The Lord Says to My Lord

Posted on October 18, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 110:1–7 (ESV)

A Psalm of David. ¹ The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ² The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! ³ Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. ⁴ The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” ⁵ The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. ⁶ He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. ⁷ He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Jesus quotes this psalm in Mark 12:36-37:

David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

Jesus points out that David, the king of Israel, calls another one “my Lord.” How could David, the king of Israel, refer to another as his Lord? The answer is that there would be a descendant from David who would be greater than David. Of course, that descendant is Jesus himself, the divine King of Israel. The remainder of the psalm speaks of Jesus’ reign and judgment over the nations.

Jesus is the promised King (i.e. Messiah) of the line of David. However, Jesus is not just any king. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is God in the flesh. He is the divine ruler of all creation whose kingdom will never end. And he will judge the nations with righteousness and justice. In the end, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).

**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!

He Stands at the Right Hand of the Needy

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Tim Farley

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Reading the Word

Psalm 109:30–31 (ESV)

³⁰ With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord; I will praise him in the midst of the throng. ³¹ For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.

Understanding and Applying the Word

This psalm ends with words of confidence from David as he joins in praise to the Lord. David believes that God will be with him even though David’s enemy has falsely accused him. Peter quotes from verse 8 of this psalm when there is a need to replace Judas as one of the Twelve in Acts 1:20. In the betrayal of David in this psalm we see similarities to the betrayal of Jesus at the hands of Judas. And as David calls for punishment on his accuser, we see judgement fall on Judas (cf. Acts 1:18).

As we reflect on this psalm and David’s life, as well as the life of Jesus, we see the Father standing with his own. This does not mean that God always removes the trial or difficulties, but he stands at the right hand to guide, comfort, and strengthen. We can have confidence that we are never left alone to face our circumstances. The Lord is with us and he is for us.

Hope for the Poor And Needy

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 109:21–29 (ESV)

²¹ But you, O God my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me! ²² For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me. ²³ I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust. ²⁴ My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt, with no fat. ²⁵ I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads. ²⁶ Help me, O Lord my God! Save me according to your steadfast love! ²⁷ Let them know that this is your hand; you, O Lord, have done it! ²⁸ Let them curse, but you will bless! They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad! ²⁹ May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!

Understanding and Applying the Word

In these verses we see David’s hope. His trust is in God, who he calls “God my Lord” in verse 21. The titles that he uses reflect on God’s sovereign rule over all. While David is “poor and needy” (a description of his weakness), God is in control and full of steadfast love towards David.

What are you going through? What is it that you are facing that makes you feel weak and powerless to overcome? David sought the Lord in prayer and trusted that the sovereign One would be faithful to him. You and I can rest in the truth that our God is in control and that he loves his people. Let us call out to him and trust him. We may be weak, but he is all-powerful.

He Loved to Curse

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 109:16–20 (ESV)

¹⁶ For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death. ¹⁷ He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him! ¹⁸ He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones! ¹⁹ May it be like a garment that he wraps around him, like a belt that he puts on every day! ²⁰ May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, of those who speak evil against my life!

Understanding and Applying the Word

David continues to pray for God to take action against his enemy. In these verses, he calls for the enemy to have curses fall upon him. Why? Because David’s enemy is one who loved to curse others. It would be fitting for such to happen to him.

This psalm is hard for us to understand if we cannot accept that God is a just God and calls for us to long for justice as well. David’s prayer reflects that he longs for justice. He desires that the one who is evil will be repaid with evil. An important thing to note in this psalm is that David leaves justice in the hands of the all-knowing and perfectly just God. It is ultimately God who knows when and how to judge a person. It is also God who may choose to extend his grace. David calls for justice and leaves it in God’s hands. This is what we are called to do as well, as Paul states in Romans 12:19:

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Judgement of the Wicked

Posted on October 14, 2018 by Tim Farley

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Shaped by the Word is a daily Bible-reading devotional. I do not publish devotional content on Sundays, but I do include a Scripture reading for the day. We are currently reading through the Book of Psalms and would love to have you follow along. Be sure to subscribe to this page and join us each day!

Reading the Word

Psalm 109:6–15 (ESV)

⁶ Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand. ⁷ When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin! ⁸ May his days be few; may another take his office! ⁹ May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow! ¹⁰ May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit! ¹¹ May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil! ¹² Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children! ¹³ May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation! ¹⁴ May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out! ¹⁵ Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!

