PSALM 32 - TRANSGRESSION, CONFESSION, FORGIVENESS, TRANSFORMATION

PSALM 32

TRANSGRESSION, CONFESSION,

FORGIVENESS, TRANSFORMATION

INTRODUCTION: On a timeline, Psalm 32 should follow Psalm 51. Therefore, it would still relate to David’s repentance after sinning with Bathsheba and having her husband, Uriah the Hittite, murdered. David is recalling what he has learned about sin, confession and forgiveness and teaching those truths to others. David uses three words for sin. According to the notes in the John MacArthur Study Bible:

transgression…sin…iniquity. Three key OT words for sin occur, viewing it respectively as rebellion, failure, and perversion.

Psalm 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Susan: Blessed has the connotation of contented and at peace, fulfilled.

Susie: Blessed is the exact opposite of how David felt before he confessed his sin and repented. God’s forgiveness removes the weight of guilt on our shoulders.

Susan: By removing the weight and pressure of sin, God enables you to be able to live with Him in the totality of relationship for which you were created. Intimate relationship with God is the essence of what Adam and Eve had in the garden before the fall, before their disobedience.

Psalm 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Susan: God relieves us of the deadly weight of our sin when He forgives us and we receive that gift of forgiveness.

Susie: For Christians, God imputed our sins onto Jesus and nailed them to the cross. We sometimes take that weight back by harboring a sin rather than confessing it and allowing God to cleanse us from it.

Susan: When we have trusted and surrendered our lives to Jesus, God does not see our sin. He sees us through the filter of Christ’s finished work on the cross.

Susie: In order to be happy, content, at peace we simply need to confess and genuinely repent of our wrongdoing, trusting Jesus to do the work of making us right with God.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 32:3-4 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

Susan: When David was trying to keep his sin hidden, it caused him great distress . . .

Susie: . . . even to the point of feeling physically ill and older than his years. The conviction of what he had done weighed heavily on his mind.

Susan: David felt dried up, spent as if working in the summer heat. I wonder if God had not pressed so heavily upon him, if David would have repented as quickly.

Psalm 32:5 I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Susan: When David recognized the gravity of the transgression he had exacted toward God, he was breaking under the weight of it. Then he ceased trying to hide from God and became transparent before the One who sees everything anyway.

Susie: When David threw himself on God’s mercy, God in His lovingkindness forgave him. David had a marvelous understanding of the blessing that occurs when guilt is lifted and God’s love shines through.

Psalm 32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

Susan: Do not put off confessing sins and let them pile up. Do not confess everything in one fell swoop once or twice a year as if God is a cosmic slot machine pouring out forgiveness on your timetable. Do not use the Lord as an emergency room doctor. He is supposed to be our intimate friend, and we should talk with Him daily. There is an empty space that should only be filled with God. Many people are trying to fill that spot with addictive behaviors rather than keeping short accounts with God in order to maintain our intimate friendship with Him.

Susie: It is not that God hides from us. However, if we continually hide from Him, we find it increasingly difficult to connect to Him in prayer. Confession needs to be a moment by moment occurrence in order to prevent building up walls between us and the Lord. Those who maintain their relationship with God will not be overwhelmed by literal floodwaters or waves of temptation and trial.

Psalm 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Susan: David felt secure in the arms of his God.

Susie: Like a small child buries her face in her mother’s side when a stranger speaks to her, we can run to God as our refuge and protection, our hiding place.

Susan: David felt surrounded by an army of praise leaders. Later in Israel’s history, King Jehoshaphat had the singers lead the army into battle singing songs of praise (2 Chronicles 20:20-22).

Susie: Many of the psalms are “songs of deliverance.” David’s trust was in God’s ability to protect and provide for him and the nation of Israel.

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Susan: After learning about forgiveness and its personal application, David moves to discipling others.

Susie: We can read David’s promise to teach others about confession and forgiveness in Psalm 51:

Psalm 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You.

Psalm 32:9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

Susie: David, in a picturesque way, is telling the people not to be stubborn.

