Chris Marshall Resources

In Psalm 144, King David opens with a truth about God we might question: He tells us the LORD trains his hands for war. Really?  Our God, the God who sent His only Son, Jesus, to die in our place?  Yes, the very same God.  He used David to protect His people.  He has used many people through the ages to do the same.  Jesus’ purpose was to die for our sins and rise again to demonstrate His victory over sin and death.  He tells us He will return to conquer His enemies, and to establish His reign on the earth forever.  God’s goodness requires punishment for evil.  He made it possible for us to be forgiven, but if we reject that offer, our punishment will come, too.

In Psalm 145, King David offers an extended psalm of praise to the LORD.  He lists dozens of the LORD’s attributes, each of which is a reason for our praise and thanksgiving toward Him.  In verse 20, David briefly addresses the harsh reality that God destroys the wicked.  It seems out of place in a psalm so dedicated to telling us of God’s goodness, love and mercy.  Yet at the same time, His goodness requires judgment of evil.

Psalm 146 is anonymous, but it sounds a great deal like many of King David’s psalms of praise.  The psalmist tells us of the LORD’s many actions on our behalf, and briefly about the LORD’s judgment on evil.

In Psalm 147 we read again of the LORD’s love for Israel, and for His creation.  The LORD cares about humanity more than anything else He created, but He also loves the other creatures of the earth.  He feeds and cares for them.  As we consider how we are to steward or manage the LORD’s “property,” starting with the earth and moving all the way to our own families, let’s remember the example He has given us by His great love and concern for us.

As we return to Luke 10, a chapter filled with interesting accounts from Jesus’ life, let’s turn to His words to the lawyer who wanted to know what he needed to do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus asked the lawyer what he thought, how he read the Scriptures.  What a great tactic!  The lawyer wanted to trap Jesus, but he fell into Jesus’ trap, when he answered Jesus’ question.  The lawyer summed up the entire Law and the Prophets the way Jesus had done in Matthew’s gospel: Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.  And love your neighbor as yourself.  Jesus affirmed the response.  In fact, Jesus told the lawyer if he did this he would live.  But the lawyer wanted to “justify” himself.  He asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”  The religious leaders had answered the question.  My neighbor is my fellow Jew, who is following the Law of Moses.  Jesus had a different answer.  He told the lawyer his neighbor was a hated Samaritan, who Jesus turned into the hero of a parable that has forever left us with the paradigm for helping others who are in need: The Good Samaritan.  We even have “Good Samaritan” laws, which prevent someone who stops to help someone in a dire situation from being prosecuted for attempting to help.  Jesus wanted us to understand being a neighbor is not about ethnic similarity, or family connection.  It is about being ready to serve the LORD by helping those in need.  Some days we might not “feel” neighborly.  Feelings don’t have anything to do with it.  Jesus didn’t offer someone with warm feelings as the example of a neighbor.  He offered the example of someone who no one would have expected to offer help, but did.  As we seek to be neighbors in this sense of the word, let’s remember our goal is not to be liked,  or to help those who are like us, but to be faithful to offer help when the opportunity arises.

Psalm 140 is a psalm of King David. Its content is familiar to us: David calls out to the LORD to protect him from his enemies. In this psalm, David calls more directly for the LORD to eliminate his enemies and to “pour coals on their heads.” While such language can be offensive to modern ears, as the King of Israel, David had many enemies. He relied on the LORD for protection, as he had all his life.

Psalm 141, another psalm of King David, starts with David calling on the LORD to protect Him, and to keep him from sin. David wants the LORD’s strength and power to keep him faithful. Then as the psalm progresses, it moves again toward calling on the LORD to protect him from his enemies. If we did not know David’s history from having read 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 Kings, we might think he was being paranoid, but we know David both needed and relied on the LORD’s protection in his life. We also need his protection in ours, even though our lives might be quite peaceful by comparison.

Psalm 142 is another psalm of King David. We’re told he was in a cave when he wrote this psalm. He cries out to the LORD for protection and deliverance. This grouping of psalms follow this general theme, and this one helps us to understand why the concern for his safety. After all, when you are hiding in a cave from your enemies, it makes sense to call on the LORD for help!

In Psalm 143, King David calls out once again to the LORD for protection and deliverance from enemies. If we look at all the psalms of David we know he praised the LORD with an eloquence unsurpassed by others. He also cried out to the LORD for protection and deliverance with a passion and energy unsurpassed as well. We are told David was a “man after God’s own heart.” That doesn’t mean David never sinned–far from it. We know he committed adultery and had a man murdered to cover it up. Yet, out of that experience David repented from the depth of his being. His psalms show us whatever condition of life we experience, we can turn to the LORD in praise or petition. The LORD is faithful in every situation to hear us, and to guide us.

As we return to Luke 9, let’s consider Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand, the only miracle recorded in all four gospels. As we read the account, one thing that stands out is Jesus knew the crowd was massive. It included five thousand men, so it must have been at least fifteen thousand including women and children. He had only five loaves of bread and two fish. Yet, when he received that small gift, He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. Let’s stop right there. The need was massive, the supply was limited, a fraction of what was needed. Yet, Jesus didn’t look to heaven and beg His Father to supply more. He gave thanks. Gratitude is such a powerful force. Gratitude issues forth in generosity in our lives. Here the gratitude preceded the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. We would do well in our lives, to start with thanksgiving when we face a need. Giving thanks opens us to the realization we serve a God who is more than enough for us, and for all our needs.

If we learn one truth from Psalm 136, this is it: God’s steadfast love endures forever. This is the refrain after every line of the psalm. The psalmist rehearses God’s creation of the universe, His forming of the people of Israel and delivering them from slavery in Egypt, His protection of them in the wilderness and as they move into the Promised Land, and His overall goodness. After each line, we read: His steadfast love endures forever. The New Testament tells us: God is love. The psalmist tells us the same thing. God doesn’t have love, or exhibit love. He is love. What an amazing promise for us all–the God of the universe who has the power of life and death over every being loves us!

Psalm 137 is one of the saddest psalms of all. The writer is in exile in Babylon with the people of Israel. He tells us their captors tell them to sing one of the songs of Zion, a song of joy and praise to the LORD. It is torment to be given such a command.  How can one sing when in captivity in a foreign land? Yet, it is a call to remember Jerusalem, and in the midst of torment the psalmist lashes out for the LORD to repay their captors even to the point of dashing their babies’ heads against a rock. The violence of such a prayer is complete. Yet it shows us the LORD receives even our prayers for vengeance without being offended. He wants us to come to Him whatever our condition, whatever the state of our minds or hearts, and to rely on Him, to remember He is our God period. He isn’t our God when all is well, or when we are polite. He is our God in the good, the bad, and the seemingly insufferable.

Psalm 138 is another psalm of King David. It is a brief and powerful psalm of praise. It seems even more powerful given it follows Psalm 137. After reading about the depths of the people of Israel, we turn to the greatest king in their history praising God for His constant presence and work in His life. Sometimes our lives feel like that, too.  One moment, we are singing and praising God for who He is, thanking Him for all He has done. The next moment, we are crying out for deliverance, or even calling on the LORD to destroy our enemies. In it all, the LORD is with us, and His steadfast love does endure forever.

Psalm 139, a psalm of King David, is one of the most beautiful and powerful of all the psalms. David reminds us of the omnipotence of God, and of His all-knowing nature. We cannot hide from Him, nor ought we desire to do so, because He is for us and with us every moment. Even when we were in our mother’s womb God knew us, in fact, He created us there and made us “fearfully and wonderfully.” As we read this record of the LORD’s presence and power in our lives, and ultimately of David’s calling out for deliverance from His enemies, we realize our God is, indeed, for us. As the Apostle Paul would remind us a thousand years later, “If our God is for us, then who can be against us!”

As we return to Luke 8, let’s focus for a moment on the woman who touched Jesus’ robe and was healed of a bleeding disorder that had ruined her life. In the culture of Jesus’ day, anyone with a bleeding disorder was “unclean.” That meant she could not be near other people or touch them. Otherwise, they would become unclean as well. She had spent all her money on doctors, but she didn’t receive the healing that would have restored her life. Some would say she touched Jesus’ robe in desperation. After all, it was perhaps her last chance to be restored to health. In addition, she was making Jesus unclean by her touch. While she was desperate, it wasn’t desperation that caused her to touch Jesus. It was faith. She believed Jesus would heal her. She believed more than that. She believed all she had to do was touch Jesus’ robe and she would be healed. What faith! Jesus soon affirmed her faith. He felt the power leave Him, power the woman knew was there. She felt it, too. She knew she was healed. When the woman confessed what she had done, she knew Jesus could reprimand her for her action. Instead, He called her “Daughter.” Scour the gospels and you will find this is the only woman Jesus called daughter. The name is significant. It is a term of close, personal endearment. Jesus didn’t know the woman, but He did. She was a child of Abraham, the father of the Hebrew people, and a man of great faith. All who live in faith are children of Abraham. Ask Jesus or the Apostle Paul. They both say as much in their messages. Let us live as sons and daughters of Abraham, and thus of Jesus as we live in faith regardless of the dis-ease we face in our lives today. A touch from Jesus is all it takes to be restored!

Psalm 130 is a cry for the LORD’s forgiveness. Remember, these songs of ascent were offered to the LORD as the Israelites walked to the Temple to worship. Each of us needs the LORD’s forgiveness to be restored to relationship with Him. His forgiveness is the center of our lives. As we receive it we receive the new life He gives. As we give it to others, we show the world what redemption does and how it feels.

Psalm 131 is quite brief, and yet powerful. It reminds us of the humility required to be in relationship with the LORD. As we rely on Him completely, we have peace and contentment, and our lives bring Him honor.

Psalm 132 offers a cry for the LORD to rememeber King David’s commitment to Him, and then to honor His commitment to place one of David’s descendants on the throne of Judah forever. This is another psalm where the details are precise, and the psalmist seems to be “reminding” the LORD of His promises, but as we have seen in past psalms, it is rather a reminder to the psalmist and his readers of the LORD’s faithfulness.

The theme of Psalm 133 is unity. The psalmist reminds us how good and pleasant it is when the LORD’s people dwell together in unity. As we live in an increasingly fragmented society and world, it is more vital than ever to live in the unity of the Holy Spirit with all who call on the LORD.

The final song of ascents, Psalm 134 is a brief song of praise to the Lord, and a call for Him to bless those who praise Him.

Psalm 135 could be a song of ascents except for its length. It starts with a powerful offering of praise to the LORD. It recalls the LORD’s faithfulness in the past, and it also reminds us of the futility of serving idols. Idols have all the parts of a human body, but they do not function. Only the LORD is worthy of praise.

As we turn again to Luke 7, let’s focus again on John the Baptist. He had been imprisoned by Herod for renouncing Herod for taking his brother’s wife as his husband. As he served his time, he wondered where Jesus was, what was He doing? After all, John expected Jesus to be a conquering Messiah, who would conquer Rome and right the wrongs in Israel. Certainly, one of those wrongs would be eliminating Herod as king. He sent some disciples to ask Jesus the pointed question, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we look for another?” Jesus’ answer was straight from the prophet Isaiah. He quoted to John a passage listing the deeds the Messiah would perform, and then entreated John not to fall away, because He wasn’t everything John expected. We need to hear that entreaty. After all, Jesus doesn’t always seem to be or do everything we expect. As we wait for Jesus’ return, all is not well in the world nor in our lives. The key is to wait, to let Jesus be who He is, and to remember when He comes again, He will be a conquering king. He will right all wrongs, and establish that just reign forever.

In Psalm 125, the psalmist compares those who trust in the LORD to Mt. Zion, which cannot be moved. He then speaks of the evil as those who will be cast aside. It really is that simple–not easy, but simple. The LORD upholds those who trust and honor Him.