I Give Myself to Prayer

Posted on October 13, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 109:1–5 (ESV)

¹ Be not silent, O God of my praise! ² For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. ³ They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. ⁴ In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. ⁵ So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Here, we once again read a psalm of David. In these opening verses, David’s enemies are speaking against him with lies and words of hate. How does David respond? In verse 4 he tells us. He prays for his enemies.

Have you ever had someone accuse you unfairly? Have you ever had someone lie about you? Has anyone ever spoken unkind or even hateful things to you? How did you respond? Most of us have probably responded with our own nasty words towards our enemies. But why not pray for our enemies? Why not pray that God would work in their hearts and lives to soften them? Why not pray that God would remove the wall of hostility and create a friendship? This is what David did. And this is what we are called to do as well. Let us be quick to pray for our enemies as we seek to repay evil with good.

God Has Promised

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 108:5–13 (ESV)

⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! ⁶ That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me! ⁷ God has promised in his holiness: “With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Valley of Succoth. ⁸ Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter. ⁹ Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph.” ¹⁰ Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? ¹¹ Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go out, O God, with our armies. ¹² Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! ¹³ With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.

Understanding and Applying the Word

This psalm is attributed to David in the header. In these verses we see that David is ready and willing to go to battle and stand his ground because he trusts in the promises of God. His confidence is not in his armies, but in the One who goes out to battle with him.

Here we see what it means to live by faith. God has given us his word and living by faith is trusting that God will keep that word. That’s what David did. That’s what we are called to do also. We have been promised that those who trust in Christ are saved and belong to God. We have an eternal future with him awaiting. If we believe and trust that word, the things we face in this world (e.g. ridicule, rejection, loss of wealth, etc.) become less important to us. They are fleeting in relation to eternity. Since we know that God keeps his word, we are emboldened to live for him now, even in the face of opposition and sacrifice because what awaits us in the future is far greater and more important.

My Heart Is Steadfast

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 108:1–4 (ESV)

¹ My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! ² Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! ³ I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. ⁴ For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Understanding and Applying the Word

The psalmist declares that his heart is “steadfast”. The meaning of the term is to be fixed or firmly resolved. This is one who is intent on following the Lord and declaring his praise among the people regardless of the consequences!

O Lord, may our hearts be steadfast! May we stand among the people of our day and declare your praise no matter what. We know many men and women have done so throughout history. Many of those have suffered greatly for their devotion. Yet your name was honored through their lives and you have not forgotten them. Give us the courage to be steadfast and let your name be glorified in us.

He Raises Up the Needy

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Tim Farley

boy wearing green crew neck shirt jumping from black stone on seashore

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Reading the Word

Psalm 107:33–43 (ESV)

³³ He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, ³⁴ a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants. ³⁵ He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. ³⁶ And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; ³⁷ they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield. ³⁸ By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish. ³⁹ When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, ⁴⁰ he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; ⁴¹ but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. ⁴² The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth. ⁴³ Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

Understanding and Applying the Word

In these final verse of Psalm 107 we read of how God deals with two contrasting groups of people. Those who are evil are punished for their ways. Those who are needy and oppressed find God ready to save.

God is a God of steadfast love. He stands ready to show his grace and mercy to those who call out to him. We see his love on display in its greatest way in the cross of Calvary. God sent his own Son into the world to suffer and die for our salvation and all who call out to Christ in faith will be saved. Consider God’s great love and grace towards us And let us respond in thanksgiving and praise.

The Storms of Life

Posted on October 9, 2018 by Tim Farley

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Reading the Word

Psalm 107:23–32 (ESV)

²³ Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; ²⁴ they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. ²⁵ For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. ²⁶ They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; ²⁷ they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. ²⁸ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. ²⁹ He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. ³⁰ Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. ³¹ Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! ³² Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Understanding and Applying the Word

This psalm calls for different groups to give thanks to God. In the verses for today, we read of those who have found themselves caught in the raging storms upon the sea. When their lives seemed to be at the end they cried out to God for help and he saved them.

It is often in the darkest times of our lives that we call out to God. In times of trouble, even those who are not concerned about God or the Bible will often pray and ask for God to save them from their troubles. In his grace, God often gives us the deliverance that we desire. However, how often do we stop to give thanks to God for such grace towards us? Often, as soon as the danger has passed, so has our focus on God. Let us not forget the things that God has done for us, but let us praise him in thanksgiving and tell of his goodness to everyone.

Shaped by the Word

A Bible Reading Devotional

Tag Archives: Psalms

The Lord Says to My Lord

He Stands at the Right Hand of the Needy

Hope for the Poor And Needy

He Loved to Curse

Judgement of the Wicked

I Give Myself to Prayer

God Has Promised

My Heart Is Steadfast

He Raises Up the Needy

The Storms of Life

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