Psalm 150 "God-Praiser"

This is the concluding psalm to the book of Psalms in the Bible. And there is only one conclusion. God is so great and good that He deserves all our praises.

1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

That made me reflect: Do I always praise God? When things are going well, I'm quite sure I praise God. But when things look yucky (like today), I found it not easy to praise God.

Like what Pastor Wes Richards shared today, we need to surrender our pains and disappointments to the Lord. Only then, we can praise God when we encounter disappointments.

When we praise God with all our heart, the demons and powers of darkness flee away from us. That's because we have a great and mighty God! Hallelujah!


Lord, teach me to surrender to you my hurts, disappointments, pains and finally, my whole heart.

Psalm 149 "Warriors of Light"

After almost a month, I finally have the movtivation to post my thoughts on the last two psalms.

From Psalm 149, I really believe that we, Christians are called to be warriors of light. Look at the following verses:

6 May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,
7 to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron,
9 to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD.

But at this time and age, the things that we're fighting against are not people. The wars that we wage are not supposed to be physical wars. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 gives us some insight on this.

3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

We're fighting against the devil. We're fighting against the prince of the world. We're fighting against his influence in many areas. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us this:

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

For instance, for so long, the devil's foothold in the media had been deeply entrenched. Pastor Khong is giving his best in wrestling the media world from the devil. That is the kind of fight that I'm talking about. Reclaiming what that has been lost.

However, we're not to do this alone. It is only possible, with the help and grace of God. And the people of God.


May the Lord grant you a desire to fight for Him.

Psalm 148 "Praise the Lord"

1 Praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels,praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon,praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavensand you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created.
6 He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.

7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding,
9 you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and maidens, old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
14 He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Praise the LORD.


This psalm is another one of those 'praise' psalm. It's all about praising the Lord. Let everything - really everything, including things that are inanimate, praise the Lord!

And one key reason why we can praise the Lord is the fact that He gave us His one and only son, Jesus (v14) - who walked on the earth and went to the cross for our sins.


Let's recite this psalm once again, as an act of worship to the Lord. Let's NOT be tired of praising the Lord!

Psalm 147 "God is a Heart-Searcher"

As I read Psalm 147, two particular verses kept jumping at me.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man;
11 the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

I'm really thankful that God doesn't choose people based on their talents. He chooses people based on their hearts.

Our God is so wonderful that even if our talents are not that great - we may not be super-smart or super-athletic, yet when our hearts are right with God, He will multiply whatever giftings we have. We'll truly succeed where we are when our hearts are right with God - honor Him, fear Him and trust Him.

Man tend to be more superficial, even great man of God. In 1 Samuel 16:7, the LORD said to Samuel, "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."


For the past few weeks, I felt that my heart seems to be a distant from God. O'Lord, help me draw close to You once again. I can't function alone.

Psalm 146 "King of the underdogs"

God is not just concerned about people who are living in developed countries. God is also not just concerned about people who are successful.

In fact, in Psalm 146, it is very clearly stated. Our God is also King of the underdogs - those down and out.

7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,
8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

For people like me who are used to living comfortably, I think sometimes, God becomes my secondary source of comfort. This is because of all the good things that I enjoy in life now.

However, for those that are down and out - the poor and the needy, God may be their ONLY source of comfort and strength. Their relationship with God can be way more intimate than mine.


There is something for me to learn from the so-called underdogs. For all we know, the real underdogs may be people like me - who are used to comfortable life.

Psalm 145: "Why God is God"

1 I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you.
11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,
12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
14 The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.


God is God because of what has been described of Him in verses 3, 8, 13b and 17. Read them again. Our appropriate responses are clearly stated in verses 1, 2 and 21.

Like what Pastor Eugene shared, let's STEP OUT, STAND OUT and SPEAK OUT for Jesus!!!

Psalm 144 "Blessings, Blessings and more Blessings"

Can you imagine this picture? So much blessings that you're like a overflowing cup.
Your sons grow up to be fine young men - upright and wise.
Your daughters grow up to be beautiful women - beautiful both in the inside and outside.
Your every physical/financial needs are satisfied - you don't lack.
In fact, whatever investment you put in, your returns are doubled, tripled or even more.
No one will oppress you or cause you great distress.

