Verse Thirteen: Psalm 51:8

Wow...its been a while since I have been able to do this, between my Dad visiting and then getting some flu thing for five days. SO glad to be back and have the energy to write again. Now if I could just stop getting distracted... ok FOCUS! :)

Psa 51:8 (NIV) Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

13 of 44 of H1523

How I digest these verses, so to speak, is by reading the verse by itself and then moving onto the chapter as a whole, then go from there to wherever the Lord leads me. I have to admit, there is quite an impact of that last half alone and I was very motivated to find out what could induce that wording.  

Turns out this psalm has an interesting timing reference indeed. "A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba." Ah. Ok some sense is coming in. As I read, I recognized more and more of it. Somehow I had never made the connection, like a child that watches a movie and then when older sees so much more in it than they ever saw before.

The hebrew used for "crushed" is the piel form of dakah ("i.e broken by a consciousness of guilt")

Dakah

1) to crush, be crushed, be contrite, be broken

a) (Qal) to be crushed, collapse

b) (Niphal) to be crushed, be contrite, be broken

c) (Piel)

1) to crush down

2) to crush to pieces

This is no ordinary day, no ordinary song. This could very well be one of deepest cries of this man's heart ever in his life...  think about that just for a moment. David has monumentally sinned and he knows it, he feels it to the core of his bones and the guilt just shatters him. God is giving him that knowledge, He knows it will hurt, will break David, but that's exactly why He must tell him! He can't let him continue on with his life doing this, He loves him too much. Have you even thought about how when God does this there is no real guarantee that he won't lose us over it? At least for a time. Yes God knows all but we have that freedom of will to choose, to turn it all on Him or to realize what we've done and run back to him crying for the forgiveness we know we don't deserve but will get. Begging to be loved again. And we will be loved again. That's the beauty. But not until that sin has been dealt with. God knows what that sin will do to us, how much it will damage us and He doesn't want that. He is always willing to face the sin with us, but we have to choose to face it with him. 

I think I know what David means in this verse, I have been in that place of knowing my sin. The crushing guilt, the brokenness. But also the overwhelming, staggering relief of being forgiven, freed, purified and loved by God. That joy is like none other.

Verse Twelve: Psalm 48:11

Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments.
Psalm 48:11 NIV

12 of 44 of H1523

Its one of those days that has really gotten my heart racing, rushing around and ultimately having to fight for my priorities to be kept.  It is a fight isn't it? Not to be selfish but to maintain yourself, to keep things inline.  There are so many things to pull us away from God, the source of everything we actually need, and the next thing you know you're completely drained, sapped.

I love this blog, it has been such a gift, honestly.  A rejuvenating blessing, something I look forward to. And I think that is why I have been trying to share it more. Not like I have anything amazing to say, but God does and when He speaks to us isn't it hard not to share? There is such peace here...

This Psalm reads like a love song to Mount Zion saying,  "Take her in, isn't she gorgeous?" It is the Lord's holy mountain, His city. He protects it, makes it a secure place, a place of meditation. 

Verse 14 is so beautiful, "For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end." The beauty of it is the truth that pulls at the sense of eternity in our hearts. My heart longs for this to be true and simultaneously rejoices that it is.  This is why Mount Zion rejoices, why the villages of Judah are glad, because of God's judgements, His decisions... which is His guidance. We so often read "judgement" and think heaven or hell, judgement of sin, etc. The ominous judge, high above, waiting to sentence us.  And not saying this is not the correct application at times...ok maybe not the ominous judge...but my point is that it is not always a scary or negative connotation. When we are following a leader, we are relying on them to make the right decision about which way to go, what to do and how to respond. What better guide than one that knows all and sees all? Its hard to give up that control, to have faith that He will keep us safe and protect us, but when that truth sinks in we cannot help but rejoice in the security we feel there in His guidance. 

All of the Strong's H1523 verses

{ Quick Note: I had to keep the King James Version for these in order to show the Strong's reference numbers. If you want an easier version to read, simply google the verse reference }
TOTAL: 44

1Ch 16:31 KJV - "Let the heavens [8064] be glad [8055] , and let the earth [776] rejoice[1523] : and let men say [559] among the nations [1471], The LORD [3068] reigneth [4427] ."

Psa 2:11 KJV - "Serve [5647] the LORD [3068] with fear [3374], and rejoice[1523] with trembling [7461]."

Psa 9:14 KJV - "That I may shew forth [5608] all thy praise [8416] in the gates [8179] of the daughter [1323] of Zion [6726]: I will rejoice[1523] in thy salvation [3444]."

Psa 13:4 KJV - "Lest mine enemy [341] say [559] , I have prevailed [3201] against him; and those that trouble [6862] me rejoice[1523] when I am moved [4131] ."

Psa 13:5 KJV - "But I have trusted [982] in thy mercy [2617]; my heart [3820] shall rejoice[1523] in thy salvation [3444]."

Psa 14:7 KJV - "Oh that [5414] the salvation [3444] of Israel [3478] were come out of Zion [6726]! when the LORD [3068] bringeth back [7725] the captivity [7622] of his people [5971], Jacob [3290] shall rejoice[1523] , and Israel [3478] shall be glad [8055] ."

Psa 16:9 KJV - "Therefore my heart [3820] is glad [8055] , and my glory [3519] rejoiceth[1523] : my flesh [1320] also shall rest [7931] in hope [983]."

Psa 21:1 KJV - "[[To the chief Musician [5329] , A Psalm [4210] of David [1732].]] The king [4428] shall joy [8055] in thy strength [5797], O LORD [3068]; and in thy salvation [3444] how greatly [3966] shall he rejoice[1523] !"

Psa 31:7 KJV - "I will be glad[1523] and rejoice [8055] in thy mercy [2617]: for thou hast considered [7200] my trouble [6040]; thou hast known [3045] my soul [5315] in adversities [6869];"

Psa 32:11 KJV - "Be glad [8055] in the LORD [3068], and rejoice[1523] , ye righteous [6662]: and shout [7442] for joy, all ye that are upright [3477] in heart [3820]."

Psa 35:9 KJV - "And my soul [5315] shall be joyful[1523] in the LORD [3068]: it shall rejoice [7797] in his salvation [3444]."

Psa 48:11 KJV - "Let mount [2022] Zion [6726] rejoice [8055] , let the daughters [1323] of Judah [3063] be glad[1523] , because of thy judgments [4941]."

Psa 51:8 KJV - "Make me to hear [8085] joy [8342] and gladness [8057]; that the bones [6106] which thou hast broken [1794] may rejoice[1523] ."

Psa 53:6 KJV - "Oh that [5414] the salvation [3444] of Israel [3478] were come out of Zion [6726]! When God [430] bringeth back [7725] the captivity [7622] of his people [5971], Jacob [3290] shall rejoice[1523] , and Israel [3478] shall be glad [8055] ."

Psa 89:16 KJV - "In thy name [8034] shall they rejoice[1523] all the day [3117]: and in thy righteousness [6666] shall they be exalted [7311] ."

Psa 96:11 KJV - "Let the heavens [8064] rejoice [8055] , and let the earth [776] be glad[1523] ; let the sea [3220] roar [7481] , and the fulness [4393] thereof."

Psa 97:1 KJV - "The LORD [3068] reigneth [4427] ; let the earth [776] rejoice[1523] ; let the multitude [7227] of isles [339] be glad [8055] thereof."

Psa 97:8 KJV - "Zion [6726] heard [8085] , and was glad [8055] ; and the daughters [1323] of Judah [3063] rejoiced[1523] because of thy judgments [4941], O LORD [3068]."

Psa 118:24 KJV - "This is the day [3117] which the LORD [3068] hath made [6213] ; we will rejoice[1523] and be glad [8055] in it."

Psa 149:2 KJV - "Let Israel [3478] rejoice [8055] in him that made [6213] him: let the children [1121] of Zion [6726] be joyful[1523] in their King [4428]."

Pro 2:14 KJV - "Who rejoice [8056] to do [6213] evil [7451], and delight[1523] in the frowardness [8419] of the wicked [7451];"

Pro 23:24 KJV - "The father [1] of the righteous [6662] shall greatly [1524] rejoice[1523] : and he that begetteth [3205] a wise [2450] child shall have joy [8055] of him."

Pro 23:25 KJV - "Thy father [1] and thy mother [517] shall be glad [8055] , and she that bare [3205] thee shall rejoice[1523] ."

Pro 24:17 KJV - "Rejoice [8055] not when thine enemy [341] falleth [5307] , and let not thine heart [3820] be glad[1523] when he stumbleth [3782] :"

Sgs 1:4 KJV - "Draw [4900] me, we will run [7323] after [310] thee: the king [4428] hath brought [935] me into his chambers [2315]: we will be glad[1523] and rejoice [8055] in thee, we will remember [2142] thy love [1730] more than wine [3196]: the upright [4339] love [157] thee."


Isa 9:3 KJV - "Thou hast multiplied [7235] the nation [1471], and not increased [1431] the joy [8057]: they joy [8055] before [6440] thee according to the joy [8057] in harvest [7105], and as men rejoice[1523] when they divide [2505] the spoil [7998]."

Isa 25:9 KJV - "And it shall be said [559] in that day [3117], Lo, this is our God [430]; we have waited [6960] for him, and he will save [3467] us: this is the LORD [3068]; we have waited [6960] for him, we will be glad[1523] and rejoice [8055] in his salvation [3444]."

Isa 29:19 KJV - "The meek [6035] also shall increase [3254] their joy [8057] in the LORD [3068], and the poor [34] among men [120] shall rejoice[1523] in the Holy One [6918] of Israel [3478]."

Isa 35:1 KJV - "The wilderness [4057] and the solitary place [6723] shall be glad [7797] for them; and the desert [6160] shall rejoice[1523] , and blossom [6524] as the rose [2261]."

Isa 35:2 KJV - "It shall blossom [6524] abundantly [6524] , and rejoice[1523] even with joy [1525] and singing [7444] : the glory [3519] of Lebanon [3844] shall be given [5414] unto it, the excellency [1926] of Carmel [3760] and Sharon [8289], they shall see [7200] the glory [3519] of the LORD [3068], and the excellency [1926] of our God [430]."

Isa 41:16 KJV - "Thou shalt fan [2219] them, and the wind [7307] shall carry them away [5375] , and the whirlwind [5591] shall scatter [6327] them: and thou shalt rejoice[1523] in the LORD [3068], and
shalt glory [1984] in the Holy One [6918] of Israel [3478]."

Isa 49:13 KJV - "Sing [7442] , O heavens [8064]; and be joyful[1523] , O earth [776]; and break forth [6476] into singing [7440], O mountains [2022]: for the LORD [3068] hath comforted [5162] his people [5971], and will have mercy [7355] upon his afflicted [6041]."

Isa 61:10 KJV - "I will greatly [7797] rejoice [7797] in the LORD [3068], my soul [5315] shall be joyful[1523] in my God [430]; for he hath clothed [3847] me with the garments [899] of salvation [3468], he hath covered [3271] me with the robe [4598] of righteousness [6666], as a bridegroom [2860] decketh [3547] himself with ornaments [6287], and as a bride [3618] adorneth [5710] herself with her jewels [3627]."

Isa 65:18 KJV - "But be ye glad [7797] and rejoice[1523] for ever [5703] in that which I create [1254] : for, behold, I create [1254] Jerusalem [3389] a rejoicing [1525], and her people [5971] a joy [4885]."

Isa 65:19 KJV - "And I will rejoice[1523] in Jerusalem [3389], and joy [7797] in my people [5971]: and the voice [6963] of weeping [1065] shall be no more heard [8085] in her, nor the voice [6963] of crying [2201]."

Isa 66:10 KJV - "Rejoice [8055] ye with Jerusalem [3389], and be glad[1523] with her, all ye that love [157] her: rejoice [7797] for joy [4885] with her, all ye that mourn [56] for her:"

Hsa 10:5 KJV - "The inhabitants [7934] of Samaria [8111] shall fear [1481] because of the calves [5697] of Bethaven [1007]: for the people [5971] thereof shall mourn [56] over it, and the priests [3649] thereof that rejoiced[1523] on it, for the glory [3519] thereof, because it is departed [1540] from it."

Joe 2:21 KJV - "Fear [3372] not, O land [127]; be glad[1523] and rejoice [8055] : for the LORD [3068] will do [6213] great things [1431] ."

Joe 2:23 KJV - "Be glad[1523] then, ye children [1121] of Zion [6726], and rejoice [8055] in the LORD [3068] your God [430]: for he hath given [5414] you the former rain [4175] moderately [6666], and he will cause to come down [3381] for you the rain [1653], the former rain [4175], and the latter rain [4456] in the first [7223] month."

Hab 1:15 KJV - "They take up [5927] all of them with the angle [2443], they catch [1641] them in their net [2764], and gather [622] them in their drag [4365]: therefore they rejoice [8055] and are glad[1523] ."

Hab 3:18 KJV - "Yet I will rejoice [5937] in the LORD [3068], I will joy[1523] in the God [430] of my salvation [3468]."

Zep 3:17 KJV - "The LORD [3068] thy God [430] in the midst [7130] of thee is mighty [1368]; he will save [3467] , he will rejoice [7797] over thee with joy [8057]; he will rest [2790] in his love [160], he will joy[1523] over thee with singing [7440]."

Zec 9:9 KJV - "Rejoice[1523] greatly [3966], O daughter [1323] of Zion [6726]; shout [7321] , O daughter [1323] of Jerusalem [3389]: behold, thy King [4428] cometh [935] unto thee: he is just [6662], and having salvation [3467] ; lowly [6041], and riding [7392] upon an ass [2543], and upon a colt [5895] the foal [1121] of an ass [860]."

Zec 10:7 KJV - "And they of Ephraim [669] shall be like a mighty [1368] man, and their heart [3820] shall rejoice [8055] as through wine [3196]: yea, their children [1121] shall see [7200] it, and be glad [8055] ; their heart [3820] shall rejoice[1523] in the LORD [3068]."

Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for giyl (Strong's 1523)". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2012. 15 Feb 2012. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?
strongs=H1523&t=KJV&page=2 >

Verse Eleven: Psalm 35:9: Crying Out

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation. Psalm 35:9

(11 of 44 of H1523)

Today is a hard day to write about joy. Without going into too much detail, this morning has been a real struggle for me. But a part of my brain says, "This is the day you need to write about it most." Hm. 

George Carlin once said, "Inside every cynical person is a disappointed idealist." 

It's hard to remain idealistic about life, dreams, and goals when you lose sight of the small headway you've made. All you can see is that there are a lot of hopes and they are the same exact hopes you've had for decades. You don't feel any closer to them. If anything, they feel farther away. 

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Phillipians 4:8 NIV

This is hard when what you feel is entirely different. When the current facts and statistics that are looking back at you from the page are not good or lovely. They're disheartening and uninspiring. Lack of progress can suck the motivation right out of me. If trying and not trying equal the same results, why try? 

I am thankful for my husband today because he is often the person that speaks truth to me when I am so discouraged. And we need those people to break through the haze our mind is in at that point. He reminds me that there has been progress, no matter how minuscule. But I feel that constantly relying on others to pull me out of darkness is not maturity. Not that this is weak or that I will even stop turning to others for help, that would be prideful. But my mind needs to learn to change too, to counter attack when attacked, not just curl up in a little ball and cry in fear. I need to choose to stand, not just be carried all the time. Why do I forget all about God and what the Word says in these moments? I am still writing that on my heart. Still learning to see those moments for what they really are: a lie to discourage me, to stop me. 

So here is the tie in to today's verse. Most of Psalm 35 is David asking God to fight for him. And this is probably in reference to real life attacks as he was being pursued by a crazy king out for his blood. But today, it's also my cry. 

Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. 

Say to my soul, "I am your salvation." 

Psalm 35:3

Ours is a spiritual enemy, but he is no less out for our blood and destruction. This fight is no less real and we are no less God's chosen than David was.

I hope this blog made some sense because my mind is still not clear. I wish I could say that as soon as I declared the truth it all fell away, like magic. Sometimes breakthrough happens like that, yeah? But not today. Today I am still fighting the despair, declaring that I will not accept this bleak outlook as truth, I won't stop doing what I am doing. And its working, little by little. I just have to keep holding onto His hand as I try to walk in something I am not used to walking in.

