5 reasons the Psalms of Lament give us hope (giveaway!)

May 26, 2016 By: demingglobal129 Comments

Today, I’m thrilled to share a book with you that I’ve been waiting to be released for a long time!

Written by my friend Christina Fox, A Heart Set Free: A Journey to Hope Through the Psalms of Lament, is a book for weary-worn souls. It is a book for all women struggling to understand how their faith in Jesus Christ intersects with life’s difficult moments.

It reads true to Christina’s character and personal story of how a specific group of Psalms in the Scriptures helped her to overcome emotions that threatened to shipwreck her life – depession, anxiety, despair, and more.

Christina starts her book where all good stories begin – in the Garden. The entrance of sin into God’s creation corrupted all things, particularly the human heart. Because of that, A Heart Set Free, is more than a guide to cultivating healthy emotions; the book challenges readers to use biblical tools (the Psalms of Lament) to voice and identify the emotions that hold them hostage so that they might live and walk in the freedom of Christ.

WHAT IS A LAMENT?

Newer believers might be unaware that there are songs classified in the Scriptures as laments.

A lament is a type of song that honestly expresses the deepest cries of the human heart – cries of sorrow, fear, anger, anxiety, depression, suffering, pain. More than simple venting, the laments offer modern believers a guide for pouring out their hearts to God so that they might find hope in him.

Redeeming our emotions from the new book A Heart Set Free {Hive Resources}

5 REASONS THE PSALMS OF LAMENT OFFER HOPE

In the book, Christina outlines 5 reasons the Psalms of Lament offer hope in the midst of spiritual and emotional darkness.

(1) They help us express our feelings in honest and healthy ways.

(2) They help shape our feelings, helping us interpret them in light of God’s redemptive plan for the entire world.

(3) They teach us more about ourselves by revealing our greatest need and how our minds and hearts influence our lives.

(4) They teach us more about God, his character and activity in us and the world.

(5) They reorient us to the truth of the gospel and how it transforms us from the inside out.

Part of the power of Christina’s book is her own personal story of interacting with the laments, particularly in writing her own laments using the pattern and language the psalmist provides. A Heart Set Free is the vulnerable story of how Scripture is redeeming the heart of one woman and the hard work heart work is. It is a journey that I suspect will resonate with countless believers struggling with depression and anxiety.

Christina has been working on this book in both her head and heart for a while, and after seeing the finished product, I can’t recommend it heartily enough.

Fortunately, she has graciously provided a free copy for one lucky Hive Resources reader! And because the Psalms are one of my favorite books in the Bible, I thought I’d pair her book with one of my other favorite things: coffee!

To enter to win a copy of A Heart Set Free and a $15 Starbucks gift card, simply leave a comment in this blog post. That’s it! Pretty easy, right? ~~Comments must be posted by Tuesday, May 31 at midnight! (U.S. Residents only).~~ CONTEST HAS ENDED!

Congratulations to the winner, Gail Hein! Thank you to everyone who entered!

*This post may contain affiliate links

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Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

A teaching event on how to study God’s Word

April 22, 2015 By: demingglobal18 Comments

Update! The material for this teaching event is now available on Amazon. Too find out more, visit here.

There is nothing that makes my heart sing louder than grabbing a front row seat to watch women cultivate insatiable appetites for the Word of God.

It’s a scene I’ve had the privilege of witnessing many times in our growing church plant, and it’s one I want to see replicated a hundred times over as we continue in a women’s discipleship strategy anchored in biblical literacy.

Recently, we hosted a special discipleship weekend that was made sweet for several reasons.

Sweet Purpose

If you know my heart, you know I believe every women’s ministry event should feed into the greater discipleship strategy of the church. The mission of our church is to become a church planting church, but in order for that to happen, the women in our church must become disciple-making women.

Teaching women to crave the sweetness of Gods Word {Hive Resources}

Because God’s Word is foundational to the discipleship process, our event served as a training weekend on studying the Bible and using Bible study as a discipleship tool.

Our theme for the weekend was “God’s Word is Sweeter than Honey” taken from Psalm 19:10. From this rich Psalm, we spent two sessions on why we should crave God’s Word above all else.

These lessons were important for new believers as they grapple with questions concerning the trustworthiness of God’s Word, but they also served mature Christians well who easily forget the importance of cultivating an appetite for the Scriptures.

In our time together, we dug deep and asked some hard questions of the women. How often do they feed on the Bible? Are they capable of self-feeding or are they lazy eaters enjoying the table scraps from someone else’s Bible study? What are some key obstacles keeping them from consistently craving God’s Word?

Bee-ing Honest about Biblical Literacy in Womens Ministries {Hive Resources}

On Saturday, we moved from the feast to the hands-on cooking lesson with three sessions dedicated to Howard Hendricks’ three-fold Bible study method: observation, interpretation, application. He outlines this method in his book, Living By the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible.

At the end of each session, the ladies worked through a specified passage, putting their new skills to the test. A discipleship leader sat at each table to guide new believers through the process.

While there are many fruitful Bible study methods, I chose to teach Hendricks’ method for our weekend event because its three steps are easy to replicate. Disciplers can take those three steps and teach them to another disciple.

