How long, LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is; For what futility have You created all the children of men? What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave? Selah

Lord, where are Your former loving kindnesses, Which You swore to David in Your truth? Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples, With which Your enemies have reproached, O LORD, With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed. Blessed be the LORD forevermore! Amen and Amen.

How long, LORD, Will You hide Yourself forever? A fair question. Not in the sense of trying to give the LORD a guilt trip, but as a search for needed information. I know when my stubbornness(?) has interfered with our communion, I need to take that first step of contrition.

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Reading

Morning Psalm 69 Noon Psalm 119:89-96, Psalm 115

An alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits. But a daily time in the Word of the LORD is an absolute.

But You have cast off and abhorred, You have been furious with Your anointed. You have renounced the covenant of Your servant; You have profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. You have broken down all his hedges; You have brought his strongholds to ruin. All who pass by the way plunder him; He is a reproach to his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries; You have made all his enemies rejoice. You have also turned back the edge of his sword, And have not sustained him in the battle. You have made his glory cease, And cast his throne down to the ground. The days of his youth You have shortened; You have covered him with shame. Selah

But, comparing today's portion of the 89^thwith yesterday's, we must conclude that the LOR, God, the Almighty has His limits. Just like any child can push his parents to the point where enough is enough, so it is with us, the people of His pasture. What we must remember is that He reacts out of love for us, His children. He knows that it will be harmful to us, His children, to allow us additional laxity.

Much like my mother who was forced to point out at times that I wasn't learning through the freedoms granted; it was time to reel me in and use a sterner approach to the training of her eldest son. (I was the experimental child)

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Reading

Morning Psalm 68, Noon Psalm 119:81-88, Psalm 114

An alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits. But a daily time in the Word of the LORD is an absolute.

Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, Nor allow My faithfulness to fail. My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me; It shall be established forever like the moon, Even like the faithful witness in the sky." Selah

Your oath to David was fulfilled in You for You are the seed that lives forever. And You have established Your Church to be established forever. We are Your faithful witness in the sky. We will continue to testify to Your glory and Your goodness to all the world.

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Reading

Morning Psalm 67, Noon Psalm 119:73-80, Psalm 113

An alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits. But a daily time in the Word of the LORD is an absolute.

Princes persecute me without a cause, But my heart stands in awe of Your word. I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure. I hate and abhor lying, But I love Your law.

Seven times a day I praise You, Because of Your righteous judgments. Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble.

LORD, I hope for Your salvation, And I do Your commandments. My soul keeps Your testimonies, And I love them exceedingly. I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, For all my ways are before You.

Yes, Ish Elohim constantly avows his loyalty to the Word of God with a wide variety of strong verse: love, keep, praise, etc. But here he states, “I doYour commandments”, indicating a total yielding to the overarching authority of the Word. That little 2 letter word, has far greater punch in my ears than is carried by any multi syllable action verb in the English language. I do is commitment, a non-negotiable, a solemn avowal of obedience.

Yes, LORD,God, the Almighty in the following of Your Word.

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Reading

Morning Psalm 66, Noon Psalm 119:65-72, Psalm 112

An alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits. But a daily time in the Word of the LORD is an absolute.

"If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments, If they break My statutes And do not keep My commandments, Then I will punish their transgression with the rod, And their iniquity with stripes.

Yes, the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed (forgiven) me from all sinfulness. But that does me that I won't have to suffer the consequences of my stupidities. For example, I can buy a new car, far beyond my needs or financial condition because I covet it. Plain and simple, covetousness! Do I pay any attention to that small voice in the background reminding me that “Thou shalt not covet”?

Do I suffer some financial difficulties as a consequence? Have I learned my lesson? Probably not.

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Reading

Morning Psalm 66, Noon Psalm 119:65-72, Psalm 112

An alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits  But a daily time in the Word of the LORD is an absolute.

Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, And said: "I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found My servant David; With My holy oil I have anointed him, with whom My hand shall be established; Also My arm shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him, Nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face, And plague those who hate him.

But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him, And in My name his horn shall be exalted. Also I will set his hand over the sea, And his right hand over the rivers. He shall cry to Me, 'You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.' Also I will make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth.

My mercy I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall stand firm with him. His seed also I will make to endure forever, And his throne as the days of heaven.

When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, "Has the man come here yet?" And the LORD answered, "There he is, hidden among the equipment." 1 Samuel 10:21-22

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah. 1Sam 16:13

Look at the differences between Saul and David. One ran and hid; the other received the Spirit of the LORD, immediately. What is or should be our reaction when the LORD, God, the Almighty calls us to a ministry? Do we react as a Saul or a David. Each one of us contains the seed of the answer in the depths of our soul long before the call comes. It is contained within our daily spiritual relationship with the LORD.

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Reading

Morning Psalm 65 Noon Psalm 119:57-64, Psalm 111

An alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits  But a daily time in the Word of the LORD is an absolute.

Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted. For You are the glory of their strength, And in Your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the LORD, And our king to the Holy One of Israel.

What a glorious passage for those of us who know the joyful sound. “I have heard the joyful sound, Jesus saves Jesus saves”

It reminds me of a discussion yesterday morning among some of the brothers of the Fellowship regarding 'faith.' Isn't this precious set of verses an expression of the results of our faith? Our faith is revealed in lives of glorification of the Name of the LORD, God, the Almighty.

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Reading

Morning Psalm 64, Noon Psalm 119:49-56, Evening Psalm 110.

Alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits  But a daily time in the Word of the LORD is an absolute.

You rule the raging of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them. You have broken Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain; You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them. The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name. You have a mighty arm; Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.

Absolute control; from the raging of the sea to the distribution of mercy and truth. There is no limit to the span of those powers. When the LORD, God, the Almighty says “Let there be ...” it is! Debates over.

We must come before Him in humility with an attitude of subservience. No room for chest pounding and announcing that I am the master of my fate. Poppycock!

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Reading

Morning Psalm 63, Noon Psalm 119:41-48, Evening Psalm 108.

Alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits 

But a daily time in the Word of the LORD is an absolute.

And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him. LORD God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You.

Look at this list of those who acknowledge the wonders of the LORD, God , the Almighty! The heavens, the assembly of the saints, sons of the mighty, held in reverence by all around Him. The concluding sentence is one of those “says it all” statements. The faithfulness of the LORD is an absolute; it is complete, it cannot be exceeded.

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Reading

Morning Psalm 62, Noon Psalm 119:33-40, Evening Psalm 107.

Alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits  But a daily time in the Word of the LORD is an absolute.

A Contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, "Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens. have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: 'Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.' " Selah

This is going to be a magnificent contemplation to focus on for the next several sessions. Apparently, Ethan the Ezrahite was a contemporary of King Solomon, but ranked somewhat below the King in wisdom. Nevertheless, a highly regraded individual.

I suspect that we will find as we pursue our study of this Psalm, that the subject of this contemplation is King Solomon. Join me in a profitable study of the Psalms as the LORD, God, the Almighty's primer on the Psalms.

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Reading

Morning Psalm 61, Noon Psalm 119:25-32, Evening Psalm 106.

Alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits

Consider my affliction and deliver me, For I do not forget Your law. Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me according to Your word. Salvation is far from the wicked, For they do not seek Your statutes.

Great are Your tender mercies, O LORD; Revive me according to Your judgments. Many are my persecutors and my enemies, Yet I do not turn from Your testimonies. I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, Because they do not keep Your word.

Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness. The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

Ish Elohim goes straight to the point in his usual no nonsense style. It is the Word of the LORD vs the blither of man. The fulcrum of this stanza is the line, “I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, Because they do not keep Your word.” And then he goes directly to the avowal of adherence to Word. Yes, the Ten Commandments and all their implications as they lead us in living out our lives as Disciples of Jesus Christ. Not our way to salvation, but our way of living a life of salvation.

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Reading

Morning Psalm 60, Noon Psalm 119:17-24, Evening Psalm 105.

Alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits