Psalm 137 “When Worship Music Becomes Entertainment”

No, I am not mocking contemporary worship or dealing with the regulative principle or any of that. Instead, I am responding to what Israel’s captors asked of them in Psalm 137:

3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

Babylon is making a mockery [...]

Psalm 136, “His Love Endures Forever”

My afternoon reading today was from Psalm 136. The refrain, “His love endures forever”, occurs in all 26 verses of this Psalm and was recited in responsive fashion before the congregation.
I know that some folks don’t like ‘7-11′ choruses in Church (7 words sung 11 times), and I would be the first to say that [...]

“Coram Deo” Sermon on Psalm 1

6.14.09 Liturgy:
-      Silent heart preparation
-      Opening prayer
-      Worship in song
-      Testimonials, words of exhortation from god’s people
-      Corporate Prayer
-      Teaching: Psalm 1
-      Closing Song

Psalm 1 – “Fruitful Trees vs. Useless Chaff”

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor [...]

3/19/08 Devotional – Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd…”

 
Psa 23:1-6  A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  (2)  He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.  (3)  He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  (4)  Even though I walk [...]

3/18/08 Devotional – Psalm 22 “Jesus sought joy in going to the cross!?!?”

 
Psa 22:1-31  To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?  (2)  O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, [...]

3/17/08 Devotional – Psalm 21 “God is pulling back the bow on His enemies”

Psa 21:1-13  To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation how greatly he exults!  (2)  You have given him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah  (3)  For you meet him with rich blessings; you set a crown [...]

3/16/08 Devotional – Psalm 20 “Horses and Chariots?”

 
Psa 20:1-9  To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!  (2)  May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!  (3)  May he remember all your offerings and regard with [...]

3/15/08 Devotional – Psalm 19 “God is Sweeter than Honey”

 
Psa 19:1-14  To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.  (2)  Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.  (3)  There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.  (4)  Their voice goes out [...]

3/14/08 Devotional – Psalm 18 “The Lord is my Rock”

 
Psa 18:1-50  To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who addressed the words of this song to the LORD on the day when the LORD rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O LORD, my strength.  [...]

3/13/08 Devotional – Psalm 17 “Keep me as the apple of Your eye”

 
Psa 17:1-15  A Prayer of David. Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!  (2)  From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right!  (3)  You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested [...]

3/12/08 Devotional – Psalm 16 “Where do you go for Joy?”

 
Psa 16:1-11  A Miktam of David. Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.  (2)  I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”  (3)  As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.  (4)  The [...]

3/11/08 Devotional – Psalm 15 “Rejected”

  
Psa 15:1-5  A Psalm of David. O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?  (2)  He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart;  (3)  who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up [...]

3/10/08 Devotional – Psalm 14 “I’m a sinner, this I know, for the Bible tells me so”

 
Psa 14:1-7  To the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.  (2)  The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.  (3)  [...]

3/9/08 Devotional – Psalm 13 “Singing in a Dark, Cold, Depressing Cave”

 
Psa 13:1-6  To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?  (2)  How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?  [...]

3/8/08 Devotional – Psalm 12 “God is Coming”

  Psa 12:1-8(1)  To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.(2)  Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.(3)  May the LORD cut off all [...]

3/7/08 Devotional – Psalm 11 “Should we Curse or Bless our Enemies?”

 
Psa 11:1-7
(1)  To the choirmaster. Of David. In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your mountain,(2)  for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;(3)  if the [...]

3/6/08 Devotional – Psalm 10 “Will God do Anything to Stop the Wicked?”

 
Psa 10:1-18
(1)  Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?(2)  In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.(3)  For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses [...]

3/5/08 Devotional – Psalm 9 “Do you give God your all?”

 
Psa 9:1-20
(1)  To the choirmaster: according to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David. I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. (2)  I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.(3)  When my enemies turn back, [...]

3/4/08 Devotional – Psalm 8 “Have you Bowed Yet?”

Psa 8:1-9
(1)  To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
(2)  Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and [...]

3/3/08 Devotional – Psalm 7 “God is Ready to Fire at Wickedness”

 
Psa 7:1-17
(1)  A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite. O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,
(2)  lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.
(3)  [...]

3/2/08 Devotional – Psalm 6 “David Weeps a Pool of Tears in His Bed”

 
Psa 6:1-10
(1)  To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath.
(2)  Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.
(3)  My soul also is greatly troubled. [...]

3/1/08 Devotional – Psalm 5 “David Wants Some More Flute”

 
Psa 5:1-12
(1)  To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.
(2)  Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.
(3)  O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare [...]

2/29/08 Devotional – Psalm 4 “David rocks out with Praise”

 
Psa 4:1-8  To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!  (2)  O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long [...]

2/28/08 Devotional – Psalm 3 “David has a shield around him and gets some sleep”

 
 Psa 3:1-8
(1)  A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;
(2)  many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah
(3)  But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of [...]

2/27/08 Devotional – Psalm 2

Psa 2:1-12(1)  Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?(2)  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
(3)  “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
(4)  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the [...]

Daily Devotional for Feb. 26, 2008 : Psalm 1

Psalm 1:1-6 (English Standard Version)
(1)  Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
(2)  but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
(3)  He is like a [...]