–Proverbs 16:25(NKJV)
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The Bible is not afraid to not only tell us the grandeur of God and the blessings that He has for His people, but also it tells us of sin, disaster, and human mistakes.  There are many stories in the Bible regarding romance, courage, valor, but also of despair, discouragement, foolishness, and death.  One of the saddest events is regarding the life, or rather I should say the death of Uzzah.

          “And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.  Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.”
                    –2 Samuel 6:6-7 (NKJV)

       At first glance we shudder in horror and might even proclaim that this was unfair.  After all, Uzzah was only protecting the ark of God.  But in this there are lessons that we should heed and learn.  David was zealous to bring the ark to Jerusalem to make it the focal point once again of worship.  First of all, David did not inquire of the Lord.  He simply was following his own desires, and the problem was that even though the desires might be good, the way they were carried out was wrong.
       David, instead of following God’s instructions regarding how the ark was to be moved, did it his way.  He followed the example of the Philistines.  He brought thirty thousand of his men with him, and a new cart was built on which the ark was set.  God specifically had given directions that the ark was to be carried by Levites, descendants of Kohath.  Here we see that David is following the actions of the Philistines, people of the world, in carrying the ark.  He ignored God’s instructions of how it was to be carried.  It is important that we understand that we must follow God’s pattern, not that of the world.  “God’s work must be done in God’s way if it is to have God’s blessing” (Warren W. Wiersbe).
       We do not know if Abinadab or his sons, Ahio and Uzzah, were even of the tribe of Levi.  We do know that when the ark began its journey there was a celebration with singing and dancing.  The ark was on its way, but then perhaps because the road became rough, the oxen stumbled.  Maybe needlessly, Uzzah put out his hand to grasp the ark to stabilize it.  The reaction was one of haste and reflex, but it was a costly reaction.  Uzzah, by putting his hand on the ark, was in direct disobedience to the Word of God.  Why should God strike a person dead simply because he did a thing that was natural?  The ark could have fallen to the ground, then what would have happened?  The point is that the ark should never have been on the cart. (Redpath)
       God had commanded that the ark be carried by Levites (Numbers 4).  David, and the others were so zealous to get the ark, the presence of the Lord, to Jerusalem that they did it their own way.  They did what was right in their own eyes disregarding God’s commands.  Alan Redpath states, “So often we put forth our hands, but not our hearts.  We put forth our hands to the work of the Lord, but somehow our hearts have never really gotten under the burden of the Lord and begun, like the Levites, to carry it.”  Imagine, Uzzah falling dead under God’s judgment right next to the ark of God’s mercy.  
       David became angry.  Not at himself for his foolishness, for his carelessness.  He became angry at God.  In that anger, he became “afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, ‘How can the ark of the LORD come to me?'” (2 Samuel 6:9, NKJV)  He left the ark because of his fear to the house of Obed-Edom and it remained there for three months.  Needless to say that when David went back after the three months to retrieve the ark, he had it carried the way that God had instructed.
       We should learn from this that we need to “return to the Word of God for an understanding of the will of God.  No amount of unity or enthusiasm can compensate for disobedience.” (Wiersbe)  Many times, and this is becoming more and more common, we find the practices, methods, and programs of the church following that of the world rather than the Word of God.  When we imitate the world instead of obeying the Word of God we cannot expect the blessing of God.  Oh, yes, it may seem that the church is growing, there may be numbers added to it and applause, but is the applause out of obedience?  Do the methods have the approval of God?  “The way of the world is ultimately the way of death.” (Wiersbe)

       “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”
                    –Psalm 27:5 (NKJV)
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It’s already time for a Midnight Hymn.  For the past couple of weeks a couple of songs have continually been going through my mind.  When I can’t get them out, I figure it’s time to share them.  Actually this one began the last week of December.    In the midst of turmoil, whenever the storm rages where do you turn?  Hopefully you turn to the Lord; it is He that can help and hide you from the roaring winds and raging waves.  But, when hidden in safety with the Lord what is it that you see?  Do you still see the storm, do you still see your troubles, or do you, as Fanny Crosby wrote, see “rivers of pleasure”?

          “A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
          A wonderful Savior to me;
          He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
          Where rivers of pleasure I see.”

Do you remember Christian from Bunyan’s “Pilgrims Progress”?  Remember how, even those a believer that he continued to struggle with his burden.  Are we not often the same way.  We continue to carry the burden of the old life.  We continue to have and/or find guilt in the deeds of our past.  We moan, we cry, yet the Lord wants us to realize that He has given us new life and wants to remove those burdens that we continue to bear.

          “A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
          He taketh my burden away;
          He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,
          He giveth me strength as my day.”

In this coming year, do not forget all the blessings that the Lord has already given you.  Perhaps we seek too much, perhaps we have already forgotten all the wondrous good He has done for us in the past.  Every day is a new day with Him; His mercies are new every morning.  His grace continues to keep our lives and we live and abide in Him.  Just contemplate those, then continue with life, safety, security, food, and on and on and on…  Then one day, either by death or in the rapture, we will be transported.  We will meet Him in glory and then we will be even more amazed at what He has done for us.

          “With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
          And filled with His fullness divine,
          I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God,
          For such a Redeemer as mine.

          When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise
          To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
          His perfect salvation, His wonderful love,
          I’ll shout with the millions on high.”

As we journey through this wearisome land of life we have Him to turn to.  He will be there in every situation, filling us with what is needed for the moment.  There is nothing anyone can do to remove us from His love.  When we thirst, He pours out the living water.  When we are in despair He hides our sorrows and suffering in the depths of His love.  If need be, He covers us so that we do not have to see our past, but we look to our future in Christ.

                    “He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
                    That covers a dry, thirsty land;
                    He hideth my life in the depths of His love;
                    And covers me there with His hand,
                    And covers me there with His hand.”

                    –1 Corinthians 15:29-30 (Phillips)
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Welcome back to our study in the Psalms for the year 2024.  This portion of Psalm 107 is a good way to start.  Perhaps you had a rough year; a year of despair, depression, and gloom.  That’s where we find ourselves at the beginning of this section.  The people had sat in darkness; they were prisoners in a foreign land, held in bondage–the reason, they rebelled against the words of God.

          10 — Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons–
          11 — Because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the Most High,
          12 — Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help.
          13 — Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.
          14 — He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their chains in pieces.
          15 — Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
          16 — For He has broken the gates of bronze, and cut the bars of iron in two.
          17 — Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
          18 — Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.
          19 — Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.
          20 — He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
          21 — Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
          22 — Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.  (NKJV)

     When the people cried out to the Lord, He heard them and released them from their hard labor.  They were encouraged to give thanks unto the Lord.   Know that God delivers those who come to Him with a humble and repentant heart.  Note, that He will always deliver, but then remember it may be instantaneous or it may be over a period of time.  It may take time for us to have a renewing of our mind and not say words of repentance, but actually mean them from the heart.
     Verses 15 and 21 tell us a couple of things.  At first glance it seems that it is a plea by the psalmist.  He is wanting them to give thanks for the Lord is good.  He encourages them to remember where they were now compared to the depths of despair from which He brought them.  “They grew near to the gates of death” is taken from the Hebrew word meaning “shachah” which means “to fall down in troubles, to sink down in despair, to bow down.”  (Steven Lawson)  When God lifted them up they should have hearts that overflow with thanksgiving.  Their heart should flow with joy.
     One more note, in verse 17 there is the word “fools.”  “This word does not refer primarily to someone of low intelligence or someone who is ignorant, but rather it refers to someone who is willfully perverse, choosing to adopt destructive behaviors and lifestyles.” (William Peterson)  Go to the book of Proverbs for a good study of what a fool is and does.  Check back on the notes I wrote regarding “How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World.”  There are many actions of fools, but they all stem from choosing to disregard the Word of the Lord.

               “Long my imprisoned spirit lay
               Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
               Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
               I woke–the dungeon flamed with light!
               My chains fell off, my heart was free,
               I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.”
                          –Charles Wesley

                    –1 Corinthians 2:2 (NIV)
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                    “Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.”
                               –Jonathan Edwards

RESOLUTION!  Stop the nonsense about making resolutions.  It is serious business!  Either we make them or we don’t, but it is nothing to be taken lightly.  Someone said that a resolution is a “to do” list for the first week in January.  Nonsense!  A to do list is something that needs to be accomplished and then when it is done it is crossed off.   It is not for one day or for a week, but in reality it is for a lifetime.  I have heard it said that a resolution is made to be broken.  Nonsense!  That is like saying I haven’t broken the law if I don’t get caught.  Some people say that they don’t make resolutions because they know they can’t keep them.  Okay, at least they do not make them in the first place, but that seems to be a lame excuse.
       RESOLUTION: (from the Oxford Dictionary)
               1)  a firm decision to do or not to do something.  
               2)  the quality of being determined.
We see here that a resolution involves determination, purpose, intention, decision, and resolve.  It is not tip-toeing through the tulips; it is a definite march in whatever endeavor or decision that has been made.  It is not a flippant phrase, but a determined effort to get something accomplished.
       Most resolutions that are made are first of all hastily made.  They are not thought through.

                “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it–lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’  Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?”
                         –Luke 14:27-31 (NKJV)

Second, most resolutions deal with exercise, diet, losing weight, stopping some habit or forming one.  These are not wrong, in fact, they can be very good.  However, these are things that are not quite as weighty as what Luke was speaking of.  Yet, at the same time, they take resolve, they take discipline and determination to accomplish.  As I said earlier, resolutions are not flippantly made.  They take consideration.
       David was resolved when he stood in front of Goliath.  He did not waver; he did not back down.  He was determined and had faith in God to see through the battle.  One of the greatest resolution statements in the Bible are the words of Joshua, “…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15, NKJV)  Nothing was going to deter him from making sure he and his family were serving God.  Paul resolved that “in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11, NKJV).   These are but a small example of those who made firm resolutions before the Lord.  In fact, go back to Luke 14.  The verse just before the ones above speaks of definite resolution to follow Christ.  “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27, NKJV)
       Should we not be resolute in fixing our eyes upon Jesus in the coming year?  Should we not determine that our steps are to be guided by the Holy Spirit?  Should we not discipline ourselves so that we are not castaway?  Should we not seek to be more like Him?  Should we not take more earnest heed to our walk, and should we not be looking for His soon return?  Should we not be redeeming the time because the days are evil?  I would ask you again, before making a flippant resolution, or joke about making a resolution to think again.  Think of our Lord, hasn’t He made resolutions regarding us?  Isn’t He faithful to His word?  He resolves to fulfill His promises.  He is committed to His children.  Thank the Lord that He is resolved to “give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand” (John 10:29-30, NKJV).

               “I am determined, I’ve made up my mind,
               I’ll serve the Lord.
               I’ve left the pleasures of this world behind,
               I’ll serve the Lord…”
                      –unknown