Psalm 31 God's Great Love!

Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up. Expect GOD to get here soon.

(Psalm 31:24 MSG)

Pray this over your life:
 

You are my God v14
 

Hour by hour I place my days (my future) in your hand v15 
(Msg)
 

Deliver me from my enemies v15
 

May your favor (face) wash over me v16
 

Rescue me because of your love for me v16
 

I will always call on the Lord and will not walk in shame v17
 

You will silence the enemy v18

This is David's cry and response to the devastating sin and shame in his life. In Verses 9-13, David focuses on what is happening in his life – the complete anguish of his sin and the response of others to his shame. He seems to be in very serious trouble.

In the rest of the psalm, he describes God’s response to sin. Oh what complete love!! Through these verses we can find 28 descriptions of God's love and faithfulness in our lives. That makes 7 in front of us, 7 behind...7 on the left and 7 on the right!!! He surrounds us with His love!

Here are all the things God does for me in this Psalm:

He lifts every shame v1

He delivers me v1

He hears me v2

He is a refuge and hiding place v2

He is my rock v2-3

He is my fortress v2-3

He leads and guides me v3

He rescues me from every trap v4

He is my strength v4

He redeems me v5

He is trustworthy v6

He is full of mercy and surrounds me with love v7

He understands every trouble v7

He knows me completely v7

He sets me into a safe place v8

He is trustworthy v14

He holds my future in His hands v15

He snatches me from the hands of the enemy v15

He clothes me with favor v16

He saves me v16

He silences my enemies v17-18

He is so very good to me v19

He lavishes blessings on me v19

He hides me in His presence v20

He is so wonderfully kind to me v21

He hears every cry v22

He takes care of me v23

He strengthens me v24

7 Places David Desired To Dwell

I have been meditating on some of David's key heart attitudes in Psalm 27:4 for several years - he spoke about dwelling in the house of the Lord, and I wanted to look at the places where David  set his heart to make a dwelling place.

I wanted to point out that the Hebrew word for "dwell" (yashab) is not some temporary abode - it means to set, sit, remain and stay in a place. To be still. 

If you just look at the psalms of David, you can hear his cry to dwell in the presence of God. Look at this progression through the Psalms – the places where David decided in his heart to dwell – we see a progression from his desire to dwell in safety right through to his desire for the secret place(s) of God’s presence.

1. David wanted to dwell in a place of safety - Psalm 4:8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

2. David wanted to dwell in God’s holy hill – Psalm 15:1 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

3. David wanted to dwell in the house of the Lord forever - Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

Psalm 27:4 One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.

Psalm 84:4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah

4. David wanted to dwell in the land that the Lord provided – Psalm 37:3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

Psalm 37:29 The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever.

5. David wanted to dwell in the courts of the Lord – Psalm 65:4 Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.

6. David wanted to dwell in Zion – the place of God’s presence and Judah – the place of praise - Psalm 69:35 For God will save Zion And build the cities of Judah, That they may dwell there and possess it.

7. David wanted to dwell in the secret place of God’s presence – Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, (see also Moses’ prayer: Ps. 90:1)

Psalm 101:6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me.

Psalm 140:13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence.

How lovely is Your dwelling place 

Seek The Lord Like David

I have been meditating this evening on the way that King David sought the Lord. Although he was a great sinner, his heart was made soft as He sought the Lord throughout his life

David sought 7 things in the Psalms:

1. To dwell in the house of the Lord - Ps. 27:4

2. To behold the beauty of God - Ps. 27:4

3. To inquire of, or study God’s presence - Ps. 27:4

4. To see the face of God - Ps. 27:8

5. To find fellowship with God - Ps. 63:1

6. To find the wisdom and instructions of the Lord – Ps. 119:45

7. To do whatever was best for Jerusalem – Ps. 122:9

Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.

Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near

David's Mighty Men

When David was in trouble at Ziklag, (SEE HERE) a mighty army of rag-hag warriors came and joined themselves with him. These were the men who came to David while he was banished from the presence of Saul - they were among the loyal and valiant warriors who helped him in battle, and who served him as he rose up to be King over all Israel.  

Biblical names were very important. Some names describe expressions of hopes, revelations of divine purposes, and prophecies of the future. Others were part of genealogical histories, as it was common in Jewish customs to keep a family history. Sometimes names indicated certain circumstances with their birth or family line, character traits, distinctive attributes or a significant event in their life. Names might also point to occupations, or to a symbolic or a prophetic feature of a particular family.

In 1 Chronicles 12 we see a list of David’s Mighty Men - these were the warriors who overcame great armies, defeated superior numbers, remained loyal in the midst of extremely difficult circumstances and were greatly skilled in combat.

There are important lessons here for each of us who are involved in spiritual warfare, worship and intercession. Just their names, alone, can give us an indication of character traits and prophetic vision that we need to cling to for our lives and ministries – even though we may have come from great trials and tragedies, the Lord has something to say about our destiny and purpose in His Kingdom.

There were three classes of these men who came to serve David

1. There were those who came in Distress. The were persecuted by Saul

2. There were those who were in Debt and about to be sold into slavery.

3. There were those who were discontented and unhappy with what life had to offer. Life had not been good to them.

All of us is in the same boat. We are in distress, in a hopeless life, and with a debt we cannot pay, yet the Lord has called us to do great things alongside Him in His kingdom.

Here is a list of these men, and an indication of the meaning of their name:

Ahiezer - brother of help, helper (their chief)

Joash - Jehovah-fired, He who burns, on fire

Jeziel - sprinkled of God; strength, assembly of God, powerful. mighty

Pelet - to deliver or escape, deliverer

Beracah - liberal blessing, bows the knee

Jehu - Jehovah is he

Ishmaiah - the Lord will hear, hearing and obeying the Lord

Jeremiah - the Lord will rise, exalt the Lord, appointed by God

Jahaziel - behold God, seer, visions of God, to understand or perceive

Johanan - Jehovah-favored, God gives, God is gracious, merciful

Jozabad - Jehovah-gives, gift

Eluzai - God will deliver or save, God is my strength

Jerimoth - to be active or to rise up, heights, to be high

Bealiah - the Lord is master or husband, God is Lord

Shemariah - The Lord has guarded, kept and protected

Shephatiah - the Lord has judged/vindicated

Elkanah - God has obtained or taken possession, the zeal of God

Isshiah - The Lord will lend, God forgets

Azarel - God has helped/protected

Joezer - Jehovah is his helper

Jashobeam - people return/nations will be restored, restoration of backsliding

Joelah - can do good/valuable, lifting up, taking away slander

Zebadiah - the Lord has given/endure, Gift from God

From Gad:

Ezer - help, to lay up treasure

Obadiah - servant of the Lord

Eliab - God is my father

Mishmannah - shine, fat, provision

Jeremiah - the Lord will rise, exalt the Lord, God raises up, appointed by God

Attai - my hour or time, timely, fit

Eliel - mighty like an oak, God is my strength, God is my God

Johanan - Jehovah-favored, God gives, God is gracious, merciful

Elzabad - God has bestowed, Gift of God

Jeremiah - the Lord will rise, exalt the Lord, God raises up, appointed by God

Machbannai - a hill or place in Palestine, to wrap around

Authority, Anointing, Ability

Yesterday (HERE) we saw the incredible ministry of Bezalel - the man chosen and called by God to create and prepare every piece of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness (Exodus 31:1-11). 

David also chose his worship team carefully (1Chron.15:16, 17, 19; 16:41; 25:1–8). When we are chosen by God for any ministry at all, we need these three attributes - it is absolutely impossible to be successful if any one of these attributes is missing from your life:

Authority — This affects our position in ministry. The Lord honors the leadership structures that are in place in your church. There is no way you can walk into any ministry without being given the authority to minister. You must be given authority - you can never just take it. You are given authority so that you can serve God's people - never for the purpose of lording it over people. The more authority you have, the more of a servant you should be. Anyone in Christian ministry who has been given authority, must be in the business of equipping and releasing to their call. We don't have authority to take, but to pour into God's people and make way for their success.

Anointing —  This affects our power in ministry. I have a long series on the anointing: HERE. There are 3 anointings we need to walk in: The anointing of water (the Word of God washes us and prepares us for the other 2 anointings); The anointing of oil (go HERE for the ingredients of the anointing oil); and the anointing of blood (HERE). It is the blood of Jesus that seals the anointing on our life.

Ability — This affects our productivity in ministry. It is no good to have the authority and anointing to minister, but to lack the skills to do the task you have been assigned to. David's musicians and singers were expected to be skillful and to go through training:

1 Chron. 25:1

Moreover David and the captains of the army

separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph,

of Heman, and of Jeduthun,

who should prophesy with harps,

stringed instruments, and cymbals.

And the number of the skilled men performing their service was:

verse 7

So the number of them, with their brethren

who were instructed in the songs of the Lord,

all who were skillful, was two hundred and eighty-eight.

Please note that it is not enough to be skilled in the practical details of your craft - we must also be skilled in the spiritual and prophetic aspects of our ministry. In verse 7 (above) David's singers were also instructed in the songs of the Lord, or prophetic songs.

It is quite useless to have any 2 of these without the 3rd - these three work together:

Ability without anointing brings pride

Anointing without ability is ignorance

Ability and anointing without authority brings frustration

Authority and ability without anointing brings legalism