Pastor YC "Psalm 59: Names of God"

A scan at the names used by the psalmist to describe God reveals His nature:

Strength (v9, 17); Loving (v10,17); Shield (v11); Fortress (v9, 16); Refuge (v16)

V16 sums it all up:

PS 59:16 But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

It takes a while, but take time to let the names of God impact you and me. The God who is loving and strength (at the same time). He whom I use (as a shield) to block off attacks and the fortress in whch I hide when enemies surround.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much of each of these "characteristics" of God have we experienced?

Pastor YC "Psalm 58: Justice of Rulers vs Justice of God"

Ps 58 begins by questioning whether the earthly rulers speak JUSTLY and judge UPRIGHTLY:

PS 58:1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge uprightly among men?

It ends with an affirming God's JUSTICE and JUDGMENT:

PS 58:11 Then men will say, "Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth."

As I move in the competitive circles of school sports, I am constantly reminded of how important it is for earthly rulers (such as referees) to uphold justice and carry out their duties with a sense of integrity.

Everything in the game of basketball hinges on how well they referee a game. As with most experienced players and coaches, we can accept imperfections and mistakes in judgments. However, it's hard to tolerate biasness.

In those times when I feel cheated, I can look to the ULTIMATE JUDGE of all. On this sie of heaven there will never be perfect justice. Yet when Christ comes again, there will never be any more injustice - because He RULZ.

How does one go through all the injustice and continue without taking part in it?
Know the God of Justice and trust that ultimately He is in control!

Do you know Him?

Psalm 59

1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
protect me from those who rise up against me.

2 Deliver me from evildoers
and save me from bloodthirsty men.

3 See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire against me
for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD.

4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
Arise to help me; look on my plight!

5 O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
show no mercy to wicked traitors.
Selah

6 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.

7 See what they spew from their mouths—
they spew out swords from their lips,
and they say, "Who can hear us?"

8 But you, O LORD, laugh at them;
you scoff at all those nations.

9 O my Strength, I watch for you;
you, O God, are my fortress, 10 my loving God.
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

11 But do not kill them, O Lord our shield,
or my people will forget.
In your might make them wander about,
and bring them down.

12 For the sins of their mouths,
for the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,

13 consume them in wrath,
consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob.
Selah

14 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.

15 They wander about for food
and howl if not satisfied.

16 But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.

17 O my Strength, I sing praise to you;
you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.

As I read Psalm 59, two particular verses caught eye. Verses 6 and 14 are identical. "They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city."

God then reminded me that what follows after each of these verses are characteristics of people that God is displeased with.

1) God is displeased with people who use words to cut down or condemn others. Verse 7: "See what they spew from their mouths — they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, "Who can hear us?"

2) God is displeased with people who go about satisfying their desires with their own strength, and when they can't do it, they begin to blame God. Verse 15: "They wander about for foodand howl if not satisfied."


As a teacher, sometimes, I can be using words that may hurt the feelings of the students. I really pray that I will only use words to affirm and build students up. God, please grant me patience and love for my students, no matter the situation.


Things to ponder
1. How positive are the words that you usually speak? Rate yourself 1 to 10 (1o means most positive!).
2. What are some desires in your heart that you know God doesn't approve of?
3. Pray and ask God to help you change in the two above-mentioned areas.

Psalm 58

1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge uprightly among men?

2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward and speak lies.

4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,

5 that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skillful the enchanter may be.

6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
tear out, O LORD, the fangs of the lions!

7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows be blunted.

8 Like a slug melting away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child, may they not see the sun.

9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.

10 The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.

11 Then men will say,
"Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth."

Because of our sinful nature, there's always this tendency in us to abuse our power when we are placed in high positions of authority. As some might have heard of this, power corrupts.

Every one of us is perfectly capable of abusing our power so as to satisfy our own selfish desires. David described this abuse clearly in Psalm 58:1-5. And ironically, when David became king, he actually abused his power to gain Bathsheba and murder Uriah.

I really believe that God will place Christians in key positions of companies, ministries, banks, governments, etc. If they learn to obey God in humility, He will surely reward them - Psalm 58:11.


Things to ponder
1. Has God given you any kind of leadership position before?
2. Did you abuse your authority or power? List out 1 example.
3. Pray for God to bring about godly leaders into your midst. And pray also you will obey God wholehearted when you are given key positions.

Psalm 57

1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,
for in you my soul takes refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who fulfills {his purpose} for me.

3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me;
Selah
God sends his love and his faithfulness.

4 I am in the midst of lions;
I lie among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

6 They spread a net for my feet—
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.
Selah

7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.

8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.

9 I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.

10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

In Psalm 57, David described himself as being trapped and surrounded by his enemies. Look at verse 4 "I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts — men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords".

Yet, in the midst of all the negative circumstances, David chose to 1) cry out to God and admit that he needed His help, and 2) praise God with all his heart to everyone around him.


Very often, when I'm trapped in a bad situation, I tend to complain to God. I even sometimes blame Him for what happened. I really need to follow the example of David - to cry out to God and praise Him even if the world comes crashing down!


Things to ponder
1. When was the last time you cry out to God for mercy? Why did you do it?
2. When was the last time you gave your all in praising God? Why did you do it?
3. Pray and commit to God that in every situation, crying out to God is our first option, and not last resort.

Darren's Reflection on Psalm 56

12 I am under vows to you, O God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.

13 For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.

Thoughts: Though I reflected on the quality of my 1 hr spent with God last week and felt that my heart hasn't been broken enough to receive the Holy Spirit's wholeness, God brought me to the verses above. Despite how sinful and corrupted in nature our mind still are, how imperfect we are to enter his presence, God prompts us to put the worries and guilt aside. Give thanks for he has chosen us to be his children, delievering us from the darkness of the world and bringing us back to him, through Jesus Christ's crucification, into his light.

Application: To not give up in offering my best during my 1 hr of prayer to God, for he'll eventually deliver me from restlessness to peace when I pray.

Psalm 56

1 Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me;
all day long they press their attack.

2 My slanderers pursue me all day long;
many are attacking me in their pride.

3 When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.

4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?

5 All day long they twist my words;
they are always plotting to harm me.

6 They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
eager to take my life.

7 On no account let them escape;
in your anger, O God, bring down the nations.

8 Record my lament;
list my tears on your scroll -
are they not in your record?

9 Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.

10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the LORD, whose word I praise-

11 in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

12 I am under vows to you, O God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.

13 For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.

David repeated a similar theme in 2 separate verses in this psalm.

Verse 4: "In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?"

Verses 10-11: "In God, whose word I praise,in the LORD, whose word I praise - in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

It really reminds me that "if God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31. When we learn to trust that God is in control of everything in our lives, we will stop worrying about pleasing people.

If we do what is good in the eyes of God, why should we fear any one?


My personal application is that I must remember to please God, and not please man. After all, what can man do to me, if I have found favour in the eyes of God?


Things to ponder
1. How much do you seek to please God? Rate 1 to 10 (10 means most!).
2. How much do you seek to please man (people, friends, etc)?
3. What is something that cause you to want to please man and not please God?
4. Pray and ask God to give you a heart to always please God.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 56

Psalm 55

1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;

2 hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught

3 at the voice of the enemy,
at the stares of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering upon me
and revile me in their anger.

4 My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death assail me.

5 Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.

6 I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest-

7 I would flee far away
and stay in the desert;
Selah

8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,
far from the tempest and storm."

9 Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech,
for I see violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls;
malice and abuse are within it.

11 Destructive forces are at work in the city;
threats and lies never leave its streets.

12 If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were raising himself against me,
I could hide from him.

13 But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,

14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
as we walked with the throng at the house of God.

15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;
let them go down alive to the grave,
for evil finds lodging among them.

16 But I call to God,
and the LORD saves me.

17 Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.

18 He ransoms me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.

19 God, who is enthroned forever,
will hear them and afflict them—
Selah
men who never change their ways
and have no fear of God.

20 My companion attacks his friends;
he violates his covenant.

21 His speech is smooth as butter,
yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
yet they are drawn swords.

22 Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.

23 But you, O God, will bring down the wicked
into the pit of corruption;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you.

I really like verse 22 "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall."

During this season of fasting and praying, one of the key things that we want to get out of it is TOTAL DEPENDENCE on God. Every single care and concern in our lives, we should bring them up before the Lord. Nothing is too trivial for God - simply because He loves us.


I used to have this idea that if it's something that I can handle using my own strength, I need not bother God. I have came to realize how shallow such a view is. God is never too busy or stretched to attend to us. He loves us so much that He is concerned about every details of our lives. The question is whether we allow Him to take control over our lives and be involved every moment.


Things to ponder
1. What are two things that you feel very comfortable with and believe that you can do them without the help of God?
2. After reading Psalm 55:22, how do you think you should change your attitude with respect to the two things mentioned?
3. Pray and cast every care to the Lord. Believe that He will sustain you. Pray that you will have TOTAL DEPENDENCE on God.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 55

Psalm 54

1 Save me, O God, by your name;
vindicate me by your might.

2 Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.

3 Strangers are attacking me;
ruthless men seek my life—
men without regard for God.
Selah

4 Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.

5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness destroy them.

6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, O LORD,
for it is good.

7 For he has delivered me from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

In the context of Psalm 54, David's hiding position was revealed to Saul by the Ziphites (read 1 Samuel 23:7-26).

Do you sometimes feel like the world (or at least the people around you) suddenly seems to be against you? I think that was how David felt when he was trying to hide away from Saul. David's reaction was to turn to God, and recognize Him as his help and the One who sustains him (Psalm 54:4).

The Bible teaches us not just to turn to God when people backstab / hate / point fingers / scold / do us wrong, but also to bless them. Love our enemies - Jesus taught that - Matthew 5:43-48.


Things to ponder
1. Are there people whom you feel have done you wrong? List down a few names and why.
2. Pray a prayer to forgive them and even bless them.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 54

Psalm 53

1 The fool says in his heart,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven
on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.

3 Everyone has turned away,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.

4 Will the evildoers never learn—
those who devour my people as men eat bread
and who do not call on God?

5 There they were, overwhelmed with dread,
where there was nothing to dread.
God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
you put them to shame, for God despised them.

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 53:1-3 reminds me of the word SIN. Many of us associate sin with murder, anger, lust, stealing, etc. Yes, sin encompasses all of the above-mentioned.

But it doesn't end there. The word SIN has the letter 'I' in the middle. Basically, when each of us enthrone the letter 'I' (which mean myself) in our hearts, we will want to do things our own ways. We don't want God to interfere in our lives.


Before I was a Christian, I was always doing things to satisfy my own desires. For instance, when I was in university year 1, I told myself that there are only five things that I want to focus on: 1. Girl; 2. Studies; 3. Basketball; 4. Friends; 5. Family. In a nutshell, I just want to feel happy myself. My main focus wasn't to make others happy.

Now that I'm a Christian, I learn to put God first in my life (at least I try). Hence, to be a blessing to others is a higher focus now than satisfying my own desires. I pray that the letter 'I' will be taken away from me more each day.


Things to ponder
1. How self-centred do you think you are? Rate yourself 1 to 10 (10 means most self-centred).
2. What are two things that you do that put the letter 'I' right in the centre of your life (means want to do things your own way, and not God's way)?
3. Pray and commit to God to press on in putting away the letter 'I' in your life.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 53

Psalm 52

1 Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man?
Why do you boast all day long,
you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?

2 Your tongue plots destruction;
it is like a sharpened razor,
you who practice deceit.

3 You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth.
Selah

4 You love every harmful word,
O you deceitful tongue!

5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent;
he will uproot you from the land of the living.
Selah

6 The righteous will see and fear;
they will laugh at him, saying,

7 "Here now is the man
who did not make God his stronghold
but trusted in his great wealth
and grew strong by destroying others!"

8 But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God's unfailing love
for ever and ever.

9 I will praise you forever for what you have done;
in your name I will hope, for your name is good.
I will praise you in the presence of your saints.

What happened was this: Doeg the Edomite, Saul's head shepherd told Saul about how David stayed at the house of the priest, Ahimelech. Saul was so furious at the priest that he ordered his guards to kill all the priests of Nob. His guards refused because they were unwilling to lift their hands against the priests of God. But Doeg did. He killed 85 priests and the whole town, Nob. Read 1 Samuel 21:1-9 and 22:6-23.

Imagine you're David. And you know of someone who just did something terrible. What would your first reaction? Would you take things into your own hands and strike back? Or would you trust that God will take care of everything?


Today, there were so many bad referee decisions during RI's basketball match against Peirce Sec. At one point, I kind of lashed out at the referees (but it didn't change things at all). Upon reflection, I really just need to pray and commit all these things to the Lord. And trust that He is in control, just like David did.


Things to ponder
1. When was the last time you saw some 'injustice' happen? Elaborate.
2. What was your response then?
3. How do you think God wants you to respond?
4. Pray and commit all the past, present and future injustices that you encounter.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 52

Psalm 51

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.

5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.

14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Imagine you have just committed a terrible sin. Then someone (like your cell leader) came up to you and pointed out your sin. Would your reaction be one of denial or would it be one of repentence & humility? I suspect many of us will deny.

The context of this psalm is that David had just sinned against the Lord by committng adultery & murder (read 2 Samuel 11-12). Prophet Nathan rebuked David sharply. Despite being the king of Israel, David didn't give any excuse for his sin. Neither did he blame anyone else but himself.

Looking at Psalm 51, we could see David's acknowledgement of his sin & his desperate plea for God's forgiveness. He came before the Lord, utterly broken.


I remembered the times that when my cell leader pointed out the sins in my life. There were a few occassions whereby I was pretty defensive and tried to deny them. My prayer is that when I do sin against the Lord, my heart will always be tender and I will cry out to Him just like David did in Psalm 51.


Things to ponder
1. What is your usual reaction when your cell leader points out the sins and mistakes in your life?
2. Why do you think you reacted that way?
3. Pray for yourself to have a heart just like David's - a heart after God's own heart.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 51

Darren's Reflection on Psalm 50

8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices
or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.

9 I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,

10 for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know every bird in the mountains,
and the creatures of the field are mine.

12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?

14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,

15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

As I read this Psalm and as we enter the 2nd day of the 40 day fast, God reminded that He does acknowledge our dicipline in sacrificing our meal a day, tv, games and time to spend with him, but are we doing this as a task? Are we going to get over this after 40 days and return to our busy lives, neglecting God once more.

God does not want us to spend time 40 days being close to him just because he is a lonely God. He initiated this because He loved us and wants us to draw closer to him and be refreshed in his presence for eternity.

Though I myself struggle at the beginning, I believe after this 40 days of fast and prayer, if we really put our heart into this, we will be so close to God that it'll be easier to give thanks for whatever situations we are in, obey him and seek him even when we are really troubled. Just like a close relationship between a father and a son. :)

Psalm 50

1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.

2 From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.

3 Our God comes and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him,
and around him a tempest rages.

4 He summons the heavens above,
and the earth, that he may judge his people:

5 "Gather to me my consecrated ones,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."

6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for God himself is judge.
Selah

7 "Hear, O my people, and I will speak,
O Israel, and I will testify against you:
I am God, your God.

8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices
or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.

9 I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,

10 for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know every bird in the mountains,
and the creatures of the field are mine.

12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?

14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,

15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

16 But to the wicked, God says:
"What right have you to recite my laws
or take my covenant on your lips?

17 You hate my instruction
and cast my words behind you.

18 When you see a thief, you join with him;
you throw in your lot with adulterers.

19 You use your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue to deceit.

20 You speak continually against your brother
and slander your own mother's son.

21 These things you have done and I kept silent;
you thought I was altogether like you.
But I will rebuke you
and accuse you to your face.

22 "Consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue:

23 He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,
and he prepares the way
so that I may show him the salvation of God."

I found this from a NIV Study Bible. Psalm 50 has essentially 3 parts - verse 1-6: the announcement of the "coming" of Israel's covenant Lord to call His people to account; verse 7-15: the Lord's words of correction for those of honest intent; verse 16-23: his sharp rebuke of "the wicked" among them.

I would like to focus on the 2nd part. Many of the people of God at that time had this misconception that God was almost dependent on the sacrifices that they gave to Him. How can the Lord, our God who owns everything in this world, be dependent on our sacrifices?

Put into today's context. FCBC is in the midst of 40 days' fast and pray. Do you think that God needs us to fast and pray so that He can survive? Of course not.

God doesn't depend on our fasting and praying. But I do believe that He is pleased with us when we, as a church. fast and pray and rely on Him to go on with life. Seriously, how can a modern Singapore survive without TV, electronic games and 1 less meal a day for a period of 40 days?

We probably can't if we rely on our own strength. But with God, nothing is impossible. My prayer this season is to rely on Him, seek His presence and take delight in my time with Him.


Things to ponder
1. What is the greatest sacrifice that you have ever offered to God in your entire life?
2. How ready are you in entering this 40 days' fast & pray? Rate from 1 to 10.
3. What are two obstacles that hinders you from entering 40 days' fast & pray?
4. Pray and commit to the Lord!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 50

Psalm 49

1 Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,

2 both low and high,
rich and poor alike:

3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the utterance from my heart will give understanding.

4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:

5 Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me-

6 those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?

7 No man can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for him-

8 the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough-

9 that he should live on forever
and not see decay.

10 For all can see that wise men die;
the foolish and the senseless alike perish
and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had named lands after themselves.

12 But man, despite his riches, does not endure;
he is like the beasts that perish.

13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
Selah

14 Like sheep they are destined for the grave,
and death will feed on them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning;
their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.

15 But God will redeem my life from the grave;
he will surely take me to himself.
Selah

16 Do not be overawed when a man grows rich,
when the splendor of his house increases;

17 for he will take nothing with him when he dies,
his splendor will not descend with him.

18 Though while he lived he counted himself blessed—
and men praise you when you prosper-

19 he will join the generation of his fathers,
who will never see the light of life .

20 A man who has riches without understanding
is like the beasts that perish.

When Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, the whole world fell into sin. And because of that, man and God are separated. There was no way that God, being 100% holy and righteous could stand the sight of a sinful man.

As described by the psalmist throughout the psalm, whether you are high or low, rich or poor, wise or foolish, when you die physically, you will also die spiritually. You will be eternally separated from God.

Unless someone redeems from your sins.

The psalmist said that no man can redeem the life of another and pay for his sins (verse 7-9). No man. But God had a plan. His plan was to send His only son, Jesus down to the earth to redeem us of our sins (verse 15). Then we can spend the rest of eternity in God's presence and live forever.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."


Personally, knowing that God really really loves me so much that He sent His son to be tortured and crucified at the cross, I really need to respond to Him. I want to spend the next 40 days fasting and praying and get busy romancing God! May the Lord help me!!


Things to ponder
1. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 means a lot!), how much time do you spend accumulating the riches of the world - academic grades, money, going outings with other people, etc?
2. When was the last time you had a deep conversation with God?
3. Pray and receive God's love for you, as described in John 3:16. Commit to also the 40 days of fasting and praying.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 49

Psalm 48

`1 Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

2 It is beautiful in its loftiness,
the joy of the whole earth.
Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,
the city of the Great King.

3 God is in her citadels;
he has shown himself to be her fortress.

4 When the kings joined forces,
when they advanced together,

5 they saw her and were astounded;
they fled in terror.

6 Trembling seized them there,
pain like that of a woman in labor.

7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish
shattered by an east wind.

8 As we have heard,
so have we seen
in the city of the LORD Almighty,
in the city of our God:
God makes her secure forever.
Selah

9 Within your temple, O God,
we meditate on your unfailing love.

10 Like your name, O God,
your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;
your right hand is filled with righteousness.

