Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Psalms 1 (3)
Pray Psalm 5.1-3.
Give ear to my words, O LORD,
Consider my meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
Sing Psalm 5.1-3.
(Angel’s Story: O Jesus, I Have Promised)
O LORD, attend and hear me, consider how I groan.
Receive my cries and near be, great King and God my own.
By morning, LORD, You hear me; I pray, LORD, fill my cup!
I long to see You clearly, as to You I look up.
Read Psalm 5; meditate on verses 11, 12.
Preparation
1. In this wicked world, who can rejoice?
2. Why are they able to rejoice?
Meditation
The psalmist rejoices in the Lord, His Defender (vv. 11, 12). He defends us by hearing our prayers (vv. 1, 2), by making us both to know sin and that sin does not please Him (vv. 4-6), by opening His Presence to us and robing us in His mercy (v. 7), showing us the path of righteousness (v. 8), and giving us clear warning to beware those who would flatter and mislead us (vv. 9, 10).
And He defends us by reminding us of the promise of blessing which He continually holds out to all who love His Name (vv. 11, 12), thus leading us by a true and unfailing hope.
Jesus said that He is our Good Shepherd because He defends His sheep from the wolf who would devour them (Jn. 10.11-13; cf. 1 Pet. 5.8, 9). We live in a world of lies, half-truths, and deception. The psalmist knew a similar experience, and he looked to the Lord as His Defender. At the same time, he pointed forward to Jesus, our Defender and Shield.
We do not have to fear being misled or duped by our age in flight from God. We have His Word, and His Word reveals the nature of sin and, by God’s Law, the path of righteousness. Through Jesus, God opens the door to His Presence, that we may come freely before Him to find mercy and grace to help in our time of need.
Thus we can rejoice in Jesus and His strong defense against everything in this lying world that threatens to rob us of our peace, hope, faith, and joy. And looking to Him, in Whom all the promises of God are “Yes!” and “Amen!”, we can go rejoicing into our day, working to advance Jesus’ rule on earth as it is in heaven.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
let those also who love Your Name be joyful in You.
For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;
with favor You will surround him as with a shield” (Ps. 5.11, 12).
David, who wrote this psalm, experienced safety through many battles, many personal problems, many national crises, he fought off bears and lions, and killed a giant. He died, probably in his own bed, an old man.
Jesus, fought with Satan, Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, and Roman rulers and soldiers, and was crucified and died the most heinous death possible whilst carrying the sins of the entire world—past, present, and future.
Peter, fought against prejudice, religious rulers, soldiers, was rescued from prison, and died a martyr’s death.
But for all of them, God’s protection—being surrounded as with a shield—was true.
God protects, heals, saves, cares for, loves, forgives; and then we die. When or how is His business.
“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die…” (Eccl. 3.1, 2).
But while we are alive, God does amazing things to protect us—spiritually and physically.
Let’s look at the time God rescued Peter: he had been arrested and four squads of soldiers were guarding him in prison. Herod was going to bring him out the next day, no doubt to kill him. He had already killed James, the brother of John.
“That night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers;
and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.”
So far, so good, for Herod’s team.
“Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison;
and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, ‘Arise quickly!’ And his chains fell off his hands.
Then the angel said to him, ‘Gird yourself and tie on your sandals’; and so he did.
And he said to him, ‘Put on your garment and follow me.’ So he went out and followed him,
and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him” (Acts 12.1-10).
Rescued by the Lord, his Defender.
Just like no one could hinder the resurrection, no one, no prison, no chains, no guards, nothing can hinder God from doing what God wants to do (Matt. 6.10). When, or how He chooses best.
“But I AM the LORD your God, Who divided the sea whose waves roared—The LORD of hosts is His Name” (Is. 51.15). He chose roaring water to divide, not a simple trickle. He IS GOD. “Hear Him!” (Matt. 17.5).
And God, Who divides roaring water, and removes chained, guarded, imprisoned men from captivity, has promised to protect us. Until protection is no longer necessary, and we are taken home to be with Him. Snuggled eternally in His faithful arms (Deut. 33.27).
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I AM gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11.28-30).
Reflection
1. How do you experience Jesus as your Defender?
2. How does knowing Jesus continuously defends us encourage you in working your Personal Mission Field?
3. Whom will you encourage today by reminding them that Jesus is our Defender?
Accordingly the reason of this joy is added, because the Lord will cover or protect them. As often as God bestows any blessings upon any of the faithful, the rest, as I have said before, ought to conclude that he will show himself beneficent towards them. Again, this passage teaches us, that true joy proceeds from no other source than from the protection of God. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Psalm 5.11, 12
Pray Psalm 5.4-12.
What trials or adversity are you facing today? Bring it to the Lord and rest it in His defending care! Praise God that He is your Shield, and call on Him to help you love His Name more and more.
Sing Psalm 5.4-12.
(Angel’s Story: O Jesus, I Have Promised)
In sin You take no pleasure; no evil dwells with You.
Vain boasts earn Your displeasure, and those who boasting do.
Sin kindles Your hot anger, You crush all those who lie;
deceivers live in danger of Your all-searching eye.
O LORD, Your lovingkindness escorts me in this place.
I bow before Your Highness and praise Your glorious grace!
In righteous ways You guide me; Your pathway I will know.
No good will be denied me as I with You, LORD, go.
My foes would fain deceive me and crush me in the way;
Their lying tongues would grieve me and lead my soul astray.
Their guilt hangs on above them; their guile shall be their fall;
they spurn the One Who loves them: reject them, one and all!
Let those rejoice who seek You and shelter ‘neath Your wing.
Their tongues shall rise to speak to Your praise; Your grace they sing.
Your people You will bless, LORD, all those who to You yield.
Preserve them with Your best Word, and guard them like a shield.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Support for Scriptorium comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
