The Lord’s Purpose for Me

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by Natalie B on Pexels.com

Reading the Word

Psalm 138:1–8 (ESV)

1 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
3 On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.

4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,
for great is the glory of the LORD.
6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Understanding and Applying the Word

As we read these last several psalms, we find the central theme of praise. In Psalm 138, we once again find this theme and a focus on God’s steadfast love and faithfulness as the reason for our praise. It is God who answers prayer and it is God who is a helper in times of trouble (vv. 3, 7).

The psalmist concludes this psalm by saying, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.” This is a wonderful statement of confidence in the Lord’s faithfulness. God has a purpose for his people, not just collectively, but individually. Whatever we may face in life, we can find hope and a reason for thanksgiving because the Lord has a purpose and will fulfill it. And we know that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). So, let us learn to give thanks knowing that our God is great and he is faithful.

**Want to read the Bible every day? Be sure to subscribe to this page and follow along! We are currently reading through the Book of Psalms. In 2019, we will focus on the Life of Christ for our daily readings.

How Shall We Sing?

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Reading the Word

Psalm 137:1–9 (ESV)
1 By the waters of Babylon,
there we sat down and wept,
when we remembered Zion.
2 On the willows there
we hung up our lyres.
3 For there our captors
required of us songs,
and our tormentors, mirth, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How shall we sing the LORD’s song
in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand forget its skill!
6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
above my highest joy!

7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites
the day of Jerusalem,
how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare,
down to its foundations!”
8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,
blessed shall he be who repays you
with what you have done to us!
9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones
and dashes them against the rock!

Understanding and Applying the Word

This is a sad psalm. We read words reflecting on the feelings of those Israelites who were taken into exile by the Babylonians. We read of their heartache and tears. Their captors called on them to sing their songs, but they have no desire to sing. How can they sing when they are away from Jerusalem and the presence of God? The final verses turn to calling on God to avenge his people and execute justice against the Babylonians.

Living in this world, Christians find themselves as exiles. We live among those who are not God’s people and who are opposed to God’s word. In many places and across history, many believers have suffered great injustice at the hands of those opposed to Christianity. When we see or hear of these things, our hearts break and we call out to God. We call out because we desire for the sin of this world to be removed and we cry out for God to execute justice on behalf of the innocent. Let us continue to sing the songs of our great Redeemer as we wait for him.

**Shaped by the Word is a daily Bible reading devotional. Please use the links at the bottom to subscribe to this page. You can also share this post with your friends through social media using the buttons below. Thanks for reading!

His Love Endures Forever

Posted on December 10, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 136:1–9 (ESV)
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

4 to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
7 to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

Understanding and Applying the Word

It does not take long to understand the central theme of this psalm. Every line ends with the refrain “for his steadfast love endures forever.” God’s steadfast love is the reason that we should give thanks to him.

In verses verses 4-9, the theme of God’s steadfast love continues and is shown in his creative acts. He made the heavens and the earth. He made the stars and the sun and the moon. It is God who created a world that could sustain life. And it is God who created us and gave us the gift of life. What a wonderful God who shows us his love in so many ways. His love truly does endure forever!

Your Name Endures Forever

Posted on December 9, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by faaiq ackmerd on Pexels.com

Shaped by the Word is a daily, Bible-reading devotional. I do not publish supplemental material on Sundays, but I do include a suggested Scripture reading. Please be sure to subscribe to this page so you can follow along each day. Thanks for reading!

Reading the Word

Psalm 135:13–21 (ESV)

13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever,
your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages.
14 For the LORD will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them,
so do all who trust in them.

19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD!
O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!
20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD!
You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion,
he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the LORD!

Praise Him in the Night

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by brenoanp on Pexels.com

Reading the Word

Psalm 134:1–3 (ESV)

1 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,
who stand by night in the house of the LORD!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the LORD!

3 May the LORD bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth!

Understanding and Applying the Word

This psalm is written to the priests and Levites who serve in the Temple sanctuary. It seems to specifically address those who served in the night hours (v. 1). The psalmist calls on these servants to praise God, the Creator. While those who work in the night hours may not be seen by many, their praise and devotion is still important because God is worthy and all we do is ultimately for him, not others.

This psalm is a reminder to all believers that we should live lives of worship at all times. God is worthy of our praise whether we are in a great crowd or we are alone in the night. The Lord is our Creator and our Sustainer. Let us always remember that we serve the Lord in everything we do and let us praise him!

