Psalms 18:1-3, 8:1, and I’ll add 31:1-3, and “I Need Thee Every Hour” (Annie Hawks and Robert Lowry —1872).
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures ranging about in the Psalms. The Mind of the Spirit connected with the spirit of my mind in Psalm 34:1:
Psalms 34:1 ¶ I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
David testified that his soul would boast in the LORD, and that his boasting would gladden the hearts of the humble (Psalm 34:2). The humble do not respond well to boasting, but this is boasting in the LORD, and not in one’s self.
David invites his reader to join him: “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together” (Psalm 34:3). And to encourage his hearers to join him, he testified:
Psalms 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Psalms 34:5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
Out of his experience with GOD, David taught us about the ministry of the Angel of the LORD: “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them” (Psalm 34:7). Our Father’s angels are commanded to watch over those He has foreknown (Hebrews 1:13-14; Romans 8:29).
Along the still waters, I thought about David’s testimony and can. relate. I too have “cried, and the LORD heard … and saved [me] out of all [my] troubles” (Psalm 34:6).
But the Spirit redirected my thoughts as I pondered the patch of pasture where He fed me today. I thought about “the angel of the LORD,” Whom I believe to be the Holy Spirit (John 4:24; Hebrews 1:13-14 with John 14:16-17; 16:13), and the fact that He created a host of angelic beings as an extension of His spiritual Person, and commissioned them to attend to those who would be heirs of salvation as He did for the second Person of the Godhead, Christ, Who was sent to Save them (Psalm 91:12; see Matthew 4:6 and Luke 4:11; see also Luke 22:43), and then indwells the sinner made a saint at salvation (John 14:17; Romans 8:9; etc.).
And here is what got me! He calls us “angels” who minister His message to sinner and saint (Revelation 1:20; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, and 14; see also the verses where God uses the word translated angel to identify human messengers: Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:24, 27; 9:52; and James 2:25). This should ignite in us a holy fear that moves us to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). I tremble when I reflect on the seriousness of our charge, and the number of “angels” who perform their duties with a lukewarmness that offends the Saviour Whom we serve.
In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I cried, and He heard; I confessed, and He cleansed; and was glad to hear Him call: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). I took up my cross and followed Him to His table.
At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup for the day’s service. Goodness and mercy followed as we went forward into His harvest.
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live asap:
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