Psalm 104
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty, 2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. 3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; 4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire.
5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. 7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.
8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.
10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; 11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. 12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. 13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth 15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. 17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. 18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
19 He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. 20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about. 21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens. 23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening.
24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. 25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. 26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it. 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. 28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,
32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!
33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. 35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD!
Oh, to have a Work of the Lord for our life. A Work of His Today.
Something amazing.
Miraculous.
Abraham lived in tents in the land he did not own in Hebron, Israel.
Jacob moved to Egypt.
Surely this would end God's Plan and be the end of story.
Moses - can be part of a miracle of God - that never works on Pharaoh. This never works! And does.
Moses - can be part of a miracle of God - that won't keep us fed, comfortable, not thirsty.
Moses - can be part of a miracle of God - but we aren't strong enough to defeat an army of Giants in the Promised Land.
Moses - can be part of a miracle of God - but God completes taking the Children of Israel into Israel because God is in charge of Works of God.
Gideon - the people believed Gideon is going to destroy the town and God won't help us through Gideon.
Gideon - the people believed Gideon didn't include them in the victory and felt angry.
Gideon - didn't lead well all his life.
Works of God belong to God.
Samuel not always sure and pleased with what he knows he is to do.
Samuel and his sons were not chosen for the long run. Works of God belong to God.
Samuel is asked to anoint another and Samuel is picked to end God's chosen form of government (Judges self-governing) replaced with kingship.
Works of God belong to God.
David 22 years and a descendant of Saul's is found.
23 years and several descendants of Saul's concubines are found.
David danced during his third coronation. Israel became his in bits and pieces.
David assures Life is always going to have Trouble.
David had Civil War.
David decided for a census and created a plague.
David has family troubles.
David did very well.
Works of God belong to God.
Hezekiah lived in David's Palace - above.
And we can still see the tool marks of the water tunnels dug by Hezekiah's Judea.
Hezekiah moved the hand of God in prayer. Jesus says pray with Hope.
Hezekiah 3 million person Judah vs the Neo-Assyrian Empire dominated the Near East from 910 BC to around 610 BC. The Assyrian Empire population is estimated at almost 20-30 Million people. Assyria was a garden area now covering Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Cyprus and Armenia.
There was no way for Judah to stand as Israel was conquered. The people of Judah became very, very interested in what God would say. And this period in the Bible has the people doing more for the Lord in works and generosity - - - than any other time.
All of these works have a similarity - certain and seen failure.
Times of high fear and doubt.
Did the Bible ever have times of immediate relief and pure comfort?
The faithful asking Jesus had this. Without doubt. And Jesus had great Joy. Being God, Jesus had God's own Peace. The circumstances daily would not lend to human peace and comfort for the great tension all over tradition, the economy, employment, religion, and division of belief in Judea.
Jesus had the very present Peace of His Father. More peace than David, Moses, Gideon, Samuel and Hezekiah. With more chance of harm.
Peter and Paul had times of pure disappointment and trial. It's probably true their grandchildren wondered at the times and successes and cost. Today, we see clearly.
Is any other time purely decisive?
Nahum 2 - when God takes vengeance - He does not need to strike twice.
Continuance.Jesus is Living Water.
This Psalm covers God's Plan for the earth. Combined with the Holy Spirit wanting to be near mankind and abiding over the pervasive waters of the earth. Now, what would we do with this as part of our lives? We would pray for God's love to pour forth as only God Himself could accomplish.
The Bible tells us our prayers reach the heart of God. The Word of God tells us - only the Spirit gives Life. So our prayers are pleasing to God, but God Himself is the One Who Accomplishes.
Abba,
We ask Your Blessing.
The Psalm is filled with Living Water - we hope our prayers become the Blessing of Your Living Water continually flowing all over us with Your Love, Guidance, Blessing and Protection.
What we could never fill in our loved ones, what we could never do for others - we know we rely upon Your Love. On Your Heart of Mercy for them.
We rest all our concerns upon You, Father. And in comfort, know Your Mercy carries us all.
We ask continued healing for our friend, numbered among the Greatest to go home from the hospital as he heals.
Jesus gave us the gift and the assurance to pray for more Heaven on earth.
Amen in Jesus.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment