The Faith Log

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Psalm 94 ~ Yahweh Sets Things Right

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

Yahweh Sets Things Right ~ from Psalm 94

When the enemy comes
To steal, kill and destroy*,
Yahweh settles the score;
He sets things right
And puts an end to evil.
He pays back the arrogant
What he has earned,
And the wicked
What he deserves.
So I will leave it in Yahweh’s hands.

Yahweh teaches me by His Word
And leads me by His Spirit,
And I am very happy because of it.
He instructs me,
Even in the hard times.
He gives me relief from adversity,
Until the wicked are no more.
He will never reject or abandon me,
For I am His own dear treasure.
His judgments set things right,
And those who are right in heart
Will see and follow them.

Yahweh stands up for me
Against those who do evil;
He puts Himself between them and me.
When my foot slips,
Yahweh holds me up,
By His faithful love.
When I am troubled with worry,
Yahweh comforts me,
Calms me down,
Cheers me up.

Yahweh is my strong place,
My safe place,
My solid place.
He will take care of everything for me,
So I will leave it in His hands.

* Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Personal Confessions from the Psalms
Prayers and Affirmations for a Life of Faith, Happiness and Awe in God
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Psalm 92 ~ The Hand of Yahweh in My Life

A personal confession from the Psalms.

The Hand of Yahweh in My Life ~ from Psalm 92

How good it is to give thanks to Yahweh.
I sing praises and glorify His name:
The Most High ~ there is none greater.
I announce His steadfast love every morning,
I declare His faithfulness every night.
I celebrate them all day long,
Because Yahweh has made me light-hearted
By what He has done for me.

Yahoo! for the hand of Yahweh in my life.
How awesome the things He has done,
How profound His thoughts.
He is able to do exceedingly abundantly
Above all I can ask or imagine,
According to His power at work in me.*

Yahweh increases my strength
And continually anoints me
With fresh fire.
I see the defeat of my enemy,
The collapse of those who come against me.

I flourish like a bountiful palm tree
And grow strong and stately like a redwood.
Yahweh has planted me in His house,
And I prosper in His courtyards.
Even when I am old,
I will still bear fruit;
I will remain fresh and green,
Declaring that Yahweh is right
In everything He does.

* “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Psalm 91 ~ My Sheltering Place

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

My Sheltering Place ~ from Psalm 91

I dwell in the sheltering place of the Most High,
And abide under the shade of the Almighty.
Yahweh is my refuge and my strong place;
He is my God and I trust in Him.

He will surely rescue me
From the trap of the enemy,
And from deadly disease.
He will shelter me, safe beneath His wings.
His faithfulness is my shield and armor.

I will not fear the terror that stalks the night,
The weapon that comes by day,
The sickness that lurks in the darkness,
The destruction that lays waste in plain sight.

A thousand may fall at my side,
Ten thousand at my right hand.
But it shall not come near me.
I will witness, from a safe place,
The result that comes to the wicked.

Yahweh is my refuge,
The Most High is my dwelling place.
No evil will befall me,
No plague will come near my house,
For He gives His angels charge over me,
Orders concerning me,
To protect me in every way.
They take me up with their hands
To keep me from harm.

I walk upon the lion and the cobra;
The strong and cunning deceiver
Is under my feet.

I have set my love upon Yahweh,
And He will deliver me.
He will set me on high,
Because I have known His name.
When I call upon Him,
He will answer me.
He will be with me in trouble,
He will rescue me and set me in a place of honor.
With long life He will satisfy me,
And show me His salvation,
His Yeshua ~ Jesus!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Psalm 84 ~ Yahweh’s Dwelling Place

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

Yahweh’s Dwelling Place ~ from Psalm 84

I love the dwelling place of Yahweh,
Lord of the Angel Armies.
How wonderful it is to be in His presence;
It is the delight of my soul.
My whole being cries out for joy
Because of God, who is my life.

The happiness of dwelling with Yahweh!
I will praise Him everyday,
Now and forever.
The happiness of having God as my strength!
My heart is on a journey with Him.
When I pass through the valley of dryness,
It wells up with refreshing springs,
Pools of blessing and prosperity.
The closer I walk with Him,
The stronger I become, day by day,
Until I stand before Him
At journey’s end.

Yahweh, Lord of the Angel Armies,
Hears my prayer;
He is attentive to my cry.
Yahweh is my shield, my protector.
He looks upon me with favor
Because of Jesus, His Anointed One.

One day with Yahweh
Is better than a thousand without Him.
Just looking in at His doorway is better
Than dwelling sumptuously with the wicked.

Yahweh is a glorious king,
Our sun and our shield.
Yahweh gives grace and glory;
He does not hold back
Any good thing from me.*
O the happiness of trusting in Yahweh,
Lord of the Angel Armies.

* “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Psalm 81 ~ Fully Satisfied in Yahweh

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

Fully Satisfied in Yahweh ~ from Psalm 81

I hoot and holler
To Yahweh our strength.
I shout out for joy
And bellow a victory song,
Because the God of Jacob
Is my God, too.
It is time for loud music
And celebration.

Yahweh ordains festivals,
Merriment for His people.
Because He delivers us
From every oppression,
Removes every burden
From our shoulders,
And we are free.

When I faced adversity,
I cried out to Yahweh.
He stripped away my fears,
Made me strong,
And rescued me.
He answered me with thunder
From the chambers of heaven;
He rolled over the enemy
With His lightning.

I listen for Yahweh’s voice
And confess His word.
I come into agreement with Him
And follow what He says.
He alone is God
And I will worship no one but Him,
The One who set me free.

I open my mouth wide to Yahweh,
I enlarge my expectation toward Him.
He will satisfy me with abundance
And every good thing.
I love His voice and I walk in His ways.
He subdues my enemy,
Turns His hand against my adversary.
He fills me with the best
And satisfies me with sweetness.

See also Yahweh Your God, Who Brought You Up from the Land of Egypt and Open Wide Your Mouth.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Psalm 77 ~ The Tenacity of Faith

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

The Tenacity of Faith ~ from Psalm 77

I cry out to Yahweh.
I cry out fervently,
Because I know He hears me.
There may be a wait,
But I know He will answer,
And He will not be late.

In my distress I turn to Yahweh.
I pour out my heart
And lift up my hands in prayer.
I will not give up.

I remember Yahweh,
How He helped me in the past.
I bring my complaint to Him;
I ponder and groan,
But I do not give up.

I think of the old days, the good times;
They seem so long ago,
But I do not give up.
I call to mind my songs in the night,
The old songs, the victory songs,
And deep in my heart,
This I know ~

Yahweh has not set me aside.
He is not suddenly displeased with me.
His covenant love has not failed.
His promises are still with me.
He has not forgotten to show His favor.

Though I am overwhelmed,
And it seems like He has changed,
I do not give up,
But I remember again His mighty deeds,
All the wonderful things
Yahweh has done for me.
I will meditate on them,
Ponder them deeply.
For Yahweh does not change,
No matter how I might feel.
God’s way is His own business,
And He takes care of His own,
Of those who belong to Him.

Who is as great as Yahweh?
He does wonders
And shows His strength
To His people.
He stretches out His arm
And redeems our lives.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Psalm 73 ~ A Sudden Realization

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

A Sudden Realization ~ from Psalm 73

Truly, Yahweh is good to His people,
To those whose hearts belong to Him.
There was a time when I doubted this.
I almost lost my footing
When I saw fools boasting of their success,
And the immoral enjoying prosperity.
Though their ways were wrong,
I envied their results.
They seemed to be thriving,
While I was just surviving.
I was confused.

“Has it all been in vain ~
This playing fair and doing what is right?
It doesn’t seem to work
And every day feels like a burden.”

That is what my mind thought,
But had I opened my mouth
To speak in agreement with it,
I would have been untrue ~
To Yahweh,
To His people,
To myself.
My heart knew better,
But when I tried to understand,
It just wore me out.

Then I came into the dwelling place of Yahweh;
I saw the glory of His presence,
And suddenly I realized ~
The wicked and their prosperity do not last!
Their way is precarious
And eventually leads to destruction.
I was foolish to have doubted Yahweh,
I was like an animal
That has no understanding.

The truth is that I am always with Yahweh
And He is always with me,
Holding on to my hand,
Guiding me with His divine wisdom,
And when all is said and done,
He will receive me with glory and honor.

Yahweh in heaven is on my side,
And there is nothing I desire on earth
Apart from Him.
If my body should grow weak
And all my faculties fail,
He will still be the strength of my life
And my inheritance forever.

Those who turn from Yahweh,
Are far away from Him, and will not last.
It is good, then, for me to come close to Yahweh.
I have put my trust in Him;
So shall I tell of all His wonderful works.
Truly, Yahweh is good to His people,
To those whose hearts belong to Him.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Psalm 71 ~ Yahweh All My Days

A personal confession from the Psalms.

Yahweh All My Days ~ from Psalm 71

I put my trust in Yahweh,
He will not let me down.
He sees me through,
Because of His rightness,
Because of His goodness,
Because of His faithfulness.
He hears me and rescues me,
And I am set free.

Yahweh is a secure shelter,
A strong fortress,
Where I can always go for help,
Just as He has promised.
So my expectation is set on Him;
He gets me through the tough times.

I have trusted Yahweh since I was young,
And I am still here to praise Him.
My whole life is a testimony,
Because He is my strong place, my refuge.
So my mouth will be filled with His praise,
To give Him honor and glory everyday.
He will not leave me when I am old
Or abandon me when I am weak.

When the enemy plots against me,
Yahweh is not far from me;
He will come quickly and help me.
The enemy and the accuser
Will be put to shame,
While I add to Yahweh’s praise
Day by day.
I will tell again and again
What He has done for me,
Things too many to count.

I will walk in the victory of Yahweh,
Proclaiming His goodness,
Until I have told of His power and strength
To this generation and those yet to come.
He has done great things for me
And there is none like Him.

Though struggles and sorrows come my way,
He revives me when I’m down;
He lifts me up, increases my honor,
And gives me His comforts.
I give Him thanks and praise,
And hoop it up with joyful songs,
To tell of His goodness.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Psalm 66 ~ What Yahweh Has Done for Me

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

What Yahweh Has Done for Me ~ from Psalm 66

Come and see what Yahweh has done;
Awesome things for His people,
Awesome things for me.
He rules forever,
Revealing His power to every generation.
I will praise Him, loudly,
So everyone can hear.
He sustains my life
And gives me a firm footing.

When I was tested,
He was refining me like silver.
I was trapped, burdened, run over.
It was rough.
But He brought me out
To a place of abundance,
A place of freedom and fulfillment.
I give Him thanks and praise,
And bring Him my best.
I belong to Yahweh forever.

All who honor Yahweh,
Come and hear what He has done for me.
When I was in trouble
I cried out to Him in faith,
With praise in my mouth
And a heart clean before Him.
He heard my cry and helped me.
Praise God!
He hears my prayer
And shows me His faithful love.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Psalm 63 ~ Yahweh is Life and Joy

A personal confession from the Psalms.

Yahweh is Life and Joy ~ from Psalm 63

Yahweh is my God.
I go to Him every morning,
About everything.
All that is in me cries out for Him;
My heart, my mind, my soul, my strength,
Even my body hungers for Him.
Without Yahweh, life is a wasteland.

I look for Yahweh in His sanctuary,
In His dwelling place
Among His people,
And in my heart.
I contemplate His power and His glory.
His covenant love is better than life;
I would rather die than to live without it.

I will bless Yahweh as long as I live
And lift up my hands in praise to His name.
I am fully satisfied in Him ~ life is a feast!
I sing praises to Him with hoots and hollers.*
What joy I have!

