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Book Review – ESV Devotional Psalter

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This past Spring, Crossway released the Devotional Psalter.  I love reading the Psalms everyday.  In seminary, Don Whitney taught me a method of finding the Psalms of the Day (take today’s date and add 30 to it 4x to find the Psalms of the Day, today’s Psalms of the Day would be 19, 49, 79, 109, and 139).  Then, I would take one of those Psalms and read it, using it as a springboard for prayer and helping my heart prepare for the day.

The layout of the text in this volume is splended.  Nice margins, spacing, and typeface help the reader feel like they are a part of something that is special, which is certainly the case when we’re in the Psalms.

But, the reality is that sometimes I’m reading along and the light doesn’t come on very quickly.  While the devotional psalter has an amazing text layout, it also includes a brief devotion to help foster devotional insights, often with a view toward Christ.  Time and again as I’ve used this recently, I’ve been helped by these short content pieces.  Here’s an example of what this looks like on the page:

I was also helped by the video intro from Dane Ortlund:

 

I’d encourage you to grab the Devotional Psalter, especially for your devotions, as a way to warm the affections of your heart around truths that point to Christ and draw you out to worship the One who made you.

 

Unless The Lord…

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I was reflecting and praying through Psalm 127.  Maybe you could join me in praying these things.  This might be a pastor’s heart for their local church reflected through the lens of Psalm 127…

[1] Unless the LORD builds the church, any kind of service in her is in vain.

Unless the LORD watches over the church, her leaders stay awake in vain.

[2] Early morning devotions or late night ministry meetings are vain, too, like eating anxiety about ministry stuff for dinner;

for when God is building and watching the church, He gives His people sleep.

[3] Behold, new converts are a heritage from the LORD,

the fruit of the church’s witness a reward.

[4] Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are new converts in the life of the church.

[5] Blessed is the church who fills their quiver with them!

That church shall not be put to shame when she speaks with the world about her impact.

So, God, build your church by using her witness.  You build the church.  You watch over her.  You care for her.  You add to her as you see fit.  And, let local churches know the exhilaration and life that comes through seeing the Gospel change people among them.  For your glory, Amen. 

Psalm 23 Recap

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We are wrapping up 6 weeks of memorizing Psalm 23 at Crestview this week.  My hope is that some people have chosen to try to memorize that (some for the first time).  Memorization of passages of Scripture like this is helpful because 1) it promotes meditation, 2) encourages us to not sin against God, 3) will be with us to comfort or convict, and 4) allows us to access God’s Word on demand.

We encouraged memorizing this using Stuart Townend’s song, The Lord’s My Shepherd.

The super-talented Elizabeth Wood also created a print for free download.

Psalm+23

Finally, we’re all probably aware of how Psalm 23 encourages us in the here and now as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  Elyse Fitzpatrick drew my attention (in her new book Home) to how this relates to a more eternal perspective.  Consider how she directs us to think of Psalm 23:1-3:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want [there, in the age to come]

He makes me lie down in green pastures [in the New Jerusalem]

He leads me beside still waters [of the River of the Water of Life]

He restores my soul [feeding me from the Tree of Life]

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake [so that I will worship him forever].

(accessed the Kindle edition, locations 2261-2266)

I hope you’ve enjoyed our work in Psalm 23.

 

Gospel Friday – Bless The Lord

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It’s so easy to forget to speak well of the Lord.  Are you blessing Him today?  Is there encouragement in your heart because of who He is…

Consider Psalm 103:2-5…

It may not be what you feel, it may not be where you’re at, it may not be your heart today, but meditate and consider the amazing work of the Lord and find encouragement in Him.

Affliction, God’s Word and Help

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My sermon from 1/8/12 entitled Affliction and God’s Word from Psalm 34 is online.  Each year, following Piper’s model, I’ve found it helpful to start the year with a sermon related to prayer and kick off a Week of Prayer, then follow it up with a sermon related to God’s Word.  Yesterday, I wrapped up this brief 2 week excursion by preaching on how God’s Word helps in affliction from Psalm 34.  The big point was to taste and see God in His Word and He will lead you (through His Word) to fear Him and praise Him.  Hope you have a good week feasting on God’s Word.

Weekend Preview – Affliction and God’s Word

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This coming Lord’s day, we hope to be back in Psalm 34 to be shaped again to be a people of God’s Word.  I was asked by someone yesterday how Psalm 34 relates to the Word.  So, here’s my attempt at whetting your appetite:

In vv.1-3, we are told that the humble hear and are glad.  What does afflicted or humble people here that gives them joy in the midst of their affliction?  Well, on one level, we have to say that it is God’s Word.

In vv.4-10, we are told to taste and see that God is good.  Where do we do this?  How do we know God is good?  By simply looking at creation’s marvel?  Yes, but we don’t stop there.  It is in His Word that we know God is for us and not against us.  We need the special revelation that comes from savoring Him in His Word.

Finally in vv.11-22, we are told to come and listen to learn the fear of the Lord.  What are we listening to?   The Word of God.

Quite simply, God’s Word is what we need to hear and as we do, we’ll be equipped for affliction when it comes (and it will).  My hope this coming Lord’s Day is to encourage you to go after God in His Word.  Hope to see you there.

Eyelids Testing…

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Having a four and two year old in the house can create some fun situations. This week, Meg is working on potty training Gabe and when she’s in the bathroom with him (and Andrew knows that no one is there to stop him) he raids the pantry. On Monday, he downed a container of chocolate chip cookies. Yesterday, it was something else.

Today, I was working through a Psalm of the Day, Psalm 11, and read the following:

The Lord is in His holy temple;
The Lord’s throne is in heaven;
His eyes see, His eyelids test the children of man. (v.4)

I wondered immediately, what does this mean that “His eyelids test the children of man”? How do eyelids test or assess? The answer is found back in my opening illustration. What do you do when you think God won’t see (i.e. you think His eyelids are shut)? v.5 continues:

The Lord tests His righteous,
but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

These anthropomorphisms (attributing earthly characteristics to God) are the Psalmists way of helping us see our constant accountability before our Maker. What does God see? Everything. Therefore, let’s live before this Holy One in a way that brings glory to Him.

Father, You are holy and Your eyes see everything about us. Let us take refuge in You and live for You because You are righteous and You love righteous deeds. And, let all the upright behold Your face. May we live our lives in ways that make You glorious. In Jesus’ name. Amen.