All this have been clearly depicted by the psalmist in Paslm 144:12-14.

12 Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision. Our sheep will increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields;
14 our oxen will draw heavy loads. There will be no breaching of walls, no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets.

But v15 tells us of the condition for the above blessings to come true. We must worship God only - and none other.

15 Blessed are the people of whom this is true; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.


Lord, I really want all of the above. If there are rival thrones in my heart that compete with You, may You take them away. Help me be a true worshipper of God.

Psalm 143 "Out of the Pits"

3 The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.

4 So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.

Have you encountered the following situations before? 1) You feel defeated and hopeless. 2) You're trapped in a really bad situation. 3) Your so-call friends betrayed you.

We all know that the psalmist, David went through all of that, and much more. However, in Psalm 143:5-6, he wrote about 2 important attitudes that we need to have.

5 I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.

6 I spread out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
Selah

Firstly, from v5, we need to remember the things that God has blessed us with in the past. It can be a test well-done, or maybe even the creation of stars that make our night skies look beautiful. It al boils down to having a thankful heart.

Secondly, from v6, we need to hunger and thirst for God to fill us. We need to crave for God's presence in us. The question to ask is "Do we fill our lives with worldly things or with godly things?".


I really thank God for blessing me so much in the Year of Sabbath. In my r/s with Dawn, I'm getting married this year end. In my workplace, I'm really contented and thrilled. In my cell group, I could see my guys more united now and willing to rise up.

But I really need to be more hungry for God. Many times, I chose to do things my own way, without relying on God. Lord, please help me change in this area!

Psalm 142 "A Desperate Cry"

A description of a difficult situation.
1 I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.
2 I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.
3 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me.
4 Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

A desperate cry to the Lord to deliver him.
5 I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."
6 Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.

A definite promise from the Lord.
7 Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.


When you have lived long enough, you will surely have gone through difficult circumstances ALONE. Just like King David, who wrote Psalm 142 while hiding in a cave.

To a certain extent, I think it's a kind of test that the Lord will intentionally subject us to. Do we turn towards God? Or do we blame and curse God?

God wants to see if we would turn to rely on Him 100% when it comes to the crunch. Obviously, David passed the test with flying colors.

I recalled the days in Sweden (back in 2004) when I was alone with a sprained ankle. To make matters worse, I was supposed to go Old Trafford for a Man Utd match. I think I did cry out to God, and He miraculously help me sustain my ankle. He protected me from harm and I made the trip safely.


If today the Lord again subject me to such a test, by God's grace I hope I will pass.

Psalm 141

1 O LORD, I call to you; come quickly to me.
Hear my voice when I call to you.

2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

3 Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD;
keep watch over the door of my lips.

4 Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil,
to take part in wicked deeds
with men who are evildoers;
let me not eat of their delicacies.

5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—it is oil on my head.
My head will not refuse it.
Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers;

6 their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,
and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.

7 They will say, "As one plows and breaks up the earth,
so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave."

8 But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD;
in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.

9 Keep me from the snares they have laid for me,
from the traps set by evildoers.

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by in safety.

Most of us do not like it when someone rebuke us. We prefer to be affirmed and encouraged. However, as a teacher myself, I really believe that there is a place for stern rebuke. If I see that a student is behaving in a negative way, and I don't do anything about it, that is akin to encouraging that particular bad behavior. That's bad.

It's just that we have to see who is the source of the rebuke. If the person who rebukes you is someone who doesn't care much about you, we shouldn't 'accept' the rebuke (just ignore it). For instance in NS, there will be people who rebuke you just for the sake of rebuking - using vulgarities is a norm (sigh).

Hence, I really agree with the psalmist when he said in v5 "Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me — it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it."

A righteous man's rebuke is like a blessing! And this righteous man can be our parents, cell leaders, teachers or older and wiser friends.


