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Psalm 34:17

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 8, 2018
Psalm 34:17 “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”
 
[Praise be to you, the Sovereign, Infinite and Powerful God, who hears every prayer of every one of your children and answers them in the best way. Praise you that you act at the right time to deliver us from all our troubles–the timing may be very different than we’d like, but we can be confident that you will act just when we need it.
 
In sending Jesus to suffer, die and rise again, you have delivered us from the most fundamental of our troubles: rescuing us from the kingdom of darkness, from the dominance of sin, from the danger of eternal death, from the devil’s deceit and distortions.
 
We stand now as your beloved children, free of shame, of condemnation, of hopelessness, of meaninglessness. We stand in your presence, in your light, in your love, in the new life you have given us. We stand equipped for the battle, able to be more than conquerors in whatever comes to us, as we stand firm in the armor you have provided.
 
You have supplied us with wisdom, patience, love and grace. You have made your Holy Spirit dwell within us. You have given us your wonderful Word. And we live in the certainty that you will triumph in all as you carry us on with you to the end of history, giving us each a significant role to play in your glorious plan.
 
You have saved us from all the great troubles we were born into. And you will save us out of all the myriad of troubles that plague us in this warped world of woe, using each one to mature and mold us into the image of Christ–as we respond with praise and trust in all.]
 
Yes, you, Lord God, the faithful One, the delightful Deliverer, the lavish Lover of our souls, are bringing us out from all our troubles at just the right pace. To you be honor and glory today as we live in the light of your Grace, rejoice in the goodness of your Love and rest in the certainty of your Promises.
 
Keep our eyes on the Truth, Lord; help us to keep on the armor, to keep up the shield of faith, to be people of truth and trust because we know you, the God of love and life, of goodness and grace. May you be exalted in all that I do today.
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Psalm 34:15-16

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 7, 2018
Psalm 34:15 “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;”
 
[Praise be to you, Lord, for your rich faithfulness, for your persistent love, for your deep commitment to your children. Praise you that you always watch over us, that you hear every prayer, every word, every thought. Praise you that you are totally aware of what is going on in our lives.
 
Your love is strong and deep and powerful. We can trust you to hear us whether we sense it or not, and to work out what is best, whether we understand it or not.]
 
Psalm 34:16 “the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.”
 
[What a stark contrast: from total redemption to total rejection. In your great Love, Lord, you hate evil and will deal with those who choose to live in it.
 
The greatest evil is to reject Jesus and His offer of forgiveness. Out of that rebellion and pride flow every other evil. At the right time, you will righteously end the earthly lives of all such rebels and wipe out even the memory of them. Praise you for your rejection of evil so that it may not continue in Heaven.]
 
Thank you, Lord, for your goodness which under girds us in our griefs, permeates our problems and transforms troubles into the next step up as we praise you for who you are and what you are doing in them–even though we cannot see any good at the moment.
 
I praise you for allowing the present problems in our lives with Barbara’s illness. I ask that out of your love and wisdom, your righteousness and grace that you give us a fresh “Job experience” (Job 38-42) of seeing your greatness and glory so that we may continually bow before you in humility and confess, “I have nothing to say; you are right Lord, praise you for what you are doing.” And I praise you now for whatever you will do, Lord, for you know what is best.
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Psalm 34:12-14

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 6, 2018

“I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”

Psalm 34:12 “Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,”

[These are the results of fearing the Lord: we will live longer (less stress, avoiding harmful practices), and we will have many days where we have lots of good flowing into our lives. Who doesn’t want that? God definitely wants to such goodness for us, and wants to motivate us to desire to fear Him so that more goodness will flow to us. Fearing Him is caring deeply what He thinks and obeying Him in awe of His marvelous might and majesty.]

Psalm 34:13 “keep your tongue from evil”

[The first element of the fear of the Lord is not speaking what is evil. No complaining (a big evil in God’s eyes because we are saying He’s not always good), no gossip, no negatives, no cutting others down, no manipulation, no sarcasm, and no selfish boasting–to name a few common to all of us.]

“and [keep] your lips from speaking lies.”

