NOVEMBER 21, 2023

 “But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.” (Psalm 31:14)

This psalm is addressed to “the chief musician” and is yet another psalm of David. Undoubtedly, the inscription that attributes it to David is correct and that he was the author. However, the occasion on which it was composed has yet to be discovered. Most Jewish and Christian interpreters had supposed that it was written when David was in the wilderness of Maon and having been betrayed (as to the place of his retreat) by the Ziphites, he was hotly pursued by Saul and his host. However, the particular case doesn’t matter because there were many occasions to which it would be equally applicable.

The general purpose of the psalm is to inspire confidence in God in the hearts of others based on the experience of the psalmist and the manifested favor by which he had been brought through his troubles. The psalm refers to the dangers surrounding its author at the time of writing and his calm confidence in God amid those dangers.

There can be no doubt that the psalmist was in trouble or danger when he penned this psalm, yet he prayed earnestly at that time for deliverance. In the psalm, he clearly refers to former crises and the deliverances God had granted him in such times. He seeks and derives consolation and assurance from the dealings that God has shown him. In some parts of the psalm, he refers to his present afflictions and in other parts to the trials of time past and the deliverance in those trials. In the entire writing, David indicates the duty of the Christian confiding in God from his own experience of His mercy and reliance on Him.

Enemies plotted to kill him. Friends and neighbors turned their backs, but despite the physical and emotional pains, convictions of sin, reproach, and rejection, David still trusts in the Lord. Adverse circumstances can come in many forms. Persecution, distress, and a feeling of rejection and aloneness may almost crush a believer, but the Lord will never forsake him. He can say with David, “You are my God.” With God on his side, David could feel victorious over every harsh circumstance, which is trust in the truest sense. We need to and should put all our trust in the Lord.

Every believer can feel victorious despite painful situations. Paul explains to the Romans that everything works for good for those who love God. Therefore, believers can look forward to victory over the hardest of experiences and exclaim, “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Rom 8:37) As Paul affirms: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31)

NOVEMBER 16, 2023

“Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” (Psalm 28:6-7)

This psalm is entitled “A Psalm of David,” and there is no doubting the correctness of this description.But, as in some of the previous psalms, neither the title nor the contents indicate the timing of the composition. It would seem that the psalm was composed when its author was under some powerful temptation from the wicked or when there were strong allurements offered by people who intended to lead him into the society of those who were strangers to God and, under this temptation, he urges this earnest prayer and seeks to bring before his mind considerations of why he should not yield to these influences.

The psalm is exceptionally applicable to those in danger of being led away by the acts of the ungodly; people who are under strong temptations to be associated with the worldly and mingle in mortal pleasures, as many of us are. They who, before their conversion, were the companions of the ungodly were devoted to guilty pleasures but have been rescued from them in Jesus Christ. This psalm was written for people who feel the power of those habits returning upon them. They have been invited by their former “friends” to partake once again. They are in the condition contemplated in the psalm and will find its sentiments appropriate to their experience. Today’s verses provide a sense of relief or a feeling that God answers prayers and that they are safe from this feeling of danger.

Verse 6 is one of those passages frequently occurring in the Psalms where an earnest and anxious prayer has been offered to God, and the answer to that prayer seems to be immediate. The nervous and troubled pleader’s mind becomes calm, and God’s promises are brought directly to their soul. The peace which was sought is then obtained and the man who opened the psalm with a deep anxiety and a troubled mind rejoices at the close of it in the evidence of the Divine favour and love. The troubled spirit becomes calm and the heart is made peaceful, feeling assurance that all will be well. It is sufficient for us to think that God hears us; if this is so, we are assured that all is right.

God is the source of David’s power and protection. David rejoices in the Lord and sings praise to Him because the Lord is the source of his power and protection, his strength and shield. As a seasoned warrior, David recognizes that the Lord enables him to be strong in the face of his enemy’s oppression. A shield not only provides a warrior with physical protection – it also serves to boost the warrior’s confidence. Experienced believers often recall many occasions when the Lord strengthened and protected them. Each victory brings an opportunity to rejoice and be thankful.

Isaiah refers to the Lord as providing power to His people. He writes in Isaiah 40 that the Lord does not faint nor grow weary. He empowers the faint and gives strength to those who have none. Those who wait on the Lord will receive new strength. They will soar like eagles, run without tiring, and walk without fainting.

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

 “…he (Jesus) said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.” (Matthew 26:10)

This text is taken from the story of an enthusiastic Christian who dearly loved the Lord Jesus and had expressed her love by doing something very special just for Him. She took an alabaster box of very precious ointment and poured it upon the head of the blessed Lord and Savior. Honored as that action has been throughout the history of the Church of God, it did not escape criticism among the religious people of her day. The disciples expressed their own indignation, but Christ defended her; and in the course of defending her said, “Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.” There is no cause for condemning gracious souls when their work is good, especially when it is done solely for their Lord. There are always plenty of troublers around to condemn our service for Christ, but they can only worry us so far as we give thought to them. Let us rather delight ourselves in our Lord’s acceptance of our expressions of love to Him.

