Songs of Renewal #7

Psalm 116 is entitled: "I Love the Lord."

What does that look like?

 12 What shall I render to the Lord
    for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and call on the name of the Lord,
14 I will pay my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
    is the death of his saints.
16 O Lord, I am your servant;
    I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
    You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
    and call on the name of the Lord.

The "cup" is an interesting instrument in scripture: sometimes it is a cup of wrath or suffering, while at other times it is a cup of blessing. Here it is an empty cup asking to be filled, as we call on the Lord to fill it. People are watching; a loved one has died or some other struggle in life has taken place: "How will we respond?" To make it through such a time we need to beware bitterness and not abandon faith; we need to give thanks, be faithful, and be willing to say: "Lord, I really need you."

Songs of Renewal #6

Psalm 117 

Praise the Lord, all nations!
    Extol him, all peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!

Songs come in all shapes and sizes. In the book of Psalms, we have some long accounts with multiple verses - even Psalm 119 with 22 stanzas and 176 verses, while some of the best known, like Psalm 23, have under 10 verses. Psalm 117 is the shortest.  Sometimes all you need to make your day is a simple chorus, reminding you of God's goodness and greatness. The message reminds you of Him and His steadfast love.  It may be the kind of day you don't need to be pulled out of a pit or delivered from some dangerous enemy like David often did. All you need to know is that God is there, He cares, and He is Lord over all: He is in control.  All you need is a simple song praising the Lord. Find yours today.

Songs of Renewal #5

Yesterday we read the opening stanza of Psalm 66, which call on us to come and see the awesome things God has done. Today we look at the last stanza, beginning in verse

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,

    and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17 I cried to him with my mouth,
    and high praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened.
19 But truly God has listened;
    he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God,
    because he has not rejected my prayer
    or removed his steadfast love from me!

The Psalmist now gives his personal testimony of God's faithfulness in responding to his prayer and demonstrating His love. The psalmist is doing exactly what Paul exhorts us to do in both Ephesians 5: addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart and Colossians 3: teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Often the way to renewal in our hearts and minds happens when we share testimonies, scriptures, and songs of thanksgiving with one another.  Though our natural tendency may be to withdraw when we are down and discouraged, that is the last thing we should do. Songs of renewal take place in fellowship and community.

Songs of Renewal #4

            Psalm 66

1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth;

2     sing the glory of his name;
    give to him glorious praise!
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
4 All the earth worships you
    and sings praises to you;
    they sing praises to your name.” Selah
5 Come and see what God has done:
    he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
    they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
7     who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
    let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

In these first two verses of this Psalm, the writer calls on God's people to shout, sing, and stop to see all the awesome things God has done.  That is a word that has been worn out recently in our culture: awesome.  It has been so overused and abused that we tend to tune it out. But when we are down and discouraged and frustrated and fearful, nothing is better than a good dose of giving God some awe.  "Look", the psalmist says, "even the earth praises God." How much more should we, when we have eyes to see, and a soul to ponder all the wonderful deeds of God.

Songs of Renewal #3

In Psalm 31, David is calling out to God for some security and stability in His life. He says: 

3 For you are my rock and my fortress;
    and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me;
4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
6 I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
    but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
    because you have seen my affliction;
    you have known the distress of my soul,
8 and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
    you have set my feet in a broad place.

David pictures for us what it is like to be redeemed, to trust in the Lord, as opposed to "paying regard" to the worthless idols of the world.  It is allowing Him to pull us out of the net, the snare, the trap which held us helpless, and finding ourselves firmly planted on a clear path, knowing where we are heading, having the Lord, the solid rock, as our personal guide and protector. Once again, our emotional affliction and distress finds relief, and a sense of joy and love settles into our soul. That is what our Redeemer does. 

Songs of Renewal #2

The fourth stanza of Psalm 119:

25 My soul clings to the dust;
    give me life according to your word!
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me;
    teach me your statutes!
27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,
    and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow;
    strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me
    and graciously teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
    I set your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
    let me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments
    when you enlarge my heart!

I'm sure we can all identify with the psalmist in how he feels: his soul clings to the dust and melts away for sorrow - emotionally he is down on the ground, eating dirt, and the life is sapped out of him. What does he ask for? God to refresh him with the truth of His word. He rightly believes that when he understands what God wants, he will have the renewed resolve to chose God's path, set his course, and get up and run - not walk, but run the course God has set before him. May we have the renewal to run the course of faithful obedience today. 

Songs of Renewal #1

 

PSALM 30

1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
    and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
    you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
    and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

The song title before this Song of Renewal says it was presented at the dedication of the Temple. David, having been beaten down by life and those who opposed him, was reminded that God's mercies are new every morning - that as he prepared to go to worship, like we are preparing to go to worship today, in the big picture of things God is faithful and favorable to us: He is working for our good. Let us wake up and look ahead with thanksgiving in our hearts and sing His praises with His saints.