Psalms for today 15 - turn to me and have mercy

Daily reflections in Verse, Music and Artwork by Rev’d Paul Collings

Here is today’s instrumental reflection on Psalm 119

Psalm 119:129-136 Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts. Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees. Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.

I wonder at your timeless word,

The light it gives to this dark world.

The way you speak to simple hearts

And there your truth reveal, imparts.

I long to hear your clear command,

Lord, turn to me, come near and stand,

That I may see your shining face;

Your love outpoured with heavenly grace.

Redeem me Lord, from sin that baits,

The evil yoke that dominates,

And tries my life to hold, entrap,

I need your truth my way to map.

Your love unquestioned now I see,

Your perfect will expressed for me.

Your mercy, love, guide now my feet;

Come holy one your word complete.

 “We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behaviour.” ― John Stott

Psalms for today 14 - My help comes from the Lord

Daily reflections in verse, Music and Artwork by Rev’d Paul Collings

Psalm 121 I lift my eye to the hill, where does my help come from...... my help comes form the Lord.

Here is the link to today’s musical reflection

Lord when I read your holy word

And scan the page my heart is stirred

To lift my eye to distant hills

In search of truth my heart to thrill.

From mountain tops your will I’ve viewed

Were law you gave, lives to renew.

And on that hill,  outside the wall

I see you Saviour give your all.

Yet, not from lofty height help comes

But from your presence Lord, welcome

Your loving closeness near at hand

For you my Saviour with me stands.

Lord watch each step I take I pray

And hold me fast this and each day.

Keep me from harm without, within

Come now eternal life begin

Never doubt God's desire or ability to help you. T. B. Joshua

Psalms for today 13 Search me and know me

Daily reflections in Verse, Music and Artwork by Rev’d Paul Collings;

Join St Nicholas Methodist Church , Topsham Worship 120720 here

Psalm139:1-6  You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Link here to listen to today’s instrumental reflection on Psalm 139

You look for me when I am lost

And seek me out, though great the cost;

You care with love, you patient search,

Though I dishonour and besmirch

Your holy name and shun your grace

As there I run and hide my face.

Why does not truth lodge in my head; 

Why there no place to lay my bed

Where you can reach and with me stay,

Where you can sooth my fears away.

Redeeming God, my saving Lord

I sit amazed such love outpoured.

You know my inner thoughts, my will,

What drives my mind, the hours I fill

With reasons, actions, that frustrate

And would destroy my life,  stagnate.

O seeking Lord come search my soul

Come recreate, come make me whole.

“The most common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seeking God.” – Rick Warren (The Purpose Driven Life)

Psalms for Today 12 - Sing to the Lord a new song.

Daily reflection in music, artwork and verse  by Rev’d Paul Collings

St Nicholas Methodist Church , Topsham Worship 120720 can be found here

Psalm 95: 1-6 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendour and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

To listen to a musical reflection on Psalm 95 click this link

I view there with my inner eye

Along a sandy shore,

As gentle waves lap where I lie

The music nature scores.

I dream of lofty anthems sung,

Great music that inspires

And yet, perhaps, a simpler song

Is what I now require.

A fresh melodic strain to sing

Where newness lifts my mind,

To sing again a heart felt praise

And rouse each one, each kind;

To lift from earth, to sing with praise

And there declare again

The glory of our matchless Lord’s

Majestic humble reign.

For you alone our praise deserve,

Worthy of hearts made new,

As by your splendour we observe

Your strength for all to view.

Sing, sing my heart this new refrain,

Bring honour to your name;

Sing now this new melodic strain

Set other hearts aflame.

“When you can see God in small things, you'll see God in all things.” ― Donald L. Hicks, Look into the stillness

Psalms for Today 11 - I will sing of your steadfast love.

 

Psalms for Today 11 - I will sing of your steadfast love.

Daily reflections in Verse, Music and Artwork by Rev’d Paul Collings

Friday Psalm 89 I will sing of your steadfast love

Today’s musical reflection on Psalm 89 can be found here

Psalm 89:1-2 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

I want to sing with all my heart and praise your holy name,

I want to shout from mountain tops and there your word acclaim,

I want that deep down lasting joy enabling me to see

Your covenantal promised grace that sets my heart so free. 

Your constant faithfulness today is here so freely given,

Your timeless gracious carefulness with holiness is riven,

Your love stands sentinel on guard to guide and help along-

As with the symphony of heaven I’m called to sing His song.

I here declare the truth I’ve seen through every passing hour

As heaven to earth established long with faithfulness you shower.

I would make known to all I meet that loving  grace appears 

For all to know, to share, to tell, that God with them is near.

“Hide yourself in God, so when a someone wants to find you he will have to go there first.” ― Shannon L. Alder

Faith in Time of Crisis 13

Artwork by Rev’d Paul Collings

Meditation by Dr J P Hunter

Psalm 130 A song of ascents.

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;

2     Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive

    to my cry for mercy.

3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,

    Lord, who could stand?

4 But with you there is forgiveness,

    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,

    and in his word I put my hope.

6 I wait for the Lord

    more than watchmen wait for the morning,

    more than watchmen wait for the morning.

7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,

    for with the Lord is unfailing love

    and with him is full redemption.

8 He himself will redeem Israel

    from all their sins.

 

Meditation

This is a great Psalm of assurance of the Lord’s forgiveness if we confess our sins to Him.

All of us sink into depths at some stage in our lives. This Psalm signposts a route out of the depths with the help of God’s power. It identifies six milestones along the route: crying, surrendering to God, seeking His forgiveness, waiting, hoping and finally receiving His gifts of unfailing love and full redemption. Verse 3 and 4 have been recognised to contain “the essence of all Scripture”. Any journey upwards out of depths should begin with the recognition that our human frailties allow no-one to stand before God in self-justification. We confess our sins; we wait and we hope. Then the Lord is always willing to forgive us, unfailing love, without a record of past sin, to redeem us and set us on a path in a renewed relationship, to serve Him.

 

Prayer

O Lord, hear my prayer for mercy. Help me climb out of my depths. Guide me to learn to surrender my will to yours. Teach me to wait and hope in your word. Grant me the great blessings of your unfailing love in forgiveness. And guide me how to live in a renewed relationship to serve you. Amen.         Jonathan Aitken, adapted.

Hymns and Psalms 78 verse 2

But O what gentle terms,

What condescending ways

Does our Redeemer use

To teach his heavenly grace!

Mine eyes with joy and wonder see

What forms of love he bears for me.                                  

Isaac Watts (1674 -1748).

Psalms for Today 10 - Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Daily reflections in Verse, Music and Artwork by Rev’d Paul Collings

Psalm 86:11-13  Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.

Link here to listen to an instrumental reflection based on Psalm 86

How can I trust your living aim

Of faithfulness and grace?

How can I glorify you’re name

And there atonement trace?

How can I know your holiness

When darkened depths ensnare

Where evil rules and sinfulness

Denys my souls welfare.

In faithfulness you reach the mire

Of my despairing plight

And there remake my hearts desire

My motives set aright.

You give my heart a purpose new

And set awe deep within

Where glory, praise, and thanks ensues

That love so great must win.

Our faith is not meant to get us out of a hard place or change our painful condition. Rather, it is meant to reveal God's faithfulness to us in the midst of our dire situation.

David Wilkerson