Psalm 126 acknowledges the pain of life. It starts with those who return to Zion. The reason they had to return was they were exiled. It speaks of sowing tears and reaping joy. We don’t often think of life that way, do we? In the midst of sorrow, we don’t think about the potential joy we will gain through it, but that is how God works in our lives. He desires to transform anything in our lives to joy, when we trust Him and put Him first.  That does not mean our sorrowful circumstances will immediately, or ever end in this life. It does mean during those times His joy can remain in us.

Psalm 127 reminds us how important it is to have the LORD at the center of all we are and do. We can seek security in our lives, but if the LORD isn’t our true security, we won’t be secure. We can seek to build homes and places others will envy, but unless the LORD is the architect, it is vain. The psalmist ends by reminding us our children are a great blessing in our lives. While it doesn’t seem to fit with the theme of the psalm, it does: the world looks at building and security one way, and the LORD another. Children can be seen in many ways from a worldly viewpoint, but the LORD sees them as blessing.

Psalm 128 shows us what is truly valuable: a relationship with the LORD; a relationship with our wife (or husband if you’re a woman), a relationship with our children; and to live a long, full life to His glory. The key aspect of a life well lived is healthy relationships with God and others. Jesus would tell us the same thing when He walked the earth by offering the Great Commandment in response to the question, “What is the greatest commandment in the Law?” That commandment is to love the Lord with everything we have, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Psalm 129 is a call for those who work against those who follow the LORD to be eliminated. We might not see that as worthy of a psalm, but it is a psalm, which means the LORD agrees with the assessment. The focus is more for the protection of the one who trusts the LORD, but by association those who turn against the LORD’s children are going to receive His response.

As we turn to Luke 6, we find some parallels to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7, one of the interesting differences in this section is Matthew 5:48 reads, “Be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect,” While Luke 6:36 reads, “Be merciful even as your Father in heaven is merciful.” The change of the word perfect to merciful seems to make a great difference, but let’s think about that for a moment. What does God’s perfection do in our lives? It causes Him to show mercy to all who are imperfect, which is all of us. If we were perfect, we would not need His mercy. At the same time, those who are perfect–if they have a perfection similar to God’s–will be merciful to others. At the end of the day, the two statements, which seem so different on the surface, lead to the same result: showing mercy to others, because of the Lord’s perfection in our lives!

Psalms 120-134 are “Songs of Ascents.” They were used as “Calls to Worship” as the worshipers walked up Mount Zion to the Temple for worship.  We’re told several were of King David and one of King Solomon.  Most have no stated author.  While the psalms are quite different, each one focuses on some aspect of the LORD and His presence and work in our lives.  The purpose was to prepare the worshipers to come into His presence.

In Psalm 120, the psalmist focuses on preparing his “lips” or words to worship the LORD.  He asks the LORD to keep him from lying lips or deceitful words.  He also focuses on peace, and asking the LORD to make that his focus, because he lives among those who focus on war.  We see how this would prepare a people for worship, because until we are focused on the LORD, His peace and truth, we will be distracted from worshiping Him fully.

In Psalm 121, the psalmist looks to the hills, and asks, “Where does my help come from?”  The short answer: The LORD.  He goes on to say the LORD will protect us and watch over us in every circumstance.  What assurance for those who come together to worship the LORD–He is worthy of our worship and praise!

In Psalm 122, King David affirms Jerusalem as the place of worship for all the tribes of Israel.  He calls for us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, which is the “home” of the LORD.  This city was central to worshiping the LORD, and its welfare is the focus of this psalm of ascents.

In Psalm 123, the psalmist compares the LORD to the master of a slave, the mistress of a servant, and cries out to the LORD for mercy and protection, because the people have been oppressed.  This brief psalm reminds us of our position as we come before the LORD–He is the King, the LORD, the master, and we are His subjects, His servants. While Jesus has redeemed us from sin, and told us we are His friends, we are still servants of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.  As we remember that, we will be better prepared to serve Him.

In Psalm 124, King David, focuses on the LORD as our protector and deliverer.  If He had not been with us, we would have been trapped.  But the fantastic news is: He is with us, and so we are free in Him!

