Psalm 111:1
“Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.”

God created us as social beings; we need the companionship of one another. Knowing that being together is a necessary part of healthy development and spiritual growth, God established seven feasts that took place during three different seasons of the Jewish calendar year. During these feasts the children of Israel were to journey together to the city of Jerusalem. The journey itself became a time of celebration. The closer they came to the city, the more they would celebrate. As they hiked up the hills where Jerusalem sat, they would sing a series of psalms, now known as the Psalms of Ascent. Upon arriving, the feasts consisted of corporate gatherings, sacrifices, teachings, worship and eating. Like the festive times in our calendar year, I am sure these were the highlight of the year for the people.

In the New Testament, God established another means by which to satisfy the social needs of His people. He created the church. Now the primary purpose of the church is to be a place where God is glorified, and the Word of God is taught, but in order to do those things, we must gather together in corporate worship. When that becomes a regular part of your weekly schedule, you will find you are not only growing closer to Christ, investing in eternal things, but you are also much healthier, socially. God knows our needs and designed corporate worship for our benefit.  When it is neglected, our growth is stunted, but when we regularly participate in it, we begin to grow in ways that we never thought possible.

Let’s follow the example of the Psalmist, determining that we will praise the Lord in the assembly of the righteous. Here are a few tips that will enhance our worship experience. First, determine now that you will not be a random attendee in your local church. Plan now to attend Sunday morning and a mid week service. Plan for things that regularly interfere, perhaps even making dinner in advance. Get the kids involved with the ministry at their age level. My kids love church because of the relationships they established with others.

Corporate worship is key to spiritual growth. Get plugged in today

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 111

1. Psalms 111-118 are thought of as the praise or hallelujah psalms. Are you in a season of life where you’re finding it hard to praise the Lord? Be encouraged- dig in right here.
2. In verse 1, how much of our heart is supposed to be used to praise the Lord as we meet with His godly people?
3. One of the important categories of Inductive Bible Study is “looking for repeated words.” In verses 2-7, what word gives us the main point of this Psalm?
4. What is the beginning of wisdom?

Old Testament:
1 Chronicles 16- Let’s Talk
1 Chronicles 17- Not Now

Psalms 112:1
Praise the LORD!
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who delights greatly in His commandments.

The psalmist declares that the blessed life, or what we might call our best life, will stem from delighting in the commandments of God. The word delight means to be pleased with or even to celebrate or rejoice in. It might be illustrated with a child’s face as they see a stack of birthday gifts or an adult when they take the first bite of a favorite dessert. The word commandments is a broad word referring to the word of God but may specifically refer to the things He commands us to do or to avoid.

I find it interesting that the psalmist uses the word delight to describe his feelings about God’s commands since it is much more common to delight in His promises. When we are in a challenging season of life we often cling to the promises of God for hope and comfort. As I reflect over my life, even in recent days, I find myself clinging to promises of the love, power and faithfulness of God. In fact I would say that little that I have accomplished in life was done without clinging to His precious promises. My mornings usually begin seeking more from the grace of God and my days end resting in His abundant mercy. That said, the psalmist declares his delight, celebration or rejoicing was in the commands of God.

These commands are so important because they serve to keep us in line with the ways of God, out of sin and away from unnecessary suffering. Recently I had a conversation with a close friend who reflected back on a time in his life when he had drifted from the Lord. In his backslidden state he was considering making a major life decision that would have reeked havoc upon his family. In the midst of his struggles and although he was not currently walking in step with the Lord, the commands of God rung loudly in his memory. He found that if he was to make the decision he was considering he would have to do so by stepping over the warnings of the word and ignoring the voice of God. Fortunately, he not only obeyed the command but it became his first step toward restoring his relationship with the Lord and other relationships that had been broken as a result.

The commands of God are like that. They stand as road signs or speed bumps in our path to direct us away from danger and destruction and back in line with the ways and purposes of God. Often when I face conflict in a relationship I will have long debates with the individual with whom there is problem. Usually however these conversations take place in my mind with an imaginary opponent. I will build a case against them, convict them of wrong doing and even execute my swift judgment. When I finally settle down is when the Lord tends to confront me with His commands. A scripture will come to mind that will not allow me to think the way I am thinking or act the way I was planning. His word confronts my behavior and forces me to change. I wonder how much personal and relational suffering has been avoided by letting the commands of God redirect my life.

