Praise God for Testing Us

Posted on May 23, 2018 by Tim Farley

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Reading the Word

Psalm 66:6–12 (ESV)

⁶ He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him, ⁷ who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations— let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah⁸ Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, ⁹ who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip. ¹⁰ For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. ¹¹ You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; ¹² you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

Understanding and Applying the Word

This psalm begins with a call to praise God for who He is and all he He has done. In verse 6 we get an specific example of what God has done: He has delivered His people from Egypt by bringing them through the sea on dry land. Let the people praise Him!

That is wonderful, but verses 10-12 give other reasons to praise God. We should praise Him because he has “tested us” and “tried us as silver”. As we continue to read we find that God has “brought us into the net” and “laid a crushing burden on our backs”. He has “let men ride over our heads” and taken us through fire and water. How is this worthy of praise?

The words of Psalm 66:10-12 reflect the same thought as James 1:2-4:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

God, in His sovereignty, brings things into our lives, even difficult things, for our good. He uses these experiences to help us grow to Christian maturity and learn to trust and depend on Him more and more. If we look back on our lives, it is most likely true that our greatest times of spiritual growth have come not in the times of ease, but in the times of hardship and difficulty. So, in the words of James and Psalm 66, we can count these times as joy and give praise to God for them!

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Give to Him Glorious Praise

Posted on May 22, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 66:1–5 (ESV)

¹ Shout for joy to God, all the earth; ² sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! ³ Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. ⁴ All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah⁵ Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Psalm 66 calls for all people to praise God for who He is and for what He has done. His name is glorious and He has displayed His great power for all to see. In the context of this psalm, God displayed His power when He brought the people out of Egypt and led them across the sea on dry ground (Psalm 66:6). He then delivered the people into the Promised Land that was overflowing with abundance (Psalm 66:12).

We too are called to marvel at who God is and to praise His wondrous deeds. We can give praise and thanks for His daily provision in our lives, for how He has brought us through specific trials, or for the promises that He has made to us for the future. These are all great things. But let us not forget our great deliverance. Psalm 66 looks back to the deliverance of the people from bondage in Egypt. We must continually look back to the cross and our deliverance from bondage to sin. Christ died to set us free and to deliver us into eternal life in a new heaven and new earth. Let us praise the name of our great God and remember His awesome deeds!

The God of Harvest

Posted on May 21, 2018 by Tim Farley

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Reading the Word

Psalm 65:9–13 (ESV)

⁹ You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. ¹⁰ You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. ¹¹ You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. ¹² The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, ¹³ the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

Understanding and Applying the Word

As we read these verses we get a picture of God’s generosity. We read of how God waters the earth to provide for an abundant grain harvest and so that the fields yield the growth necessary to provide for the flocks that graze in them. God is pictured as the generous provider.

Verses 9-13 can be taken alone to show how God provides for our daily needs, but there is something greater to be found in these verses. In the opening of Psalm 65, we read of how God has provided for our spiritual needs by making atonement for our sins. Now, at the end of this psalm, we see an concrete example of how God provides for our physical needs. He is the God who meets our every need and we are reminded every time we sit down to eat. Let us remember to give thanks to him for His provision, especially His provision of our Savior.

The Hope of All the Ends of the Earth

Posted on May 20, 2018 by Tim Farley

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Thank you for reading Shaped by the Word, a daily Bible reading devotional. I do not publish devotional content on Sundays, but I do include a suggested Scripture reading for the day. Please subscribe to this page so you can follow along as we read through the Book of Psalms in 2018.

Reading the Word

Psalm 65:5–8 (ESV)

⁵ By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; ⁶ the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; ⁷ who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, ⁸ so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

Praise Is Due to You, O God

Posted on May 19, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 65:1–4 (ESV)

¹ Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. ² O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. ³ When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. ⁴ Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!

Understanding and Applying the Word

“Praise is due to you, O God.” What great words. This is how Psalm 65 begins. It then goes on to tell us why God is due praise. He hears prayer. He forgives sin. He brings us near to dwell with Him. And he shows us goodness in His house. What a great God!

It truly is amazing to think of the goodness and love of God towards us. Scripture and our hearts tell us that we are sinners, but God, who is holy, shows His grace to us by making forgiveness available through the cross at Calvary. Not only does God forgive us, but he welcomes us into His presence, not as servants, but as children! Amazing! Then He shows us goodness by His loving care for us. He truly is deserving of our praise. Let us lift our hearts and voices to Him. He is the great God!

Let the Righteous Rejoice in the Lord

Posted on May 18, 2018 by Tim Farley

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Reading the Word

Psalm 64:7–10 (ESV)

⁷ But God shoots his arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly. ⁸ They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; all who see them will wag their heads. ⁹ Then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about and ponder what he has done. ¹⁰ Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him! Let all the upright in heart exult!

Understanding and Applying the Word

The world can often seem unfair and even cruel. Wicked and evil people seem to get away with their actions. Swindlers sometimes seem to prosper from their lies and deceit. And the innocent and weak may seem to be taken advantage of.

But Scripture tells us a different story. God’s word tells us that evil will be judged by an all-knowing God. In the end, truth and justice will prevail as God deals with all of mankind with perfect justice. In that day, the righteous will rejoice and the wicked will be brought to ruin. So, today we live by faith in God’s promise to judge evil as we live for him in a world that is always seeking to devour the weak for profit.

As you read this, you may be wondering how anyone will escape God’s judgment. That is a good question. The Bible says we are all sinners and stand condemned by our sin. Yet God in His grace has provided His Son as payment for our sin. He went to the cross as a perfect sacrifice. And Jesus rose from the dead in victory over sin. God’s word tells us that if we repent of our sin and trust in the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, we will find forgiveness and salvation. This is the free gift of a loving and gracious God for all who will believe. Will you trust Him today?

All Who Swear by Him Shall Exult

Posted on May 16, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 63:9–11 (ESV)

⁹ But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; ¹⁰ they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. ¹¹ But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

Understanding and Applying the Word

In these words, we read David’s confidence that God would defeat his enemies. David is the king of verse 11 and he mentions that God’s deliverance would result in rejoicing and exultation and that the mouths of liars would be stopped as a result of God’s judgment.

In the previous verses we heard David say that God’s love was greater than life as he was facing great danger at the hands of his enemies (verse 3). In the New Testament we see Jesus going to the cross and showing us what it looks like when the Father’s love truly is our greatest desire. Jesus went to the cross and died in submission to the will of the Father. And, as we read in our verses for today, the Father has given victory over the enemies of the King (i.e. King Jesus) through the resurrection. It is interesting to note that Psalm 63 begins by speaking of a desert without water and Jesus will later declare, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'” (John 7:37-38).

We can have confidence in God who has promised to be with and deliver His people. We see how he has delivered Christ from His enemies. We can be sure that we too will be saved. Let us trust in Him and let us praise Him for His great love!

You Have Been My Help

Posted on May 15, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 63:5–8 (ESV)

⁵ My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, ⁶ when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; ⁷ for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. ⁸ My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Life can be a roller coaster. In the heat of the moment we can feel fear and loneliness when things get tough. We may even feel as if God has abandoned us. However, how often have you looked back on difficult events after the passing of time and realized that God had not abandoned you after all? In fact, He was using those difficult times to do some work in your life?

In this psalm, David is in the heat of battle, yet he is comforted as he thinks about God’s faithfulness to him in the past. David declares that “you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.” David sees that God has been with him in the past and trusts that He will continue to be with him in his present trouble.

Are you feeling troubled? Are you afraid of what may lie ahead? Look to the past and see how God has been with you all the way. Look at the demonstration of His love displayed on Calvary as the Son gave His life for you. The Lord has not abandoned you. Cling to Him now and sing for joy.

My Soul Thirsts for You

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Tim Farley

Reading the Word

Psalm 63:1–4 (ESV)

¹ O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. ² So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. ³ Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. ⁴ So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Have you ever been thirsty? Really thirsty? I have seen movies where people are trapped in the desert for days on end without water. They quickly become parched and their lips become dry and cracked. This is the type of thirst that is described in Psalm 63 where David speaks of being “in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

It is amazing to hear David’s words as he compares his desire for God as being like the thirst of one trapped in the desert with no water. He then goes on to say that God’s love is better than life and because God is so great David will never cease to praise Him.

May we desire God’s presence in our lives as David did. May we see God’s love towards us as the most important thing we can have. And may we spend our lives telling of His glory as we praise Him.

For You Are My Fortress

Posted on May 7, 2018 by Tim Farley

Psalm 5917 [widescreen]

I am out of town for a conference on May 7-9. As a result, I will not be able to post daily devotional material. I will continue to post daily Scripture readings for the days I am away. I hope that you are enjoying and benefiting from the daily reading of the Book of Psalms in 2018. If you have not done so already, take a moment and subscribe to this page.

Reading the Word

Psalm 59:14–17 (ESV)

¹⁴ Each evening they come back, howling like dogs and prowling about the city. ¹⁵ They wander about for food and growl if they do not get their fill. ¹⁶ But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. ¹⁷ O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.

Shaped by the Word

A Bible Reading Devotional

Tag Archives: Worship

Praise God for Testing Us

Give to Him Glorious Praise

The God of Harvest

The Hope of All the Ends of the Earth

Praise Is Due to You, O God

Let the Righteous Rejoice in the Lord

All Who Swear by Him Shall Exult

You Have Been My Help

My Soul Thirsts for You

For You Are My Fortress