[Only truth. So no more telling ourselves lies (“Poor me,” “Everything is terrible,” “No one loves me,” “Nothing ever goes right.” “I can never win,” “Whatever I do, it’s wrong.”). No more telling others lies, no matter how polite they seem (“I’m fine” when I’m not. Instead of saying, “I’m having a difficult time, but am trusting God in it,” which is an honest answer that brings glory to Him and may open up meaningful conversation). And definitely no intentional lies to protect self or gain advantage.]

Psalm 34:14 “Turn from evil and do good;”

[Reject darkness and live in the light. I must measure my motives, thoughts, words and actions by Scripture, by what Jesus did and commanded. I must avoid evil at all costs, spotting it early on and rejecting it in favor of doing what God deems good. Confessing ahead forearms and forewarns me; I need God’s help to see evil in every area–before it becomes thought and then action–so I can bring Him glory.]

“seek peace and pursue it.”

[Not just seek to avoid conflict, protecting myself, but to wholeheartedly run after true peace, push to get peace, beginning with forgiving those who have hurt us, returning good for evil, blessing those who persecute us, and being loving to those who are obstinate. Lord give me wisdom in how to do this well.]

Praise you, Heavenly Father, for sending your Spirit to give us your Word: clear, deep, rich and transforming. Help me to walk in your Word, in the fear of the Lord today, taking your Word as the measure of what is right and wrong. Alert me to when I am not doing so, and help me to get back onto the path immediately. I praise you now for how you will help me today.]

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Psalm 34

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 5, 2018
Psalm 34:10 “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”
 
[Here is that earlier truth repeated (“Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing”), this time with an example and action.
 
Even powerful, wild lions can grow weak when they don’t find food. In comparison, those who look to God–especially those who are weak–who actively seek Him, who intentionally follow Him–will not lack any good thing. This includes provision of needs for life (physical, emotional, relational) as well as the privilege of experiencing difficulties to make us grow and deepen spiritually, equipping us and providing us opportunity to give God glory.
 
Help me to live this way, Lord, to seek you and your wisdom in every circumstance, every decision, every relationship, every moment. Help me to think, obey and live Truth, keeping on the armor of God, embracing all that is right and good, taking up my cross daily, praising you in and for all, and following you with all my heart. I praise you ahead of time for how you are going to help me in seeking and fearing you throughout today.
 
Psalm 34:11 “Come, my children, listen to me;”
 
[This is God calling us to be teachable like children who are more honest than adults in recognizing their limited abilities, their dependence on their elders, and are open to input. Little children tend to be eager to learn and accepting of guidance. So should we, always ready to hear from God rather than proudly relying on our own tiny thoughts and ideas.]
 
“I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”
 
[What a wonderful offer from God. Knowing the fear of the Lord is not something naturally discovered, something we can figure out for ourselves. We need God’s revelation and input to understand what the fear of the Lord is, and how to live in it. Are we listening?]
 
I praise you, Lord Jesus, for how you will provide all I need–in your faithfulness protecting, guiding and sustaining me through whatever you allow.
 
I praise you now for your goodness yet to be displayed as we personally walk through the valley of the shadow of depression. Glory be to your name as you help me learn to walk in the fear and awe of you, actively seeking you and your will in each instance, praising you in and for all things. Amen.
 
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Fall’s Colors

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 4, 2018

It was Fall when I wrote, “Praise you, Lord, for the beauty of the trees these days as the leaves are now at their height of color. Every corner we turn on the road reveals amazing scenes of blazing reds and blinding yellow, with certain trees standing out in special brilliance.”

These trees are a picture of what different believers are like. When things are going well, all look about the same in their uniform greens. But when difficulties and pressure come, like the frost of Fall, the beauty of belief is revealed.

Similar to these frosted trees, some believers stay green, some have a touch of color, while others stand out gloriously, glowing, lit from within in by their reds and yellows.

These glowing trees are like believers who respond in faith when things are tough. As it says in 1 Peter 1:6,7 “…for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith…may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

When our faith is proven true under pressure, we give glory to God at that moment, and He will then give it back us when we arrive in heaven, where we will glow in His love and share in His honor: “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Col 3:4).

Knowing the beauty faith brings, and how this honors God, can help us to respond in trust when things are difficult. In offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving we bring a glow to us and glory for God.

In contrast, the self-indulgence of complaining gives us drabness and dishonors His name. Which will we choose? “He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me….” Ps. 50:23

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Psalm 34:9

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 3, 2018
Written in 2015
 
Psalm 34:9 “Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.”
 
[The call here, the command, is to fear God–to be so in awe of the Powerful Creator, the Faithful Ruler, the Righteous King of glory, that we reject our natural responses and obey Him instead, trusting His wisdom, knowledge and goodness.
 
It means caring deeply what He thinks and thereby rejecting what I or others think when it is different. It is submitting our will, our emotions and our intellect to Him and His Word (which is one definition of humility). If we do this, the promise is that we will lack nothing.
 
That is a huge, all-encompassing promise: everything I need will be given! This, of course, is an echo of Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…,” which also implies surrender to Him as Lord.
 
Part of fearing God is accepting that He knows what we actually need. This may be getting what we personally desire, or the opposite. For us right now, it means my wife being sick with chronic Lyme’s Disease, suffering weakness, pain, confusion and depression. In the midst of this Jesus is with us, shepherding us, equipping us, using us.
 
Part of fearing God is believing His Word, knowing that He has a plan in our pain: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'” (Jer.29:11).
 
Help us, Lord, to grow in fearing you, to rest in your greatness, to do what is pleasing to you, to reject the pressures of people, the pull of our own hearts to complain and instead do what is on your heart.
 
I praise you, Lord, for your faithfulness in graciously tying us to yourself, in making us to be dependent on you , which includes allowing us to grieve you when we disbelieve and disobey.
 
In exchange for surrender, you give us much joy as we see you answer prayer, grant us your wisdom, lead us aright, demonstrate your faithfulness and display your might.
 
Help us to consistently fear you, to walk in faith and trust during our present period of problems, resting in your goodness and waiting for your wise timing to bring your desired future.]
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Psalm 34:6-8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 2, 2018
 
Psalm 34:6 “This poor man called,”
 
[When I recognize my weakness and poverty of wisdom, my lack of strength and the smallness of my resources; when all my pretenses were laid aside and I am honest before myself and before you, Lord, then I call to you all the more whole-heartedly, all the more earnestly. I am more open to you in my need, knowing that I cannot trust in myself. I am then in the position you desire so that you may act in wisdom and power.]
 
“and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.”
 
[When I cry out thus, then you act, then you save. You wait for us to come to the position of surrender and trust, seeing and embracing our weakness before you act to snatch us from the jaws of the dragon, to pluck us out of the fire, to surround and shelter us in the midst of turmoil.]
 
Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”
 
[Here is the summary of your plan for protection. You pursue partnership, wanting trust, surrender and obedience from us–meaning we fear you, standing in awe of you and acting out of that awe, caring deeply what you think about everything–and then you continually deliver us. You send your angel to surround us with love, power and grace, you have him deliver us consistently, as we fear you. Help us, Lord, to fear you, to live in awe of you at all times.]
 
Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;”
 
[Here’s God’s challenge to us: if you don’t believe He’s trustable, taste and see what the Lord really is. Remember all the goodness He has poured out in our lives and those of others. Start trusting and see what He does. ]
 
“blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”
 
[How happy, protected, helped and safe is the man who acts on this Truth and runs to God for protection and shelter. Again, here is the partnership God desires: He stands ready to act, waiting for us to seek refuge in Him.
 
May we honor you, Lord, by partnering with you throughout this day, trusting you, fearing you, taking refuge in you each moment.]
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Trust in the Dark

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 1, 2018
Written in 2016
 
In the midst of Barbara’s debilitating illness, thank you that I can rest in the plan that you have for us, Lord God, and praise you with all my heart.
 
I give you glory, O Triune God, for your wise, gracious, good and powerful being. I praise you Heavenly Father for your unchanging plans and purposes for my life.
 
I praise you, Lord Jesus, for your faithful and wise shepherding, providing all I need, making me to lie down in green pastures.
 
I praise you, Holy Spirit, for your gracious, gentle and persistent teaching, convicting and guiding me in all.
 
You, Lord Almighty, are the One who is in control, and your Ruling is always right, your Sovereign Shepherding is always wise and good, your Guidance and Grace are always timely, your Teaching and Tenacity are always trustable–even if we cannot understand them.
 
