Are praises just for certain churches or are we all encouraged to sing praises? Do we praise the idols of the world or God? Let’s look at Psalm 81.
For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph. (WEB)
Are tambourines, wind and various stringed instruments appropriate?
Sing praises to God, our strength. Sing to the God of Jacob. Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and the harp. Blow the ram’s horn at new moon, and again at full moon to call a festival! For this is required by the decrees of Israel; it is a regulation of the God of Jacob. He made it a law for Israel when he attacked Egypt to set us free. (Ps 81:1-5a NLT)
As Israel was freed from Egyptian slavery, are we freed from slavery to sin?
I heard a language [voice] that I didn’t know. “I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket. You called in trouble, and I delivered you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah.” Selah. (Ps 81:5b-7 WEB)
What idols from the world do we still worship, money, things, status, inappropriate television, a political party, our country, our culture, or our theological distinctives?
Listen, my people, I’m warning you! If only you would listen to me, Israel. There must be no foreign god among you. You must not bow down to any strange deity. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up from Egypt’s land. Open your mouth wide—I will fill it up! (Ps 81:8-10 CEB)
Are we just like ancient Israel, unteachable and stubborn? In old age are we still the know-it-alls of our youth, or more humble than ever?
But, my people, Israel, you refused to listen, and you would have nothing to do with me! So I let you be stubborn and keep on following your own advice. (Ps 81:11-12 CEV)
What does God promise to those who would listen to Him and walk in His ways?
Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you. (Ps 81:13-16 ESV)
Should we get comfortable around the idols of this world, let money, things, or status rule over us? Should we continue watching inappropriate television, trust a political party, worship a flag, prioritize our culture, take pride in our theological distinctives, or should we flee, shun, run from such idols?
Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. (1 Cor 10:14 HCSB)
Are praises just for certain churches or are we all encouraged to sing praises? Do we praise the idols of the world or God? You decide!
Restore Us (Psalm 80)
Are restoration and revival something that we should be personally pursuing, praying that the whole church will also experience? Let’s begin in Psalm 80.
For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm by Asaph. (WEB)
Have we ever been in need of God’s rescue, salvation from physical danger?
Shepherd of Israel, listen! The one who leads Joseph like a flock, the one enthroned on the cherubim, display your glory. Reveal your power before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, then come to our rescue. God, restore us, show your favor and deliver us. (Ps 80:1-3 ISV)
When we are experiencing hard times, do we remember our sins and God’s anger?
O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure. Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves. Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. (Ps 80:4-7 KJV)
Using a metaphor does Asaph ask why God planted Israel and then let others devour it?
You removed a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and then You planted it. You cleared the ground before it, And it took deep root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shadow, And the cedars of God with its boughs. It sent out its branches to the sea And its shoots to the River. Why have You broken down its hedges, So that all who pass that way pick its fruit? A boar from the forest devours it And whatever moves in the field feeds on it. (Ps 80:8-13 LSB)
Is a prayer for revival of Israel just as relevant for the church today? Do we need to return to the foundation of our faith, the teachings of Jesus, the prophets and the apostles found in holy scripture?
God of armies, do turn back; Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine, The shoot which Your right hand has planted, And of the son whom You have strengthened for Yourself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish from the rebuke of Your face. Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself. Then we will not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name. (Ps 80:14-18 NASB)
Is there a chorus repeated three times in this Psalm?
Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. (Ps 80:19 NIV)
Is complete restoration still something that we must patiently wait for in God’s time? Until then, what should we be supporting?
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:6-8 NKJV)
Are restoration and revival something that we should be personally pursuing, praying that the whole church will also experience? You decide!
For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm by Asaph. (WEB)
Have we ever been in need of God’s rescue, salvation from physical danger?
Shepherd of Israel, listen! The one who leads Joseph like a flock, the one enthroned on the cherubim, display your glory. Reveal your power before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, then come to our rescue. God, restore us, show your favor and deliver us. (Ps 80:1-3 ISV)
When we are experiencing hard times, do we remember our sins and God’s anger?
O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure. Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves. Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. (Ps 80:4-7 KJV)
Using a metaphor does Asaph ask why God planted Israel and then let others devour it?