For that I agree with the psalmist and delight in the commands of God

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 112

1. In verse 1, “Blessed” means, “Oh, how happy.” Do you expect God’s blessings? Then we must revere Him and obey Him.
2. Notice in verse 4 when we are overtaken by darkness. How is the Lord described?
3. What is the Psalmist teaching us in verses 7-8?
4. In verse 10, what will infuriate the wicked when they see it?

Psalm 109:2
“My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.”

When I read the songs of David, I am fascinated with the level in which He knew the Lord. He expresses praise in a way that reveals the depths in which he understood the majesty of God. He speaks of mercy, grace and loving-kindness, not as one who studied it in a classroom, but as one who experienced it daily. This psalm reveals the level in which David understood the justice of God. If this Psalm seems harsh, it may be partly due to the limited understanding we have of God’s justice. We live in a world that finds it difficult to reconcile love, mercy and justice. We see it as unloving to punish an offender, yet we know it to be unjust to allow them to go free. It is common to project our limited understanding of righteousness on the Lord, only to then accuse Him of wrongdoing when He judges the ungodly. We must never forget, God is a holy and just God. When sin is committed it must be judged, God will bring justice upon those who have rebelled against Him, and mistreated His children. Ultimately, this judgment will be punitive and those who have rejected Christ will be separated from God.

CS Lewis put it like this, “God in the end really gives people what they want, including freedom from Himself. What could be more fair?”

But until then, the judgment of God is meant to draw people to Himself. God does not want the rebellious to continue in their sin, ignorant of how He feels about it. Instead, He desires all men everywhere to be saved.

Before we are too hard on David for the intensity of his prayer regarding the wicked, I think we have to visit where he had been. I am not talking about going through the kind of hardship that make us callous to others, but rather I am referring to the statement David makes in verse 24,

“My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.”

To be honest, I am humbled by these words. David describes the physical weakness he experienced as a result of the intensity in which he was seeking the Lord. His prayer for the wicked to be judged was not birthed out of their mistreatment of him, but rather out of his time spent seeking the Lord on their behalf. The best thing for those who are living in rebellion against God is to taste a little of His severity, if it will bring them to a place of repentance that they might avoid eternal judgment.

As you seek to understand this Psalm, take a few moments to pray for your loved ones who are still living apart from Christ. Pray that they would surrender all without having to go through any more of the severity of God.

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 109

1. David begins this psalm asking God to not be silent, to do something.  Read verses 1-5. What has happened that he is asking to “speak up” about?
2. Read verses 6-20.  David goes nuclear on his enemies.  Consider in particular, verses 16 and 17, and why his enemies deserved judgment.
3. Read Matthew 5:38-48.  Also look at Luke 23:33-35.  Is David’s heart representative here of New Testament teaching?  Although God will ultimately judge the unrepentant, His highest desire is to extend mercy and grace.
4. Although David’s heart is crying for justice for his enemies, he never takes that justice into his own hands.  Rather what is he doing in this psalm?
5. David was himself a sinner.  Yet he does not cry out for justice for himself.  Read verse 21-31.  What does David seek from the Lord for himself?  Pray that God helps you to love your enemies as you love yourself.

Old Testament:
Psalm 110- Footstool
1 Chronicles 14- Lesson Learned
1 Chronicles 15- The Proper Order

Psalm 107:1
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

The evolution of love is seen in the relationship between children and parents. An infant child cannot survive on his own and is completely dependent upon the mercy, grace and love of the parents. In a proper relationship the parents give time, energy, even sleep for the benefit of the child. As the relationship develops so does the love, it is not long before the parents begin to see the return in their investment. I can remember being so excited when my children began to smile and laugh, or when they would crawl across the room only to get up on my lap and snuggle. What a joy! Just this week I received messages from each of my boys expressing Father’s Day wishes in their own humorous ways. Our relationship has become one of an exchange of love. This Psalm is an illustration of that kind of love relationship with God. The Psalmist cries out with thankful praise as a response to what God has done for them. Paul used an interesting word for thanks when writing to Timothy, he said “Thanks be to God…” and the word he used was “karis” which is the word used to speak of God’s giving nature. Because of the grace we have received from the Lord, we give grace back to Him.

The Psalmist describes here that exchange of grace and thanksgiving.

He recalls the history of God’s people and reminds them of all that God has done for them. The list includes being redeemed, provided for, delivered, protected, forgiven, and comforted in the storms of life. Sprinkled throughout the Psalm is a continued exhortation;

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!”

Perhaps it would be of great value to our love relationship with the Lord if we took time to recall to mind all that God has done for us and respond in thankful praise.

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 107

1. This psalm is a meditation on how good it would be for people to give God the praise and thanksgiving that He truly deserves.  Consider verses 1-2, 8, 15, 21, and 31-32.  After each of these statements, the psalmist makes the case for why men should give love and worship to God.  Do you take time to consider the many ways that He is good?  Does genuine unforced praise come from your heart to God?
2. Look at verses 2-5.  What was the state of these people?  What did they do (verse 6)?  What did God do?
3. Look at verses 9-12.  What is the condition of the people described here?  Is this condition their fault?  What do they do (verse 13)?  What does God do?
4. Look at verses 16-18.  What distress is this group of people facing?  What do they do (verse 19)?  How does God respond?
5. Look at verses 23-27.  What are these people facing?  What do they do (verse 28)?  What does God do?  Check out Mark 4:36-41.  Although we may not be in a physical storm, our lives can be stormy in other ways.
6. Do you follow the pattern of this psalm?  When you are in trouble do you from your heart turn to the Lord?

Old Testament:
Psalm 108- Count On The Promises Of God
1 Chronicles 12- Heroes In Training
1 Chronicles 13– God’s Way

Psalms 105:19
“…The word of the Lord tested him.”

This psalm recounts the faithfulness of God during the days of the patriarchs. After mentioning Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Psalmist reminds us of the struggles Joseph faced after being sold into slavery by his own brothers. We know he experienced betrayal, beating, false accusations and imprisonment. Each trial he faced was a means by which the Word of God put him to the test.

We face similar experiences that put us to the test. When we face heartache, confusion, difficulty or disappointment, we are essentially being put to the test by the promises of God. We are left to decide if we will trust in the scattered array of emotions we face, or in the ever changing experiences of life, or in the unchanging promises of God. Down through the ages, saints have faced extremely difficult experiences. Some have allowed these to undo their faith and even sideline them from their Master’s service. Others have chosen to cling to the promises of God, allowing them to provide comfort and direction, as they continue following Christ. There is little question that we will face trials in life. It is important that we realize,  the promises of God can stand the test of trials. God will be faithful to His word, and His promises will carry you through till the end.

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 105

1. If you have a study Bible you will see that the first fifteen verses are also found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-22. What event was happening when this was being sung?
2. When God feels distant and far away from you, what does verses 4-5 command us to do? Now continue your search and go to the book of Hebrews chapter 11:6 and be encouraged, for you are rewarded.
3. In verses 16-22 the Psalmist recounts the story of Joseph. If you are going through something you don’t understand know that God is in control. Read Isaiah 54:17
4. In verses 26-45 God shows His purpose for saving the Israelites. He allowed them to witness these events so they would, “Observe His statutes and keep His laws.” All too often we please ourselves. We were made for His good pleasure. Are you honoring and pleasing the Lord? He gave us His Word for a reason- HIS PURPOSE!

Old Testament:
Psalm 106- Leanness Of Soul
1 Chronicles 10- Epitaphs
1 Chronicles 11- Coming Soon!

Psalm 103:11-13
“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.”

It is a common advertising strategy to attempt to sell an item by comparing it to something else. We might see a car commercial with a cheetah running, to convince us of the speed of the vehicle; or a flowing river, to reveal the thirst quenching power of a soft drink. David is, in a sense, attempting to sell us on the greatness of God. He knows the Lord and wants everyone to taste and see for themselves that the Lord is good. To do this he makes a series of comparisons, to convince us to trust in God.

First, he compares the mercy of God to the heavens. He says, if we could measure the universe, we could also measure God’s compassion. Astronomers speak of the size of the universe in terms of light years, which is the distance light travels in the course of 365.25 days. They estimate the universe to be over 14 billion light years across. The mercy of God is so vast it could never be exhausted. If you are willing to come to Him, He is willing to forgive you.

Second, he compares the removal of our sin to the distance between East and West. Since we live on a ball with a most northern and southern point, it is possible to travel north until you run out of north. Once you arrive at the North Pole, you must either stay there or go south. The opposite is true of east and west. If you decide to travel east, you can go east indefinitely, without ever having to go west. David is describing the complete removal of sin for those who receive the mercy, and thus the forgiveness, of God. Sin will never be brought up again, for all who trust in the cross of Christ.

Finally, David compares God to a father who has compassion on a child. This is a somewhat limited illustration, because we have already seen the vastness of His mercy, but David wants us to understand that God’s mercy is like that of a loving father. I recall when my youngest son was two and he broke his leg. I remember wishing I could take his pain and wear his cast. It was not a fleeting feeling, but a deep compassion. I truly pitied his condition and wanted to help. It is wonderful to know that God feels that way about us, and does not lack the ability to come to our aid.

Won’t you buy into David’s God? Take the step to trust Him with all your heart and life.

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 103

1. Verses 1-5 have the ingredients of a thankful heart yet we are so prone to forget what the Lord has done in our lives. Make a list of the benefits of walking with Him.
2. Read verse 10 and imagine if the Lord dealt with us according to our sins. Then read verse 8 and REJOICE, AMEN!
3. How far has He removed our transgressions?
4. For those who fear Him….His mercy is….?
5. In verses 20-22 David has everybody and everything praising God; from angels to all of creation. Ask yourself these questions: Do I fear the Lord? Am I obeying His commands and doing His will? Does my life praise the Lord?

Old Testament:
Psalm 104- Majesty Of God
1 Chronicles 4:9-10- A Fresh Start

Psalm 101:3
“I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.”

One of the saddest experiences in life is to see a close friend fall away from the Lord. From the outside, the process often looks the same. A person, who once walked closely with the Lord and was involved in Christian service, begins to drift ever so slightly. First, their conversation changes. Instead of talking about the Lord, sharing from their times of Bible reading or service, they begin to talk only of the waves and the weather. Next, we begin to see them a little less frequently around the church. In some cases, only the responsibility of a service commitment keeps them coming; until finally they step down from their responsibility, and seem to vanish. Sometimes, it will take weeks or even months before we realize what has happened, and by that time, they have cut ties from most of their Christian friends, and are back involved in the things of the world.

This experience is not limited to modern times. The Psalmist saw it happen in his day, and as a result declares, “I hate the work of those who fall away.” He also gives a little insight into what those works are when he states, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.”

It has been said, the eye is the window into the soul. That phrase has always seemed a bit eerie to me, perhaps because I have misunderstood the truth about the eyes of man. It is not as though a person can look into your eyes and see the inner man, but information enters our mind through the eye gate, which in turn, feeds the soul. Paul spoke about the flesh and the spirit being in a daily battle with one another (Galatians 5:17). We all know there are times when we have lost the battle to the flesh, and times when we have been victorious and remained faithful to the Lord, in the midst of temptation.

The secret to success in the battle against the flesh is training. As in any fight, the one who is stronger and more prepared, is the one who will be victorious. If we want to live well-pleasing to the Lord, we must use our eyes to look away from the things that will lead us to stumble, and onto the things that will help us to grow. Jesus put it like this, “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness” (Luke 11:34).

