Psalm 33 begins by saying that praising God befits or is comely for the upright. We can infer from that, that when unrighteous people offer praise to God, even while doing evil in the name of God, it is ugly and uncomely in His holy eyes. We all can recount recent scenarios in which great evil was done by hands of those whose lips were praising. Can you imagine how nauseated God must be when people who are devising evil against innocent people are doing so in the name of—claiming the authority of—God Almighty, for those evil intentions? That’s why Revelation 3 describes God as determined to vomit out those who are claiming to be His, but are not fully committed to seeking his righteousness (Revelation 3:15-20).
The Psalmist goes on to say that this God, the one Who spoke the heavens and their hosts into existence, is the same One who sees all the children of men. When I look at the night sky, it is unfathomable that He sees me! From where He sits enthroned, He does see me! The One who is in charge of every generation, past and future, is also concentrating on me! He fashioned every heart and observes every deed of every man and woman. There is great comfort in that because there is no duplicity when dealing with God. He knows my heart. He knows both its vast imperfections and its motivating intent. That is what I want Him to know.
There is no strength in an army. There is no strength in horses or great human deliverers.
“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine.”
I know some innocent people who are in a famine right now. You probably know some, too… real victims in a world in which unrighteousness constantly claims victimization. Some are children. Some are spouses. Some are war-ravaged. Some are persecuted leaders just trying to do the right thing. The Deliverer is near to the innocent. He will deliver them. My soul waits for Him. My hope is in Him.
If you haven’t read Psalm 33 lately, go there today. Pray with the psalmist:
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.
A few years ago, I came to know Carol Dodd at Polishing the Pulpit. This beautiful face kept popping up, front-and-center in almost every session and her words following each session were encouraging in ways that touched my heart and made me want to be a better person. She lived in Florida, at the time, and you can imagine my excitement, when I heard, about five years ago that Carol and her husband Don were moving to become members of the West Hunstiville family, If I had a dollar for every note of encouragement that Carol has sent me during the last five years, I could make a down-payment on a new Dickson Bible (and that’s substantial!) And I am one of many (I mean a whole bunch…) of the women in the congregation who have received such notes. Carol does our kids’ sermon sheets, she ministers to the sick, she co-heads our ladies ministries, she gifts other servants, she welcomes and encourages visitors, she works in our seniors program, and she teaches our ladies class.
The book is called “Blessed Assurance.” The first four chapters of the book are a compilation of various ladies lessons and they are followed by a thirteen lesson series on the providence of God. You will be better for these short and Bible-packed lessons. Having gone through this study of the amazing ways our God takes care of His people, your ladies’ class will make your congregation more faith-filled than ever before.