You removed a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and then You planted it. You cleared the ground before it, And it took deep root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shadow, And the cedars of God with its boughs. It sent out its branches to the sea And its shoots to the River. Why have You broken down its hedges, So that all who pass that way pick its fruit? A boar from the forest devours it And whatever moves in the field feeds on it. (Ps 80:8-13 LSB)
Is a prayer for revival of Israel just as relevant for the church today? Do we need to return to the foundation of our faith, the teachings of Jesus, the prophets and the apostles found in holy scripture?
God of armies, do turn back; Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine, The shoot which Your right hand has planted, And of the son whom You have strengthened for Yourself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish from the rebuke of Your face. Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself. Then we will not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name. (Ps 80:14-18 NASB)
Is there a chorus repeated three times in this Psalm?
Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. (Ps 80:19 NIV)
Is complete restoration still something that we must patiently wait for in God’s time? Until then, what should we be supporting?
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:6-8 NKJV)
Are restoration and revival something that we should be personally pursuing, praying that the whole church will also experience? You decide!
The Nations have Come (Psalm 79)
Should we expect persecution all over the world? How should we deal with it? Let’s begin in Psalm 79.
A Psalm by Asaph. (WEB)
Did the nations come to worship God or murder the saints?
O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled; They have laid Jerusalem in heaps. The dead bodies of Your servants They have given as food for the birds of the heavens, The flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth. Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem, And there was no one to bury them. We have become a reproach to our neighbors, A scorn and derision to those who are around us. (Ps 79:1-4 NKJV)
Do we pray for martyrs in countries where God’s faithful are still murdered? How could anyone have the faith to be killed for their beliefs?
O Lord, how long will you be angry with us? Forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge you—on kingdoms that do not call upon your name. For they have devoured your people Israel, making the land a desolate wilderness. Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors! Let your compassion quickly meet our needs, for we are on the brink of despair. (Ps 79:5-8 NLT)
When hard times come do we turn to God first, asking Him to forgive and preserve us?
Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of your name. Deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake. Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants’ blood is being poured out. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you. According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death. (Ps 79:9-11 WEB)
Do thoughts of vengeance ever enter our hearts? Do we leave vengeance to God?
Pay back our neighbors seven times over, right where it hurts, for the insults they used on you, Lord. We are, after all, your people and the sheep of your very own pasture. We will give you thanks forever; we will proclaim your praises from one generation to the next. (Ps 79:12-13 CEB)
Did Jesus contradict desiring vengeance or simply add how God expects us to treat our enemies?
You know you have been taught, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek. If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well. If a soldier forces you to carry his pack one kilometer, carry it two kilometers. When people ask you for something, give it to them. When they want to borrow money, lend it to them. (Mat 5:38-42 CEV)
Are these lyrics of Asaph’s Psalm in line with Paul’s words about leaving vengeance to God?
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Rom 12:17-19 ESV)
Is a similar request for God’s vengeance found among Christian martyrs?
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the people slaughtered because of God’s word and the testimony they had. They cried out with a loud voice: “Lord, the One who is holy and true, how long until You judge and avenge our blood from those who live on the earth?” So a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer until the number would be completed of their fellow slaves and their brothers, who were going to be killed just as they had been. (Rev 6:9-11 HCSB)
Should we expect persecution all over the world? How should we deal with it? You decide!
Hear My Teaching (Psalm 78)
Why is it important for us to learn from the history of Israel as a nation? Do we all face various temptations? Let’s examine Psalm 78.
A contemplation by Asaph. (WEB)
What happens if we hide the teachings of God from the next generations?
My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their ancestors—a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him. (Ps 78:1-8 NIV)
Was forgetting God’s works a big problem among the northern tribes of Israel, led by Ephraim? Do we still fall into a similar trap?
The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle. They did not keep the covenant of God; They refused to walk in His law, And forgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them. (Ps 78:9-11 NKJV)
What specific miracles of God did the tribes led by Ephraim forget?
the miracles he did for their ancestors on the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt. For he divided the sea and led them through, making the water stand up like walls! In the daytime he led them by a cloud, and all night by a pillar of fire. He split open the rocks in the wilderness to give them water, as from a gushing spring. He made streams pour from the rock, making the waters flow down like a river! (Ps 78:12-16 NLT)
Even after witnessing those miracles did the people rebel against God? Did they speak against God, disbelieve and distrust Him? Do we?
Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert. They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire. Yes, they spoke against God. They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide meat for his people?” Therefore Yahweh heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, anger also went up against Israel, because they didn’t believe in God, and didn’t trust in his salvation. (Ps 78:17-22 WEB)
Despite their grumbling, did God provide bread from heaven, and quail to satisfy their cravings?
God gave orders to the skies above, opened heaven’s doors, and rained manna on them so they could eat. He gave them the very grain of heaven! Each person ate the bread of the powerful ones; God sent provisions to satisfy them. God set the east wind moving across the skies and drove the south wind by his strength. He rained meat on them as if it were dust in the air; he rained as many birds as the sand on the seashore! God brought the birds down in the center of their camp, all around their dwellings. So they ate and were completely satisfied; God gave them exactly what they had craved. But they didn’t stop craving—even with the food still in their mouths! So God’s anger came up against them: he killed the most hearty of them; he cut down Israel’s youth in their prime. (Ps 78:23-31 CEB)
Even though God punished some of them, did the rest keep on sinning? Did some repent temporarily, then lie and turn back to break their promises? Do we?
But the rest kept on sinning and would not trust God's miracles. So he cut their lives short and made them terrified. After he killed some of them, the others turned to him with all their hearts. They remembered God Most High, the mighty rock that kept them safe. But they tried to flatter God, and they told him lies; they were unfaithful and broke their promises. (Ps 78:32-37 CEV)
Did Israel test God again and again, yet was He compassionate remembering that they were but flesh? Do we?
Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again. How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert! They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe, when he performed his signs in Egypt and his marvels in the fields of Zoan. (Ps 78:38-43 ESV)
What punishments did God give to Egypt to favor Israel?
He turned their rivers into blood, and they could not drink from their streams. He sent among them swarms of flies, which fed on them, and frogs, which devastated them. He gave their crops to the caterpillar and the fruit of their labor to the locust. He killed their vines with hail and their sycamore fig trees with a flood. He handed over their livestock to hail and their cattle to lightning bolts. He sent His burning anger against them: fury, indignation, and calamity—a band of deadly messengers. He cleared a path for His anger. He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague. (Ps 78:44-50 HCSB)
How did God punish Israel’s enemies and give them an undeserved inheritance?
He struck every firstborn in Egypt, the first fruits of their manhood in the tents of Ham. Yet he led out his people like sheep, guiding them like a flock in the desert. He led them to safety so they would not fear. As for their enemies, the sea covered them. He brought the people to the border of his holy mountain, which he acquired by his might. He drove out nations before them and allotted their tribal inheritance, settling the tribes of Israel in their tents. (Ps 78:51-55 ISV)
Despite God’s providence, was Israel disobedient, turning to worshipping idols on high places?
Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. (Ps 78:56-58 KJV)
When God was angry with Israel for their disloyalty, how did He punish them?
God heard and was filled with wrath And greatly rejected Israel; So that He abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh, The tent which He caused to dwell among men, And gave up His strength to captivity And His beauty into the hand of the adversary. He also gave over His people to the sword, And was filled with wrath at His inheritance. Fire devoured His choice men, And His virgins had no wedding songs. His priests fell by the sword, And His widows could not weep. (Ps 78:59-64 LSB)
Where did God then choose to put the tabernacle and later temple, and who did He choose to be their king?
Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, Like a warrior overcome by wine. He drove His adversaries backward; He put on them an everlasting disgrace. He also rejected the tent of Joseph, And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved. And He built His sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which He has established forever. He also chose His servant David And took him from the sheepfolds; From the care of the ewes with nursing lambs He brought him To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them with his skillful hands. (Ps 78:65-72 NASB)
Are we warned that we are also capable of sinning just like ancient Israel?
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. (1 Cor 10:11 NIV)
Why is it important for us to learn from the history of Israel as a nation? Do we all face various temptations? You decide!
A contemplation by Asaph. (WEB)
What happens if we hide the teachings of God from the next generations?
