When we ask of the Lord cooly, and not fervently, we do as it were, stop His hand, and restrain Him from giving us the very blessing we “pretend” that we are seeking.
- C. H. Spurgeon
Psalms in the Night…
With so many wonderful Biblical promises and powerful examples of God's interaction with mankind, see Psalms of Delight, Psalms in the Night are a way of exploring and sharing some of the difficult and challenging thoughts, feelings and experiences God's people encounter while endeavoring to fully enjoy His presence and power, protection and provision. In ever more genuine and meaningful ways. For themselves and their children, family and friends.
Psalms in the Night are written in concert with Psalms of Delight. Both series contain Modern Psalms meant to comfort and inspire those seeking the Omni-God revealed in Scripture.
Off-line Summary
Psalms in the Night by Robert R. Pennington
“Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.” We all know somethings wrong. On the one hand, the apparent silence and distance of God so permeates earthly existence that nearly half the planet has completely written off dealing with God while the modern Christian “believer” prays and studies Scripture so little as to practically be an agnostic.
On the other, hundreds of millions of serious Christians can attest to feeling and living out some level of connection to the God of the Bible. Might there be an obvious yet overlooked answer to this greatest of all riddles?
Christians have one of two choices. With society, if not modern Christianity spiritually splintering, we can act as if all is well or rise to the occasion. There are many ways to do the former. We can turn a blind eye. We can blend in. We can acquiesce by re-interpreting Scripture. We can sing a little louder. Attend church religiously. Fellowship frequently. Subscribe to cable.
The latter is more complicated. How do you resist a tsunami? As previously stated, the 1960’s sexual revolution literally inverted morality, creating a Waterworld of temptation and sin permeating modern society. Two thirds of the planet’s written off the God of the Bible, while the average modern Christian prays and studies Scripture so little as to qualify as a practical agnostic.
Equally troubling, myriads of dedicated Christians secretly attest to feeling alienated from their Creator and Savior. Our prayers continually go unanswered. Our loved one’s remain unsaved. Healing the sick seems a myth. Gifts of the Spirit are a rarity. Churchianity grows irrelevant. Leaders fall into sin. Judgment’s imminent. All the above are signs of the times. Yet, while painting a bleak picture, even dire circumstances present a quantum opportunity.
Unfortunately, almost all of us are stymied by a spiritual impasse of one kind or another. While innumerable changed lives testify to the power of the gospel to rescue some of it’s followers from obvious sins, modern Christianity, as a whole, is caught in a riptide of more subtle misbehavior. Millions of sincere believers live far more sanctified lives that our secular counterparts. Nonetheless, might our waterlogged lifestyles be shorting out the Kingdom’s more miraculous and transformational power? When it comes to anything approximating Christianity’s full potential, it appears we’re off-line.
Off-line
Modern Psalm in the Night 24
Good morning again Lord God Almighty. I ask You to forgive my sins, the sin of my wife Cathy. My son Derek Judah and his wife Melissa Krystine. My grandkids Maddie “Charis,” Beckett “Teras” and “Zoey” Piper. My daughter Bethany Telah and her husband Alex, Tasha and Tori as well as any descendants I might have physically and spiritually. My mother’s family. My brother Jamie and his wife Sherry. My nephew Jake and nieces Shelby and Daley.
I ask You to forgive our sins of omission and commission, often willful and repeated. A myriad of them unknown to us. Vices extolled as virtues. Virtues suppressed by vices. Condemning to idol words. Debts owed to You and others. Please continue to deliver and protect from every evil thing and danger. From sin and self, Satan and the spirit of the Antichrist, to accidents and incidents, illnesses and injuries, by the blood of Jesus Christ, may there be “no ill effects.”
I’m writing this modern Psalm in the Night about an hour before sunrise, New Years day 2015. I awoke this morning as most, critically concerned over unanswered prayer and it’s deep and dreadful impact on all I know and love. Freely admitting what so few will, it’s clear we’re on a spiritual downward cycle in a decaying orbit. Certain to skip off or burn up in eternity’s atmosphere, unless we and our present trajectory are radically changed. With so much going on below the surface of our reality, it’s as if our societal magnetic poles have imperceptibly yet dramatically shifted. If not reversed.
You’ve granted scientifically stunning and astounding technological breakthroughs. Yet such blessings are continually taken for granted. Morality’s been inverted in a generation to two, entrenching immorality as an inalienable right. Me-ism's becoming the default religion across the board. In response, modern Christianity is apathetic and worse, seriously praying and studying, understanding and obeying the Bible less and less in the failing light.
Who can fully fathom Your love and costly atonement, mercy and promised gifts of Your Spirit. Still, we seem unable or unwilling to rightly and rigorously “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
For all our accomplishments mankind’s in way over our head. Demonic strategies have knocked Churchianity off-line. Prayer is broken. Mainstream Christianity been alienated from the power and demonstration of Your Spirit. Is seems impossible, but almost to a man, 2.5 billion believers appear to lack even a tiny mustard seed of pure faith.
While thankful for the Bible, might we have misunderstood its primary purpose? To vitally connect us with Emmanuel, God with us, and the Holy Spirit, God in us? Clearly those who study and obey it’s directives have been promised hope “in this life and in the life to come.” And not just hope, but according to Paul’s glorious prayer in Ephesians, experience “that passes knowledge.” To the point of being “filled with all the fullness of God!” Tragically, such is far from the case. There’s certainly a gospel lift, transformative to the degree we embrace Scripture. Yet over time, gains from Your tangible presence in our lives seem like the old three steps forward, two steps back shuffle. If not the reverse.
It’s great that just a layman’s understanding and compliance with Biblical wisdom can save a soul or an entire society from innumerable harms. Still, our partial effort and obedience hardly equates to Your approval. Much less the power of Your presence. Like a series of theological CD’s, the Bible grants access to an amazing library of spiritual knowledge and revelation. Worthy of a lifetime of study. Yet this pales by comparison to being transformed into a new creation by the glory of full and unlimited connectivity with You.
As a rational and reasonable charismatic, I’ve spent decades daily praying to better understand Your will, and experience a far greater realization of the power of God. Years of repentance and brokenness, fasting and intercession, waiting and wrestling with You have produced some results, but far less than I had hoped. Sadly, like billions of others I’ve also grieved the Holy Spirit though countless doubtful acts, if not subtle sins.
Still, I’ve searched through well over a thousand corporate prayer meetings. I’ve reasoned through thousands of sermons and books, audios and videos. Painstakingly piecing together the puzzle, I’ve written thousands of proverbs and hundreds of articles compiled into a dozen unique books. Even so, I have to admit that like U2, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” Nevertheless I continue to not only pray for but press in, hoping to one day pray through to the point of eradicating the malware separating our real time experience from the Bible’s gracious offers.
Part of this effort is caring enough to learn how to “judge with righteous judgment.” Christ cautioned “take heed how you hear.” A feat nigh on impossible, particularly in this day and age. Each of us, for better or worse, are telling ourselves a story that nearly always governs how we interpret reality. And doing so while being inundated with innumerable voices from a vast variety of sources. An endless assault of social-spiritual words and images, music and video.
Overt and covert billion dollar marketing campaigns all vie for our attention. If not allegiance. Against such a cacophony, few heed Your advice to “go into your closet, lock the door and pray.” Fewer sill practice the art of quieting ourselves to the point of learning to rightly discern Your “still small voice.”
I’ve shared my concerns hundreds of times with only a handful of fellow Christians showing even passing interest. Ironically, one of the greatest obstacles to believers hearing such a message is Your presence in our lives. We can all point to some event, this or that experience, bolstering our confidence that You’re both for and with us.
Another unlikely problem is Your Word. While Biblical illiteracy is pandemic, everyone has a few favorite verses they hope releases them from the necessity of in-depth and accurate Bible study. It’s more the rule than exception to marginalize or misinterpret Paul’s command to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
Turns out Scripture is remarkably easy to get wrong. The Bible’s packed with over a thousand promises. So many that most fail to correctly integrate them with their even more numerous mitigating conditions. Much less sync them to obedience to Your weightier commands.
That’s not to suggest that billions of Christians are unaware that something’s wrong. Our lack of personal and corporate prayer, Bible study and sanctification, discipleship and evangelism tell a tale of unresolved issues with You. Consciously or not, haunting specters of sorrow and anger, distress and disease, pain and death conspire to make us question Your fairness and goodness. These, along with the distractions of modern life, all but ensuring “the love of most will grow cold.”
An unfortunate spiritual and social, mental and emotional state greatly impacting, if not defining, individuals and families. As Scripture predicts:
- “Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.” 2 Tim 3:1-5 The Message
Even Prophetic Christians, the remnant of the remnant, seem battered and beaten by the challenges we face. Prosperity and technology may give the appearance of blessings, but a closer look shows many of even our blessings are cursed. Individuals and families are falling like flies. And this in a time of relative peace. The calm before the storm of Your coming judgments. The fruit and gifts of the Spirit are in increasingly short supply. Genuine miraculous healing, what You call “the children’s bread” is so sporadic that it would appear we either have no elders or they are unable to pray the “prayer of faith.”
At this very moment two of my closest friends are laid out on beds of affliction. Bankrupt of resource, spiritual and otherwise, Prophetic Christians often find themselves sifted like wheat by a barrage of fiery trials, while hundreds of millions of the far more apathetic and worse go on their merry way. Discerning this entrenched problem is subtle work. Yet, such an excuse rings hollow when dealing with a generation capable of splitting the atom and discovering quantum mechanics, numbering galaxies and recognizing dark matter.
Given so much, it would appear we’ve better things to do than track down blown spiritual electrical breakers. Even when most of the Kingdom’s power grid is greyed, if not blacked out!
None of this bodes well. Including the fact that so few are troubled enough to recognize the situation and commit to learning how to effectively pray. Like it or not. Admit it or not. We appear to be off-line or have spotty reception at best.
With all due respect, of which all is indeed due, might You be open to a question and suggestion? If You continue to give all the resources to those not truly teaching the truth, how will the truth be taught? Particularly to generations no longer truly interested? Perhaps You could start with gifting Your presence and power, protection and provision to those who know and please You best! Doing so in such a way as to open Churchianity’s eyes and ears, hearts and minds to the peril and promise before us. So transfiguring today’s believers by Heaven’s glorious light that we might finally do justice to the eternal power and glory of Your Kingdom.
Just an idea.
You’ve heard similar refrains before. From prophetic laments and complaints, to Psalms and Epistles of hope penned in the face of despair. I’ve come to so love and respect the Sons of Korah rendition of Psalm 51, I’ve adopted it as my theme song.
In what may be the Bible’s most unthinkable betrayal, the devoted psalmist and prophet, warrior and king David commits adultery and then murder. This man after Your own heart, with multiple wives, first seduces Bathsheba. The Bible’s most infamous case of adultery continues with the premeditated murder of Uriah, as well as the betrayal of both Bathsheba’s father Eliam and her grandfather the great advisor Ahithophel. Such unbridled treachery all but destroys the honored family of his friends and confidants. Inconceivably out or character, David sin occasions a perfect song of repentance. A song in keeping with the depth of our own deplorable behavior. Particularly powerful for the would be faithful in conjunction with Psalm 121 and 13. Recently wonderfully performed by Brian Doerksen.
Psalm 51: performed by Sons of Korah
YouTube version
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from all my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth; Surely I was sinful at birth.
Surely you desire truth, truth in the inward parts;
And you teach me wisdom, wisdom in the innermost place.
With hyssop make me clean, wash me whiter than snow.
O let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence, O LORD and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from the guilt upon me, LORD who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness O LORD the God who saves me.
Open up my lips and I will declare your praise, O LORD.
You do not delight in sacrifices, or surely I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in offerings, O LORD.
But the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart.
And the LORD will never despise a broken spirit and a contrite heart.
But the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart.
And the LORD will never despise a broken spirit and a contrite heart.
In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Psalm 121: performed by Brian Doerksen
I lift my eyes up to the mountains,
where does my help come from?
My help comes from You, Maker of Heaven,
Creator of the earth.
O how I need You Lord, You are my only hope;
You're my only prayer.
So I will wait for You to come and rescue me,
Come and give me life.
I lift my eyes up to the mountains,
where does my help come from?
My help comes from You, Maker of Heaven,
Creator of the earth.
O how I need You Lord, You are my only hope;
You're my only prayer.
So I will wait for You to come and rescue me,
Come and give me life.
Psalm 13: performed by Brian Doerksen
How long O Lord will You forget me?
How long O Lord will You look the other way?
How long O Lord…
How long O Lord will You forget me?
How long O Lord will You look the other way?
How long O Lord must I wrestle with my thoughts?
And every day have such sorrow in my heart?
Look on me and answer, O God my Father.
Bring light to my darkness before they see me fall.
How long O Lord will You forget me?
How long O Lord will You look the other way?
How long O Lord must I wrestle with my thoughts?
And every day have such sorrow in my heart.
Look on me and answer, O God my Father.
Bring light to my darkness before they see me fall.
But I trust in Your unfailing love.
Yes my heart will rejoice.
Still I’ll sing of Your unfailing love.
You have been good, You will be good to me.
Look on me and answer, O God my Father.
Bring light to my darkness before they see me fall.
Look on me and answer, O God my Father.
Bring light to my darkness before they see me fall.
But I trust in Your unfailing love.
Yes my heart will rejoice.
Still I sing of Your unfailing love.
You have been good…
But I trust in Your unfailing love.
Yes my heart will rejoice.
Still I sing of Your unfailing love.
You will be good, You will be good… to me.
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