Susan: Cooperate with God. He sees and knows what is best for you, what is going to bring you into full bloom, to mold you into the purpose He has for you, that He may be glorified through you.

Psalm 32:10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.

Susan: For the wicked there will be sadness and trials.

Susie: The wicked may seem to prosper for the moment . . .

Susan: . . .but in the scope of eternity, their suffering will be extremely long – forever.

Psalm 37:7-11Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Susie: By contrast, those who trust in the Lord, who lift their prayers to Him, will have peace no matter what their circumstances.

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Psalm 32:11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Susan: When we trust in God and rely on His wisdom to guide us in the safety of His direction, we have abundant joy.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Susie: Our joy does not depend upon our outward circumstances but on the deep hope we have because of Jesus and on the sovereignty of God to work even “bad” things for our ultimate good.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Susan: Our joy depends on the strength of our relationship with God. That relationship is strengthened when we hang our certainty on Jesus’ righteousness.

Susie: Our ability to rejoice in all circumstances comes from time spent with the Lord by reading His word, praying, and worshipping Him.

Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Psalm 119:143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

QUESTIONS

1.               What do the words transgression, sin, and iniquity each mean?

2.               What does blessed mean?

3.               What do we need to do in order to feel content and at peace?

4.               How did David feel before he repented and confessed his sin? Have you ever felt that way?

5.               How often should we confess our sins?

6.               Who is our hiding place, our place of security?

7.               As David taught others, he told them not to be like a horse or a mule. What did he mean by that?

8.               Do circumstances have to be perfect for a Christian to be at peace? Why or why not?

9.               Upon what does our joy depend?

PSALM 51:15-19 - CONTRITE KING

PSALM 51:15-19

CONTRITE KING

Psalm 51:15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

Susan: David asked to be the Lord’s instrument, His megaphone. Rather than doing it in self-effort, David implored the Lord to “open his lips.”

Susie: The Lord strengthened David not only to sing God’s praise during his own life, but also infused Him with the Holy Spirit to write many of the psalms to be used for generations to come, including the one we are studying.

Psalm 51:16-17 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Susan: Heartfelt gratitude and repentance are the paramount prerequisites to true sacrifice.

Susie: David knew that just killing a bull and offering it on the altar would not please God. He had to have a “contrite” and “broken” heart before God.

Susan: Let’s take a closer look at the word “contrite.”

Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language

CONTRITE, adjective [Latin , to break or bruise; to rub or wear. See Trite.] Literally, worn or bruised. Hence, broken-hearted for sin; deeply affected with grief and sorrow for having offended God; humble; penitent; as a contrite sinner.

Susan: David was deeply troubled by the fact that he had offended God. He was heart-sick over his sin. He needed to be right with God in order to rule Israel righteously.

Psalm 51:18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

Susan: The blessings of the king are attached to the blessings of the people.

Susie: Now that David has spent time getting back into right relationship with God, he is able to ask God to strengthen his capital city, Jerusalem.

Psalm 51:19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Susan: The restoration of their king would spark revival among the Israelites. As David sang and taught of his forgiveness and renewed intimacy with God, the people’s own relationship with the Lord would be strengthened.

Susie: The people would then come before God offering their sacrifices with the right attitude, that of humble repentance and brokenness over sin.

QUESTIONS

1.               What does God desire more than sacrifice?

2.               Do you feel that people in general are “contrite” over their sin? What about Christians? What about you?

3.               Why did David’s sin affect the nation of Israel?

4.               Do the sins of our political leaders affect our nation?

5.               How should we pray for those in authority?

PSALM 51:8-14 - RULER SEEKS RESTORATION

PSALM 51:8-14

RULER SEEKS RESTORATION

Psalm 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Susan: David was devastated at the glaring realization of his sin, that he had disappointed God with his disobedience.

Susie: God did not literally break any of David’s bones, but the weight of his guilt crushed David to the point that he felt physically incapacitated.

Susan: David asked the Lord to return him to a state of joyful worship and intimacy with God.

