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Psalm 3:7-8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 24, 2015
Psalm 3:7 “Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.”
 
[David’s call was desperate, he needed help now. He knew what you, Lord, are capable of bringing down his enemies, and wanted you to act right away. And, as we know from the story in 2 Samuel 17 and 18, you did so.
 
Although David said “all my enemies,” he did not really want you to bring down of his son, and mourned his death greatly. You answered, but he did not like the answer: you arranged that Absalom would get his hair caught in the tree, that Abner would be the one told about this and kill him. Absalom had been pardoned before and had proved himself unworthy of trust; so it would have been again and you prevented that. You know what is best, so we must trust you with whatever answer you choose to give.]
Psalm 3:8 “From the LORD comes deliverance.”
 
[From you alone, Lord, by you alone, for your glory alone comes deliverance. “He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him….” (Ps.145, 19.20a) We must look to you, LORD, the great I AM, the King of glory, the Lord of all, for deliverance, not to people, our own efforts or some other source. Forgive me for looking first to others, to medicine, to friends, to influential people for help before coming to you. You may use these to help me, but I must first come to you. You are the Source of all good, the Creator of all existence, the Sustainer of all life. Praise be to you that you are the answer and the Answerer; you are the way, the truth and the life.]
 
“May your blessing be on your people.”
 
[You are the One true source of blessing—genuine happiness and joy come only from you—all other sources are temporary and many are addictive. With you, however, is the fullness of joy combined with the freedom to live in ever growing obedience to Truth. You are worthy of worship and I give you honor, praise and glory; I give you obedience, respect and joy. May you be glorified and honored in this day in me and before me. Bless me with reminders to check in with you at each juncture for your direction and wisdom.]
 
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Our Delightful God

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 23, 2015

“Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the Lord is gracious and compassionate and righteous.”

Psalm 112:4

 

Praise you, O Lord God, the Great Savior, the Good Shepherd, the Gracious Most High King. To you belong honor, glory, praise and thanksgiving at all times. In you alone my soul finds rest; at this time of uncertainty in my life, the powerful truths of Psalm 62 hold me, keep me from falling into the abyss of anxiety, a place where you are dishonored by unbelief and rebellion, by trusting in myself and by fear of man.

Your greatness, your goodness and your graciousness all surround me, keeping me safe from the attacks of the enemy. No matter how things may appear, your shield of faith, raised by praise, wards off every assault of the enemy and extinguishes every flaming arrow. Because of your mighty Love, my soul is at rest in you: quiet, calm, trusting, accepting.

In the words of Psalm 112:1-3, “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD….” You are the One to be feared: honored, respected, obeyed, loved, considered above all in every decision.

“Blessed is the man …who finds great delight in his commands.” Your commands are delightful: based on your character, full of Truth, designed to protect, complete in understanding, beautiful in intent, powerful in outcomes, lovely in expression. In meditating on your commands, we can see more and more of your wisdom as your Spirit transforms our thoughts, our wills, our emotions, our understanding. Your commands are delightful because you are delightful and you are to be delighted in: the Gracious, Wise, Loving, Powerful, Good God.

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Psalm 3:6

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 22, 2015

Psalm 3:6 “I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.”

[For David this was a physical fact: Absalom came with a large army with all the advantage. But in this crisis David was responding in the unseen, thinking about you, Lord: the Majestic, Mighty, Powerful, Undefeated, Unconquerable, Eternal Lord of Hosts. You are strong beyond imagination, you command the armies of heaven, you can end everything in an instant, you work to weave all into your plan. Therefore David did not give in to fear.

Praise you that for us, too, in our battles that are more against spiritual forces than physical, you give care and grace, your presence and your protection. These we experience every day: in the timing of things, in provision of needs and in shielding us from many negative possibilities—all the perfect working of your hand in our lives.

So as we daily face the unseen but real forces of hell, who love evil, who have not one gram of goodness, who desire to destroy and are constantly at work to tear down all positives–we can rest in you. When we cry out to you, you are at work, for you have already defeated this enemy and are calling us to participate with you in the cleanup operation here on earth, keeping on your armor, fighting with praise, prayer and persistence in doing what we know to be right. At the same time, on the level of what can be seen, the world now faces a growing horde of Isl.amic terrorists, eager to conquer and rule over all the earth; in this, too, we need not fear. For you are moving history to a conclusion and taking us with you. You are our Rock, our King, our Lord, our Ruler and we trust in you.]

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Psalm 3:4-5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 20, 2015
Psalm 3:4 “To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.”
 
[Note, it is not past tense, “answered,” but “answers,” meaning all the time. You are the listening, answering God: all-present, all-seeing, all-knowing. In your faithfulness you are always there, you always answer as you see fit and in your time, you always know what is best. When trouble comes, you give the grace to go through it.
 
When David arrived at his place of safety while fleeing from Absalom, you had arranged that true friends would supply his needs of food, drink and shelter (2 Sam. 17:27-29). During the march, when being cursed, tired, discouraged, it didn’t look like much help was being given, but you were at work, doing what was right. So I can have confidence that you will answer in the issues before me, that are weighing on my mind. Praise you ahead of time for what you are doing and will do.
 
Selah [I must think about those truths concerning God’s faithfulness, power and goodness, and choose to trust in Him]
 
Psalm 3:5 “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.”
 
[David did just that, even though he knew he would be pursued, he slept and awoke refreshed because you, O Lord, protected and kept him safe in the night.
 
So with us, you surround us like a wall, you hold back the enemy, you give us rest and keep us safe. I praise you, Lord, and thank you for your goodness and faithfulness. You surely are worthy of our worship and obedience.]
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Psalm 3:3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 19, 2015
Psalm 3:3 “But you are a shield around me, O LORD;”
 
[You are there, O Holy One, mighty in your glory, strong in righteousness, powerful in wisdom. You surround us, you watch over us, you deliver us. There is no one greater than you, no other refuge so sure, no other help so near. I praise you for you love, your faithfulness, your power.]
 
“you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”
 
[Not only do you save us, but you share the glory of your triumph with us. You will bring forth our righteousness (from you) as the light and our judgment as the noon day sun (Ps. 37:6). You encourage us, you give us guidance, you give us honor and lift us up before men. “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:4)
 
I praise you, Lord, that you, the Holy One are willing–no, more that that, you are pleased to share your glory in some mysterious way with your children who previously opposed you bitterly, who brought shame on you, who even now bring grief to your heart every day in our selfishness and unbelief.
 
Truly there is no love like yours, O God: full-orbed, powerful, ever flowing, unaffected by anyone’s response. You are the source of love, the well-spring of grace, the headwater of goodness. You overwhelm us with your undeserved, beyond logic, contra-conditional, unending love, continually showering us with grace, goodness and help.
 
Praise be to you, Lord, for what you will do today in the midst of all that will come. I give you glory and honor now for the unseen, unsuspected, unimagined goodness you will sweep into my life today, whether it be clearly so, or disguised as difficulty, disappointment or suffering. May you be glorified, honored, lifted up and exalted today in my thoughts, words and actions, for you are worthy!]
 
 
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Psalm 3:1-2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 18, 2015
Psalm 3
A Psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom. [In looking at this Psalm, I will apply the truths David expresses to our lives in the present.]
 
3:1 “O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!”
 
[In David’s case, many of his officials and supporters had gone over to Absalom and opposed him. For us, there are many across the globe who speak loudly against the Word, against the Truth, against God, against freedom of religion, against freedom to spread the gospel, to believe it and to worship. Many speak in support of what God calls evil (ignoring the plight of the poor, promoting abortion, homosexuality, spending huge amounts in wrong areas, in limiting biblical influence, in perverting justice). But in spite of the numbers who opposed you and their supposed strength, you, Lord God, are the one in charge, your power far surpasses anything they have, you will win out in the end!]
 
Psa 3:2 “Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him.’ ”
 
[Most of us operate on the level of the seen. Faith operates on the higher plane of the unseen, of eternal Truth, of the reality of your character and presence, O Lord. When all seems hopeless, when there are no positive possibilities on the horizon, we can know that you are there, you have a plan, you are already answering, as you did with David. As it says in Psalm 145:17-19, “The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving towards all he has made. The Lord is near to those who call upon him, to those who call upon him in truth. The Lord delivers those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them.” Psalm 86:7 echos this: “I will call upon the Lord in the day of trouble, for he will help and deliver me.”
 
Selah
 
[think on that, on the contrast between people’s weakness and God’s power, people’s selfishness and God’s faithfulness, people’s foolishness and God’s wisdom. As Proverbs 21:30 says, “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.” We are secure in Him, even when all crumbles down around us.]
 
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A Brush With Dawn

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 17, 2015
A misty morning with a white sky waiting for the sun to climb over the horizon and paint it blue. So my soul waits for you, Lord, to bring color into this day. With your brush of love you will paint in the outlines with grace, goodness and generosity. You will bring meaning, purpose and direction. You will paint over frustration and disappointment, turning them into positive opportunities to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, to let go of the trivial, hold onto the eternal and rise above the clutches of selfishness and negativism. “We know that for those who love God, all things work together for good….” (Rom. 8:28).
 
You are the supreme artist, able to use the most mundane and poor materials to create lovely scenes, bringing beauty from ashes, life from death, blessing from tragedy and salvation from failure.
 
Therefore we can trust our day to you. We can join you in your plans to transform the negative cards dealt us by the world, the flesh and the devil into steps up, spiritual advances and deepening of character. So I choose to praise you now for what you will do in the hours to come, trusting you to carry us through, using each moment for good and your honor. You are calling us to join you in your plans, giving us opportunities to reverse Eden, rejecting temptation, trusting you and doing what we know to be right. May you be lifted up, honored and glorified in our obedience through faith today.
 
