Reflections
Psalm 40: 2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10 (Read)
“He put a new song into my mouth.”
Our psalmist David waits for the Lord,
to reach out to Him, to make God hear
his cry. We are like that. We are weak
on our own; we need the Lord’s strength
to be delivered from our sinful ways.
As the prophet Isaiah says, God is our
strength (Isaiah 49:5). We put our trust
in Him. Our God is an awesome God.
“Many shall look on [our God] in awe
and trust in the Lord.” We are called to be
God's holy people, as St Paul tells us
(1 Corinthians 1:2).
Our psalmist says, “He put a new song into
my mouth.” In response we sing a new song
unto the Lord. For us, having waited for
the Lord, it is no longer the same old tune
or the same old us. We are in fact a new
creation, singing out the good news.
Where does our joyful spirit come from?
It comes from the Lord, and we are called
to share what He has given us and to do
His will.
We are called to follow Christ.
Obedience isn’t an unpleasant chore for us;
instead, as the Psalm tells us,
“To do your will is my delight.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The Psalm Response this Sunday is, "Here am I, Lord;
I come to do your will." Speak of how you discern God's will
in your life, and tell how you are carrying out what God wants
you to do.
2. Our psalmist David says, "God put a new song into my mouth."
Have you too had a conversion in your walk with the Lord? Tell of
your own experience.
The Psalm Response is an interesting one to me, as I feel there is a difference between the “Here I am” phrase we see in other parts of the Bible and the “Here am I” phrase we see here.
ReplyDeleteThe person saying “”Here I am” is open to God’s word, but is somewhat passive— wanting to get closer and be used as His instrument. This is a perfectly beautiful response, depending on the situation.
The person responding with “Here am I” strikes me as more active and intentional; this person is offering one’s entire being — whole heart, soul, mind, and body... for the will of the Lord. The words remind me of Deuteronomy 6:4-5... “Hear, O’ Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” This verse is repeated in several instances in the Gospels, such as in Matthew 22:37. “Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”... Jesus goes on to explain love of neighbor and in v. 40 says, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
God is revealing to us that He values complete and total commitment to Him, and only Him. In fact, one of the best ways to discern His voice is to spend time with Him — to be devoted to Him in prayer and to study His Word. As in any relationship, we can know another person well by spending time with them and becoming familiar with their ways.
I have much work to do in discerning God’s will for my life, and many times I feel resistant to His plan. I can rest assured though, that God is perfect and having faith in Him will cause my heart to delight in His ways.
David (in vs 8-10) writes that he has spread the news of God’s deliverance, faithfulness, and steadfast love to the great congregation. He has not hidden it in his heart, keeping what the Lord has done for him to himself. Rather, he has spread that message for all who are in the great congregation to hear.
ReplyDeleteWe too, need to spread the message of God’s deliverance, faithfulness, and steadfast love, as we see it evidenced in our lives to our church family. Telling others how God is working in our lives serves to motivate and encourage others to continue to fight the good fight. Not only does it encourage others, but our speaking of God’s work in our life brings glory to God.
So, may we seek to tell others how God is working in our lives. Not keeping it a secret, but using it as an opportunity to encourage and motivate others, as well as a way to glorify our Father in heaven. Amen