Sweet Partners

Pulling off a weekend-long discipleship event is no small task, particularly for a new church. But we were blessed by a number of sweet partners in this endeavor, namely the women of one of our sponsoring churches, Hickory Grove Baptist Church.

HGBC sent a mission team to provide childcare so all our ladies could spend time being equipped. They donated door prizes and personalized gift bags filled with all sorts of goodies – a treat our church could not have afforded otherwise. When we gathered with them to stuff our goody bags, they told us how they had prayed for us by name in the months leading up to our event. Their investment was both intentional and eternal.

If your women’s ministry is part of a larger church, consider partnering with the women’s ministry of a nearby church plant. You have an incredible opportunity to pour into the lives of other women for kingdom purposes.

And while I led in teaching, this discipleship event was not a one-woman show. The women who comprise the women’s ministry at our church took the lead in promotion, decoration, and food preparation. Since Christmas, they have planned and prayed and prepared for our time together. They are my sweet partners in the gospel, and I am so thankful for them.

Who knew discipleship could be so fun!?!? Thank you ladies of Hickory Grove and Living Faith! I love ya!

Cultivating a appetite for the Word of God Sweeter than Honey is now available as a paperback and for kindle! For more information about the book, visit the book page.

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, click here.

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Ps. 57: Why a steadfast heart has no need to hide

October 4, 2013 By: demingglobal11 Comment

Sometimes I hole myself up. Withdrawing and hiding from those who might hurt me or might not “get” me comes all too easily. In fact, without even knowing it, I can immerse myself in activities, ministries, and to-do lists so that I never have to get past the surface. Because busyness can be a hiding place, too.

Chances are you, too, find that hiding is easy – especially when circumstances threaten to swallow you whole.

That’s one reason I love the Bible so much. Because no other book is more honest about the fears and failings of its heroes and heroines. David knew about hiding.

In fact, when he penned this song, the soon-to-be anointed king had holed himself up in a cave. He was hiding from Saul who was pursuing him with the intent to kill. David was running for his life and sought refuge in the safest place he could find.

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by.” Ps. 57:1-2

But this song gives us a peek into the heart of its author who was, at the time, probably fearful, exhausted, and a little emotional. Yet, David knew his refuge was more than adequate; his true refuge was in the arms (wings) of the Almighty.

I’m sure when David penned this song he called to mind the grand story of the steadfast heart of his great grandfather, Boaz, who granted a foreign widow refuge under his wings (Ruth 2:12). And like his great grandfather, David’s faith in God as his refuge was well founded. Because of the security of his Refuge, David’s heart was steadfast.

“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing & give praise.” Ps 57:7

What does a steadfast heart look like?

Even in the face of uncertainty and fear, a steadfast heart:

Begs for God’s mercy (57:1a).
Rests in God’s shadow (57:1b).
Believes God is powerfully at work (57:2). Incidentally, the name ‘God Most High’ only appears here and in Ps. 56. Usually we see Jehovah Elyon or El Elyon, but here it appears as Elohim Elyon, which scholar John Phillips translates as the Creator Most High. The title refers to God as the “supreme ruler or final authority.”[1] We can have a steadfast heart because of the universal sovereignty of our God.
Believes God will finish his work (57:3a).
Knows justice will be established (57:3b, 6).
Rejoices in truth (57:3c).
Interprets suffering in light of God’s glory (57:4-6).
Looks to the future (dawn) with hope and gratitude (57:8).
Yearns to make God’s glory and mercy known (57:9-11).

A steadfast heart is a joyful heart, resolutely trusting in God to move on their behalf despite circumstances, obstacles, or appearances.

A steadfast heart is a fixed heart, unswayed by circumstances or people. No matter what bumps against you or rattles your chain, you will not be moved or swayed off course. That’s because when you tether yourself to the immovable, unchanging God, you secure yourself to the One who is himself steadfast (Ps. 61:4; 63:7; 91:4). And when suffering comes, you can face it with a steadfast heart informed by eternal eyes.

Dear Heavenly Father, I believe your Word when it says you are at work in my life. Even when it seems you aren’t, I will choose to rest in you under the shadow of your wings. Please help me have a steadfast heart that is capable of trusting, resting, believing, rejoicing, and hoping in you and the salvation you have already given me. Because you’ve already done a great work in my life, I know you will be faithful to finish what you’ve started. I need a steadfast heart that waits expectantly for you with the dawn. I love you, Amen.

[1] John Phillips, Exploring the Psalms, 453.

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We are all immigrants clinging to dual citizenship

September 18, 2013 By: demingglobal15 Comments

Photograph: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images. Original Source here.

It’s not often you get to see a the crowning of a queen.

Last week, Nina Davuluri, 24, from Syracuse, broke into tears when she was crowned the first Miss America of Indian descent. Born and raised in New York, this beauty queen is just as American as any of us, considering every American alive today enjoys their citizenship because either their family immigrated here or they chose to renounce the citizenship of their birthplace in lieu of a new homeland.

But the hub-bub surrounding Miss Davuluri reveals how the ugliness of forgetfulness can impact any American – believer or not. After all, we are all immigrants. We all have histories. We all have heritages. Online, Miss Davuluri was called Arab (she’s Indian), terrorist (she’s a student), and Muslim (she’s Hindu).

