Daily Bible Verse - 9/15/2007 - Lamentations 3:37-38

Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?

Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth?

Lamentations 3:37-38

Did you know?
No other entire OT book contains only laments, as does this distressful dirge, marking the funeral of the once beautiful city of Jerusalem (cf. 2:15). This book keeps alive the memory of that fall and teaches all believers how to deal with suffering.

MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (La 1:1). Nashville: Word Pub.

Daily Bible Verse - 9/14/2007 - Psalm 115:3

Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.

But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.

Psalm 115:3

Commentary
The transcendence of God means that He is exalted above the universe, and has His being apart from it. The sovereignty of God means that He is free to do whatever He pleases, and what He pleases is always good, just and wise.

MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Ps 115:3). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

"God in Heaven"

This descriptive phrase is found nine times in the Old Testament. In describing the Lord as "God in heaven," the writers of Scripture affirm several truths. Moses views God's position in heaven as giving Him the right to call on the Israelites to "keep.. His commandments" (Deut. 4:39, 40). Rahab, a citizen of Jericho, saw Yahweh's position as God in heaven as one of power. He was well able to aid Israel and to crush Jericho's walls (Josh. 2:11). When the Lord is addressed as "God in heaven" in 1 Kings 8:23, 2 Chronicles 6:14, and 20:6, it is His uniqueness that is in view. All other so-called deities are idols whose realms are limited to the earth. They are the inventions of demons whose forms are fashioned by people. Psalm 115:3-6 beautifully sums up what it means to know the Lord as God in heaven.

Richards, L. (2001). Every name of God in the Bible. Includes indexes. Everything in the Bible series (43). Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson.