Psalms for Shepherds

Holly Culhane, Founder & President/CEO of Presence Point, concludes the Psalms for Shepherds series by reflecting on how researching, writing, and recording this series has impacted her life and her ability to shepherd more effectively.

This psalm takes us the end of the five Hallelujah Psalms and the Book of Psalms, as well. It builds upon previous Hallelujah songs and emphasizes where we are to praise God, why we are to praise God, and how we are to praise God.As you read this psalm, it will be clear that a symphony of praise is what the Father is commanding us to offer.We pray it touches your soul and leads you to shepherd well as you praise our remarkable Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd.

Psalm 149 makes it clear the followers of God are to praise, sing, rejoice, exult, and dance in worship to the Lord. That praise, however, should never be rote, rehearsed, or routine. No matter where we worship, this psalm reminds us to wholeheartedly celebrate, worship, and praise the One from whom all blessings flow. After all, we are worshipping our Creator, the One who delights in us and crowns those who are humble, the literal and exalted the King of Kings! “This is the glorious privilege of the faithful ones”, the psalmist tells us. May we in fact, as His under-shepherds, remember our responsibility to praise the God of the universe, and may the challenge in this song remind us of the reason for such joy and praise.

If there was ever a doubt whether or not we have been commanded to praise the name of the Lord our God, this song makes it clear that everyone, and every living and created thing should indeed praise His Name, doing so with the enthusiasm, joy, and confidence that only comes from intimate knowledge of our God.  Of this psalm, C. H. Spurgeon notes, “It is a song of nature and of grace. As a flash of lightning flames through space and enwraps both heaven and earth in one vestment of glory, so does the adoration of the Lord in this Psalm light up all the universe and cause it to glow with a radiance of praise. The song begins in the heavens, sweeps downward to dragons and all deeps, and then ascends again, till the people near unto Jehovah take up the strain.”  We pray you will set aside time today to ponder Psalm 148 and the related challenge to shepherd well, evaluating how often you truly acknowledge Who God is, what He has done in your life, and the gifts He has given you that has put you in a position of influence. 

There are such varied opinions regarding who wrote this psalm. Some believe it was penned after the return of the Jews from their captivity, while others think it was written by David referring to the building and fortifying of Jerusalem in his time and the gathering in of those who had been out-casts during Saul’s reign. And still others believe it was written for the great assembly called by Nehemiah to celebrate and dedicate the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem 500 years later. One thing is certain, no matter which human figure recorded this psalm, the Holy Spirit’s divine inspiration clearly brings us all a call to worship, along with a reminder of Who the God is that we worship. May we all respond in both song and praise, leading us to live an example of an awe-filled under-shepherd for those entrusted to our care.

Of the last five psalter songs, theologian, Bible teacher, author, and speaker James Montgomery Boice, once said:  “In the earlier psalms, we have studied the writers’ griefs, shames, sins, doubts, and fears. We have witnessed the people of God in their defeats and victories, their ups and downs in life. We have encountered rebellious words and struggling faith. All this is behind us now. In these final psalms every word is praise.”  Join us in digging into the second of the five Hallelujah Palms, Psalm 146, and praise Him, praise Him, today for all He has done for you and does for you to help you shepherd well! 

Psalm 145 is a praise-filled acrostic poem that is the last song in the book of Psalms attributed to David. We see our God’s Provision, His Protection, and His Presence throughout this psalm that is filled with truths we need to memorize! Verse 3, “Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness” is one example. Another is verse 5, “I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.” Verse 8 is yet another: “The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.” “The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.” and “The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their heads” How wonderful are the reminders in just a few of the verses of this chapter, but oh, how often we shy away from fully loving and appreciating our Good Shepherd!! May this psalm and all of the truths and promises it holds help you more deeply praise our Father and shepherd exceedingly well today!

Today we are in Psalm 144, a psalm David wrote to honor God for being his protection, for blessing him as a successful warrior and king, and to ask for God for His continued blessing on the Jewish people. Even in moments when our need is not great for God to be our rock, our fortress, our tower of safety, our rescuer, and our shield, we are encouraged by this psalm – that God is in fact all of those places of protection for us! Just as He was for David. David’s description of God, also, as a loving ally – friend, helper, supporter – who is present with us when needed and close by even when we don’t, demonstrates how personal the God is that we serve. He is by our side, cheering us on, standing by us when we fail, and holding us accountable, open and honest with us when we need to hear hard truths. This is exactly what David had needed in God and that is exactly what God provided. The nations who were Israel’s enemies seemed to be at every turn and, as David knew, the best protection was the Almighty, the warrior Shepherd. He who had protected David as He knew was best for him, for his good, for the nation of Israel and, ultimately, for God’s glory was not just the meek, gentle shepherd, but also the One who fights for His own. It is important to realize that David did not seek just mere survival from God, but he asked that Israel flourish. David never engaged in battle just for the sake of conquering another kingdom and expanding his own. His wars were always to defend the land God had given them so the Israelites could live peaceful and rewarding lives.  Be encouraged, dear fellow under-shepherd, to do what David did. Go to the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd. He will be your rock, your shield, your fortress, your loving ally, your tower of safety – no matter the circumstances.

Today we are in Psalm 143, the last of seven penitential prayers scattered throughout book of Psalms. As you will hear in this psalm, the subject of the lament changes from the writer’s adversary to the author’s own failure, because the “enemy” is the psalmist’s personal sin and guilt.With regard to this psalm, David – the author – does not assert his innocence, as we have often heard in earlier psalms, but instead he confesses his guilt. Therefore, his petition is for God’s forgiveness.     In the devotional entitled In the Lord I Take Refuge, Dane Ortland writes, “This psalm is written out of profound understanding of the human heart and the deep need each of us have of the grace of God.”David is modeling what we must do when we allow sin to creep into our lives: We must humbly reach out to the Father. Then, we must tell God what we are facing and ask Him to answer us.         But, if our hearts are not right – if sin is lurking in our lives – we need to do what David did in this psalm and ask for mercy,     stretch out our hands, and ensure our souls thirst for the Father like a parched land. We must ensure the communication lines are open between us and the Almighty. And we must be honest with the Good Shepherd and let Him know how we are feeling, what we are experiencing, and how very much we want to see His face, hear His voice, experience His protection, sit in His presence, know His will, and bring Him glory. David, the shepherd-king knew that and demonstrated it so beautifully in this psalm. We know it, too, dear fellow-shepherd, so let’s live like it; let’s sink deep into God’s Word; and let’s pour out our hearts to Him, so that we can pour into others.

Today we are in Psalm 142, another of David’s prayerful songs of lament. Like all literature, the Bible must be understood in its own historical context and, in this psalm, we have a gift through the subscript found in the heading. The heading reads, “A maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer.” We find two such occurrences in the 2nd book of Samuel, when David was in exile in a cave. In both instances, David is on the run from Saul, who had, without reason, made himself an enemy to David. It is about his experiences in one of these two caves that David wrote this lament-filled song.This psalm is an example of how we, as the Father’s under-shepherds, are to live in the midst of disappointment, depression, grief, and desperation.David is claiming that God is his protector and sustaining power, on whom he can fully and completely rely and depend for provision. The Lord always hears our prayers. The Lord always knows our circumstances. The Lord always meets our needs. We must remember, however, that the Good Shepherd does so as He sees fit, as He knows is best for the sheep of His pasture, and as He knows will bring Him the most glory.                              Dear fellow under-shepherd, I pray this emotion-filled lament of David speaks deeply to your soul this week and that you allow it to spur you into a place of complete trust and praise for the One we serve and worship – our Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd.

