PSALM 13

Psalm 13:2  English Standard Version
How long must I take counsel in my soul ?

Let us continue to enjoy scripture
to receive the enlightenment we still need.

Psalm 13:3 New International Version
Look on me and answer, O LORD my God,
give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death.

The light of revelation shines more
for those who have something in store
in the stockrooms of their memories
because the Holy Spirit is able to bring to the fore
the most appropriate verses for the present moment.

Psalm 13:5-6  Revised Standard Version
But I have trusted in thy steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Because we are in  Christ
we turn to the Father
with the Spirit's cry of Love.

Those who are one in Christ
are participants in the collective struggle
and we do have solidarity,
the quality of being united and at one.
In practice we are at one in respect to;-
our sympathies, interests and aspirations,
especially our joint responsibilities in the will of God
according to scripture.
There will be one flock, one shepherd .  John 10:16 ESV

1st Corinthians 12:27  
Now you are the body of Christ
and individually members of it.

Ephesians 4:4 ESV
There is one body and one Spirit.

We are at one
with all who trust in the steadfast love of the living God.
The Spirit who lives in my heart to draw me to the Father
is also the Spirit present in all creation, the same Spirit
who groans in the heart of my brothers and sisters.

The silence in which we know God
is a fraternal silence
where there is neither thine nor mine,
but where ,
God deep within all of us
makes of us.....one heart and one Spirit.

PSALM 12

A believer with a bible and the Holy Spirit, may read Psalm 12
in the context of his own life.         ( In John 16:13 we have the
promise that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. )
Psalm 118:8 NRSV
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than put confidence in mortals.
We have enjoyed a society in which  we could expect to be able
to trust people.But in a society in which it is not safe to trust people,
we have to be constantly careful.
We are not licensed to stand in judgement of people, But;-
we do notice anti-social  and self centered behaviour.
and we soon become aware of unholy attitudes.
We are bothered about injustice, violence, oppression, hunger and pain..

Without judging individual people, we become aware of;-
lack of reverence,       reduced sense of honour    less faithfulness,
  people being not so dependable,
 and having a reduced sense of responsibility.
It touches us when evil is applauded, trust is broken
and decent things are derided.
If you had gone to my Sunday school you would know
that a good society "sets the poor in safety".................
spiritually, medically, financially,  morally, educationally and
nutritionally.
Our attitudes on this are either self justified or divinely justified.
Love and caring results in justice and peace.
LUKE 11:13 NRSV
If you then who are evil, 
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the heavenly Father 
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
As the Holy Spirit is within us
these words serve more than an academic purpose.
The love and will of God is in us when we respond to Psalm 12:5
Psalm 12:5 NRSV
"Because the poor are despoiled
                 because the needy groan,
     I will now rise up," says the LORD;
"I will place them in the safety for which they long."

The Christian response to psalm 12 is to pray and act
as friends of Jesus,  with friends of Jesus.
JOHN 15: 15 NJB
I shall no longer call you servants
because a servant does not know his masters business;
I call you friends,
because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.

In the light of Psalm 12 we need to be radical Christians,
bringing fundamental change to the lives of people in our day
and bringing far reaching renewal of our society.
New life for individuals and healing for society.
Philippians 2:13 NRSV
for it is God who is at work in you,
enabling you both to will and work 
for his good pleasure,