1 Vindicate me, O God,
and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.

2 You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?

3 Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

4 Then will I go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

***

In many Hebrew manuscripts, this psalm and the previous psalm 42 is one long psalm, and I believe it's so, as the same theme runs throughout.

This part talks about how the sons of Korah, while they were in captivity, cried out to God as they pondered upon the state they are living in now. Imagine how they would feel, having in their history and legacy, the experience of living in God's presence and holiness. Contrast that to the debauchery and sin they see their captors were living in at that point of time.

I can identity with how they felt. When I went back to complete my National Service after my NUS studies, I had to stay in the same bunk as a group of younger guys, and all of them are non-believers. Every night without fail, my bunk became a gambling den (mahjong) and a smoking chamber.

Imagine the struggles I felt, trying to find a place of solitude to do my Quiet Time and talk to God, while not trying to appear too distant from these young chaps whom I was also trying to reach out to.

It was not easy. There were times they engage in coarse and sexual jokes (and I at times, fell to the temptation and laughed along with them, I am only human and fallible), and at times they even brought porn VCD to the bunk (temptations!!!!). There was even once they brought these porn VCD to the battalion office to watch on the projector, which is STRICTLY against regulation and will be severely dealt with if caught!

It is during such times our faith is tested.

Will you stand your ground for God?

3 Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

Will you determine to be that light, in the midst of darkness that's all around?

Labels: Journey Through Psalms

1 Vindicate me, O God,
and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.

2 You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?

3 Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

4 Then will I go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

***

In many Hebrew manuscripts, this psalm and the previous psalm 42 is one long psalm, and I believe it's so, as the same theme runs throughout.

This part talks about how the sons of Korah, while they were in captivity, cried out to God as they pondered upon the state they are living in now. Imagine how they would feel, having in their history and legacy, the experience of living in God's presence and holiness. Contrast that to the debauchery and sin they see their captors were living in at that point of time.

I can identity with how they felt. When I went back to complete my National Service after my NUS studies, I had to stay in the same bunk as a group of younger guys, and all of them are non-believers. Every night without fail, my bunk became a gambling den (mahjong) and a smoking chamber.

Imagine the struggles I felt, trying to find a place of solitude to do my Quiet Time and talk to God, while not trying to appear too distant from these young chaps whom I was also trying to reach out to.

It was not easy. There were times they engage in coarse and sexual jokes (and I at times, fell to the temptation and laughed along with them, I am only human and fallible), and at times they even brought porn VCD to the bunk (temptations!!!!). There was even once they brought these porn VCD to the battalion office to watch on the projector, which is STRICTLY against regulation and will be severely dealt with if caught!

It is during such times our faith is tested.

Will you stand your ground for God?

3 Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

Will you determine to be that light, in the midst of darkness that's all around?

Labels: Journey Through Psalms