Transcript

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 137-139 ESV

Podcast Introduction

It’s History Tuesday, and we’ll Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read chapters 137-139. And being Wednesday, we’ll have a time of prayer, too. I’m calling this episode “God’s Unfailing Love.“

Summary

I love the fact that God knows me intimately. To understand that He knows my desire to know and serve Him makes me feel good, as when a little boy is happy when his daddy is pleased with him. But to also understand that God knows my ugly, dark, sinful parts causes me to feel utterly amazed that He still loves me. He knows my heart, and He knows the weakness of my flesh. But as Psalm 136 said in it’s refrain: His steadfast love endures forever! 1 John 4:8 puts it this way: “God is love.”

Knowing this, my heart swells with love and gratitude. And it makes me want to continue to try to please Him, to continue to persevere in my efforts to live a  life more devoted to Him today than I did yesterday. Not because I’m trying to earn His favor…I already have it. There is nothing I can do to make Him love me more, or love me less. I just want to love Him because He loves me.

And on those dark days when I fail Him to the point where I know I must have certainly brought Him grief, as the last verse in this chapter mentions, the shame I feel motivates me to humbly go to Him and ask forgiveness. And that is when I am most grateful for the promise we have in 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Every verse in this chapter is a jewel. Every verse confirms how good God is. 

How about this one: 5You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. “God is there behind me and in front of me, protecting me, surrounding me. And the most beautiful part of the verse, He lays his hand on me. When my boys were small, many were the times that when we were sitting next to each other, or when we were walking next to each other, I would lay my hand on their head or their shoulder. Just a loving touch to let them know that I was there and I love them. That’s what God does with us. Our loving daddy, or Abba in the Greek language. 

How can one read chapter 139 and not love God more?

Listen to the episode for more!

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The Team

Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Denise: Transcript Correction
Michael Haner: Podcasting 2.0 Chapters
Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider: Show Art
Jason Paschall: Show Art
Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney: Newsletter Publisher

Transcript

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Steve Webb 0:00
Every verse in this chapter is a jewel.

Steve Webb 0:03
It’s episode 333 of the Lifespring!. One Year Bible, I guess that’s a magic number. Somebody tells me, five gassings in 2004. My name is Steve Webb. I’m your OG Godcaster. It sums Wednesday and we’ll read chapters 137 through 139. and being Wednesday, we’ll also have a time of prayer. The website is Lifespringmedia.com. and I’ll have contact information at the end of the show. Before we read, let’s pray. Our Father, we love you so much. and we thank You for Your Word. We pray that You would bless us today as we read, that you would touch our hearts. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. All right, are you ready? Let’s begin.

Steve Webb 0:47
In Psalm 137, because of their turning from God and worshipping false gods, God has brought judgment on those who lived in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas. Babylon has come in and utterly destroyed Jerusalem, killing many men, women and children, and taking captive those who were not murdered. This Psalm is a lament, we don’t know when it was written exactly. and some people think that it was written after the return from Babylon and something that it’s some years into the exile while still in captivity in Babylon. What we are certain of is that in the midst of the exile, the writer remembered how good it was in Jerusalem, and what the reason was for their exile. They missed Jerusalem and they were sorrowful that they had sinned in such a way that God had allowed them to be in this place. and they asked God to judge Babylon for the terribly cruel treatment that they had received.

Steve Webb 1:44
Psalms chapter 137, by the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our liars for their our captors required us of songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, oh, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill. Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth. If I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy. Remember, oh Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, lay it bare, lay it bare down to its foundations, Oh daughter of Babylon doomed to be destroyed. Blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us. Bless it, shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock?

Steve Webb 2:43
The title of Psalm 138 is a Psalm of David, and many commentators, write that having Psalms 137 and 138 next to one another is fitting. Psalm 137 mentioned how the psalmist was unable to sing in front of the heathen. But David says in 138, that even the kings of the nations will praise God. Charles Spurgeon wrote, this song was wisely placed, whoever edited and arranged the sacred poems, he had an eye to acquisition or the placement next to each other, and contrast for if in Psalm 137 We see the need of silence before revisers. Here we see the excellence of a brave confession, there is a time to be silent, lest we cast pearls before swine. and there’s a time to speak openly, lest we be found guilty of cowardly, non confession.

Steve Webb 3:36
Psalms chapter 138. I give You thanks so Lord with my whole heart before the gods I sing your praise. I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness. For you have exalted above all things, your name and your word. On the day I called, you answered me, my strength of soul you increased. All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks so, Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth, and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great as the glory of the Lord. For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly but the hottie he knows from afar, though I walk in the midst of trouble you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me, your steadfast level Lord endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Steve Webb 4:36
The title of Psalm 139 is for the chief musician, a Psalm of David. and as I’ve mentioned before, for the chief musician is thought to mean that it is written to God while others believe that it’s written to the temple music leader perhaps ASAP or HeMan This truly is a beautiful song. Second Samuel 23 one is right when it calls David the sweet sama. of Israel.

