Psalm 68

1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.

2 As smoke is blown away by the wind,
may you blow them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.

3 But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.

4 Sing to God, sing praise to his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds —
his name is the LORD—
and rejoice before him.

5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.

6 God sets the lonely in families,
he leads forth the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

7 When you went out before your people, O God,
when you marched through the wasteland,
Selah

8 the earth shook,
the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.

9 You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.

10 Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor.

11 The Lord announced the word,
and great was the company of those who proclaimed it:

12 "Kings and armies flee in haste;
in the camps men divide the plunder.

13 Even while you sleep among the campfires,
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold."

14 When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Zalmon.

15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains;
rugged are the mountains of Bashan.

16 Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign,
where the LORD himself will dwell forever?

17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.

18 When you ascended on high,
you led captives in your train;
you received gifts from men,
even from the rebellious—
that you, O LORD God, might dwell there.

19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
Selah

20 Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.

21 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.

22 The Lord says, "I will bring them from Bashan;
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,

23 that you may plunge your feet in the blood of your foes,
while the tongues of your dogs have their share."

24 Your procession has come into view, O God,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.

25 In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
with them are the maidens playing tambourines.

26 Praise God in the great congregation;
praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.

27 There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,
there the great throng of Judah's princes,
and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

28 Summon your power, O God;
show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.

29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts.

30 Rebuke the beast among the reeds,
the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may it bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations who delight in war.

31 Envoys will come from Egypt;
Cush will submit herself to God.

32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth,
sing praise to the Lord,
Selah

33 to him who rides the ancient skies above,
who thunders with mighty voice.

34 Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the skies.

35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!

As I read Psalm 68, the Lord impressed upon me a few things.

The Lord spoke to me about His enemies. Now, who are the Lord's enemies? From what I understand, Matthew 12:30 and Luke 11:23 provide some insights into this question. Jesus said "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters." The Lord's enemies probably refer to people who don't believe in Him.

The Lord's enemies will not enjoy long-lasting success. Eventually, whatever they have achieved will fade away (Psalm 68:1-2, 12, 14, 21, 30). If they persist in their rebellious ways against God, they will soon find themselves living in hostile environments (Psalm 68:6c).

The next question is why would our God (of grace and mercy) want to bring ruins to these people? I believe the answer lies in Psalm 68: 29-31. God's heart is that His enemies will turn their hearts towards Him and submit to Him in humility.

Isn't Apostle Paul one such person? Before his conversion, he was a blasphemer (someone who curses God), persecutor and a violent man (1 Timothy 1:13). He was most qualified to be an enemy of the Lord at that time. However, after a supernatural encounter with Jesus, he gave His life to Him (Acts 9:1-19). From then on, Apostle Paul devoted his time into planting churches all around Asia Minor.

Those who loves the Lord knows Him as a Father to the fatherless and a Defender to the widows. He provides for the poor. He daily bears our burdens and worries. All of these are mentioned in Psalm 68:5, 10, 19.


Our only appropriate response is to praise Him, just like what is being described in Psalm 68:32-35.


Things to ponder
1. Are there people around you who seems really against Christians? Name a few of them.
2. Which characteristic of God (Father to the fatherless, etc.), mentioned in Psalm 68 speaks to you the most? Why?
3. Pray for those anti-Christians that you've listed down. And pen down a prayer of praise to God for the characteristic mentioned in previous question.

Pastor YC "Psalm 67: Praising God and Experiencing His Blessings"

God bless us SO THAT your glory will go to the nations
PS 67:1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah
PS 67:2 that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.






We praise God because of his justic and guidance
PS 67:3 May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
PS 67:4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. Selah

We praise God and that yields God's blessing on us
PS 67:5 May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
PS 67:6 Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us.

God bless us so that the world will know Him
PS 67:7 God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

1. God is just, therefore we praise Him (v4)
2. When we praise Him, we are blessed (v6)
3. God blesses us so that the world will see His glory (v2,7)

Outlining the psalm according to it's poetic structure is very helpful to interpreting it accurately!

Psalm 67

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us,
Selah

2 that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.

3 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.
Selah

5 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

6 Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.

7 God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Throughout Psalm 67, the psalmist seems to be emphasizing on two things.

1. We are to praise God (verses 3-5).
We have to praise God and give Him credit in every situation. Sometimes, we feel that it's awkward to praise God in front of our pre-believer friends and family members. But if we don't praise God out loud, how would they see that God is relevant to us in our daily life?

We have to praise God - there's really no excuse not to.


2. God will bless us (verses 1-2, 6-7).
Psalm 67 mentioned that "God will bless us" twice. It is like a promise from God. As long as we walk in the fear of the Lord, He will bless us. And one reason why He blesses us is because He wants pre-believers around us to see His goodness in our lives. Then they can come to know Jesus.


In conclusion, we have to attribute every success and blessing to God, and let our pre-believer friends and family know about it. I do sometimes thank God in front of my students and family. I need to be more conscious of it and do it more often.


Things to ponder
1. When was the last time you praised God in front of your friends or family who are pre-believers?
2. What are two blessings that you have received from God recently?
3. Pray and praise God for what He has blessed you with. Commit also to share how He has blessed you with at least one friend.

Darren's Reflection on Psalm 64

9 All mankind will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.

10 Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD
and take refuge in him;
let all the upright in heart praise him!

Thoughts: Only when there's fear in God, will we be mighty warriors in his army. Many a times we fail as we have lost the fear in Him. Just because he is a merciful God, we think it's fine to take his grace for granted.

Applications: I myself have taken God's grace for granted, trusting that He'll always forgive and let me off. After reading this chap, God reminded me that though He forgives, He will punish when He needs to, especially for our own good, to instill His fear in us. What I can apply in my life is learning to accept God's punishment for the things I did wrong and looking at it positively instead of crying over spilled milk. Recognising that there'll be more of his fear in me and thus, praise and rejoice more in him.

Psalm 66

As I read the psalm, I just felt so excited. Repeatedly, the psalmist praised the Lord. This really sounds like a "praise" psalm. After all, the word "praise" was repeated 7 times in the NIV Bible.

One of the things that the psalmist praised God for really caught my attention. Look at verses 10-12.

10 For you, O God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.

11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.

12 You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.

God has never guaranteed us a smooth and easy life when we become Christians. As mentioned in the above verses, He will test us. He will allow us to go through trials. He will refine us like silver. Then He will bring us to a place of abundance. It's a cycle actually.


None of us like the idea of being refined. When I'm in a difficult circumstance, I often find myself become resentful & blame God. However, I always come to a point and ask God to show me why He allows me to go through trials. Even if I don't have an answer, I just trust God and allow Him to take control. When God breaks me, then He will use me.


Things to ponder
1. Do you tend to blame God or praise God when you go through difficult circumstances?
2. Pen down a 50-word prayer to God & praise Him extensively.

Psalm 65

The psalmist, David started the psalm by giving praise to God (verse 1-4) in 3 areas. 1. He praised God for hearing his prayers. 2. He praised God for forgiving his sins. 3. He praised God for allowing us to draw close to Him.

Then, David began to praise God for His power & might.

In the final third of the psalm, David described how God blessed the land with abundant crops. I could almost imagine endless rows of grains, corns, etc.

God always wants to bless us. He wants to give us success and prosperity - like in career and studies. And when we do receive all these blessings, do we remember Him?


I need to constantly remind myself to remember the Blesser (God, of course), and not just the blessings. That's why I want to peservere on in this 40 days' fast and pray, even though I'm in Malaysia now.


Things to ponder
1. What are some blessings in your life that God has given you? Name at least 3.
2. How are you doing in terms of remembering the Lord (spending time with Him) in this 40 days' fast and pray? Rate 1 to 10 (10 means very good).
3. Pray and commit to press on in this fasting & praying season. Go for intimacy with God!

