Again, what a beautiful psalm. I could just paste the whole thing here and that should be enough. Would be really cool if I could memorize whole passages like these.

This chapter has a lot of exclamation points! Which must be intentional. It starts powerfully with “Oh Lord, you have searched me and known me!” Right there at the beginning, everything we have done and will do, everything we were and will be, comes to the surface. Nothing is hidden. It is a cry of Amazed Surrender. Walang takas.

You love me, you created me – carefully, thoughtfully. You love me in spite of my stubbornness, in spite of my disbelief, in spite of my wicked thoughts. You love me enough to admonish me, to bring me to the right path – with you, with others. “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!”

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (‭Psalm‬ ‭139‬:‭23-24‬ ESV)

Because my mind responds better to lists..

Final Instructions:
– respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you (v12‬)
– esteem them very highly in love because of their work (v13)
– be at peace among yourselves (v13)
– admonish the idle, (v14)
– encourage the fainthearted, (v14)
– help the weak, (v14)
– be patient with them all (v14)
– see that no one repays anyone evil for evil, (v15)
– but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone (v15)
– rejoice always, (v16)
– pray without ceasing, (v17)
– give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (v18)
– do not quench the Spirit. (v19)
– do not despise prophecies, (v20)
– but test everything; (v21)
– hold fast what is good (v21)
– abstain from every form of evil (v22)

Action:
Look through each item, and think of how you can apply that now, and how you can develop a habit of it in the future. These are good guidelines to follow.

Other thoughts:
Serving the Lord and serving the Church is a wonderful experience and a blessing in of itself. But, as we know, it is not without its share of doubts, fears, disappointments, struggles and challenges. These require physical, mental and spiritual effort. How can I show respect and esteem to those who serve? By showing them appreciation, by making their loads lighter, by constantly praying for them.

Applying Verse 14 is pointless unless you have a personal relationship and trust with who you are trying to admonish, encourage or help. You should develop relationships.

At first I was looking at this passage from the point of view of my current circumstances. I couldn’t see how it was related, until God made me realize the following. Sometimes I get caught up on the little things.

There is injustice in the world, and we are to blame. Whether intentional or not, whether we are actively causing it or passively allowing and therefore contributing to it. This is our iniquity – God’s command is to love Him and to love others. We fail at one, we fail at both. Our iniquity is what separates us from our Holy God. We were helpless. We are still helpless without Jesus. Then God made the way.

The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭59‬:‭15b-17‬ ESV)

He will bring justice. With it – mercy, grace, forgiveness, reconciliation, hope, joy, victory.

Balaam was asked by Balak of the Moabites to curse the people of Israel. When he consulted his “boss” (the Lord), he was told to turn down the offer – to which he obeyed. Balak then came back with a counter offer sending a more senior delegation. Balaam’s first answer was courageous, “even if you give me your house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the command of the Lord to do less or more.” Brave words to say to a king. But then he followed up with, “but stay here, and let me go ask Him again.”

It seemed to me that it was the proper action, you consult these things with the boss. But the following verses tell us that although God did allow Balaam to go, his anger was kindled because of this. Why is that?

Maybe because Balaam already knew, or is supposed to already know, God’s stand in this issue. The situation has not changed. Sending higher level princes to ask the same thing does not sway God. It does sway people, though. Money, power, fame – our words in public may say those things are not important, but our eyes, our hearts, they betray us. We are not immune to these enticing prospects, even prophets who can speak directly to God get tempted.

Praise God, the story does not end here.

God, then, makes a master stroke in object lessons. There is a chain of command in the world, and God is supreme. When God commands, you obey, even if your superiors ( who are themselves under God ) command the opposite. Sometimes, the discrepancy in the command is because you see God and they don’t. Will we face pain and hardship for not obeying our direct superiors? They have the ability to do so. But obeying God’s command is more important. What if a have had a lifelong relationship with our superiors? God’s command is still more important.

An important point to make now is that when we say we are following God’s command, we better be sure it is God’s command. We cannot go on invoking His name for something that is not true. Things will not go well for those that talk about God’s command when in fact it isn’t.

“Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam…”

Lord, thank you. Please, open our eyes. Let us see you, let us see ourselves. That we may not sin against you, that we may see your goodness and your sovereignty. That we may act, and respond, properly according to the truth.

I think this is a beautiful psalm. These are words of a person who knows God well, and has a real personal relationship with Him. David touches upon many topics in this short psalm: thankfulness; reverence; God’s love, faithfulness and holiness; His sovereignty and power; His provision for strength and protection. It would be great if I am able to pray like this just naturally and from the heart.