October 19
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O LORD, YOU KNOW IT ALL
O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O LORD, You know it all.
5 You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.- Psalm 139:1-6
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This psalm of David is declaring God’s omniscience and omnipotence. Omniscience is the state of knowing everything. We, humans like to think that we know everything, which is a big lie, because only God knows all things. Omnipotence is the quality of having unlimited and great power. This quality is something that humanity has been claiming for thousands of years. Thus, we get into power struggles which have led many people to conflicts and wars.
This song of David worships these two great qualities that only our one true God posses. In verse 1, David humbly admits that it is God who examines him and knows his heart and everything about his character and actions. In verse 2, he states that God is all-seeing. He is able to view all things we do, no matter how little or big it is. God reads every thought that comes to our minds. In verse 3, David declares that it is God who examines where he is going and how God knows him intimately. In verse 4, he praises God for knowing all things and even the words that he will utter just before he says it. Verse 5 declares God’s protection and guidance through all those years and how He anointed him as king and declared him as His. Verse 6 is a pronouncement of his amazement at how wonderful and great the God he serves is.
How great that David who is the greatest king of Israel can bow down and recognize that only God has all the qualities he mentions in this psalm! Shouldn’t we be remembering all these qualities of God and stated in awe of Him? Sadly, many of us struggle with this.
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REFLECTION
• How can you have a mindfulness about God’s omniscience and omnipotence?
Monthly Archives: October 2020
PRAISING GOD WITH MUSIC ILMA’S VLOG
October 18
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PRAISING GOD WITH MUSIC
I will also praise You with a harp,
Even Your truth, O my God;
To You I will sing praises with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You;
And my soul, which You have redeemed.
24 My tongue also will utter Your righteousness all day long;
For they are ashamed, for they are humiliated who seek my hurt.- Psalm 71:22-24
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In this psalm, David praises the Lord with his harp. According to an internet article entitled “King David and Music” -mouthing the words of a song often brings to mind the melody that accompanies them. The Bible contains the lyrics of numerous songs, the music of which regrettably remains unknown. It must have been beautiful, even sublime. The poetic loftiness of the book of Psalms suggests that the music that accompanied them was of equally great beauty.
As far as the instruments are concerned, the Bible describes them only briefly. Even what type of harp David used is not known for certain. It is noteworthy, nonetheless, that the Israelites invented several instruments, such as rare and precious wooden harps.—2 Chronicles 9:11; Amos 6:5. One thing is sure, however. Music occupied an important place in the life of the Hebrews, especially in their worship of God. Music was performed at coronations, it was used in religious ceremonies, and it played a part in warfare. It also enchanted the royal court, enlivened weddings and family gatherings, and provided atmosphere during the festivals of the grape and grain harvests. Sadly, music was also associated with places of ill repute. Finally, when death struck, music consoled the survivors in their grief. In Israel, music played yet other roles. It was known to elevate the mind and make prophets spiritually receptive. It was at the sound of a stringed instrument that Elisha found divine inspiration. (2 Kings 3:15)
It is sad that we don’t use music anymore to praise God and give Him glory. Even some Christian denominations have used music to glorify their talents instead of praising God and worshipping Him. David used his lips to shout for joy to express his worship to God
Shouldn’t we all do this, especially those who claim themselves to be Christians?
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REFLECTION
• How can believers ensure that music is used for God’s and not man’s glory?
O GOD, WHO IS LIKE YOU ILMA’S VLOG
October 17
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O GOD, WHO IS LIKE YOU?
O God, You have taught me from my youth,
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
19 For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens,
You who have done great things;
O God, who is like You?
20 You who have shown me many troubles and distresses
Will revive me again,
And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21 May You increase my greatness
And turn to comfort me.- Psalm 71:17-21
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In this psalm, David exhibits so much praise and hope in God. In verse 17, he humbly declares that it was God who taught him everything even as a youth. In verse 18, he still plead God to never abandon him. He is full of hope that God will give him strength until he passes on to the next generation his faith and love for his Master, the Lord God. In verse 19, he exults God with His unfathomable righteousness that reaches up to the heavens. David knows his God very deeply to speak of this greatness that only God possesses. He praises God for no one else or other gods can compare to Him. He is one of a kind, full of unconditional love and mercy. In verse 20, David recognizes God’s discipline as he was allowed to go through so much troubles and trials. He also knows that his sins in the past contributed to such suffering and attacks from his enemies. This verse is full of hope that knowing how good his God is, he is sure that he will be delivered from all of these troubles. When he said God will bring me up again form the depths of the earth in verse 20, he is an epitome of hope in desperate situations. In verse 21, he pleads God to add to his greatness and give him comfort. What a great heart David has. He intimately knows his Lord. Do we have this confidence in God? Do we instantly run to God for comfort and deliverance from what we are going through? We can learn to be more like David in our relationship with the Lord.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think David has such great hope and dependence on God?
CONFIDENT HOPE IN THE LORD ILMA’S VLOG
OCTOBER 16
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O God, do not be far from me;
O my God, hasten to my help!
13 Let those who are adversaries of my soul be ashamed and consumed;
Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor, who seek to injure me.
14 But as for me, I will hope continually,
And will praise You yet more and more.
15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And of Your salvation all day long;
For I do not know the sum of them.
16 I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.- Psalm 71:12-15
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Matthew Henry in his commentary on this psalm says that there are two things in general David here prays for-that he might not be confounded and that his enemies and persecutors might be confounded. He prays that he might never be made ashamed of his dependence upon God nor disappointed in his believing expectations from him. With this petition every true believer may come boldly to the throne of grace; for God will never disappoint the hope that is of his own raising.
In verse 12, David almost sounds like giving God a command to hurry up and help him, but it seems more like a child confidently running to his parents for help so he can be safe. Verse 13 also requests God to do what these wicked people are actually doing to him. Another showcase of hope is in verse 14 where he declares a never-ending dependence on God and unstoppable act of worshipping Him.
Verse 15 is a very interesting trait of David. He says that he will never cease to speak out all of the good things God has done to him because it is endless. He knows his God very well and he won’t stop praising and giving Him glory. David’s humility and dependence on God is amazing. How many believers can say that they too have this kind of relationship with God? Many of us are afraid to even come close to God because of all the lies we have heard from false churches and religious doctrines that are all opposite to the actual nature of God. Many people do not know the real character of God. No wonder we do not know how to depend on Him.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to get closer to God so that our hope in Him will abound?
CONTINUED RELIANCE ON GOD’S PROTECTION ILMA’S VLOG
October 15
________________________________________CONTINUED RELIANCE ON GOD’S PROTECTION
I have become a marvel to many,
For You are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with Your praise
And with Your glory all day long.
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
Do not forsake me when my strength fails.
10 For my enemies have spoken against me;
And those who watch for my life have consulted together,
11 Saying, “God has forsaken him;
Pursue and seize him, for there is no one to deliver.”- Psalm 71:7-11
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According to Matthew Henry’s commentary on this psalm, David penned this psalm in his old age, as appears by several passages in it, which makes many thinks that it was penned at the time of Absalom’s rebellion; for that was the great trouble of his later days. It might be occasioned by Sheba’s insurrection, or some trouble that happened to him in that part of his life of which it was foretold that the sword should not depart from his house. But he is not over-particular in representing his case, because he intended it for the general use of God’s people in their afflictions, especially those they meet with in their declining years; for this psalm, above any other, is fitted for the use of the old disciples of Jesus Christ.
Verse 7 is a humble admission that without God’s deliverance, we cannot have victory. David acknowledges God for all the victories he had won because without Him, he will be defeated. Verse 8 praises God continually all day long. No wonder David is called a man after God’s own heart. He manifests a passion for being with God and relying on Him constantly. Verse 9 declares his dependence once again. He knows that if God leaves him alone, he will be overcome by his enemies.
