The Word for Today with Ray: March 2024

Sunday, March 31, 2024

What Man Lives and Shall Not See Death? - Psalms 89:48

In Psalms eighty nine Ethan the Psalmist asked Jehovah God to, “Remember how short my time is: wherefore have you made all men in vain?”, and in chapter eighty nine and verse forty-eight of Psalms Ethan said to Jehovah God, “what man is he that lives, and shall not see death?” where we read,

What man is he that lives, and shall not see death?

shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

The verse begins, “What man is he that lives, and shall not see death?” Ethan began with the words, “What man is he that lives” or “who is the person whether male or female that is alive, among the living and continues to be quickened”, “and shall not see death” which means “and will in no way or manner look at, inspect, perceive or consider dying, absence of life and ruin”? Ethan questioned what person who was among the living would never consider dying.

The verse goes on to say, “shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.” Ethan continued with the words, “shall he deliver” or “will he, the person who lives, rescue, save, liberate and escape” “his soul” which means “his, the person who lives', inner man, mind, heart, will, desires and seat of emotions and passions” “from the hand” or “separate and apart from the strength, power, part, portion, sign and monument” “of the grave” which means “belonging to sheol, the underworld, hell, the pit and the place of no return”? Ethan asked whether any person is able to rescue and deliver his inner man, heart, mind and will from the power of the place of no return, and this idea is worth our meditation.

When we consider the words in this verse, we see how Ethan questioned if there was anyone who lives that is able to escape dying. The obvious answer is no, however, Jesus Christ came into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we believe and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and allow us to be with Him in Heaven forever. It is true that every person living will die physically, (See Hebrews 9:27) however, we will live with God for all eternity when we rely upon, cling to and trust in Jesus. This idea is worthy of meditating upon for all of us.

Next time Ethan the Psalmist asks Jehovah God, “Lord, where are your former lovingkindnesses?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".

Remember How Short My Time Is - Psalms 89:47

In Psalms eighty nine Ethan the Psalmist asked Jehovah God, “How long, LORD? will you hide yourself for ever? shall your wrath burn like fire?”, and in chapter eighty nine and verse forty-seven of Psalms Ethan said to Jehovah God, “ remember how short my time is” where we read,

Remember how short my time is: wherefore have you made all men in vain?

The verse begins, “Remember how short my time is:” Ethan began with the words, “Remember how short” or “recall, call to mind and be reminded of the briefness, fleeting and transient nature that” “my time is” which means “my, David or Ethan's, duration of life and age exists”. Ethan called upon Jehovah God to recall the brevity of his life.

The verse continues, “wherefore have you made all men in vain?” Ethan added the words, “wherefore have you made” or “therefore, upon, on the ground and sake that you, Jehovah God, created, shaped, formed and fashioned” “all men in vain” which means “each, every, the whole and everyone of the human beings both male and female in emptiness, vanity, falsehood and nothingness”? Ethan questioned why Jehovah God created, formed and fashioned all people in vanity, falsehood and emptiness.

When we think through the words in this verse, we see how Ethan prayed to Jehovah God to call to mind the brevity of his life, and he wondered why God created all people in emptiness and vanity. Ethan had a difficult time understanding why God would allow people to suffer such shortness of their lives in suffering, humiliation and shame. Many people question God in this manner, and it is because they do not have a correct picture of God in their minds. God loves us, and He proved it by sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. When we believe and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us eternal life and allow us to minister in His Kingdom on earth until we go to be with Him in Heaven. God's purposes are eternal, and when we wonder about Him, we should always remember what He did for us through Jesus on the cross. Let all praise and glory be unto Him.

Next time Ethan the Psalmist asks Jehovah God, “what man is he that lives, and shall not see death?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Will You Hide Yourself Forever? - Psalms 89:46

In Psalms eighty nine Ethan the Psalmist said of Jehovah God, “You have set up the right hand of his adversaries; you have made all his enemies to rejoice. You have also turned the edge of his sword, and have not made him to stand in the battle. You have made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. The days of his youth have you shortened: you have covered him with shame. Selah.”, and in chapter eighty nine and verse forty-six of Psalms Ethan asked Jehovah God, “How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself for ever?” where we read,

How long, LORD? will you hide yourself for ever? shall your wrath burn like fire?

The verse begins, “How long, LORD? will you hide yourself for ever?” Ethan began with the words, “How long, LORD?” or “unto and even till what length of time, Jehovah who is the existing one and the proper name for the One True God” “will you hide yourself” which means “shall you, Jehovah God, conceal, keep secret and be absent your own self” “for ever” or “unto long duration, futurity, everlasting, perpetually and unto continual existence”. Ethan asked Jehovah God for what length of time He was going to conceal Himself, and He wondered if it would be perpetually and everlasting.

The verse goes on to say, “shall your wrath burn like fire?” Ethan continued with the words, “shall your wrath” or “will your, Jehovah God's, heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation and fever” “burn like fire” which means “consume, kindle, remove and destroy in a similar manner and likeness to flaming fiery fire”? Ethan asked Jehovah God whether He would allow His hot displeasure and anger to consume and destroy like flaming fiery fire.

