A Psalm for the weekend and an Irish Castle

The Psalm to begin this weekend is Psalm 12.  There is a commentary in my Bible on this Psalm titled "the importance of faithfulness."  The commenter talks about how David asked the Lord for help because people were not being godly or faithful. . . that people were speaking worthless, untrue words with deceitful, double hearts.

It goes on to say that "Being faithful is as important today as it was then.  It is hard to find people who will be really faithful---people who will stick with you when they find out you are not perfect.. . . a true friend  is a person born to stick with you in your hard and not-so-nice times. . .Single-minded men and women are also needed today--ones who can set their hearts on something and stick with it without being double-minded and speaking empty words."

The commentary is quite long, but it ends with "The Bible tells us that God remains faithful even when we are faithless (see Timothy 2:13).  That is the way God wants us to be.  If everybody else is faithless, then we remain faithful.  If you feel as though you are the only one who is being nice, the only one who apologizes or tries to do the right thing, keep on doing it.  Determine in your heart to stay loyal to God and to keep bearing the fruit of faithfulness."

                                                    Psalm 12
            To the Chief Musician; set [possibly] an octave below.  A Psalm of David.

1. Help, LORD! For principled and godly people are here no more; faithfulness and the faithful vanish from among the sons of men.

2. To his neighbor each one speaks words without use or worth or truth; with flattering lips and double heart they speak.

3. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongues that speak proud boasting.

4. Those who say, With our tongues we prevail; our lips are our own---who is lord and master over us?

5. Now will I arise, says the Lord, because the poor are oppressed; because of the groans of the needy; I will set him in safety and in the salvation for which he pants.

6. The words and promises of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times over.

7. You will keep them and preserve them, O lord; You will guard and keep us from this generation forever.

8. The wicked walk or prowl about on every side, as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

The pictures are of The Abbey Castle in Ireland.  It was built by a rich man for his family, but was turned into an abbey.  If you look closely in these last three pictures, you'll see the Christ statue that stands high on the hillside behind the Abbey. 

                                   BLESSINGS to you all as you begin the weekend!