angela hormberg

Tag: Suffering

  • Psalm 13

    Psalm 13

    Commonplace –

    “How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord?” (Psalm 13:1a).

    Questions for God

    David opens Psalm 13 with four questions:

    1. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord? for ever?
    2. How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
    3. How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?
    4. How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

    Petition

    Then, David brings forth his petition to God, and he uses action verbs. These are the actions he desires God to take:

    1. Consider me
    2. Hear me
    3. Lighten mine eyes, lighten my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death

    The first two petitions are clear. He is asking God to listen and carefully weigh his requests. The third is a bit confusing, “lighten my eyes” (v.3.); this could be physical, spiritual, or both. David’s mood is heavy and dark; spiritually he is weighed down. This downhearted outlook casts a darkness over life, so he’s asking for spiritual illumination. He is asking for help to see beyond his circumstances and to be reinvigorated with hope and light. It could also have the double physical meaning that he is fearful he will lose his life. He needs strength to overcome his enemies, who stand waiting to jeer at him, if he fails.

    Remembering and Reminding

    David remembers.

    “But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

    I will sing unto the Lord, because he hat dealt bountifully with me” (Psalm 13:6).

    Note his past tense in the word ‘trusted’ and how he switches tense with ‘shall’ and ‘will’. I have trusted; I shall rejoice. I will sing. God has always supplied more than enough of his needs. He will walk forward in faith, knowing God will not leave him.

    Once again, Matthew Henry’s words are on point.

    “This psalm is the deserted soul’s case and cure.

    Henry comments on David’s final words: “[David] concludes his deliverance to be as good as wrought” (229).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 13.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 7

    Psalm 7

    Commonplace –

    “I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high” (Psalm 7:17).

    David begins this psalm with a reminder to himself: “O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust” (v.1.). The circumstances surrounding David were harrowing and terrifying. His enemy was close at hand and threatening violence toward him. To combat his fear, David declares his trust in God and asks for God’s help. He entreats God to search him for sin and turn him over to the enemy, if sin is found within him. David is relying on God’s justice and righteousness.

    “The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me” (Psalm 7:8).

    and

    “My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart” (Psalm 7:10).

    God’s righteousness is a gift. He is not a God of caprice. We do not have to wonder at what He will do; He will always do what is right and good. What we learn herein from David is trust and faith, even when the circumstances make it seem as if the wicked are winning. In this type of suffering, when we do good but evil appears to be winning, we join in suffering for the good. In his summary, Matthew Henry notes,

    “In this David was a type of Christ, who was himself, and still is in his members, thus injured, but will certainly be righted at last” (212).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 7.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 109

    Psalm 109

    Commonplace –

    “Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to thy mercy: That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, Lord, has done it” (Psalm 109:26-27).

    Henry suggests we take on the following mindset as we sing/pray this psalm.

    “In singing this psalm we must comfort ourselves with the believing foresight of the certain destruction of all the enemies of Christ and his church, and the certain salvation of all those that trust in God and keep close to him” (Henry 534).

    In particular, Henry notes,

    “God was David’s protector in his sufferings, and was present also with the Lord Jesus in his, stood at his right hand, so that he was not moved, saved his soul from those that pretended to be the judges of it, and received it into his own hands. Let all those that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him (Henry 537).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 109.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 102

    Psalm 102

    Commonplace –

    “But thou, O Lord, shall endure forever, and thy remembrance unto all generations. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end” (Psalm 102:12).

    It has happened often, as I read and write through the psalms, that I may go a few days and not have time to be in the Word. Every time, when I come back, the psalm I am on is the right one for that moment. This is Holy Week. I have been distracted by events and have not been keeping up with my daily reading. Today, Good Friday, I picked up the Word and read Psalm 102. It is the perfect Psalm for Good Friday. In the title of the psalm is the following description:

    “A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord” (Psalm 102).

    That is the description of Christ on the cross. As Matthew Henry notes,

    “…it is clear from the application of v. 25, 26, to Christ (Heb 1:10-12), that the psalm has reference to the days of the Messiah, and speaks either of his affliction or of the afflictions of his church for his sake” (Henry 504).

    The psalmist does list his afflictions, but he does not stay and wallow there. In verse 12, he turns his eyes to God, and the entire tone of the psalm changes. In this way, we learn again from the psalms how to gain victory over our persecution. We must turn to God and remember that He is eternal, while our afflictions are only for a moment.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 102.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • 2025 Rtb: Job 40-42

    2025

    Read Through the Bible

    Day 7: Job 40-42

    “Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

    “Then Job answered the Lord, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth” (Job 40:1-4).

    “Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heave is mine” (Job 41:11).

    “Then Job answered the Lord and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be witholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knoweldge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I know not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:1-5).

    Here we have God questioning Job and calling Job to consider who God is and Job’s place in respect to God. Job responds in humility and repents of his sin in the face of Goodness.

    So many worries crowd out my worship. Too often I am consumed with my circumstances and not with Who orders my day. God knows me and my circumstances, and He works them all to my good.

    Lord, help me to come first to You. Help me to dedicate my heart and living to you first. You are where my happiness is. Help me to know that and order my life aright. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

    Henry, Matthew. “Volume 3: Job to Song of Solomon.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • 2025 Rtb: Job 38-39

    2025

    Read Through the Bible

    Day 6: Job 38-39

    “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me” (Job 38:1-3).

    With that, God begins to question Job. As Matthew Henry noted, “…but when God took the throne, Job had nothing to say in his own defence, but was silent before Him” (168). Chapter 38 includes God’s line of questioning is intended to highlight how little Job knew about:

    1. “He knew nothing of the founding of the earth”
    2. “He knew nothing of the limiting of the sea”
    3. “He knew nothing of the morning light”
    4. “He knew nothing of the dark recesses of the sea and the earth”
    5. “He knew nothing of the springs in the clouds, nor the secret counsels by which they are directed”
    6. “He could do nothing towards the production of rain or frost or lightning, nothing towards the directing of the stars or their influences, nothing towards the making of his own soul”
    7. And, lastly, he could not provide for the lions or the ravens” (Henry 168).

    In Job 39, “God proceeds here to show Job what little reason he had to charge [God] with unkindness who was so compassionate to the inferior creatures and took such a tender care of them, or to boast of himself, and his own good deeds before God, which were nothing to the divine mercies” (Henry 168). Jesus makes a similar point in Matthew 10:29-30 “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

    These words are a comfort and a warning at the same time. We trust in God’s faithfulness, when we consider all that He tends to. He sees all and knows all.

    Lord, help me to find comfort in Your attending to all things. Help me to be like Job: silent in Your presence, contemplating all Your works. Help me to remember You. Help me to be humble.

    Henry, Matthew. “Volume 3: Job to Song of Solomon.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • 2025 Rtb: Job 1-2

    2025

    Read Through the Bible

    Day 5: Job 1-2

    “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” (Job 1:20-22)

    “But [Job] said unto [his wife], Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips” (Job 2:10).

    Both of these scriptures stood out to me as models for how to respond in suffering.

    Matthew Henry notes, “[Job] was sincere in his religion; he was perfect; not sinless, as he himself owns (Job 9:20)If I say I am perfect, I shall be proved perverse. But, having a respect to all God’s commandments, aiming at perfection, he was really as good as he seemed to be, and did not dissemble in his profession of piety; his heart was sound and his eye single. Sincerity is gospel perfection. I [Matthew Henry] know no religion without it” (3).

    Here Job’s sincerity is tested, and he is proved faithful.

    This is challenging. How will I react in the face of adversity? Will my heart prove true.

    Oh, Lord, please make my heart true and sincere. Draw me close to you. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

    Henry, Matthew. “Volume 3: Job to Song of Solomon.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 49

    Psalm 49

    Commonplace –

    “This psalm is a sermon” (Henry 341).

    “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah” (Psalm 49:15).

    But God! I have often heard this phrase used in church. After a parishioner describes a hard time in their life, they will insert this phrase at the end marking a major turning point in their story. What follows is a testimony to God’s faithfulness in their life in the midst of a dark time. In Psalm 49, the author does the same thing. Or should I say that the author laid down in the Psalms the model for how we should confront adversity in our life:

    • State the struggle, problem, sin
    • Proclaim: “But God”
    • Testify to God’s goodness in help during the struggle, problem, sin

    This simple three step response to life’s problems is essential to overcoming whatever suffering we are going through in life, because it shifts our focus from the problem to the solution. Focusing on God is always the solution, staring at the problem is not.

    In Psalm 49, the sermon is all about where we place our trust: God or things. This Psalm is an excellent outline of how to write a sermon, and I will address the technical aspects of that in another post. For now, I would like to focus on the psalmist’s answer to overcoming suffering, which, if you recall, Elisabeth Elliot gave a very worthy definition of:

    Suffering is having what you don’t want and wanting what you don’t have (Suffering Is Never for Nothing).

    In their book, The Life Model: Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You, the authors note,

    There may be times when we are not in a place where we are free from pain, but we can still experience God’s amazing redemption. An often-quoted passage in II Corinthians 12 describes how the apostle Paul learned a key lesson. When he was stuck with a tormenting problem which did not go away even though he pleaded with the Lord three times, he got an answer he was not looking for: God works through weakness. What a profound discovery – [Paul] learned to delight in “weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions and in difficulties.” The good news of the Gospel is that God wants to be with us in the middle of our struggles. That is precisely when He exercises His strength in us. Paul learned to let God be in charge, and to stop asking God to end his hardship. God’s strength flowed through him because Paul stopped trying to be in control. He let God take over, and God was able to use him more effectively. Paul could delight in suffering because he found it was an opportunity for God’s strength to work through him” (7).

    The shift in going from a life focusing on the problem to focusing on God, requires a shift in mindset. When we consider why things are happening in our lives, it’s important to consider eternity. In Psalm 49, the psalmist is preaching against putting faith in wealth and power, which reside here in the physical world, and preaching for putting faith in God, who resides outside of this physical time and place in eternity. The psalmist urges the reader to consider their physical end: everyone dies. The most important thing to consider is: where will I spend eternity?

    For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever (Psalm 49:8).

    As Matthew Henry points out, “It is certainly true that the redemption of the soul is precious and ceaseth for ever; that is, life, when it is gone it cannot be recalled, by any human art, or worldy price. But this looks further, to the eternal redemption which was to be wrought out by the Messiah, who the Old-testament saints had an eye to as the Redeemer. Everlasting life is a jewel of too great a value to be purchased by the wealth of this world.” And further on he states, “Christ did that for us which all the riches of the world could not do; well therefore may He be dearer to us than any worldly things. Christ did for us which a brother, a friend, could not do for us, no not one of the best estate or interest; and therefore those that love father or brother more than Him are not worthy of Him. This likewise shows the folly of worldly people, who sell their souls for that which could never buy them.

    Suffering is for the moment, but our souls are eternal. When we consider events in light of eternity, pondering how we can turn what is happening to us into an opportunity to glorify God is key.

    Works Cited

    Elliot, Elisabeth. Suffering is Never for Nothing. B&H Publishing Group, 2019.

    Friesen, James G., et al. The Life Model: Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You. Morris Publishing, 2000.

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 49.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg