Daily Meditations

Psalm 87:7 All my fountains are in You Music is a spiritual gift to mankind, it allows us to express emotions, allegiances and the inner workings of our hearts. It can be heavenly or hellish. It can be an offering to God or to the Satan. Music therefore expresses love and hatred, it can be evocative and prophetic, it can be invigorating or calming. Music has so many roles to play in our lives but is often taken for granted and attributed only to human genius.  Praise and worship take us to another level, our ancestors understood this when they called their music “sacred” and sought to invoke the spirit of the angels and heavenly choirs in the hymns and songs used in church services. Sadly, much of the early Christian music was reduced to plainsong and the dull chanting of monks and priests that hardly inspired the listeners, especially when the words were in Latin! The last verse of Psalm 87 unveils the anthems of heaven where singers and instrumentalists all direct their thoughts towa

Psalm 87:6 This one was born in Zion We have seen, from the previous verses, that the Jews are distinctive and those who are born in Zion, or who have their ancestral roots there, are recorded by the Most High. What this next verse expressly does, is that it tells us that the Lord has a Register of all the peoples of the world. Note the plural, it is not just the Jews, but all births are recorded, the true nationality of each person is known. Some may ask, “But what about mixed races and the colonisation of countries by outsiders?” Well, we need to remember that these Psalms were written when people generally remained loyal to their heritage and there was a great deal of national pride. Having said that, the Jews were encouraged to welcome strangers and foreigners and those who chose to dwell amongst them. I don’t think God has a problem with this!  What the verse does is it prophetically announces that all the righteous will be recorded, not just Israel. We were all strangers and fore

Psalm 87:5 The inhabitants of Zion Some people spend an awful amount of time trying to disprove the Scriptures. Others say they believe the Bible, but they endlessly pour over what they call “discrepancies” and “contradictions.” Others teach the Word but put their own interpretation on what it means, (to be fair we all do that because we are all limited by our understanding). What is lovely is that for those who keep an open mind the Holy Spirit will often drop in a nugget of gold and today’s verse is one of them! Somewhere around 500 years before Christ, one of the sons of Korah predicted that the inhabitants of Zion would attach universal significance to the fact that they were born there! They would adopt an identity and a distinctiveness that would single them out, wherever they went in the world. There would be such a sense of nation pride and ownership that everyone would know who they were and what they were - the men and women of Zion, better known as the Jews! And subsequently

Psalm 87:4a "I will record" The idea of the Lord God using books is intriguing and worthy of further comment! There are a number of manifestations of the “Word of the Lord.”  The Word was present at creation, according to John 1, and so the created world is part of God’s Word to us. As Paul writes in Romans 1:20 “ Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”  Creation speaks!    The Word is also Jesus Christ Himself; God spoke to our world in the manifestation of Himself through His Son. Everything we can know about God in relationship terms, is found in Jesus.   The other great manifestation of the Word; is the written Word – the Holy Scriptures that we call the Bible. Here we have everything that God would have us know about His character, His holiness and His truth. Isn’t it amazing the Lord God would have all of this re

Psalm 87:4 This one was born in Zion This is an extraordinary verse! It is telling us that those who are born in Zion, in other words those who are Israelites, will be listed in some kind of heavenly register. Every name that is native to the city and that enjoys the privileges of being a citizen of Zion will be recorded. Isaiah 4:32. The name “Rahab” does not refer to King David’s ancestor and the prostitute from Jericho, but to the upper Nile area of North Africa, i.e. Egypt. It might include all those Israelites who are born in exile and in particular, those born in Babylon. Philistia, Tyre and Cush (Sudan) are mentioned here, all of these being Gentile nations. I think that what this verse is saying is, God will record those who acknowledge Him, even the exiles, and the citizens of the surrounding Gentile nations should take note!  Psalm 69:28 talks about a heavenly Register and calls it the book of life! Even Moses bartered with God about his name being erased from God’s book. Exo

Psalm 87:3 The city of our God I umm’d and ahh’d about including the words of this old hymn but it seems to me that John Newton understood, in these words, the balance between the ancient City of Zion and the heavenly Zion that is the abode of our God. John had been a slave trader until he found Christ in a storm at sea. He went on to become an Anglican priest and to speak out against slavery in his later years. The Abolition of Slavery Bill was passed through Parliament shortly before his death. 1.       Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God! He, whose Word cannot be broken, Formed thee for His own abode; On the Rock of Ages founded, What can shake thy sure repose? With salvation’s walls surrounded, Thou mayst smile at all thy foes. See, the streams of living waters, Springing from eternal love, Well supply thy sons and daughters, And all fear of want remove: Who can faint while such a river Ever flows their thirst t’ assuage? Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,

Psalm 87:2 The gates of Zion To understand this verse we need to understand the relationship between the Lord God and the land of Israel. God first appears on earth, in the Garden of Eden. As we read Genesis 2:8-14 we realise that the Garden was situated in an area that included the ancient boundaries of Israel. In other words, God had chosen and separated this area of the created world long before the Jews were living in it. Later on, when the Israelites moved in, the Lord made it clear that they were His chosen people, but they did not own the Promised Land, it belonged to Him.  “ The land   must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine   and you reside in my land as foreigners   and strangers.”  Leviticus 25:23. Nothing changed throughout the Biblical history of the Israelites, and it has not changed today, which is part of the reason why there is so much conflict in that area of the Middle East. It follows that if the land is God’s, then its cities, towns and villages are

Psalm 87:1 The City of God This is a short Psalm, but it has a unique message for it celebrates the City of Zion. What is also distinctive is its prophetic content. The Psalm doesn’t just major on the historic character of Zion, it looks forward too. It declares that a time is coming when all nations will join with Israel as fellow citizens in God’s kingdom. This theme is unusual in the Psalter, it is prophetic and powerful, and the content is attributed to the sons of Korah. The Korahites were part of the tribe of Levi and had liturgical responsibilities in the Temple. Clearly, these were godly men for the content of this Psalm shows a deep understanding of God’s greater purpose for the world that extends far beyond the patriotic hopes of most Israelites. It’s exciting, isn’t it, to skim over this song and wonder what the Lord God is going to teach us from it in the coming week?   V1          It’s not easy to fully describe the significance that Zion has for the Jewish people. So, let

Psalm 86:17 Give me a sign “Give me a sign!”  That’s the heart cry of many, especially those who are desperately longing to see a resolution to a problem or who have begun to wonder if their faith has any purpose. It’s tough, trying to trust the Lord when nothing is happening, and the enemy’s oppression gathers strength daily. We start to ask, “Am I on the right path here?” “Does God really care?” “Is it all worth it?” Then the Satan steps in with his age-old, Garden of Eden tactic, “ Did God really say?” S elf-doubt and God-doubt start to flourish in our heads and the desperate desire to be vindicated intensifies. So, like David, we cry, “ Give me a sign and let it be so powerful that even my enemies will see it and be ashamed.” Whilst this all sounds a bit self-pitying, many of us can claim that the Lord God has done it. He has given us signs. He has vindicated our trust in Him. Others have seen and been surprised although they may still not believe. Looking back, I have been privile

Psalm 86:16 I serve You, just as my mother did T his is, as far as I know, the only reference that David ever makes to his mother, although the statement here is repeated word for word in Psalm 116:16. In  Psalm 35:14 he writes,  “I bowed down heavily as one that mourns for his mother”  but it’s not clear if he is referring to a specific situation involving the loss of his own mum. We have no clues anywhere else as to the character of David’s mother and it is not easy to determine who she was. The language here, however, would seem to imply that she was a godly woman, in some versions this verse is translated as  “your handmaid,”  a lady then who belonged to the Lord and who served Him faithfully. David now prays that, as he had been devoted to God by her, and had been trained up by her, God would remember all this, and would interfere on his behalf.  Can it be wrong to plead before God, as a reason for His intervention, that we have been devoted to Him by parental faithfulness and pra

Psalm 86:15 A compassionate and gracious God Well, what a contrast. Verse 14 paints a picture of the character of the enemy but, here in verse 15, we are thinking about the character of Almighty God. Look at the picture that David paints, the Lord is: - ·        Compassionate and gracious ·        Slow to anger ·        Abounding in love and faithfulness Do you and I believe Him to be such a God? Do we portray Him as such a God?  I remember, as a child and young man, the hell-fire sermons of some of the preachers of that time. They presented the Lord as a judgemental tyrant who delighted in casting rebellious sinners into the fires of hell. There were times when we could almost sense the heat from the burning coals of His anger! Years later, after studying John3:16, I carefully pondered the words of Jesus in the subsequent verse,  “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”  God has always been in the business of salvation. He

Psalm 86:14 Arrogant foes There is an element of institutional Christianity under-pinning British military forces, hence the Festival of Remembrance and other civic events, but I doubt that many armies throughout history have paid much genuine lip service to Almighty God. The Jews have done so in their past but, generally speaking, they stand alone. The arrogance of men leaves no room for a divine Warrior, the way of the world is to build bigger and stronger forces until your enemies are beaten and overcome, and this process demands human ingenuity and dominance, God does not enter the equation. Nothing has changed for centuries, as this verse shows us, David witnessed the arrogance of his foes, their ferocity and ruthlessness was clearly evident. What these enemies did not realise is that, in taking on the anointed King of Israel, they were setting themselves against the God of heaven and earth.  Spiritually speaking, you and I have an arrogant and ruthless foe. He is the one who has