Psalm 64

On the first day of my Malaysia trip, one of the places that the school stopped at was the Pandan Waterfalls. Being raised up as a urban person, I haven’t not seen many waterfalls. That was only the second one.

But when I saw the waterfalls, I was really awed by its beauty. I saw the water gushing down at high speeds. I saw the surrounding trees wavering in the wind. I saw the sunlight partially blocked.

It was a sight I would never forget. I began to thank God for His wonderful works. Just like the psalmist described in verse 9: “All mankind will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done.”


Nature is really a place whereby I can find peace in God. I really want to spend time along beaches, sitting in parks, just enjoying the solace and serenity seldom found in urban life. I want to spend time with the Blesser (God) in His blessed creation of nature.


Things to ponder
1. When was the last time you took a break from your usual routine and spend time enjoying nature?
2. Are they too many things distracting you every time you want to spend time with God? List down a few.
3. Pray and allow God to take away the things distracting you, and find the rest and peace in Him by spending some time with Him in the wilds.

Psalm 63

As David wrote this psalm, I believe he was totally physically exhausted. He was thirsty in the desert of Judah (verse 1c). Despite this physical state of his, David could still remember the past goodness of God. He began to praise God & give thanks to Him.

He described His soul as being satisfied with the richest of food when he has deep fellowship with God.


In this season of fasting & praying, I knew that my body really craves for physical food during meal times. But this psalm really reminded me that above all, spiritual food is what that matters. I really want to fast a meal a day & deny my flesh. God, help me.


Things to ponder
1. How has the fasting being for you? Give a rating 1 to 10 (10 means it's great!)
2. What are some difficulties in fasting a meal a day? Give at least 2.
3. Pray & commit to the Lord. Ask of Him to satisfy you spiritually as you deny yourself physically.

Pastor YC "Psalm 62"

PS 62:1 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.
PS 62:2 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

PS 62:5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
PS 62:6 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

ALONE - Without others, Without help, Exclusively

In an insecure world, we tend to spread our risk, put our eggs in many different baskets so that one failure doesn't cause all our assets to crash. It is conventional wisdom, and wise indeed, because it speaks of the fact that these "legs" are not secure in themselves.

Yet in the scriptures, the Bible tells us that God ALONE is our rock and salvation

A ROCK does not have legs - security and stability rests on ITSELF.

1) We do not need to prop a rock up with additional legs - let's not put God on the altar with many other gods

2) We do not need to prop up a rock with additional legs - God does not need "help" in holding things up. Let's not fret and try to "help" him.

Let's rest in Him ALONE.

Psalm 62

1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

3 How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

4 They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah

5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah

9 Lowborn men are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie;
if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.

10 Do not trust in extortion
or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.

11 One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,

12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.
Surely you will reward each person
according to what he has done.

Rest in the midst of Resistance

Earlier today, Pastor Khong preached from Psalm 62. And that was the title of his sermon.

He showed us from the psalm that there were 3 aspects of finding rest in the midst of resistance around us.

1. We need to have the Quiet Acceptance of His Covering.
From Psalm 62:1-2, we can see that it is only God ALONE who can give us true rest. And this can be so even in times of turmoil. For this to happen, God has to be the centre of our lives!

2. We need to have the Aggressive Assertion of His Control.
From Psalm 62:5-6, we realise that we have to speak to ourselves first before ourselves speak to us. Our inner self tend to be pessimistic. We have to command our souls to rest in God and trust that He is in control. It is like warfare!

3. We need to have the Unwavering Acknowledgement of His Character.
Finally, Psalm 62:11-12 reminds us of the character of God. He is STRONG and LOVING. He has the ability to help us, and He will.


Personally, I really think the only response possible is to come before God daily and chit-chat with Him. He really wants to spend time with me.


Things to ponder
1. Start spending time with God regularly. This is the best time to build intimacy with God. Pray a prayer of such nature!

Pastor YC: "Psalm 61: Lead me to the Higher Rock"

Picture from (http://lkirchner.de/alps/bergamo_alps/401_near_pizzo_di_petto.jpg)The Psalms very helpful in seeking God, because we get different glimpses of "who God is" so that we can seek Him.

