Psalm 15 The Way

Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken. (Psalm 15:1-5 NIV)

Observation: 

1. We are expected to inquire about the way to God's Holy Mountain.

- men are not entitled to go to heaven by their lineage, blood, or privileged.

- the enquiry is to God Himself

- Jesus is the Way. Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me. (John 14:6)

2. Then we are directed how to walk in that way

- Be sincere in your devotion to God

- Be conscientiously honest and just in all your dealings

- Be faithful in all your relationships

- Strive to do good to all your neighbors, being tender to their reputation. 

- Value others based on virtue and not what they can give you or the face they put on for the rest of the world.

- Prefer a good conscious over anything else; do not increase your estate by unjust practices

3. We are assured of safety and happiness when walking in that way

- When we find the way through Jesus Christ and we walk in that way, we become like the Holy Mountain itself, unshakable. We will not be overcome by temptation, overwhelmed by trouble, and our peace will not be stolen. 

Application:

I can not walk in the Way without Jesus Christ. The more I fall in love with God more naturally I begin to walk in the Way. I can't help, however, but do a self examination on the list of character of those who walk in the Way. Although I struggle from time to time, I see a substantial difference of Jesus Christ in my life; for example, I see myself shaking less. This Holy Text also provides a second barometer for my heart, if I feel shaken (overwhelmed by trouble, overcome by temptation, my peace stolen) I can see if I am walking in the Way. If I am, I can be assured that this is just a moment and my foundation is sure, if I am not, I can come boldly before the throne of God and ask for both forgiveness and guidance. I know that He will gently guide me back into His light. 

Prayer:

Father, I want to always be where You are doing what You require of me. There is safety and peace in the shadow of Your wings. Please examine my heart, see if there is anything false in me and lead me in the everlasting way, for I am Yours and You are mine.

Psalm 11 A Struggle To Trust

In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face. (Psalm 11:1-7 NIV)

Observation: 
Supposedly written when David started feeling the resentment of Saul's envy; when Saul had thrown the javelin at him several times. He was told to flee by his friends, but said He would trust God. 
Verses 1-3 depicts how David views temptation and wrestles with it. David is tempted to not trust God and that temptation hurts him to the core. It is like arrows that pierce the heart and it threatens to destroy the very foundation of his relationship with God.
David answers that temptation and puts it into silence when considering who God is and His promises for the righteous and the wicked (verses 4-7). David doesn't just let his mind be lead by temptation but chooses to think on who God is and God's promises toward him and the wicked as well. 

Application: 
1. Resolve to make God your trust. It is our right as His children to make Him our hope and we should never be hesitant or ashamed to do so.
2. It's ok to express to God your resentment of the things that cause temptation to distrust Him.
3. Do not flee when times are tough, to flee is to question the very foundation of Christianity. Once you flee you will continue to be shaken until you come back and stand firm in the Lord.
4. Temptation to distrust God is an opportunity to trust Him more than you ever have before; an opportunity to go deeper in Him.
- Consider God in heaven, what does that mean? He is out of our sight but we are not out of His. 
- God governs the earth, He is sovereign and in control. God is great!
- God knows every mans true character and judges accordingly. We know what men seem to be, but He knows who they really are.
- If the righteous are afflicted it is ultimately for their good.
5. Pray for those who persecute you. The wicked may succeed for awhile, but they will be crushed under the wrath of God. Pray for mercy over them. God loves His children and will severely reckon with those who hurt them.

Prayer
You are my trust Lord. You hold me always and I lift my eyes to Your holy hill and praise You! You hear my cries and you answer me in my distress. There is no one like You, faithful with everlasting lovingkindness. 

Psalm 8 How Great Thou Art

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens. You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! (Psalms 8:1-9 NLT)

Observation 

Written about how God used David to kill Goliath.

4 Components of praise in this Psalm

1. Making known Himself and His great name to us

2. Making use of the weakest of children and men to serve His own purposes.

3. For making even the angels useful to men

4. For making man to have dominion over the lower creatures of the earth.

- This psalm is also applied to Christ and His redemptive work in the New Testament.

- When we are observing God's glory in nature, we should also observe God's glory in the Kingdom of grace.

- God is infinitely more glorious than any creature here on earth.

- God proclaims His glory most powerfully by the weakest of creatures.

- David recounts the honor God has put on man, a great way to bring forth praise.

- We are to gaze upon the heavens, our affections should be directed to the heavens above. 

- David wrote this psalm at night gazing upon the stars.

Application and Prayer

How Great Thou Art, that is the song that comes to mind with You O Lord. It is pretty amazing to think about all that You created, and then try to correspond that to a personal relationship with You. What can I compare it to? Knowing the President? No, if the 

President of the United States was always accessible to me, always coming to my rescue, knew the number of hairs on my head, provided for me in every way, even then it wouldn't come close to what it is like for the God of the Universe to choose a relationship with me. You have chosen to be close to my mess and help clean it up; clean me up. 

How can I understand it? Most of the time I treat You as an earthly Father, Best Friend, and Husband all wrapped up in one. This communicates Your love for me, but not Your greatness. To combine Sovereignty and unconditional Love together, I can't begin to attain it.  This, however, does not take away the truth of who You are. 

I see this morning how small my thinking is of You, how irreverent my worship is, yet I'm undone with how You Choose to use and Love me anyway. Although I may not ever be able to attain it, I want to spend the rest of my life trying to understand just How Great Thou Art.