So, I bow before you now, without seeing any answers yet to my prayers for Barbara; I bow in thankfulness for your rich, deep, wise and wonderful character, filled with the treasures of goodness and righteousness, mercy and love. You are worthy of wholehearted worship, of total trust, of complete surrender and utter obedience, of persistent praise and great glory in every situation. Guide me in giving you honor throughout today with thanksgiving, rest and obedience to what I know to be true.
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Fear Conquered

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 28, 2018
Psalm 34:4 “I sought the LORD, and he answered me;”
 
[Yes, Lord, in your faithfulness you always answer: at the right time, in the right way, with the right means. You are trustable in your goodness, you are reliable in your unchangingness, you are beautiful in your consistency.]
 
“he delivered me from all my fears.”
 
[This was not the help I really wanted, but in your wisdom, Lord, you start answering on a much more foundational, inner level in order to bring an answer much bigger than my request.
 
The troubles in my life reveal these fears, and you want to deliver us from fear: the fear of man, fear of the future, fear of loss, fear of humiliation, fear of suffering, fear of failure. I’ve heard that 365 times in the Bible you command, “Fear not!” One for every day of the year.
 
So you turn our eyes to you and as we gaze upon you, seeing you in your great power, your deep wisdom, your gracious compassion and your rich love, and remember how many times you have protected and provided for us in the past, fear has no place to cling and falls away. You are the fear Killer, the freedom Bringer, the peace Giver. Praise be to you.]
 
Psalm 34:5 “Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”
 
[Because you are faithful, powerful, wise and good, you always answer by meeting our true needs. So we are never put to shame when we trust in you. People and Satan may try to shame us, but we can, like Jesus in Hebrews 12:3, endure our cross, despising the shame, looking instead to the joy we will have when seated with Him in heaven.
 
As we look, Lord God, to you in our troubles, we are transformed more and more into your image (2 Cor. 3:18). As we meditate on your great and good character, we bask in the light of your glory, we join you in being light to the world, for we will reflect that glow of your greatness to all those around us–the radiance of trust, peace and contentment in you. May we so honor you today.]
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Living Out Psalm 34

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 27, 2018
 
The following was written in 2011 following an unsuccessful attempt to resolve conflict on one of our teams, a painful event with a sad outcome.
 
Psalm 34:1 “I will extol the LORD at all times;”
 
[Even now, in the midst of this painful failure, in darkness and despair, I will extol you, Lord, I choose to praise you, the great and sovereign God who is at work doing what is right, bringing good in every situation. You, Lord God, are worthy of worship even in the worst of circumstances, humanly speaking–for you do not abandon us. You press on in spite of the pain you suffer with us. You are faithful to the end, and therefore worthy of all exaltation.]
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“his praise will always be on my lips.”
 
[Always, no matter what happens, in every difficulty, every hardship, every form of suffering, failure and evil, I can praise you and I choose to do so. You, Lord God are good, through and through. So what you do is good, what you allow you will use for good for your children, bringing breaking and transformation.
 
Lord God, do good in this situation. Have us suffer as long as is necessary; may we learn what we need to and go through what you know is necessary, with your power and strength.]
Psalm 34:2 “My soul will boast in the LORD;”
 
[If I am honest, there is nothing to boast about in myself, I can only boast in you, Lord Jesus, the perfect One, the pure One, the holy One who never makes a mistake, never fails. To you certainly belongs honor, praise and worship. You are the One to boast in, not myself.]
 
“let the afflicted hear and rejoice.”
 
[In this case I am afflicted, beaten down, a failure, but as I think on you, Lord, I can rejoice in you.]
 
Psalm 34:3 “Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.”
 
[This is the purpose for which I was created, Lord: to bring you honor, praise and exaltation. In this situation, I honor you by faith, clinging to you, Lord, and to your truth, praising you for what you are doing–what I can’t see or understand yet. To trust brings you glory.
 
I will focus on this now, Lord, giving you praise for how you are working things out. At present there is only total failure and loss from my perspective, but also the opportunity for giving great glory to you as by faith I rest in your wisdom and grace, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving.]
 
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