But the racism underlying those sentiments goes much deeper than unchecked national pride.

Racism denigrates the God who created us all in his image.

National pride taken to a sinful extreme establishes it own authority. It’s the same sinful extremism that led Hitler on an obsession to “purify” the human race. Blonde-hair and blue-eyes became the physical indicator of social superiority, and today the world still wears the scars of the Nazi regime, demonstrating the practical end of theoretical racism.

But when God created the human race, he created us with shades and variations. It is exactly this variation that brings him the most glory. The immensity and majesty of God cannot be reduced to singularity of shade, just as his image within us should not be. We are all equal image-bearers of our Creator.

When we set up one race or culture over another, we are guilty of denigrating the God who created us all in his image.

And when we say we only want our kingdom to look like us, we are guilty of denigrating the kingdom into which God invites us.

Racism denigrates God’s kingdom in which we all entered as immigrants.

A few years ago, I watched my friend, who was born and raised in India, face an American flag, cover her heart, and pledge her allegiance to the United States of America. A few days ago, I talked to her on the phone after she recently filed paperwork to renounce her Indian citizenship. Dual citizenship is a tricky thing. While some countries allow it (including the U.S.), India does not. Neither does God.

Paul says we were once children of wrath, belonging to a kingdom of sin. But in his great mercy, the King adopted us into his royal family and made us co-heirs over his kingdom with his Son (Eph. 2:1-2). When we cling to our old nature and old ways, we are desperately trying to maintain citizenship in two separate kingdoms. God doesn’t allow this, because as our corrupt hearts prove, we cannot successfully serve two masters without forsaking one.

This truth catapults the controversy surrounding the crowning of the new Miss America beyond the repugnant claims of racism and into the realm of rebellion. Racism says part of God’s creation is faulty; rebellion against the throne says God’s purposes in building his kingdom are faulty, and he no longer deserves to be King.

But Ps. 87 tells us God has majestic plans to beautify his kingdom. It says Zion is a place made lovely by the people who dwell there – the King and residents from all tongues and tribes.

“I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me;
Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia:
‘This one was born there.’”

And of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her;
And the Most High Himself shall establish her.”
The Lord will record,
When He registers the peoples:
“This one was born there.” Selah (Ps. 87:4-6).

None of us deserves our spiritual citizenship. We were not “born” there; we are born of a different kingdom. But, God writes our heavenly citizenship in the Book of Life with his very hand. Even though we’ve been born in the kingdom of wrath, he views us as if we were “born” in Zion, the kingdom of righteousness. To accuse the validity of an individual’s citizenship in heaven is to accuse the qualifications of the One who wrote their name there.

In thinking on this post, I wrote to my friend (mentioned above). Considering her shared heritage with Miss Davuluri, I was eager to get her thoughts. This is what she said: “It makes me think, I would never be considered American despite of my love for America and legal citizenship in this country because my skin color and Indian heritage overshadows my American citizenship. Would they think the same if the winner of Miss America was a blue-eyed, blonde-haired girl of German or Swedish descent? I think not.”

I realize our American citizenship cannot be compared to our citizenship in the Kingdom to come; they are of two different worlds. But I truly believe the hateful words used in this controversy go beyond ignorance, and even hate, although those things are certainly present in the ugliest of forms.

The controversy surrounding Miss Davuluri goes all the way to the gates of heaven, where God in his great mercy gives citizenship to all those who are risen with Christ. And while there will be individuals left out of the kingdom of God, it won’t be because of skin color, family history, or earthly heritage. All those who are adopted by the King will be called his sons and daughters (2 Cor. 6:18). If we do not accept others of different descent into our social fabric, we are not reflecting the same grace shown to us by the “Most High Himself” who granted us citizenship into his kingdom as foreigners. This is the ugly side of forgetfulness.

And knowing that the way we live our lives on earth points to our heavenly citizenship, women everywhere should be affronted by the attack on this woman. A Daughter of the King is known not by the crown she wears, but the message she bears.

Do our actions reveal a heart courting dual citizenship? Or do they speak of the grace of our King who welcomed us as foreigners into his kingdom?

Subscribe to Hive Resources to get all the info on the upcoming launch of my eBook, Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story.

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Ps. 55: Two things to do when you’re betrayed by a friend

September 13, 2013 By: demingglobal14 Comments

Betrayal by a friend can do more damage than an entire battle.

No one knew the sting of betrayal better than David.

In Psalm 55, David finds his heart opened up and war torn by a close friend. Caught unaware, David’s thoughts and conversations are consumed by what has happened.

Chances are, you can relate. When we’re let down by others, it’s all too easy to spend our nights analyzing words and actions, tossing and turning instead of resting in the One who knows the ripe pain of betrayal.

But unlike so many of us, David doesn’t lose hours of sleep rehashing the event in his mind or getting a “second opinion” from friends. Rather, he places the situation squarely in the hands of his God.

David did two things in the face of betrayal:

1. David admits his feelings about the situation (Ps. 55:4-15)

Internally, the betrayal was tearing David up. He could see the wickedness around him and was prepared to face it. He was not, however, prepared to see a good friend classified as one of his enemies.

