Shalom,
Psalm 32:8 is a very precious promise from God to us! Here is what it says:
8I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
HE will teach us His Word and direct our lives! Did you know that when you received Jesus of Nazareth has Lord and personal Saviour, that you were MADE the righteousness of God? 1 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that! So Psalm 32:11 is talking to YOU!
11Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you who are upright and in right standing with Him]; shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
The word rejoice here is the Hebrew word "giyl", which means: to rejoice, to spin around in joy, to exalt and to tremble! To shout for joy is the Hebrew word, "ranan", which means: to be overcome, to shout for joy, to sing for joy, to give a ringing cry in exaltation! So let's DO IT, you righteous!
Acts 4 we see the chief priests and other religious leaders getting involved after Peter and John had healed the man who sat at the Beautiful Gate. They didn't like that the place was in a REJOICING uproar over the healing of this man. They set Peter and John before them and demanded to know by what authority they had healed this man. Sound familiar? First Jesus, now His followers are asked the same questions! Peter proceeded to preach the Gospel to them! What a great opportunity! What was the immediate result? We see this in verses 14-18:
14And since they saw the man who had been cured standing there beside them, they could not contradict the fact or say anything in opposition.
15But having ordered [the prisoners] to go aside out of the council [chamber], they conferred (debated) among themselves,
16Saying, What are we to do with these men? For that an extraordinary miracle has been performed by (through) them is plain to all the residents of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
17But in order that it may not spread further among the people and the nation, let us warn and forbid them with a stern threat to speak any more to anyone in this name [or about this Person].
18[So] they summoned them and imperatively instructed them not to converse in any way or teach at all in or about the name of Jesus.
Amazing, isn't it?! They see someone healed right before their eyes and it doesn't move them to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour! Peter and John's response:
19But Peter and John replied to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you and obey you rather than God, you must decide (judge).
20But we [ourselves] cannot help telling what we have seen and heard.
21Then when [the rulers and council members] had further threatened them, they let them go, not seeing how they could secure a conviction against them because of the people; for everybody was praising and glorifying God for what had occurred.
When we DO the works that Jesus did, we will have the same results that Jesus had! Then let the naysayers say what they will. As long as God gets the glory, the people will believe and receive! And THAT is our #1 priority and WHY we do what we do! AMEN!!!
Shalom in Him!
