Purpose in Writing

Psalms 32:11 (KJV) Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

(Proverbs 22 also read)

As I read through Psalms, I am constantly reminded that it is possible to be considered “righteous”.  Psalms is very clear about that.  Paul, on the other hand acts like it is impossible at places.  I would guess that the prophets also aren’t real big on calling people righteous.  I’ve said this before.  I’ll say it again.

Today it occurred to me that the reason is the difference in the purpose of writing.  David is expressing his joy in the Lord.  He is writing to encourage and to draw people in.  The prophets, on the other hand, tend to be dealing with believers, whether they be in the church or in the nation of Israel.  They are people who are refusing to except humility before God, and are living either in heresy or on the very edge.  In the prophets there is especially a spirit of rebellion.

So?  Is it possible to be considered righteous by God?  Obviously yes.  Is it a natural tendency in people who are still living in rebellion?  No.  God can make us righteous and we can take that and practice it and live in righteousness.  Decisions are important.  Behavior is vital. 

Routines

Psalms 51:2 (KJV) Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

(Proverbs 21 also read)

I have been up barely an hour and I have already washed my hands several times.  We do it without thinking, it’s just a reaction.  It is a healthy habit.  Why?

During the panic over Covid one of the big issues we were told to do is wash your hands.  Why were we told to wash her hands?  Two reasons really.  The first is because it’s a good thing to do.  Soap and water do not disinfect, but what they do is form a fluid which lifts the bacteria off your hands and flushes them down the drain.  This keeps them from having an opportunity to penetrate your body as you touch your eyes and so forth.

The second reason was really probably the most important, we weren’t doing it.  Even during all of the fear and panic, it was rather amusing to watch macho young men “wash” their hands.  They would turn on the water, swing their hands through the flow once and shake off any excess water that happen to have stuck to their skin.  If they were especially attentive, they might even take a paper towel and dry their hands.  If they were truly macho, they would just wipe them on their pants and walk out the door.

Yes, people need to be taught to wash.  In this particular spot and later on in the chapter, it’s a reminder I will need to be washed in the blood of the Lamb.  That’s a bit of spiritualizing. The perfect man of God does not come along for another 800 years or so.  It might even not be what David was talking about.  But I think it’s what the Holy Spirit is telling us

So?  If you have never been washed in the blood, this is a good time.  Also, as David shows in this Psalm, it’s a good practice to be regularly confessing our failures and our sins and asking God to forgive and restore.  Wash. 

Well, Oh Yeah?

Proverbs 20:3 (KJV) It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

As I started reading through this chapter in Proverbs, I came to this verse and it jumped out at me.  The reason it jumped out is because I have a tendency to enjoy a good argument and want to win.  This can be with friends, arguing theology, or with my wife discussing cleaning the kitchen.  It has many forms and even more applications.

It is so easy to think that, because I am right, I should win the argument.  We don’t like to think of it as an argument, or as the KJV calls it, strife, but how else would you describe it?  To misquote, Shakespeare,

“A rose by any other name, be it oh so sweet, it’s still a Rose.”

Since the thing that hit me in the face was the translation, or rather paraphrase, of the NLT I might as well print that out.

Proverbs 20:3 (NLT) Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.

So?  I should insist on listening and understanding rather than quarreling.  God have mercy on my soul. 

Dividing the Word

Psalms 119:1 (KJV) ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

(Proverbs 19 also read)

I have begun working my way through the book of Psalms again.  One of the difficulties that have to be dealt with is the fact that there are some months that have 31 days and that causes a problem when you divide Psalms into 30 Psalms a month.  What I am doing is taking the 119th Psalm and dividing it up with about 25 verses to read each month that has 31 days.

So today as I read through the first 24 verses of the first Psalm one of the things I noticed was the many different names that are given to the “law”.  Each verse almost has a new word.  The next few verses have “testimonies”, “Ways”, “precepts”.

There are many different words but what is universal in all of them is the joy in which they are engaged and lived out.

So?  Don’t be afraid of the law.  When Paul talks about the law, he talks about the condemning nature of it, the fact that it tells you where the lines are.  When David talks about the law, he rejoices in the freedom that he has by walking within those lines, and avoiding so many pitfalls because of it.  You’re not saved by the law.  It’s still a good way to live.

Names Matter

Psalms 29:2 (KJV) Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

(Proverbs 18 also read)

This is one place where I think the new Bible translation, the Legacy Standard Bible, has an advantage.  You’ll notice in the KJV and the NASB that the word “LORD” is in all capitals.  That designates that this is the Hebrew word for Yahweh, which is sometimes translated “Jehovah”.  In the LSB they have decided that, instead of capitalizing the word Lord, they would actually put in a transliteration of the Hebrew word.

What this does is it makes it more personal.  When you saw the definite article, it became a proper noun instead of a general designation.  If you were a Jew of ancient times, you would recognize Yahweh as a term rooted in the verb “to be”.  So when you are saying, give Yahweh the glory to His name, which is Yahweh, you understand better.  The great glory that Israel had in their God was that He existed.

What a fundamental truth.  The God of the Bible is different from all other gods in many ways, but the key element of it all is, He is.

So?  When you give God glory start off with a deep felt acknowledgment that He is really there and that He hears your praise and your thanksgiving. 

Got Problems?

Psalms 27:12 (KJV) Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

(Proverbs 17 also read)

When I think of David, I think of him marching triumphantly out to face Goliath.  I think of him with his sling and his stones, and coming to victory with no fear in his heart.  I think of him as the king of Israel being victorious over his foes.  Usually I forget about the fact that he went through some really hard times.  Some of it he brought upon himself.  Some was outside his control.

It’s good for us to remind ourselves of how even people like David, who is described as being a man after God’s own heart, went through some real struggles.  It should be a reminder to us that our road will not always be smooth.  It should also remind us that God will be there for us because as you continue to read or go back through the verses you find David putting his trust in God.

So?  I hope this is a good day for you.  I hope your blessings are overflowing your cups.  But if not, keep in mind that God is still there and still waiting to meet with you and still waiting to bless you.  Rejoice. 

On or off

Proverbs 16:17 (KJV) The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

Notice that it doesn’t say Interstate, it says “highway”.  When I see this and the idea of “depart” I naturally think of getting off the highway.  I looked for an off ramp.  When you see a sign that says bridge out ahead, you naturally look for a way to avoid that bridge.  If you’re listening to the radio and you hear that the interstate is blocked by a bunch of demonstrators as happened recently you look for an alternate route.

This is the advice that applies to every time and area of life.  The highway is not necessarily an interstate.  It could be.  It might not be.  It is a recognize route to get to the destination.  In most cases, there are alternative routes or at least ways around obstructions.  We need to be aware of that as we move through life.

I experienced this recently as I was trying to drive through town.  Unfortunately, the road was not very clearly marked.  It said there was a detour for trucks because of a low bridge.  The mystery was that in the direction the trucks would be traveling there were no bridges, but it was an early warning that something was wrong.  Since I wasn’t driving a truck, I kept going straight ahead. Instead of getting off and going right or left I found myself facing a situation where I had no escape, and was heading into a road that did not go through.  I managed to find a way around and changed my path.  If I hadn’t, I would still be sitting there today.

So?  Be alert.  That seems to be one of the prices of life.  Watch out for obstructions. Here the emphasis is on evil.  Evil exists.  Satan is out to get you.  Be aware.  Work to avoid his traps and God will supply the way out.