Psalm 39
On fire for the LORD.
ON FIRE FOR THE LORD
For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David.
VERSE 1. I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”
The Bible calls us to use our words to uplift other people. However, many Christians use their words to tear down other people. They should say nothing. Read more »
VERSE 2. I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.
VERSE 3. My heart was hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned. I spoke with my tongue:
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Psalms and from the entire Bible.
NIV translation: My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned …
My heart was hot within me. John of the Cross wrote a book about this experience, which he called The Living Flame of Love.
2 Timothy 1:6. For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
Question. How can you become more “on fire” for the Lord Jesus Christ?
VERSE 4. “LORD, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail I am.
VERSE 5. Behold, you have made my days hand widths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” Selah.
My lifetime is as nothing. Our lives are very brief. They are as long as the width of a hand, or as brief as a single breath.
VERSE 6. “Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.
He heaps up. We busy ourselves with heaping up possessions. Yet this is in vain, for life is short. It is a better use of our time to simplify your life.
VERSE 7. Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.
My hope is in you. That is, in you rests all my hope.
VERSE 8. Deliver me from all my transgressions. Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish.
VERSE 9. I was mute. I didn’t open my mouth, because you did it.
VERSE 10. Remove your scourge away from me. I am overcome by the blow of your hand.
VERSE 11. When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, you consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath.” Selah.
you consume his wealth like a moth. From David’s perspective, when people sin, the LORD God punishes them by having their wealth consumed.
VERSE 12. “Hear my prayer, LORD, and give ear to my cry. Don’t be silent at my tears. For I am a stranger with you, a foreigner, as all my fathers were.
VERSE 13. Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away, and exist no more.”
PSALMS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150
Deuterocanonical chapter: 151
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, David’s Fasting
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