AM July 4th Romans 8

July 4^th Everything works for good

18: For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19: For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20: For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21: Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22: For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23: And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24: For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25: But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 26: Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27: And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30: Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Eternally united to Christ

31: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34: Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36: As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39: Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Previously Paul said… if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Here he continues with the same theme. He says l reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us. That’s very difficult to see when we are going through suffering but when we get the glory all the troubles and persecution with fade into distant memory. Even the creatures (animals, dogs, cats, cattle etc) are waiting for the glorification of us as Children of God. The animals have a pretty empty life but one day they too will become delivered from the bondage of corruption and be set free in the glorious kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. The whole world groans and agonises in pain right up to today. And we also groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption – that is the translation of our mortal bodies to glory. We are saved, to the hope of resurrection and that is future. If it were not future then it would not be a hope. But we hope in God a wait patiently for our resurrection to glory. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses and he intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be put into words. And we know that all things (Good and bad) work together for our good, to those who love God and to those called by God for a purpose. Those that he knew beforehand he also preordained to be conformed to the image of his Son and who he preordained us to service, he also called and who he called, he also declared righteous and who he declared righteous, he also will glorify. If God is for us then who can stand against us? And if God did not spare his Son but delivered to death at the hands of evil men for us, then will he not freely give us everything. So who is going to now lay a charge of sin against those that Christ has chosen? God has declared them righteous - so who is he that can condemn us? The only person who could possibly condemn believers is Christ, but he is the one that died for us and has risen from the dead and is right even now, at this minute, at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. So there is no one that can condemn the sinner that is declared by God forgiven. And who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (even death itself) We are like sheep for the slaughter - we are killed all the day long. No, not even death can separate us from the love of Christ. In all these things we are more than victorious through Christ who loves us. Paul says, l am convinced that neither death or life, nor supernatural beings, nor human authorities, nor anything present, nor anything to come, nor height or depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us who are saved from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. A christians salvation is completely secure.

• How does Paul contrast our present sufferings with the glory that we will come into?
• What is the world waiting for?
• What is preordination about?
• What is the one thing that Paul does not even raise as a reason why a christian might be separated from the Love of Christ?

PM July 3rd Psa 21

July 3^rd Psalm 21

A Psalm of David

Praise for Victory

1: The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! 2: Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah. 3: For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. 4: He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. 5: His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. 6: For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. 7: For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved. 8: Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. 9: Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. 10: Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men. 11: For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform. 12: Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them. 13: Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.

