For Himself and yet for us . . .

READ Psalm 31–35

John Piper authored a book about  the pleasures of God explaining that God can take delight in Himself and what He does because He is the only One worthy of delight.

It takes a while to wrap my head around that. It seems a contradiction that God is not selfish yet acts for His own name’s sake. David seemed to understand. He wrote:

For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God . . . . Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! (Psalm 31:3–5; 19)

God does not tell me to look at Him because He is altruism at its finest; He tells me to look at Him in reverence because in the looking I am totally blessed and blessing those who worship Him gives Him pleasure. He loves to love us and to have that love bouncing back to Himself. He is the only One worthy of our utter devotion.

The psalmist also writes of God’s forgiveness and protection — the only One who freely and gladly takes care of all our needs:

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit . . . .You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah (32:1–2; 7)

This care is shown to those who grab hold of it, not to those who reject it. That is, perfect goodness is never freely given to those whose sin says NO to it. That is not goodness because seeing it but rejecting it has no benefit to the recipient. That is, “Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (32:10–11)

Responding to God blesses God, but it also blesses me. “Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright . . . . For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.” (33:1; 4–5)

For this, I stand in awe of Him. He spoke the world into existence, brings the plans of the nations to nothing, frustrates evil and blesses all who bless Him. (33:8–12) These words are my words too:

I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles . . . . Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:1–6; 8–10)

The Lord “redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned” because this is who He is. For this I can say if anyone delights in what God has done for His people, we can shout for joy and be glad and “tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long” to a world who so desperately needs to hear it. (35:27–28)

I woke again feeling heavy and sad, but the Lord changes that — because He is a God of joy, He wants to share that joy with His people so others will see it and realize how wonderful He is! He does all this for His own name’s sake, yet how delightful that He shares His joy with us!

 

The psalms tell our story too . . .

 

READ Psalm 21–25

This reading begins with a psalm that honors the king who honors God. Queen Elizabeth II came to mind. As I read Psalm 21, her title of “Queen” could have fit. She began her reign with Scripture and worship. In 2002, she said, “For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.”

This psalm was written by King David. As I read quotes from the queen who died this week, she also could have said the same things:

O Lord, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation how greatly he exults! You have given him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah For you meet him with rich blessings; you set a crown of fine gold upon his head. He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever. His glory is great through your salvation; splendor and majesty you bestow on him. For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved. (Psalm 21:1–7)

May God comfort all who mourn her passing. The world has lost one of few leaders who trust Jesus Christ and I’ve a sense of emptiness in that regard. We may not see another one like her.

Psalm 22, also by David, relates those feelings of being abandoned. It is said to be a Messianic psalm that describes Christ on the cross. It also describes the Christian experience during times when God seems far away and is not hearing our prayers, times when we must surely walk by faith.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. (Psalm 22:1–5)

Hope is there, even in despair, as this man who loved the Lord reviewed what God had done for him and praised Him, even though He seemed deaf to his words. Again, the psalms speak to our human condition.

Psalm 23 never fails to touch our hearts. It is repeated at funerals, even for those who do not know the Shepherd as David did, perhaps because everyone wants the comfort of it, the certainty that the Lord is with us in life and in death and that we will spend forever with Him. That assurance is only a breath away, a ‘yes’ to His invitation.

Psalm 24 focuses on the glory of the Lord. He is Creator and holy. He blesses those who seek Him and saves those who plead for righteousness. He is the King of glory and worthy of our worship!

Psalm 25 tells how the Lord is also teacher, leader and guide. He forgives our sin and is merciful to us, yet He also good and upright and, “therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.” (Psalm 25:8–10) For as much as His love is great and unconditional, and that He accepts us as we are, He loves us too much to leave us in our struggles with sin and our bondage to it. For that reason, He “instructs us in the way He chooses” and gives “secret counsel to those who fear Him” — a mark of the great relationship of friendship that we have with Him. For this, and with this psalm as a guide, I can pray:

Turn to us and be gracious to us, for Your people are often lonely and afflicted. The troubles of our heart are enlarged; bring us out of our distresses. Consider our afflictions and troubles, and thank You so much that You forgive all our sins. Consider those who oppose us, some with violent hatred of all that we believe about You. Oh, guard our souls, and deliver us! Let none of Your people be put to shame, for we take refuge in You. May integrity and uprightness preserve us as we wait for you. Redeem us, everyone who belongs to You, O God, out of all our troubles. We glorify Your name and worship You. Amen.