You are good, You are good

When there's nothing good in me

You are love, You are love 

On display for all to see

You are light, You are light 

When the darkness closes in

You are hope, You are hope

You have covered all my sin

You are peace, You are peace

When my fear is crippling

You are true, You are true

Even in my wandering

You are joy, You are joy 

You're the reason that I sing

You are life, You are life, 

In You death has lost its sting

Forever Reign- Hillsong

Verse Ten: Psa 32:11 Appreciating Forgiveness

So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure! Psalm 32:11 NLT

(10 of 44 of H1523)

If you don't look at the whole entry, sometimes these verse can just seem repetitive, can't they? Oh look another verse that says "rejoice and be glad!" And it rolls right off you like nothing even happened. Maybe it's just me :) I can very easily be like that, but I don't want this blog to be that. I don't want this adventure to be THAT. I want to grasp the opportunity for this to really change my life, to write these words on my heart and not so easily lose hope. I struggle with depression and I have for as long as I can remember now. I don't believe that this is what God wants for me and the more I seek that out the more I see that its like a muscle you have to work and God is ready and waiting to be your trainer as soon as you "hire" Him. I say this all for a reason, I approach these verses with intention and with an effort for it to be not of my own logical mind working out the puzzle but as a download from God. I want to know "What do you have for me today from this? What do you want to tell others?" And believe me, until I do that, I am usually pretty stuck on what to write! He is so faithful to answer.

This verse wraps up Psalm 32, which carries a lot of interesting wisdom about how sin/transgression affects our bodies, minds, hearts and especially our relationship with God. The Psalm starts out saying  "Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven" and you can easily see why he would be blessed. Look at the side effects of not coming clean to God:

"When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long." (verse 3)

"My vitality was turned into the drought of summer" (verse 4)

"Do not be like the horse [or] like the mule, [Which] have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you." (verse 9)

"Many sorrows [shall be] to the wicked" (verse 10)

So to recap, NOT confessing our sins to God and asking for forgiveness leads to: Aching bones, lifelessness, cranky-stubborn attitude, and sorrow. Hm. And what about when we do confess it all? Well one, all of those nasty things go away (sweet!) and we gain forgiveness (v. 5), preservation from trouble (v. 7), deliverance (v. 7), a refuge/hiding place (v. 7), instruction and guidance (v.8), understanding (v.9), and mercy (v. 10).  

So in the end David sums it up by pointing out we that, if we have obeyed God and confessed our sins to Him, then our hearts are pure because they have been forgiven; for that reason let's rejoice and be glad :) 

Verse Nine: Psalm 31:7

"I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities and have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place." Psalm 31:7-8 (NKJV)

(verse 9 of the 44 H1523)

Mercy. 

Did you know the webster definition of mercy is "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm." I didn't, in fact I don't think I have ever bothered to research the word. It's one of those concepts you just get. Mercy is that scene in the movies when a man is about to be killed or beaten and he cries out for "Mercy!" Sounds kinda weird and dumb when I type it out, haha! But when I read the definition, something more clicked. 

Lets be honest, we don't always believe in God's mercy, do we? I think most of us tend to get hung up on our faults and how much we don't deserve mercy. Somehow we think it's easier. It certainly seems more logical. I did X so I deserve X. It's consequences. We've learned that since birth. Touch the hot stove you get burned, tell a lie people get angry with you, get an A on the test and you get approval. Being in a relationship with God doesn't mean that there are no longer bad consequences, that's not what I am saying... King David made mistakes and he still had to face the consequences of them and he was the "man after God's own heart."  But Love can cover a multitude of sins, right? To be loved in spite of all you have done, to be loved through the mess and darkness, to never be alone because He is always with you? That can make all the adversity so much easier. Christ takes the love further than simply warm cuddly feelings. Romans 8:1-2 (The Message) says

"With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death."

His mercy has given us freedom. What a wonderful reason to rejoice and be glad today and everyday!

One year now...

I suppose you could say I took a year hiatus from this blog. A lot has happened in a year! I started a new job, we moved into a new place, and I took on quite a few new projects all in a new state. It's hard to believe it all happened in a year, now that I think about it. But lately I have been thinking about the project and wanting to explore it again. It's a means for the Lord to get some good lessons into my head and I need that more than I think. Life is like that, right? :) Sneaks up on ya. I look forward to getting back to this, we will see where it leads!