To the chief musician upon Aijeleth Shahar,

Psalm 22

A Psalm of David

Anguish and Praise

1: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2: O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. 3: But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4: Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 5: They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. 6: But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7: All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying, 8: He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 9: But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. 10: I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. 11: Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. 12: Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13: They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. 14: I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. 15: My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16: For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 17: I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18: They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. 19: But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. 20: Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. 21: Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. 22: I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. 23: Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. 24: For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. 25: My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. 26: The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. 27: All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28: For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations. 29: All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. 30: A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31: They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Today we come to two more Psalms of David, 21 & 22. The first Psalm No 21 speaks of the joy of living in the presence of the Lords blessing. He says you have given me all that l could possibly wish for. And therefore he will rejoice in the salvation of the Lord. He says you have encouraged me with all your blessings of goodness. He asked that you would spare his life and you gave him a long life. You have blessed him for ever and made his exceedingly happy. My enemies you will completely destroy. Even their children will be totally destroyed, because they seek revenge against me. The next Psalm No 22 is a Messianic Psalm, because although it records the feelings of distress of David yet it also points forward to the feelings and experiences of the Messiah – Christ. He begins with the words that Christ uttered on the cross, My God my God why have you forsaken me? He adds why are you so far away from helping me? I cry to you in the day and in the night. He reminds the LORD that he is holy and that he is the object of Israel’s worship. He says our fathers trusted in you and you delivered them. They called and you answered. But who am l? I am like a worm and not a man. I am despised of all the people. They laugh at me. They say he trusted in God so let’s watch to see if he will deliver him. But you took me out of the womb and you gave me hope when l fed me on my mother. I belonged to you from my mother’s belly. So therefore do not be far from me because trouble is near and l can turn to no one else. They surround me like a herd of wild bulls. They snarl at me like hungry lions. And l am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint and my mind is melted like wax by a fire. My strength is dried up like a clay pot and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have humbled me into the dust of the grave. The wild dogs surround me and the congregation of the wicked enclose me around. (This is where David describes something of the crucifixion of Christ) He says they pierce my hands and my feet and l can see all my bones. They look and stare at me. They divide my garments and for my tunic, they throw dice for it. Do not be far away from me. O LORD my strength. Come quickly to help me. Deliver my soul. Save me from the lion’s mouth. If you save me then l will tell my brethren of your name. And in the middle of the congregation l will praise you. Then David calls on the righteous to praise the name of the Lord and to fear him, because he is a God that does not despise the suffering of the afflicted. Nor will he hide his face and when he cries to the Lord the Lord will hear him. David knew his God very well. David says I will praise you in the great congregation of Israel. I will pay my vows in front of those who fear the Lord. The meek will eat and be satisfied and they will praise the LORD those of you that seek him. And your heart will live forever. Then we have a prophetic part in which David looks far into the kingdom, he says, all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD and all peoples of all the nations shall worship before you. In that day the kingdom will belong to the LORD and he will be the governor of all the nations. All the people of the earth will be fat from the blessing of the Lord and they will eat and worship the Lord. And all those that die in that day will die in submission to the Lord none of them will be able to prevent themselves from coming under the judgment of the Lord. A whole generation of men will serve the Lord. They will come to see the Messiah and declare the righteousness of the Lord to those that are their children.

• In Psa 20 what does David ask for?
• Where is Psa 24 quoted in the NT?
• Describe Davids distress?

AM July 3rd Romans 8

July 3^rd Romans 8 (Security)

In Christ we walk in the Spirit

1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3: For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6: For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8: So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10: And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11: But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12: Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13: For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15: For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

So far Paul has established that those that have put their faith in Christ are declared righteous before God. Now because of this they are now unable to come into condemnation. God will never condemn the Christian for sin because he is the one who has declared him righteous. Paul continues his point, that the Law of Moses which brought the realisation of sin and separation from God is something that the Christ finds he is free from. The law was unable to help us because of the weakness of our flesh. Now God sending his Son in the flesh and as a sacrifice for sin condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not live after the flesh but who live in the empowerment of the Spirit. Here Paul contrasts two sorts of Christian those who live according to the flesh and those who live according to the Spirit. He says that those who live after the flesh have their minds set on fleshly things but those who live after the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Paul is not talking about salvation here, that has been dealt with in Chapters 4-5. Here he is talking about Christians who live either for the flesh or in the power of the Spirit. To live a carnal life is to have no practical daily fellowship with God but to be spiritually minded in life and peace. The life of the flesh is a life contrary to God. And it is not subject to the will of God and this life is not pleasing to God. Paul says you Roman Christian are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, because the Spirit of God dwells in you. And if a man does not have the Holy Spirit then he is not a christian. The Spirit of God is the one who gives power to live the Christian life. It is the same power that enabled Christ to rise from the dead. Therefore we are to live not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. If we as Christians live after the flesh then we loose fellowship with God but if we live empowered by the Spirit of God then we put to death the deeds of the body. Those who live like this are led by the Spirit – they are Sons of God. Paul says, you Roman Christians have not been placed under the spirit of law again to bring you into fear of God, but you have received the Spirit of adoption and in that Sprit we cry – Father. The Holy Spirit also bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. We are heirs of God and Joint-heirs with Christ. And if we suffer with him we will also be glorified with him.

• What does it mean to be justified?
• What is the difference between living carnally and living in the Spirit?
• How can we know that we are saved?