Psalm 86:13 You have delivered me! If this song is written in real time, there has been an amazing transformation in a matter of minutes! The woe-begotten writer has moved from his desperate situation to a place of comfort and hope. He now believes that he has been delivered, that the heavy burden has been lifted and that the threat of death has been removed.  Prayer makes such a difference, doesn’t it? We bring our deepest anxiety or mortal fears and our broken spirits to the Lord, and in a matter of moments we begin to realise that He has heard and that this is not the end! When we thought that the jaws of death beckoned an inner conviction grips us that this moment is about to pass and that the Lord is with us and survival is guaranteed.  Notice that David had reached such a depth of despair that he literally believed he was going to die. The realm of the dead or “Sheol” in Hebrew is a common expression in the Old Testament, it is the place of departed spirits and is vividly describ

Psalm 86:12 With all my heart This verse is much more than a declaration of intent, or a future possibility. It is actually a vow. And when you make vows to the Lord God, they are meant to be kept! We have discussed, on many occasions, the various forms that worship takes and the offering of praise is surely one that comes from the lips. This is David vowing to keep on singing and making music and he’s not just going to do it in a perfunctory manner, it is going to be from his heart. It is so easy to just “sing along” to familiar tunes and words, to “go through the motions”. To praise from the heart means to do so with understanding and with sincerity, thinking about the words and declaring them with honesty and in truth.  “This is how I feel Lord. This is what I believe. This declaration from my lips is an expression of my heart.” The highest aim of our praises is the glorification of God’s name. In the midst of darkness, against the backdrop of a hostile and unbelieving world, with S

Psalm 86:11 I didn't do it my way There are two wonderful couplets here in this verse: - 1.       Teach me Your way, Lord                     that I may rely on Your faithfulness 2.       Give me an undivided heart                 that I may fear Your name In this Psalm David has been concerned and will be concerned, with the threat posed by his enemies.    But, here at its heart, he is also concerned about the threat within himself. We need to pray this prayer with him. I have asked myself, on many occasions recently, dare I trust the Lord? It sounds ridiculous but, as a believer, I have spent an awful lot of time trying to resolve my own conflicts and my own needs. The journey of faith demands that we learn to trust the Lord but instead we too often look to our own judgements and take responsibility for providing for ourselves and our families. In fact, most of us wear the badge proudly that we didn’t have to depend on anyone! Or, as Frank Sinatra so wrongly sang, “I did it my wa

Psalm 86:10 God is great! To say that “God is great” seems to be a bit of an understatement! “Great” is a word that is used in so many contexts today that we could be in danger of missing its importance in Scripture. Great is a term used for something or someone beyond the ordinary. So, God by His very nature is great! This is something that the Bible reminds us of again and again.  I don’t think we can put any boundaries or limitations on His greatness, He is great in character and His attributes, in His deeds and in His very existence. He is beyond us, He is over us and He is around us. The original Hebrew word for great is “gadal” which means large in magnitude and extent, in number, in intensity, in importance, in great things! In every way He is – Great! If God is so great, then His deeds will be wonderful too. At the heart of all that He does is salvation. His provision to the world is designed to save us from famine, disaster and extermination. His guidance is designed to save u

Psalm 86.9 All the nations will worship There are seventeen verses in this Psalm and so verse 9 is the at the very centre! Set against the background of enemy hostilities and the arrogant taunts of the surrounding nations, David embraces the future hope that one day, all the nations will bow to the Lord. At the time this Psalm was written most of the prophetic books of the Bible were not in existence and there was certainly not a “Revelation”, or any other New Testament insights! Never-the-less, King David is able to announce that one day, all nations will take the knee before the Lord. Notice also that they must “come” and worship, in other words they must attend on the Lord in Israel. Why? Because the Temple and the earlier setting for the Tabernacle were in Jerusalem and it was unthinkable that, having chosen this site, the Lord God would be worshipped anywhere else on earth! Notice too from this verse, that worship and bringing glory to the Lord’s name are synonymous. Once again, i

Psalm 86:8 There is none like You It is important for us to realise that the Psalms were written at a time when every man and woman had their gods, and they were deeply dependent upon them for provision, protection and guidance. People were very superstitious; they did not have the calming voices of science or psychology to help them through the problems of living on earth. Gods were everywhere and in everything. Gods were blamed and thanked for every eventuality. Gods were worshipped and obeyed simply because the peoples had no other explanations for all that happened around them, life was lived on the basic principle that the gods were in control. David had observed all of this, he knew the mindsets of the various nations and the people he lived with, the Israelites needed a God too and they had found One, or to be more precise, He had chosen them.  “Among the gods there is none like You, Lord: no deeds can compare with yours.”  Of course, that is still true, If we don’t believe that