Psalm 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Susan: David asked the Lord not to look at the things that separated him from God.

Susie: The new testament concept of justification comes to mind. He asked God to completely erase the sin. When Jesus died on the cross as the substitute for those who would believe and trust in Him, God completely washed away our sin. The definition I was taught is that “justified” means “just as if I’d never sinned.”

Susan: David asked God to forgive him in such a manner that it would never be recounted or remembered again.

Susie: God would not hold it against him anymore even though David would suffer consequences from his actions, such as the child conceived in the act of adultery died. As believers, we know that when we confess our sins in an attitude of true repentance, they are forgiven and we are completely clean.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Susie: David knew that God had that power to make his heart right again, to cleanse him from his unrighteousness.

Susan: David asked God for a complete restoration, “Extreme Makeover, God Edition!”

Psalm 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Susan: First, David asked that God not send him on a perpetual time out. He did not want God to sever their relationship.

Susie: David did not want God to send him away, nor did he want God to leave him alone. He asked that their intimate relationship be restored.

Susan: David considered God to be his BFF (Best Friend Forever). David could not imagine a life devoid of God for himself, a life devoid of meaning.

Susie: David had learned extremely deeply the truth that unconfessed sin separates us from God. He had confessed and now was asking that the separation cease.

Psalm 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Susie: We both liked the Voice Translation of verse 12:

Psalm 51:12 (VOICE) Give back to me the deep delight of being saved by You; let Your willing Spirit sustain me.

Susan: It was not David’s initiative or ability that saved him. It was God’s extravagant grace and willing Spirit.

Susie: Sin blocks our intimacy with God, and, therefore, robs us of our joy. David knew the key to returning to joy in his life was to be in right relationship with the Lord.

Susan: Unconfessed sin creates a barrier between us and the privilege and blessing of our relationship with God.

Psalm 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Susie: David states that when he is fully restored, when his spirit is in right relationship with God’s Spirit once more, he will share his testimony. Others will come to understand and know God through his testimony and teaching.

Susan: David wants to be a walking billboard advertising God’s grace. He wants others to know that obedience is better than sacrifice.

Susie: His psalm also teaches that confession is better than the weight of guilt.

Psalm 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

Susan: David asks God specifically to expunge the guilt of the murder he committed.

Susie: David could have been stoned to death for either of his sins, but God saved him from that penalty. He promised to praise the Lord in song for all to hear, to be a testimony of God’s grace to all who would listen.  

QUESTIONS

1.               What made David feel like his bones had been broken?

2.               In Psalm 51:9, David asks God to blot out his iniquities. According to Philippians 3:9, whose righteousness covers the Christian when God looks upon him/her?

3.               Did David escape all the consequences of his sins of adultery and murder? What consequences did God impose? (See 2 Samuel 12:9-14).

4.               According to the Law, what penalty should David and Bathsheba have suffered?

5.               How does unconfessed sin affect a believer’s relationship with God?

6.               What did David promise to do when he was restored?

7.               Do you have a testimony of God’s grace in your own life? Briefly write it out and be prepared to share it. 

PSALM 51:1-7 - KING'S CONFESSION

PSALM 51

INTRODUCTION: Psalms 51 and 32 were written by David after He committed adultery with Bathsheba and ordered the leader of his army to abandon her husband Uriah on the battlefield resulting in his certain death. The account of these acts is found in 2 Samuel, chapters 11 and 12. David wrote these psalms as an act of repentance. In them we see his confession of sin against God and the cleansing he requested and received as a result of trusting the Lord.

PSALM 51:1-7

KING’S CONFESSION

Psalm 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Susan: David entreats God to have mercy and blot out his transgressions. David needs God to exercise His authority in showing mercy because if He does not, David would remain convicted by guilt and separated from God.

Susie: David does not deny his wrongdoing or make light of it. He understands the holiness, the righteousness of God in judging sin. He appeals to God’s tender mercies, His lovingkindness.

