Tag Archives: Psalms 60-67

Daily Bible Study

June 26, 2023 Bible Study — God Has Raised His Banner, Let Us Rally To It

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Psalms 60-67.

The first psalm in today’s reading seems to me to aptly apply today.  Society has been shaken and torn open because we have angered God.  We are in desperate times, but God has raised a banner to which those who fear Him may, and should rally.  Let us rally to God’s banner and He will lead us to a fortified place where we may withstand the assaults aimed at those who fear God.  In these trying times, our souls can find rest in God.  He has brought us salvation.  Though the world around us seeks to topple us, our hope comes from God and He provides us a foundation which cannot be shaken.

In these times, let us remember that God answers prayer.  So, let us pray that people turn to Him.  While our society is overwhelmed with sin, and each of us have been there ourselves, God has forgiven the transgressions of those who turn to Him.  Let us confess our sins and seek Him, because when we do we will discover that our sins are forgiven.  And more to the point of today’s psalms, let us pray that God pour out His Spirit upon the people of our land so that they may turn to Him and praise His name.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

June 26, 2022 Bible Study

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Psalms 60-67.

Let us call upon God to restore us, to bring us back into the refuge which He forms for us.  I really feel the need to remember what the psalmist says in these Psalms during these tumultuous times.  Let us find rest in God and put our hope in Him.  Let us seek God and praise Him.  The wicked think that they will not be held accountable, that they have hidden their evil acts from everyone…even while performing them in public.  While the authorities may turn a blind eye, God will see and hold them accountable.  Let us praise Him now, knowing that soon He will act, but also let us praise Him for what He has already done.  I will praise God for what He has done for me.

I will end today with this benediction:

May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face shine on us—[t]
so that your ways may be known on earth,
    your salvation among all nations.

May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
    for you rule the peoples with equity
    and guide the nations of the earth.
May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.

The land yields its harvest;
    God, our God, blesses us.
 May God bless us still,
    so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

June 26, 2021 Bible Study — Seek God and Praise His Name

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Psalms 60-67.

When I first read through these psalms I felt like today’s blog was going to be hard to write.  Then I read through them again and realized that they had two closely related themes, or perhaps three.  When facing challenges, troubles, or persecution, call out to God for aid and He will provide it.  Then praise God for the many mighty things He has done for you.  Finally, recognize that all of your accomplishments come by the grace of God: if He had not blessed you, all of your strength and skill would have been insufficient to the task.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

June 26, 2020 Bible Study Invite The World To Rally To God’s Banner

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Psalms 60-67.

The psalmist writes frequently about how God will provide us shelter and protection from our enemies if we put our trust in Him.  He uses varied imagery to convey how this works.  In today’s first psalm he speaks of God raising a banner to which those who fear Him can rally in the midst of battle.  Such an image is not one of passive rescue.  Rather it is one where those who follow the Lord gather and follow their commander in battle.  The psalmist continues in the next psalm by indicating that God will lead us to a fortress where our enemies will be unable to reach us.

The psalmist goes on to tell us to wait patiently for God, He will bring us victory.  Do not put your trust in either the common man, nor in the powerful.  If we acquire wealth, let us not make the mistake of thinking that will save us.  When God brings us victory and success let us shout His praises to all of the world and call for them to come and see what He has done.  Tell the world what God has done, invite them to see for themselves how great He is.

Daily Bible Study

June 26, 2019 Bible Study — Rally to God’s Banner

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Psalms 60-67.

I struggled with where to start today.  The first several psalms are about a man who feels like he is being attacked on every side, and I don’t feel that way today.  However, I knew that I wanted to write about Psalm 60:4 where it talks about God raising a banner as a rallying point for those who fear Him.  So, I read through the psalms a couple of times and skimmed through a couple more when I saw how Psalm 60 starts.  The land has been split open.  Look at how divided our nation is.  This was not an accident.  God caused this division.  Why would God do this?  I think that can be seen from what Jesus says in Matthew 10:34-37:

Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword…If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.

God has divided the land so that we must pick a side.  Are we willing to stand on God’s side?  Even if it costs us friends and family?  If so, God has raised a banner to which those who fear Him more than any human can rally.  Rally to God’s banner and call out to Him.  Perhaps, like me, you are not the one whom God’s enemies are trying to bring down, but we can rally to His banner and stand with those who are.  If we do not rally to God’s banner and do not join in the attack on those who have, we will be the target tomorrow (or the day after).

