1-2 Great is the Lord (The Word), and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness.
(Stop and think about the last Word you received from God by HIS Spirit and how great that Word was and still is. Even months and years after being reminded of that Word we marvel at it.. That Word is "Lord" over you as you marvel at that Word and as you think of how it freed you and how it guides you and leads you. It is everything to you. You praise that Word as you rejoice in that Word.)
Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King (The Word).
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3 God (The Word) is known in her palaces for a refuge.
(Stop and think of times you have been given The Word and how you have turned to that Word and have hidden in that Word, a refuge for you.)
Refuge:
* a place where we know we are safe
* shelter from pursuit, danger, or trouble
We seek refuge in The Word.
Think of specific times this has happened to you.
For me, I think of the time a woman sent me a birthday card and in a note told me all the plans she had for the holidays with her husband, her daughter, her grandson.
As I read her card, The Holy Spirit said to me: "You are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Colossians 3:3
"That's right!" I exclaimed.
It looks like I have no life ... no husband, no plans for holidays, no daughter, no granddaughter ... but actually I have a life ... it is just that my life is "hid" with Christ.
My refuge from the depression of this world which would have come through this woman who sent the birthday card, is in The Word received from God by HIS Spirit.
Think of specific examples when you have taken refuge in The Word ... building your faith in The Word.
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4-7 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
They saw it (The Word), and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.
Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
Thou (The Word) breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
Think of the fear God brought to Pharaoh by The Word ... and how The Word destroyed Pharaoh in the sea. This was all done by The Word which protected the children of God.
God does the same for us as HE brings ideas to our enemies to turn them away from us.
A neighbor whose daughter is a lesbian told me she wanted to talk with me. I had no idea at the time that she was going to fight against me and argue with me. I thought she wanted to visit with me.
But she had heard how I was set against lesbians ... and I know now that God was protecting me from her because she said she would come over to my house "that evening" ... but she did not show up and I've never seen her since that time which was about 5 years ago!
She obviously changed her mind ... or rather God changed her mind to keep her from doing me harm with her contrary words.
This is one way The Word helps us ... by giving ideas to our enemies to cause them to go another way.
In WWII, Hitler changed his mind many times. If he had continued bombing London he could have completely destroyed London. But he changed and bombed another area. I knew it was God who gave Hitler the idea to stop and go to another place thus saving London.
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8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God (The Word) will establish it for ever.
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9 We have thought of Thy lovingkindness, O God (The Word), in the midst of Thy temple.
10 According to Thy name (The Word), O God, so is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth: Thy right hand is full of righteousness.
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11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of Thy judgments.
(Remember how the angels rejoiced at the judgments of God when the wrath of God was poured out on this earth? For the people of this earth were "worthy" of those judgments because of their evil deeds. They earned those judgements. And the angels declared God's righteousness in sending those judgments)
Revelation 16:4-7 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments.
And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments.
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Psalm 48:12-14 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
For this God (The Word) is our God for ever and ever:
HE (The Word) will be our guide even unto death.
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