There is a difference between the God "who is" & the God "we want". So unless the Holy Spirit leads and guides us through the scriptures to reveal to us who God is, we will not head in the right direction when we "seek" Him.

A higher rock, a tent of refuge, a strong tower.

Who is God to you?

(Personally I've been meditating on "rock higher than I". Personal failure to seek God shows that deep down inside somewhere, I trust myself more than God. I'm reflecting on when and how I've become the "higher rock")

Psalm 61

1 Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.

2 From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

3 For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.

4 I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Selah

5 For you have heard my vows, O God;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

6 Increase the days of the king's life,
his years for many generations.

7 May he be enthroned in God's presence forever;
appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.

8 Then will I ever sing praise to your name
and fulfill my vows day after day.

I'm not entirely sure about the context of this psalm. But David's plea to God was really quite touching. Verse 2: "From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

Brokenness is the buzzword in FCBC now. The key to spiritual health, as what Pastor Khong put it last Sunday, is brokenness. Brokenness, in my opinion, is recognizing there's nothing good in each of our hearts. Given a choice, each of us will rather do things to satisfy our own desires.

But when we come before God in humility and ask of Him, He will change our heart. Ezekiel 36:26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. "

Ask of God today to lead you to the Rock that is way higher than yourself. Be broken before Him.


Personally, I think I'm really beginning to realise that all I can accomplish before God counts to nothing if I'm not broken. Every day, I would wake up with a prayer to God, praying for His guidance and wisdom.

God, I can't do it alone.


Things to ponder
1. How would you rate yourself in terms of dependence on God? (Rate 1 to 10, 10 means very much dependent!)
2. What is one incident in your life that causes you to lose faith in yourself, and yet at the same time, gain faith in God?
3. Pray for a broken and contrite heart right now. Stop doing things with your own strength.

Pastor YC "Psalm 60: God over the Nations"

Psalm 60:6-10
God has spoken from his sanctuary: "In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter. Moab is my washbasin, upon Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph."

Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not you, O God, you who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies?

In a region where the fight for control of land dominated much of history, it is especially significant that God says HE is the one that "parcels out the land".

It is also significant that the psalmist acknowledges that God is not only in control of the lands of Israel (Shechem, Succoth etc), but also the lands that are beyond Israel (Edom & "fortified city").

But the conclusion of this is that God is sovereign and in control:

PS 60:11 Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.
PS 60:12 With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

Not all of us are worrying about national territories, but if God is sovereign over those "big concerns", He must be sovereign over our "lesser concerns".

Sleep well even in war :)

Psalm 60

1 You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth upon us;
you have been angry-now restore us!

2 You have shaken the land and torn it open;
mend its fractures, for it is quaking.

3 You have shown your people desperate times;
you have given us wine that makes us stagger.

4 But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner
to be unfurled against the bow.
Selah

5 Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.

6 God has spoken from his sanctuary:
"In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Succoth.

7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah my scepter.

8 Moab is my washbasin,
upon Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph."

9 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?

10 Is it not you, O God, you who have rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?

11 Give us aid against the enemy,
for the help of man is worthless.

12 With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.

I found the last two verses of the psalm inspiring.

The psalmist recognized that God is the One that will help him gain the victory against his enemies, not man. He trusted the Lord with all his heart. That really demonstrated TOTAL DEPENDENCE.

I can still remember the times when I was a young Christian in NUS. Just before every exam, I would always spend time with my friends discussing last minute stuff. It seemed as if I trusted their help more than God's.


Today, as a slightly more mature Christian, I began to lean more on God for support & help. When there's an important event in my life, I'll sms my spiritual family to pray. I myself will pray too. Really thank God for changing me.


Things to ponder
1. In what ways do you show that you trust God during your exams?
2. In what ways do you show that you don't trust God at all during your exams?
3. Pray and commit to God all the important events in your life - not just exams.