My heart, O God, is steadfast; for human help is worthless

Psalm 108:1-13

My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.

Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies? Give us aid against the enemy,  for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

Why?

David was fighting with foreign enemies. so he wrote this psalm.

Under distress, we are easy to wonder if God is with us? so David said my heart is steadfast. For great is God's love and faithfulness reach to the skies.

Human help is worthless, with God we will gain victory!

How?
Praise the Lord and trust in the Lord for the love of the Lord is higher than the heaven. Victory belongs to those who trust in the Lord. 

Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.

 Psalm 107:1-43

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow; he who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste. But he lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks. The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths.

Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.

Why?

Praise the Lord for God's love and God's everlasting love.

The Lord can calm down the sea and move the mountain, God can lift the needy out of their affliction and increase their families like flocks.

Everyone who cried to the Lord in their trouble, and God saved them from their distress.

The Lord listened to my prayer. 

How?

My God is faithrul and loves me, so I will praise the Lord in all my life.

But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold

 Psalm 106:1-48

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise? Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right. Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.

We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
7 When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses.

But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold.

Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise. They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord. ....

Save us, Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen!”

Why?

God is good, but many people always forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold.

God's plan and his way higher than us, higher than our minds. We see what we saw from our eyes, but we can't see what the Lord sees. We are limited in our flesh eyes and limited in our time.

Psalmist pray to the Lord remember me, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them. What I have and enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.

Let me don't be selfish people, but generous to all, for this prosperity are the gift of the Lord with God's love and favor.

How?

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord. For his love endures forever!

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always

Psalm 105:1-45

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name;  let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength;  seek his face always.

Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.

They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true. The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free. He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.

Egypt was glad when they left, because dread of Israel had fallen on them.

For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham. He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws.
Why?

Reason: Give praise to the Lord proclaim his name, and remember what the Lord has done to us, salvation and many wonderful things.

Attitude: Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. We should rejoice and even if we have something worse, we should rejoice for the Lord has his plan on us. Like Joseph in Egypt, The Lord let Egyptians bruise his feet with shackles, till the word of the Lord proved him true.

For the Lord remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham, so as to all who follow Jesus Christ, through Jesus Christ we may be sons of the Lord and have the promise from the Lord.

Action: Lel's us keep his precepts and observe his laws.

How?

Rejoice always, proclaim God's holy name, keep his precepts and observe his laws.

All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time.

 Psalm 104:1-35

The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.

He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.

How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.

I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord. But may sinners vanish from the earth  and the wicked be no more.

Why?

God provides everything they need for animals and human beings. The human heart, and human face be sustained.

All creatures look to the Lord to get their good at the proper time. How many creatures living in this world and the Lord can satisfy all of them. Who can compare with our mighty God?

So the author says I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. So am I. Our life is short but we still like to praise the Lord in my life.

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103章從神的慈愛來看 有經歷神的 才知道。 104章從神的創造來看神的智慧、榮耀。不管是否認識神，都可以我從神的創造看見神的能力、智慧。

神創造天就像穿衣服一樣簡單，神的大能已經超過我們的想像。

海洋的深度已經高過地上的山，所以諸水高過山嶺。神創造的環境讓動物等可以生活的環境。神按著時間，給動物、植物學維生的需要。神按時給牠們食物。神如果向牠們掩面，牠們就驚惶！神時時刻刻掌管、介入照顧一切的需要，一切都是為了人。所以我們要讚美神，我們何其有幸認識這位神。

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How?

Praise the Lord for his majesty, his wisdom, his power and his love for us. Fear the Lord is the wisdom!

The Lord has compassion on those who fear him

Psalm 102:1-22

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul.

Why?
Praise the Lord, my soul.

Praise for his love endures forever, God has a favor for us all.

God's love and compassion given to those who fear him.

Praise the Lord not only in word but with my soul.

How?

The Lord is worthy to be praise, for the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. Parise the Lord in my soul.

your renown endures through all generations

Psalm 102:1-28

Hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones.

Because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside. My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.

But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity. The nations will fear the name of the Lord, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.

In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days. So I said: “Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations. In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,  and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain;  they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same,  and your years will never end. The children of your servants will live in your presence;  their descendants will be established before you.”

Why?

Our life is limited so pray to the Lord and honor the Holy name of the Lord. May I and my children could be God's servants.

No matter what situation around me, my hope is in hands of the Lord.

Everything will perish, but you Lord, your renown endures through all generations.

All of them will perish, but God you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.

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苦難中向神的禱告

軟弱中的禱告，後來思想神的作為、應許、大能而轉為喜樂

v1-11在困苦難中向神的呼求： 著重在自己的困難、軟弱，一刻也不能忍耐了，茫然無掩飾的說出自己信心的軟弱，身體衰弱，害怕日夜不得安歇，覺得神也不理他了。這情形好像耶穌在十架上覺得被神遺棄！耶穌才是最無辜的

v12-22思想神心境轉變： 「惟」但是的意思。思想開始轉變，想到神的永恆性。思想到神的憐恤、垂聽禱告、垂看地上人的嘆息、思想到神的權柄與榮耀

v23-28 詩人因神的慈愛、權柄，開始呼求、禱告，雖然舊的生命會朽壞，但是神要給我新的生命，天地也要更新，神的長存，屬神的僕人也要長存，注目在神的永恆、榮耀。從在困境中轉變為盼望。

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How?

Give thanks to the Lord and praise to the Lord for my life is short. May my life before the Lord could be a good servant.