June 13, 2017
AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH TO KEEP ME FROM LOVING YOU
Psalm 108
Jessica Bishop
Central Truth
If God is our ultimate peace and pleasure, then we will seek to know Him above everything else. To seek Him, we will desire to do things that stir our affections for Him and flee from the things that squander it.
Key Verse | Psalm 108:4
For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
(Psalm 108:4)
Psalm 108
With God We Shall Do Valiantly
A Song. A Psalm of David.
1
My heart is steadfast, O God!
I will sing and make melody with all my being!
1
108:1
Hebrew with my glory
2
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
3
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
4
For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
5
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
6
That your beloved ones may be delivered,
give salvation by your right hand and answer me!
7
God has promised in his holiness:
2
108:7
Or sanctuary
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem
and portion out the Valley of Succoth.
8
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah my scepter.
9
Moab is my washbasin;
upon Edom I cast my shoe;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
10
Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11
Have you not rejected us, O God?
You do not go out, O God, with our armies.
12
Oh grant us help against the foe,
for vain is the salvation of man!
13
With God we shall do valiantly;
it is he who will tread down our foes.
Dive Deeper | Psalm 108
Growing up, I had a joy in my life that was often misunderstood. This joy was mocked, viewed as a punishment in sports, or just seen as boring. My joy was and still is getting to run! Many people are already shaking their heads, but running is the one area where I organize my thoughts and find myself reconnecting with God on a daily basis. My affections are stirred for Him through the peaceful moments logging miles. In Psalm 108, David sings with thanksgiving, showing that his affections for the Lord are stirred through praise and worship. It isn't until verse 6 that we even begin to realize David is in the midst of a war!
Today, our focus will be on Psalm 108:4. David says, "For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds." In this text, God's love is described as steadfast, which is striking when we compare it to our worldview of love that is often tied with either fleeting emotions or rigid, performance-based works. On a daily basis, I find myself forgetting God's steadfast love for me that is so openly revealed through His grace poured out on my soul. Instead, I begin to seek the approval of others, which manifests itself in many ways. But God, in His unwavering love, continues to pursue me and remind me of who I am in Him. When I'm out running, where He often stirs my heart, He'll speak to me through Psalm 68:19, which says that God "daily bears us up," or Romans 5:6, which says, "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." These reminders align my heart once again to the rightful place where He is seated on the throne.
When we seek out the things that stir our affections for God, we are able to cultivate our love for the Lord and enjoy time with Him! Don't let any mountain, valley, or river keep you from time with God, and fix your eyes on Him.
Discussion Questions
1. What are some things you enjoy that stir your affections for God?
2. I love dwelling on Psalm 1 to be reminded of God's faithfulness. What verse(s) do you like to "marinate in" to remind yourself of God's love for you?
3. What is one area of your life that you need to flee from today to no longer squander your affections for God?