Steve Webb 5:03
Psalms chapter 139. Oh Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up, You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, oh Lord, you know it all together. you hand me in behind and before and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, it is high, I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed and she’ll you are there, if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there, your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me and the light about me the night, even the darkness is not dark to you. The night is bright as the day for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts you knitted me together in my mother’s womb, I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance. In your book were written every one of them the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts? Oh, God, how vast is the sum of them? If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. Oh, that you would slay the wicked. Oh, god, oh, men of blood Depart from me. They speak against you with malicious intent. Your enemies take your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate you, oh, Lord, and do I not love those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred. I count them as my enemies. Search me, O God and know my heart. try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

Steve Webb 7:24
Commenting on Psalm 139, I love the fact that God knows me intimately. To understand that he knows my desire to know and serve him makes me feel good is when a little boy is happy when his daddy is pleased with him. But to also understand that God knows my ugly, dark, sinful parts causes me to feel utterly amazed that he still loves me. He knows my heart and he knows the weakness of my flesh. But as Psalm 136 said, and its refrain, his steadfast love endures forever. Hallelujah. First John for eight puts it this way. God is love. Knowing this, my heart swells with love and gratitude. and it makes me want to continue to try to please him to continue to persevere in my efforts to live a life more devoted to him today than I did yesterday. Not because I’m trying to earn his favor. I already have it. There’s nothing I can do to make him love me more or love me less. I just want to love Him because He loves me. and on those dark days when I fail him to the point where I know I must have certainly brought in grief. As the last verse in this chapter mentions, the shame I feel motivates me to humbly go to him and ask for forgiveness. and that’s when I’m most grateful for the promise we have in first John one nine. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Every verse in this chapter is a jewel. Every verse confirms how good God is. How about this one, verse five says, You hit me in behind and before and lay your hand upon me, beloved, God is there behind us, and in front of us, protecting us, surrounding us. and the most beautiful part of the verse for me is he lays his hand on me. When my boys were small, many were the times when we were sitting next to each other or when we were walking next to each other, I would just lay my hand on their head or on their shoulder, just a loving touch to let them know that I was there that I love them. That’s what God does with us. He is our loving daddy or ABA. How could anybody read this chapter in not love God more? What do you think? thoughts or questions, let me hear from you send to Boostagram or call the Lifespring family hotline or go to the comments page or even write an email. I’d love to hear from you. I’ll let you know how to do that at the end of the show. Tomorrow will be poetry Thursday and our reading then will be Ecclesiastes 11 and 12.

Steve Webb 10:03
Praises and prayer requests. J Villanueva sent this. “Hi Steve, I asked that the Lifespring media family pray for a beautiful little one who just entered our world, but not without challenge. Let us pray that they suffer no long term effects from their birthing complications and that God will grant strength, peace and comfort to the parents. Thank you, Steve and the Lifespring family. God bless us all.” Yes J. God bless us all for sure. and I’m so sorry to hear about this. We always hope and pray for the health of the baby before they’re born. and it’s sad if things just aren’t perfect when they are born. So you didn’t say what the challenges are. But it isn’t important for us to know God knows. and there is no challenge too difficult for him to make right? Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, it is nearly inconceivable for me anyway, that you should know everything about me and yet still love me that you do. Knowing that makes me fall to my knees and worship, Lord, You are so patient and so kind and so full of grace. Thank You for Your servant David. In the words you led him to write in the Psalms so that we can learn how to praise you and honor you. and now Lord, we pray for this new life that Jay wrote about. We pray that whatever the problems are, that you would heal them, we pray that this little one would grow up healthy and strong and that you would be with mom and dad. Give them strength and comfort in the assurance that you are there. Give them peace, Lord, draw them close to you, Father and to each other. and now Father, I ask you to bless the Lifespring family. Thank you for them. and I pray, Lord, that you would bring each of us closer to you every day. We pray this in Jesus name, amen. Sunday will be our next time of prayer. Let me know if you have a praise or a prayer request to share with the Lifespring family.

Steve Webb 12:01
Here’s how to contact me. call the Lifespring family Hotline at plus 1951732 at 511 or go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com if you have a praise report or a prayer request, and if you’ve got a comment or if you’ve got a question for me go to comment.lifespringmedia.com My email address is st***@*************ia.com. and you know already that I love to get your booster grams. and by the way, this Friday will be September 1 The first day of the last month of season number 13 Don’t miss that episode, I’ve got an important announcement to make.

Steve Webb 12:46
Thanks to Sister Denise Michael Haner Scott Snider, Jason Paschall who did today show art and SR Brittaney for their generous donations of talent anti. Beloved, thank you for making me a part of your day. Lord willing I’ll be back with you tomorrow. and until then, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye.

Steve Webb 13:10
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Transcribed by https://otter.ai