Hearing God's Voice in the Psalmsનમૂનો

The Counselor

“I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:6–8 NIV84)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 351,000 professional counselors in the United States in 2021. That same year, nearly forty-two million people in the United States sought professional counseling. Young adults (18 to 44 years old) outpaced all other age groups in seeking professional guidance. The Psalmist likely was in this same age group when he sought a counselor.

Everyone needs the counsel of someone at some point in their life journey.

The Psalmist had a Wonderful Counselor. His counselor was so wise that the counsel he received resonated with him through the day and into the night. He quickly realized it would be to his advantage if he met with his counselor daily (I have set the Lord always before me). Consequently, this counselor-client connection brought gladness to his heart, joy to his tongue, and peace to his body (read verses nine to eleven).

His personal counselor was the one referred to in Isaiah 9:6,

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Amazingly, his Wonderful Counselor, who had existed before the foundation of the world was created, would also be born in an earthly body in Bethlehem 500 years after he wrote this Psalm. To further illustrate the Counselor’s heart to counsel His children, He would send His Word (Bible) and His Spirit to reside within His children to counsel them in real-time every time they seek Him.

This same Wonderful Counselor is available to you and me. In other settings, I have shared the following comment with those in the room, “If you could have fixed yourself by now, by yourself, you would have. It is apparent that you cannot. You need someone bigger, greater, and smarter than yourself for yourself. The Lord is that someone.” While there are times when we need the counsel of our family and friends, we ultimately need the counsel of the Wonderful Counselor.

Seeking the counsel of others implies we need help. It is a statement that we are not self-sufficient, self-sustaining, or as capable as we once thought. It requires humility that acknowledges we need someone who knows more than us. The Psalmist discovered the Lord to be the counselor he could depend on and whose counsel exceeded his own perceptions and logic.

Friends, the Word of God is the written Counsel of God. Every time you open the pages of God’s Word, you step into a divine counseling appointment. Every verse of Scripture has the power to change the trajectory of your day. His counsel is mighty, everlasting, and full of peace (Isaiah 9:6). Is it any wonder the Psalmist began verse seven with “I will praise the Lord…”

The counsel of God’s Word is so divine, inspirational, and rich that it can seep into the deep places of our souls when we are awake and sleep. It can linger in our hearts and then surface in our conversations and decisions. It can birth a thought that inspires our soul. It can strengthen our faith and empower us to see beyond the problematic issues staring us in the face. It can transport us to a place of peace when moments before we opened its pages, we were full of anxiety and uncertainty. His counsel cancels the misleading voices of thoughts, concerns, fearful questions, and doubts. While these voices attempt to lead us to dark places, His counsel is full of light and shows us the way forward. His counsel can comfort us even though our situation has yet to be resolved. His counsel (the Bible) can come alive with personal direction. It can impart life when life is fading from our dreams and hopes. It can lift our spirit and encourage our soul. His written Word can sustain us to live one day to the next in hope and faith. It can cement a conviction in our soul that says, as the Psalmist said, “Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

One last thought: having boundaries in one’s life is paramount to a meaningful future. Every counselor will tell you the same. Most of us discover healthy boundaries by trial and error. We make poor decisions that lead to unpleasant consequences that help us to define our future boundaries. Boundaries in relationships, finances, personal behaviors and habits, and every other area of life are necessary if we desire health and safety. The Psalmist said of the guidance he received from The Counselor, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” While there are many reasons to set the Lord before us daily, one powerful motive is to live within the boundary lines that can provide a lifetime of delightful experiences. When we set the Lord before us and live according to the counsel of Scripture, we employ the processes that lead to stability, security, and pleasant places.

The Psalmist’s testimony has been the testimony of countless millions. It is certainly my testimony. The counsel of God’s Word has protected and guided me through many difficult seasons. The Lord desires to be the personal counselor of all who would seek Him as such. As you open your Bible, ask The Wonderful Counselor to highlight certain words, phrases, verses, or stories that will guide you throughout your day. Ask Him for a personal word of counsel. Then, do as you are counseled. May all of us say, as the Psalmist said in the last verse,

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Conclusion: Today, you will complete the plan Hearing God's Voice in the Psalms written by Pastor Berry Johnston of Discovery Church. We hope this plan has been a blessing to you. For more from this series, please check out our other plans. For additional spiritual growth opportunities, please visit www.discoverypathway.org.