January 21st
THE PSALMS
When worries threaten to overwhelm me, your soothing touch makes me happy.
Theme: School of Affliction.
Background: The righteous are oppressed – does God care?
94:12 “Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, whom you teach out of your law.” Discipline precedes teaching. If discipline is abandoned in an education system, real teaching fails. God often accomplishes this ‘affliction training’ by allowing opposers to inflict their worst. Psalm 119:68-71 from a paraphrase Bible reads, “The godless spread lies about me, but I focus my attention on what you are saying; They’re bland as a bucket of lard, while I dance to the tune of your revelation. My troubles turned out all for the best - they forced me to learn from your textbook.” (Message) Joseph was treated cruelly by his brothers, yet he learnt much about God through the process (Gen 50:20). Have you learnt positive lessons from spending some terms in the ‘school of affliction’?
94:19 “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your consolations delight my soul.”
The expression “anxious thoughts” carries the idea of ‘entangled, excitable’ thinking. Our thoughts can easily become entangled like the branches and twigs of a tree shooting off in all directions (Ps 139:23; Job 4:13; 20:2). “Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all others thoughts are drained.” – A. S. Roche. Pause and take time out with God, His soothing Spirit, and Word. “Whenever my busy thoughts were out of control, the soothing comfort of your presence calmed me down and overwhelmed me with delight.” (The Passion Translation)
THE PSALMS
Psalm 92-97
Psalm 94
Psalm 94
When worries threaten to overwhelm me, your soothing touch makes me happy.
Psalm 94:19, The NET Bible
Theme: School of Affliction.
Background: The righteous are oppressed – does God care?
94:12 “Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, whom you teach out of your law.” Discipline precedes teaching. If discipline is abandoned in an education system, real teaching fails. God often accomplishes this ‘affliction training’ by allowing opposers to inflict their worst. Psalm 119:68-71 from a paraphrase Bible reads, “The godless spread lies about me, but I focus my attention on what you are saying; They’re bland as a bucket of lard, while I dance to the tune of your revelation. My troubles turned out all for the best - they forced me to learn from your textbook.” (Message) Joseph was treated cruelly by his brothers, yet he learnt much about God through the process (Gen 50:20). Have you learnt positive lessons from spending some terms in the ‘school of affliction’?
94:19 “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your consolations delight my soul.”
The expression “anxious thoughts” carries the idea of ‘entangled, excitable’ thinking. Our thoughts can easily become entangled like the branches and twigs of a tree shooting off in all directions (Ps 139:23; Job 4:13; 20:2). “Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all others thoughts are drained.” – A. S. Roche. Pause and take time out with God, His soothing Spirit, and Word. “Whenever my busy thoughts were out of control, the soothing comfort of your presence calmed me down and overwhelmed me with delight.” (The Passion Translation)
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The beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.
The beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.
