June 5, 2015

YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?

Psalms 25–30

Tina Morris
Friday's Devo

June 5, 2015

Friday's Devo

June 5, 2015

Central Truth

God is always willing to show us which paths to take, but He wants us to ask and then He wants us to follow. We can follow Him because He is faithful to keep His promises.

Key Verse | Psalm 25:4–5

Show me the right path, O Lord;
point out the road for me to follow.
Lead me by your truth and teach me,
for you are the God who saves me.
All day long I put my hope in you.
(Psalm 25:4-5)

Psalms 25–30

Teach Me Your Paths

1 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet Of David.

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
    let me not be put to shame;
    let not my enemies exult over me.
Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
    they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
    teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all the day long.

Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,
    for they have been from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
    according to your steadfast love remember me,
    for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Good and upright is the LORD;
    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
    and teaches the humble his way.
10  All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11  For your name's sake, O LORD,
    pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12  Who is the man who fears the LORD?
    Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13  His soul shall abide in well-being,
    and his offspring shall inherit the land.
14  The friendship 2 25:14 Or The secret counsel of the LORD is for those who fear him,
    and he makes known to them his covenant.
15  My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
    for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

16  Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.
17  The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
    bring me out of my distresses.
18  Consider my affliction and my trouble,
    and forgive all my sins.

19  Consider how many are my foes,
    and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20  Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
    Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21  May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
    for I wait for you.

22  Redeem Israel, O God,
    out of all his troubles.

I Will Bless the LORD

Of David.

Vindicate me, O LORD,
    for I have walked in my integrity,
    and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
    test my heart and my mind. 3 26:2 Hebrew test my kidneys and my heart
For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
    and I walk in your faithfulness.

I do not sit with men of falsehood,
    nor do I consort with hypocrites.
I hate the assembly of evildoers,
    and I will not sit with the wicked.

I wash my hands in innocence
    and go around your altar, O LORD,
proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
    and telling all your wondrous deeds.

O LORD, I love the habitation of your house
    and the place where your glory dwells.
Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
    nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10  in whose hands are evil devices,
    and whose right hands are full of bribes.

11  But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
    redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12  My foot stands on level ground;
    in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.

The LORD Is My Light and My Salvation

Of David.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold 4 27:1 Or refuge of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me
    to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
    yet 5 27:3 Or in this I will be confident.

One thing have I asked of the LORD,
    that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
    and to inquire 6 27:4 Or meditate in his temple.

For he will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will lift me high upon a rock.

And now my head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, “Seek 7 27:8 The command (seek) is addressed to more than one person my face.”
My heart says to you,
    “Your face, LORD, do I seek.” 8 27:8 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
    Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    O God of my salvation!
10  For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the LORD will take me in.

11  Teach me your way, O LORD,
    and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.
12  Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they breathe out violence.

13  I believe that I shall look 9 27:13 Other Hebrew manuscripts Oh! Had I not believed that I would look upon the goodness of the LORD
    in the land of the living!
14  Wait for the LORD;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the LORD!

The LORD Is My Strength and My Shield

Of David.

To you, O LORD, I call;
    my rock, be not deaf to me,
lest, if you be silent to me,
    I become like those who go down to the pit.
Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,
    when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
    toward your most holy sanctuary. 10 28:2 Hebrew your innermost sanctuary

Do not drag me off with the wicked,
    with the workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors
    while evil is in their hearts.
Give to them according to their work
    and according to the evil of their deeds;
give to them according to the work of their hands;
    render them their due reward.
Because they do not regard the works of the LORD
    or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and build them up no more.

Blessed be the LORD!
    For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
    in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
    and with my song I give thanks to him.

The LORD is the strength of his people; 11 28:8 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts is their strength
    he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
    Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Ascribe to the LORD Glory

A Psalm of David.

Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, 12 29:1 Hebrew sons of God, or sons of might
    ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
    worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. 13 29:2 Or in holy attire

The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the LORD, over many waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;
    the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
    the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
    and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
    the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth 14 29:9 Revocalization yields makes the oaks to shake
    and strips the forests bare,
    and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10  The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
    the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11  May the LORD give strength to his people!
    May the LORD bless 15 29:11 Or The LORD will give The LORD will bless his people with peace!

Joy Comes with the Morning

A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.

I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
    and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you have healed me.
O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
    you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. 16 30:3 Or to life, that I should not go down to the pit

Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name. 17 30:4 Hebrew to the memorial of his holiness (see Exodus 3:15)
For his anger is but for a moment,
    and his favor is for a lifetime. 18 30:5 Or and in his favor is life
Weeping may tarry for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

As for me, I said in my prosperity,
    “I shall never be moved.”
By your favor, O LORD,
    you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
    I was dismayed.

To you, O LORD, I cry,
    and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
“What profit is there in my death, 19 30:9 Hebrew in my blood
    if I go down to the pit? 20 30:9 Or to corruption
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10  Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
    O LORD, be my helper!”

11  You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
    you have loosed my sackcloth
    and clothed me with gladness,
12  that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
    O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Footnotes

[1] 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
[2] 25:14 Or The secret counsel
[3] 26:2 Hebrew test my kidneys and my heart
[4] 27:1 Or refuge
[5] 27:3 Or in this
[6] 27:4 Or meditate
[7] 27:8 The command (seek) is addressed to more than one person
[8] 27:8 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
[9] 27:13 Other Hebrew manuscripts Oh! Had I not believed that I would look
[10] 28:2 Hebrew your innermost sanctuary
[11] 28:8 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts is their strength
[12] 29:1 Hebrew sons of God, or sons of might
[13] 29:2 Or in holy attire
[14] 29:9 Revocalization yields makes the oaks to shake
[15] 29:11 Or The LORD will give . . . The LORD will bless
[16] 30:3 Or to life, that I should not go down to the pit
[17] 30:4 Hebrew to the memorial of his holiness (see Exodus 3:15)
[18] 30:5 Or and in his favor is life
[19] 30:9 Hebrew in my blood
[20] 30:9 Or to corruption

Dive Deeper | Psalms 25–30

Last year, I did something crazy. I decided to start intentionally trusting God. This meant taking risks. I have focused my life on maintaining control and keeping things stable, but then realized I was not giving my whole life to God. I knew that I had to let myself be vulnerable to let Him lead the way.

I started with small things. After teaching a three-year-olds' Sunday school class for two years, God laid on my heart to switch to second grade to lead my daughter’s small group. Teaching second-grade girls is way outside my comfort zone. When I was asked to write for The Journey, I first thought, “Are they crazy?” Then I remembered Moses and Jonah. Neither thought they were equipped for the jobs God gave them. God does not ask us to do what is comfortable or what we think we are good at. He asks us to trust Him and to follow Him, so I did. I started taking baby steps.

Then came a bigger opportunity that I was not prepared for. God led me away from my job of five years without having another one lined up yet. This was scary! However, God has been working on my heart. In what could be one of the most fearful times in my life, I am not fearful. I am counting my blessings, seeing opportunities, and being more optimistic than ever.

By the time you read this, I have no idea where I will be, but I know that God is leading me to exactly where He wants me to be. My job is to ask God to show me which path to take and to obediently follow Him down that path. My hope is not in my possessions, my talents, my career, or even my family. My hope is in Christ alone. I trust Him because "God's way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true." (Psalm 18:30a-b)

Discussion Questions

1. Are you spending time daily with God, studying His truth, and actively seeking His direction in your life? He leads us by His truth (Psalm 25:5), so we must get to know Him to recognize His direction.

2. Seeking God’s direction might sometimes be relatively easy, but are you willing to follow? We may not always understand the paths He leads us down in the present, but Romans 6:16 reminds us that choosing to obey God leads to righteousness. We have a God who loves us dearly, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love [Him] . . . ." (Romans 8:28a)

3. Reflect on a time in your life when you have followed God’s lead. How was God’s faithfulness evident in that experience?