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Posts Tagged ‘Blessings’

Psalm 127 reads as follows from the King James Version of the bible:1] Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.[2] It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.[3] Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.[4] As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.[5] Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemiesin the gate.This psalm is seemingly separated in two parts but there is also a continuance to where the Lord gives an individual sleep and children, both of which are considered blessings flowing from his hand but blessings that also contain elements which operate as a buffer as it is in the case of the children who speak with the enemies at the gates and metaphorically are like full quivers of arrows and who act as a buffering presence in the face of the discomforting presence of the nemesis or enemies at the gate. This encounter depicted is not understood by most interpretations of this psalm as anything to do with a violent confrontation but it was custom in that time that discussions were held, often of the legal kind at the gate in the town or city. This verse would therefore refer to children that were at least mostly grown as helping the father. The sleep acts as a buffer to overdoing it and getting to worked up about the worldly efforts and how they will transcribe as time goes on.From this we see that the Lord’s blessings can also have a part that is a buttress for us, against unfriendly elements. Something to ponder then from this psalm is how the Lord fortifies us in various ways.I had heard a sermon a long time ago on this psalm and it was at an outdoor service in the summer and I remember the homilist saying specifically about the first two verses about pertaining to work and prayer. How the excessive emphasis on work as opposed to prayer can lead to a vain situation presented here. People do say their work is their prayer but this is talking about focused prayer in the presence of the Lord. He went on to mention that this balance can easily be lost in the pace and time of modern society and it is important to fine tune this balance and the call back to prayer is something that is brought about by maybe increasing difficulties which would have been graced against had prayer been resorted to in the first place.Something to also think about is the necessity of leisure time and activities that could be considered leisurely pursuits rather than work. Often, people feel if they are churning the wheels of work, then somehow it is all good and it is always fully justified based on the ethic of hard work. As far as generating person hood and a balanced prayer life, leisure could be important and people sometimes correlate leisurely activities like walking alone on a beachfront in the early dawn with personal prayer. This time is for leisure but also carves into time alone with the Lord in prayer. Many people go through long periods of time when they usurp leisurely pursuits for the seemingly greater goals of work and whether this is the best thing for spiritual growth and maintenance is something to ponder in the context of what this psalm is saying. True turns in your life are under the control of the Lord. One thing to think about is does the Lord suddenly value you that much more because of recent work successes?In this psalm we could speculate that the beloved to whom this psalm is addressed, is generally beloved regardless of work successes or indeed additional successes or toppings don’t increase the status as of the beloved, because it says he gives his beloved sleep and how much can you be increasing your status or drive towards that while sleeping? So this psalm also indicates that the status of beloved has intrinsic qualities to it, that are there regardless of what is generated off of given efforts towards labor or building and rising up early or staying up late and eating the” bread of sorrows”.Then, is this psalm just riding over that the Lord is not only giving the beloved sleep, he actually giving the beloved everything that is needed to bring him to the place of peaceful sleep. The only other possibility would be that the Lord might bring sleep but not always the fuller answer to content with what is going into the realm of vain efforts. But it is just as likely that what this psalm is really saying that the relief has been total and the Lord has relieved this person to the extent that their problems are solved and they can enjoy a peaceful sleep as well. Why would the Lord just give the sleep and not all else that pertains to consolation? Since he is in the mode of giving with it be limited giving?.It is interesting that something like the expression in this psalm of ” eat the bread of sorrows” survives to this day. People today, say things like these problems are eating away at me or my worries are eating away at me. Here this psalm