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we see how Ethan wondered what length of time Jehovah God would make Himself concealed and secret, and He questioned the same for God's hot displeasure like unto flaming fiery fire. Ethan felt like God abandoned David and was not revealing Himself to him any longer. He also thought God was extremely angry with David, and he likened it to a burning fiery ember. God loved David, and He loves us. Sometimes because of our circumstances and situations, we may feel like God is no where to be found and that He is extremely angry with us. God's nature is to love, forgive, rescue and save, and that is why He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we yield our lives to Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and be with us even when we cannot see Him and it feels like He is as angry as a flaming burning fire.

Next time Ethan the Psalmist asks to Jehovah God, “remember how short my time is”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Shortened Days of Youth - Psalms 89:45

In Psalms eighty nine Ethan the Psalmist said of Jehovah God, “You have set up the right hand of his adversaries; you have made all his enemies to rejoice. You have also turned the edge of his sword, and have not made him to stand in the battle. You have made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground”, and in chapter eighty nine and verse forty-five of Psalms Ethan said to Jehovah God, “the days of his youth have you shortened” where we read,

The days of his youth have you shortened: you have covered him with shame. Selah.

The verse begins, “The days of his youth have you shortened:” Ethan began with the words, “the days” or “the divisions of time or periods” “of his youth” which means “belonging to his, David's, adolescence and youthful vigor” “have you shortened” or “you, Jehovah God, have vexed, grieved and made short”. Ethan said Jehovah God caused the periods of time when David was young to be vexed and made brief.

The verse continues, “you have covered him with shame. Selah.” Ethan added the words, “you have covered him” or “you, Jehovah God, have enwrapped, enveloped, veiled and arrayed him, David” “with shame” which means “by the use of humiliation, embarrassment, indignity and chagrin”. “Selah” or “lift up, exalt and pause to meditate upon it”. Ethan said Jehovah God enveloped and arrayed David with humiliation and embarrassment.

When we consider the words in this verse, we see how Ethan said Jehovah God made David's adolescence to be brief, and He caused him humiliation and embarrassment. No doubt Ethan believed Jehovah God was against David. He was not correct as Jehovah God loved David and cared from him from his birth. God loved David, and He loves us. He sent His Son Jesus into the world to be crucified on the cross for the sins of everyone, and when we believe and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and accompany us even when our feelings and emotions are telling us the opposite. This idea is worthy of us pausing to meditate upon it to be reassured that God is for us and not against us.

Next time Ethan the Psalmist asks to Jehovah God, “How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself for ever?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Making His Glory to Cease - Psalms 89:44

In Psalms eighty nine Ethan the Psalmist said of Jehovah God, “You have set up the right hand of his adversaries; you have made all his enemies to rejoice. You have also turned the edge of his sword, and have not made him to stand in the battle”, and in chapter eighty nine and verse forty-four of Psalms Ethan said to Jehovah God, “you have made his glory to cease” where we read,

You have made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.

The verse begins, “You have made his glory to cease, ...” Ethan began with the words, “you have made his glory” or “you, Jehovah God, have caused and let his, David's, purity, clearness and luster” “to cease” which means “to desist, rest, be removed and destroyed”. Ethan said Jehovah God caused David's purity and luster to be removed.

The verse goes on to say, “... and cast his throne down to the ground.” Ethan continued with the words, “and cast his throne down” or “and threw, hurled and tossed his, David's, seat of royal dignity, authority and power” “to the ground” which means “toward the land, soil and piece of the earth”. Ethan said Jehovah God threw David's royal dignity toward the earth.

When we think through the words in this verse, we see how Ethan believed Jehovah God was responsible for the removal of the purity and royal dignity of David. David did suffer times when his kingdom was stripped away from him, but God always was with him regardless of his outward circumstances. This is because David had a personal relationship with God, and we may have the same when we yield to God's Son Jesus as our personal “Savior and Lord”. Jesus came into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we surrender to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and be with us regardless of whether or not we feel abandoned and “cast down” by Him.

Next time Ethan the Psalmist says to Jehovah God, “the days of his youth have you shortened”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

The Edge of His Sword - Psalms 89:43

In Psalms eighty nine Ethan the Psalmist said to Jehovah God concerning David, “You have set up the right hand of his adversaries; you have made all his enemies to rejoice”, and in chapter eighty nine and verse forty-three of Psalms Ethan said to Jehovah God, “you have also turned the edge of his sword” where we read,

You have also turned the edge of his sword, and have not made him to stand in the battle.

The verse begins, “You have also turned the edge of his sword, ...” Ethan began with the words, “you have also turned” or “you, Jehovah God, have even so and indeed caused the dulling of” “the edge of his sword” which means “the sharpened portion belonging to his, axe, dagger, knife or mattock”. Ethan said Jehovah God caused the dulling of the dagger or knife of David.

The verse continues, “and have not made him to stand in the battle.” Ethan added the words, “and have not made him” or “and have in no way or manner caused him, David” “to stand” which means “to arise, be established and endure” “in the battle” or “within the engagement, fighting and war”. Ethan said Jehovah God caused David not to arise and be established in the fighting and war.

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we see how Ethan believed Jehovah God was against David and his descendants. He said God was responsible for the lack of ability of David's offensive weapon, and He caused David to be weak and humiliated in the fighting. In other words, David was not able to do anything to defend himself properly. God knew what was happening with David and his descendants, and He knows the circumstances we encounter as well. God loved David, and He loves us. He sent His Son Jesus into the world to be crucified on the cross for our sins, and when we surrender ourselves to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and become our weapon, protection and defense for anything we encounter.

Next time Ethan the Psalmist says to Jehovah God, “you have made his glory to cease”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…