I ponder Him as I lay upon my bed,
I think on Him in the middle of the night,
Because He always helps me.
I howl for joy, secure in Him.
I cling to Him with all that is in me,
Because He holds me up
With His powerful hand.

* The Hebrew words translated as “joy” and “rejoice” in our English versions are often very vivid, so in my psalm confessions I try to bring out the nature of these words.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Psalm 62 ~ God My Calm

A personal confession adapted from the Psalms.

God My Calm ~ from Psalm 62

Only in God do I find my calm.
My help and my wholeness
Come from Jesus alone.
He is my rock and my strength,
My salvation, my victory, my prosperity,
My fortress and my defense.
Though the enemy seeks to bring me down,
When the dust clears, I will still be standing.
My expectation is set only on Him,
On Jesus alone, my rock and my refuge.
And in Him, I will not be shaken.

God alone is my prosperity and my glory;
Every good thing in my life
Comes from Him.
My rock, my strength, my security
All come from Him.
I will trust in Him at all times.
I will pour out my heart to Him,
Laying every matter before Him,
And He will take care of it all.

God does what no one else can do.
The life of the common man is transient;
The rich and powerful make promises
But cannot deliver.
Only in God do I find my help.

God has spoken this,
And I see it everywhere:
Strength belongs to God,
Faithful love comes from Him,
And He will help all who trust in Him.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Psalm 61 ~ When My Heart is Overwhelmed

A personal confession adapted from the Psalms.

When My Heart is Overwhelmed ~ from Psalm 61

When my heart is overwhelmed,
When I feel disoriented, dislocated,
Far away from everything dear,
I cry out to God; He listens for me.
He hears and answers my prayer.
He leads me back to solid ground;
He lifts me up and sets me
In a place I could not reach.

God is my shelter, my strong place,
Where I am secure from the enemy.
I will dwell with Him forever,
Safe under His wings.
I have committed myself to God,
To trust Him always.
He hears me.
He has given me the inheritance
Of those who honor His name,
Who live in awe of Him.

He gives me long life ~
I see the generations.
He has set me as a king,
To rule and reign with King Jesus.*
I will dwell with Him forever.
His covenant love and faithfulness
Keep watch over me.
I will sing and celebrate His name
And trust Him always.

* God has seated King Jesus at His right hand in the heavenlies, “far above all principality and power and might and dominion” (Ephesians 1:20-21). And He has made us alive and raised us up and seated us together in the heavenlies with King Jesus, in the place of ruling and reigning (Ephesians 2:4-6). This is not just future hope; it is a present reality for all who are in Jesus.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Psalm 57 ~ Yahweh in the Storm

A personal confession adapted from the Psalms.

Yahweh in the Storm ~ from Psalm 57

When storms rage, I go to Yahweh for refuge.
He will show me His favor and kindness.
He will keep me safe under His wing
While the tempest passes by.

I call out to Yahweh,
Who is much greater than anything
That could ever come my way.
He will do for me
Whatever needs to be done.
He will send whatever I need,
From the realms of heaven,
And rebuke whatever threatens me.
He will display His covenant love
And faithfulness.

Even in the midst of hungry lions
With anger and slander in their mouths,
I will praise Yahweh,
Who reigns over the heavens
And shows His glory over all the earth.
Those who dig a pit for me,
Who set a trap for my steps,
Will fall into it themselves,
While I pass by in safety.

My heart is prepared, focused on Yahweh.
I will sing and celebrate;
I will stir up everything within me
And start every day with praises to Him.
I will give Him thanks
In front of everyone, everywhere.
For His covenant love and faithfulness
Fill heaven and earth.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Psalm 56 ~ Yahweh is For Me

A personal confession adapted from the Psalms.

Yahweh is For Me ~ from Psalm 56

When I am being attacked,
Continually harassed by the enemy,
Yahweh shows me His mercy and kindness.
He reveals His favor on my behalf.
Though surrounded by my adversaries,
I will not fear.
I speak the word of Yahweh;
I put His praise on my lips,
His promise in my mouth,
And I trust in Him
With all I’ve got.

Yahweh keeps track of me,
He knows the tears I have shed;
They are entered into His ledger.
He will turn back the enemy
When I call to Him for help.
This I know, because Yahweh is for me.*
I put my trust in Him
And I do not fear what any man can do.

Yahweh fulfills His word
And I declare it to everyone
With thanks and praise.
He pulls me through
And keeps me from sliding
Over the edge into destruction,
That I may walk with Him
And enjoy life.

* “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:31-35).

Monday, October 31, 2011

Psalm 52 ~ Like a Green Olive Tree

A personal confession adapted from the Psalms.

Like a Green Olive Tree ~ from Psalm 52

I am like a green olive tree
In the house of God.*
The love of God is constant
And I will trust His faithfulness
Forever and ever.
He will keep His covenant,
The promise He made with me
Through Jesus.

I will give Him praise forever
Because He has done
What He said He would do.
I will keep my focus
And my expectation on God
And proclaim His goodness
Before all His people.

* See also A Green Olive Tree in the House of God and Abiding Even in the Face of Evil.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Psalm 46 ~ Abundantly Available Help

A personal confession adapted from the Psalms

Abundantly Available Help ~ from Psalm 46

God is our shelter and our strength,
Our abundantly available help,
Even in calamity.
So we refuse to be afraid.

When the earth shudders and shakes,
We will not fear.
If the mountains should drop into the sea,
We will not fear.
Though there be earthquakes and tsunamis,
We will not be afraid.
In all these things,
God is still our shelter and our strength
Our abundantly available help.

There is a river that streams from heaven
To the people of God,
His dwelling place on earth,
And makes us glad.
God is with us, His kingdom is in us.
We will not be shaken
Because God will help us
And He will not be late.

Nations rage and kingdoms topple
When God lifts His voice.
But Yahweh, with His angel armies, is with us.
The God who sheltered Jacob
Will be our shelter, also.

This is what we will see,
The wonders of Yahweh,
Bringing war to an end all over the world;
Weapons are useless against Him.
Nations will cease their striving
And will know that He is God
And confess Jesus is King.
He will be praised among the nations
And glorified in all the earth.
Yahweh, with His angel armies, is with us.
The God who lifted Jacob high
Will lift us, also.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Psalm 41 ~ The Happiness of Helping and Being Helped

Global Celebration, founded by Georgian and Winnie Banov, is one of the ministries we support. In addition to bringing the joy of Jesus around the world, they also put on huge feeds and bring ministry to impoverished areas in places like Mozambique, Nicaragua, Bulgaria and other countries. They even go to the garbage dumps, literally, to help the poor who dwell there. Here is more about this ministry and how you can be a part. “Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will give a reward to the lender” (Proverbs 19:17 HCSB).

The Happiness of Helping and Being Helped ~ from Psalm 41

O the happiness of helping the poor and the weak!
It is a joy that comes straight from Yahweh’s heart.
He will rescue me, too, when I am in trouble;
He will make me smooth in the day of adversity.
Yahweh will protect me on all sides;
I will be happy and prosperous on the earth,
And He will deliver me from the enemy.

Yahweh will give me strength
When I am sick and weak;
He will raise me up and heal me.
He will bend down and show Me His favor;
He will restore my spirit and heal my body.
Yahweh will help me
And the enemy will see his defeat.

Yahweh takes care of me and keeps me going,
Because I belong to Him, fully and completely.
He has set me before His face forever.
O the happiness!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Psalm 40 ~ Yahweh, My Rescue

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

Yahweh, My Rescue ~ from Psalm 40

I waited with focused expectation before Yahweh.
He bent down and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the terrible pit I was in.
I was stuck in deep; He pulled me out
And set me on solid ground.

He has given me a new song,
A new opportunity to praise Him.
Now I do my victory dance.
Many will see what Yahweh has done;
And be in awe of Him ~ and have hope.