is saying not to imbibe in this type of outlook, that going there, hosting this extensive worry and excessive concern, just isn’t go to work regardless as it is also a vain effort.Unless the Lord’s part rises, like the sun rising in the distant horizon of the early morn, there is only so much that can be done. Something to discuss specifically in prayer, is not only what is of concern and worrisome, but just what the Lord’s part will be against the backdrop of these worries that indeed may be eating away at my happiness, and how much deference is actually needed to the Lord’s part and giving understanding to the manifold ways in which the Lord’s part may emerge into the scenes of my life and giving room and acceptance to that emergence.Whatever we need, we all need blessings or daily blessings as we go about in the world. We depend on so many small blessings that just must happen for our days or day to go well. No matter what overall standing you can achieve, you don’t lose the place of having to rely on daily blessings coming thru and coming your way. There is no exemption to this. The clause, expect the Lord play his part, is without exception if you want blessings and good things. You can stand on the words of this psalm and approach the Lord asking him that except you labor with me, build with me, I can’t do this and this isn’t going to happen to the extent that I want it to happen or I hope for it to happen. This is not passing the buck but just going into the reality of what we believe actual is according to the words and wisdom of this important psalm. The reality is I’m depending or dependant on the Lord coming into this to some degree in the manner of labor or building and in the manner of watching for me. With this should come a greater understanding of that which is coming through as contextual to the Lord’s labor for me and the Lord’s close watch for me as I strive to keep the relationship close in the manner of prayer, reverence and heeding the presence of the Holy Spirit. Even in small but conspicuous ways the Lord’s presence comes through as part of a overall and continuous watch, a watch that is for the city as a whole, yes, but also contained to a watch for you personally..The Lord will come right into that area that involves this need for a watch and assist with these concerns which should be lifted up to him. Rising up early means is rising up to contend with these concerns and worries rather than rising up in prayer to the Lord. It is not that you still don’t retain the quality of alertness but the rising up is not to greet these concerns head on but only with the assistance of the presence of the Lord.Indeed someone might legitimately have real sorrows to contend with but the status being of the beloved supersedes the sorrows and the Lord in this psalm comes into the sorrows and takes on a role to where the beloved can indeed sleep on it and give it to the Lord.There is a place of labor, but laboring in vain can be crossed into and the Lord can quickly allow the efforts of labor to dissipate or come to nothing. You do know people possibly even yourself that have made tremendous long term work efforts but these efforts can be lost in vanity and the results of vanity which are warned against here.Here, the Lord gives as an anecdote to the festering worries, sleep. But it may not be just sleep or only sleep, what else the Lord is trying to give as the contrast against the real worries that are keeping someone awake to trouble or leaping forward into their presence in maybe frightening ways. It is not only a matter of asking the Lord to relieve you of these great worries, but also going into them and asking what the Lord prefers to give you, within the topic of concern. Even in the throes of keen difficulties, it is not only a matter of asking the Lord to relieve the difficulties but to also seek what he would give. The seeking process is not just getting the Lord to give or pleading for something specific, but also finding out and understanding what the Lord is and will be giving if you don’t run past it, as this is what is happening by vain efforts, the individual goes right past what the Lord had for him or her. It is like someone running a race and getting so focused on the goal they run right past the water stop or whatever people are trying to give as an aid or help for the race. The example here of watching for a whole city, how can an individuals efforts in this direction compare to what the Lord could do in terms of watching for a city? The natural tendency when in trouble is to look for any way out, rather than even contemplating that the Lord might have something to give, right from the midst of the troubles you are in. This psalm says don’t ” eat the bread of sorrows” but to seek right within these sorrows what the Lord has to give. You don’t have to be free and clear of troubles, to go right to seeking what the Lord actually has for you and may give you.

