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Welcome to Day 2472 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 25:1-7 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2472 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2472 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re going to dig into Psalm 25:1-7 from the New Living Translation. This is a psalm of David—a prayer for guidance, mercy, and forgiveness. As we’ll see, David’s heart is fully turned toward God, and he expresses his deep dependence on the Lord for direction and forgiveness in the face of difficulties. Let’s begin by reading the passage: Psalm 25:1-7 (NLT): 1 O Lord, I give my life to you. 2 I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat. 3 No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. 4 Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. 5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. 6 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. 7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord. Surrender and Trust (Verses 1-2): Psalm 25 opens with a powerful declaration of surrender: “O Lord, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God!” This opening verse reveals David’s posture toward the Lord—one of complete submission and trust. He doesn’t just ask for help or guidance; he gives his entire life to God. There is a deep sense of surrender here, as David acknowledges that his life is not his own. He recognizes that the only safe place to entrust his life is in the hands of the Lord. David’s trust in God is not just intellectual—it is personal. He says, “I trust in you, my God!” This is not the detached faith of someone who merely believes in a distant deity. This is the deep, relational trust of someone who knows God personally and has experienced His faithfulness. David trusts that God is for him and that God will protect him. But in this declaration of trust, David also expresses a fear: “Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.” Here, we see David’s vulnerability. He knows that life is full of challenges and opposition. He has enemies, people who would rejoice in his downfall. His prayer is that God would protect him from shame and disgrace. It’s a reminder that while we place our trust in God, life’s difficulties don’t just vanish. Trusting in God doesn’t mean that we won’t face hardships, but it does mean that we can be confident that God is with us in those hardships. David’s trust is that God will not abandon him to his enemies or allow him to fall into disgrace. The Security of Trusting in God (Verse 3): Verse 3 continues this thought: “No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who...

Welcome to Day 2471 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Who Wrote the Book of Proverbs – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2471 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2471 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.   Today is the twenty-fourth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is: Who Wrote the Book of Proverbs? Who Wrote the Book of Proverbs? The first book of Proverbs announces, “These are the proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel” (compare Prov 10:1; 25:1). By its own testimony, though, the book of Proverbs had many authors: “These are the sayings of the wise [literally, wise ones]” (Prov 24:23). This same idea—that the proverbs in the book were written by several sages—is reiterated in Proverbs 1:6 and 22:17. But old traditions die hard, and the authorship of these proverbs is still debated. What role did Solomon actually play in writing this Wisdom literature? Solomon Had a Pen Name? In some passages of Proverbs, the sages who wrote the book are named. Proverbs 30 was written by Agur, son of Jakeh (30:1), but we know nothing else about him. Some believe Agur is a pen name for Solomon. However, there is little evidence to support this. The name may also be translated more commonly as “the assembler,” which may point to an anonymous collector of proverbs who also wrote chapter 30. Proverbs 31:1 informs us that King Lemuel wrote the famous chapter about the virtuous woman. In this verse, we learn that Lemuel was taught proverbs by his mother. There is little else known about this elusive king. Jewish tradition views the writer as yet another pen name of Solomon, but there is no reliable proof for this connection. In the Tradition of Solomon Proverbs 25:1 provides another insight into authorship: “These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied.” The word translated “copied” can also mean “transcribed.” This suggests that some of the proverbs (perhaps chapters 25-29) were produced by scribes living in the days of Hezekiah (ca. 715-687 bc), after the lifetime of Solomon. At least one anonymous sage did contribute to Proverbs. Portions of Proverbs 22-23 come from an Egyptian wisdom text composed before Solomon’s lifetime, The Instruction of Amenemope.- In addition,...

Welcome to Day 2470 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 24:1-10 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2470 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2470 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be diving into Psalm 24:1-10 from the New Living Translation—a powerful psalm that celebrates the sovereignty of God as King of all the earth. Psalm 24 is often associated with the entrance of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, which represented the presence of God dwelling with His people. But it also speaks to larger truths about God’s ownership of the world, His holiness, and the triumph of His eternal kingship. Let’s begin by reading the entire psalm, and then we’ll unpack its rich meaning together. Psalm 24:1-10 (NLT): 1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. 3 Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. 5 They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. 6 Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob. 7 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 8 Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle. 9 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 10 Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory. The Earth is the Lord’s (Verses 1-2): Psalm 24 opens with a majestic declaration of God’s ownership over the entire earth: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.” This statement sets the foundation for the entire psalm. It reminds us that everything we see, touch, and experience in this world ultimately belongs to God. The natural world—the mountains, oceans, skies, and forests—all are His creation. But it doesn’t stop there. Everyone who walks the earth, regardless of background, nationality, or belief, also belongs to God. David, the psalmist, attributes this ownership to God being the Creator of all things: “For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.” This reflects the truth found in Genesis—that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, bringing order to the chaotic waters. The entire universe came into being by His word, and therefore, all creation is subject to His authority. What a humbling truth! We often fall into the trap of thinking that we own our possessions, our lands, or even our lives. But Psalm 24 reminds us that it all belongs to the Lord. We are stewards of what He has created. This mindset shifts how we view our resources, relationships, and the environment. We are called to care for and honor what God has entrusted to us...

