Psalm 41:7-13

All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me. They say, "A deadly thing is poured out on him; he will not rise again from where he lies." Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. But you, O LORD, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them! By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.

Lord, You stand between me and those who wish me harm. Sometimes because of who I am, but more often because of who You are and I am seen as Your called representative to the kingdom of man. Praise You that I am used and to the extent that I am seen this way, thank You and praise You. Oh, Lord, that I would be seen more fully and consistently as Your Ambassador of Reconciliation.

Psalm 41:4-6

As for me, I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!" My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die, and his name perish?" And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad.

Where, Lord, have I failed You by not following through? By not following Your leading? By ignoring Your clear instruction to me? By not heeding Your Word? Where have these been intentional disobedience? Where have they been oversight and lack of understanding? Where have they been unintentional? Whatever the excuse, bring me to my knees and teach me to heed and obey.

Psalm 41:1-3

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him; the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.

I hear You, Lord, I hear You. No change, no double mindedness, no wavering and waffling. Soldier on, O man of God! Blessed is the one who considers the poor! Gotcha!

Psalm 119:158

I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.

Lord, to look with disgust is one thing, but to teach and lead into a yearning to cherish and keep is an entirely other thing. Give me the heart, Lord, to be that leader of Your people.

Psalm 40:16-17

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the LORD!" As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

I may be poor and needy in the world's eyes, but I am rich in the love of the Lord. Great are You, Lord. Life in Your Kingdom is exciting, stimulating, challenging, a blessing beyond measure and description.

Psalm 40:11-15

As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me! Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, "Aha, Aha!"

I think Your Word is speaking to me this morning, Lord. 1st a meditation on Psalm 119:124 and now this passage. All centering on Your grace and mercy to me! Even my meditation on the Law in Lev. 22:1-3 and 1 Peter 2:9. All grace! And the evidence of the grace.

Psalm 40:6-10

In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. (7) Then I said, "Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: (8) I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." (9) I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD. (10) I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

Isn't this amazingly simple, Lord. What You want from me is obedience and faithfulness, not gifts of material things. You want me to delight in doing Your will, to speak to all of the mighty deliverance that You worked and are working in me; I am to glorify and praise you in the great congregation.

Psalm 40:1-5

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

You are a God of provision, a God who watches over Your people and insures that all my needs are met. But, it is so easy to focus on the provision of my material needs, and much more difficult to remember and thank You for the satisfaction of my spiritual needs.

You have lifted my feet out of the miry bogs and set them on high ground. The miry sloughs of sin and destruction onto the high place at the right hand of the Lamb of God. You put a new song, a song of praise and thanksgiving in my mouth, a song which sings out joy to all to see and hear.

Psalm 39:7-13

"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah "Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!"

Lord, I look to You and You alone for transformation into Your image. To You and the Holy Spirit to move me from a fallen state, addicted to the pleasures of this world to someone who lives and breathes in Your presence, reveling in the confidence that You are my Hope and my Surety.

Psalm 39:4-6

"O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

Yes, Lord, a day to be spent in Your presence, living my Now before You, glorifying You, praising You, thanking You, leaning on You, speaking of You in word and deed. All my focus on the Now and spending it in You. Help me, Holy Spirit, in my unbelief.

The Fellowship of Ailbe is missional after the Celtic tradition. That is an underlying approach best described as “Go and Show” as opposed the the modern Evangelical church using a “Come and Listen” style of mission.

Psalm 119:145

With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD! I will keep your statutes.

Lord, it is coming, coming coming. That wonderful dedication of my whole heart. To live in Your will, to abide with You, closer each day. Praise You, Lord, praise You. A whole heart cry! Answer me, O Lord.