a table"- Another thing that was passed down to me from my parents is the old dining room table.  This table is a marvel of American ingenuity that folds up to fit into a corner, but expands out to be able to feed a dozen hungry farm hands.  Oh what feasts we had spread out on that table at harvest time and  holidays! Our heavenly Father likewise will provide a lavish feast for us, to provide for us abundantly, even in the presence of our enemies.  Perhaps even particularly so in the presence of our enemies, so that the Lord can demonstrate his loving kindness, not only to us, but also the the hosts of the enemy that would seek to starve and destroy us.  Thank you father for the bountiful provision and the table of feasting.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me..."- My final observation doesn't come from my natural father, but from one of my fathers in the faith.  He tells of a pastor that we know in Guatemala that was threatened by the local witch doctor and his acolytes.  After many days, they had done nothing, so the elders of the church asked the witch doctor's men why not.  They responded, "Yes, we are going to kill your pastor, just as soon as those two giants with swords, who stand at the door of the church compound every night, leave.  Then we will kill your pastor."  Surely goodness and mercy will follow me, all the days of my life.

So then, my prayer for you is that you might receive your dream box, and unpack all the things that remind you of your Father’s love for you.

Sons of Korah, Psalms 23

Psalm 23 (Part 1)

Psalm 23 (Part 1)

Seeing as how the 23rd psalm is one of the most familiar of all the psalms, let us read it in a version that may be unfamiliar to you. The New English Translation (NET) (https://bible.org/netbible/) is sort of an open source Bible, that is freely available online, and which may be quoted and shared freely, as long as no profit is made from it.  Check out their web site for more details of their purpose and publishing model.

Anyway, that being said, let us read psalm 23 in the NET Bible translation to get a different perspective on a familiar scripture. 

The Lord is my shepherd,

I lack nothing.

He takes me to lush pastures,

he leads me to refreshing water.

He restores my strength.

He leads me down the right paths

for the sake of his reputation.

Even when I must walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no danger,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff reassure me.

You prepare a feast before me

in plain sight of my enemies.

You refresh my head with oil;

my cup is completely full.

Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days,

and I will live in the Lordʼs house for the rest of my life. The NET Bible

How do you explain a shepherd to a modern, urban man?  I grew up on a farm, so have some appreciation for animal husbandry, but still taking care of cattle, hogs and chickens is a bit different from shepherding sheep.  Probably the best explanation that I have found is in the little book by W. Phillip Keller entitled "A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23" (http://www.amazon.com/Shepherd-Looks-Psalm-23/dp/0310274419) It's a very worthwhile read, and he does a much better job than I can of explaining all the shepherding references in psalm 23.  Keller explains in fascinating detail the true meaning of "table", "rod", "staff" and the shepherd's use of oil.

The eternal appeal of this psalm is the great assurance it gives us of our heavenly father's love. How we need to know that He is looking out for us, and that when we trust in Him we will lack nothing. I'm not very good at trusting myself, so psalm 23 is a good reminder that refreshing water and lush pastures are in His plan for me. Maybe you find yourself in a hard place where it is hard to trust that there is goodness in the world. I've been in such hard places and can assure you that it is a good thing to have the Shepherd looking out for you.  The outlook my look bleak from your perspective, but the Shepherd is viewing your life from a higher and wiser perspective, and will lead you through the darkest valley and you will fear no danger when you trust in Him.

To modern ears the King James "Thou preparest a table before me" of verse 5 sounds odd.  The NET renders it  as "prepare a feast", but there is some merit in using the language of "table" used by the KJV.  In the middle eastern sheep herding lands, the tables were high plateaus which were rich in green grass, and high above the pests and enemies of the valleys.  The shepherd would prepare the table before hand to remove any noxious weeds and drive off any predators, then the sheep could safely graze on the table land, far from the heat of the summer far below.  Sometimes it's just good to get away and be with the Lord in a quiet place, above the fray and away from your enemies and just enjoy His presence and feast on the table that He has prepared.

Keith Green - The Lord in My Shepherd (Psalm 23)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMUQEI0CLQM

Psalm 20 - Some May Trust in Chariots

Psalm 20

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!

May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! 

May He send you help from the sanctuary

And support you from Zion! 

May He remember all your meal offerings

And find your burnt offering acceptable! 

Selah.

May He grant you your heart’s desire

And fulfill all your counsel! 

We will sing for joy over your victory,

And in the name of our God we will set up our banners.

May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;

He will answer him from His holy heaven

With the saving strength of His right hand. 

Some boast in chariots and some in horses,

But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God. 

They have bowed down and fallen,

But we have risen and stood upright. 