Thanksgiving

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by Gratisography on Pexels.com

Reading the Word

Psalm 118:10–18 (ESV)

¹⁰ All nations surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! ¹¹ They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! ¹² They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! ¹³ I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. ¹⁴ The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. ¹⁵ Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly, ¹⁶ the right hand of the Lord exalts, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!” ¹⁷ I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord. ¹⁸ The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Psalm 118 is a psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance. In the verses for today, we read that the enemy had surrounded the psalmist. He repeats this fact three times in verses 10-12, while finishing with the statement that “They surrounded me like bees.” With these words, we get a sense of the frightening situation. However, with the help of the Lord, the enemy was “cut off.” Victory and deliverance was secured. As a result, the righteous sing glad songs of salvation.

Thanksgiving always begins with the individual. In verses 17-18, the psalmist recounts the deeds of the Lord to him. He remembers how God has granted him salvation and not given him over to death. When we as believers gather to worship and give thanks, we begin by thinking of our own salvation and join in thanksgiving with the people of God who have experienced the same. Let us sing glad songs of salvation as we remember our personal salvation and the salvation of all of those who belong to the Lord.

Praise the Lord, All Nations

Posted on October 27, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Reading the Word

Psalm 117:1–2 (ESV)

¹ Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! ² For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!

Understanding and Applying the Word

This psalm is a summons to praise the Lord. An important thing to notice is that it is a summons to “all nations” and “all peoples.” We misunderstand the Bible if we think that God was only interested in one nation, Israel, in the Old Testament. It is true that Israel was especially chosen by God to represent him in the world, but God’s redemptive plan has always been for all people. We see it here (and elsewhere) in the Old Testament and it becomes even more clear in the New Testament. Jesus tells his followers to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) and we see a heavenly vision in Revelation 7:9-10 that includes people from “every nation, from all tribes and people and languages” standing before God in worship.

God is a God of love for all people. He sent his Son into the world that all might be saved. As we proclaim the gospel to the world and as we gather each week with fellow believers, let us praise God together and let us celebrate that God welcomes all who will turn to him, regardless of race, social class, gender, or nationality. Praise the Lord!

He Is Their Help and Shield

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Reading the Word

Psalm 115:9–18 (ESV)

⁹ O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. ¹⁰ O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. ¹¹ You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. ¹² The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; ¹³ he will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great. ¹⁴ May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! ¹⁵ May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth! ¹⁶ The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. ¹⁷ The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. ¹⁸ But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!

Understanding and Applying the Word

What do you trust in? The psalmist calls on us to trust in the Lord. He is the one who is trustworthy. He is the one who can protect and save. And he is the one who blesses.

Who is better able to bless than the Creator? The heavens and the earth are his. So, who do we trust in? Let us trust in the Lord and praise his name!

From the Rising of the Sun

Posted on October 21, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Shaped by the Word is a daily Bible-reading devotional. I do not publish devotional content on Sundays, but I do include a suggested Scripture reading. Please take a moment to subscribe to this page so you can follow along each day. We are currently reading through the Book of Psalms.

Reading the Word

Psalm 113:1–9 (ESV)

¹ Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! ² Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! ³ From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised! ⁴ The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! ⁵ Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, ⁶ who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? ⁷ He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, ⁸ to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. ⁹ He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!

In the Congregation

Posted on October 19, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 111:1–10 (ESV)

¹ Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. ² Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. ³ Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. ⁴ He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful. ⁵ He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. ⁶ He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations. ⁷ The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; ⁸ they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. ⁹ He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name! ¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

Understanding and Applying the Word

Psalm 111 is a call to praise. It is a call for the congregation of the people of God to give thanks for all he has done and it recounts some of those things.

Our praise is always in response to who God is and what he has done. When we gather as the people of God, we worship together and our worship should be focused on these two things. As we think of what he has done, we focus primarily on God’s grace through the giving of his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins and on the promise of eternal life for all who will trust in Jesus’ work on the cross. However, let us not forget to recount the specific ways God has worked in our lives. Let us speak of his goodness and generosity to the congregation of God’s people so that we may join in thanksgiving and praise. We serve a great God!

Shaped by the Word

A Bible Reading Devotional

Tag Archives: praise

The Lord’s Purpose for Me

How Shall We Sing?

His Love Endures Forever

Your Name Endures Forever

Praise Him in the Night

Thanksgiving

Praise the Lord, All Nations

He Is Their Help and Shield

From the Rising of the Sun

In the Congregation

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