Psalm 86:6-7 I call to You because You answer me I hope you will agree with me that our prayers can, at times, be rather robotic and mechanical. A lot of liturgical prayer is like that, it sounds good but lacks immediacy and emotion. The prayers of King David are rather different, some might venture to suggest that they are too emotional, “Do we really need to cry for mercy?  Surely God knows our situation, He doesn’t really want us to get down on our knees and beg!” I once knew a man who boasted that he never asked God for anything, he just gave thanks. Such an expression of faith sounds wonderful, but can we really say that we don’t need anything from the Lord? It seems to me that such a state of mind implies that we’ve got it all together and are not prepared to humble ourselves and plead. Let’s put it another way, if King David had to cry out for mercy, we need have no fear of doing the same. In fact, the Lord’s antidote for distressed believers is that they call to Him and, wonder

Psalm 86:5 He is the God who hears This verse is another amazing collection of attributes of our God that are available and displayed to those who call on Him. To “call on the Lord” does not entail a quick prayer of convenience at the beginning of the day. It implies sincere faith and a readiness to implore, to plead, to cry out and to recognise dependence. It also implies desperation and humble acknowledgement that God is the only one who can help in a time of need.  To those who are “calling” the Lord reveals three things about Himself that are fundamental to faith. The gods of the pagans are distant and self-absorbed, demanding of their worshippers and aloof to their woes. Not so, the Lord; He is forgiving. He is good. He abounds in love to those who call on Him. Just stop and think about this for a moment. If you don’t, the verse can just be empty words, nice to read but easily forgotten. What David is saying is that the Lord God is not remote, He is not self-absorbed or unaware of

Psalm 86:4 The Garden of Delights This Psalm started with the plaintive cry from David,  “I am poor and needy.”  There followed a chain of requests, very personal and with an air of desperation, “ Guard me, save me, have mercy on me.”  The plea that we are meditating upon today is rather different. It’s one thing to pray to God to guard and save us, it’s another to ask Him for joy! Most of us will have pleaded for God’s help, on many occasions, but few will have prayed for joy. Joy is much more than happiness or contentment; it is those things, but it embraces fully the thing that many people are chasing in today’s world – wellbeing! It is grounded in faith and trust and having a clean heart and a pure conscience. Those two doors of faith are the entrance into a Garden of Enchantments. Peace reigns there, all cares and anxieties are barred from entry. The Garden rings with the sound of praise and laughter, it is Eden on earth and those who enter leave the world’s enticements behind and

Psalm 86:3 Call to Him all day long There’s a little phrase that we use, as believers, that is very well meant but can actually sell us short. We talk about “having a Quiet Time.” The inference being that every day, usually at its beginning, we stop for a few moments and spend time with the Lord. Before the business and demands of the waking hours take us over, we seek to spend some time with Him. That is admirable and highly desirable and not to be downplayed. To be honest, somehow or other, I can recall living the spiritual life without such a time. I relied instead on the endless study and preparation for sermons and talks and used that as a substitute for a “Quiet Time.” In other words, I spent hours preparing food and spiritual meals for others but failed to allow the Lord to feed me! It reminds me of Martha who was similarly engaged while Mary had a “Quiet Time!” The reason for this mild rant is that today’s verse encourages us to call to the Lord,  “all day long.”  In other word

Psalm 86:2-3 A two-way relationship This is a powerful statement by David, there are three couplets that emphasize the theme of dependency and the part that God plays in the relationship, and the role of David by comparison:  Guard my life                           for I am faithful to you Save Your servant                    who trusts in You Have mercy on me Lord          You are my God           There is no reason why we should not adopt these principles for ourselves.  I think it would be foolish to believe that faithfulness, trust and recognition of the Lord can be used as bargaining tools to gain His protection, salvation and mercy. Is it not true that the Lord first displays His divine love towards us, and we respond with faithful trust? Thus, the more we experience His protective presence, the more we exalt Him and trust Him.   I often ask myself nowadays, why do I get anxious? Why do I struggle to plan ahead? Why do I try to plan at all? Why do I fear the unknown? Why do I car

Psalm 86:1 The Lord’s servant pleads for God’s help   We don’t know for sure who wrote this Psalm although David is credited with it and it certainly has the characteristics of some of his earlier compositions. The writer was obviously a humble man. In verse 2 he asks that God will save His servant and the servant is mentioned again in verse 16. The entire Psalm suggests total dependence on the Lord against constant and arrogant attacks from enemies.  The use of the term “servant” when it came to a relationship with God was not common. It applied to those who had a special task, who had been delegated responsibilities, who served the Lord directly and who were engaged in His business by a calling. Thus, a godly king would see himself as a servant of the Lord.  As we meditate on each verse, let us do so as servants; those who have been called, those who have been appointed for certain tasks, those who serve the Lord directly and who therefore face attacks from God’s enemies.     V1