My wife and I were walking the streets of Paris when I saw a chocolate croissant in the window of a bakery. It looked amazing! However, we were on our way to dinner, so stopping was out of the question, but I could not get it out of my head. You know, first thing the next morning, I was in a bakery ordering a croissant. If you are struggling with a particular sin, the solution may be as simple as removing the things that you are looking at, that are feeding that sinful desire. Magazines, movies, internet searches, should all be removed, as you seek the Lord for victory in your life. Let’s take the example of the Psalmist to heart, who decreed, “It shall not cling to me.”

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 101

1. This is a Psalm of “wills” and “shalls.” There are 9 “wills” and 5 “shalls.” David is setting down standards that he wants to follow. If you travel back to 1 Kings 2:1-4, you will read David charging his son Solomon to live by God’s standards. Jesus said if you love me, obey my commandments. Are you?
2. The word “perfect” in verse 2 translates “blameless.” In verse 2: What does David need to live a blameless life?
3. The Bible says that (evil) “bad company corrupts good character (habits)” 1Corinthians 15:13. In verse 6 David is keeping his eye on the faithful. Are you surrounding yourself with Godly people to help you grow?

Old Testament:
Psalm 102- Prayer of the Broken
2 Kings 25- Besieged

Psalms 99:8
“You answered them, O Lord our God;
You were to them God-Who-Forgives,
Though You took vengeance on their deeds.”

The Psalmist writes regarding the forgiveness of God and the fact that He will mete out vengeance on certain actions. These concepts often seem contrary to one another. We associate forgiveness with the removal of any and all consequences, but God does not see it that way. Abraham was forgiven for his sin with Hagar, but Ishmael was still born. Samson was forgiven for his sin, but the pillars still fell upon him. David was forgiven of adultery, but Bathsheba’s child still died. Peter was forgiven for denying Christ, but still had to live with the image of Christ’s gaze and the memory of the rooster’s cry.

Calling upon God to forgive will remove the judicial penalty for sin; you will no longer be held accountable before God for your actions. This forgiveness will also remove any barriers that are keeping you from experiencing the presence of God, but this does not mean there will be no consequences for your actions. When a husband cheats on his wife, he can be forgiven, but the damage has been done to his family, and it may take years before his wife will ever truly trust him again. When a person steals from their place of business, they can be forgiven, but may lose their job and even face jail time. We must never think that forgiveness means there will not be consequences, for they are often the reason we should truly fear sin and what it will do to our lives.

If you are close to crossing a line, be sure to realize you cannot take it back, and may suffer the consequences of that decision for as long as you are alive.

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 99

1. The last several psalms have been psalms of praise that exalt God to His rightful position.  In verse 1-4 what are some of the attributes of God that deserve praise?
2. In verse 5, we see our rightful position before God.  The word for “worship” in the Hebrew means to “bow down”.  It is our natural tendency to want to be the boss and to do things our way.  Read Revelation 15:4. Notice how when we take time to consider who God really is, it becomes easier to see who we are and to take our rightful place at His feet.
3. Note verse 8.  When we have sinned there are consequences.  Yet, God in His mercy forgives.  Sometimes the consequences of sin are so difficult that our only comfort is that God has forgiven us and still loves us.  What has God forgiven you of?  Thank Him for it!

Old Testament:
Psalm 100- You Should Know Better
2 Kings 23- Covenant
2 Kings 24- Survival 

 

Psalm 97:10
“You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.”

I find it striking that the Psalmist declares that hate is a necessary expression of true love. He explains that part of being in a healthy love relationship with Jesus is having a hatred for evil. Why is it necessary to hate evil? Why should we hate evil? I can think of at least three pretty strong reasons.

First, we should hate evil because of what evil does to creation. When sin entered the world, death entered and all of creation began to be in a state of decay. We observe this daily. People age and die, things deteriorate and break, everything goes from a state of useful to useless. Paul explains that creation itself even groans to be redeemed. If we could discern the voice of nature we would hear it crying out for redemption.

Second, we should hate evil because of what it does to us. Evil or sin separates man from God placing all humanity under its curse and penalty. Sin has devastated families, wreaked havoc on relationships, fueled racial prejudices, started wars, and will ultimately damn those who reject Christ to eternal separation from God. Even after we are redeemed, sin is like a cancer that eats away at the spiritual life of the believer. When we allow sin to reign in our mortal bodies, it creates distance between us and God, causing us to miss out on experiencing abundant life, for which he died. Instead of life, love, joy,  peace, we find ourselves living under the weight of guilt and fear, suffering the consequences of our personal failures.

Finally, we must hate evil because of what it has done to God. His holiness demands that sinners are separated from Him, but His love drives Him to restore our broken fellowship. The only currency valuable enough to pay the cost for the human soul is the blood of God. It was because of sin that the blood of God was shed. We have all felt the weight of individual sin. We know the guilt and pain that we have been under, as a result of one sinful action. On the cross, Jesus bore the weight of every sin that every man has or will ever commit. The darkness of that day aptly illustrate the severe suffering that Christ endured as He cried out, “My God why have You forsaken Me?” It seems to me, the proper response for the child of God is to hate evil. It has been my experience that we avoid what we hate. A true hatred of evil will cause us to avoid sin, rather than living as close to it as possible. Will you join me in praying that we would have a healthy hatred of sin, and avoid it at all costs?

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 97

1. Verse 1 tells us that the Lord reigns, and for all the earth to rejoice.  Read verse 2.  Why is it good news that God is the ultimate ruler of everything?
2. Read verses 3-7 detail God’s dealings with those who are His enemies and who worship other gods.  The reality of God’s might and power is not at first evident to His enemies, but it will ultimately become evident to all.  Do you find yourself losing sight of this reality?
3. In verse 9 we read of the ultimate rightful place of God, high above all of His created order in every way.  It is easy for us to worship (give our time, love or energy to) things that God has made because we can see them and we can touch them.  It is good for us to be reminded in His word of  Are there any things in your life that you are loving more than God?
4. In verse 10-12 we read that if we love God that we need to hate  According to these verses, what are some of the benefits that come from loving God and hating evil?

Old Testament:
2 Kings 21- Pay Attention
2 Kings 22- You Know That’s Right

Psalm 98:9
“For He is coming to judge the earth.
With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity.

The Bible is filled with wonderful promises designed to comfort and guide the believer through the pitfalls of life. One such promise is recorded here. The psalmist declares that the day is coming when the world will be judged in righteousness.

This promise should comfort us when we are wronged or hear of injustice running rampant. We can be confident when He comes He will make all things right. I find it interesting that this seems to be the cry of every human heart. We have all heard children, parents, employees, and citizens cry out, “It’s not fair.” Even those who do not choose to follow Christ will refer to Karma, the thought that the universe has a way of making things right. While karma is certainly not a Biblical doctrine it does reflect the cry of man for the justice Christ will bring when He returns.

This promise should affect our behavior. If we realize we will one day give an account for our actions, our behaviors will begin to change. Sometimes it is only the threat of the consequences that motivate us to do the right things. I find this to be true when it comes to driving. If there was no threat of a ticket I am sure my speed on the highway would increase dramatically. When it comes to our family life and our private time one of the great motivators is to keep in mind that one day Christ will return to judge in righteousness.

There is both a positive and a negative side to this truth. Negatively it deals with the fact that we must give an account for what we have done wrong. Fortunately a remedy has been provided in the cross. Our guilt can be removed by trusting in the work of Christ. When we accept His provision for our sin we no longer have to bear it ourselves. Positively the truth of Christ coming to judge in righteousness reminds us that the things we do in secret for the kingdom will not be forgotten.

Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 98

1. This psalm is a song of praise, rejoicing that Jesus is King and that He is returning to rule the earth.  In the first three verses, what are some of the things that the psalmist declares that God has done?
2. Read over the entire Psalm.  List some of the different ways that the psalm exhorts us to praise God.  Are these the only ways?
3. Many times in this psalm the psalmist reminds us that joyshould accompany our song and praise.  No matter what we are going through or what bad things are happening in the world, nothing will stop God from being good, and nothing will stop Him from returning to make things right.  Are your praises joyful?  Whether they are or are not, take time to dwell on the goodness of God, and the certainty of our Good King’s return.