The last few psalms for today answer what will happen if we rally to God’s banner.  God will answer our prayers.  God gives us hope for the future.  Anyone who puts their hope in anything else will see that hope quickly fade away.  But those who put their hope in God will see His great power and experience His abundance.  As we rally to God’s banner, let us sing praises to His name.

 

 

Daily Bible Study

June 26, 2018 Bible Study — Wait On the Lord

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Psalms 60-67.

    The psalmist calls on us not to rely on human help in place of God’s. When enemies assault us, we need to cry out to God and wait patiently for His response. Waiting patiently does not mean that we do not continue to pray and cry out to Him for aid. Waiting patiently means continuing to trust that God will come to our aid, even when our troubles persist. God will be our rock and our fortress if we put out trust in Him. I want to note that throughout these psalms the psalmist leaves us hints of things taught elsewhere: while we are waiting for God to act to save us from our enemies and our troubles, He will give us directions which we need to follow in order to come to the safe place that He has for us.

    There are two elements to following God’s directions to a safe place. The first is what we should not do; we should not make our living by extortion or by stealing, and, if we acquire wealth, we should not rely on it. The second is what we should do; we should praise God and let others know about the powerful, wonderful things He has done. The pslamist’s list of what we should do is far from comprehensive. Elsewhere he tells us that we should care for the poor and the sick, come to the defense of the oppressed, and generally do that which is seen as good. Doing good will not save us from our troubles, but it will position us where God intends for His salvation to reach us.

Daily Bible Study

June 26, 2017 Bible Study — Keep Calm And Wait For God To Act

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Psalms 60-67.

    I am struggling today to get the thoughts to come together. However, I will start by pulling out two quotes from Psalms 62 which I believe reflect what our attitude should be. First:

I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from him.

This is certainly easier said than done. We want to act to deal with what we perceive as threats, but God wants us to want quietly for Him to act. In this context “wait quietly” does not mean that we do not tell others about our understanding of God. It means to wait calmly for God to reveal our part in His plans. When our enemies are attacking us, we need not panic If we rely on God to be our fortress.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.

The key is focusing all of our being on serving God and calmly waiting for Him to act. Then, when He has acted, let us tell all who will listen what He has done for us.

Daily Bible Study

June 26, 2016 Bible Study — Rally to God’s Banner

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

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Today, I am reading and commenting on Psalms 60-67.

    There is a sort of progression through today’s psalms. It starts with a declaration that God has raised a banner where those who fear Him can rally in the face of attack. The first several psalms today speak of those who love and fear God being in a battle, under attack, under siege. This so reflects the world we live in today. Those who desire to righteously obey God are under attack from all sides. However, these psalms give us direction on how to face these trials. Let us rally to God’s banner and join forces with those others who fear God and are fighting to be faithful. When we are overwhelmed by our troubles, we need to cry out to God in prayer. He will hear us and lead us to safety. He will lead us to His fortress where we can wait quietly before Him. Our victory will come from God, not from our own actions. We need to put our hope and faith in God, not our fellow man.

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    Slightly aside from the thread I am following here, but not completely. Psalm 62 verse 9 gives us an insight into the problem facing the world today. There the psalmist warns us that the common people do not have the power, and are not reliable enough, to be counted on to help us. And the powerful pretend to be able and willing to help, but will pursue what they believe are their own interests at our expense. The only aid in time of trouble which we can count on is that which comes from God.

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    The thread I was following continues with calling on us to search for God, to desire God, to meditate on God, to cling to God. When we do so, He will hold us closely and safely. In response to the way in which God protects and rescues us, to the mighty deeds He has done, let us praise Him. To summarize the path so far:

  • Rally to God’s banner and unite with those who fear Him
  • Cry out to God in prayer and follow Him as He leads us to His fortress
  • Place our hope and faith in God, not our fellow man.
  • Wait for God to act and bring us victory, seeking His will and desiring Him
  • Praise God for what He has done and will do.

Then finally, Let us call on the whole world to come and see what God has done. Let us invite those who were attacking us to join us in sereving and worshiping God.