Daily Bible Study

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Day 4 Psalm 4 Psalm 4:1 < Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. 3 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. 4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. 6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only make me dwell in safety. Peace and safety is something we all want. Yet sometimes it is hard to find as we saw yesterday with the attack in Brussels at the airport and train station when many innocent lives were lost and futures destroyed in an instant. Where is hope when people are bent on destruction? David faced destruction every time he went to war. He never lost hope, but sought God continually whenever his enemies tried to destroy his life. He started out this psalm of prayer and praise with a plea for God to listen to him, and gave him honor by showing God’s righteousness. When we pray, we too need to give God honor and respect. In the prayer Jesus prayed, we have an example of how we are to do that. Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, he declared God’s sovereignty. John 17:1 These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work, which you gave me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory, which I had with thee before the world was. To God belongs all glory and praise, and when we acknowledge his sovereignty over our lives, he will listen to us. David went on to declare that it didn’t matter how long people would try to deny God, God would ultimately set them aside, and set apart those who love him to be with him. What did David say we are to do? We are to offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust God. What are the sacrifices of righteousness? Jesus had a good example of acts of righteousness. Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Simple acts of kindness are our sacrifices of righteousness to God. When we treat each other as we want to be treated, God will look on us with love and hear us when we call on him. Then our hearts will be glad, as David’s was, because we will KNOW God’s love and care for us. God will keep us safe, and that will give us the blessed assurance of peaceful sleep. Let’s pray: Father, thank you for hearing me when I pray. Help me show the sacrifices of righteousness to all those I see every day, and trust you to take care of me, especially when Satan seeks to destroy my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 23 March 2016 by Valerie Jean Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay