Psalm 119 | Part 9 | Psalms for Shepherds

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Psalm 119 | Part 9 | Psalms for Shepherds

An audible devotional on Psalm 119 | Part 9

December 16, 2023 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 119:65–72

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This is week 9 of our Psalm 119 series, we’re looking at verses 65 through 72. Since this psalm is an acrostic from the Hebrew alphabet, this portion of the Psalm represents the ninth letter in the Hebrew alphabet, known as Teth.

In Psalm 119:65-72, the psalmist describes himself as a penitent sinner who gratefully accepts the Lord’s discipline and a passage that affirms the goodness of God, the graciousness of his dealings, and the preciousness of his Word.

It’s interesting to note that in each group of verses in Psalm 119, the psalmist typically uses different words that start with the Hebrew letter for that section. Remember, this psalm is an acrostic.

But this passage is different, each verse that starts with the Hebrew letter, Teth begins with the same word – the word “GOOD” (or “tov”, in Hebrew).

As John Piper points out in his article, How God Teaches the Deep Things of His Word, “This makes us sit up and take notice. Something really good is being emphasized. What is the good he wants us to see?”

Piper has made it clear: “If God and his word are your highest values, your greatest desires, then whatever helps you know them and experience them deeply will be good — not easy, and maybe not even morally right (like slander from your adversaries), but good in the sense that God ordains it to give you what is absolutely best — the illumining effect of God’s infinitely valuable word.”

Oh, how true that is my friend! In my Bible next to verse 71, the verse that says “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.”, I have written, “IT WAS!” with an explanation point!

I have personally lived this passage of Psalms, dear fellow under-shepherd. And, unfortunately, it was the immoral insolent slander from my adversaries that began a five-year journey in my own life of learning just how close one can become with the Father in such an inequitable circumstance. It was difficult to keep God’s commandments during that time and I’m sure I did not do it perfectly. In fact, I’m sure there were days when I did more not keeping His commandments than keeping them.

I leave you this week, with this: “Tov” in this portion of Psalm 119: 65-72, has been translated good, pleasant, beneficial, precious, delightful, and right.

It is imperative that as the Father’s under-shepherds, we live with this in mind: As Wiersbe tells us, “God does what is good because God IS good and because what He does is ‘according to His Word’, and His Word is good. Neither His character nor His Word will ever change, so God is good all the time!”

Fellow under-shepherd, let’s live like we know this truth! Let’s shepherd those entrusted to our care with the PROVISION, PROTECTION, AND PRESENCE that demonstrates we serve a God who is good and who is good all the time!

Thank you for joining me this week. May you live deeply into your calling as shepherd in the lives of the sheep you influence.

Psalm 119 | Part 20 | Psalms for Shepherds

May 4, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 119:153–160

Today, we’re looking at verses 153 through 160, the stanza of this Psalm that is based on the 20th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Resh. As I read this psalm, I thought how much the psalmist sounds like us when we come before our Lord in desperation. We often ask for him to save us from whatever we’re facing. And, while making the request to Him, we often remind Him of His mercies, how we are promised from His Word – which we believe is true and faithful – that those mercies are new every morning, and we beg Him to shower them down upon us in this day and at this time. We want God to see our needs, just as the psalmist wanted the Almighty to see his needs. In fact, the psalmist used the same word here that Abraham used when he assured Isaac that God would “see to it” or, in other words, provide the sacrifice necessary for the altar Abraham had built. Abraham knew that God would provide a way to rescue Isaac. And the psalmist knew our Lord would rescue him. Fellow under-shepherd, please be as assured as Abraham was with Isaac that He will provide what you need during this time. Please be assured that He is full of mercy, and that His Word is truth. He will and is shepherding you perfectly during this time. My prayer is that you will hear His voice, that you will respond with obedience, and that your faith will be bolstered while you experience His mercy and follow His truths. Thank you for joining me.

Psalm 119 | Part 19 | Psalms for Shepherds

April 6, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 119:145–152

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to week 19 of 22 in our series on Psalm 119. Today, we’re looking at verses 145 through 152, the stanza of this Psalm that is based on the 19th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Qoph (pronounced KUPH or KOPH). This passage is a reminder to us as under-shepherds, to go often to the Father on our behalf and on behalf of the sheep n our lives and to do so as an act of love, with our eyes open, to watch and pray as Nehemiah did, and as Jesus, Paul, and Peter commanded us “to watch and pray”, to be alert, ready, and aware of what is happening around us, because as Warren Wiersbe alerts, “We are soldiers in a battle and we dare not go to sleep while on duty.” We are, in fact, on duty, fellow shepherd. We are, in fact, responsible for those we lead, for how we influence those with whom we come in contact, for the behaviors we demonstrate, for watching out for the well-being of those who report to us, of those we report to, and of those we work, stand, and fight with - at home, at church, and in our communities. I pray that we will often reach out to the Father IN LOVE, not with an ask, but in gratitude. And may we, in fact, remember that ARE in a battle, that the sheep of our pasture are counting on us, and that we dare not go to sleep. Thank you for joining me.

Psalm 119 | Part 18 | Psalms for Shepherds

March 30, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 119:137–144

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to week 18 of our series on Psalm 119. Today, we’re looking at verses 137 through 144, the stanza of this Psalm that is based on the 18th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Tsadhe (pronounced SAHdi). the Puritans had a deep and meaningful prayer life, as illustrated in the collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions in the book, The Valley of Vision. One of those prayers reminded me of the portion of Psalm 119 we are reviewing today. Please join me in praying this Puritan prayer, in an updated format for the 21st Century. O GOD MOST HIGH, MOST GLORIOUS, The thought of Your infinite serenity cheers me, For I am toiling and moiling, troubled and distressed, but You are forever at perfect peace. Your designs cause You no fear or care of unfulfillment, they stand fast as the eternal hills. Your power knows no bond, Your goodness no stint. You bring order out of confusion, and my defeats are Your victories: The Lord God omnipotent reigns. I come to You as a sinner with cares and sorrows, to leave every concern entirely to You, every sin calling for Christ's precious blood; Revive deep spirituality in my heart; Let me live near to the great Shepherd, hear his voice, know its tones, follow its calls. Keep me from deception by causing me to abide in the truth, from harm by helping me to walk in the power of the Spirit. Give me a more intense faith in the eternal verities, burning into me by experience the things I know; Let me never be ashamed of the truth of the gospel, that I may bear its reproach, vindicate it, see Jesus as its essence, know in it the power of the Spirit. Lord, help me, for I am often lukewarm and chill; unbelief mars my confidence, sin makes me forget You. Let the weeds that grow in my soul be cut at their roots; Grant me to know that I truly live only when I live to You, that all else is trifling. Your presence alone can make me holy, devout, strong, and happy. Abide in me, gracious God. Amen. I pray, dear fellow shepherd leader, that you will camp a bit on the words on Psalm 119, verses 137 to 144, that you will listen to that prayer again, praying it for yourself, and that the Father’s righteousness will, indeed, spur you on to faithful obedience. He deserves it. We should be compelled to it. Our sheep - the sheep of His pasture who have been made in His image - merit it. Thank you for joining me.