“For it is not an enemy who reproaches me;
Then I could bear it.
Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me;
Then I could hide from him.
But it was you, a man my equal,
My companion and my acquaintance.
We took sweet counsel together,
And walked to the house of God in the throng.” (Ps. 55:12-14)

Who is David’s betrayer in Ps. 55? Some believe David is referring to his son, Absalom, who rebelled against his father in grievous ways. But scholar John Phillips believes the pain David felt in this psalm came as the result of a double blow. David was betrayed by his own son and his good friend and advisor, Ahithophel. As a personal advisor to the throne, Ahithophel would have walked with King David in the temple courts and would have been privy to many of the throne’s secrets.

In the end, Ahithophel gave counsel to Absalom and aided in the insurrection against David’s throne. He was the one who counseled Absalom to steal David’s wives in order to make permanent the damage to the King’s throne (2 Sam 16-17).

The thought off such a calculated betrayal pains David greatly and informs the angry prayer we see in this song.

David felt:

abandonment (vs. 1-2)
pain (vs. 4)
fear (vs. 4-5)
despondency (vs. 6)
restlessness (vs. 6-8)
anger (vs. 9)
the need for justice (vs. 9-11, 15)
betrayal (vs. 12)
surprise & shock (vs. 12-14)
tricked & used (vs. 14)
overwhelmed (vs. 15)

God does not expect us to suppress emotions when others sin against us. There is real injustice in the world, and it brings very real pain.

But too often, we give vent to our emotions in sinful ways. We disguise excuses to gossip as prayer requests. We manipulate the feelings of those around us to garner compassion or pity. We dwell on and nurse sins committed against us in order to assuage our own righteousness or pride.

Betrayal is not pretty – for the betrayer or for the betrayed. But when David vents about his circumstances, he takes his emotions to the One who rights all wrongs.

2. David acknowledged God was the One to fix things (Ps. 55:16-23)

So upset is David by his betrayal, that he first expresses a desire to flee. But running from a situation (or holing ourselves up on our sofas) doesn’t bring reconciliation.

In the end, David acts by asking God to restore order to his city. He asks God to “divide their tongues” (vs. 9).

The historical account is recorded in 2 Sam. 15 when David’s friend, Hushai, came to visit him in the wilderness. David sent Hushai back to the rebellion with false counsel tasking him to serve as the “divided tongue” God used to ensure their downfall and David’s victory.

God brought victory to David.

In Ps. 55, David reveals the ways in which God works in our betrayal to bring victory:

He answers our prayers (vs. 16)
He saves us – which is gracious because apart from salvation, we are the betrayers (vs. 16)
He hears us (vs. 17)
He gives us peace in the midst of life’s storms (vs. 18)
He sustains us (vs. 19)
He preserves us (vs. 19)
He brings justice to guilty parties (vs. 19-20)

We’ve all had a friend we thought had our best interests at heart only to be surprised they had “war in their hearts” instead (vs. 21). These people trick us with their smooth talk and compliments, then use their words to wound.

Whether it’s the friend who speaks ill of you to set themselves up as funny.

Whether it’s the coworker that throws you under the bus to get the big promotion.

Whether it’s the family member who practices deceit to gain an audience.

Whether it’s the church friend who undercuts your acts of service in order to curry favor.

These individuals are indeed at war. They are at war with a holy God, rebelling against the hard edges of his Word that calls all people to faith and repentance, humility and service, love and sacrifice.

In the end, David acknowledges it will not go well with the betrayers – not because believers can use God as a weapon of retribution, but because God is at work in the world to make all things right.

And he will not “permit the righteous to be moved.” As we’ve seen in this song, believers will encounter difficulty sure enough. Betrayal is all too common. But Scripture is clear that the battle of redemption has already been won. God does not permit the permanent undoing of those who trust in him (Ps. 55:22-23).

In the end, as John Phillips says, “the only thing to do us to fling ourselves into the arms of God, as David did at the close of this psalm.” (Phillips 436).

“Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” (Ps. 55:22)

Subscribe to Hive Resources to get all the info on the upcoming launch of my eBook, Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://hiveresources.com/wphives1/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC1590-low-res.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, devotional articles, book reviews, and more. She is the author of the forthcoming eBook, ‘Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story.’ Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a B.A. in Journalism from Texas A&M University.[/author_info] [/author]

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Ps. 51: Three ways God responds to repentance

September 4, 2013 By: demingglobal11 Comment

Mercy.

Lovingkindness.

Tender mercies.

God responds to a repentant heart out of his character.

Being merciful, he blots out our transgressions instead of visiting us with his wrath (Ps. 51:2).

Being gracious in his love, he washes us of our dirtiness when he didn’t have to, becoming dirty himself.

Being compassionate toward his creation, he desired to see us walking how he designed us rather than continuing to stumble around on the path of our choosing.

David knew this. And to show how God responds to a repentant heart, David penned Ps. 52 after the prophet Nathan confronted him concerning his adulterous and murderous affair with the wife of his captain of the guard (2 Sam. 11-12).

We all know her name. She’s famous. Bathsheba.

And we all know how one act, one failure, could crush a king.

