Tag Archives: Psalm 34

Likewise

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You can not sin against God without consequences.

Likewise:

You cannot love God without consequences.

One destroys, the other brings life.

You cannot remain apart from him without experiencing death in many fashions.

Likewise:

You cannot be included in his love without experiencing life in many fashions.
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PSALM 34

1 I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

By His Grace

Enemies of God

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Psalm 34,18

Psalm 34,18 (Photo credit: NEWS OF PEACE)

You who think the Lord is an angry beast of a God:

You do so because you are His enemy.  How does it make logical sense to consider your enemy in a good light?  He desires you to become His friend.   But your pride is holding you back.

Look how you curse His Holy name.  Isn’t that to be expected?   Won’t an enemy curse his foe?  But that is not what God desires.  He sits ready to forgive your unholy, godless, and utterly profane life.

Your enemy is beautiful, lovely, righteous, eternal, endlessly powerful, forgiving, and full of grace.  This is what you hate.  Don’t you think it a bit odd that you should hate what you adore in yourself and others?

Yet, we warn.  Yet we speak on His behalf among men.  Yet we invite as He has taught us to do.  Yet we pour out our words and very lives to convince His enemies to enter His camp as friends.  But who hears?  Who understands?  Who bends their wicked will so that they can peer out at what is Good?

8Taste and see that the Lord is good;

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

9Fear the Lord, you his holy people,

for those who fear him lack nothing.

10The lions may grow weak and hungry,

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11Come, my children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12Whoever of you loves life

and desires to see many good days,

13keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from telling lies.

14Turn from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.  (Psalm 34)