Psalm 141 is another song of lament written by the shepherd-King David. We do not know the specific context of this prayer, but David’s intensity and desperation shine through unmistakably.This ‘man after God’s own heart’ throws himself on God in his angst when he feels tempted to evil and when he feels oppressed by others. We can do the same before the One who provides all that we need – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He protects us like no other can and is ever present with us no matter our circumstance.We cannot help but be struck by how David includes all his senses in this psalm. This is especially evident in the English Standard Version of Scripture, and it creates a picture that all of David is pressing into God and that what he cries out about involves his whole being.Inspired by the Holy Spirit, this song’s language and imagery, combined with its unknown context, result in a prayer that is relatable and universal. There is potential for the hearer, singer, reader, worshipper to become fully enveloped in the song. When we have eyes to see and ears to hear, God’s Word is quite beautiful and applicable in that way, isn’t it?Of course, even though we do not know the specifics of David’s circumstance, there are key points of which we can take note and from which we can learn.The Faithlife Study Bible summarizes Psalm 141 this way: “…the psalmist requests Yahweh’s help in maintaining his personal integrity as he seeks to avoid any traps that evil people might set for him… he expresses a desire for Yahweh to guard him from any impropriety or harm.” To have this heart attitude before our Good Shepherd requires complete honesty and humility, doesn’t it?It requires an awareness of and willingness to be honest with yourself, your weaknesses and tendencies toward temptation. A popular student and teacher of the Bible once said simply yet profoundly, “True intimacy with God always brings humility.” So true! We see this in Jesus in the pages of Scripture, and we pray you have witnessed it in fellow under-shepherds, as well.In Psalm 141, David models an intimacy with God that shapes his passions and desires. He models an embodied theology, not an understanding of faith that neglects to incorporate our physicality, the reality of our day-to-day lives, or our emotions. And he models a desire to be a person of integrity with an undivided character, one who spends time with his Shepherd, looks like his Shepherd, and does what his Shepherd does, no matter the circumstance he faces. This kind of intimacy will little by little lead to a life of integrity and humility – a life we all desire of those who lead and influence inside and outside of the body of Christ.

Today we are in Psalm 140, a psalm written by David. This psalm opens with a plea for God to rescue him from the aggressive and wicked. These were evil men, and it seemed David’s plea to God was worthy. As shepherd leaders, we sometimes face situations similar to David’s. It is then, in those moments, that we need to pray in a similar way.It really does not matter what we are facing. God is still in control! Whatever He permits in our lives – as He did for David – He will use it for our good and for His glory. That is why David could write this psalm and say,  “I know the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and execute justice for the needy. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.”David cried out to God and then rested in Him. We are called to follow David’s example in that regard. We are called to “wait patiently on Him” in every circumstance we face as shepherds of those we influence – in our families, in our churches, at work, and in our communities.Our job is to trust the Good Shepherd and faithfully follow Him, knowing beyond any doubt that He will provide; He will protect; and He is present with us through it all.Where do you need to trust Him right now? In what situation do you need to cry out, ask Him to act, and then trust Him to do so?That’s where I will encourage you to camp today, on the place in your life where He is calling you to trust Him completely.

Today, we are at the tail-end of one of the most beautiful and versatile of David’s psalms, Psalm 139. This psalm reminds the reader – or the singer, as the case may be – how intimately God knows us, how constantly He is with us, and that He made us!                      Now, in the final six verses of the psalm – verses 18 through 24 – David reminds us that God judges righteously and that we cannot dispute Him. We also hear David grieving for those who ignore Him, His Word, and His ways.The closing verses of Chapter 139 says so much about how we should interact with the Father, especially as those who are His under-shepherds, interacting with and influencing the sheep of His pasture every day.     Search me, O God, and know my heart;test me and know my anxious thoughts.Point out anything in me that offends you,and lead me along the path of everlasting life.To paraphrase, David was saying, “Father, help me know me. Help me know what You know about me, so I may be fully aware and seek Your face to turn from my wicked ways.”What do you need to know about you?              What are the fears that have affected your relationships with others that may be hindering you from shepherding well?                  What are the true motives behind a decision that you need to admit – either to yourself,            to the Father, or to others?            Asking the Father the questions David asked, making the requests he made of the Father, listening for His response, and responding in a godly manner is what leads us to affecting others positively in the name of the One who shepherds us. That is what leads us to shepherd well.

We’re in Psalm 139 once again, and this week we are looking at the third stanza of this beautiful song – verses 13 through 18 – where David reminds us that God made us.                    In this psalm, David begins by showing us how intimately God know us and how constantly He is with us. Now He says, “Don’t forget. Not only does God know us intimately, not only is He constantly with us, but He made us!”         David proclaims that we are the result of God’s creative handiwork “fearfully and wonderfully made”. God designed us with purpose, and He has determined our days. Oh, how this almighty God of design and purpose is completely worthy of our praise, gratitude, and trust!How does this relate to us as shepherd leaders?We should stand in awe of our God and the intricacies of how He wove us together, and that awe should lead to the deepest obedience. Our God was present when we were conceived, and before one day had passed He planned and determined the days of our lives.In addition to all of that, He made us in His image and because He has purpose we have purpose. We were created FOR purpose, ON purpose, WITH purpose.So, fellow under-shepherd, what is your purpose with regard to how you parent, how you pastor, how you be-friend others, how you supervise, how you influence your peers and your leaders at church, at work, and in your community?

We continue in Psalm 139 this week in verses 7 through 12, where we see the reassuring reminder that God is with us constantly.             7 I can never escape from your Spirit!I can never get away from your presence!8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;if I go down to the grave, you are there.9 If I ride the wings of the morning,if I dwell by the farthest oceans,10 even there your hand will guide me,and your strength will support me.11 I could ask the darkness to hide meand the light around me to become night —12but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.To you the night shines as bright as day.Darkness and light are the same to you.How wonderful it is to know that we can never be anywhere that God is not with us! In the good places, in the tough places, in pain, in rejoicing, in celebration, and in mourning, our Lord is with us!How interesting, then, that by our sinful nature, we try to hide from God, but we need to remember that our God is not omni-present – with us all the time – because He’s out to get us. He’s ever-present with us because he loves us! And verses 7 through 12 of Psalm 139 are a celebration of that fact. Are you rejoicing in His presence, or are you wishing He was not omnipresent?If we don’t find joy in the presence of the Good Shepherd, we cannot shepherd well. If we don’t desire that we be with Him and He be with us, we cannot influence well. Be honest with yourself and before God. Repent if necessary, acknowledging that you do so not for condemnation, but for forgiveness and for the joy ahead of you as you celebrate His omni-presence.Remember that He is a loving God and because of that love He is ever present, always available to us wherever we are and wherever we go.

This week, we’re in Psalm 139, a chapter of Psalms with which many of us are very familiar. In this psalm we see the psalmist making three important points: (1) God knows everything, (2) God is present everywhere, (3) the psalmist, himself, hates sin and has a deep desire to be led correctly.  Today, we will focus on the first six verses.   1 O Lord, you have examined my heart     and know everything about me. 2 You know when I sit down or stand up.     You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. 3 You see me when I travel     and when I rest at home.     You know everything I do. 4 You know what I am going to say     even before I say it, Lord. 5 You go before me and follow me.     You place your hand of blessing on my head. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,     too great for me to understand!  Yes, fellow under-shepherd, God knows us – not just about us.  He knows us intimately – every detail, every rhyme and every rhythm about how we think, every aspect of how we act, every nuance about the motivation about everything we do.  So, as we delve into the first six verses of Psalm 139, be reminded, and be confident… 1.) That our God has examined our hearts and knows everything about us. 2.) That our God literally knows when we sit down and when we stand up. 3.) That our God knows our thoughts when we’re close by Him and when we’re far away. 4.) That our God sees us when we travel and when we rest at home. 5.) That our God knows everything we do. 6.) That our God knows what we are going to say even before we say it. 7.) That our God goes before us and follows us. He hems us in! 8.) That our God places His hand of blessings on our heads. 9.) That our God knows this knowledge is really too wonderful for us, too much for us to understand, but wants us to be assured of it anyway!   Fellow under-shepherd, I pray this first portion of Psalm 139 helps you to live – as you shepherd others – in light of what God has revealed to you through these six verses. He knows us intimately, and we must live accordingly.

This week it’s fun to be back in a psalm written by David, Psalm 138, a psalm that sings praises to our God and reminds us to do the same.   Psalm 138 illustrates the depth of David’s faith in God, that He prayed to Him – and no other – for help, that he trusted God for victory in every battle, and that David’s enemies were defeated because of the Lord’s faithfulness – not because of his own might or power or the strength or number of his army.   One commentator notes, “this psalm helps us understand better what really happens when God answers prayer.”  The great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, once said, “But this is my confidence, the Lord that began, will perfect. He has done it all, must do it all, he will do it all. My confidence must not be in what I can do, or in what I have resolved to do, but entirely in what the Lord will do.”   Amen and Amen. David knew that, and his faith is demonstrated throughout this psalm, exactly as Spurgeon noted.  Dear under-shepherd, as it pertains to your leadership sphere, where do you need this reminder from Psalm 138 today?    It matters not where we shepherd, where we influence, where we lead – His answers to our prayers will give witness of His power and His unfailing love to those around us who do not know Him or do not yet trust Him..  And it matters not what it feels like it today, He will accomplish His purpose for our lives, for His glory and for our good.   Thank you for joining me. May you shepherd well all those entrusted to you this week.