PM July 2nd Psa 19

July 2^nd Psalm 19

A Psalm of David

God’s creation

1: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2: Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3: There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4: Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5: Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6: His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. 7: The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8: The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9: The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10: More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11: Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. 12: Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13: Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

To the chief musician,

Psalm 20

A Psalm of David

A Prayer for Victory

1: The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; 2: Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; : Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. 4: Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfill all thy counsel. 5: We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfill all thy petitions. 6: Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. 7: Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. 8: They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. 9: Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.

To the chief musician,

Today we are reading the 19^th and 20^th Psalm. Both of them are Psalms of David. The first Psalm speaks of the works of the Lord. They are his created handwork, his law, his testimonies, his commandments, his judgments and his statues. David shows that the LORD reveals himself through six things and the effect on those who see them is the fear the Lord. Of the first act of God he says that the universe speaks very eloquently to men. They speak of the glory of the Lord and by day and by night the sun moon and stars speak of his power as creator. Then he speaks of the law of the Lord. In this verse he is speaking of the Mosaic Law which brings a transformation into the daily lives of men. The testimonies of the Lord seem to be the monuments that the Lord has ordained to Israel. Through their living presence Israel could look and remember former days and ancient lessons. The twelve stones taken out of the Jordan were a living testimony to Israel of the Lords mighty power. Even the simple cannot miss their significance. The statues of the Law are those aspects of the Law that are established as bench marks of righteousness. These are a right standard and they bring joy to those who are upright. The commandments of the Lord are those things which the Lord has specifically demanded of Israel under the Law. They are absolutely pure they bring clarity of vision. All of these things operate on the outer men bringing him under the fear of the Lord. The judgments of the Lord are those decisions made by a judge of Israel and these things are true and righteous. So all these instruments of the Lord were given to Israel to enable them to fear the Lord. These judgments were very precious, more precious than fine gold and sweeter than honey. But these means the servant of the LORD is warned and when he keeps them there is a great reward. (This of course has nothing to do with The grace of God or Christians today) David pleads with the Lord to keep him from sins even secret sins. Only if the Lord can keep him from sin will he be upright. And he closes saying may my words and thoughts be acceptable in the sight of the Lord. How very different is this to the way in which the Christian enters into blessing and lives before God. He does not seek to live according to the Mosaic Law nor does he hope to please God to obtain Gods blessing. Rather he confesses his complete unworthiness and casts himself on the grace of God and is given the very righteousness of Christ. In Psalm 20 David prays that the Lord will protect him in the day of trouble and take notice of the sacrifices that he offers. May the will of God be done in my life and the nation and then we will rejoice in the salvation of the Lord who always delivers Israel in battle. Some people put their trust in tanks and armourer personnel carriers but we will trust in the name of the LORD. They will fall in the day of battle but we will win the day. Save us O LORD may the king hear us when we call on him.

• How do men outside of Israel get to know God in Psa 19?
• What about those in Israel?
• What is the salvation that David speaks of in Psa 20?

AM July 2nd Romans 7

July 2^nd Romans 7 Freedom from the Law

1: Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? 2: For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3: So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. 4: Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5: For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6: But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. 7: What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8: But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 9: For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10: And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11: For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12: Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13: Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Freedom from the power of sin

14: For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15: For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16: If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17: Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18: For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19: For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20: Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21: I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22: For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24: O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25: I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Paul goes on to explain the freedom that a Christian finds from the Mosaic Law. He says that the Law can only act on those who are alive. It’s like a woman who is bound by law to her husband while he lives but if he dies she is free from the obligations of the law to her husband. Now if she married another man while he lived, she would be called an adulterer, but if her first husband dies she is free to marry a second husband. So says Paul you have died in Christ to the Mosaic Law so that you might be married to Christ. The Mosaic Law brought forth death to the Jews who lived under it but now believers are delivered from the Mosaic Law, because they are dead in Christ and raised up to a new life in Christ. So was there anything wrong with the Mosaic Law? No. The law was holy, just and good. And if it had not been for the law men would not have known objectively what sin was. But when the Law said, you shall not covet, so sin became clear for all to see. Before the Law was revealed everyone thought that they were ok, but when the Law came men realised they were sinners and knew that they were dead to God. The Mosaic Law which was supposed to give life became actually the means of rendering a man separated from God. It was not the Law itself that separated me from God but sin that l committed. The Mosaic Law was spiritual but l was in the flesh and a slave to sin. I find that the good things that l want to do l cannot do and the evil things that l hate, l can’t stop doing them. In my mind l want to do well but the flesh in me is completely bad and l am unable to do the good that l want to do. Paul says, l find an overwhelming power is continually present in me so that the good l want to do l just can’t do. Paul is describing his life as a Christian here and he says, l find that there is an all out war in my body which is completely opposed to the law of my mind. And most of the time the flesh brings my mind into captivity. What am l going to do, says Paul, what a wretched man l am who can deliver me from the flesh with brings me into sin? And then he answers his own question… I thank God that victory is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. So in the spirit, l serve the leading of God, but in my flesh, l serve the controlling power of sin. In this passage Paul has graphically described the war between the flesh and the Spirit in the christians life, between the old nature and the new nature.

• How long does the Law of God apply to a person?
• What was one of the incidental realisations of trying to live under the Law of Moses?
• How can the christian find victory over the flesh nature?  

PM July 1st Psalm 17

July 1^st Psalm 17

A Prayer of David

An innocents man's prayer

1: Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. 2: Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. 3: Thou has proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou has tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4: Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. 5: Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. 6: I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. 7: Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. 8: Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9: From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about. 10: They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly. 11: They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; 12: Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. 13: Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: 14: From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. 15: As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

To the chief musician

Psalm 18

A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. And he said…

A Song of Victory

1: I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. 2: The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3: I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 4: The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5: The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. 6: In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 7: Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. 8: There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 9: He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. 10: And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. 11: He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. 12: At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. 13: The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. 14: Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. 15: Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. 16: He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. 17: He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. 18: They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. 19: He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. 20: The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 21: For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 22: For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. 23: I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. 24: Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. 25: With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; 26: With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. 27: For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. 28: For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. 29: For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. 30: As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. 31: For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? 32: It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. 33: He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. 34: He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. 35: Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. 36: Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. 37: I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. 38: I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. 39: For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. 40: Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. 41: They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. 42: Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. 43: Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. 44: As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. 45: The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. 46: The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. 47: It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. 48: He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. 49: Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. 50: Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

