Psalm 46:4-6

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.

To live in the river of Your love, to be washed in its cleansing streams, to be comforted by the gentle sounds of its waves washing over the shoals of my life, to know the peace of floating serenely as I am buoyed by righteousness, peace and joy of the Kingdom; this is to be in the Spirit.

Psalm 46:1-3

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

Praise You, give thanks in ALL circumstances? So hard, Lord. And so much a test of my faith. And which comes first? Do I learn not to grumble when the trial arises and then to give thanks? Or do I remember to thank You for the opportunity to praise You during a trial and for the opportunity to watch Your powerful hand at work in my life? O believe the latter, "Let the praise of God be ever in my mouth ..."

Psalm 45:16-17

In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth. I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

You certainly are giving me a new set of sons to bring to know Your name, mentor, disciple and nurture. Spanning the ages and their position with You. A struggling believer to one who does not know You at all and in between. Help and guide me , Lord.

Psalm 45:13-15

All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. (14) In many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions following behind her. (15) With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.

And what is to come, what are the promises of glory that await? Into those ivory palaces, out of this world of woe, into the Presence of the Lord, into the Fullness of Joy, into that place where pleasures abound for evermore, to come into the knowing of You at last.

Psalm 45:10-12

Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father's house, and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him. The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts, the richest of the people.

This is the crux of the matter, my faithfulness and obedience to You. Not anyone else's, mine! Will I forget the leeks and garlics of Egypt? Will I, not counting the cost of destroying my old idols and practices, turn to You, consider You, incline my ear to You, forget the ties to the world and seek You only? Will I? Only through the transforming power of Your love and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 45:6-9

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

Lord, I am finding it very difficult to keep my focus on You this morning. Here is a beautiful passage, describing the glories of Your kingdom and I am stuck on fleeting problems and concerns. Help me to lift my eyes to Your glories and away from the little bumps in my path. Help me to see that my life must express the righteousness and aromas of the Kingdom; that the harmonies of heavenly music must be seen and heard in my life and I must realize that as Your bride, You have clothed me with joy.

Psalm 119:1

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!

The blessing is not the blessing of salvation, but the blessing of a life lived in your presence. The blessing of a life lived in the shadow of the law is a life that works; it is a life that has Your joy as its foundation. A life lived, knowing that You are with me and I live in the hollow of Your hand. Praise You, my Lord and my Master.

Psalm 45:3-5

Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty! In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds! Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; the peoples fall under you.

"Your will be done on earth ..." Your Kingdom is advancing, but by stealth, not by the power of man's proclamations. Lord, one of the places where the Kingdom needs to advance is within the churches of Christendom. Use me, Lord, as one of Your Ambassadors of Reconciliation to the lost who are falsely claiming Your Name but not living it.

Psalm 45:1-2

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song. My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.

It is a pleasing theme, Lord, to dwell upon Your beauty and grace. Overwhelming light coruscating with flashes of pure color. Arms outstretched in love, saying, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Psalm 44:23-26

Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground. Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!

Lord, lead me into repentance, into recognition of those things in my life that are not according to Your word, fill me with repentance and contrition, make me and mold me into a vessel of holiness, fit for Your hand to use as You see fit. Lord, I am Yours to do as You will.

Psalm 44:17-22

All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way; yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death. If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart. Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

How can I take on that attitude, Lord, that you did as You endured the cross for the joy that was set before You? How can I be in such a place of faith and trust that I will endure any trial, any tribulation, knowing that Your joy will sustain me? Only through the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Praise You, Lord.

Psalm 44:9-16

But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies. You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil. You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations. You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them. You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us. You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples. All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.

I continue to be at sea, Lord, about this matter of obedience to Your Word. How I recognize the difference between a test and trial that is the result of persecution, that comes because they hate me for Your name's sake and those trials that come as a result of my disobedience? How, but through the inner workings of Your Holy Spirit leading me into all truth, including the truth about myself and my motives.