This week we are in Psalm 137, a psalm that some say is “no doubt one of the most troubling and difficult psalms in the Psalter”!   This song is nine verses of “remember” and “forget”. The psalmist, most likely a Levite, is asking God in this prayer to help the Jewish people remember Jerusalem, the precious city they inhabited before Babylon invaded, ravaged, and destroyed, taking many of the people captive. He also prays for consequences should his people forget their city, and to remember that what Jerusalem represents in indeed their greatest joy.   You will hear the psalmist say, “they sat down and wept”, something many of us have done in the most tragic, frustrating, or severely disappointing moments in our lives.  This psalm is also a song of prayer for severe retribution on the Babylonians. It is believed a Levite wrote this psalm after he had returned home from captivity in Babylon with the remnant of God’s people who could return to this great city. It is interesting that 20 years after that return, Babylon was destroyed.  Timothy and Julie Tennent, in A Meditative Journey in the Psalms, wrote this:   “The psalmist had experienced extraordinary pain, ridicule, mocking, violence, and scorn…He [then] remembered that somewhere in the writings of his own people, God had promised that he would not let such violence go unpunished, and that he would pay back to them as they had done. Thus, he does exactly what he has been taught to do in the face of such evil and wickedness and injustice. He prays! He does not take vengeance into his own hands or strike back with comparable violence for violence. No, he laments, and he prays. He prays for God to take that action, and he trusts that God indeed will do just that. This is his only hope for not going mad in all that he has to endure.”  The dear psalmist does exactly what we must do: lament our past sufferings, and celebrate that our God is loyal, worthy of worship, praise, and our complete trust.  So, dear fellow under-shepherd, what past sufferings have you endured as a shepherd leader, as an influencer in your home, your church, your business, or your community? Have the sheep of your pasture harmed you, have they betrayed you, have they hurt you more deeply than you thought possible? Don’t hesitate to lament, to sit down and weep at the pain you’ve felt, the sense of loss you didn’t think possible, or the betrayal you experienced. Then seek to the follow the Father’s leading from there. Let him keep score. Let him seek justice. Believe me, He will do it far better than you or I ever could.  Thank you for joining me, and thank you for loving, multiplying, and championing the shepherding message. May you live deeply into your calling this week.

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast.   This week we find ourselves in Psalm 136, a psalm that calls worshippers to a posture of gratitude.   Psalm 136 is 26 verses in length, and in every verse the same refrain is repeated – His faithful love endures forever.  The refrain is meant to stir remembrance in us of God’s merciful, gracious intervention in our own lives. It is also meant to settle in us the deep truth that God’s love for you… and for me… … will never end.   As the psalm develops, it becomes clear the LORD’s supremacy never makes Him remote. Instead, it demonstrates that His steadfast love is active and effective for His people.  We know this God – Yahweh, the God above all gods and Lord above all lords – is also our Shepherd and our example of how to lead and influence others. He is, of course, our perfect example of how to love.  Psalm 136 paints a picture of God’s magnanimous works of creation and acts of providence. It tells of our Shepherd’s deliverance and care for His people, His judgment on their enemies, and His goodness to all.   It also reminds us without question that our Good Shepherd’s love… a GOOD shepherd’s love… endures. In the words of Peter Santucci, author of Everyday Psalms, “His. Relentless. Love. Never. Stops.”  Dear under-shepherd, take a moment before the loving gaze of your Shepherd and check your heart toward the sheep entrusted to your care. Is your love for them relentless? Is it faithful? Is it enduring?   Sometimes, sheep are hard to love. Sometimes, we find ourselves lacking the capacity to love as we would like to. If this is the case for you today, I encourage you to pause and go to the Father. Talk to Him about it. You will find Him faithfully present and faithfully loving you – no matter what.  I leave you with that thought today. Remember that shepherding others well will always first require sitting at the feet of the Good Shepherd, allowing His love to wash over and into and through us, so that we may then offer that same love to others. 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast.  This week our focus is on Psalm 135, which begins a series of psalms that emphasize praising our God. This particular psalm’s emphasis is on praising our God for who He is and what He has done.  The psalmist begins this psalm with praise to our Lord and ends with praise to our Lord.   In between those moments of praise and worship, we are reminded that our Lord: is good that we should celebrate His name with music that He chose Israel as His own special possession that He is greater than any other god and that He is in complete control of the heavens and the earth, even the seas and their depths, the clouds, the lighting, and the wind.  This psalm clearly reminds us of five important facts. Our Lord is God. He chose us. Our Lord is sovereign and does what He pleases. Our Lord is compassionate and vindicates His people. Our Lord is the true and living God and He cares for us, and Our Lord should be praised because He is present with us!  Dear fellow under-shepherd, no matter the circumstances you face, no matter how difficult the sheep in your life seem right now, no matter your health, your wealth, or the decisions that stand before you, you can praise the Lord right now! And know that He hears you and that His provision, His protection, and His presence are with you, enveloping you with every step you take.  May you live deeply into your calling this week to be an under-shepherd who praises our God, and may you communicate that attitude of praise to those you shepherd in every area of your life. 

This week we close our time in the Psalms of Ascent with Psalm 134, the last of the 15 psalms intended for the ascension of the pilgrims to the temple in Jerusalem. This last Psalm of Ascent, it seems, is specifically celebrating the pilgrims’ safe arrival in the Holy City and that they had fulfilled their duties and were now preparing to return to the cities in which they lived.      Psalm 134 Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,you who serve at night in the house of the Lord.Lift your hands toward the sanctuary,and praise the Lord. May the Lord, who made heaven and earth,bless you from Jerusalem. This benediction of the pilgrims’ time at the Temple, reminds us that we worship and serve a God that never sleeps.   No matter whether night or day, we can praise Him. And He knows that we’re praising Him because He’s fully awake, alert, and on watch, shepherding us through every moment of our lives – if  we let Him. In addition, this short psalm reminds us that our worship of our Almighty God should never end and that His blessings never stop. The psalm ends with a blessing from our Creator, which so perfectly reflects what the priest would do when the pilgrims left the temple. As each worshipper would leave, he would say, “May the Lord bless you from Zion”, with the pronoun, “you” in Hebrew, being singular because the blessing of God is for each of us, personally.Thank you for joining me. May you live deeply into your calling this week and shepherd well. 

We continue this week in the Psalms of Ascent with Psalm 133. This psalm may be familiar to many of you, as David speaks candidly about the importance of unity -the word often translated as "harmony" in many Bibles - a timely reminder for our world today.Psalm 133How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron's head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion.And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.This psalm describes unity - harmony - as precious, refreshing. Is that not true?This psalm is really quite self-explanatory. The question for us as shepherd leaders in today's world is this: Do we promote harmony? Do we encourage unity: Is our presence both "precious" and "refreshing"?If not, what must we do to change it? What part of our heart do we need to give the Father access to so He can cleanse it? What behaviors or patterns do we need to discontinue, change, or fine-tune, so that, we are more harmonious, more unifying?Thank you for joining me this week. I pray you live deeply into your calling to shepherd well all those you encounter.

This week, the journey through the Psalms of Ascent continues with a song that celebrates the Lord's faithfulness to David in several ways and can therefore, if we let it, remind us of God's faithfulness to us.Verses 1 through 5 of this psalm recount David's request to build a house for God - a "sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel".Verses 6 through 10 recall how God allowed David to move the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.In verses 11 through the end of the psalm, the psalmist reminds us that God chose David's line for the throne, and that throne was situated in Jerusalem, a city of people, a priesthood, and faithful followers God swore to protect and make His own.The psalm is a wonderful reminder of all God has done and has promised, but how do we apply it to shepherd leadership?... We need to do what David did.We need to give God His rightful place;We need to express to God our joyful worship;We need to remind God of His faithful covenant; and We need to trust God for His bountiful blessings.It seems so simple as we list those four requirements, but the practical application requires intentionality and a heart in tune with the Father.Please don't let this day pass until you stop and consider...How am I doing at giving God His rightful place - in every aspect of my life?How am I doing at expressing to God my joyful worship?How am I doing at reminding God of His faithful covenant, and in trusting God for His bountiful blessings?Be encouraged to journal your thoughts. Set a reminder to review them. Take time every day to remember. It will deeply impact your ability to be a godly shepherd.

As we continue in the Psalms of Ascent this week, we turn to Psalm 131.   Charles Spurgeon described this song best when he said, “It is one of the shortest psalms to read, but one of the longest to learn.”   Psalm 131 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David. LORD, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters  too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,  like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD — now and always.  In this psalm, the themes of humility and contentment in the LORD are undeniable.   Anyone who has walked this earth and walked with the LORD for any length of time knows that both humility and true contentment are only developed through the trials, hardships, highs, and lows of a life of long obedience to Yahweh. In this psalm, King David shows us he learned this as well.  To continue to quote Spurgeon, the psalm “speaks of a young child, but it contains the experience of a man in Christ.” I agree. And it also puts my heart at rest and reminds me to cease striving.  Dear shepherd, let’s still ourselves and stop striving for self. Just as God’s Word says in another psalm - be still and know that He is God. After all, how can we shepherd well, submitting to the Father rather than self, if we are serving our desires and preferences, rather than God’s? How can we sacrifice for others, if we are self-focused?  Please take a moment to… Pause in His Presence. Reflect on His Presence, His Protection, and His Provision. And whatever circumstances you face right now in your shepherding responsibilities, put your hope in Him.  He is God. He is all that we need. We can rest in Him. And we can wait on Him with hope.  Fellow sheep and under-shepherd, I encourage you to make Psalm 131 your prayer today. 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast.   This week, the journey through the Psalms of Ascent continues in Psalm 130. This song begins with the psalmist in deep distress on behalf of the Jewish community, crying out to God for mercy and, ultimately, placing his hope in the Lord.   His perspective changes because he knows that Yahweh will save them in His divine time. Based on that confidence, the psalmist then invites Israel to wait for the Lord.  I recently read the Christian allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. One of the lessons of the book is that a despairing state cannot actually hurt a pilgrim unless they choose to believe it, because it does not reflect the reality of the truth of our God.  That is exactly what the psalmist is illustrating in this song. When in despair – no matter the cause – we must cry to our God for help.  It is only He that can lift the burden, fill us with hope, and love us with a love that never betrays, never stops, never collapses, and never disappoints. He then allows us to do the same for others (even the most difficult of sheep).   He delivers us from the enemy, whether that enemy is ourselves, one or more of the sheep of our pasture, or the evil one himself. And that deliverance – the deliverance of our Good Shepherd – will come with abundance.    My friend, what or who represents despair in your life right now?  What do you need to do to move forward with hope?  Is there a burden you need to lay down at the foot of the cross to move from being a pilgrim with a heavy load to walking more freely?    Is there hope in the Lord you need to claim today, or His love in which you need to dwell, or His redemption and rescue that you need to celebrate?   I encourage you to take fifteen minutes right now to seek the Lord’s face, to jot down the answers to those questions, and to spend time with Him. His Provision, His Protection, and His Presence will sustain you.  Thank you for joining me this week. I pray that you lighten your load and live even more deeply into your calling as shepherd in the lives of those sheep entrusted to your care. 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast.This week, the journey through the Psalms of Ascent continues in Psalm 129.The psalmist begins:"From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me.Let all Israel repeat this:From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me, but they have never defeated me.My back is covered with cuts, as if a farmer had plowed long furrows.But the Lord is good..."As the psalmist continues, it seems he is saying, "Accept the suffering allowed by the Father. Be sure you benefit from that suffering. And commit your suffering to the Lord."None of us are strangers to difficult times and remarkably hard circumstances. Some of us have suffered in far greater ways than others. The same is true of those of faith who lived thousands of years ago.Charles Spurgeon prayed this prayer related to Psalm 129: "Lord, number me with Your saints. Let me share their grief if I may also partake of their glory. Thus, would I make this psalm my own and magnify Your name because Your afflicted ones are not destroyed, and Your persecuted ones are not forsaken."We are not forsaken, fellow under-shepherd. Whether the difficulties we face are our own or those of the sheep of our pasture, our Good Shepherd is with us.I pray that today you sense His presence, especially if you are in the midst of a challenging time, a difficult decision, or an especially hard circumstance.And I pray that, with the psalmist, you can say: From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me, but they have never defeated me.

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast.   This week, the journey through the Psalms of Ascent continues in Psalm 128. This song may be a psalm of ascent, but it feels like a remarkable blessing to me!   One resource I read calls this psalm the “The Celebration of Fruitfulness”. Another speaks of how this psalm illustrates that “the godly will know true happiness because the Lord is with them, building their home life and blessing them across generations”.   That is exactly how it feels when you read this beautiful prayer and exhortation. When we fear the Lord, when we live as if He truly exists and as if He is who He says He is, when we follow His ways, we will be fruitful!  What a beautiful way of life! It is the life the people we shepherd need to see us demonstrate day by day in the tough, in the easy, in the extraordinarily exciting times and in the excruciatingly difficult times, when all is going well, and when it seems that everything around us is falling apart.  If that way of life seems foreign to you, fellow under-shepherd, you have some work to do. Maybe spend some time pouring your heart out to the Father, or journaling a prayer to Him, or asking Him why your joy and peace and the sense of blessing in your life have gone and what you need to do to see it return. Remember it is not our circumstances that dictate joy, peace, and blessing in our daily walk with Him, but rather, it is our time with the Father.  Thank you for joining me today, as we have looked at the blessing and promise and Psalm 128.   

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to the Presence Point Psalms for Shepherds podcast. This week we continue our journey in the Psalms of Ascent with one of only two psalms attributed to Solomon - Psalm 127.These five verses speak boldly about the importance of the WHY behind what we do and who we do it for - the importance of remembering that unless a house, or a family, is built with the Lord at the helm the effort is completely in vain.Everything we do must be blessed by the Father. And that takes place when we allow Him to re-orient our identity and trust and re-establish Him as the primary identity of our life and the One in whom our deepest trust rests.It is then that He often multiplies time, money, effort, and outcome.That is how His economy works. He can take what seems inadequate from our human perspective and make it far greater than we ever imagined or hoped or dreamed into exactly what He wants it to be.He can take our best, well-balanced efforts and provide maximized outcomes. The Father does not need us to work from early morning until late at night to a place of exhaustion to accomplish His goals because verse 2 of this psalm tells us that God gives rest to His loved ones. He intends us to have rest and peace and balance. Remember that day called the Sabbath?The reality is that the result is always His anyway - what He knows is best and what He believes will best develop us and those we shepherd into who He wants us and them to be.Success for us - in any area of our lives - will only be what the Father chooses to bless, and we must rest in that promise. He is enough and He alone is our primary source of identity, the One in whom we place all of our trust.Dear fellow under-shepherd, I pray this is true of you and of me - that we will in fact truly rely not on ourselves and our ability to shepherd well, but on the Good Shepherd Himself to ensure we shepherd well those He has entrusted to our care.Thank you for joining me this week.

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome once again to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast. This week we continue our journey in the Psalms of Ascent with Psalm 126.  Although perhaps written as a corporate lament, there is much language of hope and joy in these six verses. Nearly every verse contains an expression of joy – laughter, images of restored fortunes, streams in the desert, and abundance of harvest.  However, we can also see in the song that the current state of the psalmist is not one of joy, ease, and abundance, yet he writes and sings in hope. Much like the hope we found in Psalm 125!  It was the looking back at God’s faithfulness, at what He had done in the past that allowed the psalmist and singers to proclaim in that moment that they were filled with joy.   The question we must ask ourselves is this:  Do we live like this, dear shepherd? Facing the day as author Pete Santucci says, “like giddy dreamers whose dreams had actually come true”?, remembering God’s grace, His merciful love, the beauty in your life, and your standing in Christ no matter what may come?   The psalm is a reminder to remember… to remember the goodness of God.  The writers of the She Reads Truth Bible reading plan, The Psalms of Ascent, sum up Psalm 126 this way:  “This song uses the memory of hardships [and rejoicing] as encouragement to remember that joy is worth the journey. And with that hope, this song calls the singers to be confident God will continue to use sadness to bring a better joy as they press forward.”  Yes, the joy in Jesus is worth the journey through this world.   Today, do you need to be reminded of how in the past our Good Shepherd has kept and cared for you, or a loved one, or one or more of sheep in your life?  Pour out your prayer to Him, and may this psalm be a template for you.  Look back.  Choose praise and joy.  Lay your requests before Him with the confident expectation that He will certainly be faithful again. After all, He has promised it.  My prayer is that your sadness and mine, when it comes, will bring a better joy to us as we press forward, and that you find yourself held, hope-filled, and at peace in the presence of your Shepherd today.  Thank you for joining me this week. As you allow Jesus to shepherd you, may you shepherd well those He has entrusted to your care. 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast.   This week we are in Psalm 125, yet another Psalm of Ascent. This one wonderfully names the benefits that faith and faithfulness bring to God’s people.  This song mentions “those who trust in the Lord”, who are called good and upright. One translation puts it this way: “those whose hearts are in tune with God”.   And this song speaks of the wicked and refers to them as “whose scepter will not rest on the land allotted to the righteous”.  In the words of Charles Spurgeon, “Two kinds of men are always to be found, the upright and the men of crooked ways... When God is smiting the unfaithful, not a blow shall fall upon the faithful.”  It may not always seem like this last sentence of Spurgeon’s is true, but it is! For believers today, this promise will ultimately be fulfilled when God’s people from every nation, tribe, and tongue reign in the new earth. Ultimately, not a blow shall rest on the righteous.  It is that confidence that is what keeps followers of the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd standing in moments where, in our humanness, we want to sink to the floor and crawl into a corner. It is then that we can have the confidence of verse 1 of this psalm: “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever”. And, from verse 2: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore.”  And that, fellow under-shepherd, is what we must rest in today. No matter what is tempting to shake us, “even as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds” us.  No matter what wickedness is looming before us, it shall “not rest on the land allotted to the righteous”.  No matter what’s happening in our family, among our team members, in our organizations, or among the congregation, even as we lead in the most difficult of situations, we can stand firm, we can obey the father, we can continue to talk to and listen to him, and we can have hope in the God of the universe and every one of His promises.  Thank you for joining me this week. And thank you for the commitment you have made to shepherd well. 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast.   We continue this week in the Psalms of Ascent with Psalm 124, a psalm that remarkably describes what it would be like if God had not rescued the Israelites, and, as we apply it today, what it would be like if God did not rescue us over and over and over again.  This psalm begins with “What if the LORD had not been on our side?” and then repeats that same question to require the singers to ensure they do not pass over what David is teaching!   As the NLT Study Bible states, “The negative rhetorical questions emphasize the positive idea that the LORD was indeed on their side.” And, dear fellow under-shepherd, He is on our side, as well.  Personalize and camp on these questions for a moment:  What if the Lord had not been on your side? Who or what would have swallowed you alive in their burning anger? What waters would have engulfed you and the torrent overwhelmed you? Whose teeth would have torn you apart? What trap did our Father break to set you free?  You probably thought of specific circumstances as I asked those questions, circumstances that, as you look back upon them, cause you to sing your own song of thanksgiving because God did save you and the situation is behind you!  Just think of how many times the Good Shepherd has rescued you… and me, and we weren’t even aware of it!   Ecclesiastes 11:5 says, “Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.”  He is infinite. We are finite. He is omniscient – all-knowing. We know only what He has chosen to give us the brain power to learn, remember, and understand, and what He has chosen to reveal to us.   Dear fellow under-shepherd, is there an attack, a trap, or something menacing that is exposing itself in your life right now? Or is there a circumstance like that in your future that you fear?  Allow me to encourage you to bring that situation before the Good Shepherd, praise His holy name for saving you in the past. Then rely fully on and bask in His PROVISON, His PROTECTION, and His PRESENCE this week.   Thank you for joining me. 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome you to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast.   We continue this week in the Psalms of Ascent with Psalm 123.  Please join me in reading the four verses of this psalm.  I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven.  We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.  Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt.  We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant.  The psalmist who authored Psalm 123 is a beautiful example to us of a sheep that fully trusts his shepherd. He looks to the Shepherd first, he waits expectantly, knowing the Shepherd has his back, and he trusts the Shepherd fully, communicating his frustrations with him.  There are many lessons in the four sentences of Psalm 123.  First, whenever we encounter troubles of any kind, look first by faith to the throne of God.   Second, look by faith to the hand of God.  Third, in the words of Bible commentator Warren Wiersbe, “Look for God’s mercy and grace.”  “If you find yourself laughed at and criticized because you belong to Jesus Christ,” Wiersbe wrote, “you are part of a very elite group, and you do not have to be embarrassed or start looking for a place to hide! There is grace available at the throne of grace from the God of all grace, so lift your eyes of faith to Him.”  Fellow under-shepherds, take heed to both the psalmist’s example and the commentator’s words: There is grace available at the throne of grace from the God of all grace.   Access it! 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point with my granddaughter, Isabella, and we welcome you to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast.   Today we’ll be looking at Psalm 122, the third of fifteen Psalms of Ascent.  The very first verse of this song may have you singing a chorus from your childhood. “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’”  I have such a fun memory of that song! One of our dearest friends required his family to sing this song every Sunday morning on the way to church, especially when it had been a tough morning getting out of the house on time for church with little girls, who grew to be bigger girls, who felt they had much to do to get ready in the morning!  He knew the intent of Psalm 122 verse 1 was to reflect the joy of seeing God’s chosen city, Jerusalem, and being in the house of God to worship.  As the psalm, continues, we see it reflects even more. This psalm, written by David, clearly illustrates a heart for God, a heart for praise, and a heart for prayer.  Dear fellow under-shepherd, take a moment and evaluate your own heart.   Do you have a heart for worship? Do you have a heart for praise? Do you have a heart for prayer?  We pray that you will take time to ponder Psalm 122 this week, that this Psalm of Ascent will become your song of ascent and that you are glad when others say to you, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”  Thank you for joining us this week. May you live deeply into your calling to shepherd well those entrusted to your care. 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds podcast.   Today we’ll be looking at Psalm 121, the second of the Psalms - or Songs - of Ascent.  Raechel Myers, the founder of She Reads Truth, contemporizes this group of psalms this way: “These songs for the journey are words to set our hearts on as we go. They are written to help us feel what we are meant to feel – the blunt force of tragedy, the wonder of beauty, the longing for rescue, the indignation that opposes injustice and evil. They are a way for us to inscribe the history of our faith on our own memory and feet.”  With that in mind, here is Psalm 121:  I look up to the mountains - does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The LORD himself watches over you!  The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.  This psalm almost begs you to sing it, doesn’t it? And the Provision, Protection, and Presence of our Good Shepherd are so evident!  Notice the psalmist’s use of the phrase “watches over”, “keeps”, or “keeps watch”. It is used six times in these eight short verses.   The phrase is a translation of the Hebrew word “shamar”, which has a rich meaning and is used frequently in the Old Testament.  In 1 Samuel 17:20, the word “shamar” is even used specifically to mean caring for sheep!!  You can imagine how much those of us at Presence Point love that! And Who is it that is doing all this shamar’ing on our behalf? It’s Yahweh!   Does it not seem that God is whispering – or maybe even shouting – this psalm as an encouragement to His beloved under-shepherds? What a reminder that He is indeed our Good Shepherd!  So, as you journey with the sheep God has entrusted to your care, may I suggest you develop a practice, or rhythm, of remembering God’s careful keeping of you, His guarding, His watchfulness......  because you have purpose to Him.  Furthermore, dear shepherd, if you need reassurance that you are not alone, if you are longing for protection and rescue, if the road feels steep and treacherous, I implore you then to cling to the beautiful truths of Psalm 121.  Thank you so much for joining me this week. I pray you join me next time for more “songs for the journey”, and as you go, may you live deeply into the Lord’s call on your life to shepherd well those entrusted to your care. 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to the Presence Point Psalms for Shepherds podcast!  This week we are leaving the beautiful Psalm 119 acrostic of the Hebrew alphabet, and we are moving into the Psalms of Ascent.  We begin our journey with Psalm 120 - A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.  Does this portion of the psalm ring true for you today? “I am tired of living among people who hate peace!  I search for peace, but when I speak of peace, they want war!”  Or perhaps this portion? “How I suffer in far-off [you fill in the blank]. It pains me to live in distant [again, you fill in the blank].”   The place may be a city or a work environment. It could be the location where you are stationed in the military. It could be anywhere your loved ones are not, or it could be the distance you feel from someone from whom you are estranged.  The author found himself in a hostile environment for sure. He cried out for deliverance from the deceitful tongue of his enemies. He longed for peace, for well-being, or wholeness as the word “peace” literally translates, but his enemies wanted war.  Maybe you find yourself in that exact spot. You simply want truth and peace, but those around you cannot seem to stop the deceitfulness they utter, the disruption which they cause, or the conflict in which they seem to thrive.  The answer? To do exactly as the psalmist has done. Cry out to the Lord. Take your troubles to Him. In His timing, He will answer your prayer. Regarding this psalm, Max Lucado reminds readers in his Encouraging Word Bible that “Although [the psalmist’s] enemies were fierce, his confidence in God’s protection was strong. He found great joy in going to the house of the Lord to worship. We, too,” Lucado adds, “find hope and strength when we lift our eyes to the Lord rather than focusing on our troubles… Gaze upon your Savior and remember that He is strong and capable. Allow Him to infuse you with hope and strength.” And I will add, the hope and strength of a godly shepherd. Thank you for joining me for this week’s Psalms for Shepherds podcast. May you shepherd well all those entrusted to your care. 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to our last week in the remarkable 119th chapter of the book of Psalms.  We’re looking at the concluding passage of this acrostic based on the Hebrew alphabet – verses 169 through 176 – entitled Tav. This psalm is composed of one prayer request: “O Lord, listen to my cry…” then a sweet confession:  “I have wandered away like a lost sheep…”  followed by a second request: “Come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commands.”  Timothy and Julie Tennent, authors of a Meditative Journey Through the Psalms, write this about the final portion of this acrostic psalm: “Psalm 119 brings us to a stunning close, one that is crucial for understanding the larger message of the psalm as a whole.”  As Christians, we learn to look back from the perspective of the New Testament as we read the Old Testament. In the same way, it is important to read Psalm 119 by looking back at it from the perspective of the final verse of the psalm, which stands as a kind of final testimony, closing statement, or interpretive witness for all that has preceded it.   As the Tennant’s point out, “This psalm is filled with dozens of strong affirmations concerning the faithful determinations of the psalmist to follow God and his way of righteousness without wavering.... Suddenly, and perhaps unexpectedly, the psalm ends with the striking admission: ‘I have wandered away – or strayed – like a lost sheep.’...”  “It is the final word of grace,” the Tennant’s write, “like that powerful moment in Isaiah when, after a series of exalted, unparalleled revelations, Isaiah says, ‘We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.’”  The Tennant’s remind us that, “As it turns out, the final word is the reminder that obedience, single-mindedness, and determined love of God’s commandments are all made possible THROUGH HIS GRACE, without which we are those who have ‘strayed like lost sheep’.”  Indeed, we are all sheep who have strayed. And indeed we have been found, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.   Thank you for joining me. May you live deeply into your calling this week to influence well in your sphere of influence. 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to week 21 in our series on Psalm 119.   Today, we’re looking at verses 161 through 168, the stanza of this psalm that is based on the letter Shin in the Hebrew alphabet.   David is continuing his plea to God to save him, but in this stanza, he has a peace, a shalom, that emanates from his reverence and belief in God’s Word. Just as it should for us during times of difficulty.  I know that communicating with the Father, praising him, beseeching Him for myself and on behalf of others, and sitting silently before Him listening expectantly for His response brings shalom to me. Doing so several times a day would, most certainly keep us in the same mental and spiritual space that David was in, resting in total and complete confidence in the Father and His Word, hating lies, seeking truth, loving what the Father reveals, telling God that we will do whatever He tells us, keeping God’s instructions, following His directions, and abiding in His counsel.  The question is: Do we do that? Do we make decisions that will result in the true shalom He offers, or do we skirt around His Word choosing what we will believe and what we will follow based on what seems easy, or right, or comfortable to us?  Do we as the Father’s under-shepherds seek truth, love His Word, do what it instructs, follow His direction, and abide in His counsel?  Whether we embrace the Father and all for which He stands will affect how we shepherd those He entrusts to our care, so today I’m suggesting that you pause for at least ten minutes and ask yourself those questions. Listen for the Holy Spirit’s answers rather than your own, and journal what you hear.  Thank you for joining me. I pray you’ll live deeply into your calling this week and shepherd well all of those the Father has entrusted to your care. 

Today, we’re looking at verses 153 through 160, the stanza of this Psalm that is based on the 20th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Resh.   As I read this psalm, I thought how much the psalmist sounds like us when we come before our Lord in desperation. We often ask for him to save us from whatever we’re facing. And, while making the request to Him, we often remind Him of His mercies, how we are promised from His Word – which we believe is true and faithful – that those mercies are new every morning, and we beg Him to shower them down upon us in this day and at this time.   We want God to see our needs, just as the psalmist wanted the Almighty to see his needs. In fact, the psalmist used the same word here that Abraham used when he assured Isaac that God would “see to it” or, in other words, provide the sacrifice necessary for the altar Abraham had built.   Abraham knew that God would provide a way to rescue Isaac. And the psalmist knew our Lord would rescue him.   Fellow under-shepherd, please be as assured as Abraham was with Isaac that He will provide what you need during this time. Please be assured that He is full of mercy, and that His Word is truth.  He will and is shepherding you perfectly during this time. My prayer is that you will hear His voice, that you will respond with obedience, and that your faith will be bolstered while you experience His mercy and follow His truths.  Thank you for joining me.

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to week 19 of 22 in our series on Psalm 119.   Today, we’re looking at verses 145 through 152, the stanza of this Psalm that is based on the 19th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Qoph (pronounced KUPH or KOPH).   This passage is a reminder to us as under-shepherds, to go often to the Father on our behalf and on behalf of the sheep n our lives and to do so as an act of love, with our eyes open, to watch and pray as Nehemiah did, and as Jesus, Paul, and Peter commanded us “to watch and pray”, to be alert, ready, and aware of what is happening around us, because as Warren Wiersbe alerts, “We are soldiers in a battle and we dare not go to sleep while on duty.”  We are, in fact, on duty, fellow shepherd. We are, in fact, responsible for those we lead, for how we influence those with whom we come in contact, for the behaviors we demonstrate, for watching out for the well-being of those who report to us, of those we report to, and of those we work, stand, and fight with - at home, at church, and in our communities.  I pray that we will often reach out to the Father IN LOVE, not with an ask, but in gratitude. And may we, in fact, remember that ARE in a battle, that the sheep of our pasture are counting on us, and that we dare not go to sleep.  Thank you for joining me. 

This is Holly Culhane with Presence Point and welcome to week 18 of our series on Psalm 119. Today, we’re looking at verses 137 through 144, the stanza of this Psalm that is based on the 18th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Tsadhe (pronounced SAHdi).  the Puritans had a deep and meaningful prayer life, as illustrated in the collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions in the book, The Valley of Vision.   One of those prayers reminded me of the portion of Psalm 119 we are reviewing today. Please join me in praying this Puritan prayer, in an updated format for the 21st Century.   O GOD MOST HIGH, MOST GLORIOUS, The thought of Your infinite serenity cheers me,  For I am toiling and moiling, troubled and distressed, but You are forever at perfect peace. Your designs cause You no fear or care of unfulfillment, they stand fast as the eternal hills. Your power knows no bond, Your goodness no stint. You bring order out of confusion, and my defeats are Your victories: The Lord God omnipotent reigns. I come to You as a sinner with cares and sorrows, to leave every concern entirely to You,  every sin calling for Christ's precious blood; Revive deep spirituality in my heart; Let me live near to the great Shepherd, hear his voice, know its tones, follow its calls. Keep me from deception by causing me to abide in the truth,  from harm by helping me to walk in the power of the Spirit. Give me a more intense faith in the eternal verities, burning into me by experience the things I know; Let me never be ashamed of the truth of the gospel,  that I may bear its reproach, vindicate it, see Jesus as its essence, know in it the power of the Spirit. Lord, help me, for I am often lukewarm and chill;  unbelief mars my confidence, sin makes me forget You. Let the weeds that grow in my soul be cut at their roots; Grant me to know that I truly live only when I live to You, that all else is trifling. Your presence alone can make me holy, devout, strong, and happy. Abide in me, gracious God. Amen.  I pray, dear fellow shepherd leader, that you will camp a bit on the words on Psalm 119, verses 137 to 144, that you will listen to that prayer again, praying it for yourself, and that the Father’s righteousness will, indeed, spur you on to faithful obedience.  He deserves it. We should be compelled to it. Our sheep - the sheep of His pasture who have been made in His image - merit it.  Thank you for joining me. 

Welcome to week 17 of our series on Psalm 119, and we’re looking at verses 129 through 136. This stanza of the Psalm is based on the 17th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, known as Pe which in Hebrew means mouth.I have not spoken of the meaning of the Hebrew letters during this Psalm 119 series, but I’ve been so drawn to the meaning with this particular letter. The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet also means “mouth”, but interestingly it means breathing, breath, Spirit, and revelation. Pe, the letter associated with these 16 verses, however, means “speech, the spoken word, testimony”. There is so much truth in this short passage. God’s testimonies ARE wonderful. His Word DOES give light, as well as understanding. His way toward those who love Him is, in fact, to turn toward us and be gracious to us. He DOES redeem us from our oppression, He surely shines His face upon us, and He does give us a passion for those who do not know and love the Father.To me, it feels like the real power in this passage is the reminder the psalmist gives in verse 133.The ESV reads, “Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion [or autocratic rule] over me. The New Living Translation of that verse says, “Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil.” The Message translation reads: “Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign [or nothing harmful, hurtful, or damaging] gets the better of me.” You know, it seems that we often use so many excuses as to why we sin, that we forget so many passages like Peter’s reminder that “We have been given everything we need for life and godliness”. In other words, to live as Christ would have us to live, and Paul’s admonitions to believers to live a godly life.Not letting sin overcome us is not just an aspirational thought or an aspiring goal, but can be our experience as shepherding believers. If we abide in Jesus Christ, then He has the power, through the Holy Spirit, to daily draw us to Himself and to direct our feet, our hands, our hearts, and our minds into the ways of righteousness.“Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.” (verse 133) Our Good Shepherd will keep that promise, fellow under-shepherd. He will help us keep our steps steady and He will not let sin have dominion over us. And we must do our part, as well by beginning our day by crying out to Him and staying focused on Him throughout the day. In essence, we abide in Him. All day. Every day. Never wavering from keeping our minds fixed on Christ, the author and protector of our faith. Our Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd.Whatever tempts you the most and it does not matter whether it is an addiction or an occasional attraction or enticement you can live in a way that does not let that sin get dominion over you. It is really your choice, fellow under-shepherd. Giving into temptation will always produce a negative situation in your flock, because as Scripture teaches us sin always separates us from God, us from others, and, even, us from ourselves.Shepherd leader, How willing are you to move from separation to community? Even with the flock you shepherd. Be encouraged to spend time contemplating that question, evaluating how you are living, if you are crying out to the Father, longing after His Word, and meditating on Him and His Words day and night the only sure-fire way that you will not be overcome by evil and that nothing harmful, hurtful, or damaging will get the better of you. May you live deeply into your calling to shepherd well all those entrusted to your care.

This is week 16 of our series on Psalm 119, and we’re looking at verses 121 through 128. This stanza of the Psalm is based on the 16th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, known as Ayin. In this portion of Psalm 119, the psalmist --- the author --- feels he is at the mercy of his enemies and that he has done what is just and right, and wants assurance that God will rescue him.The psalmist knows and expresses in this psalm that God is the ULTMATE PROTECTOR. He can intervene at any time He chooses, just as He did for the children of Israel. So he is begging God to do so.Sometimes, though, God does not intervene.Our status as children of God, as those who love Him, follow His Word, and serve as His under-shepherds, does not shield us from the arrogant and the evil around us. Sometimes it seems that God is doing nothing. Maybe someone in your congregation, on your work team, in your community, or even in your neighborhood, is making life difficult for you. They may be spreading lies, undermining a task you’re trying to accomplish, or, worse yet, working to tarnish your reputation. Maybe it is evil you are experiencing at school or at work.You have been clear with God, as the psalmist was, that you need to be rescued and delivered from whatever you are facing, but God has not yet acted. He has not stepped in and saved the day! He has not done whatever it is you are hoping He would do.Or does it just seem that way?My dear fellow under-shepherd, God is ALWAYS working. He is ALWAYS hearing our pleas for help, our complaints, our fears, our concerns. We need never question His presence even if we cannot feel it. We need never question His provision even if we cannot see it. We need never question His protection even if we cannot hear His army approaching. As the psalmist ultimately says, we need to trust our Lord. Fully. With His timing. His ways. His truth. Even in the midst of oppression.The bottom line to this passage is that no matter what happens, no matter how long it takes God to save, we, like the psalmist, have blessed assurance that the Lord is our rewarder. He is our surety (because God keeps His promises). He is our Master and the final judge. Shepherd leader, what will you do with the truths in this passage? How will you apply them?May we live deeply into our calling this week.

This is week 15 of our series on Psalm 119, and we’re looking at verses 113 through 120. This stanza of the Psalm is based on the 15th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, known as Samekh, and reminds us that God protects His people, God upholds the obedient, God rejects the wicked, and that God alone should be feared.This passage is a perfect reminder that respecting God’s judgments begins with respecting His Word, and that respect begins with a wholehearted commitment to Scripture. A commitment that we, as God’s under-shepherds, should demonstrate.Beyond that whole-hearted commitment to Scripture, the psalmist speaks of the importance of patiently relying on God’s Word for the ultimate victory. We must rest on God’s protection, making Him our hiding place....our refuge and shelter from the attacks of the enemy, whether they are by Satan and his forces or by those with whom we work or serve. God is our shield, our defense to fend off the attacks that do come our way.....and we must be leaders who protect the flock in our care, NEVER losing confidence in the ultimate triumph we have through God’s Word.As the psalmist wrote, “I WAIT for the Lord... and, He is counting on God’s Word to never let him down because of his deep trust He has in the Father. Fellow shepherd leader, if you do not ABSOLUTELY know that you can trust the Father and that He is faithful, then a follow-up exercise to this podcast would be to take a moment and make a list of every single time you have experienced God’s faithfulness in your life. We need to remember that as we shepherd, as the enemy plants seeds of doubts in our minds, when things get harder than expected ---- or harder than we would like ---- We. Can. Trust. Our God!Thank you for joining me this week. I pray that you will take time to make your “How God has proven Himself faithful to me” list and search your soul for how you regard His Word, His statutes, and His precepts. 

This is week 14 of our series on Psalm 119, and we’re looking at verses 105 through 1124. This portion of this acrostic Psalm based on the Hebrew alphabet, represents the 14th letter, known as Noon.        It has often been said that “the greatest ability is dependability”. And we know this applies to our Savior, as He is fully faithful to us. Of course, then, is it not unreasonable for our Savior to expect us to be faithful to Him. This portion of Psalm 119 demonstrates exactly that: the faithfulness of the psalmist to His God and the example we are to follow as faith-filled, fully dependable followers of Jesus.Fellow shepherd leader, may this be our refrain “I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever. What a gift! And how happy it makes me! I concentrate on doing exactly what you say! I always have and always will!”For this is the only way we will properly influence the sheep God has entrusted to our care with His provision, His protection, and His presence, as He demonstrates, teaches, and outlines in the Word He has given us to guide our feet and light our path. Thank you for joining me.

This is week 13 of our series on Psalm 119, and we’re looking at verses 97 through 104. This portion of this acrostic Psalm based on the Hebrew alphabet, represents the 12th letter, known as Mem. In this passage, the psalmist again speaks of His love for God’s word, His desire to meditate seriously on it, and the wisdom and understanding it gives him, and he shares how his desire to keep God’s Word keeps him from evil, stepping outside of the instructions God provides, and from every false way. According to this portion of Psalm 119, the more we’re in God’s Word, meditating, learning, memorizing, studying, contemplating, and considering what God has said to us as the sheep of His pasture, the more wisdom and understanding we will be graced with and the more we will both desire to stay away from evil, and in fact hate every false way and steer clear from it. Bible Commentator Warren Wiersbe entitles this passage, “Beyond Bible Study”. He talks of the love we must have of God’s Word and how we must meditate on it, how a true student of God’s Word has an obedient heart, and knowing that honey would be the sweetest thing the psalmist could taste, talks of how we must enjoy God’s Word. We would do well to take Wiersbe’s thoughts to heart. They are absolutely important for us to remember, to implement, to live as God’s under-shepherds.         I invite you to join me in choosing one word or phrase from that prayer to pray every day for the next week, diving into God’s Word more frequently, more fully, more robustly than ever before and let’s see what our Good, Great and Chief Shepherd does in our lives and the lives of those for which you care. Thank you for joining me. I pray we both will live deeply into our calling this week.

This is week 12 of our series on Psalm 119, and we’re looking at verses 89 through 96. This portion of the longest Psalm, also an acrostic based on the Hebrew alphabet, represents the 11th letter, known as Lemedh. It’s clear in this passage that God’s Word is settled, that He is faithful, that His creation is established, and that peace is available for those who choose to believe His Word and follow His way and His Truths. It seems that Psalm 119, so far, has proven, as Thomas Manton, an English Puritan Clergyman from the mid-17th Century, once said, “Let us complain not of God, but to God. Complaints of God give a vent to murmuring; but complaints to God, to faith, hope, and patience.” The answers we need as leaders are there. The support we need as guides and mentors is there. The wisdom we need as advisors is there. The influence we need as principals and pastors and C-suite executives is there. But we must be in God’s Word to know it. If we do not seek it and consider it, we cannot remember and delight in it. I pray this Lemedh portion of the Psalm 119 Hebrew alphabet acrostic becomes more to you than part of a poem, more than a song, but that it is the edification you need to take time to dig deeper into the words of our God, and the teachings of our Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd, and becomes the firm foundation upon which you shepherd the sheep entrusted to your care. May you live deeply into your calling this week. Thank you for joining me.

This is week 11 of our series on Psalm 119, and we’re looking at verses 81 through 88. This portion of the longest Psalm, also an acrostic based on the Hebrew alphabet, represents the 11th letter, known as Kaph. This is where it seems the psalmist is worn out from waiting for the Lord, but still has hope in God’s future rescue, he still expects God to step into his situation.How many of us can relate to this passage? We long to be saved from the situation we face. In fact, we ache for the Father to intervene. We pray. We wait. We cry. We pray more. And like this psalmist, our eyes grow heavy looking, watching -- straining to see some sort of sign that God is there, that He’s working, that He has a plan and will step in soon!Fellow shepherd leader, fellow influencer in the church, in your family, in your workplace, and in your community, others are looking to you to see how you react in difficult times, in both the large and the small afflictions of life. Therefore, you must, we must, exhibit hope, faith, confidence in the Father, a willingness to wait for the perfect timing of the Perfect One, and an expectation of refreshment, of revitalization, and of recovery.  Where do you need to fine tune in this area so that you will shepherd well this week? Thank you for joining me.

This is week 10 of our series on Psalm 119, and we’re looking at verses 73 through 80. This portion of this acrostic Psalm represents the tenth letter in the Hebrew alphabet, known as Yodh, and it reminds us of our Creator, our need for understanding, His righteousness, His faithfulness, and His mercy, even, or especially, in affliction. I recently read a devotional from Disciplersonline.org that reminded me how we often turn to God and trust Him in what we often consider the “BIG AFFLICTIONS” of life. It seems that in the small afflictions we try to carry the burden ourselves. We forget to humble ourselves before our Lord and give all of our cares to Him – no matter how big or small we think they are. We forget that He is faithful in every affliction, He loves us lavishly with an unwavering love all of the time, and He longs to shower His mercy upon us no matter what goes wrong in our day or in our lives. I wonder if in those moments He sees us and graciously, gently speaks a word through the Holy Spirit that He prays we will hear, will quiet our spirits, and draw us to Him. He wants to be the God of the small afflictions, too, and the psalmist knew that.              That’s why he begins the Yod portion of Psalm 119 with the reminder that our God created us, He personally formed us with His hands, so He cares greatly about everything in our lives.Thank you for joining me. I pray this passage has challenged you as it has challenged me and that you will shepherd well this week those who have been entrusted to your care.

This is week 9 of our Psalm 119 series, we’re looking at verses 65 through 72. Since this psalm is an acrostic from the Hebrew alphabet, this portion of the Psalm represents the ninth letter in the Hebrew alphabet, known as Teth.             In Psalm 119:65-72, the psalmist describes himself as a penitent sinner who gratefully accepts the Lord’s discipline and a passage that affirms the goodness of God, the graciousness of his dealings, and the preciousness of his Word. It’s interesting to note that in each group of verses in Psalm 119, the psalmist typically uses different words that start with the Hebrew letter for that section. Remember, this psalm is an acrostic.             But this passage is different, each verse that starts with the Hebrew letter, Teth begins with the same word – the word “GOOD” (or “tov”, in Hebrew). As John Piper points out in his article, How God Teaches the Deep Things of His Word, “This makes us sit up and take notice. Something really good is being emphasized. What is the good he wants us to see?” Piper has made it clear: “If God and his word are your highest values, your greatest desires, then whatever helps you know them and experience them deeply will be good — not easy, and maybe not even morally right (like slander from your adversaries), but good in the sense that God ordains it to give you what is absolutely best — the illumining effect of God’s infinitely valuable word.” Oh, how true that is my friend! In my Bible next to verse 71, the verse that says “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.”, I have written, “IT WAS!” with an explanation point!      I have personally lived this passage of Psalms, dear fellow under-shepherd. And, unfortunately, it was the immoral insolent slander from my adversaries that began a five-year journey in my own life of learning just how close one can become with the Father in such an inequitable circumstance. It was difficult to keep God’s commandments during that time and I’m sure I did not do it perfectly. In fact, I’m sure there were days when I did more not keeping His commandments than keeping them. I leave you this week, with this: “Tov” in this portion of Psalm 119: 65-72, has been translated good, pleasant, beneficial, precious, delightful, and right. It is imperative that as the Father’s under-shepherds, we live with this in mind: As Wiersbe tells us, “God does what is good because God IS good and because what He does is ‘according to His Word’, and His Word is good. Neither His character nor His Word will ever change, so God is good all the time!” Fellow under-shepherd, let’s live like we know this truth! Let’s shepherd those entrusted to our care with the PROVISION, PROTECTION, AND PRESENCE that demonstrates we serve a God who is good and who is good all the time! Thank you for joining me this week. May you live deeply into your calling as shepherd in the lives of the sheep you influence.

This is week 8 of our time in Psalm 119, we’re looking at verses 57 through 64 covering the eighth letter in this Hebrew acrostic, known as Heth. It seems the psalmist is pretty straightforward in this psalm --- the Lord is his portion, his Master, and his greatest joy!   And He should be the same for us! In that regard, the under-shepherds of the 21st Century are no different than the under-shepherds of 1000 BC! With that in mind and because the authors of Endless Grace do such a beautiful job with prayers inspired by the psalms, here is the prayer they wrote inspired by this portion of Psalm 119.  They’ve entitled it PROMISE. Where else would I go, Lord,when You have the words of life? There is no other shelter,no other haven. I will walk inYour Will,Your Wisdom,Your Peace,Your Promise,all the days of my life. Your favor is the reward of my faithfulness. As dusk falls,I take account of the day – my thoughts,actions, intentions, temptations, hesitations. May I be quick to follow You, Lord, quick to repent, quick to obey. When all hell chases me,when darkness stalks me,give me the strength to rememberwho I am,who You are,who I am in You. As night grows heavy about me,I am drawn to worship,Your Spirit moving over myrestless thoughts,waking dreams. Surround me withthe fellowship of the saints;all who love You fear You, follow You – whose words can be trusted,whose counsel leads to victory. As the earth is filled with the knowledgeof the glory of the Lord,may I be filled to overflowing. Amen and Amen! Dear shepherd leader, let’s be inspired to do and be the same. It's our responsibility, it's our calling. Thank you for joining me this week.