David acknowledged his need of Divine help to battle his sin (51:3-4). David knew first-hand sin was much more than simply wrong words and actions, but who he was as a person. He was a sinner because he had sinned, but he was also a sinner because it was in his very nature to do so.

In Ps. 51, God’s character as holy and loving stands against David’s character as sinful and selfish.

Where God is merciful, man is filled with revenge.

Where God is gracious, man is petty.

Where God is compassionate, man is self-centered and hard.

In this psalm, it is to God’s character as merciful, gracious, and compassionate to which David appeals when he repents of his sin. He asks God to respond his confession in three ways, and it is in those very same ways that God continues to respond to us today:

Ps 51 God restores our ability to worship @MelissaGDeming {Hive Resources}

1. God forgives us (Ps. 51:7-9)

God purges us (51:7)
God washes us (51: 7)
God makes us hear joy and gladness (51:8)
God brings restoration (51:8)
God doesn’t look upon our sins (51:9)
God removes our sin (51:9)

2. God restores us (Ps. 51:10-11)

God gives us a clean heart (51:10)
God renews our spirit (51:10)
God chooses to keep himself near us (51:11)
God keeps his Spirit within us (51:11)

3. God enables us to worship him (Ps. 51:12-17)

God gifts us with joy (51:12)
God preserves us with his Spirit (51:12)
God positions us to lead others to worship the God who forgives (51:13)
God saves us from backbreaking guilt so we might focus on praising him (51:14)
God enables us to praise his character (51:14-15)

Repentance is an act of worship.

“For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.” (Ps. 51:16-17)

It was by no accident that Jesus told the woman at the well that worship occurs in spirit and truth (John 4). In Ps. 51, we see God’s Spirit playing a vital role is prepping us for worship. For his people who were trapped in the externals of tradition and ceremony, God desired more – a better reflection of his character.

Ultimately, God keeps his promises to his people (to give them a place to dwell with him) (Ps. 51:18-19). He restores our relationship with him. And when God responds to our sin, he does more than forgive our mess-ups or wipe our slates clean. God responds to our sin by restoring our ability to worship him.

Dear Lord, I cannot fully grasp my sin. I know I need help. My mistakes and poor choices seem irreparable. But you are bigger than my sins. You see beyond what I say, think, feel, and do. You see the person you created me to be – a worshiper clothed in righteousness. Please help me worship you. Forgive me of my rebellion & selfishness. Clean me and restore me. In your Son’s holy name, Amen.

This year, I’m walking through the Psalms for my daily quiet time. Check out the full listing of my devotionals so far! And be sure to subscribe to get all the info on the upcoming launch of my eBook, Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story.

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Ps. 49: When you’re tempted to think your life has no value

July 18, 2013 By: demingglobal1comment

We don’t have cable, but on a recent trip we enjoyed the luxury of plopping down on a family member’s couch and willing the remote to flip through all our favorite TV channels.

While exploring what we’ve been missing since making the choice to cut out television, we landed on Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing – a reality show following the manic schedule of New York real estate brokers, their flamboyant clients, and their jaw-dropping listings.

And while we were mesmerized by the luxurious homes they were pushing (radically different from my own), the show was made even juicier by the cast’s cutthroat maneuvering and worldly outlooks. Prestige was the end game. And where you lived and how much your home cost said more about you than the state of your relationships and personal integrity.

But as much as I hate to say it, the Million Dollar Listing didn’t start with the Bravo network.

Ps. 49 tells us about wealthy men who take mistaken pride in their homes and dwelling places long before the birth of pent houses and high-rise apartment living. And Ps. 49 tells us their greatest mistake, too: the belief that their homes and land would last forever (vs 11-12).

“This is the way of those who are foolish,
And of their posterity who approve their sayings.” (Ps. 49:13)

Why? Because all people – no matter our belongings, prestige, or power on earth – face a universal end in the grave.

This psalm tells us we can count on these three things to pass away:

power (49:14)
beauty (49:14)
belongings (49:14)

Our wise hope, then, is not in what we own, but in who owns us.

We see this truth reflected is vs 15: “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah.”

As I became mesmerized by the glitz and glamour of the Million Dollar Listing (oh, the heels, alfresco cafes, and indoor pools!) i found myself in a difficult spot. My cozy seat on the couch turned into a sort of throne, and I began to size up the hearts and deeds of those on the show.

And while there is much about this show that is rightly judged as foolish, simply because wealth is not eternal does mean it is evil.

Vs. 20 says: “A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish.” Vs 20 uses a play on words to illustrate the futile nature of placing too great a significance on temporal qualities and objects. The psalmist uses the word ‘adam for man and its derivative damah for perish, giving the sense that just as man is made from dust he will one day return to that from which he was made.

The foolishness of man is not simply placing greater significance on things than we should, but in considering ourselves greater than we truly are.

Conversely, wisdom is in knowing who has “received” us (vs. 15). The word received in vs. 15 is the word laqash which means” to take.” The NIV translates it: “take me to himself.”

OT scholar Derek Kidner says of this verse: “salvation is personal from start to finish.”[1] In our redemption, our Savior pays the ransom for our soul with his own life, and because of that, “nothing can separate the servant from his Master, whose concern for him is loving and active.”[2]

Our lives have value not because of what we’ve done or how we look, but because we belong to the Christ – who eternally takes us to himself.