Susan: The Hebrew word for tender mercies can be used to describe the womb cherishing, nurturing, and protecting the unborn baby.

Susie: Wow! God is merciful toward His children like a mother is merciful toward her child. David appeals to that aspect of God’s character in his plea for forgiveness.

Psalm 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Susie: No amount of outward bathing would cleanse David from adultery and murder. He needs God to wash him thoroughly within his heart.

Psalm 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Susan: When David is awake, he is reminded of his sin. Most likely, when he sleeps, he is having nightmares about it. The guilt will remain until God removes it because only God in His mercy can wipe it away from David’s mind.

Susie: David admits that he was fully aware of his sin. Adultery may have been a heat of the moment sin (although he did have to have her summoned which would have given him a chance to think twice about his actions). However, the murder of Uriah was a premeditated crime to cover up his adultery.

Psalm 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Susan: Even though Bathsheba and Uriah were violated when David did not respect their marriage covenant, ultimately his sin was against God for disobeying the commandment concerning adultery.

Susie: Then he compounded sin upon sin when he ordered Uriah murdered, definitely a wrong against Uriah but again even more against the God who created man in His image and decreed that no one should murder a person.

Susan: David realizes he has no moral grounds to expect to avoid judgement, but he is imploring God to exercise mercy.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Susie: David is not saying his mother sinned in conceiving him. His parents were married, and his birth was legitimate. He is acknowledging that like all men since Adam sinned in the garden of Eden, he was born with a sinful nature. He is admitting that he gave in to that nature and sinned rather than obeying God.

Psalm 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Susan: God’s Spirit guides David’s spirit to live in truth, in agreement with God.

Susie: God knows our secret thoughts, so we might as well be truthful with Him and with ourselves when we sin. As Christians, we have the blessing of the Holy Spirit indwelling us at all times to convict us of sin and guide us in truth.

Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Susan: David was not just any man: he was the king of Israel, so his sin affected the whole nation. His actions reflected on God as well because the Lord has chosen David and groomed him to be king. David felt the magnitude of his sin made him spiritually unclean.

Susie: Hyssop was a leafy plant dipped in blood or ashes mixed with water as prescribed by God and used to sprinkle a person who had touched a dead body or who had leprosy in order to cleanse them. David knew he had defiled himself by committing adultery and murder. This would make him unfit to worship Holy God. He asked God to cleanse and restore him.

Susan: This psalm is David’s desperate plea to be made right with God again.

QUESTIONS

1.         What sin(s) did David have in mind when writing Psalms 51 and 32?

2.        What does David mean when he says his sin was against God only?

3.        In verse five, David says he was formed in iniquity. Explain what he meant.

4.        Can we hide our sin from God? Why or why not?

5.       Take a few moments to examine yourself and confess any sin(s) to the Lord. If you write it down, then destroy it completely. It is a private between you and your Master.

PSALM 146 - PRAISE THE POWERFUL PROTECTOR AND PROVIDER

PSALM 146

PRAISE THE POWERFUL

PROTECTOR AND PROVIDER

INTRODUCTION: The human writer and occasion of Psalm 146 are unknown. The psalms from 146 to 150 are known as the “Praise” or “Hallelujah” psalms and each of them begins and ends with “Praise the LORD.” Many scholars believe they were written after the return from captivity in Babylon.

Psalm 146:1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.

Susan: The soul is the seat of the mind, will, and emotions. To me it encompasses the personality . . .

Susie: . . . that which makes us individual persons.

Susan: Our soul is that which makes us unique.

Susie: In addition to corporate praise, we as individuals must praise the Lord in our own distinct relationship with Him.

Susan: The soul and spirit are what make us in the image of God. God spoke the animals into existence but He personally and intimately breathed life into Adam.

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Psalm 146:2 While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

Susie: As one who trusts in God, praises to Him should emanate from my entire being, a lifelong symphony of praise.

Susan: When our earth-suits expire, those souls who believe and trust in Jesus will immediately find ourselves in the presence of our Lord continuing our chorus of praise.

