And now, Lord, what wait I for?

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(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

Psalm 39:7–13, “And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it. Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.”

David longed to be in control of his own destiny but what could he do or say? He believed that the Lord is Sovereign and he trusted the Lord to care for him. He asked the Lord to deliver him from his sin so that the wicked wouldn’t mock him. David asked the Lord to deliver him from the testing times because he was feeling devastated and exhausted. He begged the Lord to hear his cry because he felt that God was treating him like a stranger. He asked the Lord to give him time to rest and recover from the hard times that he was facing.

I said, I will take heed to my ways

http://youtu.be/NK8VWcw8BOM “The Science is in!”

Would you like to read James McNaught’s novel Sinking Sand”? click here: Sinking Sand

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(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

Psalm 39:1–6, “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue, LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.”

David was troubled and anxious but he was struggling to be careful in what he did. He had advised others not to sin by talking to or about other people. He didn’t make any comments even though he longed to speak and let everyone know what he was thinking. Eventually, he couldn’t keep quiet any longer and he called on the Lord to let him know how long these troubled times would last. Would he ever come to the end of them or would he die? Compared to God, every man lives for just a moment of time. Everyone who thinks that they can make a real reputation in the heavens is just fooling himself. God’s creation continues from day to day without being affected by the efforts of mankind. The stars continue to shine, the rain continues to fall and sun continues to give light. Even the richest man in the world has no real say in what happens to his wealth and his reputation after he dies.

They also that seek after my life lay snares for me

http://youtu.be/NK8VWcw8BOM “The Science is in!”

Would you like to read James McNaught’s novel Sinking Sand”? click here: Sinking Sand

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(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

Psalm 38:12–22, “They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is. Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.”

Not only was David troubled by his own sin, his enemies were taking every opportunity to attack him and destroy him. He didn’t understand that the Lord was working to bring back to the place of confession and repentance. He didn’t hear the Lord’s message and continued in his troubled state. He longed for the Lord to help him and deliver him. Then he realised that he needed to acknowledge the fact that he was responsible for his own sin and confess this fact to the Lord. However, he was still troubled by his enemies and long to rejoice in the peace of God in his heart.

O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath

http://youtu.be/NK8VWcw8BOM “The Science is in!”

Would you like to read James McNaught’s novel Sinking Sand”? click here: Sinking Sand

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(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

Psalm 38:1–11, “O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.”

David was full of repentance when he composed this Psalm, inspired by God. He felt that he had sinned against the Holy God and was deeply grieved by his sin. He was troubled day and night because he hadn’t made the effort to deal with his sin and bring it to the Lord. A person who believes in the Lord but tries to live with unconfessed sin will have no peace at all.

Wait on the LORD

http://youtu.be/NK8VWcw8BOM “The Science is in!”

Would you like to read James McNaught’s novel Sinking Sand”? click here: Sinking Sand

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(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

Psalm 37:34–40, “Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.”

There is time and there is eternity. The righteous trust in the Lord and He will keep them for both time and eternity to His glory. The wicked don’t care about eternity and work hard to make the most of now. They look after themselves but they ignore the truth of eternity. It is better to trust the Lord for He cares both in time and eternity. If we trust the Lord He will keep us now and He will keep us for all eternity

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again

http://youtu.be/NK8VWcw8BOM “The Science is in!”

Would you like to read James McNaught’s novel Sinking Sand”? click here: Sinking Sand

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http://twitter.com/#!/jamesmcnaught 

(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

Psalm 37:21–33, “The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.”

Wicked people are happy to take advantage of others because they think that they can get an advantage for themselves. They don’t really care for other people but only for themselves. On the other hand, the righteous is willing to help other people and trust the Lord to look after his interests. The Lord leads the good person along a way that will lead to long term benefits and contentment. A righteous man may never be rich and famous but he will always be at peace with God and enjoy the peace of God in his heart and mind. A righteous person fills his mind with the Lord’g goodness and rests on the truth.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him

http://youtu.be/NK8VWcw8BOM “The Science is in!”

Would you like to read James McNaught’s novel Sinking Sand”? click here: Sinking Sand

http://www.booksthataregood.com/Reference_Books.php

http://twitter.com/#!/jamesmcnaught 

(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

Psalm 37:7–20, “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous. The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.”

Earlier in the Psalm David encouraged the reader not to fret or worry because evil people seem to do so well while good people seem to suffer so much. Instead of fretting we can rest in the Lord, that is, believe that the Lord knows what He is doing and trust Him for His goodness. Don't get angry about something that is beyond your power to control, after God is Sovereign and actually knows the future. Unless the wicked choose to believe in the Lord, they will never know the peace of God and they will never be able to rest in His goodness. A righteous man, who is content because he trusts in the Lord and knows that the Lord is good, is far richer than a rich man who is not satisfied with all his wealth. They will come to a sad and certain end while the people who rest in the Lord will do so forever.