My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their ancestors—a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him. (Ps 78:1-8 NIV)
Was forgetting God’s works a big problem among the northern tribes of Israel, led by Ephraim? Do we still fall into a similar trap?
The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle. They did not keep the covenant of God; They refused to walk in His law, And forgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them. (Ps 78:9-11 NKJV)
What specific miracles of God did the tribes led by Ephraim forget?
the miracles he did for their ancestors on the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt. For he divided the sea and led them through, making the water stand up like walls! In the daytime he led them by a cloud, and all night by a pillar of fire. He split open the rocks in the wilderness to give them water, as from a gushing spring. He made streams pour from the rock, making the waters flow down like a river! (Ps 78:12-16 NLT)
Even after witnessing those miracles did the people rebel against God? Did they speak against God, disbelieve and distrust Him? Do we?
Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert. They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire. Yes, they spoke against God. They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide meat for his people?” Therefore Yahweh heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, anger also went up against Israel, because they didn’t believe in God, and didn’t trust in his salvation. (Ps 78:17-22 WEB)
Despite their grumbling, did God provide bread from heaven, and quail to satisfy their cravings?
God gave orders to the skies above, opened heaven’s doors, and rained manna on them so they could eat. He gave them the very grain of heaven! Each person ate the bread of the powerful ones; God sent provisions to satisfy them. God set the east wind moving across the skies and drove the south wind by his strength. He rained meat on them as if it were dust in the air; he rained as many birds as the sand on the seashore! God brought the birds down in the center of their camp, all around their dwellings. So they ate and were completely satisfied; God gave them exactly what they had craved. But they didn’t stop craving—even with the food still in their mouths! So God’s anger came up against them: he killed the most hearty of them; he cut down Israel’s youth in their prime. (Ps 78:23-31 CEB)
Even though God punished some of them, did the rest keep on sinning? Did some repent temporarily, then lie and turn back to break their promises? Do we?
But the rest kept on sinning and would not trust God's miracles. So he cut their lives short and made them terrified. After he killed some of them, the others turned to him with all their hearts. They remembered God Most High, the mighty rock that kept them safe. But they tried to flatter God, and they told him lies; they were unfaithful and broke their promises. (Ps 78:32-37 CEV)
Did Israel test God again and again, yet was He compassionate remembering that they were but flesh? Do we?
Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again. How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert! They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe, when he performed his signs in Egypt and his marvels in the fields of Zoan. (Ps 78:38-43 ESV)
What punishments did God give to Egypt to favor Israel?
He turned their rivers into blood, and they could not drink from their streams. He sent among them swarms of flies, which fed on them, and frogs, which devastated them. He gave their crops to the caterpillar and the fruit of their labor to the locust. He killed their vines with hail and their sycamore fig trees with a flood. He handed over their livestock to hail and their cattle to lightning bolts. He sent His burning anger against them: fury, indignation, and calamity—a band of deadly messengers. He cleared a path for His anger. He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague. (Ps 78:44-50 HCSB)
How did God punish Israel’s enemies and give them an undeserved inheritance?
He struck every firstborn in Egypt, the first fruits of their manhood in the tents of Ham. Yet he led out his people like sheep, guiding them like a flock in the desert. He led them to safety so they would not fear. As for their enemies, the sea covered them. He brought the people to the border of his holy mountain, which he acquired by his might. He drove out nations before them and allotted their tribal inheritance, settling the tribes of Israel in their tents. (Ps 78:51-55 ISV)
Despite God’s providence, was Israel disobedient, turning to worshipping idols on high places?
Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. (Ps 78:56-58 KJV)
When God was angry with Israel for their disloyalty, how did He punish them?
God heard and was filled with wrath And greatly rejected Israel; So that He abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh, The tent which He caused to dwell among men, And gave up His strength to captivity And His beauty into the hand of the adversary. He also gave over His people to the sword, And was filled with wrath at His inheritance. Fire devoured His choice men, And His virgins had no wedding songs. His priests fell by the sword, And His widows could not weep. (Ps 78:59-64 LSB)
Where did God then choose to put the tabernacle and later temple, and who did He choose to be their king?
Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, Like a warrior overcome by wine. He drove His adversaries backward; He put on them an everlasting disgrace. He also rejected the tent of Joseph, And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved. And He built His sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which He has established forever. He also chose His servant David And took him from the sheepfolds; From the care of the ewes with nursing lambs He brought him To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them with his skillful hands. (Ps 78:65-72 NASB)
Are we warned that we are also capable of sinning just like ancient Israel?
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. (1 Cor 10:11 NIV)
Why is it important for us to learn from the history of Israel as a nation? Do we all face various temptations? You decide!
I Pray to You (Psalm 77)
When we are in trouble, do we look back on God’s history with Israel and learn to trust His care? Let’s look at Psalm 77.
For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm by Asaph. (WEB)
What kind of prayers do we make to God when our days are filled with trouble?
I pray to you, Lord God, and I beg you to listen. In days filled with trouble, I search for you. And at night I tirelessly lift my hands in prayer, refusing comfort. When I think of you, I feel restless and weak. (Ps 77:1-3 CEV)
Have we ever been in so much trouble that we could not speak? Have we ever asked if God has cut us out of His eternal plan?
You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old, the years long ago. I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah (Ps 77:4-9 ESV)
Do we begin to doubt God’s basic unchangeable character when we go through troubles?
So I say, “I am grieved that the right hand of the Most High has changed.” I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember Your ancient wonders. I will reflect on all You have done and meditate on Your actions. (Ps 77:10-12 HCSB)
Do we look back on history and conclude that God’s way is holy, that He delivered His people?
God, your way is holy. What god is like our great God? God, you are the one performing awesome deeds. You reveal your might among the nations. You delivered your people—the descendants of Jacob and Joseph—with your power. Interlude (Ps 77:13-15 ISV)
Did the waters of the Exodus part, and the thunder and lightning make earth tremble?
The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. (Ps 77:16-18 KJV)
Was God’s way with Israel in the Exodus, to use Moses and Aaron to lead His people like a sheep flock?
Your way was in the sea And Your paths in the mighty waters, But Your footprints were not known. You led Your people like a flock By the hand of Moses and Aaron. (Ps 77:19-20 LSB)
As Israel escaped slavery in Egypt does our baptism picture our escape from slavery to a world of sin?
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and they all passed through the sea; and they all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea (1 Cor 10:1-2 NASB)
When we are in trouble, do we look back on God’s history with Israel and learn to trust His care? You decide!
For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm by Asaph. (WEB)
What kind of prayers do we make to God when our days are filled with trouble?
I pray to you, Lord God, and I beg you to listen. In days filled with trouble, I search for you. And at night I tirelessly lift my hands in prayer, refusing comfort. When I think of you, I feel restless and weak. (Ps 77:1-3 CEV)
Have we ever been in so much trouble that we could not speak? Have we ever asked if God has cut us out of His eternal plan?
You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old, the years long ago. I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah (Ps 77:4-9 ESV)
Do we begin to doubt God’s basic unchangeable character when we go through troubles?
So I say, “I am grieved that the right hand of the Most High has changed.” I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember Your ancient wonders. I will reflect on all You have done and meditate on Your actions. (Ps 77:10-12 HCSB)
Do we look back on history and conclude that God’s way is holy, that He delivered His people?
God, your way is holy. What god is like our great God? God, you are the one performing awesome deeds. You reveal your might among the nations. You delivered your people—the descendants of Jacob and Joseph—with your power. Interlude (Ps 77:13-15 ISV)
Did the waters of the Exodus part, and the thunder and lightning make earth tremble?
The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. (Ps 77:16-18 KJV)
Was God’s way with Israel in the Exodus, to use Moses and Aaron to lead His people like a sheep flock?
Your way was in the sea And Your paths in the mighty waters, But Your footprints were not known. You led Your people like a flock By the hand of Moses and Aaron. (Ps 77:19-20 LSB)
As Israel escaped slavery in Egypt does our baptism picture our escape from slavery to a world of sin?
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and they all passed through the sea; and they all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea (1 Cor 10:1-2 NASB)
When we are in trouble, do we look back on God’s history with Israel and learn to trust His care? You decide!
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