Psalm 32 reads as follows from the New King James version of the Bible:

1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,   Whose sin is covered.2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,   And in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old   Through my groaning all the day long.4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;   My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.  Selah  5 I acknowledged my sin to You,   And my iniquity I have not hidden.    I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”    And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.  Selah  6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You   In a time when You may be found;    Surely in a flood of great waters    They shall not come near him.7 You are my hiding place;   You shall preserve me from trouble;    You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.  Selah    8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;   I will guide you with My eye.9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule,   Which have no understanding,    Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,    Else they will not come near you. 10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;     But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him.11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous;     And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Central to this psalm is the Lord giving the royal treatment to his servants in ways that are visible and can be understood as coming from him in the manner of fellowship. Big troubles out there will not come near you, you will get a hiding place or oasis, and the Lord will canvass the surroundings and conditions out there to work things in your favor. Verse 1 thru 5 says in the King James version of the Bible:, “ Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, blessed is the man whom the Lord imputes not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile, When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all day long. For day and night thy hand was upon me, the moisture is turned into the heat of the summer, for I acknowledge my sin unto thee, I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sins.” This section of the psalm is talking about the heavy weight of sin being like the strong excessive heat of the summer. If the psalmist David had been hiking, it would be that he took the wrong trail and felt drained in the excessive heat and in the meantime the Lord had a great trail for him with some cooling spots. That the sin is acting as a heavy weight is only a favor from the Lord, and it is saying come back to all the good favor I have for you, let’s clear the deck of all this junk and get to what I have for you. The rest of the psalm goes into the strong real time favors that the Lord has for him and others. Verse 6 says, “ For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time thou mayest be found surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.” This is one of the big favors from the Lord, there will be big time troubles out there, but it’s not coming near you. You’re not going to be touched by it. Everyone that is godly should be praying to him, no exceptions, while he may be found or before it is too late. You want to preempt your situations, your days, your activities with prayer. And this verse also shows that others may be sharing with you in the favors mentioned further on in the psalms, just as the apostles and disciples shared fellowship with each other in the presence of Jesus. Verse 7 says, “Though out my hiding place, thou shall preserve me from trouble, thou shall compass me about with songs of deliverance.” This hiding place is more of an oasis. You might think of a hiding place as more of a dark tunnel or basement, more like a bomb shelter in World War 2. But in this case, it is more likely that the hiding place is a place of light, more of an oasis, where for example, I might be kept from trouble, as I’m sitting in the noonday sun sipping juice on a beach in a tropical island in the Caribbean, listening to my favorite tunes and taking a dip in the surf. Another person or others might be with you in sharing this hiding place or oasis.

The hiding place is also of interior light and light of understanding and intelligence. The Lord gifts us gifts of intelligence and enlightens us. There is an oasis of light in the minds and in our understanding.

This hiding place is the Love and the Light of the Lord surrounding you on all sides according to the final verse of this psalm.Verse 8 and 9 says, “ I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which to go, I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with a bit of brittle, lest they come near unto thee. Right here, it is saying the Lord will have his eye on the situation, which is of course very specific and something to think about and meditate on, just how the Lord will keep an eye out for you, but this also shows as do the other verses of the psalms, the Lord’s real time presence to any number of situations you could possibly be in. Verse 9 talks about being not like a mule, it is more an invitation than an admonition. It is saying, that the Lord is watching over you carefully, working things in your favor, just don’t be like a mule, whose rider is also working the road for favor, but the mule doesn’t understand this. The Lord is doing all these great things; just understand that it is him doing it. This is more like a fellowship thing, rather than being like the dumb mule, there is an invitation to fellowship with the Lord while all this favors are being transferred to your attention and all these good things are taking place.

This is not to pick on the mule, as the mule and similar animals do have intelligence and abilities.

This verse is also very interesting in that it is showing that the Lord believes that people are capable. If Albert Einstein had been teaching a class in quantum theory and says” come into the lecture hall, listen to my lecture and volley with me on the subject, don’t be dumb”, this statement is actually flattering in that Mr. Einstein is seeing you as capable of grasping the subject and that you can go into a legitimate back and forth discussion with him on the topic of complex physics. Einstein, will shed light on the subject, but you will be able to go into the light of understanding on the subject and you should be grateful that you are capable of this.

Another aspect of this verse might also be interpreted as there being an invitation to speak up in the relationship with the Lord,not to be silent like the mule usually is except in the case of Balaam where the mule did speak. 

In the case of Balaam his mule actually saw the angel in front of them and then actually spoke to Balaam about it. The mule came forward in speech to interject understanding of the reality of the situation.