11 Mount Zion rejoices,
the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments.

12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
count her towers,

13 consider well her ramparts,
view her citadels,
that you may tell of them to the next generation.

14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end.

Psalm 48 describes to us the City of God. Mount Zion, mentioned a few times as well, seems to be referring to the same thing.


It is a place where God is enthroned as the Great King. He protects them from harm. He protects them from people with ill-intents. Every day and night, the people in this city meditate and remember His unfailing love. They enjoy life in the city.

Does the above paragraph speak of our souls?

I felt that we Christians should be the Cities of God. Each of us carry the presence of the Lord with us. If we enthrone Him as the King of our lives, we will have the blessings and characteristics described by the psalmist. Others will know that God is real.

Finally, verse 13 reminds us to actively share His love with others. We're not to be passive but proactive in sharing the gospels, so that the next generation will know Him.


Personally, I think that some of my colleagues and students found me different from others. Most of their opinions seems to be positive. But I'm really not sure if they can see Christ in me. Perhaps I need to interact with them at a deeper level to find out.


Things to ponder
1. How bright are you shining for Jesus when you attend school? Rate yourself 1 to 10.
2. What are two areas that stop you from shining for Jesus in school?
3. How can you overcome these obstacles?
4. Pray and commit to the Lord. Praise Him and enthrone Him in your heart.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 48

Psalm 47

1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.

2 How awesome is the LORD Most High,
the great King over all the earth!

3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.

4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
Selah

5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.

8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.

9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.

Psalm 47 is really like a praise psalm. Every verse either 1) reminds us to give praise to God through clapping, shouting and singing, or 2) describes to us the greatness and soverignity of God.

God is the King of ALL the earth.

As the people of God, let's praise God for who He is. His greatness. His power. His love for us. His soverignity. Don't just praise God when things go well. Praise God in ALL situations.


Personally, this week, I had just learnt a lesson about praising God and being thankful in the midst of a bad situation. I surrendered the situation to the Lord, praised Him, and trusted Him that something miraculous would happen.


Things to ponder
1. When was the last time you really praise God with all of your heart, soul and spirit?
2. What is one thing that stops you from praising God?
3. How do you intend to overcome it?
4. Pray and praise God for who He is. And commit to Him the thing that you want to do.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 47

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.

10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

There are bound to be storms in our lives. The question is how do we go through them?

I believe that the answer is found in Psalm 46:10, when God says "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

When we are experiencing storms in our lives, we need to be still and acknowledge that our God is in control of everything. Then we can experience the peace as if we are in the eye of the storm.



One of the biggest storm happened to me last year whereby my grandfather passed away. But because I knew that He was saved, and I knew that God cares, I felt so much peace. I was sad that he wasn't around, but I was also consoled that God has taken him to a better place - heaven. I really want to commit all my future storms into God's hands. In Him, I will seek refuge and rise above the storms.


Things to ponder
1. When was the last time you had a big storm in your life? What did you do in response?
2. If you had trusted in God more, and be still before Him, what would you have done differently?
3. Pray and commit future storms into His hands.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 46

Darren's Reflection on Psalm 43

3 Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

4 Then will I go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God.

Thoughts:
Only when God reveals his light and truth, will we find delight and joy in seeking the Lord. How can God reveal his light and truth? When we give time to sit down and stay away of our busyness, meditating on God's words and sharing with him in prayer our life's issues.

Application:
Delight will come only when we make effort to build the relationship with God. This priniciple is so similar to making friends, building relationship with a friend will bring about a delight to be in his presence. As I prayed, I felt that receiving this delight does not drop in overnight. It takes time for we are sinful in nature.

God needs time to guide and purify us so that we can be holy in His name. To be honest, I feel that I have not gained the delight that God expects of me when seeking him, but I'm going to be patient and press on in perseverance. With a hope that eventually, I'll have so much joy in doing Quite time and reading the bible, I can just flow freely with the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 45

1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

2 You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you forever.

3 Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.

4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness;
let your right hand display awesome deeds.

5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king's enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.

6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.

8 All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.

9 Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.

10 Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear:
Forget your people and your father's house.

11 The king is enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.

12 The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift,
men of wealth will seek your favor.

13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber ;
her gown is interwoven with gold.

14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her
and are brought to you.

15 They are led in with joy and gladness;
they enter the palace of the king.

16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.

17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

I didn't really understand the significance of this psalm the first time I read it. I humbled myself and searched the Internet to learn more about it.

Pslam 45 is a psalm that was sung at a wedding. Perhaps, it could be one of King Solomon's weddings. But verses 2-9 really describes to us the coming of Jesus Christ and His character. His willingness to walk in truth, humility and righteousness. Hebrews 1:8-9 quotes Psalm 45:6-7. "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."

Psalm 45:10-15 talks about the bride. In the Bible, the church is often described as the bride of Jesus. These few verses hence are talking about us. Christians. The Lord is delighted with His people. "The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. "


I find it amazing that the Lord is delighted with me. The number of sins that I've committed, the dirt that I feel. Yet, because of what Jesus did at the cross, as long as I confess & repent, all my sins have been cleansed. God forgives me and takes delight in me.


Things to ponder
1. How much do you think God takes delight in you? Rate from 1 to 10 (10 means a lot a lot). Why?
2. What is 1 thing that you're doing or going to do that shows your delight for the Lord?
3. Pray and tell the Lord you love Him. And pray and accept the Lord's delight and love today.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 45

Psalm 44

1 We have heard with our ears, O God;
our fathers have told us
what you did in their days,
in days long ago.

2 With your hand you drove out the nations
and planted our fathers;
you crushed the peoples
and made our fathers flourish.

3 It was not by their sword that they won the land,
nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face, for you loved them.

4 You are my King and my God,
who decrees victories for Jacob.

5 Through you we push back our enemies;
through your name we trample our foes.

6 I do not trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;

7 but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.

8 In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name forever.
Selah

9 But now you have rejected and humbled us;
you no longer go out with our armies.

10 You made us retreat before the enemy,
and our adversaries have plundered us.

11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep
and have scattered us among the nations.

12 You sold your people for a pittance,
gaining nothing from their sale.

13 You have made us a reproach to our neighbors,
the scorn and derision of those around us.

14 You have made us a byword among the nations;
the peoples shake their heads at us.

15 My disgrace is before me all day long,
and my face is covered with shame

16 at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me,
because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.

17 All this happened to us,
though we had not forgotten you
or been false to your covenant.

18 Our hearts had not turned back;
our feet had not strayed from your path.

19 But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals
and covered us over with deep darkness.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

21 would not God have discovered it,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?

22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

23 Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.

24 Why do you hide your face
and forget our misery and oppression?

25 We are brought down to the dust;
our bodies cling to the ground.

26 Rise up and help us;
redeem us because of your unfailing love.

The psalmist sounded really disturbed & desperate. From verse 9-25, he poured forth his complaints before God. He felt that the Lord has abandoned His people even though they were righteous.

I believe the fact that God allows negative circumstances to happen to us doesn't mean He wants to punish us. In fact, it may be that He wants to move us to a higher level of spiritual maturity. Like what Pastor Khong shared, the storms of life will come. A good biblical example would be Job. God tested him.

The other thing that struck me was the psalmist's upbringing. From verse 1-3, he recalled how God blessed his forefathers. His father brought him up well & gave God all the credit for his people's success.

Because of that, the psalmist recognizes the greatness & goodness of God (verse 4-8). And at the end of his desperate plea, he asked God to redeem his people. He knew that His love for them was unfailing.


Personally, I really see the importance of spiritual & physical fathering from the psalm. I want to impart to my spiritual & physical children the fear of the Lord. I want to teach them to give thanks to God in all situations. And in order to do that, I myself need to lead by example.


Things to ponder
1. Rate yourself 1 to 10 how often you give credit to God or thank God every time you enjoy some kind of success?
2. This year, what is one thing you can do to show the friends around you the goodness & greatness of God?
3. Pray & commit to the Lord the things mentioned above.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 44

Psalm 43

1 Vindicate me, O God,
and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.

2 You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?

3 Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

4 Then will I go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Pslam 43:5 has previously been repeated twice in Psalm 42 as verses 5a and 11. Anything that is repeatedly mentioned in the Bible must be somewhat significant.

Yesterday afternoon, Pastor Khong just shared with us that many of us have a certain sense of restlessness in this Year of Sabbath. This restlessness could be due to God-fearing Christians envious of non-Christians' successes in their careers, families, r/s, etc. It could also be due to negative circumstances as well.

Doesn't Psalm 43:5 mention about some kind of disturbances (restlessness) in our spirits? "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."

Just today, I was tired and weary after a day of teaching in school. I wanted to have a good rest when I reached home. But my father told me over the phone to help him do something (which I felt was unecessary at this point). I felt so disturbed in my soul, just like what the psalmist said. I was kind of upset at my father.

I prayed about it, and God reminded me of Psalm 43:5. The key to get out of this state of disturbance is to put my hope in God, and recognize that He is my Savior and my God. I just need to trust Him and do persevere to do good.


Things to ponder
1. What are two areas in your life that you feel constantly disturbed about?
2. What do you think God wants you to do about those two areas?
3. Pray and commit the two areas to the Lord. Trust Him and persevere on in doing good!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 43

Psalm 42

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and 6 my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"

10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Do you thirst for the Holy Spirit like what the psalmist described of the deer in verse 1? God must be the source of our strength. If He is not, whatever that we do, we're merely relying on our own strength.

I've been serving as a youth cell leader for slightly more than 3 years. I've learnt that when I do things using my own strength, I would run dry very fast. I would lose the zest whenever I encounter difficulties and setbacks. In fact, if not for the grace of God, I probably would have stopped being a cell leader.

But thanks be to God! This is the Year of Sabbath, whereby we Rely and Remember the Lord. I thirst for the Holy Spirit to fill my soul everyday. And it shouldn't just be about ministry, but in every aspect of my life. Even in my workplace, as a teacher, I should pray for the Holy Spirit to teach me and give me His wisdom.

I found this song "As the deer". It's a wonderful song with lyrics similar to Psalm 42. Have a blessed time listening!





Things to ponder
1. How many percent of your daily life do you rely on Go and ask Him to help you make decisions?
2. When was the last time whereby you actually ask the Holy Spirit to fill you?
3. Thirst for the Lord and pray! Pray that Holy Spirit will fill you every day. Have a deep desire for Him.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 42

Psalm 41

1 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak;
the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.

2 The LORD will protect him and preserve his life;
he will bless him in the land
and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.

3 The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed
and restore him from his bed of illness.

4 I said, "O LORD, have mercy on me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you."

5 My enemies say of me in malice,
"When will he die and his name perish?"

6 Whenever one comes to see me,
he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;
then he goes out and spreads it abroad.

7 All my enemies whisper together against me;
they imagine the worst for me, saying,

8 "A vile disease has beset him;
he will never get up from the place where he lies."

9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted,
he who shared my bread,
has lifted up his heel against me.

10 But you, O LORD, have mercy on me;
raise me up, that I may repay them.

11 I know that you are pleased with me,
for my enemy does not triumph over me.

12 In my integrity you uphold me
and set me in your presence forever.

13 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.

The psalmist started this psalm with a series of blessings - the Lord will deliver him in times of trouble, protect him, preserve his life, bless him in the land, not give him up to his foes' desires and heal him in times of sickness.

I'm sure all of us desire and want to have all of the above. I do.

But Psalm 41 did state that there is a condition for us to fulfill, if we want to enjoy the blessings. We need to have regard for the weak (verse 1a).

We need to think about those that are less fortunate than us - can be people with physical or mental handicaps, or can be people who are poor financially. In this festive season of Chinese New Year, are we thinking about the poor and needy? Or are we just concerned about ourselves?

Paul mentioned this in Galatians 2:10 "All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."


Personally, I realised that I can be pretty self-centred throughout the whole of Chinese New Year period. I'm constantly thinking about myself and the things that I'm involved in. I have neglected the poor and needy. I really don't think God is pleased. After reading today's psalm, I commit myself to housevisit at least Po Po's house at Toa Payoh. I need to remember the poor.


Things to ponder
1. When was the last time you ever did something for the poor and needy? What did you do?
2. During this Chinese New Year period, what is one thing you can do to remember the poor and needy?
3. Pray and commit to God the thing you want to do to remember the poor and needy.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 41

Psalm 40

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.

5 Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.

6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but my ears you have pierced;
burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not require.

7 Then I said, "Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.

8 I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."

9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O LORD.

10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD;
may your love and your truth always protect me.

12 For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.

13 Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;
O LORD, come quickly to help me.

14 May all who seek to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.

15 May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
be appalled at their own shame.

16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation always say,
"The LORD be exalted!"

17 Yet I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, do not delay.

Many of us are familiar with the story of Saul. He was a king, chosen by God to lead the people of Israel. However, he disobeyed God and lost favor with Him. As a result, David was chosen by God to replace Saul.

1 Samuel 15:22 teaches us the important lesson to be learnt from Saul. "Samuel said, 'Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. '"

Psalm 40:6-8 reminds us of the same thing as well. God doesn't just want our sacrifices of time, money, etc (though it's good that we give to Him). But what He really desires are obedient children who will do His will.


Personally, I find myself sometimes only having partial obedience with regards to the things God wants me to do. However, clearly from the example of Saul, partial obedience is something the Lord despises. And it's the same as disobedience. I really need to pray against it.


Things to ponder
1. How obedient are you towards God? Give a rating of 1 to 10 (10 means most obedient).
2. How obedient are you towards your cell leader? Give a rating too.
3. What is one area that you find yourself not obedient to God in?
4. Pray and repent to the Lord. Ask God to give you a heart of obedience.


Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 40

Psalm 39

1 I said, "I will watch my ways
and keep my tongue from sin;
I will put a muzzle on my mouth
as long as the wicked are in my presence."

2 But when I was silent and still,
not even saying anything good,
my anguish increased.

3 My heart grew hot within me,
and as I meditated, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:

4 "Show me, O LORD, my life's end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.

5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is but a breath.
Selah

6 Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about, but only in vain;
he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

7 "But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.

8 Save me from all my transgressions;
do not make me the scorn of fools.

9 I was silent; I would not open my mouth,
for you are the one who has done this.

10 Remove your scourge from me;
I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

11 You rebuke and discipline men for their sin;
you consume their wealth like a moth—
each man is but a breath.
Selah

12 "Hear my prayer, O LORD,
listen to my cry for help;
be not deaf to my weeping.
For I dwell with you as an alien,
a stranger, as all my fathers were.

13 Look away from me, that I may rejoice again
before I depart and am no more."

Psalm 39 gives me the impression that the psalmist, David, began to realise how temporal his life on earth was.