Verses 9-11 sounds like a little child running to his parents for protection and telling them what these cruel enemies have done to him. There is a confident tone in David that God will ensure his safety. By telling God what these wicked people are doing to him, how they are ganging up against him, David is exhibiting an unusual dependency on God. Something that we lack in our world these days.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think God wants us to run to Him and rely on Him constantly?
DELIVERANCE FROM THE WICKED AND RUTHLESS
October 14
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DELIVERANCE FROM THE WICKED AND RUTHLESS
In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
Let me never be ashamed.
2 In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
Incline Your ear to me and save me.
3 Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come;
You have given commandment to save me,
For You are my rock and my fortress.
4 Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked,
Out of the grasp of the wrongdoer and ruthless man, 5 For You are my hope;
O Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth.
6 By You I have been sustained from my birth;
You are He who took me from my mother’s womb;
My praise is continually of You.- Psalm 71:1-6
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According to the ESV student study bible, this psalm is another individual lament, suited to a faithful person in danger from enemies who take advantage of any distress or weakness. Verse 1 acknowledges the God who is our refuge. In Him, we will not succumb to shame. It is interesting to hear this from the author of this psalm. He definitely knows that shame comes from the enemy and if he runs to God, he won’t ever feel that shame. Verse 2 declares God’s righteousness which gives hope to all of us because it is God’s righteousness that saves us and brings us out of evil. In verse 3, the psalmist acknowledges God’s law as the shield so that we won’t be defeated by the enemy. It also states the solid foundation that God gives to all those who believe in Him.
Verse 4 is a plea to be delivered from the plots and schemes of the wicked, wrongdoers and ruthless people. It seems like the writer enumerates the different kinds of evil people surrounding us. They have different levels of wickedness. Verse 5 is a confident hope that God will keep His promise. He knows that God will keep those promises in his youth. Verse 6 reminds us that God was there, as our mothers conceive us in her womb, watching us constantly. The psalmist declares his praise to God. What an awesome way to pray! It declares the God who protects and keeps His promises.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to be aware of God’s promises?
• What happens when we don’t know God’s promises?
GOD PRESERVES THE FAITHFUL ILMA’S VLOG
October 13
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GOD PRESERVES THE FAITHFUL
How great is Your goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You,
Before the sons of men!
20 You hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the conspiracies of man;
You keep them secretly
In a shelter from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD,
For He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.
22 As for me, I said in my alarm, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried to You.
23 O love the LORD, all you His godly ones!
The LORD preserves the faithful
And fully recompenses the proud doer.
24 Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who hope in the LORD. – Psalm 31:19-24
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One of the most amazing character traits of God is His faithfulness. Since the beginning of time, he has proven this trait of His people. He proved his continued loyalty to those who love Him. In this psalm, David mentions one of God’s promises to the faithful. in verse 23 God promised his people that he will preserve them and punish all those who will do them evil. In verse 24, David encourages them to continue to be strong and courageous for all those who trust in God will find hope and strength to continue to build up their faith in the Lord.
It is sad to watch many people, even Christians who live a compromised life instead of staying as faithful as they can to their Lord and Savior. David also praises God in this psalm and constantly remind God’s people of the importance of fearing the Lord and taking refuge in Him, for He is faithful to keep His promises to those who love Him. Are we also as faithful to God as He is to us?
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REFLECTION
• Why is faithfulness a trait that God wants all His believers to have?
MAKE YOUR FACE TO SHINE UPON YOUR SERVANT ILMA’S VLOG
October 12
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MAKE YOUR FACE TO SHINE UPON YOUR SERVANT
But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD,
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies
And from those who persecute me.
16 Make Your face to shine upon Your servant;
Save me in Your lovingkindness.
17 Let me not be put to shame,
O LORD, for I call upon You;
Let the wicked be put to shame,
let them be silent in Sheol.18 Let the lying lips be mute
Which speak arrogantly against the righteous
With pride and contempt. – Psalm 31:14-18
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In this psalm, David once again manifests his big heart who always seeks God’s own heart. He trusts the Lord with his own life. He believes that God is always looking after him especially protecting and delivering him from his enemies. He asks His heavenly Father to make His face shine upon him.
The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26). This was the priests’ blessing in the Old Testament for God’s people passed down for centuries. According to an internet source, in 1979, archaeologists excavating a tomb near Jerusalem discovered two small silver scrolls that recorded this priestly blessing from Numbers 6. The scrolls were dated to the 7th century B.C., making them oldest written Scriptures found.
What does “the Lord make His face shine on you” mean? The fact that God would have Aaron and the priests to repeat this blessing for centuries must mean it is very important. This blessing is an appeal to God to look favorably upon His people and to grant His presence, blessing, guidance, and grace. David used this blessing in this psalm, asking God’s presence in the midst of all that he is going through. Shouldn’t we all ask the Lord to shine his face upon us all?
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to ask God’s presence, blessings and guidance in our lives?
PLEADING GOD FOR DELIVERANCE DURING GRIEF ILMA’S VLOG
October 11
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PLEADING GOD FOR DELIVERANCE DURING GRIEF
Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow and my years with sighing;
My strength has failed because of my iniquity,
and my body has wasted away.
11 Because of all my adversaries,
I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I have heard the slander of many, Terror is on every side;
While they took counsel together against me,
They schemed to take away my life. – Psalm 31:9-13
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In this psalm, we hear David’s depression and grief. David is so honest with God. He complains to God directly as he goes through the grief and weariness of dealing with his enemies. He intimately asks God in verse 9 to grant him grace because he is in so much distress. He describes in verse 10 how tired he was both in his mind, body and spirit but also acknowledges the fact that it was his sins that brought about this weariness. He knows how his neighbors disapprove of him and feels the pain of the rejection from them in verse 11. He likens himself to a dead man or a broken vessel. In verse 13, we hear David’s paranoia as his enemies slander him. It has brought much terror on his side, especially when they all plotted to kill him.
Isn’t it such a consolation to hear a man who is after God’s own heart plead and complain to God at the same time about his enemy’s plots that he is constantly exposed to? Why complain when God already knows anyway? The act of coming to God to plead for help in desperate situations exhibits humility. It shows that we are acknowledging a God who can be the only one who can deliver us from any kind of trouble. Even when we are panic stricken or rejected, the Lord wants us to come to Him. The more we are being attacked, the more He wants us to run to His arms like a child runs to his parent.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it okay to complain to God and not to humans?
LORD, IN YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, DELIVER ME ILMA’S VLOG
October 10
________________________________________LORD, IN YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, DELIVER ME
In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed;
In Your righteousness deliver me.2 Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
Be to me a rock of strength, a stronghold to save me.
3 For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.
4 You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength. 5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth.
6 I hate those who regard vain idols, But I trust in the LORD.
7 I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,
Because You have seen my affliction;
You have known the troubles of my soul,
8 And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.- Psalm 31:1-8
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In the 16th Century, German monk, Martin Luther taught through Psalms, verse-by-verse to his students at the seminary. In his teaching he came upon Psalm 31:1. This verse confused him; how could God’s righteousness deliver him? The righteousness of God – His great justice – could only condemn him to hell as a righteous punishment for his sins. He also read Romans 1:17: For in it [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed. Luther thought about this day and night, until he finally understood what the righteousness of God revealed by the gospel is. It is not speaking of the holy righteousness of God that condemns the guilty sinner, but of the God-kind of righteousness that is given to the sinner who puts his trust in Jesus Christ. Luther said, “I grasped the truth that the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through grace and sheer mercy, he justifies us by faith. Martin Luther was born again, and the reformation began in his heart. One great Lutheran scholar said this was “the happiest day in Luther’s life.”
The psalmist puts his trust in the Lord who knows all the troubles that his soul encounters. Shouldn’t we do the same? The Lord knows us very well and only if we trust in Him will he deliver us. Because He is full of mercy and lovingkindness, we are delivered.
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REFLECTION
• How can trusting God keep us away from evil or trouble?