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Psalm 8:1

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 1, 2017
Psalm 8:1 For the director of music. According to gittith. A Psalm of David.
 
“O LORD,”
 
[You are Yahweh, the great I AM, who exists from eternity to eternity, having no beginning, no end–the Creator of stars, Maker of the earth, Bringer of the dawn. You are great and glorious, powerful and pure, the Lord of all.]
 
“our Lord,”
 
[You are THE LORD and you are also OUR Lord. You stoop down to enter our little lives, to walk with us, work with us, watch over us. You invite us to join you in your majestic plans, making meaningful work for each of your children, tailored lovingly to fit our abilities, gifting and situation.
 
You are my Lord: present, alert, watching, ruling, protecting, guiding and deeply involved in every detail of my life. You I can trust, you I can be sure of, you I can praise in every incident because you are good, through and through.]
 
“how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
 
[Your name, O Eternal God, is pure and powerful, holy and great. You move with majesty, unrushed, sure, full of grace and glory. You are high and mighty, the only One with no beginning and no end. You are the One to be extolled and lifted up before all creation.
 
Truly, your name is to be exalted above all in all the earth, in all the universe. It is to be honored by our reverence, our obedience, our awe and worship. You are to be exalted throughout the whole earth, by every person in every place at every time, for all of time and beyond–for you are worthy.]
 
“You have set your glory above the heavens.”
 
[You who spoke and created the stars, who stretched out the heavens with your hand, who set the limits for time and tide, you are far beyond the heavens, you are outside of time, you are beyond human comprehension.
 
Your glory is far above us, far beyond what we can imagine, yet in your grace you give us small glimpses into the beauty of your character. I see echoes of your glory in Springtime with the wealth of flowers, each more lovely than the last. I see your glory In their colors—bright and gentle, rich and wonderful; in their shapes—varied and pleasant, crisp and smooth; in their scents—pleasing and positive, pure and powerful.
 
So it is with you, Lord: you are beautiful, lovely, colorful, richly scented, wonderfully complex and grandly inspiring—and much more so than anything we can imagine in our earth-bound understanding. Truly your glory is great, stretching beyond the limits of the universe.
 
Help me to remember this and to continually stand in awe of you, to honor you today by wholehearted obedience to what I know to be true.]
 
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Towers of Truth

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 31, 2017

From EDIFIED!

“The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.” Psalm 37:30,31
 
Praise be to you this morning, Lord God, for your wonderful Word: living, powerful, deep, transforming and encouraging. It is life-giving, guiding, convicting, protecting.
Psalm 94:18,19 says, “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your love, O Lord, supported me.” This is so true; when I have felt abandoned, a failure, useless, unloved or attacked, you, in love, used your Word to support me. Your Spirit brought to mind passages of power, sections of strength and towers of Truth to flee to for help and protection.
When attacked by others, Psalm 37 is my favorite fortress, providing powerful protection: “Fret not yourself because of evildoers…for they shall be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb” (verse 1). This Psalm is a beacon of Light, giving perspective and guidance: “Trust in the Lord and do good, so shall you dwell in the land and be fed” (verse 3). It is the high and protecting wall of Hope: “Delight yourself in the Lord and he shall give you the desires of your heart” (verse 4).
I praise and thank you, Lord Jesus for sending the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to your love in your Word. I praise you for keeping my foot from slipping—and how often, how faithfully you have done that. “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul” (Ps. 94:19). Praise you that with your Word you combat the worry in my soul and its debilitating cousin, anxiety. You not only defeat them, you replace them with that joy of jubilation in the worship of you.
Again, Psalm 37 is often the light shining in the darkness of my worry, as conflict, false accusations and others’ displaced anger batter my soul: “Commit Your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass, He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noon day sun” (Ps. 37:5,6).
And how often did you, in the end, resolve those conflicts, bringing good out of them. This happened because you are faithful and your Word is right; it is powerful, it is effective, it is True and as we obey it–and you–we see you work all out for good, growth and your glory.
 