To the chief musician,

Today we are reading two larger Psalms 17 and 18 both of which were written by David. The second Psalm was written by David in the day when the Lord delivered him from all his enemies and Saul. In Psalm 17 he asks that the Lord will hear his righteous prayer. He says hear me because you have tried me and found me to be upright before you. I am determined not to sin with my mouth. Please do not let me slip. Hold me up. I know that you will hear my prayer. Show me your loving kindness. You save those who trust in you. Keep me safe like a choice apple. Hide me under your wing like a chick. Hide me from my deadly enemies who surround me. They are full of their own importance and full of boasting. They crouch like a lion about to spring and like a young lion lurking in the long grass. Arise O Lord and frustrate them, throw them out and save my soul from the wicked who come against me with arms. They are men of the world and they have their place in this life, filling themselves with the fruit of the field. They have lots of children and leave all their wealth to their offspring. But as for me l will see your face in righteousness and l will be satisfied when l awake in your likeness. It seems that David is contrasting the future of his enemies and of himself. He says of them that they eat, drink, have children and die, leaving all their wealth behind. And l will die too. But after that l will be raised from the dead to see the glory of the Lord face to face and to live in resurrection like him. In Psalm 18 David composes this song after his deliverance from all those who sought his life. It is the most beautiful Psalm. He begins, l will love you O LORD my strength. He says to the Lord you are my rock (a place of shelter from the heat) my fortress (a place of defence against my enemies) My deliverer (a Saviour in the midst of battle) My God (the object of my devotion) My strength (the life force of by moments) in you l will trust. You are my buckler (a small shield used to defect blows from the enemy) the horn of my salvation (the rallying call of those who will come to my aid) my high tower (the place where the enemy just cannot reach me.) So says David l will call on the Lord and he will save me from my enemies. The sorrows of death surround me and a flood of ungodly men overwhelms me to make me fearful. The fear of the grave surrounds me and the death snares make me stand still. In my distress l called on the LORD and he heard my voice and it came right up to his ears. Then he answered me in an earthquake. The mountains shook at his anger. He brought smoke, fire and atmospheric conditions to protect me. He rode an angel and the wind to my aid. And so David goes on and on in the most beautiful poetic phrases. He made darkness his secret place etc etc. He rained hail and brimstone on my enemies. He thundered in the sky. He filled the sky with lightening bolts to frighten them. Then the waters broke over them in torrential rain and floods but you delivered me from the waters. The Lord delivered me from my enemies that were too strong for me. They attacked me in the day of my distresses but the Lord supported me. He brought me out of the narrow place into a wide place of safety because he delighted in me. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness. (This shows the character of David’s relation to the Lord under law. His relationship was a reward based on his faithfulness whereas our relationship is Grace not Law. And we receive salvation and live in fellowship on the basis of his righteousness. David’s blessing was a reward but ours is a gift.) David says because l have kept my hands clean he has paid me back. (This is pure law and nothing to do with Grace). David says l have kept the law and not forsaken the Lord. I kept all the law (and this was the basis of his spiritual life). He says the Lord has paid me back for all my righteous living (There is no Grace here!) David explains what it is like to live under law. He says the Lord is merciful to the merciful. He is upright to the upright. He is pure toward the pure but to the arrogant he is arrogant. The Lord will light my candle in the darkness. For you l have run through the enemy troops and for God l have leaped over the wall to face the enemy. The path of the Lord is perfect and his word is proven to be true. He is the shield carrier of all those who trust in him. Who is God but the LORD? Who is a rock but our God? God makes me strong and leads my path. He makes me to run like a swift deer and sets me on high crags. He teaches me to fight so that indestructible weapons set against me are shattered. You have protected me by your deliverance and you right hand supports me. You have made me great by your gentleness. You have made me surefooted so that l don’t slip. You have made me to chase and completely overcome my enemies. They are wounded and will not rise up from the field of battle. They fall at my feet. You have strengthened me for the battle. And you have subdued all those who rose up against me. Those that hate me are totally destroyed. They called for help but no-one came to rescue them. Even the Lord did not help them. I totally destroyed them grinding them into the dust. You have made me king of even the gentiles who did not know me. The LORD liveth and he will be blessed because he is my rock and my salvation. God avenges me and conquers all my enemies. You have delivered me from the murderer. Therefore l will give thanks to you O Lord even among the heathen and there I will sing praises to your name. He has given to me a great deliverance and showed mercy to his anointed King David and to his offspring forever. This Psalm also has a prophetic note in which David’s persecution and rejection and eventual victory over all his enemies is like a parable of Christ and his rejection and victory over all his enemies.

• What was the secret to Davids righteousness in Psa 17?
• What is David's ultimate hope?
• How does David describe the Lord in Psa 18?

AM July 1st Romans 6

July 1^st Slaves to Christ

15: What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16: Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17: But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18: Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19: I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20: For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21: What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22: But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul again reiterates the question at the beginning of the chapter. Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under Grace? And again he says, God forbid. Paul says don’t you know that when we yield ourselves to do sin we become the servant to sin. However l thank God that you were once a servant of sin but now you have obeyed God from the heart the teaching that you received from the Lord. So having been set free from sin you have become slaves to righteousness. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

• What does it mean to you to be set free from sin?
• What does it mean to be a servant of righteousness?
• Why does Paul call eternal life a gift?