Psalm 31 | Bible Study Wednesday

Welcome back to Bible Study Wednesday! This year God has pressed upon my heart to study the book of Psalms. Each Wednesday we take a closer look at a new chapter. Today we are going to chapter 31. If you have not done so, please take the time to read through these 24 verses. I will be sharing some thoughts about today's passage and break down this chapter below. Please pray and ask Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and ears to receive everything He has to teach you in today's passage. Let's begin!

Verses 1-6

David writes this psalm to God as he has done many times before. He starts by telling God he trusts Him. Do we tell God how much we trust Him? My family and I are in a really hard journey. We believe it is nearing the end. We sure hope so! I am telling God that even though I don't understand the process or His methods, I still trust Him. David asks for God to listen to his requests. He tells God he needs Him to be his Rock and fortress. He needs direction/guidance. He feels as though he is in a trap set by the enemy and He calls on God to deliver him because God is his strength. He makes a statement in verse five that we see again in the New Testament out of the mouth of Jesus. LUKE 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost. 

Jesus took His last breath to say this. Why would David say this? He is crying out for deliverance based on God's faithfulness. He knows how God has been there before and has no doubt He will hear and answer David's pleas. Jesus and David have this in common: their great faith in God's guidance over their lives. We see time and again Jesus praying to the Father for help and guidance and assurance. David has done the same thing throughout the Psalms and ends this block of text repeating how much he trusts God.

Verses 7-15

David reflects on how God has seen him through before when he was in trouble. Instead of allowing David to be handed over to his enemies, God put him in a large space which indicates freedom of movement, ability to roam freely, and it is not the trap of the enemy that he feels like he is now. Even though he trusts God, he is still in distress, so he asks for mercy. His body is feeling the grief and turmoil. He is under great stress and emotionally he is not well. He feels the effects of a lifetime of hardships, battles, and fighting. He felt isolated, alone, even from those he was acquainted with. He felt forgotten, and useless, like a broken vessel. Have you ever been there? Yesterday was that day for me. It was torment and pain in the depths of my soul but my anchor is Jesus and I hung on with all the strength I could muster.

David felt like he was surrounded by enemies. He could hear those slander and gossip about him. He felt fear on every side. They took counsel about David and chose death for him. I have felt the sting of harsh words and gossip. I have heard a family member say some pretty hurtful, untrue things about my family and myself and it felt like we had no one but each other. We felt abandoned and there was fear and torment in that moment. Do you know who else experienced this? It was worse than what I felt. It was worse than what David went through. Let's look in the New Testament. MATTHEW 27:1-2 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death: And when they had bound Him, they led Him away, and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor. We will never understand that kind of fear, turmoil, and stress as knowing you are walking to your death. Jesus knew it. He knew He had to be crucified for the people. He knew His Father's Plan.

I love the way David says it in verses 14 and 15. "But I trusted in Thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in Thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me." David reiterates that even though he sees the circumstances for what they are: evil, he still maintains his trust in God.

Verses 16-22

David wants God's face to shine upon him and be merciful to him. He wants to not be put to shame for trusting God. In fact, he wants those who do not trust God to be ashamed. He asks for them to be silenced from speaking ill toward the children of God. He is encouraged when he thinks of God's goodness. David says, "Oh how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; and those that trust You." (verse 19) We have put our trust in God so we can count on Him to show up in love and mercy and shower His goodness upon us. We are not alone. He hides us and shields us from the mouth of the enemy. David thought he was as good as dead, but he now sees God heard his prayers and came to his rescue! He will do the same for us.

Verses 23-24

David ends this beautiful chapter with instructions for us. Let's read it together:

"O love the LORD, all ye His saints; for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer." In other words, God will save and keep us who are faithful to Him. He will also give a generous reward to the proud doer, but their reward is nothing His children would ever want. We do not want to be prideful and arrogant. They will receive their reward in the end for disobeying God and not trusting Him.

"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD." My situation did not change today from yesterday, but my sister prayed for me. My friend prayed for me and I do not know who all prayed but I can say that today I feel so much better. I have peace where I had fear. I have hope when I had despair. I am trusting God no matter how bleak things look right now. I know God is going to see our family through this adversity and we will come out stronger for it and hopefully will be able to encourage others in their times of waiting and wondering.

Friends, I started a new job and it has been a varied schedule of training and learning and working on my own, so I hope to have a better routine to get these blog posts up earlier. In the meantime, I will do my best to post as often as I can. I hope you have been encouraged and helped. I sure feel like God was telling me that He sees me in my pain and my struggling and He is not far off looking down at me, but He is near to me and walking through this valley with not only me and my family, but any of you who are experiencing trials and tribulations as well. Let's pray for one another.

God bless you friends.

~Bridgett Owens

Battles and Spoils | Thankful Thursday

The LORD impressed on my heart to carve out a section of my blog to share what I am thankful for. I started it on a Thursday and decided to call it "Thankful Thursday." Each week I share what I am thankful for. Come back each week so we can count our blessings together.

I am thankful that God is faithful. I am thankful that I serve a God is who is able to deliver. I am so glad that I can call upon the name of the LORD and be saved from all of my troubles and afflictions. The Bible clearly tells us we WILL have hard times in this life. (Psalms 34:19) We do not get a free pass because we are children of the Most High God. That would be nice, sometimes, wouldn't it? But God loves us too much to leave us in our pain and suffering. Jehoshaphat knew exactly what to do when He was outnumbered by the enemy.

In 2 Chronicles chapter 20 we read that an army in Moab, an army in Ammon, and a multitude of others from beyond the sea across from Syria were marching in unison to wage war on Jehoshaphat. When he heard the news he was scared and he went to God for help! He declared a fast for everyone in Judah. Everyone in all the cities of Judah came together and asked God for help. Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD, before the new court and this is what he said.

2 CHRONICLES 20:6-13 (6)And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not Thou God in heaven? and rulest not Thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in Thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand Thee? (7)Art not Thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before Thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham Thy friend for ever? (8)And they dwelt therein, and have built Thee a sanctuary therein for Thy name, saying, (9)If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in Thy presence, (for Thy name is in this house,) and cry unto Thee in our affliction, then Thou wilt hear and help. (10)And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom Thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; (11)Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of Thy possession, which Thou hast given us to inherit. (12)O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee. (13)And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

I wasn't there for this great gathering. I did not hear the speech myself, but I can almost see it in my mind. A terrified king gathered with the people of Jerusalem and Judah and king Jehoshaphat starts praying but he is really reminding the people of God's faithfulness. Are You not the God in heaven? Of course He is! Don't You rule over all the kingdoms, even those who don't acknowledge You? Of course He does! And in Your hand is there not power and might so that no one is able to defeat You? Yes!!!

He prays on asking, Aren't You the God who drove out the people that lived in the land in front of Your people Israel? You gave the land to the seed of Your friend Abraham! They lived here and built a sanctuary for Your name's sake, God. They said when evil happened to us we could stand in this house in Your presence because Your name is here, and we can cry to You in our affliction and You will hear and help!

That's a powerful reminder! Sometimes we need to pray back to God all that we remember He did. It isn't to remind God. He didn't forget. It's to encourage ourselves as we look back and see the hand of God all over our lives. 

King Jehoshaphat says to God, just look at the armies coming against us now, the very ones You told Israel not to destroy and they obeyed You. Now they pay us back by coming to run us out of our inheritance that You gave us! Please do something God because this problem is bigger than us! This obstacle is too difficult for us. We do not even know what to do but... and I love this part.... but our eyes are upon You!!!

When we get down to the nitty gritty with our circumstances, when the bills are due or late and the money isn't coming in... when we get the bad diagnosis and the time we thought we had now looks a lot shorter... when the job we love gets downsized and we find ourselves out of work... when the move comes at what feels like the worst time... when the sickness comes but does not go.... when our kids do everything we told them not to do or try and it looks like there is no hope.... when we think we have a future with our spouse and death or divorce changes that picture forever...are we still looking at the overwhelming, terrifying enemy marching at us, or do we put our eyes on Jesus? The very God who brought us through time and time again is still in power, still in control, still capable of fighting the enemy and winning!

Oh, yeah, that's easy for you to say, Bridgett! No it isn't! I have shared story after story of the times God came through when all hope seemed gone. I have a million more that I never shared and that is no exaggeration! It is hard to trust when it seems like the odds are stacked against us, but God is bigger and stronger and better than the enemy! God is mighty to save and able to heal and capable to deliver! He is God all by Himself and He needs NOBODY else! He has got things under control. Do we trust Him?

Here's the incredible part, the Spirit of the LORD came in the middle of the congregation and said, Everyone listen! Everyone who lives in Judah and Jerusalem and you, too, king Jehoshaphat. Don't be afraid and don't be distressed because of this great multitude because the battle is not yours it is God's! Do you hear Him saying that to you right now? I know I needed this message and Lord I am listening! Thank You for fighting my battles. God says we don't need to know how we are going to fight this battle because we are not going to fight. He will fight for us! Remember Exodus 14:14!

He instructs them what to do for the next day. He tells them to stand still and see the salvation of the LORD with them. Again He says don't be afraid or in distress, tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD will be with you! You're not going alone. He isn't up in heaven saying, "Oh that's a lot of people. Well, you're on your own. Wish you the best!" No!! He is telling them and He is telling us today, keep going and I am with you! 

They all fell on their faces to the LORD and worshiped Him. This week I was so lost in God's presence, I literally felt like I was bowing at His feet and I never wanted to leave. The Spirit of God was so tangible that I felt completely enveloped in His love and His light. We need to get serious about seeking God's face more than His hands, but when we do need His hands, we need to worship and magnify how great He is! He is worthy of all honor and glory and praise!

The next day king Jehoshaphat told the people, "Believe in the LORD your God and you will be established. Believe His prophets and you will prosper." Then he appoints singers to praise the beauty of Holiness as they went before the army. They were to say, "Praise the LORD; for His mercy endures forever." They began to sing and praise and God started sending ambushments against the armies of the people in Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir and they were struck down. None survived. That vast army of armies was slain every single one! And when the king and his people came to take the treasures that was found there were so many riches it took them THREE DAYS to get all the precious jewels and treasures.

When you get to the other side of this storm you're facing, when you've watched God fight your battles and you have cleaned up the treasures awaiting you, there's something more for you to do. On the fourth day they assembled themselves together and blessed the LORD. They even named the valley they celebrated in to reflect what God had done. It's time to rename some areas of our lives to declare what God has done. They went back to their lives and their routines with JOY because the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. There is joy and celebration on the other side of this battle. Keep your eyes on the LORD!

I love what verse 30 says, "So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave Him rest round about. The whole kingdom was at peace. God gave them rest on every side. I am thankful for the times God saw me through, fought my battles, and helped me overcome obstacles I never could have done on my own. I am thankful for the times He provided food, paid the bills with money we did not expect, got me safely home when I was out of gas, healed my body, helped us out of situations and circumstances we got ourselves into but He fought the battles. I am thankful for the victories and I am thankful for the peace that follows the victory.

What are you thankful for this Thursday? This world is in the middle of a pandemic, we see empty chairs around our table as loved ones are not here for one reason or another, danger is on every side, the earth is full of wicked deeds, but God is in control. He is in charge and He is victorious. He has never lost a battle and I know that He never will! I am thankful for the victorious King I serve and I am thankful for every battle He has won for me!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens