Psalm 18

1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.

8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.

9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.

10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.

12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

13 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.

14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies ,
great bolts of lightning and routed them.

15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O LORD,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.

19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not done evil by turning from my God.

22 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.

23 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.

24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

26 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

28 You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

29 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.

31 For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God?

32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.

33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.

34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.

36 You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.

38 I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.

39 You armed me with strength for battle;
you made my adversaries bow at my feet.

40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.

41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but he did not answer.

42 I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind;
I poured them out like mud in the streets.

43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations;
people I did not know are subject to me.

44 As soon as they hear me, they obey me;
foreigners cringe before me.

45 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.

46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!

47 He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,

48 who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.

49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD;
I will sing praises to your name.

50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.

This psalm was written by David when the Lord delivered him from the hands of his enemies and Saul. Hence, it is a thanksgiving to God. David attributed his victory wholly to the Lord. All glory to God, and none to himself.

David has demonstrated what many of us nowdays lack - thankfulness.

Last year, one of FCBC's main focus was "Always be Thankful". This is indeed an attitude that we should carry with us all the days of our lives, and not just in 2007. Hence, I started having a thanksgiving list at the side of my personal blog.

But I realised that I had not maintained it well. I had not updated my thanksgivings recently. I'm going to update it once every 2 weeks in 2008. Please hold me accountable to my words.

Another thing about Psalm 18 was the different names that David used to address God. Among them are:
1. God is my rock.
2. God is my fortress.
3. God is my deliverer.
4. God is my shield.
5. God is the horn of my salvation.
6. God is my stronghold.
7. God is my support.
8. God is my Savior.


For myself, the name that meant to me the most is "God is my rock". I believe that this is also of significance because David mentioned it 4 times in Psalm 18. 4 times!

Why Rock? Because in bad times, I need a big and stable rock to give me support and strength. Even if I do fall down, I can stand up by holding on to the rock. When my grandpa was sick in 2007, God supported me like a rock.

Why Rock? Because in good times, I need a big and stable rock to lean on so that I can be steadfast in whatever I do. Rock always reminds me of steadfastness. Now things are generally stable, but hanging on to God as my rock gives me steadfastness in all that I do. Steady Bom Bi Bi! Bi Bi Bom Steady!!


Things to Ponder
1. Are there victories in your life that you've forgotten to thank God? List them out.
2. Which name that David used to address God in Psalm 18 speaks to you most? Why?
3. Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for a) the name that God speaks to you the most; b) the things that you've not thank God for yet.


Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me victories in my life. I know that whatever that I possess today - family, friends, relationships, finances, career, are things that You've blessed me with, by Your grace. And I thank You that You truly are my rock, who always support me in times of need, and make me steadfast in times of prosperity. In Jesus' name, I give thanks to You. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 18

Psalm 17

1 Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen to my cry.
Give ear to my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.

2 May my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.

3 Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,
though you test me, you will find nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.

4 As for the deeds of men—
by the word of your lips
I have kept myself
from the ways of the violent.

5 My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.

6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.

7 Show the wonder of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings

9 from the wicked who assail me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.

10 They close up their callous hearts,
and their mouths speak with arrogance.

11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.

12 They are like a lion hungry for prey,
like a great lion crouching in cover.

13 Rise up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down;
rescue me from the wicked by your sword.

14 O LORD, by your hand save me from such men,
from men of this world whose reward is in this life.
You still the hunger of those you cherish;
their sons have plenty,
and they store up wealth for their children.

15 And I—in righteousness I will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

Just like many of the psalms written by David, you could feel the sense of desperation in him. From verses 9 - 12, it's like David was surrounded by his enemies and there was no way out. They were ready to take his life.

David began to pray the words of Psalm 17. At the start of the psalm, David was confident that God would answer his prayer. He was confident that God will find him righteous (indeed he is known to be a man after God's heart).

But I felt that the Holy Spirit ask me to look upon verse 8 deeper, especially its first part.

"Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings"


Apple of the eye generally means someone who is favoured.

He is reminding me that when I truly take God seriously, just like David did, God will favour me in every area of my life.

Is it true? Well, I should think so. Many wealthy people are Christians. I think material wealth is one way of God showing His favour on His people.

Of course, it doesn't mean that if you're not wealthy, then God doesn't favour you. I believe that God will favour those who love Him in many different ways - be it academic results, health, giftings, etc. The response should always be a thankful spirit.

For myself, I really thank God for His favour all this while. For instance, by His grace, I got my first-class honours in NUS. And now, I have good working relationships with my colleagues in school. God also blessed me materially - my salary increased quite a few times within the span of 1 year in 2007! Really thank God for His favour.


Things to ponder
1. Can you think of one or two situations in your life that God has shown you special favour?
2. Are there situations that you would wish that God's favour be upon you right now?
3. Remember that we must first learn to be like David, and be after God's heart. Decide to separate your mind from the world and Delight to saturate your spirit with God's Word. And His favour will surely go with you. Make this prayer now.


Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me favour all this while. I know that one of the reasons is because I take You seriously, since the days in NUS. I pray that I will continue to take you seriously, and learn to take even more delight in spending time with You. I also pray that You will continue to show me favour in the school, by Your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 17

Psalm 16

1 Keep me safe, O God,
for in you I take refuge.

2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing."

3 As for the saints who are in the land,
they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows of those will increase
who run after other gods.
I will not pour out their libations of blood
or take up their names on my lips.

5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.

7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.

8 I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,

10 because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

11 You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

In this time and age, how many of us can truly say to God "You are my Lord, apart from You I have no good thing." (verse 2)?

This seemingly simple statement encompasses really deep meanings. To me, the most important and obvious one is that to have a close personal relationship with God is far more crucial than any other thing that we could possibly have - including family, money, friends, life partner, etc.

I honestly do think that I can say this statement with 100% conviction. There were times that I struggle in terms of surrendering things dear to my heart to the Lord. But I do know that I'm walking towards it. Now, I have learnt to surrender more things to Him than in the past.

And when we come to terms with verse 2, tremendous blessings will flow into our lives, as mentioned by the psalmist from verse 5 - 11.

One of the things mentioned is "contentment". It's when we recognize that God is the giver of everything, and that whatever things we have is of the right amount and degree. (Yes, we can always ask God to bless us with more, but the key is to be satisfied even if God don't give) Then gladness of heart and joy will overflow in our lives.


Sadly, one of the reasons why there are so many wars is that there are people who are dissatisfied with what they already possess, especially in terms of geographical space. Nations invade nations to gain more land and resources. They are not satisfied with their portion, lot and boundary lines. They just want more.

Personally, I'm really thankful for the things that God has blessed me with, be it family, ministry, relationship, career and financial resources. I'm very contented at this point actually, except for one thing. I've been called up for reservist. That is an area whereby I need to learn to be contented about and thank God for it.


Things to ponder
1. How satisfied are you with the overall state of your life at the present moment? Give a rating from 1 to 10 (10 is very satisfied).
2. What are one or two areas of your life that you feel dissatisfied about?
3. Pray and thank God for what you already have. Pray and ask for more in the areas you feel dissatisfied about, but remember not to feel resentful if this prayer is not answered. God will surely have reasons if that happens.


Dear Heavenly Father, truly apart from You, I have no good thing. Every blessing in my life originated from You. Thank You for giving me so much. Lord, I pray that I would continue to desire to have intimacy with You every day of my life, more than any other thing. And Lord, I know that I am weak and can be easily distracted. Help me to always stay focused on You. Help me to be always thankful in every situation in my life - including my reservist call up. Thank You Father. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 16

Psalm 15

1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.

This psalm is really reminding us of the kind of person that God will draw close to and allow to dwell in His sanctuary (verse 1). If we want to have an intimate relationship with God, we must strive to do the following.

1. Speaks the truth from our hearts, no lies, no facade (verse 2).
2. Don't slander others with words (verse 3a).
3. Don't do wrong to the people around us (verse 3b).
4. Don't mix so much with people who are wicked or godless (verse 4a).
5. Honors those who love God (verse 4b).
6. Keeps our promises even if they hurt (verse 4c).
7. Lend our money to others generously with no strings attached (verse 5a).
8. Don't accept bribes from the powerful and conspire against the innocent (verse 5b).


Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that if we make a mistake in any of the above, then God will not forgive us. Because of His grace, He will always forgive us if we confess and repent.

What I'm saying is that we should try our best to do the things mentioned. God sees our hearts. If He knows that we've given our best, He will surely bless us with His presence. And because of that, God will be our rock, and we will never be shaken by the world!

If I were to give myself a rating of 1 to 10 (10 means really good) for each of the 8 things mentioned above, I will give myself the following ratings:
1. (7)
2. (6)
3. (8)
4. (8)
5. (8)
6. (7)
7. (9)
8. (9)


Things to ponder
1. Do the same thing as I did. Reflect your life and rate each of the 8 things mentioned 1 to 10.
2. Choose the one with the lowest score and elaborate why it's the lowest.
3. Pray a prayer of commitment of this weakness to the Lord and ask Him for help. Confess and repent if need to.


Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace which allows me to draw close to You and have a personal relationship with You. I know that I'm filled with many imperfections. The thing I struggle most with is speaking bad or gossiping about others. Lord, I repent of sins and ask for Your forgiveness. Help me to stand up against it. I really want to be in Your sanctuary and be someone who won't be shaken by circumstances. In Jesus' name I ask and pray. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 15

Psalm 14

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

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

3 All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.

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

5 There they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.

6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.

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

As I read this psalm, I just felt reminded by the Holy Spirit that I can be 100% (not 99%) sure that God will always bring about His blessings upon me, just as what the psalmist felt in verse 7. God's faithfulness to us is as certain as the fact that the sun will rise up every morning.




There were many times that I asked God "Where are You? Why have You forsaken me?". Eventually, God always bring something good out of the worst situation. And that is how I know the certainty of His love.


Things to ponder
1. What are some negative circumstances that you've experienced before and you questioned God's love?
2. What eventually happened to those negative circumstances? Was there a closure? If not, pray and ask God to reveal.
3. Spend time praising God for who He is. And how certain of His love we can be.


Dear Father, I give thanks that Your love for me is absolute and certain. That You will never forsake or abandon me. Even when I'm in the pits of my life, You were there to lift me up. Lord, help me to always remember Your love. Thank You for bringing me through the difficult circumstances. In Jesus' name, I pray and give thanks. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's Reflection on Psalm 14

Psalm 13

1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.

As I read this psalm, I can really identify with the psalmist's feelings of despair, as mentioned in verses 1 to 4. That there are times I feel so distant from God. And my heart is so heavy that I think it can literally just drop onto the ground. Other times will be when my mind is filled with negative thoughts and the feelings of sorrow inside me is simply overwhelming.

To summarize, I don't know how to go on.

To be honest, even now, though it is the Year of Sabbath, I feel like I'm carrying so many bags of potatoes (as Pastor Julie put it). I'm weighed down by many different responsibilites. Sometimes, I don't even know where to start.

Yes, I'm desperate, just like David, who wrote Psalm 13.

Yet, God is gracious. Verses 5 and 6 hold the keys to lift me out of my despair. And these two verses summarize one of the key focus of FCBC this year:
Remembrance and Reliance on the Lord.

Remember the cross, whereby Jesus died for me so that I may have abundant life.
Remember the blessings that God has given me in the past.

Remembering the Lord in 2007
1. I completed NIE and became a full-fledge teacher.
2. I was posted to RI (as I asked for).
3. My grandfather received Christ before he passed away.
4. Dawn & I have started MPC.

Thank You, Lord!


Things to ponder
1. Out of a scale of 1 to 10 (10 means great!), how has 2008 started out for you? Why?
2. For the year 2007, what are 3 things that you can give thanks for? List them out.
3. Pray and praise God for the blessings He has given you in 2007. Always remember them, especially when you go through hardships in 2008.


Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the cross. Upon the cross, You have given me salvation. Upon the cross, You have lifted me up from my despair. Upon the cross, You have given me blessings upon blessings. Today, Lord, I make a commitment before You. I nail every burden and responsibility to the cross. Take complete control. I thank You once again, in Your name I pray. Amen!

Pastor YC's Reflection on Psalm 13

Psalm 12

1 Help, LORD, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished from among men.

2 Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue

4 that says, "We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips — who is our master?"

5 "Because of the oppression of the weak
and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise," says the LORD.
"I will protect them from those who malign them."

6 And the words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.

7 O LORD, you will keep us safe
and protect us from such people forever.

8 The wicked freely strut about
when what is vile is honored among men.

The first thing that I thought of as I read this psalm was how destructive our tongues can be.

According to the psalmist, the tongue can be used to
1. speak lies to people (verse 1a)
2. flatter people whom we want to please (verse 1b)
3. boast about ourselves (verse 2)

Some of us really abuse the usage of our tongues. We even deny the fact that whatever we said has to be acceptable before God. We insist our tongues are our own, they don't belong to God (verse 4). We can say whatever we want, whenever we want.

No wonder in James 3:8, it is said that "no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."

As I think about my own behavior, even after I had become a Christian, there were so many times that my tongue wasn't used to build up others. Instead, sometimes, it became an instrument whereby I used it to vent my frustrations on others; sometimes, it became an instrument of gossip; sometimes, it became an instrument of boasting.

I know that God is dealing with me in this area. Of course, now I'm slightly better off than last time, but I still have a long way to go in terms of taming my tongue.



Another thought that came to mind as I meditate on Psalm 12 is that in life, we will surely face people who will bad-mouth us and speak lies about us. God's promise to us is that He will protect us from such people (verse 7).


Things to ponder
1. On a scale of 1 (means really bad) to 10 (means really good), how do you think God will rate you in terms of using your tongue (speaking words)? Why?
2. What is one thing (for example, speaking lies, flattering people so that you get what you want. boasting about yourself, gossiping) that you do with your tongue that displeases the Lord?
3. Confess and repent before the Lord in this area. Pray 1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."


Dear Heavenly Father, I ask for Your forgiveness. There has been many times that I abused the gift of speaking which you had blessed me with. Lord, sometimes I had gossipped about my students; sometimes I had scolded others in anger; sometimes I had boasted about myself and not You. Father, I really want to change. I want to encourage and build others up with my words. Help me change, Father, for I know it is impossible to do it without You. I pray all this, in Jesus' name. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's Reflection on Psalm 12

Psalm 11

1 In the LORD I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
“Flee like a bird to your mountain.

2 For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows
at the upright in heart.

3 When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”

4 The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men;
his eyes examine them.

5 The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence
his soul hates.

6 On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.

7 For the LORD is righteous,
he loves justice;
upright men will see his face.

If you have been a Christian long enough, and if you really obey the word of God, you will realize that there will be many situations in your life that you will stick out like a sore thumb.

For instance,
1. Refusing to speak any kind of vulgarities in school or NS.
2. Refusing to cheat during tests or exams when all your friends are doing it (rampant in NUS or NTU)
3. Refusing to smoke or watch porn when your friends think it's the cool thing to do.
4. Attending church and cell meetings regularly whereas your friends go out and have fun.
5. Committing your studies to God and continue to serve Him whereas your friends just mug and mug at home when exams near.


And because you are different, people around you may call you all kind of names, and they may even laugh at you. Just like verses 1 and 2 in Psalm 11. They may shoot arrows of accusations at you.

The psalmist didn't encouage us to strike back directly at these people. He wants us to know that God is in control, and He will judge those who judge us. We just need to take refuge in Him and trust Him. Our reward is to be able to see His face (verse 7) - to be able to enjoy a personal relationship with Him and have direct access to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Isn't that wonderful?


Things to ponder:
1. What are some situations in your life that you've learnt to be different from the rest of your friends when you obey God?
2. What are some situations that you've compromised your faith and joined your friends in doing things that doesn't please God?
3. Commit all the above situations to God and pray a prayer telling Him that you truly desire intimacy with Him.


Dear Heavenly Father, I know that when I truly obey You in all that I do, there will be times that people around me will make fun of me or even call me names. Father, my prayer is that I will stand firm to what I believe in and not be afraid or embarrassed, because I know You care about me, and it's Your opinions that truly matter. Father, I desire a personal relationship with You and see Your face. In Jesus' name I ask and pray. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's Reflection on Psalm 11

Psalm 10

1 Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.

3 He boasts of the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.

4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

5 His ways are always prosperous;
he is haughty and your laws are far from him;
he sneers at all his enemies.

6 He says to himself, “Nothing will shake me;
I’ll always be happy and never have trouble.”

7 His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats;
trouble and evil are under his tongue.

8 He lies in wait near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent,
watching in secret for his victims.

9 He lies in wait like a lion in cover;
he lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.

10 His victims are crushed, they collapse;
they fall under his strength.

11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten;
he covers his face and never sees.”

12 Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.

13 Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account”?

14 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
you consider it to take it in hand.
The victim commits himself to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.

15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man;
call him to account for his wickedness
that would not be found out.

As mentioned many times in the Bible (for example, Psalm 8), God has given us dominion over every living creature and the things on the earth. However, because of our sinful nature, we have abused our authority and used it to satisfy our sinful desires.

In psalm 10, it talks clearly about the wicked man who hunts down the weak. He cares nothing about God and is concerned only about making himself prosperous.

Though I don't think I'm as wicked as the man mentioned in the Bible, I do recognize that there are times in my life whereby I neglected my responsibilities as a cell leader and as a teacher. Or even worse, I even sometimes vent my frustrations on the people under me. As a result, my cell members and my students did not receive the things that they ought to receive. This can be considered ways of abusing the authority that God has given me.


A man of God should have the characteristics of God as mentioned in verses 14, 17 and 18: defend the fatherless and the oppressed, encourage the afflicted and listen to their cries, and prevent those who terrify others.

Things to ponder
1. What are some situations that you've abused the things that God has blessed you with?
2. Think about the earth whereby God has given you dominion over; in what ways have you abused the earth by wasting electricity or wasting other kinds of resources?
3. What are you going to do to change? Confess and repent before the Lord straight away.


Dear God, I confess that there are times whereby I've abused my authority as a cell leader and as a teacher. I ask for You forgiveness today and pray that from now on, I will take upon my roles even more seriously so that the people under me can be blessed. Lord, I know that I'm not perfect, but You are. Your grace is sufficient for me. I claim that in the name of Jesus. I want to defend the fatherless, encourage the afflicted and deny the wicked. I pray all this in Jesus' most mighty name. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's Reflection on Psalm 10

Psalm 9

1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.

2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

3 My enemies turn back;
they stumble and perish before you.

4 For you have upheld my right and my cause;
you have sat on your throne, judging righteously.

5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.

6 Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy,
you have uprooted their cities;
even the memory of them has perished.

7 The LORD reigns forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.

8 He will judge the world in righteousness;
he will govern the peoples with justice.

9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.

10 Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

11 Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion;
proclaim among the nations what he has done.

12 For he who avenges blood remembers;
he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.

13 O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!
Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,

14 that I may declare your praises
in the gates of the Daughter of Zion
and there rejoice in your salvation.

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;
their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.

16 The LORD is known by his justice;
the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
Higgaion. Selah

17 The wicked return to the grave,
all the nations that forget God.

18 But the needy will not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.

19 Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph;
let the nations be judged in your presence.