Psalm 146:3-4 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Susan: We are not to put our trust in rulers and governments for they are mere men and women: even presidents are dust.

Susie: The mightiest king or president with the most powerful army is not what protects us. Ultimately, our Defender is the Lord.

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

Psalm 146:5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

Susie: God changed Jacob’s name to Israel.

Susan: Jacob means “supplanter” because he stole his brother’s place, his birthright, and his inheritance. As a sign of blessing, God changed his name to Israel which means “God perseveres.”

Susie: Our trust is not in Jacob but in His God, the One who perseveres, the One who never fails.

Susan: God’s love for His people never fails:

1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 Corinthians 13:8a (AMPC)    Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

Psalm 146:6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

Susie: Genesis and many of the psalms establish over and over that God spoke everything into being. He sustains it with the power of His words as well.

Hebrews 1:3a (NIV) The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

Genesis 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Susan: God cannot lie. If God says it, that is better than a guarantee. Whatever He says WILL be reality. We can count on God to honor the promises He has made.

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

2 Corinthians 1:20 For however many promises God has made, they all find their “Yes” in connection with him; that is why it is through him that we say the “Amen” when we give glory to God.

Susie: Not only does God always tell the truth, He IS the truth. Jesus is the embodiment of truth.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Susan: Since Jesus is the truth, it is trust and relationship with Him that sets us free.

Psalm 146:7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:

Susan: God watches over the underdog. He wisely judges between the oppressed and the oppressors. Since He is truth, He possesses complete discernment.

Susie: God provides for the truly hungry and those imprisoned unjustly. He uses His people to take care of them. Jesus said that in doing so, we are ministering to Jesus Himself.

Matthew 25:35 & 40 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in . . . And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Psalm 146:8 The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:

Susie: The old testament prophets performed many miracles, but none of them healed a person with blindness.

Susan: However, Jesus healed several blind people including my favorite, the man born blind (John 9).

Susie: God through the Holy Spirit also opens our spiritual eyes. He illuminates the truth and helps us to understand it.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Susan: The psalmist goes on to say that the Lord raises up those who are bowed down. I am thinking of a woman who was literally bowed down but trusted in Jesus for healing:

Luke 8:43-44 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

Susie: Verse 8 says that God loves the righteous. However, in Romans we are told that no one is righteous.

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Susie: How, then, can God love any of us?

Susan: Our own righteousness is as filthy rags, but God the Father sees believers through the filter of Jesus’s righteousness which is completely perfect.

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Psalm 146:9 The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

Susie: One way God provided for the stranger was by instructing the Israelites to leave a portion of their grain fields and grape vines unharvested:

Leviticus 19:10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.

Susan: The stranger was someone who did not have anyone or a place to stay in a community. To me, this is much like the homeless person today who seems invisible to many, other than to see them as an eyesore and nuisance. We, as Christians, should minister to them a people with value, dignity, and worth.

Susie: They are more of the “least of these” that Jesus was speaking about in Matthew 25. We have a responsibility to take care of widows and orphans as well.

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Susan: The word visit means more than a casual drive by “hello.” According to Strong’s, the connotation of this word is to “look out” for or “relieve.” This means we should nurture them, making sure their needs are met compassionately.

Susie: God provides for those who are in difficult situations, especially those who trust in Him for provision.

Susan: However, God confuses and disrupts the paths of those who arrogantly reject Him. Various translations say God makes their way slippery, crooked, twisted, and frustrating.

Psalm 146:10 The Lord shall reign forever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.

Susie: Zion is sometimes synonymous with the people of Zion which would be the nation of Israel.

Susan: God and His provision for His people are not temporary. They are continual and eternal.

Susie: Our complete trust is in our Lord who is faithful, trustworthy, and true. We can count on Him to provide for us, not only today, but forever.

QUESTIONS

1.               List some reasons you personally have for praising God.

2.               Why should we not depend on human leaders?

3.               Why is God completely dependable?

4.               God is the champion of the oppressed. What does He do to those who do not submit to His will?