Psalm 119 | Part 20 | Psalms for Shepherds

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Psalm 119 | Part 20 | Psalms for Shepherds

An audible devotional on Psalm 119 | Part 20

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

Give

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 133 | Psalms for Shepherds

October 26, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 133

We continue this week in the Psalms of Ascent with Psalm 133. This psalm may be familiar to many of you, as David speaks candidly about the importance of unity -the word often translated as "harmony" in many Bibles - a timely reminder for our world today. Psalm 133 How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron's head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. This psalm describes unity - harmony - as precious, refreshing. Is that not true? This psalm is really quite self-explanatory. The question for us as shepherd leaders in today's world is this: Do we promote harmony? Do we encourage unity: Is our presence both "precious" and "refreshing"? If not, what must we do to change it? What part of our heart do we need to give the Father access to so He can cleanse it? What behaviors or patterns do we need to discontinue, change, or fine-tune, so that, we are more harmonious, more unifying? Thank you for joining me this week. I pray you live deeply into your calling to shepherd well all those you encounter.

Psalm 132 | Psalms for Shepherds

October 19, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 132

This week, the journey through the Psalms of Ascent continues with a song that celebrates the Lord's faithfulness to David in several ways and can therefore, if we let it, remind us of God's faithfulness to us. Verses 1 through 5 of this psalm recount David's request to build a house for God - a "sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel". Verses 6 through 10 recall how God allowed David to move the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. In verses 11 through the end of the psalm, the psalmist reminds us that God chose David's line for the throne, and that throne was situated in Jerusalem, a city of people, a priesthood, and faithful followers God swore to protect and make His own. The psalm is a wonderful reminder of all God has done and has promised, but how do we apply it to shepherd leadership?... We need to do what David did. We need to give God His rightful place; We need to express to God our joyful worship; We need to remind God of His faithful covenant; and We need to trust God for His bountiful blessings. It seems so simple as we list those four requirements, but the practical application requires intentionality and a heart in tune with the Father. Please don't let this day pass until you stop and consider... How am I doing at giving God His rightful place - in every aspect of my life? How am I doing at expressing to God my joyful worship? How am I doing at reminding God of His faithful covenant, and in trusting God for His bountiful blessings? Be encouraged to journal your thoughts. Set a reminder to review them. Take time every day to remember. It will deeply impact your ability to be a godly shepherd.

Psalm 131 | Psalms for Shepherds

October 12, 2024 • Holly Culhane, Psalms for Shepherds, P4S • Psalm 131

As we continue in the Psalms of Ascent this week, we turn to Psalm 131. Charles Spurgeon described this song best when he said, “It is one of the shortest psalms to read, but one of the longest to learn.” Psalm 131 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David. LORD, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD — now and always. In this psalm, the themes of humility and contentment in the LORD are undeniable. Anyone who has walked this earth and walked with the LORD for any length of time knows that both humility and true contentment are only developed through the trials, hardships, highs, and lows of a life of long obedience to Yahweh. In this psalm, King David shows us he learned this as well. To continue to quote Spurgeon, the psalm “speaks of a young child, but it contains the experience of a man in Christ.” I agree. And it also puts my heart at rest and reminds me to cease striving. Dear shepherd, let’s still ourselves and stop striving for self. Just as God’s Word says in another psalm - be still and know that He is God. After all, how can we shepherd well, submitting to the Father rather than self, if we are serving our desires and preferences, rather than God’s? How can we sacrifice for others, if we are self-focused? Please take a moment to… Pause in His Presence. Reflect on His Presence, His Protection, and His Provision. And whatever circumstances you face right now in your shepherding responsibilities, put your hope in Him. He is God. He is all that we need. We can rest in Him. And we can wait on Him with hope. Fellow sheep and under-shepherd, I encourage you to make Psalm 131 your prayer today.