Bible League: Living His Word I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.— Psalm 9:1-2 NLT If you wanted to, you could boast. If you wanted to, you could tell everyone about the great things you have done. After all, they were great. You have defeated your enemies. They had devised a tricky trap for you. Not only did you avoid the trap, but your enemies have fallen into it themselves. (Psalm 9:15). It was a great victory. How clever you were! How bold and courageous! It's only right that you sing your own praises. Or you could do what David did and give credit to the Lord. David had a glimpse of what was behind his victory and saw the hand of the Lord at work. Sure, he fought against his enemies and won a great victory. But he had seen the work of the Lord in the battle and couldn't ignore it. From David's point of view, one must give credit where credit is due. If the Lord went to war for him, then he was going to acknowledge that fact. So, he praised the Lord with all his heart. He didn't hold anything back. He put his whole being into the effort. He wasn't going to minimize what the Lord had done by not giving it his all. He had avoided defeat. He had turned the tables on his enemies. The Lord was behind the whole thing. He deserves all the praise David could muster. David also told the whole story. Instead of telling only his own story, instead of beating his own drum, David told the story of all the marvelous things the Lord had done for him. The Lord had been working behind the scenes, but David brought everything He did to the forefront in his telling of it. David also allowed himself to be filled with joy because of the Lord. He didn't act stoically or hold his emotions in check. He allowed joy to fill his soul to the brim! It was the joy that comes from knowing what the Lord has done. The Lord has done some marvelous things for you as well. Today, then, praise Him. Like David, praise Him with all your heart! Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingExodus 1, 2, 3 Exodus 1 -- Israelites Multiply; Oppression in Egypt NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Exodus 2 -- Birth, Adoption and Escape of Moses NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Exodus 3 -- Moses and the Burning Bush NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 15:21-39 Matthew 15 -- Clean and Unclean; Jesus Heals the Canaanite Woman's Daughter, Feeds Four Thousand NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.Insight King David's reign was characterized by doing what was “just and right.” David was fair in interpreting the law, administering punishment with mercy, respecting people's rights, and recognizing people's duties toward God. Is it any wonder that almost everyone trusted and followed David? Challenge Justice should characterize the way you relate to people. Make sure you are fair in the way you treat them. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Job 1:9 Doth Job fear God for nought?This was the wicked question of Satan concerning that upright man of old, but there are many in the present day concerning whom it might be asked with justice, for they love God after a fashion because he prospers them; but if things went ill with them, they would give up all their boasted faith in God. If they can clearly see that since the time of their supposed conversion the world has gone prosperously with them, then they will love God in their poor carnal way; but if they endure adversity, they rebel against the Lord. Their love is the love of the table, not of the host; a love to the cupboard, not to the master of the house. As for the true Christian, he expects to have his reward in the next life, and to endure hardness in this. The promise of the old covenant was prosperity, but the promise of the new covenant is adversity. Remember Christ's words--"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit"--What? "He purgeth it, that it may bring forth fruit." If you bring forth fruit, you will have to endure affliction. "Alas!" you say, "that is a terrible prospect." But this affliction works out such precious results, that the Christian who is the subject of it must learn to rejoice in tribulations, because as his tribulations abound, so his consolations abound by Christ Jesus. Rest assured, if you are a child of God, you will be no stranger to the rod. Sooner or later every bar of gold must pass through the fire. Fear not, but rather rejoice that such fruitful times are in store for you, for in them you will be weaned from earth and made meet for heaven; you will be delivered from clinging to the present, and made to long for those eternal things which are so soon to be revealed to you. When you feel that as regards the present you do serve God for nought, you will then rejoice in the infinite reward of the future. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 94:19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.Psalm 61:2 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Isaiah 38:14 "Like a swallow, like a crane, so I twitter; I moan like a dove; My eyes look wistfully to the heights; O Lord, I am oppressed, be my security. Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. 1 Kings 3:7 "Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. James 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 2 Corinthians 2:16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 2 Corinthians 12:9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Matthew 9:2,22 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven." • But Jesus turning and seeing her said, "Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well." At once the woman was made well. Psalm 63:5,6 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. • When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
    |