Welcome to Day 2469 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2469 – Crowning Christ as Lord of All – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/22/2024 Jesus Christ, Our Lord – Crowning Christ as Lord of All Colossians 1:15-23 Last week, we began the letter of Colossians and ended the first 14 verses encouraging us to pray for three specific items that all believers need. Pray for knowledge, Pray for God-honoring lives, and Pray for strength. Today’s passage is Colossians 1:15-23, on page 1832 of your Pew Bibles. This section is titled Christ is Supreme. I am reading from the NLT. 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,[e] 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead.[f] So he is first in everything. 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. 21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it. The hymn that comes to mind with this passage is also our closing hymn today. “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” It is referred to as the “Diadem” or  “National Anthem of Christendom.” All hail the power of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown him Lord of all. Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown him Lord of all! The writing of such God-exalting hymns has gone on for millennia. Throughout the Old Testament, we find songs composed to praise and thank the Lord for His marvelous works. The book of Psalms is an entire inspired collection of ancient hymns that many churches still set to music and sing in worship...

Welcome to Day 2468 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 23:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2468 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2468 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we are diving into one of the most cherished and well-known passages in all of Scripture—Psalm 23. This psalm, written by David, is often called “The Shepherd’s Psalm,” and for good reason. It paints a beautiful picture of God as our caring and protective shepherd, guiding us through the ups and downs of life. Whether you’re familiar with these verses or hearing them for the first time, I believe Psalm 23 holds timeless truths that can bring peace and reassurance to our souls. Today, we will focus on Psalm 23:1-6 from the New Living Translation. We’ll walk through these six powerful verses, reflecting on the profound truths they convey, and how they apply to our lives. So, let’s begin by reading the passage in full. Psalm 23:1-6 (NLT): 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. The Lord is My Shepherd (Verse 1): The psalm begins with one of the most profound declarations in all Scripture: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” In just a few words, David paints a powerful picture of God’s relationship with His people. He identifies the Lord as his shepherd, who watches over, protects, and provides for him. In the ancient world, shepherds were responsible for the safety and well-being of their sheep. They guided their flocks to food and water, protected them from danger, and ensured they didn’t wander off into harm. David, having been a shepherd himself in his youth, understood the responsibilities of a shepherd and knew the intimate care required for the sheep. David acknowledges that he is under God’s care by calling God his shepherd. He trusts that the Lord will meet all his physical and spiritual needs. The phrase “I have all that I need” reflects a sense of complete contentment. When God is our shepherd, we lack nothing. We may not always have everything we want, but we will always have everything we need. This verse invites us to consider the same truth in our own lives. When we allow the Lord to shepherd us, to guide and direct us, we can trust that He will provide for us in every situation. We can rest in the assurance that we are cared for by the Creator of the universe. Rest, Peace, and Restoration (Verses 2-3): In...

Welcome to Day 2467 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 22:22-31 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2467 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2467 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be focusing on Psalm 22:22-31 from the New Living Translation. This portion of Psalm 22 shifts from a cry for help to a triumphant declaration of God’s faithfulness and a vision of the global impact of His deliverance. Let’s begin by reading the passage together. Psalm 22:22-31 (NLT): 22 I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people. 23 Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. 25 I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. 27 The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. 28 For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations. 29 Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Bow before him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust. 30 Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. 31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done. A Declaration of Praise (Verses 22-23): In verse 22, we immediately notice the shift in tone. Where the earlier verses of Psalm 22 were filled with cries of desperation and anguish, here David begins with a bold declaration: “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people.” David has moved from personal distress to public praise. It’s a significant transformation—a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is always the potential for God’s deliverance and a reason to testify of His goodness. David promises to proclaim God’s name, not just privately but among “brothers and sisters”—his fellow Israelites, those who fear the Lord. This is a communal celebration of God’s faithfulness, and it sets the tone for what follows. In verse 23, he calls upon all who fear the Lord to join him in praising God: “Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel!” David is urging everyone who reveres God, especially the people of Israel, to lift up their voices in worship and honor. The language here is one of corporate praise—a gathering of God’s people united in worship. This teaches us an important truth: God’s deliverance in our lives is never just for our

Welcome to Day 2466 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Does God Need a Co-Signer? The Witness in the Clouds. – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2466 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2466 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.   Today is the twenty-third lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is: Does God Need a Co-Signer? The Witness in the Clouds. We all know why co-signing a loan is required. The bank assumes that the person who is being loaned the money may not be able to repay it. Their commitment or ability is in question. In the Bible, God typically swears by His own character when entering a covenant since there is no one above Him who needs to cosign the agreement (Heb 6:13). There is a fascinating exception to this in the book of Psalms. Psalm 89:35-37 repeats the covenant between God and David from 2 Samuel 7 with an addendum at the end that is not found in 2 Samuel 7. I’ve arranged the verses to show their parallelism, labeling them by letters:

• A I have sworn by my Holy One;
• B I will not lie to David.
• C His descendants shall be forever.
• C His throne [his dynastic descendants] shall be as the sun before me.
• B It [David’s throne] shall be established forever like the moon,
• A And a witness in the clouds will be faithful.

God swears a covenant oath to David and promises that David’s descendants will forever have the right to sit on Jerusalem’s throne. This promise is guaranteed by an unidentified witness in the clouds (God’s “Holy One”). Why would God need someone to witness an agreement He initiated? Who in heaven (“the clouds”) has that authority? It was common in polytheistic religions of the ancient world to have gods witness the covenant agreements made by other gods.- But there are no other gods in Israel’s faith equal to or above the God of Israel. Yet Psalm 89 requires an equal to Yahweh, who will uphold the covenant. Who is this witness in the heavens who will be faithful to the covenant of David’s eternal dynasty? Who will make sure God’s promise comes to pass and never fails? The New Testament answers these questions in Revelation 1:4-5: John says to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit[

Welcome to Day 2465 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 22:11-21 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2465 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2465 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be focusing on Psalm 22:11-21 from the New Living Translation. Psalm 22 is one of the most profound and prophetic Psalms, offering a glimpse into deep suffering but also a steadfast trust in God’s deliverance. In the previous verses, David cried out to God in anguish, feeling abandoned and mocked by his enemies. As we move forward, we see his distress intensify, but at the same time, his desperate plea for God’s presence and rescue becomes even more urgent. Let’s read Psalm 22:11-21 together before we break it down and explore its message. Psalm 22:11-21 (NLT): 11 Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me. 12 My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls; fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in! 13 Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey. 14 My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. 15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. 16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. 17 I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. 18 They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. 19 O Lord, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! 20 Save me from the sword; spare my precious life from these dogs. 21 Snatch me from the lion’s jaws and from the horns of these wild oxen. The Depth of Desperation (Verses 11-13): The first thing we notice in verse 11 is David’s desperate plea for God not to stay far away from him. “Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me.” David acknowledges that God is his only source of rescue. The situation is dire, and there is no one else he can turn to. This is a common theme throughout the Psalms—turning to God in moments of desperation when human strength and resources have utterly failed. David is surrounded by his enemies, who he describes as being like a “herd of bulls” in verse 12. These aren’t just any bulls, but the “fierce bulls of Bashan,” known for their strength and power. The imagery here is vivid—David feels completely encircled by these mighty, untamable forces. In verse 13, he takes the metaphor further, likening his enemies to lions who have opened their jaws, roaring and ready to tear into their prey. This vivid imagery paints a picture of the danger David is in—he’s not just threatened, he’s on the verge of being consumed, like a vulnerable animal in the jaws of a predator. These verses express the urgency of David’s cry for help. The bulls and lions symbolize overwhelming danger, and...

Welcome to Day 2464 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2464 – Praying for Knowledge of the Truth – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/15/2024 Jesus Christ, Our Lord – Praying for Knowledge of the Truth Colossians 1:1-14 Last week, we finished the letter of 2 Peter with Four Strong Commands, which were: Be diligent (3:14), Be confident (3:15-16), Be on guard (3:17), Be fruitful (3:18). Today’s passage is Colossians 1:1-14, on page 1831 of your Pew Bibles. 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters[a] in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.[b] 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,[c] who is a faithful minister of Christ on our[d] behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[e] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[

Welcome to Day 2463 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 22:1-10 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2463 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2463 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be diving into a profound and emotional passage: Psalm 22:1-10 from the New Living Translation. Psalm 22 is known for its deep anguish and sorrow, as well as its prophetic elements that point to the suffering of Jesus on the cross. It is often referred to as the “Psalm of the Cross” because of its vivid depiction of suffering that would later be mirrored in the crucifixion of Christ. As we walk through these first ten verses, we’ll see a range of emotions: despair and loneliness, but also trust and hope in God. Let’s begin by reading the entire passage and then breaking it down together. Psalm 22:1-10 (NLT): 1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? 2 Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. 5 They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced. 6 But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! 7 Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, 8 “Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!” 9 Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast. 10 I was thrust into your arms at my birth. You have been my God from the moment I was born. The Cry of Despair (Verses 1-2): We begin with a cry of deep anguish: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” These words resonate through the ages, famously spoken by Jesus on the cross in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34. In this moment of despair, David, the psalmist, feels utterly forsaken by God. His heart is breaking, and he can’t understand why God seems so distant in his time of need. Many of us can relate to this feeling of abandonment at various points in our lives. There are moments when we cry out to God, and it seems like our prayers are met with silence. Like David, we may groan for help, wondering why God seems far away when we need Him the most. Verse 2 continues this plea: “Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.” David’s pain is unrelenting, day and night, and despite his fervent prayers, he finds no solace. This paints a vivid picture of what it’s like to be in a season of deep suffering, where it feels as though God has turned His back, and no answer comes despite our cries. It’s important to note that David addresses God as “my God.” Even in his despair, he hasn’t lost his connection to God. He’s still calling out in faith, even though it feels like God isn’t listening. This teaches us something...