Numbering My Days

Reflections and images from God’s Word

  • Psalm 130

    Out of the depths I call . . .
    LORD, if you kept an account
    of iniquities
    LORD, who could stand?
    But with you there is forgiveness . . .
    I wait for the LORD
    more than watchmen for the morning.

    Depths of despair.

    • of need
    • of sin

    Lord, I call, and I wait.

    Just like an anxious, tired watchman.

    I know the sun is coming – never fails.

    But Lord . . . it seems to be taking its time.

    Our of the depths of this night I call.

    Lord, come!

    Save me! Forgive me! Redeem me!

    Be my strong deliverer.

    With you, you alone, there is redemption.

    I put my hope in you!

  • Psalm 129

    . . . but they have not prevailed
    against me.
    . . . The LORD is righteous . . .

    He is the source of protection that I need.

    Attacks may come, in fact they have been coming since I was young.

    But they have not prevailed.

    Sometimes it seems as though I’ve been run over by life.

    But they have not prevailed.

    Bound. Disgraced. Humiliated – all possible, but not forever.

    They have not prevailed.

    The Lord is righteous.

    He has promised protection.

    He has made provision.

    He has had my back through it all.

    Praise the Lord!

    He prevails!

  • Psalm 128

    In this very way
    the man who fears the LORD
    will be blessed.

    A blessed life is so much simpler than we imagine. (Though I believe the one who is blessed recognizes it for exactly what it is: the blessings of God and the joy of the Lord.

    The blessed one:

    • Fears the Lord
    • Walks in His ways
    • Eats what he works for
    • Finds happiness in the simple life
    • Enjoys a wife and family gathered at the table

    This is indeed the blessed life.

    How much more would life be happy, enjoyable, filled with blessings, if we would embrace this as the standard.

    The Lord.

    Work

    Provision

    Family

    Joy

    Praise the Lord!

    Nearly finished

  • Psalm 127

    Unless the LORD builds a house,
    its builders labor over it in vain;
    unless the LORD watches over a city,
    the watchman stays alert in vain.

    Try hard as you like. Experiment with philosophies and trends of the culture. Use gentle parenting or tough love. Reason or punishment.

    None of it matters for a home that is built for what we intend. Security, love, strength, safety, nurture. All our attempts are in vain.

    Unless we build our home with the Lord.

    His Word.

    His values.

    His care.

    He is Lord of the castle, not me.

    And do we long for a safe, secure place to live and raise our families?

    Only in an environment where the Lord is our watchman.

    • Seek the Lord and He will be found.
    • Submit to Him and He will care for you.
    • Our Lord.

    Be my Lord.

    Build us, secure us, save us.

    Your are our hope and stay!

  • Psalm 126

    Those who sow in tears
    will reap with shouts of joy.
    Though one goes along weeping,
    carrying the bag of seed,
    he will surely come back with shouts
    of joy,
    carrying his sheaves.

    This is the miracle of new life: there is joy at the end of grief.

    Those in grief don’t want, or need, to hear this as they sow in tears. They need to water their days with the tears of grief that will bring forth the bounty of sowing.

    So, it is a truth best learned before grief. A truth to be observed before loss, death, pain. For at the end of grief there is a flood of joy. And that joy must be received with “shouts,” with “singing” – because in that great morning, we rejoice and return with shouts of joy and victory over the pain and loss of grief.

  • Psalm 125

    . . . the LORD surrounds his people,
    both now and forever.

    Security with the Lord, yesterday in Psalm 124, “If the Lord had not been on our side . . . ” and this morning in Romans 8: “If the Lord is for us, who can be against us?” And this Psalm, “the Lord surrounds His people.”

    God wants me to rest secure in Him. It is all through His Word.

    Having placed my faith in Jesus, submitting myself to Him, for He is my Lord, I discover that He keeps me! Surrounds me! Protects me! Fights for me! Cares for every need I have.

    In my journey (for this is a Psalm of ascent) there are often times when my behavior or circumstances may cause me to believe I’ve slipped through His fingers.

    BUT: I must not fear. He surrounds me. Loves me. Cares for me. Keeps me.

    Now and in all eternity.

    Praise God, Keeper of my life!

    (A small portion of the image coming later this week for Psalm 130.)

  • Psalm 124

    If the LORD had not been
    on our side – . . .
    Our help is in the name of the LORD,
    The Maker of heaven and earth.

    Lord, again, I don’t know why:

    • You choose to love me.
    • Bless me
    • Save me
    • Provide for me

    But I do trust that you are on our side.

    The people of God, those who trust you through the grace of Jesus Christ, who have known you by the mercy of your love for us.

    You are on our side to save us, defend us, provide for us.

    Lord, My Help is in the name of the Lord. Lord Jesus Christ, maker of heaven and earth: I praise you, trust in you, follow you!

    You are my Lord!

  • Psalm 123

    Like a servant’s eyes
    on his master’s hand,
    Like a servant girl’s eyes
    on her mistress’s hand,
    So our eyes are on the LORD our God
    until He shows us favor.

    A good, faithful, useful servant observes the master at all times – to be ready to jump into action at the slightest need, the smallest direction or gesture. To jump and ask, “how high?” on the way up – as we used to say.

    Favor comes from the same hand of the master as direction and assignment. In fact, the two are often intertwined – or so I have experienced in my life.

    Lord, I watch for your direction – and in moving to serve you I am blessed and enjoy your favor.

    Use me, your servant, to accomplish your purpose, your will.

  • Psalm 122

    I rejoiced with those who said to me,
    “Let’s go to the house of the LORD.”

    The temple of God – once the heartbeat of Jerusalem was destroyed. The very presence of God, gone because of the sin of the people of God.

    The Lord now sends His Spirit to live in us, those who submit to Him, trust in Him, believe and confess.

    And when the people of God gather, there is real joy, for the presence of God with all the people is known through the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

    So, still, there is reason to rejoice, as we go “to the house of the Lord.” He is in the midst of His people at work to extend the joy of salvation, peace with God, the Father, and the celebration of the people of God.

    I was glad!

  • Psalm 121

    I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
    Where will my help come from?
    My help comes from the LORD.
    The maker of heaven and earth.

    A song of ascent – a Psalm for the journey. Indeed, I’m on the journey of life.

    Today, I lift my eyes toward all that is around me. Am I surrounded by enemies or danger that will swarm over me from the mountains around me?

    I find comfort, instead, in these mountains.

    The Lord, creator of heaven and earth, sustainer of life, giver of joy, redeemer and guide and friend.

    He is my constant companion on this journey.

    Danger? Maybe – but He’s here to protect.

    Struggle? Surely – but He is my strength and my hope.

    Where is my help?

    Right here!

    The Lord is my help.