As we turn to Luke 5, let’s focus on the first event recorded by Luke: Jesus using the fishing boats of Peter and Andrew, James and John as a “pulpit” from which to teach the crowds.  After the teaching ended, Jesus called on Peter to go out into the lake and let down his nets for a catch.  Peter was the fisherman and Jesus the rabbi.  Peter “knew” fishing was best done at night.  He told Jesus as much.  This was the middle of the day.  “But,” he obeyed Jesus.  Let’s focus on that single word: “But.”  How often in our lives we have done things our way and the result has not been what we expected, or “knew” would happen.  We didn’t get the results we expected in our work, or in a relationship, or even inside ourselves.  We have been in control and worked diligently.  Then Jesus speaks in our hearts and offers a command that makes no sense.  It is the opposite of what we would have done. The key in that moment is will we say, “I have done it my way, the ‘right’ way, and obtained no results, but I will do what you say.”? That is the moment when our faith grows.  That is the moment when blessing begins.  After all, until we trust Jesus with our lives, to know what’s best for them, we don’t follow Him.  Peter agreed to Jesus’ command, and the ultimate result was he and his three partners became Jesus’ first four disciples!

Psalm 119 is by far the longest chapter in the Bible.  It is a poem about the Law and word of the LORD. The writer divided it into sections based on the Hebrew alphabet, and each section starts with a Hebrew word that corresponds to the letter of the Hebrew alphabet that is the title for that section.  The purpose of the psalm is to show us how vital God’s word is, and how important it is for us to read, meditate, and live it in our lives.

In “Aleph” the psalmist sets forth how vital it is to obey the LORD’s commands.  To obey His commands, we must know them.  To know them we must read and study them.  Investing the time to read through the Bible regularly is one aspect of fulfilling this aspect of the psalm.

In “Beth” we are told how a young man (or woman) can live purely: by following the commands of the LORD.  We are called to hide the LORD’s word in our hearts so we won’t sin against Him.  We are reminded that to obey His decrees is to ensure life.

In “Gimel” the psalmist reminds the LORD to protect him, because he has followed the LORD’s decrees.

In “Daleth” the psalmist calls on the LORD to preserve and protect him once again, because he has kept His ways. This is not only a recurring theme in Psalm 119, but throughout the psalms as we know by this time.

In “He” the psalmist asks the LORD to keep him focused on His law so he will follow His path and not be led astray. The Law is a guide and establishes boundaries for a life well-lived.

In “Waw” he asks for the LORD’s love.  He also states he loves the Law of the LORD.  He meditates on it, and it keeps his life focused on the LORD.

In “Zayin” the psalmist tells the LORD His law is his hope in suffering.  It gives him guidance against his enemies.

In “Heth” the psalmist promises to follow the LORD’s laws even if the wicked binds him, and he will also partner with those who follow the law.  He reminds us the LORD’s love fills the earth. What does that have to do with the law?  The law flows out of the LORD’s love for us.  He guides us with it, because He loves us.

In “Teth” the psalmist points out at one time he did evil and paid the consequences.  Now, he follows the law of the LORD and the result is blessing.  Though his enemies attack him, he will continue to follow the way of the LORD.

In “Yodh” he acknowledges the LORD formed him, and corrected him out of His love.  He tells us again he meditates on the law of the LORD.  Meditation as presented in the Bible, is not a mindless activity as it is in many eastern religions or modern forms of exercise.  It is a focused reflection of the law with the purpose of understanding and living it to honor the LORD.

In “Kaph” the psalmist asks the LORD how long he must suffer at the hands of his enemies?  He reminds the LORD of his faithfulness and hope in the LORD and acknowledges he will continue to trust in the LORD through his suffering.

In “Lamedh” he points out the law of the LORD is the foundation of His life.  He hopes in it in suffering.  He waits for the LORD’s deliverance as he lives out the law.  He tells us there is a limit to all human perfection, but the perfection of the law is boundless.  The absolute nature of the LORD’s law and truth is expressed here.  It is the anchor in our lives, even when the storms rage all around us.

In “Mem” the psalmist tells us the law of the LORD has made him wiser than his enemies, his teachers, and the elders.  This has happened, because he meditates on the law day and night.  He knows he can trust in the LORD and in the wisdom he gains from the law regardless of what happens or how his enemies attack.

