Daily Meditations

Psalm 27:4  Dwelling with the Lord      If ever there was a plaintive cry from the heart of a tender man, this is it. Here we have a king who, in worldly terms, has it all. He is surrounded by family, albeit a disjointed lot! He has power and authority and status. He reigns over a prosperous land that has extended its borders under his leadership. Other enemy nations are being subdued, the money is flowing into the national coffers, the Chancellor of the Exchequer is happy. David has a palace and servants and the people love him. Everything that a modern ruler craves is at hand and yet this is not his dream. There is a love and a passion and a longing in David’s heart that looks beyond worldly achievements and material success. One thing he craves and yet this one thing will allude him in this earthly life. David’s gaze and focus is heavenward, it is the company of his Lord and the pleasures of the Lord’s house that far outweigh the things of this world. If only he could be free of the

Psalm 27:3   Our God will guard us      It is easy to read this passage and to ponder David’s precarious hold on the nation of Israel. They had come from nothing; slavery in Egypt followed by 40 years of wandering in the Sinai and Negev deserts. This company of moaners and complainers had eventually entered the Promised Land and learned to be conquerors. Slowly they had driven the pagan nations out of Israel and taken control, however, they remained “surrounded by enemies.” Just as in Israel today, there could be a flashpoint at any moment that could then descend into all-out war. David was no fool, he knew the dangers, which is why he had to trust in God. Unlike Israel today, a people who never seem to learn, the ancient king believed that whatever and whoever conspired against him he could be confident in the Lord. Let us take his confidence to heart, whatever the dangers that surround us and our families and our nation and the church of Jesus Christ we need not fear. Though it seems

Psalm  27:2    My foes will fall        Let’s be clear here, there are enemy forces intent on the destruction of God’s people. They hate our faith, our dependence, our love of God, our love for one another, our pursuit of truth, our hope, our certainty, our moral integrity. They want to destroy God’s world, they want to tear down His kingdom, they want to tear up the church and everyone who acknowledges that Jesus is Lord. They detest God’s Word and they detest all who speak it out and live by it. There is no length to which they will not go to pursue their goal of destruction. Those enemy forces are powerful, well led and evil to the very core but, even though they seek to devour us, they cannot win. You and I are protected by forces greater than we could ever imagine, if the Lord God puts His stamp on us, we are untouchable. A few arrows get fired off, a few pitfalls and deviations from the path are thrown our way, gossip and tittle tattle may pursue us but we are surrounded by a mig

Psalm 27:1   Intro      True disciples or followers of Jesus Christ will never have it easy! Despite His abundant blessings, the security of His comforting presence and the burning hope of the Holy Spirit within, we are guaranteed a rough ride. Why is this? It is because there will always be forces around us who are conspiring to bring us down. The Satan has our card marked and he does not play by the rules, he will use any deceit or trick to halt our progress, to diminish our trust and faith in God and to tarnish our reputation. He will try guilt, lies, temptation and accusations, amongst other things, to seek to pull us away from the pathway of faith. That is why this Psalm is an important building block in our journey, a resting place, a reflection on who we are but, more importantly, who the Lord is. Let us read it, learn and live it if we want to have quiet confidence in the God who loves and protects us.    V1        David loved to start his Psalms with a statement of intent, a v

  Psalm 26:12     “My feet stand on level ground!”    There is an extraordinary prophecy of comfort to God’s people in Isaiah 40. Verses 3-5 speak of representatives being sent to clear the way for an important visitor. The obvious analogy is that of John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus. The job entails levelling the rough ground and making the rugged places a plain. But the passage goes further, when the Messiah comes to Jerusalem, the valleys will be lifted up and the mountains and hills will be made low.  Our journey through life is often an uphill struggle, there are many obstacles and difficulties to be overcome. BUT! The Lord Jesus reaches down and lifts us up and there are times when we stand on level ground; no more rocks, no more stumbling, no more sheer drops, no chance of falling, we are, for the moment, in a safe place. David had this sense of well-being as he stood amongst the crowds in the presence of the Lord before the Tent of Meeting and worshipped. This was a

Psalm 26:11       The road to blamelessness      So let us summarise what we have learned shall we? So far, in this Psalm David has set out the reasons why he believes that the Lord should vindicate him: - 1.       He has led a blameless life 2.       He has trusted in the Lord and not faltered 3.       He has always been mindful of the Lord’s unfailing love 4.       He has lived in reliance on the Lord’s faithfulness 5.       He does not sit with the deceitful 6.       He does not sit with hypocrites 7.       He abhors the assembly of evildoers 8.       He refuses to sit with the wicked 9.       He washes his hands in innocence before going about the altar 10.    He proclaims aloud the praise of the Lord and His wonderful deeds 11.    He Loves the house of the Lord 12.    He leads a blameless life – again This list is either going to bring condemnation because most of us are nowhere near living this way, or maybe a resolve to change. Either this list is going to take some swallowing i

Psalm 26:10   Look at your hands!      The Psalm now calls us to look at the hands of the wicked. Two different hands are in view and we need to consider these carefully for each hand can lead to our downfall. Both hands offer enticements that are commonplace in the world. The NIV text does not convey the full meaning of the first set of hands for it uses the words  “wicked schemes.” The more correct interpretation is lechery, or lust or seduction, and the meaning is clear, we are talking about sexual allurements here. It could be anything from the offer of a sexual experience or liaison, to a magazine or film or web site or simply, lustful thoughts. These enticements are everywhere and David is aware, as he writes, that any one of these things can keep him from the House of God.  The second allurement is financial. The Psalm talks of right hands that are full of bribes and right hands were significant in the culture of the day; they offered power, respect, position and status. You can

Psalm 26:9 A longing for glory!      Well, this is a strange request, written in a strange manner! David is certainly prone to sudden changes of mood isn’t he? One minute he is reflecting on the utter glory of the house of God and the next he is begging to be spared the company of sinners in death. In truth, a glimpse of glory can do that. To see God’s glory or even suspect that we are near to it transforms our view of everything else. To sense that wonderful Presence is enough to make anyone long for more and, as David knows, sinners are never going to experience it. Their lot is the gloom and sorrow of Sheol / Hades where they will await the final judgement of God. David has tasted divine pleasures and there’s no way he wants to be counted with the sinners and the bloodthirsty. May our experiences of the glory of God create a longing for more, to be with the rapturous throng that surrounds the throne of our Lord where His light and love transform our senses. As we grow older and the

Psalm 26:8   His dwelling place      “Lord I love the house where you live, the place where Your glory dwells.” “Lord I love the house where you live, the place where Your glory dwells.”   My wife and I were recently privileged to be in the old Samaritan city of Shiloh – the place where the ancient Tabernacle rested for several hundred years before it was moved to Jerusalem. Today the city is called Ariel and it is possible to go there and view a full-sized replica model of the Tabernacle. It is not a place of beauty, just a courtyard with a linen fence, a large altar and a large washing bowl. Dominating the space is a rectangular tent, dark with it’s covering of animal skins. It looms over the whole enclosure and, in some ways, looks forbidding. It is forbidding because ordinary people where forbidden to enter in! Is it possible to love such a place? “ Yes, ” says David , “Because that is where the glory of the Lord dwells!”  The Scripture says ,  “ Man looks on the outward appearance

Psalm 26:7   Proclaim aloud His praise      Can you imagine King David as he enters the gruesome courtyard of the tabernacle? Before him are the bronze altar and the laver; all around him are animals and birds – the offerings of the people. Priests are wielding knives as they prepare the offerings for sacrifice, there is smoke and blood and noise and the roar of the fire. Shovels, pans, sharp knives and other implements are being used to assist the work and it is not a pleasant place. But David knows the significance of it all, a few feet away is the Tent of Meeting and within that Tent is the Holiest Place, where Jehovah God Himself dwells! This is as close to God as any ordinary man can be, this is holy ground and our king is excited. He shouts aloud the praises of God and proclaims to all who are gathered, the wonderful deeds of God. “ Come on folk. Listen up. This is your God who has done wonderful things. This is your Creator, the maker of heaven and earth. Come and worship. Look

