How important is it to surround ourselves with faithful, honest people? Let’s look at Psalm 101.
A Psalm by David. (WEB)
Do we sing and celebrate God’s justice? Are we honest and fair?
I will sing to you, Lord! I will celebrate your kindness and your justice. Please help me learn to do the right thing, and I will be honest and fair in my own kingdom. (Ps 101:1-2 CEV)
How dedicated are we in seeking Godly values in life?
I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil. (Ps 101:3-4 ESV)
Do we tolerate slander, gossip, haughtiness and arrogance or do we honor the humble?
I will destroy anyone who secretly slanders his neighbor; I cannot tolerate anyone with haughty eyes or an arrogant heart. (Ps 101:5 HCSB)
Do we surround ourselves with those who are faithful and honest?
My eyes are looking at the faithful of the land, so they may live with me; The one who lives a life of integrity will serve me. (Ps 101:6 ISV)
Do we make sure that deceitful liars do not have a place in our government or business?
He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. (Ps 101:7 KJV)
Is it important to have a process of continuously weeding out evil workers from our government or business?
Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, To cut off from the city of Yahweh all the workers of iniquity. (Ps 101:8 LSB)
Should the overseers of the church also be above reproach?
It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching, not overindulging in wine, not a bully, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil. (1 Tim 3:1-7 NASB)
How important is it to surround ourselves with faithful, honest people? You decide!
A Joyful Shout (Psalm 100)
Are we to become one joyful new nation in Christ Jesus? Let’s begin in Psalm 100.
A Psalm of thanksgiving. (WEB)
Once more are we reminded that it’s acceptable to shout to the Lord? Would we ever think to sing as we enter our churches each week, even if just in our minds?
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. (Ps 100:1-3 NKJV)
As we enter our churches each week, have we ever thought of giving thanks to God?
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. (Ps 100:4-5 NLT)
Will people from all nations eventually cry with a loud voice in the assembly?
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. They cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev 7:9-10 WEB)
Have these diverse people become one holy nation in Christ Jesus?
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light. (1 Pet 2:9 CEB)
Are we to become one joyful new nation in Christ Jesus? You decide!
A Psalm of thanksgiving. (WEB)
Once more are we reminded that it’s acceptable to shout to the Lord? Would we ever think to sing as we enter our churches each week, even if just in our minds?
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. (Ps 100:1-3 NKJV)
As we enter our churches each week, have we ever thought of giving thanks to God?
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. (Ps 100:4-5 NLT)
Will people from all nations eventually cry with a loud voice in the assembly?
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. They cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev 7:9-10 WEB)
Have these diverse people become one holy nation in Christ Jesus?
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light. (1 Pet 2:9 CEB)
Are we to become one joyful new nation in Christ Jesus? You decide!
Exalt Yahweh (Psalm 99)
Does God need our flattery, or is praise to God simply a statement of reality that aligns us to Him and benefits us more than God? Let’s look at Psalm 99.
No matter what happens here on earth, who reigns and is exalted above all?
The Lord reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He is enthroned above the cherubim. Let the earth quake. Yahweh is great in Zion; He is exalted above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awe-inspiring name. He is holy. (Ps 99:1-3 HCSB)
Does God love fairness? Does prophecy point to God’s eventual justice in His time?
A mighty king who loves justice, you have established fairness. You have exercised justice and righteousness over Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God; worship and bow down at his footstool; He is holy! (Ps 99:4-5 ISV)
Though God punished the patriarchs of old for their sins, did He also forgive them?
Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them. Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. (Ps 99:6-8 KJV)
Who is like our God, “Yahweh” in Hebrew, or “the Lord” in many English translations?
Exalt Yahweh our God And worship at His holy mountain, For holy is Yahweh our God. (Ps 99:9 LSB)
Do the angels in heaven also testify to God’s holiness?
And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” (Rev 4:8 NASB)
What are the implications of God’s holiness for us?
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Pet 1:15-16 NIV)
Does God need our flattery, or is praise to God simply a statement of reality that aligns us to Him and benefits us more than God? You decide!
No matter what happens here on earth, who reigns and is exalted above all?
The Lord reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He is enthroned above the cherubim. Let the earth quake. Yahweh is great in Zion; He is exalted above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awe-inspiring name. He is holy. (Ps 99:1-3 HCSB)
Does God love fairness? Does prophecy point to God’s eventual justice in His time?
A mighty king who loves justice, you have established fairness. You have exercised justice and righteousness over Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God; worship and bow down at his footstool; He is holy! (Ps 99:4-5 ISV)
Though God punished the patriarchs of old for their sins, did He also forgive them?
Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them. Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. (Ps 99:6-8 KJV)
Who is like our God, “Yahweh” in Hebrew, or “the Lord” in many English translations?
Exalt Yahweh our God And worship at His holy mountain, For holy is Yahweh our God. (Ps 99:9 LSB)
Do the angels in heaven also testify to God’s holiness?
And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” (Rev 4:8 NASB)
What are the implications of God’s holiness for us?
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Pet 1:15-16 NIV)
Does God need our flattery, or is praise to God simply a statement of reality that aligns us to Him and benefits us more than God? You decide!