O the happiness of trusting in Yahweh!
I am not dependent upon the arrogant
Or subject to their deceits.
So many marvelous things Yahweh has done for me.
His thoughts and plans for me
Are wonderful, incomparable.
They are more than I can count.

He has caused me to hear and understand.
My desire is to please Him,
And He instructs my heart.
The good news* of Jesus and His rightness
Has done this in me, and I will proclaim it.

Yahweh does not hold back His lovingkindness,
His faithfulness, His tender mercies;
He protects and sustains me.
Yahweh shows favor to His people and rescues them.
He will turn back those who wish me evil
And put to shame those who seek my harm.

But I will be merry and celebrate
And say how great Yahweh is;
He is my rescue and my help
And His thoughts toward me
Are for good.

* The Hebrew text here (Psalm 40:6-9) uses gospel language. The Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, here uses the word euangelizo, to evangelize, to proclaim the good news. See Hebrews 10:5-10, where the author applies this passage to Jesus.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Psalm 37 ~ Possess the Land in Patience

A personal confession adapted from the Psalms.

Possess the Land in Patience ~ from Psalm 37

I do not worry when bad people have it good;
I do not envy them; they will not last ~
And their time comes quickly.
I keep my focus on Yahweh;
I trust in Him and keep doing what is good.
I stay put and feed on His faithfulness.

I delight myself in Yahweh,
My heart is pliable before Him.
He brings it into line with His heart.
And gives me all my desires.

I commit my way to Yahweh,
I roll it all over onto Him,
Holding nothing back.
I put my confidence in Him,
And He does for me
Whatever needs to be done.
He will bring forth His rightness in me.
He will shine His light on my life
And everyone will see His goodness on me.

So I wait, quietly and patiently, before Yahweh.
I do not get agitated
When those who do wrong prosper.
I do not let it get up my nose;
I let go of rage, for it does not help
But only makes things worse.
Those who do wrong will not last,
They will be cut off.
But those who trust in Yahweh
Will possess the land.

So I will wait, quietly and patiently,
Trusting in Yahweh,
And I will possess the land.
I will enjoy the abundance and wholeness
That comes from His shalom, His peace ~
Nothing missing, nothing broken.

Yahweh will take care of me all my days,
And my inheritance will last forever.
He will not let me down in tough times;
Even in famine, I will have more than enough,
To give and to share.

Yahweh directs all my steps,
And they lead me to delight.
Even if I stumble, I will not be down for long;
Yahweh will lift me up again.
Over the years, this is what I have learned:
There is always help for His people,
And bread for their children.
Yahweh loves justice and will set things right;
He will never turn us away.

I think on what is wise and true,
And speak of what is right and good.
Yahweh instructs my heart
And makes my steps sure.
My expectation is in Yahweh;
I walk in His ways.
He will lift me up to possess the land.
His future for me is shalom, peace.
He is my strong place in troubled times;
He will surround me with help
And bring me through.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Psalm 36 ~ The Covenant Love of Yahweh

A personal confession adapted from the Psalms.

The Covenant Love of Yahweh ~ from Psalm 36

The covenant love* of Yahweh fills the heavens.
His faithfulness covers the earth.
All His ways are right and good,
As firm as the mountains.
His judgments are profound,
As deep as the sea.
He sustains every living thing.

The covenant love of Yahweh ~
How incomparable and precious it is to me.
I find my peace in the shadow of His wings.
I feast on the abundance of His house
And drink from the river of His pleasure.
He is the fountain, the source of my life,
And His light causes me to see.
His love for me will never end
And He will lead me in His rightness.