Isn't that surprising? As a king, David had so much wealth and power that many would have envied. He's probably like the President of the United States in present-day context.

Yet, David's words in verse 6 revealed his thoughts. All the wealth that he had accumulated, where would it go when he's physically dead? In verse 4, David even pleaded with God to show him how fleeting (temporal, transient) his life on earth was.

Nearing the end of the psalm, at verse 12, David's concluding prayer was to ask the Lord to reveal the true meaning of life. Actually, David had kind of acknowledged that he was a stranger to this world, just like his forefathers. Hebrews 11:13-16 confirms it clearly.

13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Personally, at times, I think I've been distracted by things of this world too much. I need to stay focused on the kingdom of God because that's God's purpose for my life. And the kingdom will last eternally. I pray that I will love God more than loving the world.


Things to ponder
1. Out of 100% of your time, how many percent do you give to God (include QT, going to church, going for cell activities)?
2. Then, how many percent of your time do you spend in your studies (include time in school), friends, family and hobbies? Give a percentage for each category clearly.
3. Do you think God approves of how you spend your time? Why?
4. Pray and commit to the Lord that you will seek Him first and the kingdom of God. Have a desire to give more time to God.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 39

Psalm 38

1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.

2 For your arrows have pierced me,
and your hand has come down upon me.

3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
my bones have no soundness because of my sin.

4 My guilt has overwhelmed me
like a burden too heavy to bear.

5 My wounds fester and are loathsome
because of my sinful folly.

6 I am bowed down and brought very low;
all day long I go about mourning.

7 My back is filled with searing pain;
there is no health in my body.

8 I am feeble and utterly crushed;
I groan in anguish of heart.

9 All my longings lie open before you, O Lord;
my sighing is not hidden from you.

10 My heart pounds, my strength fails me;
even the light has gone from my eyes.

11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;
my neighbors stay far away.

12 Those who seek my life set their traps,
those who would harm me talk of my ruin;
all day long they plot deception.

13 I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear,
like a mute, who cannot open his mouth;

14 I have become like a man who does not hear,
whose mouth can offer no reply.

15 I wait for you, O LORD;
you will answer, O Lord my God.

16 For I said, "Do not let them gloat
or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips."

17 For I am about to fall,
and my pain is ever with me.

18 I confess my iniquity;
I am troubled by my sin.

19 Many are those who are my vigorous enemies;
those who hate me without reason are numerous.

20 Those who repay my good with evil
slander me when I pursue what is good.

21 O LORD, do not forsake me;
be not far from me, O my God.

22 Come quickly to help me,
O Lord my Savior.

As I read this psalm, I can't help but imagine the kind of emotions of King David when he wrote the psalm. Perhaps it could be just after he had sinned against God in the case of Bathsheba.

David pleaded with God throughout the whole psalm. He hoped that God will have mercy on him and lessen his afflictions and sufferings (the afflictions and sufferings were part of God's intended consequences).

What a plea. From now on, when I do sin against God, I need to go back to Psalm 38 and read again, and make the same prayer as David.


Things to ponder
1. Is there a particular sin that you're struggling with?
2. Confess and repent before the Lord right now. Use the words of Psalm 38 to confess to God.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 38

Psalm 37

1 Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;

2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9 For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.

11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.

15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;

17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
and their inheritance will endure forever.

19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:
The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields,
they will vanish—vanish like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;

22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be cut off.

23 If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;

24 though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.

26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.

27 Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.

28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
They will be protected forever,
but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;

29 the righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks what is just.

31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his feet do not slip.

32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
seeking their very lives;

33 but the LORD will not leave them in their power
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

34 Wait for the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,

36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there is a future for the man of peace.

38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
the future of the wicked will be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

This is the Year of Sabbath. One of the key focus this year is "Reliance and Remembrance of the Lord". This means that when we do less, God will bless us with more.

On the surface, it doesn't sound logical at all. But to a Christian, it really means something. When we recognize that our God is the God of all, we can then believe that good things can happen, despite negative circumstances. Because God is overall I/C. He is in control.

Look at verse 4. "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."

This year, we just need to spend more time with Him and build a deeper r/s with Him. We can then find our delight in Him, and He will give us the things that we really desire - finances, relationships, peace, family, etc.

Then, take a look at verses 23 - 24. This time, the psalmist mentioned that when the Lord takes delight in a man, he will walk steadily; and though he may stumble, he will not fall.

Yes, we may make mistakes. We may sin against God in this year of Sabbath. But when we rely and remember the Lord, and grow close to Him, He will make sure that we won't sin bigtime against Him.


Personally, right now, even though January 2008 had just passed, I have seen God granting the desires of many of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Quite a few of them are now in courtships. Hallejuah!! What a breakthrough!! And really thank God they are all cell leaders and serving God fervently.

My own desire is to see my family saved. I really need to rely and remember the Lord by spending good quality time with Him daily.


Things to ponder
1. What are two desires that you have this year?
2. How has God bring about a breakthrough in the above two desires?
3. Pray and commit to the Lord that you will rely and remember Him this year, in everything you do.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 37