Peter and the disciples had discourse with Jesus and he didn’t walk them around and talk to them as if they were dummies and there was consultation between them and with Jesus. Jesus wanted the discourse from Peter and the others who were with them. Compass about does indicate control, For example I as an individual operating solely in most instances can not compass about, as I’m stepping into so many situations as to the outer surroundings that it is not feasible to say I have any control in any or most of the presenting scenarios. It is important to come to this realization for various reasons, so I don’t get ticked off as among those reasons as I don’t want to be upset of vast outer surroundings that I have little direct control over or in most cases none.

The first call is to stay in the inner circle of Jesus by keeping close to the Lord in prayer, just as the disciples did. This was their oasis, but it wasn’t a passive oasis but an oasis of dialogue and understanding.  For example, I go to the beach, expecting the surf I prefer, either for a swim or surfing session. I find the surf just isn’t what I want but, the surroundings are not under my control so why should I be mad about this? The compassing about is not my area, I can’t control the conditions of the surf. What I want to do is keep all this in mind as I go about into this or similar situations, that is is the Lord’s work that the oasis of light be upon my changing circumstances. Overall this psalm issues an invitation into the royal treatment. Here it seems to say in this psalm that there are others, who are getting the royal treatment, the hiding place, the compassing about, two descriptions of the royal treatment giving by God, the last third of this psalm is depicting that generalized trouble will not come your way. The Lord wants them to have an understanding of what is actually going on, don’t be stupid, saying in this psalm he’ll teach you and guide you, and when you get to the perfect surfing conditions, find the best surfboard and the best spot on the beach, realize it is he that brought this about for you and he wants you to have an understanding of this to the point of fellowship in prayer. When none of the trouble that is out there comes near you, realize it is His doing.

Even while this happens, you are in the light of his oasis or hiding place in that he is meeting you in those real time situations and you know it is the Lord that is presence to you with the oasis of light.

It might be less dramatic situations, but maybe you were meditating in church and you had one question in mind and then a friend picks you up at church and speaks to that one question, a question that the friend didn’t know was what you were pondering about in that time you spent a church. This is the Lord meeting you in the real time. This might have  Less dramatic overtones than other possible interventions, but nevertheless exciting in that only you knew that this was your question. The Lord might meet you in the exact moment.With this have an understanding as to why this is better, it could be as simple as the Lord giving you the better sermons, the good churches, the best movies to see, articles to read, TV shows to watch, books to read, comedy shows for comedy. The relationship should be such that you understand that this leading and guidance is sourced from the Lord and is identified as his oasis  rather than a run of good fortune coming from the high seas or some unknown source. And correspondingly you can be grateful, not being like the somewhat unknowing  mule that doesn’t understand always that he got good guidance, good canvassing, and good conditions for what he wanted on his trip down the road or mule trail. It is not dumb luck, but the Lord’s hand or the  favor that is bringing this to pass. Maybe you are lucky but the good luck is directly from the Lord. Verse 10 and 11 say as the final verses, “ Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he that trustest in the Lord, mercy shall compass about him” Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous and shot for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.” This is saying that there will be troubles out there, and be all the more happy for the Lord’s hand in giving you mercy and protection and surrounding you with this royal treatment, the same treatment maybe even King Solomon got. As per prayer, this psalm is talking about favors from the Lord that are very much real time and situational, and we are invited to consult with the Lord on these favors in prayer. Basically the goal is not to miss out on the favors and to maintain and tend to the fellowship involved thru prayer and good behavior in not compromising all this thru sin and if sin is present to confess it and get right. The central invitation of this psalm is to receive all this with the open arms of understanding, intelligence and insight as to what is going on and that this is part of the fellowship and it is all coming from the Lord’s generous hand. The Lord’s extending hand may and does often include others some of whom will come directly into your path and your part is to pray and also intercede not only for yourself but for others in world for these shining favors emanating from his hiding place, the oasis of light.