Savoring the Scripture

If the Lord Had Not Been on Our Side Psalm 124 We have experienced seasons in which the combined forces of earth and hell must have made an end of us had not omnipotent grace interfered for our rescue. Charles Spurgeon “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side…then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us” (Psalm 124:2,4). In this Psalm, David looks back over the years of war and troubles that he faced and lifts his voice in gratitude, recognizing the Lord as the One who has been the great Warrior of Israel. As one of the psalms of ascent, the Israelites would have remembered numerous times in their history that the Lord’s presence and His aid were the decisive factor in the victory over their enemies. It gives me a thrill when I read the Old Testament and I see the Lord fight for His people. Odds against them or filled with fear, outnumbered or surrounded by the enemy, whatever terror they faced, when the Lord fought for them, they were victorious...

  When You’ve Had Enough Psalm 123 Other things can bruise, but this [contempt] is cold steel. It goes deeper into the spirit than any other form of rejection. Derek Kidner  Enough is enough. We’ve probably all said or thought this at some point. Fed up with a situation and tired of the same results from the same behaviors, we’ve said, “Enough!” We refuse to continue to just accept things as they are and we long for change. Throughout the psalms, there have been quite a few times the psalmist has communicated to the Lord that enough is enough. The suffering, affliction, or injustice that he is enduring have gone on long enough.  In Psalm 123, the psalmist cries to the Lord for mercy “for we have had far more than enough of contempt” (123:3). Contempt is an attitude of disrespect and scorn. It is the act of despising and showing a lack of respect or reverence. If you’ve ever been an object of contempt you know the look of disdain, the mockery, the lying, and the disregard ...

Secure in the Everlasting Arms of God  Psalm 122 What have I to dread, what have I to fear, Leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms. Psalm 122 continues the Psalms of Ascent. Written by David, this psalm focuses on the beloved city of Jerusalem. The singers have arrived in the city, the place where people from the twelve tribes would gather as one 3 times a year. It was the political and spiritual centre, and the place where justice was administered and upheld. The king resided there as well as God’s temple. In these verses, David calls the people to pray for the peace, security, and prosperity of Jerusalem. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! ‘May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!’” (Psalm 122:6-7) Peace and security may seem like an illusion in such an uncertain world. In the days of the Israelites, surrounded by nations larger and mightier than they, what peac...