Psalm 36

Psalm 36 (NIV)
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD.

1 An oracle is within my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before his eyes.
2 For in his own eyes he flatters himself
too much to detect or hate his sin.
3 The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;
he has ceased to be wise and to do good.
4 Even on his bed he plots evil;
he commits himself to a sinful course
and does not reject what is wrong.
5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
O LORD, You preserve both man and beast.
7 How priceless is Your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of Your house;
you give them drink from Your river of delights.
9 For with You is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
10 Continue Your love to those who know You,
Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 May the foot of the proud not come against me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—
thrown down, not able to rise!

This psalm is so rich, especially considering that, apart from Christ, i am the wicked person described in vs. 1-4. i wonder how many people read this psalm and think of Christ. It would be interesting to see if it is listed as a Messianic psalm (my study Bible doesn't list them). v.1 speaks of an "oracle." The original Hebrew word used there is neum meaning "declaration, oracle, utterance; often a marker introducing or punctuating prophetic discourse." i love the night-and-day difference between the first four verses and the next five. That difference...is Christ. He paid the ultimate, the ONLY, price for us, the wicked, evil people of vs.1-4. And how true it is that i am wicked!

"...he...does not reject what is wrong." (v. 4)

Do i always reject what i know to be wrong? NO WAY! i make the wrong/unwise decision all the time, probably once every day! But even the most wicked of sinners cannot escape God's love if HE chooses him.

"He is jealous for me
loves like a hurricane,
i am a tree, bending beneath the weight of HIS wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden
i am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory.
And i realize just how beautiful You are
and how great Your affections are for me "
-David Crowder Band How He Loves

Give to God all that you are. He loves you. He is jealous for you. He doesn't want part of you or the majority or you. He wants ALL of you, even the parts that aren't so pretty or you haven't cleaned up yet. He wants your impure past, malicious thoughts, stupid choices and mistakes...because He can fix those things and give to you purity, kindness and wisdom. ONLY He can bring those things to you.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that HE may be glorified."
Isaiah 61:1-3 (ESV)

HE LOVES you. LOVE HIM.

so because Jessica reminded me that i haven't been blogging, i shall write a blog now. thanks Jessica.

so if you've ever studied, or even read Job, you've gotten a glimpse of what extreme suffering looks like, whether you've ever experienced it for yourself.

Job had no idea what was going on in heaven between God and Satan. But he still trusted God. Though loss of family, livestock, possessions, and health. Though his "friends" mocked him and wrongly scrutinized him for things he hadn't done. Though his wife tried to persuade him to curse God...through all of that, Job remained faithful.

i admire Job and his faith in God's hoped-for deliverance. Job probably never thought, "Wow. What i'm going through really stinks, but someone out there is writing my story down in the history books and one day, Jordan Smith is going read about me and be encouraged." but God knew.

be encouraged. when the going gets tough, God doesn't leave you behind or let you rot away. He's bring you through this world and on to something more wonderful than we can even fathom. He brings us to Himself. He has saved us into community with Himself, which is exactly what we need and truly crave...and He knows it.

all praise be to You, God, my light and my salvation!

Glory to God alone!