Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Rock-solid Friendships


This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 16. Here is what I learned.

The beauty of faith-filled people encompasses me. They are true, and my heart is thrilled beyond measure. Psalm 16:3 (VOICE)

As for the godly (the saints) who are in the land, they are the excellent, the noble, and the glorious, in whom is all my delight. Psalm 16:3 (AMP)

And these God-chosen lives all around— what splendid friends they make! Psalm 16:3 (MSG)

This verse is probably to be regarded as a further statement of the evidence of the attachment of the psalmist to God. In the previous verse, according to the interpretation proposed, he states that his happiness - his all was centered in God. He had no hope of anything except in him; none beyond him; none besides him.
In this verse he states, as a further proof of his attachment to him, that he regarded with deep affection the saints of God; that he found his happiness, not in the society of the wicked, but in the friendship of the excellent of the earth. The verse may be thus rendered: "As to the saints in the earth (or in respect to the saints in the earth), and to the excellent, all my delight is in them." In the former verse he had stated that, as to God, or in respect to God, he had no source of blessing, no hope, no joy, beyond him, or independent of him; in this verse he says that in respect to the saints - the excellent of the earth - all his delight was in them. Thus he was conscious of true attachment to God and to his people. Thus he had what must ever be essentially the evidence of true piety - a feeling that God is all in all, and real love for those who are his; a feeling that there is nothing beyond God, or without God, that can meet the wants of the soul, and a sincere affection for all who are his friends on earth. Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It would seem logical, that if I enjoy God’s company, that I’d enjoy the company of those who love God. I think of my friends, we may not have a lot of common interests, but the one thing we do have in common is our love for God. That single bond is greater and stronger than liking the same sports team, or liking the same hobby. For loving God is the foundation for life and sets the standards for living. 

True friendship is grounded in each individuals love for God. The more each person loves God and aims to accomplish God’s will, the friendship is stronger and more enjoyable. 

To create a positive day, I first must make sure my relationship with God is right and strong, then I can enjoy rock-solid friendships that have God as the foundation. 

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