Save, O Lord;

May the King answer us in the day we call. NASB

This is a good psalm for a Sunday, where we spend time with the Lord in the sanctuary, and celebrate His support from Zion, the city of God.  We don't worship in exactly the same way as they did in King David's time, but we still glorify God and thank Him for his deliverance.  We make offerings, not of meal and burnt animals, but of time, talents and treasure.  And still we can pray, "May He find our offerings acceptable!"

The Lord is still in the business of fulfilling heart's desires, and fulfilling counsel.  It is such a pleasure to spend time with His people, singing for joy and celebrating the victories.  Oh hallelujah that He still answers from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.

We used to sing the verse about boasting in chariots and horses (See Bob Fitt's version below).  It was a rousing chorus and reminded us to trust not in our things, but to trust in God.  Too many people today trust in their car and their iPhone instead of calling on the name of the Lord.  May we take some time today to bless the Lord, call upon His name, and thank Him for the marvelous things that He has done.

Bob Fitts- Some May Trust In Chariots (Medley) (Hosanna! Music)

Psalm 18 - An Epic of Biblical Proportions!

Psalm 18

This lengthy psalm is a song of celebration after a great triumph in battle, and is full of vivid imagery.  If I were an artist, maybe I could paint this psalm as a picture, but I'm a writer, so let's see if we can use our imaginations together to visualize the wonders that the psalmist portrays with his word pictures.

2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;

Imagine, if you will, the Rock of Gibraltar. See it's majestic cliffs, and deep, intricate caves.  Remember the movies that you have seen where battles were fought over this rock.  Now can you imagine our God as a rock that is bigger and stronger than this?  He is a mighty fortress in which you can take refuge.

4 The cords of death encompassed me,

And the torrents of ungodliness terrified me. 

5 The cords of Sheol surrounded me;

The snares of death confronted me.

Now think about one of the Indiana Jones movies.  This is like a nightmare where you are bound by ropes (or worse snakes), and there are traps set all around to keep you from escaping with the prize.  Can you visualize the terror (queue the scary music!) but can you still hope that there is a way out?  How will the hero survive?

7 Then the earth shook and quaked;

And the foundations of the mountains were trembling

And were shaken, because He was angry.

Oh my!  Now there is an earthquake!  I haven't been in very many earthquakes myself, but I've heard the stories of my sister and her boys who survived that last big San Francisco earthquake.  One of the nephews was driving and his whole truck shook like it was on a roller coaster, because the road was shaking so much.  Now can you image that this terror and turmoil is due to the Lord's anger as He comes to your rescue?  Think of the fright in the eyes of your enemies as they realize that their doom is near!

8 Smoke went up out of His nostrils,

And fire from His mouth devoured;

Coals were kindled by it.

Fire breathing dragons and monsters!  Now we in a major Hollywood blockbuster, Godzilla versus to Hittites!  Smell the smoke as the fire gushes out and consumes the flesh our the enemy.  (I hope you're not eating dinner right now).  Our God is a consuming fire!

11 He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him,

Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. 

12 From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,

Hailstones and coals of fire.

This part is easy for me to visualize because I live on the Gulf Coast where there are frequent strong storms and even hurricanes.  Just yesterday, the clouds rolled in so thick that it turned day into night in just a few minutes, then the thunder rolled as the lightning crackled all around, shaking the house and terrifying the cats.  When you are in the midst of such a storm, you are very thankful if you can take refuge in a strong house, for without shelter, you can be incinerated by lightning, crushed by a falling tree, pounded by hail or blown away by the cyclone and washed away in the flood.  Better to have a secure shelter in such a storm.

19 He brought me forth also into a broad place;

He rescued me, because He delighted in me.

Stay calm now, we're coming to the good part.  Visualize the sun coming out after the storm. The grass is a special kind of green, and the air is fresh with the smell of past rain tinged with the tart smell of ozone from the lightning.  The trees have ceased their shaking and all is calm.  Image yourself in this peaceful place, with the Lord, and try to comprehend the love He has for you as He delights in you.

28 For You light my lamp;

The Lord my God illumines my darkness.

Maybe we can be a little silly now, after all those terrifying thoughts.  Image yourself in a dark, dank cave, with a miners light on your helmut. It's flickering and about to go out, then then the Lord shows up and recharges your light, and the cave is now brilliantly illuminated.  You can see the spectacular stalactites and stalagmites, and the shiny minerals glistening from the walls.  Now you can see what you were missing with your poor, worn out light, now that the Lord has brought His grand light into play!

29 For by You I can run upon a troop;

And by my God I can leap over a wall.

Time for offense now!  The attack is on and you are running with the troops, bounding over walls with the ease of a gazelle!  The enemy is on the run.  Press the fight until complete victory is won.

(We used to sing this verse in church in Pittsburgh, and some would literally run circles around the church.  One of my friends had his eyes closed praying, and got completely bowled over by a rather large sister that was exuberantly running upon a troop!)

33 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,

And sets me upon my high places.

Let's finish with this one.  This is a famous verse that inspired the title of the great devotional "Hinds Feet in High Places".  After all the commotion, terror, and war, it's proper to quiet yourself and meditate on the goodness of the Lord who has delivered you.  Think on all of the wonderful thinks that He has done for you. Remember the great bounty that He has brought to your family.  Thank the Lord for all that He has done.

49 Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord,

And I will sing praises to Your name.  NASB

Now listen to Psalm 18 (He Delights in Me) (feat. Shane Heilman) - The Psalms Project

Psalm 16 - Lines in Pleasant Places

Psalm 16

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you.”

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,

in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out

or take their names on my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the Lord always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure.

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. ESV

I'm going to exercise writer's prerogative and focus on just one verse.

 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

This morning we were praying for one of our church elders who is moving to another state, and I was thinking about this verse.  When you commit to walk with the Lord, you can be sure that your boundary lines will be laid in good places, but some times the lines move! Where I grew up in Illinois, most people thought of boundary lines a fixed.  Many people were born and died on the same farm.  Some would prosper and purchase a neighboring farm to expand their lines, but most were content to live within the boundaries set by their fathers.

Our family was a bit different in this regard.  Over a period of seven generations, the Brillhart's migrated from Europe to Pennsylvania and then to Illinois.  My great-grandfather moved part of the family on to Kansas, but my grandfather stayed in Illinois.  I had one uncle who moved his family all the way to Colorado, though he was motivated by health reasons.  I myself have made a couple of major moves, from Illinois to Pennsylvania to Alabama.

Sometimes, you can be settled in a place, being content with your lines, when the Lord says, "This is good, but your destiny lies in a different place."  That was certainly the case when I moved from Pittsburgh to Mobile, Alabama.  The Lord had a definite purpose for us on the Gulf Coast that was bigger and better than what we were doing in Pittsburgh.  I'm sure this is the case for Elder M.L., where there is a greater destiny and wider purpose in Texas, even though much has already been accomplished in Alabama.

The psalmist closes with "You make known to me the path of life;...".  Sometimes that path can lead to some different and interesting places, places where you would never have imagined that  you would go.  But when you listen to the Lord's plan, that path will lead to a place where you can say "my lines will fall to me in pleasant places. I have a beautiful inheritance."

Listen to Psalm 16 by the Psalms Project:

Psalm 16 (Fullness of Joy) (feat. Rachelle Hope) - The Psalms Project

Psalm 15 - Teach Your Children Well

Psalm 15

Lord, who may be a guest in your home? 

Who may live on your holy hill? 

 Whoever lives a blameless life, 

does what is right,

and speaks honestly. 

 He a does not slander, 

or do harm to others, 

or insult his neighbor. 

 He despises a reprobate, 

but honors the Lord ʼs loyal followers. 

He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise. 

 He does not charge interest when he lends his money. 

He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent. 

The one who lives like this will never be upended

"Teach the children well” was a folk song by Cosby Stills that was popular when I was much younger. It is the earnest cry of every generation that their children would learn to live right. Even back in the days of ancient Israel, I can see King David, with his children gathered about him, singing Psalm 15 to them. Teaching his children how to live a blameless life.

The New American Standard Bible translates verse 1 as;

1 O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?

Who may dwell on Your holy hill?

Isn’t it your desire that your children and grandchildren learn to abide with the Lord. Abiding means to dwell with, in a genuine and intimate relationship.  The picture of being a guest in the Lord’s tent, living with Him on his holy hill, evokes images of close family times, being with special relatives, traveling to the mountains and having good times together.  Our family had many such times traveling to Colorado to visit relatives that lived in the Rocky Mountains.  I learned much from may parents on those trips, mostly be being close with them, but also by experiencing the majesty of God’s creation by visiting the mountains.

Just as I learned from my father to speak honestly and not to harm others, I taught the same things to my children, and hope that my grandchildren learn the same.  Keeping your promises and being generous were important lessons that my father taught me.  From King David’s time till now it has been important to teach our children how to live right so that they may be friends of God and man, and that they may live secure lives which can never be shaken.

Psalm 15 (Who May Abide With You?) (feat. Emily Heilman) - The Psalms Project

Teach the children well ( with lyrics) - Crosby Stills