Dear Jesus, help me remember that my identity in Christ Jesus – who paid the ransom for my soul – is the greatest indicator of my personal worth. Too often I get caught up in other earthy indicators that have no lasting value. Help me remember those things don’t last. Help me find eternal eyes through which to view myself and others. Thank you for your insanely personal touch in my life. You reached down and redeemed me. You laid hold of me and brought me back to you. Your life gives mine its value. I love you, Jesus. In your holy name, Amen.

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[1]Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72 (Downer Grove: IVP Academic, 1973), 202.

[2] Ibid.

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Ps 48 – Are you trusting in the wrong thing?

July 10, 2013 By: demingglobal1comment

The safest place you can be is in the very presence of God.

This truth is evident throughout the Old Testament as God promised to give his children a place to dwell with him as long as they listened and obeyed him.

The Sons of Korah pick up this theme in Ps. 48, giving the reader a breathtaking view of a city made strong by its Creator.

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God,
In His holy mountain.
Beautiful in elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge.” (Ps. 48:1-3)

In Ps. 48:

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The city is made holy by him (48:1)
The city is made lovely by him (48:2)
The city is made glad by hi)m (48:2)
The city is made safe by him (48:3)

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But this city – which was intended to be a blessing to other nations looking in – confused their object of hope (48:4-7).

In 586 BC, their lovely city fell. It was made unholy, ugly, sad, and unsafe. God hid his presence from his people; He departed from the city. History tells us the terrible things done to the city when it was taken by the Babylonians. During this time “God’s people learned through bitter experience the importance of a faith that reflects itself in moral and ethical living.”[1]

You can imagine their confusion when their beloved city that was promised to stand forever – did not (48:8).

So why is this psalm included in the Psalter if its words did not ring true for God’s people?

This psalm speaks to the renewed nature of hope that Israel placed in God for a future restoration. In short, they hoped the words of this psalm would ring true once again.

Here’s what the psalmists is calling us to do:

Trust in ‘what’ God does (48:9)

“We have thought, O God, on Your: lovingkindness,
In the midst of Your temple.” (Ps. 48:9)

God’s hesed (lovingkindness) toward his people was the basis of their trust; they trusted him for forgiveness, grace, and mercy. When we trust in what God does, we acknowledge his lovingkindness toward us.

They “thought on his hesed” in his temple – meaning they followed his prescribed method for worship. They wanted him to know they were following him and obeying his Word – strong sentiments considering there was no temple after their immediate return from exile.

Trust in ‘who’ God is (48:10)

“According to Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness.” (Ps. 48:10)

God’s name is holy, and a holy God does holy things – like remember his promises. God’s holiness was key to the Israelites because he promised to make them holy like him. God gave his people his Law to show them what holiness looked like and how badly they needed it.

But here, we see a glimmer of hope bursting through for a righteousness to come. When we trust in who God is, we acknowledge his is righteous. And the God who loves his people has righteous Hands. This is cause for celebration because he upholds his people in his very own holiness.

Because of God’s hesed and holy righteousness, God’s people can trust that one day he will return to his city.

Throughout this song, the city is referred to as Zion – an eschatological (end times) hope in the eternal city in which God will dwell with his people forever. Old Testament theology makes much of Zion, and rightly so, because upon this “place” dwells the hope of many of God’s promises – safety, justice, peace, restoration, and more.

Ps 48 Are you trusting in the wrong thing {Hive Resources}

It why the Psalmist ends his song by urging God’s people to count the city towers as if they already existed (Ps. 48:12-14).

These writers had forward looking eyes. Instead of rabble, they saw rising towers. Instead of burning piles they saw bulwarks. Instead of smoldering ashes they saw palaces of grandeur.

“Walk about Zion, And go all around her. Count her towers; Mark well her bulwarks; Consider her palaces; That you may tell it to the generation following. For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.” (Ps. 48:12-14)

It was this hopeful eyesight that God intended for them to pass along to their children – a hope that rested not in the blessings of the city (happiness, prosperity, safety in vs. 1-3), but in the One that brought those blessings with his presence.

It’s easier than you think to confuse the blessings of dwelling with God, with the gift of his very presence.

As hope-filled believers, we know that God’s presence often comes hand-in-hand with difficult and painful times. But in the midst of suffering is the hope of God’s sustaining presence. It is enough for today and for tomorrow.

Dear God, please give me forward-looking eyes. Help me see rising towers instead of rabble. Help me see bulwarks in place of burning piles. In order to pass forward-looking eyes to my kids – I must first have the kind of eyes that behold the surety of your promises over poor circumstances. The kind of eyes that see who you are and what you do in the midst of a bleak skyline. Help us choose to hope and praise on days when disaster screams for us to hate, rail, and wail against your name. Be our guide. Dwell with us. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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[1] Dorothy Patterson, ed. The Woman’s Study Bible, 1^st ed. (Nashville; Thomas Nelson Publishers), 909.

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Ps. 45: A match made in heaven

July 5, 2013 By: demingglobal11 Comment

Twelve years ago I walked down a carpeted aisle that seemed to stretch into eternity. I walked toward a man to which God had matched me. The chapel was beautiful and bright; and the day even more so.

