Having dealt with some startling realities and spiritual truths, the writer of Psalm 94 goes on to ask and answer further significant questions.
In verse 9 he asks - He Who made the ear - He Who made you hear - do you not think that He Himself can hear? And He Who formed the eye - moulded and shaped it - it is the word used by the potter working with clay - do you not think He can see all that is going on?
God disciplines - punishes - and teaches. There are people who shy away from this aspect of the character of Almighty God, but if you stay close to the Scripture, you will not go far wrong.
God knows the thoughts of man and He knows that they are futile.
We can have good ideas - things we would like to do - but if the anointing of God is not upon them, they are futile. God's intimate knowledge of man is a astonishing and astounding truth - and a truth which makes us be very very careful as to what we say and what we do.
Nothing escapes His knowledge.
In John Chapter 2 verses 24 - 25, we read of how Jesus Christ knew all men, and He knew what was in a man - it is so similar to what is revealed in this Psalm. Always remember that the God of the Old Testament is exactly the same God as is revealed in the New Testament. After all, there is no other!
At this point, it is as if the Psalmist re-tunes his harp to play softer melodies. Blessed is the man you discipline. There is a difference between being disciplined and being punished. In some areas of life we are aware of that and can usually recognise it, but somehow it is not so easily recognised in the spiritual realms.
There is another person blessed - the man You teach from Your law.
The Psalmist places discipline before teaching - establishing a principle which has almost been reversed in these days - "Without discipline there can be no real teaching."
When discipline is abandoned, teaching ceases. If a teacher cannot exercise discipline he cannot really teach. But - God goes even further - He will not try to teach those who refuse His discipline.
Understand something of the nature of these blessings - "You grant him relief from days of trouble." We are confronted here with two alternatives. We can come under God's discipline now and be preserved from His judgement, or we can refuse God's discipline now and come under His Judgement in days which lie ahead - and, we either discipline ourselves or God will discipline us - or send someone else to discipline us.
There is a most reassuring word in verse 14. The Lord will not reject His People. He will never forsake His Inheritance. He will never go back on those whom He has chosen. He will never go back on His choice of Israel - NEVER.
His judgement will again be founded on righteousness. When God acts as Judge, He is always right. Always.
Then, comes this call in verse 16 - Who will rise up? Who will take a stand? Who in these present days will stand, and go on standing for truth and righteousness? God is looking for people, who will rise up, and stand, and testify and witness.
The Psalmist remembers how God had helped him. When he thought he was slipping - there was a presence - a love - a support.
Almighty God is so understanding. He knows all about our weaknesses, and He does not reject us on account of them. He does not ask us to come before Him, or present ourselves to the world, with a façade of strength, which has no basis in reality. All He asks is that we sincerely yield to HIM.
The Psalmist realised that he could not save himself. When we think that things are almost getting out of hand, and we are losing control - when He hears our voice - our cry for help - He is there to support and uphold.
Verse 19 - When I experienced anxiety - what honesty - this man of God could still be touched by anxiety - and he was unafraid to admit it. Our God shows us His man - going through times and seasons of ANXIETY - and he finds God consoling him - and bringing joy to his soul.
Has it not been in such times that we experience the joy of God flooding our lives - the Holy Spirit ministering to us in a new but real and realistic way - reassuring us - or whatever it might be.
Sometimes, the greater the pressure, the more powerful is the consolation.
He asks another question in verse 20 - and the answer is a conspiracy against the throne of God and the people of God - with one goal - one aim - death.
But the Lord has become my fortress - my Rock - my Masada. He closes on a powerful triumphant note. He will deal with the sinful enemy and his wickedness. He will deal with them totally and finally.
I have been to Masada by the Dead Sea on various occasions and that is a rock which was and is virtually impregnable. The Romans built a ramp to capture and kill the 900 Israelis atop the spacious rock by using Israeli slaves to build the ramp! The enemy will do anything at times to get at the people of God.
In one sense, this Psalm is all about living our life in the Presence of God - with everything else going on around us - and we can discern His Presence - His Absolute Control - His Sovereignty - His Being in Charge - His Care - His Strength - His Supportive and Supporting Love.
There are words of inspiration, encouragement and motivation here, which you will not find anywhere else in the entire world of literature.
Sandy Shaw
Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.
His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.
Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com
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Subscribe to RSS Ubergizmo ReviewsMobileGamingAndroidAppleComputersGadgetsConceptsPhoto/VideoEvents | Jobs Home > CellPhones > Android Voice Actions now supports other languages Android Voice Actions now supports other languages Tyler Lee 09/16/2011 09:03 PDT 
Voice recognition apps are cool and they can be incredibly handy too. Google has just such a tool available, which Android users should already be familiar with – Voice Actions. Unfortunately it has always been catered to the American market, which means that for those who don’t speak the English language as their first language will have some difficulty when using the feature.