20 Strike them with terror, O LORD;
let the nations know they are but men.
Selah

Our God is righteous and just. From His throne, He rules over all of creation forever and ever, as stated in verse 7.

That means that He is in control. He is in control of every situation in our lives. He oversees all that we do and allow certain things to happen to us for His purposes.

Last year, there was a time that I asked God why He allowed my grandpa to be in ICU when I haven't had the chance to share Christ with Him yet. I could only come to the conclusion that He is control. In the end, miraculously, I managed to share Christ with my grandpa, and He's with the Lord now. Thanks be to God.


It's all about trusting God as the ultimate ruler. He is righteous and just.

1. He destroys the wicked (verse 5).
2. He is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble (verse 9).
3. He cares about the needy and the afflicted (verse 18).
4. He defends His people - those who love and trust Him (nearly the whole psalm!).


Things to ponder
1. Out of the 4 things mentioned above, which one do you need the most now?
2. What are some unfair situations that you see in your life right now? Give at least 2.
3. Pray to God about all these situations and trust Him that He will bring you through.


Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that I will always be reminded that You are the ultimate ruler and judge over all of creation. Lord, help me have the attitude of always trusting You, even when my world collapses and everything seems to go wrong. I know that You love me and that all things work out for the good of those who love You. I pray that this will always be in my heart. In Jesus' name I ask and pray. Amen!

Psalm 8

1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

God loves us so much that He is concerned about each and every single one of us. Just like the psalmist, I sometimes find myself asking God why He, the creator of the heavens and the earth, would be mindful of me (verse 4)? After all, I have so many flaws.

The answer that I get from God is always the same. It's because of His grace. His grace that was given us and demonstrated when Jesus went to the cross to take upon all of our sins while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). God loves us because He loves us.

And because of His love for us, He gave us authority over every living creature and allow us to rule over the earth (verse 5 - 8). This means He wants us to have victory over every storms in our lives, just like the eagle soaring high above the storm, as shown below.




One of the challenges for me in 2008 is to be able to enter God's rest in the midst of so many commitments - I have more roles and responsibilities to play in school, serving actively in TPE, running cell groups, being part of WM12, going through MPC and spending time with family. This is like a storm to me.

But I know that I want to be like the eagle and rise above the storms. To find rest in the Lord. To find intimacy with Him.


Things to ponder:
1. Is there a storm in your life right now? Or is there a storm you're expecting?
2. If you are able to rise above this storm, what would the outcome look like?
3. Present your requests before the Lord immediately. Don't wait.


Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the cross. It is at the cross that You took upon all my sins. Because of that, I am able to experience victories in my life. Lord, I know that in 2008, I will be very busy. But I pray that I will rise above this storm (of busyness) and spend time with You consistently. Lord, I want to have intimacy with You and find rest in You. Thank You, Lord. I pray all this in Your name. Amen!

Psalm 7

1 O LORD my God, I take refuge in you;
save and deliver me from all who pursue me,

2 or they will tear me like a lion
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

3 O LORD my God, if I have done this
and there is guilt on my hands-

4 if I have done evil to him who is at peace with me
or without cause have robbed my foe-

5 then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
let him trample my life to the ground
and make me sleep in the dust.
Selah

6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger;
rise up against the rage of my enemies.
Awake, my God; decree justice.

7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you.
Rule over them from on high;

8 let the LORD judge the peoples.
Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness,
according to my integrity, O Most High.

9 O righteous God,
who searches minds and hearts,
bring to an end the violence of the wicked
and make the righteous secure.

10 My shield is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a righteous judge,
God who expresses his wrath every day.

12 If he does not relent,
he will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.

13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he makes ready his flaming arrows.

14 He who is pregnant with evil
and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.

15 He who digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit he has made.

16 The trouble he causes recoils on himself;
his violence comes down on his own head.

17 I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Just like many of his psalms, David started with telling God how much trouble he is in.