Prayer: “Praise you, Lord God, for giving us the living Word, for sending Your good Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the comfort, perspective and truth we need at the moment. Help me to always and immediately flee to your Word in my difficulties. Help me to think Truth, to respond with grace, praise and prayer so you will be glorified. Amen.”
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Psalm 7:17

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 30, 2017
Psalm 7:17 “I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness”
 
[Yes, to you, O Yahweh, Jehovah, King of glory, the great I AM, the Holy One, to you we bring praise because you are righteous, sinless, pure, positive and good. You alone are worthy of worship, honor and glory.]
 
“and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.”
 
[You are the highest Authority, the final Decider, the Judge of all. Your decisions are right, made in full knowledge, measured against your own pure character, filled with love, justice, heavenly hatred for evil and a holy love for goodness.
 
You have a powerful desire for an end to evil, for the reign of good and a gracious commitment to bringing as many as possible into your Kingdom–that is, all who are willing to receive your gift of forgiveness and bow before you as King of all–before you bring the final judgment.
 
You are worthy of worship, worthy to receive songs of praise, hymns of exaltation, words of glory.
 
In the light of your presence we must bow before you, Lord Jesus, bask in the greatness and power of your love, rise up to obey you in all today. May you be pleased in our obedience, done in the power of the Spirit and according to the wisdom of your Word.
 
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Psalm 7:12-15

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 29, 2017
Psalm 7:12 “God is a righteous judge….If he does not relent,”
 
[and you, Lord, are our faithful God, who follows through. You will not hold back from dealing with evil, but at the right time bring judgment on all evil and those who persist in it.]
 
 
Psalm 7:12,13 “he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. He has prepared his deadly weapons; he makes ready his flaming arrows.”
 
[You have readied all for the final judgment of the world, of sin, of the devil and his forces—a certainty that You will bring the transformation of all that has been warped by sin, returning it to the pristine conditions of the original creation. In the meantime, judgment comes every day on those who persist in evil:]
 
 
Psalm 7:14,15, “He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.”
 
[doing and being evil brings emptiness, not fulfillment.]
 
“He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made. The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head.”
 
[Evil brings evil to the perpetrator. This is the unchanging law of your justice, Lord. In the end this always happens: think of Hitler, Stalin and Mao; think of Idi Amin of Uganda, Saddam Huseyin of Iraq, Mubarek of Egypt; think of me when I make selfish and unkind decisions.
 
I praise you, Lord, that you do not tolerate evil, that you have prepared the answer to evil and will eliminate it from the new Heaven and Earth, while all who accept your solution to evil (the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ) will live in sinless and joyful relationship with you forever.
 
In the midst of the evil of people and devils today, you, Lord. are at work and we can rest in that, joining you in returning good for evil, blessing for cursing, prayers for persecution. Guide us in doing that today.]
 
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Psalm 7:11

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 27, 2017
Psalm 7:11 “God is a righteous judge,”
 
[You are absolutely right in your decisions, Lord God, you are absolutely certain to judge correctly, you are absolutely sure to do so wisely and at the right time.
 
As you did not draw back from crushing your own Son in your righteous wrath, so you will not hesitate to judge sin to the fullest, in the future, at the exactly right time, and with truth and righteousness, wisdom and impartiality.]
 
“a God who expresses his wrath every day.”
 
[Praise you that you move in your wrath consistently, constantly, even now! Today you will move against the evil in the world, holding it back, judging evil-doers, allowing them to suffer the natural outcome of rebellion against you.
 
You also will continue convicting us of our sin, seeking repentance in our hearts and moving us inexorably towards the judgment day where you will remove all evil, locking it up in the lake of fire.
 
And we, as followers of Jesus, having entered the shelter of your forgiveness, know that every day you protect us from evil, including our own, while on judgment day we will be declared righteous in Christ, forgiven and cleansed. In this we can rest, praise and obey. And have the privilege and responsibility to call others to enter this shelter.
 
To you, Lord of All, King of Glory, Shepherd of sinners, God of Grace, Judge of evil, and Ruler of Righteousness, to you we come, to you we bow, to you we give glory, for you we want to be open, transparent, humbled, whole-hearted and committed obedience.
 
