It’s a “will worship” morning (Colossians 2:23). Psalm 123:1-2.

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Psalm 138. Verse one especially caught my attention, since I was in a “will worship” mode:

Psalms 138:1 ¶ I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

David declared, “I will praise thee,” a firm resolve of the will. “With my whole heart,” an intentional setting of his affections on Him (Colossians 3:2). Did you ever notice that in Colossians 3:2 the Spirit commands us: “set your affection.” The phrase translates φρονεῖτε (phroneite—to exercise the mind toward a specified object until the emotions are attracted to that object). It’s days like this that I think thoughts like that, on purpose, and with intention. I stood before my Lord and declared, “I set my affections upon You, my LORD.” In Hebrew, one gets the sense that David is standing before God with the intention to give praise to Him. This comes from the use of נֶ֖גֶד (nagad—to front, to stand boldly out opposite), emphasizing the idea that David, in his person, “fronted” God. It should be understood in the way we use the phrase, “I fronted him off,” but without the negative connotation that phrase implies to us. It appears that David set himself before God to give Him praise.

But the next clause caused me pause: “Before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.” Was he referring to the gods of the heathen? No! Chemosh, Moloch, Ashtoreth, and the rest are “ no gods” (Jeremiah 16:20; Galatians 4:8; see also 2 Chronicles 13:9 and Jeremiah 5:7).

Along the still waters, the Spirit directed my thoughts to John 10:34, where Jesus said, “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?” Jesus referred to Psalm 82:6, “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most high” (Psalm 82:6). In answer to the Jew’s accusation against Him that, Jesus, “being a man” made Himself God” (John 10:33). God did not call us God, but being His children, He said, “I have said, ye are gods.” We bear His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27).

David declared he would openly, unashamedly, and with boldness, present his whole-hearted songs of praise to God in the presence of the gods—the saints of the most High.

The king of Israel declared, “I will worship toward thy holy temple.” Toward the Holy Temple signifies that David was in alignment with the worship God ordained for the Old Testament saints. The Temple was the “house of God.” Christ has established His church as the “house of God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15), which is connected with the “mystery of Godliness, God manifest in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. Our Father desires that the life of Jesus manifest in our mortal flesh (2 Corinthians 4:11). Christ appears in the assembly of the saints (Matthew 18:20). The ultimate blessing of worship is experienced in the manifestation of Jesus’ life in the assembly of the saints.

In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I heard behind me the still small voice instructing me in the way He would have me go: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). It is only when we deny ourselves that Jesus can manifest in our mortal flesh. I want Jesus to be seen wherever I go today. “Not I, but Christ” (Galatians 2:20).

Charlie Kirk was known to pray, “God use me for Your will.” His widow,  Erika, said this was a constant theme in his life, and that it can be scary to us since it includes full surrender to His will in all matters of our life, and in the matter and manner of our death.

In this Psalm, David resolved that his will would be submitted to the will of God. I always think of something my friend, Bill Turner, said to me once: Worship begins when our will is surrendered. Amen!

At the table, Jesus anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy followed us into the harvest!

Praying for revival! 🙏

Our son is departing for W. Virginia soon, and we made plans to spend some time with him today. I’ll present the Shepherd’s Pasture livestream later today.

God bless! Please pray for the revival that Charlie’s martyrdom has ignited, that Satan does not find any inroads to quench this holy fire.