#141 Bonus Psalm 18:28-36 With My God I Can Scale a Wall
On September 16, 2023 by Amy BurginJoy:
Bonus Episode #141. Luke 18:28-36
Welcome
Amy:
Welcome to The Christgazing Podcast. We are so glad to be here and we are so glad you are here! I’m Amy Burgin.
Joy:
I’m Joy Burgin.
Amy:
Christgazing, kind of like stargazing, is the act of looking steadily and intently at Jesus.
Amid a world of many words, we slow down here to make space for the God-breathed Words, the best words, the ones that rightly comfort, correct, and lead us. Each week, we read a portion of scripture several times and create stillness after each reading so we might also be still and know God more.
This podcast is in a series that takes us through the book of Luke but this week, you get a bonus episode from Psalm 18 thanks to my new friend Sherri Youngward in California. She invited us to share a live episode of The Christgazing Podcast in the Mercy Room women’s gathering this morning, an online event she hosts monthly. I’ll share more about Sherri and how you can find her at the end of this episode.
For now, in our world of many distractions and troubles, let’s slow down and seek what Sherri calls, “eye contact with Jesus.” I desire that, and I know you do, too.
Pour Out Your Heart to God
Amy:
Before we read, take time to share your heart with God. We do this in each weekly episode; we draw intimately close to God, pouring out our hearts to him and making room for our heavenly father to pour out his heart to us so that he might lift our heads and prepare our minds for our next right thing. So bring God your thanksgiving, grief, fear, joy, anger, excitement, questions, and concerns in this next minute.
What Does This Passage Say About God?
Joy:
As I read today’s passage, consider the question, what does this say about God?
Psalm 18:28-36 You, LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
29 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The LORD’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
Again?
Psalm 18:28-36 You, LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
29 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The LORD’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
Take the next few moments to consider what this says about God.
[Pause and know]What Does This Passage Say About People?
Joy:
As I reread today’s passage, consider the question, what does this say about people?
Psalm 18:28-36 You, LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
29 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The LORD’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
Take a minute to consider what this says about people.
[Pause and know]Lord, What Would You Have Me Know Or Do Today?
Joy:
As I read for the last time, ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today in response to this passage?”
Psalm 18:28-36 You, LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
29 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The LORD’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
Take a minute to ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do in response to this passage?”
[Pause and listen]Blessing
Joy:
Christgazer, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. And may you keep your face turned toward Jesus today and know him more.
One Response
Amy:
Meditating on this verse over the last few weeks has made me aware of my human nature. When an obstacle comes my way, I can have a tendency to feel immediately defeated, frustrated, or annoyed. But as I meditate, my perspective and nature change. When trouble comes, I know with God, I can get through it. He is with me. Like a good daddy, he wants to help me. He wants to train me. He wants me to be successful.
I love how David pours out his heart in the Psalms. As I meditated on this passage Wednesday, September 13th, I felt led to write my own Psalm and I’ll share it with you today.
I will call on my God and he will help me.
He will not fail me.
My strength fails me.
My heart fails me.
My body fails me.
My mind deceives me.
But my God? He will never fail me.
His right hand sustains me.
He protection is bullet proof.
His arm is outstretched on my behalf.
He stops my enemy in his tracks.
He has set a shield about me—I cannot be harmed.
I remain in the courts of my Father.
I abide in his throne room where I am wanted.
I look to him for instruction.
He withholds no good thing from me.
He is pleased with my presence.
He keeps me dressed in royal clothes.
He assigns me tasks in his house—good works he prepared in advance for me to do.
I love his house and the jobs he gives me.
If I get confused, he will help me.
If I do it wrong, he will help me fix it.
If I get lost, he will come for me.
He will find me and lead me to the right place.
Though I may be hard-pressed, nothing can crush me.
When I am hard-pressed, he trains me.
He takes an interest in me.
My God has his hand on me.
He shapes me, refines me
He cares deeply for me.
He invests in me.
He will love me forever.
Closing
Amy:
You can find a transcript of this episode and all our episodes at amyburgin.com. And you can find my new treasured friend Sherri Youngward at sherriyoungward.com—that’s s h e r r i y o u n g w a r d.com. Sherri is an “artist with a passion for God. Her desire to express the beauty of Jesus Christ and his love for us is the fuel that powers her music, and her love of God is woven throughout her twelve full-length albums. Two of them, Scripture Songs Volume One and Two, are straight Scripture put to song.” She not only hosts monthly online women’s events, which I love to attend—she also hosts a podcast I’ve recently fallen in love with called The Quiet Place. She calls it “a place to come up for air and find a quiet moment of rest and replenishment.” You can find it on her website or anywhere you listen to podcasts. I listen to it on Spotify when I’m walking outside, driving in the car, or lying in bed. I’ve found a really sweet connection to Jesus every time. She’s a treasure and you’ll be blessed by her work.
Joy and I will be back again next week so we can go Christgazing together. Until then, don’t forget, when you put your trust in Christ, you are one in whom he dwells and delights, a dearly loved child of God. You are royalty in his strong and unshakeable kingdom. Though trouble abounds, Christ prevails, and so do you.
It blesses me to hear from you! Please leave a reply here.