Notice that in this psalm, David was so certain that he is a righteous man in the eyes of God. Look at verse 8. He actually asked God to judge him according to his righteousness (in Chinese, it's called yi).

Well, if you know the life of David, he sinned against God big time when he murdered Uriah and made Bathsheba his wife.

How then can he be considered righteous?

Look at Genesis 15:6 "Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness."

Righteousness in the kingdom of God doesn't mean that you totally have no sins (if so, there is no need for Jesus). But it means that you need to put your faith in the Lord.

I believe that David believes in God. He believes in whatever God said to him.

Do you believe in God? Do you believe in whatever God says in the Bible? That He will love and bless you to a thousand generations when you keep His commandments (Exodus 20:6)? How about the promise that He has a plan for you? A plan to prosper you and not to harm you (Jeremiah 29:11)? I know that there are times I didn't believe in them.


Things to ponder:
1. Out of a scale of 1 to 10, how righteous do you think you are? Give an honest self-evaluation.
2. Are there promises in the Bible that you thought they are NOT meant for you? List them out.
3. Pray about all these promises and believe God for them. If there're sins in your life that interferes with God's promises, confess & repent straight away!


Dear God, I really pray that today I will be reminded that when I put my faith in You, when I trust You and when I believe in You, You have already declared me righteous. By the blood of the Lamb, You've cleansed me of all my past, present and future sins. Thank You, God, for sending You son, Jesus to die for me. I pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen!

Psalm 6

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

2 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint;
O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.

3 My soul is in anguish.
How long, O LORD, how long?

4 Turn, O LORD, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.

5 No one remembers you when he is dead.
Who praises you from the grave [b] ?

6 I am worn out from groaning;
all night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.

7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.

8 Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the LORD has heard my weeping.

9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
the LORD accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed;
they will turn back in sudden disgrace.

As I read this psalm, I could almost feel the hopelessness that the psalmist felt at that point in time. How many times I myself have come to a point and tell God, "I cannot make it. I want to give up fighting!" Sometimes we just feel like the whole world is against us.

However, as I read the psalm again, I realised one thing. Despite the emotions, the psalmist still acknowledges that God's love for him is unfailing (verse 4) and He will accept his prayers (verse 9).

I need to be like the psalmist. To have that kind of faith in the Lord, despite the not-so-victorious situations, I need to remember the cross. It's only at the cross that we see how our Lord Jesus took upon Himself all our sins and died for us. That is an act of unfailing love.


Dear Lord Jesus, I know that You love me so much that You went to the cross for me. You took it upon Yourself all my sins even though You're perfect and without sins. Lord, thank You for loving me. I pray that I will always remember Your unfailing love, and that I will thank You and trust You even when I'm in challenging circumstances. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

Psalm 5

1 Give ear to my words, O LORD,
consider my sighing.
2 Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.

3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.

4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.

5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.

6 You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the LORD abhors.

7 But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.

8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make straight your way before me.

9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongue they speak deceit.

10 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

After reading through Psalm 5, there is one conclusion that I gather:
God cares deeply about you and I.

When we're in need, or even when we're lamenting, the Lord's invitation to us is to lay down all requests before Him (verse 3). And then we just need to wait in expectation. At the right time, God will give us answers.

God did not say that when we trust in Him, we will not have enemies or tribulations. But in verse 8, He said that we can ask of Him to make straight our paths.

He also said that He will bless us with His joy, favour and protection when we recognize Him as our refuge.

As I think about the year just past - 2007, I discover that in almost every situation, God brought about a closure or answer to the things that happened.

Isn't it amazing grace? That He who created the heavens and the earth is actually interested in each of our lives?


Dear heavenly Father, today I just want to give thanks to You because I know You care deeply about me. Whenever I am in need, whenever I face tribulations, I know that I can ask of You. As I reflect on the past year, I realize that You have kept watch over me. You have blessed me tremendously. Thank You, Father. I pray that I will always have a heart of thanksgiving. I pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen!