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July 9, 2019
The word Sabbath means to cease. So as Dr. Brooks is away on sabbatical, we will be using his original devotionals from 2009 on the book of Psalms. He will resume The Bible Project devotionals upon his return. Thank you for reading with us and praying for him as he replenishes his soul for the next seven years of ministry.
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Psalm 35
Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.
Take up shield and armor;
arise and come to my aid.
Brandish spear and javelin
against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
“I am your salvation.”
May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay.
May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord driving them away;
may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
Since they hid their net for me without cause
and without cause dug a pit for me,
may ruin overtake them by surprise—
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord
and delight in his salvation.
My whole being will exclaim,
“Who is like you, Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them.”
Ruthless witnesses come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.
They repay me evil for good
and leave me like one bereaved.
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
I went about mourning
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.
But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
They slandered me without ceasing.
Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;[b]
they gnashed their teeth at me.
How long, Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.
I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among the throngs I will praise you.
Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.
They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.
They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we have seen it.”
Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do not be far from me, Lord.
Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
do not let them gloat over me.
Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up.”
May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praises all day long.
New International Version (NIV)
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Soul talk! A few years ago, a writer told me that the key to selling books was putting the word “soul” in the title. Windows of the Soul, Chicken Soup for the Soul. One enterprising preacher wrote one called A Ham Sandwich for the Soul, to go along with the chicken soup. One of the more interesting titles was written by a friend, Calvin Miller, who wrote “An Owner’s Manual for the Unfinished Soul.” So how is your soul? For that matter, what is your soul?
Our souls are where we converse and connect with God. When David was running from his enemies, he realized he needed God’s help. He envisioned God putting on armor and fighting for him in a battle, defeating all of his enemies. In the midst of his complaint, he asks God for some soul talk. “Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation.’” Has God ever said that to you? I am your salvation! We sometimes think of salvation as a moment in time when we prayed a prayer and made a public confession. While our conversion marks the beginning of our salvation, it does not contain the whole. I can’t even find or measure my soul. But God speaks “Soulese”! He knows the language our souls speak!
Our souls are where we rejoice. God will answer David’s prayer. David promises God, “Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in his salvation.” David ends with a call for God’s people to shout for joy and gladness and to say, “The Lord be exalted.” Let your soul talk back to God. Today, let your soul sing. What does the hymn say? “Then sings my soul, My Savior, God to thee, ‘How great thou art!’”
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| This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan. Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download
the app at readscripture.org. Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully,
Duane
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