Shout & Sing (Psalm 98)
Do we and all creation sing and shout for joy to the Lord? Let’s look at Psalm 98.
A Psalm. (WEB)
Are we encouraged to sing a new song, or stick with only the old ones?
Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. (Ps 98:1-3 NKJV)
Does God encourage us to shout praises and sing for joy? Is that just for Pentecostals?
Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King! (Ps 98:4-6 NLT)
Does everything figuratively roar, clap, and sing for joy as God’s creation?
Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein. Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together. Let them sing before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. (Ps 98:7-9 WEB)
After eating the bread and wine, what did Jesus and the disciples do?
After singing songs of praise, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Mark 14:26 CEB)
Imprisoned for their faith, what did Paul and Silas do?
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, while the other prisoners listened.(Acts 16:25 CEV)
Should we just sing Psalms or are other genres of music also encouraged?
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col 3:16 ESV)
Do we and all creation sing and shout for joy to the Lord? You decide!
A Psalm. (WEB)
Are we encouraged to sing a new song, or stick with only the old ones?
Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. (Ps 98:1-3 NKJV)
Does God encourage us to shout praises and sing for joy? Is that just for Pentecostals?
Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King! (Ps 98:4-6 NLT)
Does everything figuratively roar, clap, and sing for joy as God’s creation?
Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein. Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together. Let them sing before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. (Ps 98:7-9 WEB)
After eating the bread and wine, what did Jesus and the disciples do?
After singing songs of praise, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Mark 14:26 CEB)
Imprisoned for their faith, what did Paul and Silas do?
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, while the other prisoners listened.(Acts 16:25 CEV)
Should we just sing Psalms or are other genres of music also encouraged?
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col 3:16 ESV)
Do we and all creation sing and shout for joy to the Lord? You decide!
The Lord Reigns (Psalm 97)
Is the existence of God self-evident in the design of nature, its complex functionality, the obvious foresight and order? Let’s review Psalm 97.
Does God reign or is the earth a total accident, no planning, no DNA coded, no ecosystem, no design? When Jesus returns and God rules the earth will people feel oppressed or rejoice with gladness?
The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coasts and islands be glad. (Ps 97:1 HCSB)
Does a simple storm remind us that a cloud covered Mount Sinai, that a cloud filled the tabernacle, that the mountains would melt simply at God’s presence?
Thick clouds are all around him; righteousness and justice are his throne’s foundation. Fire goes out from his presence to consume his enemies on every side. His lightning bolts light the world; the earth sees and shakes. Mountains melt like wax in the Lord’s presence—In the presence of the Lord of all the earth. (Ps 97:2-5 ISV)
Does the mere existence of the heavens declare God’s righteousness? Do we see it?
The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory. (Ps 97:6 KJV)
Are idols anything to be proud of? Do statues carry any power like God?
Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images, Who boast of idols; Worship Him, all you gods! Zion heard this and was glad, And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced Because of Your judgments, O Yahweh. For You are Yahweh Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. (Ps 97:7-9 LSB)
Do we truly hate evil, not evil doers? Do we trust God to save us from the wicked?
Hate evil, you who love the Lord, Who watches over the souls of His godly ones; He saves them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown like seed for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart. Be joyful in the Lord, you righteous ones, And praise the mention of His holy name. (Ps 97:10-12 NASB)
Has God revealed Himself through the things that He created?
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Rom 1:20 NIV)
Is the existence of God self-evident in the design of nature, its complex functionality, the obvious foresight and order? You decide!
Does God reign or is the earth a total accident, no planning, no DNA coded, no ecosystem, no design? When Jesus returns and God rules the earth will people feel oppressed or rejoice with gladness?
The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coasts and islands be glad. (Ps 97:1 HCSB)
Does a simple storm remind us that a cloud covered Mount Sinai, that a cloud filled the tabernacle, that the mountains would melt simply at God’s presence?
Thick clouds are all around him; righteousness and justice are his throne’s foundation. Fire goes out from his presence to consume his enemies on every side. His lightning bolts light the world; the earth sees and shakes. Mountains melt like wax in the Lord’s presence—In the presence of the Lord of all the earth. (Ps 97:2-5 ISV)
Does the mere existence of the heavens declare God’s righteousness? Do we see it?
The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory. (Ps 97:6 KJV)
Are idols anything to be proud of? Do statues carry any power like God?
Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images, Who boast of idols; Worship Him, all you gods! Zion heard this and was glad, And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced Because of Your judgments, O Yahweh. For You are Yahweh Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. (Ps 97:7-9 LSB)
Do we truly hate evil, not evil doers? Do we trust God to save us from the wicked?
Hate evil, you who love the Lord, Who watches over the souls of His godly ones; He saves them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown like seed for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart. Be joyful in the Lord, you righteous ones, And praise the mention of His holy name. (Ps 97:10-12 NASB)
Has God revealed Himself through the things that He created?
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Rom 1:20 NIV)
Is the existence of God self-evident in the design of nature, its complex functionality, the obvious foresight and order? You decide!
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