Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 41, The Message

A David Psalm

41 ^1-3 Dignify those who are down on their luck;
    you’ll feel good—that’s what God does.
God looks after us all,
    makes us robust with life—
Lucky to be in the land,
    we’re free from enemy worries.
Whenever we’re sick and in bed,
    God becomes our nurse,
    nurses us back to health.

^4-7 I said, “God, be gracious!
    Put me together again—
    my sins have torn me to pieces.”
My enemies are wishing the worst for me;
    they make bets on what day I will die.
If someone comes to see me,
    he mouths empty platitudes,
All the while gathering gossip about me
    to entertain the street-corner crowd.
These “friends” who hate me
    whisper slanders all over town.
They form committees
    to plan misery for me.

¹⁰ God, give grace, get me up on my feet.
    I’ll show them a thing or two.

^8-9 The rumor goes out, “He’s got some dirty,
    deadly disease. The doctors
    have given up on him.”
Even my best friend, the one I always told everything
    —he ate meals at my house all the time!—
    has bitten my hand.

^11-12 Meanwhile, I’m sure you’re on my side—
    no victory shouts yet from the enemy camp!
You know me inside and out, you hold me together,
    you never fail to stand me tall in your presence
    so I can look you in the eye.

¹³ Blessed is God, Israel’s God,
    always, always, always.
    Yes. Yes. Yes.,

TRUTH:  God knows us inside and out and still loves us, protects us, nurses back to health in all kinds of ways, provides help and wisdom when we ask sincerely and forgives our sins and mistakes from disobedience to His perfect will and plan for us!  THIS is why we are grateful and shout His praises daily and forever!  Yes and Amen!

Proverb 17:1-5, The Message

A meal of bread and water in contented peace
    is better than a banquet spiced with quarrels.

² A wise servant takes charge of an unruly child
    and is honored as one of the family.

³ As silver in a crucible and gold in a pan,
    so our lives are assayed by God.

⁴ Evil people relish malicious conversation;
    the ears of liars itch for dirty gossip.

⁵ Whoever mocks poor people insults their Creator;
    gloating over misfortune is a punishable crime.

WISDOM:  God “assays our lives” to see what is real gold is in us.  Knowing this truth must lead us to think first then act.  Think first, then speak.  Is what I’m about to say, from my heart, Truthful, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary and Kind?  If the answer is no to any one of these filters, then it is probably gossip meant to selfishly build up ourselves not others. 

Abba Father,

God, help us.  Give us your wisdom daily, hourly if need be, until obedience to you is our continual habit of life.

In Jesus Name, Amen