In “Nun” he tells us the LORD’s word is a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path.  We see the law guides us in our immediate circumstances as well as into the distance or the future. It is the foundation of our lives.  He tells us the law is his joy.  Not many in our day would understand the law that way, but when we follow the way of the LORD it leads us to joy.  The boundaries He has established for us bring the greatest peace and contentment in our lives, but only when we follow them.

In “Samekh” the psalmist contrasts double-minded and evil men with the LORD and His law.  He has chosen to follow the LORD and calls on the LORD to protect and deliver Him from such people.

In “Ayin” he calls on the LORD to deliver him from his enemies, because he has followed the law.  He tells the LORD he loves His law more than gold, more than pure gold.  What a statement!  People often focus on the material blessings of life and gaining them as a means of security.  The psalmist reminds us the ultimate means to security is a relationship with the LORD that results in obedience to His law.

In “Pe” the psalmist tells the LORD His statutes are wonderful, which is why he obeys them.  They guide his path, and bring deliverance from his foes.  This approach to life leaves the psalmist secure, but he cries because he sees the LORD’s law being disobeyed.

In “Tsadhe” he tells the LORD He is righteous and His ways are right.  That is why he follows them.  What an important truth: we follow the law, because the law giver is righteous and has our best interests at heart!

In “Qoph” the psalmist calls out to the LORD and he promises if the LORD will answer he will follow His laws.  This is not an “if you will do this, then I will do that” type of prayer as it seems on the surface.  We know that because he tells us he meditates on the law through the night.  He isn’t bargaining with the LORD.  He is reminding the LORD of his faithfulness to Him, and requesting the LORD’s action on his behalf.

In “Resh”he once again calls out to the LORD for deliverance because of His faithfulness.  He has many enemies, who do not follow the law, and he calls on the Lord to remember him in his times of need.

In “Sin and Shin” the psalmist tells us again his enemies are attacking him, but he follows the law. He calls out to the LORD seven times a day.  Again, we see he has a lifestyle of living for the LORD, calling on the LORD, serving the LORD, and following the law of the LORD.

In “Taw” the final portion of the psalm, we see a bit of a summary of all we have seen throughout the psalm.  The psalmist again calls on the LORD, and reiterates the place of the law in his life.  It is central to him, and he calls on the LORD to preserve him.

As we turn to Luke 4, let’s focus on Jesus’ “mission statement.” After being tempted in the wilderness for forty days by the devil, and passing the test, Jesus’ ministry began.  He went to the synagogue in Nazareth and was given the opportunity to read the Scripture. He opened the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and read: ¹⁸“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, ¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19 (ESV)  After reading these words, Jesus handed the scroll back to the attendant and paused.  Every eye was on Him.  What would He say?  He told the listeners, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”  Those words were written by Isaiah to describe the Messiah.  Jesus was telling the people He was the Messiah!  As we would expect, the people looked at Him intently.  They waited for more.  The more He gave them was a reminder a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, and among his own people.  The message incensed the crowd, and they sought to kill Him.  Not exactly the kind of start one would expect for the Messiah.  Why would Jesus say such things after announcing His mission and identity?  The short answer is: He wanted the people to know He was not the kind of Messiah they expected.  They wanted a conquering king, a heroic Messiah who would establish Israel as the world power.  He came to side with the weak and outcast, to heal the sick, and to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor.  This agenda would eventually lead to His death. This first encounter with the crowd was merely a foreshadowing of what was ahead for Jesus. He knew that.  That is why He came!

Psalm 116 is an “eclectic” psalm, reading like a chapter in Proverbs, because it jumps from one theme to another.  It is a psalm of praise, yet in the middle of it, the psalmist tells us because he believes he cries out to the LORD about his affliction and that all men are liars.  That’s typical of a psalm of lament.  Then he offers a seemingly random idea: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.”  What a powerful truth!  When we lose a loved one to death, we are hurt and even devastated.  In our grief, we can know the LORD is also grieving the loss, even though it is a gain for His eternal Kingdom.  Jesus wept when He went to Lazarus’ tomb, even though He would raise Lazarus from the dead shortly after.  The LORD cares about our grief and grieves with us.  Then the psalm closes with the psalmist vowing His allegiance to the LORD and offers Him more praise.

Psalm 117 is so brief we can copy it here:  ¹Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.  ²For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.   Psalm 117:1-2 (NIV) This brief psalm of praise calls on everyone to praise the LORD.  Why?  Because His love and faithfulness to us endure forever.  This psalm is virtually the center of the English Bible, so we are halfway through our goal of reading through the Bible in a year, even though we are not halfway through our year in days.  The reason for that is we will slow our pace at times to focus on some specific passages in the New Testament. Also, we have already read more than half the Bible, because we are working our way through the four gospels repeatedly. The process, as I noted at the outset, is to get us into the New Testament, and specifically the life of Jesus daily, as we work our way through the Old Testament.  If you’ve been with us all the way so far: congratulations!

Psalm 118 is a joyous psalm of praise, which makes it clear the LORD’s faithful love endures forever! It also contains the powerful affirmation and command: This is the day the LORD has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!  The command to rejoice in this day is so powerful.  Not every day is a fun day, a happy day, but every day can be a joyful day.  That’s because joy is not based on our circumstance or happenstance.  The words happy and happenstance come from the same root.  Joy is an aspect of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and remains in us as long as we let the Holy Spirit control our lives.  That makes every day a day for rejoicing in the LORD!

As we return to Luke 3, let’s focus on the first two verses: ¹In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, ²during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. Luke 3:1-2 (ESV) Notice how Luke anchors the start of John’s ministry in history.  The moment it started was the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. At that moment Caesar, Pilate, Herod, Philip, and Lysanias were all occupied with governing a specific region or nation.  They were undoubtedly quite busy.  The word of God did not come to them.  It came to John who was “in the wilderness.”  The Greek word the ESV translates as wilderness can also be translated “desert.”  Either way, John was by Himself.  He was not “busy.”  He was preparing to prepare the way for Jesus. Is it possible the word of God came to all the others in the list, but they were so busy governing, and enjoying their positions and the power that came with it they didn’t hear or listen?  Ever since my mentor, Andy Weigand, pointed this question out to me when I was a teenager, I have reflected on the possibility.  My tendency is to be more like one of the leaders mentioned, filling my life with activity and the demands of leadership. John shows us the first “demand” of leadership: listening for God’s voice and guidance.  As we read through the Bible, we are investing time in listening to God’s voice, because the Bible is His word.  In addition, we must invest time alone “in the wilderness” (which might be your front porch, or in your family room, or some other special place where you go to get away from others).  As we do that, God does speak to us and gives us the opportunity to know His plan and purpose for our lives!

In Psalm 111, King David offers praise to the LORD for who He is, and reminds us of His many acts of faithfulness. We have become accustomed to these somewhat brief offerings of David that most assuredly were songs of praise for worship.

Psalm 112 is anonymous. Its purpose is to affirm the LORD’s blessing on the righteous and generous.  In extensive detail the psalmist affirms the blessings will extend to them and their children. The last verse offers a brief explanation of what happens to the wicked–even with such a brief explanation, we most certainly don’t want to find ourselves on the wrong side of the LORD!

Psalm 113 is a psalm of praise, which focuses on the LORD’s goodness, and particularly His goodness to the poor and the widow.  Throughout the Bible, the LORD makes it clear while He loves us all, and has compassion for us all, He holds a special compassion for the poor, the fatherless, and the widow. This reminds us we are also called to show compassion for the poor, fatherless and widowed in our lives.

Psalm 114 is a brief psalm of praise celebrating the LORD’s deliverance of Jacob from Egypt, and His establishment of the people of Judah and Israel. The psalm uses vivid imagery stating the Red Sea and Jordan “fled” from the Lord, as did the mountains and hills. The implication is His deliverance of His people was supernatural. We can be sure His supernatural protection is on us as well, because as the author of the Hebrews reminded us: God (specifically Jesus Christ) is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Psalm 115 is another anonymous psalm of praise. The identifying trait of this psalm is how the author reminds us of the futility of worshiping idols. He tells us they have eyes, but can’t see, mouths, but can’t speak, and other futile body parts as well. He tells us those who worship them will be like them. The practical nature of this reminder can’t be overstated. Only a living God can impact our lives. That’s why it is so vital for us to worship the one true and living God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

As we return to Luke 2, the verse I want to emphasize is Luke 2:20: ²⁰The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. Luke 2:20 (NLT) The key phrase is “just as the angel had told them.” Often in our lives we look forward to something we have been led to believe will be amazing, perhaps a vacation, a new book, a sporting event, a worship experience, you name it. When the experience comes, it seldom lives up to the build up. But when the shepherds returned to their flocks after seeing Jesus, who they found lying in the manger of a stable in Bethlehem, they glorified God, because everything they experienced was just as they had been told. In our lives, we can be sure Jesus will live up to the build up. He is the only one we can rely on to be faithful and everything we anticipate Him to be 100% of the time. The key is to commit to living the opportunities He gives us, another way of saying to obey Him, and He will live up to the build up!

Psalm 108 is a psalm of King David. It starts as a strong Psalm of praise, with David recalling God’s worthiness to be praised, and His victories over Israel’s enemies.  Then at the end it takes a sharp turn and David asks God why He has rejected Israel’s armies?  He closes with another affirmation of the LORD’s presence, stating that no human help is of any value, but the LORD’s power will bring victory.

Psalm 109 is also a psalm of King David.  In it he calls on the LORD to protect him from his accusers.  He offers a lengthy statement of what the accuser, who might be Satan, offers as testimony against him.  Again, he calls on the LORD to deliver him, and to overcome his foes.

Psalm 110, which is a psalm of King David is a “Messianic psalm.”  In it David describes what the Messiah will be like. He will be LORD over the king, and He will be a priest in the order of Melchizedek.  He will judge the kings and crush His foes.  This psalm describes Jesus in His second coming rather than His first.  We often think of Jesus only as a suffering servant, as a humble leader, and He was when He came to earth 2,000 years ago.  When Jesus returns, He will come as the eternal King and leader of us all!

Today, we return to the Gospel of Luke.  We are continuing our practice of returning a second time to a gospel, which we have introduced once.  I will focus on a particular aspect of each chapter, rather than summarizing the entire chapter.  If you are joining us “mid-stream,” feel free to return to the past twenty-four days to read the summary for each of the chapters as a whole.

As we turn again to chapter 1, our focus is³⁰And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  Luke 1:30 (ESV) Nearly every time an angel appears to a human being in the Bible, its first words are , “Do not be afraid.”  That greeting leads us to wonder what is it about angels that is so fearsome?  Do they have wings, and if so is that what’s scary about an angel?  Are they tall, or loud, or so radically different from us that their “alien” form produces fear?  Whatever it is, the angel, in this case Gabriel, offered Mary the “standard greeting,” and then said, “for you have found favor with God.”  The reason Mary didn’t need to fear, was God had found favor in her, and offered His favor to her.  As we know, Gabriel was about to tell Mary she would become the mother of the Messiah, and the “father” would be the Holy Spirit.  That must have been fearsome in and of itself.  We don’t know for sure, but Mary might only have been fourteen or fifteen years old at the time.  Her life would be radically different, and at first, at least, not in a good way.   In Mary’s day, it was scandalous for a woman to be pregnant and not married.  By the Law of Moses, she could be put to death by stoning.  As we have read in our first time through Luke, Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph.  Joseph was a righteous man, so when he found out Mary was pregnant, he determined to “put her away privately.”  In other words, he wasn’t going to push for her death.  He just didn’t want to be married to her.  It would take an angel visiting Joseph in a dream to keep him from this action.  Mary’s courage must have matched the extent of the favor with which God viewed her.   As we go about our lives, we won’t have something as dramatic happen to us, but one thing we learn from Mary is: God always blesses obedience.  When He calls on us, whatever the task, the way to be blessed, the way to move His Kingdom forward it to obey, which means to do what He asks.