I thank God for the righteous people in my life who have rebuked me out of love - my parents, my cell leader, my school teachers and of course, my fiancee. Though sometimes at the heat of the moment, their words may be difficult to accept, I know that they care about me enough to correct me so that I can become better.


Things to ponder
1. Who are the people in your life that would rebuke you out of love? List them down here.
2. What is your response every time they rebuke you? Is it very defensive? Or is it very receptive?
3. Do you in turn rebuke others out of love? Or rebuke others out of spite? Check your heart.
4. Pray for yourself to be receptive to the rebuke of those who love you. Pray for yourself too to be able to rebuke others out of love in an acceptable way.

Psalm 140

Message Version

A David Psalm
1-5 God, get me out of here, away from this evil; protect me from these vicious people.
All they do is think up new ways to be bad;
they spend their days plotting war games.
They practice the sharp rhetoric of hate and hurt,
speak venomous words that maim and kill.
God, keep me out of the clutch of these wicked ones,
protect me from these vicious people;
Stuffed with self-importance, they plot ways to trip me up,
determined to bring me down.
These crooks invent traps to catch me
and do their best to incriminate me.

6-8 I prayed, "God, you're my God!
Listen, God! Mercy!
God, my Lord, Strong Savior,
protect me when the fighting breaks out!
Don't let the wicked have their way, God,
don't give them an inch!"

9-11 These troublemakers all around me—
let them drown in their own verbal poison.
Let God pile hellfire on them,
let him bury them alive in crevasses!
These loudmouths—
don't let them be taken seriously;
These savages—
let the Devil hunt them down!

12-13 I know that you, God, are on the side of victims,
that you care for the rights of the poor.
And I know that the righteous personally thank you,
that good people are secure in your presence.


The theme of Psalm 140 is likely to be asking God to be our Protector and protect us against the hands of the wicked.

God reminded me about the people of Myanmar who are right now suffering because of the military government. Someone said this "What began as a natural disaster now has nearly evolved into a man-made catastrophe". The government initially didn't want to accept foreign aid and claimed that they can manage. As a result, the cyclone survivors are in danger of both starvation and diseases outbreak.

But the Lord's promise is that He is on the side of the victims and He cares for the rights of the poor (v12-13).

And we can see that God is beginning to answer our prayers. At an emergency summit in Singapore earlier today, the Myanmar government has just agreed to accept more foreign aid. Praise God!!


Yes, God does care for the victims. Will you continue to pray for the people of Myanmar with me? Pray and claim Psalm 140 for the cyclone survivors. And let's press on and pray that the government will be more open to foreign aid and allow aid to reach the cyclone survivors.


Things to ponder
1. Have you been praying for Myanmar or China? If not, make a commitment to the Lord and start doing it. Don't be just concerned about your own affairs. Every prayer counts!
2. Intercede on behalf of the cyclone survivors. Pray and claim Psalm 140 for them.
3. Continue to pray for the military government to be more receptive to foreign aid.

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.

21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?

22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

This is really a beautiful psalm. Very often, we imagined God to be someone high up, who's very concerned with the nations and churches. However, we often neglect the fact that our God is also very much concerned with every individual. He don't treat us like numbers. He treats us as individuals - each with our own uniquness.

Psalm 139 really speaks about the personal relationship that God has with every individual. There's no one too small or insignificant that God won't bother Himself with. He knows our every thoughts (v2). Even before we speak, God already knew what we want to say (v4). And every day of our lives, God has already recorded them down in a book (v16).

And most importantly, the psalmist reminds us that each of us is specially created by God. Every individual has his own set of talents, giftings and even weaknesses. There's no need to compare individual A and B. Every creation of God is wonderful - v14.

What a wonderful and personal God we have!


There are times that I felt insecure about myself. I would be envious of someone else. But God always uses Psalm 139:14 to encourage myself that I'm unqiue in my own way - and it's really wonderful. I have to learn to stop comparing, and be contented in how God has made me.


Things to ponder
1.How contented are you with yourself? Rate 1 to 10 (10 means very contented).
2. What are 3 strengths/talents do you think you have?
3. What are 3 weaknesses?
4. Pray and thank God for creating you the way you are. You are fearfully and wonderfully made by God.

