Erling Thu

Month: April 2020

  • Eit åndeleg sunt og godt hjarte

    Salme 119,80 Lat meg følgja dine forskrifter med heilt hjarte så eg ikkje blir til skamme.

    David avsluttar denne bolken, der alle versa startar med den hebraiske bokstaven jod, med ei inderleg bønn om nåde til å vera heilhjarta. Han har opplevd motgang og krenkingar. Han har sett at til og med gudfryktige folk kan låna øyret sitt til falske rykte. Han veit at menneske er svake og skrøpelege av naturen. Han kjenner seg sjølv altfor godt til å vera hovmodig og tru at han kan greia seg i eiga kraft.

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  • What to do when people are plotting against you?

     Psalm 119.23 Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes.

    It is a fantastic attitude David express in what he says here. He shows us who has the highest priority with him. When the officers and leaders sit and talk negatively about him, it is not important for him to defend himself. What is important to him is to give the Word the right place in his mind.

    David is not in an easy situation when he writes this verse. The chieftains are sitting and conspiring against him. Important leaders sit together and talk negatively about him. The princes are plotting against him. He faces great adversity and a lot of negativity. In the former verse he met  scorn and contempt, but now it is even worse. He is opposed by great men, chiefs, powerful officers and princes.

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  • Take away from me scorn and contempt

    Psalm 119:22 Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies.

    David asks for grace to be saved from ridicule and contempt. He obviously doesn't like to be looked down upon. He wants, as we all do, to be respected for who he is and for what he believes in. He knows of bitter experience, that it is not always so.

    We can face scorn and contempt for at least two reasons. Atheists or people who hate God will despise those who believe in God. When we are God's friends, the world quickly becomes our enemy. When we love God and His words, we must expect to be mocked and ridiculed in various ways. We can carry this mockery with a raised head, for it is really directed at God. Then it is an honour for us to suffer for his name.

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  • Kven vil vi ha som venner?

    Salme 119,79 Lat dei som fryktar deg, koma tilbake, lat dei som kjenner dine lovbod, koma til meg.

    Det er ei djup smerte i denne bønna. Det kan verka som om løgnene og dei falske rykta, har fått nokre av dei gudfryktige vennene hans til å trekkja seg tilbake frå han. Dette er noko av det verste som kan skje når vi blir utsette for krenkingar og løgner. Eg opplevde dette for mange år tilbake, så eg kjenner meg att i denne bønna. Eit grunnlaust rykte om noko eg skulle ha sagt fekk store konsekvensar. Eg følte at heile verda ramla saman for meg. Eg mista stillinga mi og vart degradert på arbeidsplassen. Mange av vennene mine heldt seg borte. Dei visste ikkje kva dei skulle tru. Det var djupt sårande å oppleva at venner trudde meir på lause rykte enn på meg.

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  • God’s displeasure rests with those who think they know everything

    Psalm 119:21 You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments. 

    Earlier in this Psalm we have seen that the psalmist has an humble and teaCHable attitude. He longs for God and wants to gain insight into his commandments that he can live according to God's will. He is filled with joyful confidence in the Word of God. He bows to the judgments of the Lord and will obey his precepts. He is meditating on the blessings of obeying the law of the Lord.

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  • Den beste måten å møta krenkingar på

    Salme 119,78 Lat dei frekke bli til skamme, dei som krenkjer meg med løgn. Eg grundar på dine påbod (6490).

    David stod i en konstant kamp mot hovmodige og frekke folk. Dei krenkte han med løgn og falske rykte. Dette var gudlause syndarar som motarbeidde han fordi han var gudfryktig. Dei tilla han ureine motiv han ikkje hadde. Dei mistolka alt han gjorde. Dei vrei og vrengde på alt han sa. Påstandane deira var grunnlause, men det var ei stor påkjenning for den gudfryktige mannen å bli utsett for desse åtaka veke etter veke.

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  • Consumed by irresistible longings and holy cravings

    Psalm 119,20 My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.

    That's a strong word David uses when he says, "I am consumed day and night!" "My soul is broken!" (NB). He is eaten up on the inside. He is crushed. He loses his powers. He feels like hs is perishing. It is not external adversity or difficulties in life that stifle his strength and powers, it is his own length.

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  • Elsk meg ømt, så eg kan koma vidare!

    Salme 119,77 Lat din kjærleik koma til meg, så eg kan leva, for eg frydar meg over di lov (Strong 8451).

    Det er ei nydeleg bønn David ber i dette verset. Faktisk ber han mange inderlege bønner i denne salmen. Desse bønnene gjer oss innsikt i hans gudfryktige sinnelag og karakter. I seg sjølv har bønnene hans mykje å læra oss.

    Lat din kjærleik koma til meg, så eg kan leva! For ei bønn. Hans høgste ønske er å leva i Guds kjærleik. Han ber ikkje om mental kunnskap om at han er elska av Gud. Nei, det er ikkje godt nok for han å vita med tankane sine at Gud elskar han. Lat kjærleiken koma til meg, slik at eg blir levande. Lat meg få kjenna at kjærleiken fornyar meg. Lat meg få oppleva at din kjærleik overveldar meg og omfamnar meg. Eg kan berre leva når eg kjenner at eg er elska av deg.

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  • I am a stranger in this world

    Psalm 119.19 I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me! 

    David starts this verse by putting words on who he is. He is a guest on earth. He is a pilgrim. He is a sojourner. He doesn't have his home here. He belongs to another city and is on his way home. So are we. It is the same position we are in, whatever status we have, or how well we succeed in life, we will always feel like alien on earth. We do not have our lasting home in this world, for our eternal and permanent abode lies in the coming age. When the earth is recreated and everything in heaven and on earth have been brought together into one under the dominion of Jesus Christ, then we will no longer be alienated.

    It is the secular culture and prevailing philosophies that make Christians feel alienated in the world. What is politically correct in our time is often on a collision course with what is right, true and good for us who hold on to the Bible as God's Word.

    It is this feeling of not belonging, feeling of being a stranger, feeling of being an outsider on earth that makes us cry out to God: "Do not hide your commandments from us!" We are being squeezed on all corners, but have our footing in the revelation of the word of God. We need to live in revelation. We need new light in the Word every single day. We need the safe feeling of being led by God's commandments. We need a constant reminder of the promises associated with living in accordance with the law of the Lord. We must find comfort and joy in the Word of God.

    As an alien on earth, we need open communication with our right home. As pilgrims and friends of God, we need to hear the living words that come out of the mouth of God. The Bible is God's letter of love to us. We pray that we always may hear the glorious voice of our dear bridegroom through what we read in the Bible.

    “My life on earth is so brief, so tutor me in the ways of your wisdom.” (TPT)

  • Ver varmhjarta mot meg!

    Salme 119,76 Lat di miskunn vera mi trøyst slik du har sagt til din tenar!

    David har vedkjent at Gud er rettferdig i alt han gjer. Han har sagt at Gud er trufast når han audmjuker oss og let oss møta mange plagar. No er det tid til audmjuk og inderleg bønn: Lat di miskunn vera mi trøyst! Legg merke til at han ber om miskunn. Han ber om nåde. Han ber om at Gud må vera varmhjarta mot han. Han har ikkje fortent det. Difor påkallar han Guds godhjarta kjærleik og trufaste nåde.

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