Observe especially that her good work was a good work done upon the Lord Jesus. It was of no immediate benefit to anybody else, nor was it meant to be. She did not pour her costly ointment upon the head of the Lord to be seen of men or to gain the praise of men. In fact, she may have even expected the bitter criticism that she received. Jesus is always well pleased with what we do for Him not considering how others might respond, whether it be with favor, contempt, or not at all.

Judas and others of the disciples were thinking that the five hundred pence for which the ointment could have been sold could have provided food to feed the poor. She, however, expended it on Jesus and saw to it that all was used to honor Him, and that was her only purpose. Of course, Judas was right, the ointment might have been turned into cash, or perhaps been used in some other way to benefit a great number of people. Now, Judas himself we know had no such concerns, for he was a thief (John 12:6); but others, who were of a practical philanthropical spirit, saw what this woman did as a waste. Is anything wasted that is all for Jesus?

This box of ointment was all for Jesus. Others who were around might have smelled the sweet aroma (this is always the case when good works are done for Christ) but this grateful woman intended the sweetness for Him, just for Him. Her only motive was to show reverence for Him; and, provided He should be pleased with her deed, she would be perfectly content, though no one else should be gratified. Her first and last thoughts were for the Lord Jesus Himself. This ought to be our one motive. As we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, all are to be done for Jesus’ sake out of genuine love for Him.

We know from the account given by another of the evangelists that the woman broke the alabaster box. Was there any need for that? Could she not simply have opened the box and poured out its contents? Themanner in which she did this was as important as the matter of the gift. Her breaking the box displayed her eagerness, and also showed that the choicest possession was not good enough for her Lord. She banished every thought of economy when she would express her love and gratitude to Christ. This action, in addition to expressing her great love for Christ and showing that compared to Him nothing was precious (I Pet. 2:7), showed that her heart was fixed. She broke the box; it could never be refilled – symbolically she “burned the bridge,” as it were, to her former life. This is what Christ deserves from all His chosen ones.

Had some of us been there we might have been among her critics, who thought she was being wasteful. Or we might have considered her fanatical. But she was not concerned with what on-lookers had to say; her only consideration was what Jesus would think of her actions. To please Him was the height and range of her ambition. Happy woman she was!! May Christ be so precious to us!!

NOVEMBER 9, 2023

 “…break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12)

“Break up your fallow ground.” Our nature, at most, is but a small farm, and we need to get a full harvest out of every acre of it. Have we left any part of our small allotment uncultivated? Solomon condemned the sluggard who allowed his vineyard to go unattended (Prov. 24:30-32). What would he think of a farmer who allowed his richest field to lie untilled and fallow year after year? The Prophet urges us, if we have been thus irresponsible, and have neglected the best part of our estate; it is time to attend to the matter.

An occasional fallow has its benefits in the world of nature, but if the proprietor of a rich and fruitful land allowed the soil to continue fallow year after year, we should judge him to be out of his mind. The wasted acreage should be taken from him and given to another who would disallow the waste and encourage the rich fields to yield their full harvest.

Foolish is the sluggard who neglects to cultivate his farm, but what shall be said of the man who fails to cultivate himself? If it be wrong to leave unattended a part of our estate, how much worse it must be to disregard a portion of ourselves!

The neglect is all the more inexcusable when we consider that the “fallow ground” of which the Prophet speaks involves the soul. It is not often that men neglect their outward frame of clay. They dress that field which is called the body with sufficient care. This is right and proper for it is worthy to be duly kept; it would be wrong not to keep it in order. However, the fact that this very secondary part of our nature is interwoven with the higher part is the chief reason that the body should not be neglected. Therefore, let us keep this field by temperance, cleanliness, and obedience to the rules of health and culture. Though it be but dust akin to the common earth around us, the body is honorable and when grace has sanctified the soul, the body becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost. (I Cor. 6:19)

Few need to be exhorted to attend to their bodies. “What shall we eat?” “What shall we drink?” “Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” is a trinity of questions which the majority of mankind spend all their lives answering. The fault is not that they care for the body, but that it takes an undue share of consideration and is given precedence over the soul. The eternal part suffers neglect and lies fallow, while the temporal part is given priority as though it were eternal.

We are not as the brute beasts which perish, which know nothing beyond their daily wants. We who are made living souls must distinguish ourselves from other living creatures by seeking to know, learn, and understand. The field of the mind, however, is not the most neglected field with men. In fact, many professors of religion become puffed up with knowledge.

The field that lies fallow, that with which the Prophet is concerned, is not the physical, but rather it is the spiritual – the highest nature of all – that which speaks to God. It is suffered to lie entirely fallow! The soil where true religion should flourish is left by many to produce poisonous weeds of superstition, and thorns and thistles of error and doubt.

We all know what happens to a fallow field. Not only does it become caked and hard, but it will produce weeds and briars in increasing abundance. If one will not break up the ground and sow good seed, his field will still produce, but the fruit will be damning. Therefore, the exhortation of the text must be heeded: “Break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.”