Psalm 138

Of David

1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
before the "gods" I will sing your praise.

2 I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.

3 When I called, you answered me;
you made me bold and stouthearted.

4 May all the kings of the earth praise you, O LORD,
when they hear the words of your mouth.

5 May they sing of the ways of the LORD,
for the glory of the LORD is great.

6 Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly,
but the proud he knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes,
with your right hand you save me.

8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your love, O LORD, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands.

How would you feel if you know that whatever you do, you have the support of someone who's extremely powerful and influential? Wouldn't you be bold and stouthearted (v3)? This is because you know that when you ask or call for help, that someone will always answer.

All of the above is possible, when you have favour with Jesus - our King of kings and Lord of lords. Like what Pastor Tommy Tenney shared, put on the garment of praise (even when you don't feel like it) if you want God's favour.

But another key point that I think will win us favour with God is that we open our hearts and avail ourselves to be used by the Lord - to allow God's purposes in our lives to be fulfilled, as described in v8.

When I was in NUS Year 3, I begin to ask God what purposes He has for me. I was going to graduate soon, and I wanted to know what kind of work the Lord has in mind for me. I felt the Lord ask me to become a teacher. At first, I wasn't thrilled. I wanted to have a career that would allow me to earn lots of money (not very godly, right?). However, later on, I decided that I wanted God to fulfill His purposes in my life - hence, I went into teaching.

While I was in NUS Year 4 (not even in NIE yet), during one a tribe meeting, I felt the Lord impressed upon me to go Raffles Institution. I kind of said yes, but I didn't know how that can be done. When I was midway in my NIE course, the Lord opened doors for me. I applied for a teaching position in RI and got it!

Because of my obedience, I believed God has also given me many favours in the school. And I'm really glad and I'm at peace in my heart because I know that God will fulfill His purposes for me in RI. My faith in Him had also increased a lot.


My prayer is that I would continue to 1) allow Him to reveal His purposes to me, 2) so that I can obey and 3) He will fulfill His purposes in me.


Things to ponder
1. What is God's purpose for you right where you are now - be it in school or at workplace?
2. Are you acting in obedience to fulfill His purposes for you? If yes, how? If not, why?
3. Pray for yourself to be open and obedient to God's purposes in you. Just leave the results up to the Lord.

Psalm 137

1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.

2 There on the poplars
we hung our harps,

3 for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD
while in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill .

6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
my highest joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell.
"Tear it down," they cried,
"tear it down to its foundations!"

8 O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy is he who repays you
for what you have done to us-

9 he who seizes your infants
and dashes them against the rocks.

I think the context of the psalm was that the Israelites were being exiled to a foreign land - Babylon. They were driven out of their homeland, Jerusalem. The psalmist's deep longing for Jerusalem was evident in the whole of Psalm 137.

Recently, I had a little taste of how it feels to be in foreign land. In order to do a medical checkup (for reservist purposes), I had to spent a number of hours in a military camp. It has been 6 years since I've set foot into such a place.

The whole place just felt so foreign to me (even though I'm still in Singapore). There was this spirit of fear and oppression in the air. Even right at the gates of the camp, I was 'welcomed' with someone shouting vulgarities. In my spirit, I was furious. How can someone just verbally abused me like this?

But thankfully, while waiting for my turn in the medical centre, I managed to take out my Bible and read. Despite being in 'hostile' (I perceived it to be) land, I took comfort in God's Word. I even managed to memorize Psalm 133.


I know that there will be a time when I would be placed in a foreign and hostile environment. Perhaps then, I would have to spend long periods of time there. But my prayer is that I would look towards God. Even if I can't sing songs of praise, at least I can read God's Word and take comfort in Him. Then maybe, my songs of praise will arise. Hope will fill my heart.


Things to ponder
1. Are there places that you've been in and you perceived them to be foreign and hostile to Christians?
2. Describe your experience at one of those places.
3. Pray for a heart to always seek comfort and refuge in God when in those places.