* The Hebrew word translated as “love” in many English versions is hesed. It is the love God has covenanted to show His people and do good to them. Various translations render it as mercy, faithful love, steadfast love and lovingkindness. Yahweh is the name by which God reveals Himself in covenant relationship with His people.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Psalm 35 ~ Yahweh Contends for Me

When I pray through the psalms, there are some instances when I make a personal confession where the psalm writer makes a petition. I do this because I understand and confess the psalms through the New Testament reality of Jesus the Messiah and the coming of His kingdom into the world. So, for example, where the psalm writer says, “Contend with those, Yahweh, who contend with me” (Psalm 35:1 JVD), I am mindful that Jesus has already done that for me: He has taken on the devil and death and sin, and everything that stood against me, nailed it to the cross and rose victoriously from the dead three days later. So, I confess with Paul, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:35-37).

Yahweh Contends for Me ~ from Psalm 35

Yahweh contends with those who contend with me.
He fights against those who fight against me.
He is the Warrior who stands for me and helps me.
He will stop those who are after me,
Because Jesus is my salvation!*
Those who seek my life will be brought to confusion.
But I will whirl and twirl for joy because of Yahweh;
I will delight thoroughly in Jesus, my Champion.

Who is like Yahweh?
He keeps the weak from being overcome
And the poor from being plundered.
He rescues me from destruction
And will not let the enemy triumph over me.
He will clear my name.

Those who stand with me
Will shout for joy and celebrate.
Yahweh will be great in their eyes
Because He takes pleasure
In the prosperity of His people.
I will speak of His faithfulness,
Because He always does what is right,
And I will praise Him continually.

* The Hebrew word for “salvation” in this psalm is yeshuah. As a name, it is Yeshua, which is Hebrew for “Jesus.”

Monday, October 24, 2011

Psalm 34 ~ A Brag About Yahweh

A personal confession adapted from the Psalms.

A Brag About Yahweh ~ from Psalm 34

I will bless Yahweh at all times,
I will always be singing His praises.
I will brag about Yahweh with every breath,
So the humble may hear and hope
And be light-hearted in Him.
I want everyone to see how great He is
And to praise His name together with me,
With loud and joyful shouts.

I focus diligently on Yahweh
And go to Him about everything.
He hears me and answers my prayer.
He rescues me; His perfect love casts out my fear.*
I look to Him and I am encouraged;
He will not let me down.

When I am in need or afflicted,
I cry out to Yahweh and He hears me;
He rescues me from all my troubles.
Yahweh sends His angels to surround me
He delivers me because I trust in Him
And honor His name.

I have tasted and seen that Yahweh is good.
I turn to Him and ~ O the happiness!
I live in awe of Yahweh and honor Him,
And I have no lack.
I focus on Yahweh and go to Him;
He gives me every good thing.
I enjoy life and experience His goodness everyday,
Because I guard my mouth, my words,
Speaking only what is good and true.

I will not do what is evil,
Only what is good.
I will pursue peace, the shalom,
The wholeness that comes from God alone,
And I will strive to live well with all people.

Yahweh watches over me and hears me when I cry.
He delivers me out of all my troubles.
When my heart is burdened,
Yahweh is near, to help me.
When I am crushed, He heals me.
Yahweh rescues me because I belong to Him.
I trust in Him, and there is no condemnation.**

* “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18).
** “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Psalm 32 ~ The Happiness of Being Forgiven

I understand and confess the psalms through the New Testament reality of Jesus the Messiah and the coming of His kingdom into the world. In Him is the fulfillment of all the promises and prophecies God made in the New Testament. The forgiveness of God comes to us in Him.

The Happiness of Being Forgiven ~ from Psalm 32

O the happiness!
When I crossed the line,
Yahweh forgave me.
When I did wrong,
He pardoned me.
When I came clean,
He did not hold any of it against me

When I was hiding out,
My strength was gone;
I was in anguish.
Conviction was heavy on me
And I was miserable.
But when I admitted I had done wrong,
Yahweh forgave me all
And removed my guilt.*

So when I have messed up and done wrong,
I will run quickly to Him,
For He is near, even if I am far away.
And if trouble comes
I will be in the right place,
For He is my safe and secret place.
He will protect me on all sides.
He will see me through,
And I will be shouting for joy.