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Psalm 2:9-12

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 13, 2015
Psalm 2:10,11 “Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.”
 
[To resist you is not wise, Lord. To fight the undefeatable One who is over us is total foolishness. It is a guarantee of failure, the certainty of unnecessary, unprofitable suffering. And it is not just surrender you want, Lord, but willing, wholehearted service, seeing you for who you are: King, Creator and Conqueor. You are Triune, Trustworthy and Terrible in your wrath against sin.
 
In your total sovereignty you are to be feared; before you we should tremble, for we deserve your punishment, we are worthy of your wrath, you have every right to send us to hell right now. Yet you greet us with love, you extend the scepter of forgiveness, you clothe us with your righteousness, you welcome us into your family—what cause to rejoice! To celebrate! To bask in your love! To exalt your name!]
 
Psalm 2:12 “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.”
 
[We must accept your love, surrender to you, acknowledge that you, Lord Jesus, are the eternal Son of God, fully God, worthy of worship and accepting of ours. To fail to surrender puts us in danger of your righteous wrath, which can easily bring an end to all that we cherish. In contrast, when we cherish you, abandon our way for yours, then we are safe. The choice is clear, a “no brainer;” why would anyone decide against?!!]
 
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Psalm 2:9

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 12, 2015
Psalm 2:9 “You will rule them [the nations] with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
 
[Again thinking prophetically–you, Lord Jesus, will deal with sin, punish evil and sweep away all who refuse your shelter of protection and forgiveness. I praise you that you are not soft on sin, that you are firm and set in your determination to eliminate wickedness and evil from your children as well as the new Heaven and new earth to come. I praise you for the prospect of living there without a sin nature within, without an evil enemy like Satan encouraging me to do my own thing.
 
You have conquered, now you reign in the hearts of your people, and you will bring about your full reign with the final judgment, sweeping away all sin along with those who do not believe Truth, who rebel against your Word, who refuse to enter your rest.]
 
Today I praise you, Lord Jesus, as my King, my Shepherd, my Guide, my Protector, my Constant Companion. You are with me even in my dreams. I give you glory and honor for your great work in my life. And I praise you for all that you will do today—the certainty of your protection, the certainty that you will work powerfully and incisively, that you will allow some difficulties to make me grow, to challenge me to trust you, to lead me to pray and to further obey your Word.
 
You are wonderful, and to be a member of your family is beyond wonderful—it is more than any human being could imagine or wish: to be loved without restraint; to be delighted in, in spite of what I am; to have instant access to your presence; to be watched over and protected by the All-seeing, All-knowing, All-powerful, All-good One; to have purpose, meaning, direction and hope! These are privileges beyond what we could articulate.
 
Praise you, Lord God, Triune King, Marvelous Lord, that you are absolutely, totally, completely, eternally trustable; this trust is grounded in your character, proven in your works, proclaimed in your words and experienced every day in my life. I bow before you, I lift up your name, proclaim your goodness, and rise up to obey the Worthy One, the Holy One, the Powerful One, the Good One. Glory be to you in my life today, my God and my King.
 
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Psalm 2:7-8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 10, 2015
Psalm 2:7 “I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”
 
[These mysterious words, quoted again in Hebrews , clearly refer prophetically to Christ. I praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are the Son from eternity past. I praise you also, that, as referred to here, you became the Son in a more specific way by being born as a human being, fathered supernaturally, living as both the human and heavenly Son of your eternal Father.
 
Your relationship and roles were and are unique: twice the Son (eternally and in time), twice the Savior (saving us from our sins in your death, saving us from eternal separation by giving us everlasting life in your resurrection), and twice incisively entering this world (once as Savior, once to come as Judge and Conqueror). I praise you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for your deep and long wisdom displayed here, for your unshakable commitment and your perfect follow-through on your promises and predictions. You are The Trustable One.]
 
Psalm 2:8 “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”
 
[Even though Satan knew this statement to be true, still he tempted the man Christ with the offer of all—it was actually a temptation to take a shortcut, to avoid the suffering needed to inherit all. But Jesus knew the truth and resisted, standing firm. You, Lord, later received back the whole earth and all that is in it as your inheritance, rightfully gained in great suffering. You do things right, for you are righteous: no shortcuts, no avoiding the difficult, no impatience, no false starts. You are the One to be trusted.
 
Help us to imitate you today by whole-heartedly denying self, taking up our cross daily and following you, for you are the great Ruler of all. To you we must bow both because of your lovely character and because of your inexorable power.
 
No one can prevail against you, so we might as well willingly and whole-heatedly bow before you now rather than forced to at the judgment when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that you are Lord.
 
Praise be to you that surrendering to you is a good thing, for you are the God of goodness, the Lord of Love, the King of kindness, the Shepherd of surety and the Ruler of righteousness. To you be glory, to you be honor, to you be obedience, to you be praise both today and forever and ever.
 
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