Joel M Bradshaw

bible devotions, bible podcast

The Straight-Forward Life

33I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the LORD.–Psalm 104

Psalm 104 is a great psalm of perspective. The psalmist spends the whole chapter highlighting the greatness of God. He considered all of the created existence and honored its Creator.

So our verses today are a simple response to God. They picture a person living a life pointed in one direction: towards God. They are straight-forward. Let’s consider them briefly in order.

  1. I WILL SING TO THE LORD AS LONG AS I LIVE. We had family over on Saturday and my brother-in-law and I were talking about baseball and casually following the scores to the games on our phones. He roots for a different team than I do and my team was behind in the final inning. Then all of a sudden, I gave a brief shout. My team hit a home run to win the game. I didn’t see it happen, but the text on the screen showed the results of the play. There are things we react to in life and make them our song. I don’t sing about baseball all day. But what becomes the song of my life that I sing? I’d like to think it is about the goodness and faithfulness of God. What’s the song that you sing?
  2. I WILL SING PRAISE TO GOD WHILE I HAVE MY BEING. The meaning of your life is to sing praise to God. The straight-forward direction of your heart is to sing praise to God. To respond to the faithful God with praise. It takes the focus off of you and puts it into God.
  3. MAY MY MEDITATION BE PLEASING TO HIM. Interesting Hebrew here. The word for ‘meditation’ is often translated ‘complaint.’ And the pleasing part actually reads ‘may it be sweet’. So somehow the part of me that complains about life needs to turn that into something that God would find sweet. Sounds like a lament. A complaint to God that is uttered in trust and faith. The hardships and troubles that I ponder, may I lament to God in trust and dependance.
  4. FOR I REJOICE IN THE LORD. That joy comes with gladness at each new day (Psalm 118:24) and is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). It is to be your perspective always (Philippians 4:4). It is centered in God and not yourself or others.

Respond to God with a life that is straight-forward and directed at him. He is both God and good. He cares and provides. He is faithful and worthy of your praise.–JMB

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3 responses to “The Straight-Forward Life”

  1. Sandra Atkins Avatar
    Sandra Atkins

    Interesting that all four of the devotionals I read are focused on TRUST today…

    One title was “Childlike Trust”. Another was “Surrendering Misplaced Trust”. In My Utmost for His Highest, the theme was responding to Jesus’s call to abandon ourselves to Him, and then your devotion that encouraged us to lament.

    How do we properly lament? Any guidance you have is welcome…

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    1. bradshawjoel Avatar
      bradshawjoel

      my recommendation is follow psalm 13. for 4 verses David vented with God. the final 2 verses land the plane with trust, praise, and faith. so be genuine with God, but do so as an expression of your trust and dependance upon him. that is a biblical lament

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      1. Sandra Atkins Avatar
        Sandra Atkins

        Thanks for the Psalm 13 reminder.

        I struggle to know how to be genuine with God when I feel broken. Instead of turning to Him, I often go silent or run away.

        Perhaps it’s better to remind myself of His past faithfulness, or better yet, immerse myself in worship music. “I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.” ~ Psalm 13:6

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