Psalm 119 | Part 17 | Psalms for Shepherds

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Psalm 119 | Part 17 | Psalms for Shepherds

An audible devotional on Psalm 119 | Part 17

March 2, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 119:129–136

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Welcome to week 17 of our series on Psalm 119, and we’re looking at verses 129 through 136. This stanza of the Psalm is based on the 17th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, known as Pe which in Hebrew means mouth.

I have not spoken of the meaning of the Hebrew letters during this Psalm 119 series, but I’ve been so drawn to the meaning with this particular letter. The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet also means “mouth”, but interestingly it means breathing, breath, Spirit, and revelation. Pe, the letter associated with these 16 verses, however, means “speech, the spoken word, testimony”.

There is so much truth in this short passage. God’s testimonies ARE wonderful. His Word DOES give light, as well as understanding. His way toward those who love Him is, in fact, to turn toward us and be gracious to us. He DOES redeem us from our oppression, He surely shines His face upon us, and He does give us a passion for those who do not know and love the Father.

To me, it feels like the real power in this passage is the reminder the psalmist gives in verse 133.

The ESV reads, “Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion [or autocratic rule] over me. The New Living Translation of that verse says, “Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil.” The Message translation reads: “Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign [or nothing harmful, hurtful, or damaging] gets the better of me.”

You know, it seems that we often use so many excuses as to why we sin, that we forget so many passages like Peter’s reminder that “We have been given everything we need for life and godliness”. In other words, to live as Christ would have us to live, and Paul’s admonitions to believers to live a godly life.

Not letting sin overcome us is not just an aspirational thought or an aspiring goal, but can be our experience as shepherding believers. If we abide in Jesus Christ, then He has the power, through the Holy Spirit, to daily draw us to Himself and to direct our feet, our hands, our hearts, and our minds into the ways of righteousness.

“Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.” (verse 133)

Our Good Shepherd will keep that promise, fellow under-shepherd. He will help us keep our steps steady and He will not let sin have dominion over us. And we must do our part, as well by beginning our day by crying out to Him and staying focused on Him throughout the day. In essence, we abide in Him. All day. Every day. Never wavering from keeping our minds fixed on Christ, the author and protector of our faith. Our Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd.

Whatever tempts you the most and it does not matter whether it is an addiction or an occasional attraction or enticement you can live in a way that does not let that sin get dominion over you. It is really your choice, fellow under-shepherd. Giving into temptation will always produce a negative situation in your flock, because as Scripture teaches us sin always separates us from God, us from others, and, even, us from ourselves.

Shepherd leader, How willing are you to move from separation to community? Even with the flock you shepherd. Be encouraged to spend time contemplating that question, evaluating how you are living, if you are crying out to the Father, longing after His Word, and meditating on Him and His Words day and night the only sure-fire way that you will not be overcome by evil and that nothing harmful, hurtful, or damaging will get the better of you.

May you live deeply into your calling to shepherd well all those entrusted to your care.

Psalm 126 | Psalms for Shepherds

August 3, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 126

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome once again to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast. This week we continue our journey in the Psalms of Ascent with Psalm 126. Although perhaps written as a corporate lament, there is much language of hope and joy in these six verses. Nearly every verse contains an expression of joy – laughter, images of restored fortunes, streams in the desert, and abundance of harvest. However, we can also see in the song that the current state of the psalmist is not one of joy, ease, and abundance, yet he writes and sings in hope. Much like the hope we found in Psalm 125! It was the looking back at God’s faithfulness, at what He had done in the past that allowed the psalmist and singers to proclaim in that moment that they were filled with joy. The question we must ask ourselves is this: Do we live like this, dear shepherd? Facing the day as author Pete Santucci says, “like giddy dreamers whose dreams had actually come true”?, remembering God’s grace, His merciful love, the beauty in your life, and your standing in Christ no matter what may come? The psalm is a reminder to remember… to remember the goodness of God. The writers of the She Reads Truth Bible reading plan, The Psalms of Ascent, sum up Psalm 126 this way: “This song uses the memory of hardships [and rejoicing] as encouragement to remember that joy is worth the journey. And with that hope, this song calls the singers to be confident God will continue to use sadness to bring a better joy as they press forward.” Yes, the joy in Jesus is worth the journey through this world. Today, do you need to be reminded of how in the past our Good Shepherd has kept and cared for you, or a loved one, or one or more of sheep in your life? Pour out your prayer to Him, and may this psalm be a template for you. Look back. Choose praise and joy. Lay your requests before Him with the confident expectation that He will certainly be faithful again. After all, He has promised it. My prayer is that your sadness and mine, when it comes, will bring a better joy to us as we press forward, and that you find yourself held, hope-filled, and at peace in the presence of your Shepherd today. Thank you for joining me this week. As you allow Jesus to shepherd you, may you shepherd well those He has entrusted to your care.

Psalm 125 | Psalms for Shepherds

July 27, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 125

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast. This week we are in Psalm 125, yet another Psalm of Ascent. This one wonderfully names the benefits that faith and faithfulness bring to God’s people. This song mentions “those who trust in the Lord”, who are called good and upright. One translation puts it this way: “those whose hearts are in tune with God”. And this song speaks of the wicked and refers to them as “whose scepter will not rest on the land allotted to the righteous”. In the words of Charles Spurgeon, “Two kinds of men are always to be found, the upright and the men of crooked ways... When God is smiting the unfaithful, not a blow shall fall upon the faithful.” It may not always seem like this last sentence of Spurgeon’s is true, but it is! For believers today, this promise will ultimately be fulfilled when God’s people from every nation, tribe, and tongue reign in the new earth. Ultimately, not a blow shall rest on the righteous. It is that confidence that is what keeps followers of the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd standing in moments where, in our humanness, we want to sink to the floor and crawl into a corner. It is then that we can have the confidence of verse 1 of this psalm: “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever”. And, from verse 2: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore.” And that, fellow under-shepherd, is what we must rest in today. No matter what is tempting to shake us, “even as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds” us. No matter what wickedness is looming before us, it shall “not rest on the land allotted to the righteous”. No matter what’s happening in our family, among our team members, in our organizations, or among the congregation, even as we lead in the most difficult of situations, we can stand firm, we can obey the father, we can continue to talk to and listen to him, and we can have hope in the God of the universe and every one of His promises. Thank you for joining me this week. And thank you for the commitment you have made to shepherd well.

Psalm 124 | Psalms for Shepherds

July 20, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 124

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast. We continue this week in the Psalms of Ascent with Psalm 124, a psalm that remarkably describes what it would be like if God had not rescued the Israelites, and, as we apply it today, what it would be like if God did not rescue us over and over and over again. This psalm begins with “What if the LORD had not been on our side?” and then repeats that same question to require the singers to ensure they do not pass over what David is teaching! As the NLT Study Bible states, “The negative rhetorical questions emphasize the positive idea that the LORD was indeed on their side.” And, dear fellow under-shepherd, He is on our side, as well. Personalize and camp on these questions for a moment: What if the Lord had not been on your side? Who or what would have swallowed you alive in their burning anger? What waters would have engulfed you and the torrent overwhelmed you? Whose teeth would have torn you apart? What trap did our Father break to set you free? You probably thought of specific circumstances as I asked those questions, circumstances that, as you look back upon them, cause you to sing your own song of thanksgiving because God did save you and the situation is behind you! Just think of how many times the Good Shepherd has rescued you… and me, and we weren’t even aware of it! Ecclesiastes 11:5 says, “Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.” He is infinite. We are finite. He is omniscient – all-knowing. We know only what He has chosen to give us the brain power to learn, remember, and understand, and what He has chosen to reveal to us. Dear fellow under-shepherd, is there an attack, a trap, or something menacing that is exposing itself in your life right now? Or is there a circumstance like that in your future that you fear? Allow me to encourage you to bring that situation before the Good Shepherd, praise His holy name for saving you in the past. Then rely fully on and bask in His PROVISON, His PROTECTION, and His PRESENCE this week. Thank you for joining me.