Yahweh will teach me
And give me direction.
I will keep my eye on Him
And He will guide me.

Those who do wrong
Bring pain and sorrow on themselves,
But those who run to Yahweh
Are surrounded by His faithful love.
My heart is light in Yahweh;
I whirl and twirl and shout for joy
Because of Him.
O the happiness!

* “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin ... If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:7, 9)

Saturday, October 22, 2011

The Last Word is a Good One

Praying the Psalms for twenty-five years, I know that there are a number of styles and moods. Some are wisdom psalms, some are about the reign of the king, some are laments, some are imprecatory (where the writer prays for God to go get the enemy). Not all are upbeat in tone, and not all lend themselves well to my current project of developing personal confessions from the psalms. Sometimes the psalm writer is disappointed, disoriented, even depressed. But they all resolve to a position of faith at the end of the psalm, if not before (the lone exception is Psalm 88). However, every single one, is called tehillah, a psalm, a praise to God, because in each one, the psalm writer brings his joy, his sorrow, his disappointment, to Yahweh. Even in Psalm 88, though the writer finishes it with a depression as dark at the end as at the beginning, his orientation is still one of faith because he addresses the matter to Yahweh his God.

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to discuss what faith means in the face of disappointment and tragedy. Here is the answer I gave: Faith does not deny the reality of tragedy, sickness or death, but it says that God is bigger than all those things, that He gets the last word on them and that that last word is a good one. I have been blogging a series of personal confessions adapted from the Psalms, in which I “confess” (agree with) and affirm that “last word.” The kingdom of God has broken into the world; the eschaton (the time of “last things”) has entered into the middle of history, and I believe that God’s “last word” is very powerful in this present time, for life and healing and restoration.

Someone then asked how we can know we won’t be disappointed and that the “last word” will be a good one. I began my answer with Galatians 3:13-14.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us … that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Jesus the Messiah has redeemed us from the curse, blessed us and given us the Holy Spirit — God dwelling in us. The final word God has for those who are in Jesus is a word of blessing that supersedes the word of cursing.

How do I know I won’t be disappointed and that the “last word” will be a good one? I look at the cross and the resurrection. I look at the Table of the Lord and the covenant that Jesus cut with God by His own blood for our sake. That covenant is the new and better covenant God promised Old Testament saints would one day come. It is based on better promises (Hebrews 8:6), and those promises are nothing but good. The Table is a revelation of that blood and that covenant and it prophesies the return of King Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:26).

I have no doubt, then, that all God’s promises will be fulfilled. And I know that I will be abundantly satisfied when the kingdom comes in fullness because I have already experienced it in part, and in increasing measure.

So I will always confess the promises and faithfulness of God, even in — especially in — the face of adversity and disappointment. I will always expect the love of God to break through on my behalf and manifest His rule and reign in every situation. He always gets the last word on my life, and it is a good one.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Psalm 28 ~ Yahweh’s Treasured Ones

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

Yahweh’s Treasured Ones ~ from Psalm 28

I bless Yahweh.
He hears me when I cry out to Him
And answers my prayer.

Yahweh is my strength and my protection.
I trust Him completely,
And He surrounds me with help.
I jump for joy and praise Him
Everywhere I go.

Yahweh is the strength of all His people.
He has anointed us for salvation,
For strength and prosperity,
For health and freedom in Jesus.*

He will deliver us and bless us ~
We are His treasured inheritance.
He will guide, protect and provide for us
And carry us like a shepherd,
Now and forever.

* The Hebrew word for “salvation” in this psalm is yeshuah. As a name, it is Yeshua, which is Hebrew for “Jesus.” Whenever I come across this word in the Psalms, I always think of Jesus, and I always remember that there are many aspects to the salvation God has for us in Him.

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All blog entries are copyright by Jeff Doles on the date they are posted, unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.

After January 1, 2015, unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from the New International Version. © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Before January 1, 2015, unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from the New King James Bible. © 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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