TGFABT – Psalm 2

Psalm 2: (Link to Biblegateway)

Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. (v11)

Serve -Bond-servant, keep in bondage

There is rejoicing in service and submission to God.  It goes against the way of world.

Submit control to God

Kiss was an act of subjugation or being under control

Submit to the God in humility and affection

Take refuge in Him (v13)

Blessed are all, they that put their trust in Him. (KJV)

Those who defy God are broken, but those who depend on Him are blessed.
~David Guzik

Will I choose to be broken or blessed?

Truth

I want to be depender not a defier.

Word Study

In verse 1, David reprimands the people for conspiring against God.  In our word study today, I wanted to dig into the word conspire and ask a tough question.

Conspire– the Hebrew word is Ragash (raw-gash).  It means:

  • to be in a tumult (a general outbreak, riot, uprising, or other disorder) or commotion
  • to conspire, plot

David accused the people of having this kind of heart and attitude toward God.  I had to ask myself:

Do I conspire against God in my heart and attitude?

That is something to think about.

Thankful

Today is Thankful Thursday.  It is your day to proclaim, testify, and rejoice in something that you are thankful for.  Shout it loud so the rafters of Heaven rattle.  I will start:  my husband has a job that provides healthcare so I was able to go to the doctor for my physical this week and pay only a co-pay.

Faith Stretching/Strengthening

Where is God stretching your faith?  Me?  He is stretching my faith as we wait for the load approval on our new house and the sell of our current home.  I recite truth ALL day long.

43 Comments

  1. I am so glad to be able to continue this study into Psalm 2. When we talk about serving the Lord the one scripture that comes to mind for me is Joshua 24:15. “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Have a wonderful day.

  2. I so enjoyed reading Psalm 1 each day last week and am looking forward to Psalm 2.

    1. It really is neat to go through one Psalm at a time and linger. And it is especially awesome to share thoughts with all of you!

  3. I love how Wendy really breaks down the end of the Psalm word by word to help us really understand the depth of it and how it relates to us. During my first reading, I was wondering how this applied to me, but as I listened to the video and re read, it made more sense. So funny, girls, this is the THIRD time this week that the sinful woman in Luke 7 has come up for me: at a women’s conference Saturday, Sunday school on Sunday and now today in Wendy’s video! Think God is trying to tell me something??? We are to fully submit our will to him and do it not just with reverence and respect but LOVINGLY…the repetitive message to me is worship through word and through lifestyle…not just know God but LOVE HIm. Wow!!! How is God speaking to you through the study?

    1. That is so true, Nancy. It is not enough for me to simply serve him with reverence and respect, but I must show him my affections! Just like I show those I love my affections.

  4. Wow Nancy! I loved that she brought he up too! I love that image of her in her full submission to Him cleansing his feet. Wonderful. Todays passage really puts into perspective my submission vs my free will. I really liked the mention of how we need to keep in bondage to the lord. Not just serve when convenient, but to live the way He wants us to live all the time. To submit our minds and bodies to him. Not just when convenient, but unconditionally. I want to stay in Gods favor, but it is very difficult to keep that everyday with our humanly, sinful nature. I often look at my day and see how easy it was to mess up. I’m so glad that He has that unconditional love for us that we can try again and submit to Him and all we have done is forgiven. Easy as that. What a generous and loving God we serve.

      1. Stephanie,
        I love your reminder of God’s unconditional love for us and how gracious and long suffering He is with us! God’s grace is even displayed in this Psalm as he offers at the end of the Psalm an opportunity to choose HIm and HIs blessing.

  5. I am loving this study so far! I am really enjoying Wendy’s verse by verse approach to studying Psalms. God’s word has so much truth and by focusing on each verse and applying it to my life, I am assured that I am not missing any of God’s truth in my life! Something that really hit me tonight in the video is one of her last statements where she reads the quote from David Guzik about being broken or blessed. “Will I CHOOSE to be broken or blessed?” I have a choice everyday to either defy or depend on God. I can not blame my poor attitude or my frustrations on my circumstances, I must choose to depend on God so that I am blessed and happy!

  6. I was just able to do the video this morning. Got up early and just enjoyed this silent time with Wendy and my Bible. I’m loving how she breaks everything down so it is easy for me to understand because so many times I wonder, ‘what does that really mean in my life.’ Like Tara, I loved the quote from David Guzik. We are in a situation at work where it would be so easy to defy God but I wrote this down to put on my computer so all day long as I look at the screen I will remember to depend on God when sometimes it is so easy to forget and to defy Him. I also loved when Wendy said in vs. 12 – submit to God out of affection. I don’t think we usually think of submitting to God as being affectionate. This Psalm study is really talking to me – loving it so far!! God Bless you all this week and have a great study week girls.

    1. Jackie,
      I love that you have made a written reminder to keep this message in front of you this week! Keep looking for that idea of submitting to God out of affection….I wonder if this might become a repetitive message for us as we do the study. I am glad that idea of affection stood out to you! : )

  7. Loved waking up to your comments this morning girls! Yep…that whole loving God …affectionately and intimately is for sure a truth for us this week. At the Authentic Intimacy women’s conference some of us went to Saturday, we learned about not only what authetic intimacy means in our marriages but what it means in our relationship with God. He wants our affection and our intimacy. Again, like several of you put so eloquently… that idea of loving Him not just knowing Him is what He is looking for. As I did the e-book study of Psalm 2 today, wendy challenges us to put Luke 6: 27-28 to practice. Knowing that Scripture and trying hard enough to do it or willing ourselves to do that is not enough…but if we start with the foundation of LOVING the Father –not just knowing Him-but LOVING Him, that love helps us to do what is being described in Luke 6. Not sure how to really love HIm? Ask Him to show you. That is my prayer this week.

  8. WOW, reading this today is a struggle I have each time a family situation comes up. Those in my family are hard to love sometimes but God keeps teaching me to do it with LOVE and I will be the first to admit that there are times when I want to throw my hands up and just walk away, but I really stop and THINK first what would Jesus do?

  9. My truth statement for today is that it can be very hard to love and forgive someone who has hurt us, but really the only one who suffers from the anger is us.

  10. I loved this verse and Wendy’s teaching. I know, when I trust God and surrender to his will, it makes me happy. Thinking about the woman washing Jesus’s feet so lovingly, almost makes me think of how I will feel the the day I get to meet Jesus.

  11. Today I read Psalm 2 in The Message and the scripture became so much more powerful to me! The last phrase of Psalm 2 in The Message says “But if you make a run for God—you won’t regret it!” I picture myself running into the loving arms of my Savior and never, ever looking back. I want to live like that everyday! I loved the e-book study today, especially the part about nothing (even loving and praying for those against me). My truth for today is that is not enough to “tolerate” those around me who I don’t particularly like all the time, I need to pray for them and show them the same love I show anyone else. Everything is possible if I believe!

  12. Good morning fellow learners! I am amazed at how the words that were written so long ago still apply today!
    Fortunately for me in the times I am currently living, I do not feel the hurt, frustration, or anger of someone who has done me wrong. However I remember vividly, times in my life when I was faced with these actions.
    Is it too late to pray for those? (Even if they have passed) I think not.
    In conversations with people over the years these hurtful moments come up and I have shared my thoughts and feelings about them, but never did I think to share with God ( He already knew). But I am learning that I should have to help me heal.

  13. If I had been aware of God’s armor then i would have been able to deal with the situations better. Hindsight

  14. I totally agree on the loving part, sometimes I just don’t want to, but I know when I love, this is better for me and helps me see the other side of something that I necessarily don’t want to, and the part about taking refuge in him. I just need to let myself rest on that and not thing I have to work it all out either. Enjoying reading our comments and for sure Wendy is very easy to listen and relate to.

  15. When I think of the word Conspire, I don’ t want to think that I do this, I for sure need to look at what that means to me, how do I conspire against God, this is NOT something I want to think that I do, but, the truth is I do, I need to reflect on how I am doing this and why I guess and ask God to show me.

    1. I agree…pretty harsh , huh? I looked up the word conspire: act together, work together, combine, unite, join forces; informal gang up.
      You can conspire with someone, meaning you team up with another person to plot against someone else, or you can conspire against someone. This means you devise a scheme to do that person harm.

  16. I loved verses10-12 in the Message version of Psalm 2: Worship God in adoring embrace. Another reminder of this intimate, affectionate relationship we are to have with God.

  17. I must admit that it is hard for me to see myself as “conspiring” against God. I agree, Nancy, it is such a harsh word. Makes me kind of cringe. To get a little better understanding of the original Hebrew word, I looked it up in a Bible Dictionary. This definition really made me stop and think….”Ragash = turbulent; violent; as, a tumultuous speech”. How many times am I guilty of saying something harsh against someone, even if just in my mind. I guess I am more guilty of conspiring than I think I am….good thing God gives us grace and mercy! Where would I be without that!

  18. Thankful Thursday. At times I have to peel back the negative layers when I am feeling overwhelmed and put on my ARMOUR of GOD and know that I can be thankful for all that God has provided me with. There are days when I am short with people I love and I am better at saying I am sorry and loving them in their own paths. I am thankful for Wendy’s study and studying with ladies I cannot see each day but I can converse with online and enjoy their insights into the WORD. God provided us with old and new ways to study HIS WORD. So much to be thankful for. HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYONE!

  19. Thankful that God’s Word is new and fresh every time we come back to it. I’ve done this Psalm study by myself before but am seeing fresh new insights this time!!!! Love that God meets us right where we are!

  20. I have been dealing with a lot of stress at work lately. I haven’t been looking at it in a positive light because I’ve (*selfishly*) been inconvenienced. I need to step back and be thankful that I’m physically able to go to work in a fabulous environment, I’m able to work with other Christians whom make me a better person, and that I’m able to better provide for my family because of the added income. I am glad to have this setback to show me to appreciate my workplace.

    1. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this Stephanie!!!!!! Very cool to see you using God’s word to reflect and change your thoughts….isn’t His Word powerful?!!! Thanks so much for sharing this. It is so easy for us to focus on the negative. You have purposed to find the blessing. And you will be blessed (HAPPY!).

    2. Stephanie – I am also dealing with a lot of stress at work with some coworkers having their own agenda, but I am so thankful that we are getting a totally new, younger administration that is willing to deal with the situation at hand.
      I continue to pray daily for better work environment and more fairness in our organization and this study is really helping me take a step back and really look at my contribution in all of this. I realize that I just need to keep my own thoughts pure and delight in those I know share my same relationship with the Lord.
      Even thought it is sometimes hard, I think just having that relationship with God and christian friends I am so much happier and can deal with any stressful situation that comes my way. I just have to keep my eye on the prize (Jesus).

  21. I am thankful today for the promise of Spring. It reminds me that God is always here to provide us with his strength and love and his promise of beauty in the coming days. We need to appreciate and not question his will for our tomorrows.

  22. As I was driving to work this morning, I was thanking God for the MANY blessings in my life. However on this particular morning, I was feeling OVERWHELMINGLY BLESSED as I thought about how thankful I am for my family. My dearly loved brother from Charlotte, NC arrived last night with my niece to spend the weekend with us. We all gathered around the dinner table talking and laughing for hours. My parents have been divorced since I was about 18, but they have maintained a friendship over the years, so they were both present, along with my son, Mario. My other brother who lives in New Jersey, although not here, came to mind this morning also. He has been battling an alcohol addiction and is doing AMAZING, praise God! For all of these people, I feel in awe and I can’t even articulate my gratefulness I feel for my FAMILY!

    1. Love that Des! Important to cherish and make memories with those you love! Life is short! : ) So happy you all have this time to spend together. May it be a rich and deep time for all of you filled with blessings!

  23. I am thankful today for the Lord’s promise to never leave me. I never have to fear my future because he is always with me and has a beautiful plan for me. I struggle with worry (let’s face it – most women do!) and I am so thankful for God’s Word to remind me that I can overcome opposition (even the sin of worry) with the armor of God. For me, I need to work on my “Shield of Faith”. Lord, help me grow my faith in you!

  24. Thankful Thursday! I just returned from a benefit dinner to help support a group of men in Alliance and Canton that are reaching out to help other men that are experiencing rough times. Men that are giving of their time and talents to help the less fortunate. We are so blessed to have so many role models that are making a difference in our community.

  25. Through this study God is stretching me to go deeper in my relationship with him through worship…loving Him, not just knowing Him. I am asking HIm to help me do that. And Wendy’s study in the e-book really helped me to see the armor of God Scripture in a new way. Often times it is not that I don’t put on the armor, it is that I put on the wrong armor. I love how she describes that and gives examples like wrong thinking, anger, revenge, resentment. I could add pride, selfishness, criticism, attitude, etc etc etc. So God is stretching me to not only put on the right armor but to reflect and identify the wrong armor.
    This has been a great week of study. Love all of your comments ladies. Our discussion helps to deepen our understanding of the Psalms. Have a blessed weekend and may God continue to STETCH you!

  26. Since I missed posting yesterday…I am extremely thankful for God to give me the strength and courage to fight my battle with food! I am so happy to say that I have now lost 90 some pounds! I only have 10 more to go to actually not be considered “obese” (according to insurance standards).

    God is stretching my faith daily by knowing that I have his Armor to protect me and give me the courage to face my personal battles.

    Enjoy this day to its fullest. Go forth and show others Gods love!

    1. Kim,
      That is so awesome! Continue to put on that armor and fight the battle in HIS strength!

  27. I am appreciating the insight in this study and it does help keep me focused on studying the Word. If I am not focused on a study I tend to not dig deep enough. I am learning when to say what is on my mind and when not to do so. Sometimes I have to put on the right armor as Nancy stated above. I sometimes put on my resentment armor however, this study is helping me to step back and change to the correct one more quickly.

    Enjoy the weekend my friends!

  28. God has been stretching my faith recently in trusting in His will and plan for my life. Sometimes when I don’t see it on a “billboard” right in front of my face, I can forget that His plan is perfect and He will reveal it to me in His time. I want to grow everyday in this!

  29. Dear Wendy and sisters,
    It is so good to study the word together once again.

    Psalm 2 tells to Recognize God as the Sovereign, the Creator, the Owner and designer of this world.

    The world Rebels against authority, against God as supremacy.
    No wonder God laughs!
    Then there is a guide for reflection, to change attitude:
    -Be wise
    – Serve the Lord with respect, and joy
    – Submite your control.
    – Bless, Happy is the one Who trust in God.

    Romans 12 , the first few verses are the ones which are the Key for change of Heart. Only the Holy Spirit and The Study of his word change us from inside out.
    Thank you , Dad for this great opportunity.
    God bless you all.
    “Renewing of the mind”.

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