Psalm 26:6   Washing our hands!      I wash my hands in innocence, and go about Your altar, Lord.”  That’s not your everyday conversation is it? What does it mean? Remember that this is the era of the Tabernacle, the enclosure with all of its sacred objects that included the ark of the covenant, the menorah, the altar of incense etc. David highly valued this place where Israel met with God, so much so, that he had it brought from Shiloh, (or what is now Ariel in Samaria) to Jerusalem. It was right and proper for individual worshippers to symbolically wash their hands before bringing their offerings to the Lord. The priests, of course, had to wash at the Bronze Laver before they could enter the Holy Place and even King David would wash his hands before entering the presence of the Lord and before he encompassed the Altar of sacrifice. In so doing he prepared himself for worship and to offer whatever he had brought to the altar. These were devout moments in his life, moments of joy and w

Psalm 26:4-5   Who to avoid       Here is a list of the people to avoid in life! It is also a recommendation of how to conduct ourselves with certain people / organisations. “Don’t sit. Do not associate. Abhor. Refuse to sit.” The deceitful are those who say one thing, stand up for a cause, appear to support a plan but, behind the scenes, are plotting and scheming something completely different. Sadly, self-interest is top of their agenda and we see such people in public life, in the workplace, even in families. If we are aware that those we associate with are “deceivers” then David recommends that we don’t get involved. Stay clear, you may have to tolerate their presence, they don’t always go away, but don’t sit with them. Don’t associate yourself with their schemes. Deceivers and hypocrites fall into the same camp for me. They are described in Proverbs 6:12-14.  “A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his fe

Psalm 26:2 – 3  Living in reliance       Verse 2 here leads directly in verse 3 as David dares to ask God to test him and try him in the belief that he will not be found wanting. He is using legal speak here, he is audacious enough to ask God to scrutinise his heart and his thoughts and believes that the Lord will not be disappointed in him!  Before we leap to the conclusion that David must either be mad or some kind of super-saint to dare to make such a request, we need to look at what he is really saying. Of course he had sinned. Of course he had suffered with wrong intentions and evil thoughts, David was a human being just like the rest of us. However, it is not his works that he asks God to test; it is his dependence. Here is a man who can say,  “I am always aware of Your unfailing love Lord. I live my life dependent on You and on Your faithfulness .”  This is often at the heart of mankind’s problem with God. Israel never understood that it was not works but faith that was the basi

Psalm 26:1     Moral integrity        At first sight, this Psalm might read like a fairly heavy dose of self-congratulation as David expands on his uprightness, his moral integrity and his devotion to the Lord and His Temple.  “I lead a blameless life,”  he claims in verse 11. However, as we read of his enemies and their wickedness and, because we now know quite a bit about King David, we can discern that he is, in fact seeking vindication from the Lord. This Psalm is not boastful at all, it is a plea for the Lord to stand with him and uphold him and David hopes that his righteous living and attitudes will be sufficient for the Lord God to respond!   V1        It is always a bit frustrating to have no information about which point in his life David wrote specific Psalms. It’s possible to have an educated guess at some of them but others could have been penned at any time. Let’s face it, it wasn’t an untroubled life was it? There was domestic turbulence, sons who plotted against him, an

Psalm 25:22   Deliverance from all troubles      David is well aware that, as monarch, he stands before God’s people as their servant. He has responsibility for keeping them safe, he has a nation to lead and protect. All he can do is turn that responsibility over to the Lord, it is too much for one man. This is the concluding verse of the Psalm, after all that has been written it all boils down to one thing; only God can deliver the nation, only God can save them from their enemies and their troubles. The whole Psalm leads up to this point, it has been a confession of faith throughout, a declaration of the king’s dependence, written from a humble heart and by someone who is well aware of his limitations. We do well to follow his lead, to take to heart the contrition in these verses, to recognise our limitations and to trust in God with all our hearts. This applies whether we are just looking out for ourselves or have responsibility for many others. Monarchs, Presidents, Prime Ministers

Psalm 25:21 Integrity and uprightness      I’ve been in business for many years and I also had management responsibilities in my earlier life. Work has always involved contact with people, making decisions, giving advice. The Lord has protected me from the beginning when I set out never to lie to, deceive or defraud my colleagues or my clients. It has not always been easy and I’m sure there have been a few indiscretions along the way, but so far as business decisions are concerned, I have tried to show integrity and uprightness. Is Geoff Abbott boasting? Maybe, a little bit but I have to say, it was not my idea. It was rooted here, in the Scriptures and in the way that I was brought up. I am telling you this because I can testify that integrity and uprightness have protected me; the Bible is true! What a surprise! May your hope, too, be in the Lord, like mine has been, like David’s was. If it is, He will protect you when the big decisions need to be made and even before you make the li

Psalm 25:20   Guard me!      I’m sorry, sometimes I do go on a bit! But look at this verse, memorise it, for it is dripping with truth, comfort, reassurance and faith. It is a pattern for personal prayer, especially when we are troubled. Each little phrase has a depth of meaning. The writer is a mortal man, one of the most spiritual who ever lived but yet mortal and vulnerable. He is crying out to a deity, the greatest God, the Holy God, the Almighty God who transcends all power, knowledge and ability. He is so great that we are less than ants in comparison. This God deigns to hear us and to involve Himself with us. He goes further, we are His children and He loves us beyond belief. In that context, can we not confidently make these requests to Him? ·        Guard my life ·        Rescue me ·        Do not let me be put to shame ·        I take refuge in You Think about these words today. Do they apply to you? Dare you ask Him? There is a series of children’s books called “Big Bear – L

Psalm 25:19   How they hate me!      We are back now in spiritual warfare territory! When you and I walk out of darkness into the light of God’s truth and align ourselves with Him, the battle begins! When we seek forgiveness of our sins and claim the victory of the cross, enemy arrows turn in our direction. When we acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and identify ourselves with His army, the plots against us intensify. You see, being on the Satan’s side and living in darkness causes little confrontation because that’s where he wants you to stay. When you join the ranks of the army of God, you will be hated and vilified. All that does is prove that you made the right choice! Yes, the enemies are numerous. Some have human forms, some of them lurk in the culture and attitudes of the day, some of them are the people who we once called friends. The more sinister of our enemies are those we cannot see; they lurk in dark places and catch us unawares. As soon as we let the shield down the arrows

Psalm 25:18   Heart Open Day      Once again David surprises us with his candour. When my parents were invited to a School Open Day, I wanted them to see my accomplishments and to be impressed by what had been achieved. It’s typical of us all that we like people to see us at our best and to be impressed by our achievements. David invites the Lord God to come to his Heart Open Day and see how distressed and afflicted he is and then begs Him to take away the bitter, dark cause of it all. His sins!  There is no doubt in his mind as to the root of his problems and the source of his deep disquiet. It is sin! Firstly, we have to be impressed by David’s honesty and his humility in acknowledging his faults. Secondly, we need to learn the simple lesson, that most inner anguish and depression has sin somewhere lurking in a dark corner seeking to wreck our peace and our lives. It takes courage to face the searing light of God’s truth and His purity and to admit our sins and then ask our Holy, Hea

Psalm 25:17   Free me from my anguish           Well, there are lots of troubles in the world aren’t there? We are surrounded by troubles, but the worst kind are not those on the outside but the troubles within. Troubles that affect the very core of our being, that gnaw away at our well-being and keep us awake at night. The kind of troubles that cause panic attacks, depression, breakdown, stomach ulcers, insomnia, loss of appetite, maybe even more serious illnesses. These troubles leave us bitter, angry, afraid, anxious, detached, numb, defensive …. the list is a long one! So far as I am aware, there are no treatments in the world that guarantee relief. Sedatives, antidepressants and such like are no panacea for the deeper anguish that numerous people experience. Many go through counselling and other self-help techniques or alternatively try to find something that will block out the pain, such as drugs or alcohol. All they want to do is to forget. David has a better idea! I for one can

Psalm 25:16   You are not alone      What a heart-felt plea this is! You almost want to reach for the violin and play some haunting melody. Yet, we’ve all had those moments have we not? When the world is against us, or disaster has come, or we’ve had to leave home on some venture and have ended up unwell or without friends. The verse is telling us that at such moments there is someone to turn to, we are never alone, and we are never beyond help. Have you ever felt a twinge of sadness for an elderly person who died alone in a room somewhere and no one knew? What a dreadful end to a life. There are friendless people in the world and that is incredibly sad. There are others imprisoned in cells or maybe even in their own minds and a life that began with hope has sunk into utter despair.  It is easy to forget that the enemy regards such horrors as a victory! He is the ultimate expression of cruelty, darkness and depression and loves nothing better than to bring part of God’s creation to an

Psalm 25:15   Release from the snare      Traps, nets, pits, snares – I’ve just been reading a book about the old gamekeepers and the methods they used to guard the Squire’s birds against predators. They even used mantraps, in former times, to catch poachers! Our enemy is out to ensnare us, it could just be a passing comment that plunges us into temporary gloom, or it could be a sinful habit that keeps us imprisoned for years. As believers, it is essential to keep our eyes upon the Lord because, as the verse infers, sooner or later the Satan will use some method or other to trip us up or to hold us down. It will be painful, debilitating and even, maybe, embarrassing. After a time of reflection, it would do us well to cry out to the Lord, to the one who frees, not the one who imprisons. There are no traps with God, no pitfalls, no snares, His way is sure and certain and free of danger. When we step out of His way the snares will be waiting.  Call on the Lord, He will rescue you,

Psalm 25:14   A Covenant God      This is an extraordinary verse for it informs us that the great all seeing, all knowing, all powerful God of heaven and earth confides in men and women who revere Him. There are many examples of the Lord confiding in men; one such was Abraham where the Lord reasons that he should not hide from the great man what is about to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah.  (Geneses 18:17-19.) Obviously, prophets and teachers have heard from the Lord over the centuries although I rather suspect that God is not the chatterbox that some would have us believe! Indeed, two direct words from Him would probably be enough to keep most of us going for a lifetime! Thank the Lord for the Scriptures that are the ultimate declaration of His confidences to men, here is more than enough for a lifetime!  The Lord is intent on making His covenant known to us and in this He has constantly confided in us. A covenant is a contract made in heaven sealed with an oath, and it cannot b

Psalm 25:13   Days of Prosperity?         We’ve all heard of “prosperity ministry.” Promoted by American TV evangelists it promises riches and wealth for those who follow the Lord ,  whose primary goal, it seems to them, is to enhance our status and our enjoyment of this world. That is a far cry from the “suffering for Christ” ministry engaged in by men like the apostles  P eter and Paul. Here is how Paul views such things: - 6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.  7  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  8  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  9  Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  10  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  1 Timothy 6:6-10 . So, what does David mean when he tal

Psalm 25:12   Fear the Lord      Psalm 34:8-14 gives a wonderful account of what it means to “fear the Lord.” Let’s remember that it does not mean that, as His children, we are frightened of Him, that we hold Him at arm’s length in terror and that we cower before Him! It does mean that we reverence His name, respect His deeds and speak to Him with a sense of awe, for He is a Holy God. This reverence plays out in our actions, words and thoughts for we will seek to honour Him by our behaviour. There is a warning implicit in such holy fear. Jesus said,  “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do nor more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him.”   Luke 12:4-5. Holy fear is a great comfort to the Christian for in return we get something very special; the Lord will instruct us which way to choose.  When we come to those crisis moments of decision,