September 2, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in selections from Psalms and Proverbs? Here’s today’s reading:
Psalms 23-24 (NIV)
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.……Continue Reading
Psalms 23-24
Psalms 23 and 24
It’s so comforting to know that the Lord of the universe is watching over us.
Psalm 23: “He leads me in paths of righteousness, for His name’s sake.”
Why should we obey? Well, there are lots of reasons…but here the Word says that God Himself leads us in paths of righteousness. So, if we want to follow Jesus, we need to follow Him, and the Word makes it clear, He leads us in paths of righteousness. Why? “For His name’s sake.” That’s right…for HIS glory. We are certainly the beneficiaries of God’s grace, but we should never lose focus on the fact that God loves us, simply because He loves us, and that in that redeeming love, God is glorified in His mercy and grace…not us.
Psalm 24: “(Question) Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? (Answer) He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from God of his salvation.”
We know that we cannot hope to begin to resemble the person described in the answer to the question without the Spirit of God. A pure heart? We know that the seeds of every sin are found in our own hearts…but we also know that Jesus sent us the Spirit to be with us and to strengthen us in our walks, and indeed, to give life to our mortal bodies and accomplish the plan of God in us, that is, to conform us to the image of His Son, that Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers (and sisters).
The last sentence makes me think of James 1:25…”But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” It does not say that someone will be blessed “in payment” or “because of what he does”. No, rather, it says that the one who obeys will be blessed…because it is in obedience we experience the blessing of God. Why? Because God created us, He knows what is best for us, and when we trust Him and walk with Him, answering the call of Jesus and the conditions of discipleship our Lord laid out when He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, pick up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)…when we trust and love Jesus in that way, we will find that which exists in God’s blessing, because we are in His will for us, and in order for us to walk in His will for us, we must lean on His Spirit, for our flesh will continually offer up resistance. But greater is He who is in us, than he who is in the world. Blessing is found in obedience to the Word of God. Common grace is certainly found outside the Lord’s Way…else we would have all perished in our sins…but blessing? Blessing is found when we are in intimate oneness with our Lord and Good Shepherd…resting with Him, in His Word…there we have peace.
This Psalm 23 seems to always be read at funerals, but it is far more than that. It is how a shepherd leads his sheep or rather His people. I read once that as a shepherd comes to fast moving waters; he will make an area away from it that he makes still water. So now the sheep can drink in peace without feeling in danger. Jesus our Shepherd will guide and lead us in His way. We only need to trust Him. He will provide our needs. The next Psalm 24; David is giving praise to the only One who deserves it. The One True God who created the earth, seas, and those that dwell in it. He goes on to say; Who is this King of Glory? the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. He repeats it twice in a slightly different way. How can anyone even dare to come close to His Holy Hill where He dwells? The scripture reads by asking a question and then answering it in verses 3,4. {Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in His Holy Place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.} No one can unless they have His righteousness through His Salvation as stated in verse 5. {He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.} God bless you all.
Interesting that we are in Psalm 23 on the 2nd, yesterday, this song was shared by someone I follow on Telegram.
https://open.spotify.com/track/4TzpQkanZkYjzGdthyyw7f?si=6o9IXajhTBiJd4yJHjT3iA
1 ¶ The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
(Just can’t read this one in any other translation)
Another song for Psalm 24
https://youtu.be/XNhHhgbYB_c?si=sGR8Kne4SneDyqiV
Psalm23 &24. We are the sheep that need God our shepherd. We are dependent on him for guidance in our life and protection. We need to be obedient in verse 2 it says he will lead us to quiet waters and he restores our soul. My commentary says only one person can walk with us through deaths dark valley and bring us to the other side and that is the God of Life’
24 – The Lord Almighty-he is the King of Glory!
Such a familiar Psalm and yet so powerful in expressing God’s heart to take care of us like a shepherd takes care of sheep. Now that is a tall order considering how needy we and sheep are, but God is willing and able to take on the task and address every aspect of our need. SO much so that we can say along with David that with Him, I lack nothing. And to think that this loving and caring shepherd is also the the King of glory, the mighty One who deserves all our praise and regard. The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. May we live like He does own us and display the trust that such a great God is worthy of.
Psalms 23-24
Psalm 24 23
Restores my soul. I will fear no evil. You are with me. Goodness and love will follow me forevermore. The Lord A.lmighty is the King of glory
Pslams 23
In this scripture, we witness the love of God and how great a protector He is. With having God by your side, I learned that he will guide us to greatness. Additionally, in psalms 24, a verse that spoke to me is “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god”. Therefore, we see how it is to be able to ascend into the holy place. This is done by believing in the Lord, the one and only true God.
Great to have you with us, Amber and Corey!!!
Psalm 23 – Because the Lord is my shepherd there is nothing that I lack, my soul is refreshed, I fear no evil, even in the darkest valley I am comforted. I will be with him forever. Praise the Lord!