I give you glory now with all my mind, soul and strength. May you be the Ruler of my heart, the King of my thoughts, the Lord of my actions each moment. May you be exalted, praised and honored in my life today.]
 
Below: First snowdrops out yesterday, God’s promise of good things to come.
 
 
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Psalm 7:9-10

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 26, 2017
 
Psalm 7:9 “O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts,”
 
[You, Lord God, know the full truth about every person, for nothing is hidden from you, as you discern our thoughts and intents right to the bottom of our hearts. Therefore Your judgments are fully informed and righteous, true and just.
 
To you be praise, honor and glory for your perfect, pure, powerfully positive heart, leading you to act in full knowledge and wisdom, in love and grace to do what is right and best.]
 
“bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.”
 
[Praise you that this is your desire, Lord, to end evil and violence, setting limits on them now, then at the right time locking them up in Hell for good.
 
You are our only hope in the darkness of this world, in the flood of evil, in the failure of human hearts, in the power of the devil to deceive and delude. You are Light and Love and Life in the midst of darkness, despair and death. Praise you for your goodness and the hope you bring.]
 
Psalm 7:10 “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.”
 
[Yes, you are our help and hope, for you are the Most High, you are the Great and Final Authority. You have the last word in every situation; no one can counter your judgments.
 
And in your authority, we are safe, for in your love you have shielded us through the blood of Christ, you protect us from Satan, sin and self. We can rest, safe in your shadow, for you are the Almighty One, undefeatable, all wise and the Victor in the end of every situation.
 
I praise you now, O Lord Jesus, for the protection you provide: in the past, present and future. You are worthy of worship, worthy of our total obedience, worthy of our full affection. May you be honored in my life today in attitude, thought, word and action.]
 
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Psalm 7:6-8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 25, 2017
 
Psalm 7:6 “Arise, O LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies.”
 
[Praise you, Lord God, our Heavenly Father, that you hate sin and injustice, that your anger and wrath, like an avenging fire, are directed against all evil and wrong-doing, against the rage of your enemies Praise you that you act against sin at the right time and in the right way, whether it be in us or our enemies.]
“Awake, my God; decree justice.”
 
[This is our hope: that you, O God, are just, that what you decree and judge will be right, pure and good, done in full knowledge of peoples’ motives, thoughts and deeds. Therefore, we can trust you fully.]
 
Psalm 7:7 “Let the assembled peoples gather around you. Rule over them from on high; let the LORD judge the peoples.”
 
[In you, O Jehovah, is safety; you only are our refuge. You look down from your throne and see the hearts of every person on earth, you observe all that they do, so you know and judge correctly. You are the One we can trust.]
 
Psalm 7:8 “Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.”
 
[Praise you, O Lord God, that you do not judge me according to my own righteousness–for I have none–but that you judge me according to the righteousness of Christ, in the goodness of Jesus that He has bought for me at the cross. You have given me this righteousness, qualifying me to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of Light! (Col. 1:12) In you I am called, cleansed, transformed, claimed as your child, commissioned to special service, deeply cherished and dearly loved.
 
With you there is the hope of forgiveness, the certainty of acceptance, the gift of love and the power of grace. I can freely confess my sin to you, for you are good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy and truth to all those who call upon you (Psa. 86:5). And I can stand tall and sure at your side, knowing that I am in the shelter of the Most High; no one can accuse me of anything that you, Lord Jesus, have not covered with your cleansing blood.
 
May I live for you today, Lord Jesus, trusting you in whatever comes, fulfilling the purpose of my life by giving you honor and glory continually in thanksgiving and praise.]
 
 
 
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Psalm 7:3-5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 24, 2017
Psalm 7:3 “O LORD my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands–”
 
[David faces the possibility of unconfessed sin being a factor here; there is none he knows, but there is always more sin in our lives than we are aware of. Help us, Lord, to be open to the conviction of the Spirit as He points out the next sin you want us to confess and repent of and lay aside.]
 
Psalm 7:4-5 “if I have done evil to him who is at peace with me or without cause have robbed my foe, then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.”
 
[This is a powerful prayer of surrender to God’s judgment, a declaration of David’s innocence in these two possible crimes of attacking a man in peace or without cause robbing someone.
 
How sure could I be so sure of my innocence as to make such a strong claim of being without guilt? There is much in my life below the level of consciousness–as well as above it–to confess and forsake! Sins like impatience, fear, worry, gossip, pride and unkindness—small things according to human thinking, but all sin is significant in your sight.
 
Yet in you, O Lord, I am forgiven and cleansed. I must deal only with what you show me—and I want to do that. Help me to be alert and open to the work of your Spirit as He convicts, reveals and teaches me about the sins I need to confess and reject.
 
Help me to be confident in you and your forgiveness while being realistic and transparent before you and myself about my natural depravity–daily dealing with sin in eager confession and wholehearted repentance.
 
Help me then in receiving and embracing the forgiveness and cleansing within that flows from Christ’s sacrifice. Help me to walk in the confidence that I am accepted, dearly loved and holy in your sight (Col:3:12) as I stand in the righteousness of Jesus. I praise you, Lord Jesus, for your resurrection, redemption and righteousness, all shared with us so graciously! ]
 
Selah
 
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Psalm 7:1-2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 23, 2017
Psalm 7:1 “O LORD” [You, O LORD, are Jehovah, the God whose glory is in His holiness.]
 
“my God,” [You, O God, are my Elohim, the incredibly powerful One, who showed your might in creation, and the absolutely faithful One, who showed your faithfulness in providing salvation.)
 
“I take refuge in you;”
 
[This, Lord is what you desire: our full trust, our consistently taking shelter in your great power, mighty wisdom and unending faithfulness, for in doing so we bring great honor to you. This is what we must do as our first response to danger: fleeing to you, acknowledging our weakness and your power, our inadequacy and your total competency, trusting in you, not in ourselves.]
 
“save and deliver me from all who pursue me,”
 
[You, O Lord God, are to be our first recourse, our first and final aid. Before any other action, we need to come to you in prayer–as David has done here–and seek your help, for salvation comes from you alone, you who have the power to prevent anyone from pursuing us successfully.]
 
Psalm 7:2 “or they will tear me like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.”
 
[Our enemies, both supernatural and often human, are too strong for us; we cannot succeed against them–we would be destroyed if we sought to save ourselves. David was a mighty warrior, never defeated in battle, to my knowledge, yet he did not trust in himself, but fled to God here, begging for His help and intervention.
 
In Psalm 18:17-19 David said, “He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.”]
 
Lord, help us to remember how desperate a battle we are in each day–fighting against the world, the flesh and the devil–and to turn immediately to you when difficulty, disappointment and danger enter our lives.
 
May our trust be in you, not in ourselves or others. May you be our Rock, our Fortress and our Defender. We praise you now for what you will do in our lives today.
 
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Psalm 6:8-10

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 22, 2017
Psalm 6:8 “Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.”
 
[Here is a statement of pure faith—nothing has changed, there is no sign of an answer, yet David, after looking to God in prayer, is ready to trust, to act on unseen Truth and believe in the faithfulness of his heavenly Father.]
 
Psalm 6:9 “The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.”
 
[He is certain, sure, convinced of God’s faithfulness and mercy, so he can state with trust that Jehovah has heard him and will answer. He looks to the character of God, the heart of his Lord, and is sure of an answer in the right time and right way. “I will call upon the Lord in the day of trouble, for he will answer me” (Psa. 86:7). ]
 
Psalm 6:10 “All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.”
 
[David ends his psalm with the statement of conviction and confidence. He does not have any visible sign of help yet, but he is sure of the outcome because he knows the living God who can and does act in power.
 
Praise be to you, Lord, for your great and wonderful character, full of unfailing love, unfailing wisdom, unfailing grace, unfailing help. You see all that is going on in our hearts, you know all our troubles, you hear all our prayers and you always answer in wisdom, power and grace.
 
We praise and thank you for your wonderful provision out of your glorious riches, your endless grace and your loving heart. May we live today in the light of these truths, bringing honor to you through our trust and confidence in you. Amen.]
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