But when my husband and I celebrated our anniversary last week, we didn’t spend any length of time reminiscing over the actual wedding day, my white dress, or even the delectable chocolate groom’s cake made by a friend.

Instead, we talked about the future – what it held, how we were going to attack certain problems, and where we wanted to “go” as a family.

In Psalm 45, another match has been made. Ps. 45 is the song of a national wedding telling the story of a match made between a King and a royal daughter. But this bride and groom are of more importance than a politic union; they are a match made in heaven (literally).

Who is the groom?

Listen to how this song describes the groom, and then tell me who you think it is. (Be sure to check out the extra textual goodies in the footnotes).

In Ps. 45, the groom is:

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Fair (appearance) (vs. 2)
Speaks grace (vs. 2b)
Blessed by God eternally (vs. 2c)
Mighty One with a sword
Poised for battle (vs. 3)
Possesses glory & majesty (vs. 3b)
Prosperous in his battle for truth, humility (an ethical king) (vs. 4)
Destroys enemies (vs. 5)
Subdues nations (vs. 5b)[1]
Eternal king (vs. 6)[2]
God! (vs. 6b)[3]
Rules with righteousness (vs. 6b)
Loves right; hates wrong (vs. 7a)
Anointed by God (vs. 7b)
Anointed more than any other (vs. 7c)
Royally dressed (vs. 8)
Pledged to marry an honorable woman (“right hand is the queen of Ophir”) (vs. 9)
People will praise him eternally (vs. 17)
His name will be remembered in all times (vs. 17)

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So, who’s the groom? Depending on how you approach the text, you could come up with a couple of possibilities.

Is the groom David or one of his kingly descendants? Very possibly.

Or is the author writing about a future coming King who will sit on an eternal throne and usher in permanent peace? Yeah, this option sounds good too! Especially when he’s described as eternal and divine in verse 6.

So, which is it? Is the groom a Davidic king or the Messianic King?

In their book Jesus the Messiah, several Old Testament scholars believe that the mention of David’s “future heirs” make it clear that the groom isn’t exclusively Messianic.[4]

Instead, the authors believe Ps. 45 initially referred to an historical Davidic king but also provided “the foundation for a later robust messianic hope.”[5] They believe this song was used to celebrate royal marriages in general.

The Groom of Ps. 45, they believe, is an ideal man and an ideal king.[6]

But, I can’t help but wonder in what sense is a historical Davidic king called God? (Check out vs. 6b). Even the Jesus the Messiah authors must finally concede that “taken in its most robust literal sense, the words of the psalmist do in fact address the ultimate Davidic king as God”[7] (85).

And we know the only Davidic King worthy of such a title is the Messiah. The Groom is the Messianic King.

Who is the bride?

If the Groom in Ps. 45 is the Messiah, then who’s his bride? This song tells us the bride is a daughter of the King. Listen to her description as she stands in her wedding procession with her hand-maidens:

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The bride stands side-by-side her King (vs. 9)
The bride is beautiful (vs. 11, 13)
The bride is desired by her King (vs. 11)
The bride is glorious (vs. 13)
The bride’s clothing is woven with gold, royal & regal (vs. 9b-14)

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The bride, like any other bride on the dawn of her union, is given wise counsel to help her keep her vows. Here’s what the bride is urged to do on this bright and beautiful day.

She’s told to prize her Groom above all else and everyone else (vs. 10). And she’s told to worship the King (literally ‘bow to’) (vs. 11).

I love how Old Testament heavyweight Derek Kidner describes this verse. He writes: the bride’s submission to her partner as both husband and king goes hand in hand with the dignity she also derives from him. His friends and subjects are now hers; she is the gainer, not the loser, by her homage.[8]

And the results of her wedding day?

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The bride is given gifts (vs. 12a)
The bride finds favor among the rich (vs. 12b)
The bride is made beautiful even more beautiful by her union (vs. 13)
The bride is surrounded by gladness (vs. 15)
The bride is part of an enduring legacy (vs.16)

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The picture of this glorious wedding procession is likened to another match made in heaven – where another groom is breathlessly awaiting his beautiful and specially chosen bride.

“For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” 2 Cor. 11:2

Ps. 45 is of monumental importance in the Psalter. Not only did it express a great, enduring hope in the coming Messiah, it expressed a hope that one day the people would be united eternally with their King as his bride.

This hope is of no small consequence to the reader, who is still wiping away the tears left behind from reading the previous psalm regarding national calamity in Ps. 44 and lifting his eyes toward eternity with this song of a national wedding in Ps. 45.

Ps. 45 is for us, each one of us who is called God’s people, his church (Eph. 5:22-33).

We are the blushing bride standing at the back of the chapel, looking down what seems like an interminably long aisle toward our Groom. He’s waiting for us. Breathless.

Our Groom is ready to be matched with us – a bride made glorious and beautiful by our association with him. A bride blessed beyond compare with every spiritual blessing given to her by her Groom – a royal position, regal new clothes of righteousness, and matchless beauty.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your great love that chose us and transforms us into your holy, lovely image. We cannot fathom the riches of our relationship with you – the blessings of gladness, wisdom, salvation, and more. Thank you for making us whole. Thank you for making us lovely. Thank you for bringing us to you through your Son. Help us to train our eyes toward eternity. Above all else, help us be a bride that prizes her Groom above all else and everyone else. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Did you miss a post in this Psalms series? Click here for the full list!

[1] See also Ps 2:8-12; 18:47; 110:3, 6-7.

[2] This verse is used in Heb. 1:8 to show the superiority of the Son to the angels.

[3] The Messiah is God in verse 6b. Derek Kidner says this truth is consistent with the incarnation. Specifically, he notes that “the faithfulness of Pre-Christian LXX in translating these verses unaltered is very striking.” Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-71 (IVP Academic: Downers Grove, 1973), 189.

[4] Herbert Bateman, Darrell Bock, and Gordon Johnston, Jesus the Messiah (Kregel Academic: Grand Rapids, 2012), 87.

[5] Ibid., 83.

[6] Ibid., 83-84.

[7] Ibid., 85.

[8] Kidner, 190.

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Ps 42: The difference between godly grief and worldly anguish

June 27, 2013 By: demingglobal1comment

On April 15, 2013, I awoke to read Psalm 42.

As I soaked in the words in this iconic and gut-wrenching song, runners were warming up at the starting line of the Boston Marathon – months of mental and physical training bolstering their excitement for the race. But when they crossed the finish line later that day, they were unprepared for what befell many of them.

I sat in the safety of my living room as reports came trickling in. Pictures and headlines all pointed to the needlessness of the tragic bombings. And having just read Ps. 42, I was struck by the confusing and infuriating nature of worldly suffering.

The title of this psalm, added later, describes the difference between godly grief and worldly anguish. The NKJV renders it: “Yearning for God in the Midst of Distresses.” That is what differentiates a believer’s encounter with suffering from the world around us.

In Ps. 42, the authors (the sons of Korah) outline the difference between godly grief and worldly anguish:

1. Godly grief thirsts for the presence of God (Ps. 42:1-3)

“As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?

My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?” (Ps. 42:1-3)

The psalmist knows real-world suffering. He meet pain with constant tears. However, his grief is tempered with the knowledge that God is both living and just.

In the face of terrible events, the entire world pants for justice asking “Where is your God?” We know he is alive and trustworthy. More than justice, vengeance, answers or apologies, godly grief seeks the solace and promises of God’s presence when disaster strikes.

2. Godly grief pours itself out in the presence of God (Ps. 42:4)

“When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.” (Ps. 42:4)

In this psalm, the psalmist used to go to the temple along with the multitudes, but the pain of circumstances interrupted the free-flow of worship and praise.

Centuries later, this truth about human nature still rings true. Emotions can leave us raw. Our words come out wrong and our prayers are ragged. This is the reality of worshiping God in a fallen world.

But in the face of loss and tragedy, God doesn’t expect us to paste on a smile to worship him. Ironically though, this is often our default mode of “Christianizing” our circumstances. We also tend to cover up pain by a variety of means – throwing ourselves in a new schedule, filling up our calendars with activities, over reaching our finances in retail therapy, and even taking on new church or ministry projects.

Or worse still, we allow whatever lie that is peeking through our circumstances to grow so big that we must look to deeper and darker things in which to pour the blackness of our tears – liquids, chemicals, media, or more.

The problem is this: the worldly means into which we pour our souls are untrustworthy vessels for catching our tears. Like rusty sieves, they cannot do what the presence of God can do – comfort, restore, and renew us again.

“You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle” (Ps. 56:8)

Instead of pasting on a smile, we must look to the Person of Christ, who IS ‘God With Us,’ instead of the things of this world. He alone is the trustworthy vessel into which we can safely pour our hurt.

3. Godly grief finds help in the presence of God (Ps. 42:5-11)

“Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.” (Ps. 42:5)

Hope and help in the Living God inform godly grief. That is not to say we should ignore the powerful emotions that come with anguish, but rather, those who pour their hurt into Christ filter our emotions through the knowledge that God stands ready to help.

Paul echoes Ps. 42 when he warns us against ignorant anguish or sorrow that is not undergirded by such a vast hope (1 Thess. 4:13). It is through God’s countenance that we find hope to praise him once again.

Here’s three ways the Psalmist says God’s countenance helps the grieving soul:

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God’s countenance reminds of his power (vs. 6-7)
God’s countenance brings us his lovingkindness (vs. 8a)
God’s countenance points to his faithfulness (to give us his song) (vs. 8b)

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God’s countenance is with us both night and day, the Psalmist says. And even when others mock and misunderstand the hope within us (vs. 9-10), we are encouraged to follow the Psalmists lead and cling to the help God’s presence provides.

Ultimately, it is through God’s countenance that our own countenances are changed – from fallen and disquieted to uplifted and restful.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God” (Ps. 42:11)

The difference between worldly anguish and godly grief is three-fold. In the midst of distress, our soul thirsts, pours itself out, finds help & hope in the presence of God.

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to rest in your presence today. Help me to direct my grief upward to you instead of seeking solace inwardly by withdrawing or lashing out. Give me the desire to want to rise early and meet you and to hope in you above all things. You are acquainted with my loss and pain. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Did you miss a post in my Psalms series? Then click here!