WARREN W. WIERSBE
Victor®
The Bible Teacher’s Teacher
COOK COMMUNICATIONS MINISTRIES
Colorado Springs, Colorado • Paris, Ontario
KINGSWAY COMMUNICATIONS LTD
Eastbourne, England
Victor® is an imprint of
Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Cook Communications, Paris, Ontario
Kingsway Communications, Eastbourne, England
BE WORSHIPFUL
© 2004 by WARREN W. WIERSBE
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission, except for brief quotations in books and critical review. For information, write Cook Communications Ministries, 4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918.
Editor: Craig Bubeck
Cover photo: © Edmond Van Hoorick/Getty Images
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version. Other quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® (niv). Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved; the New King James Version® (nkjv). Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved; Holy Bible, New Living Translation (nlt), copyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers; the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE® (nasb), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; the American Standard Version (asv); New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (nrsv), copyrighted by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, and are used by permission; the amplified® Bible (amp), Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wiersbe, Warren W.
Be worshipful: Psalms / by Warren W. Wiersbe.--1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN: 0-7814-4100-5 (pbk.)
1. Bible. O.T. Psalms—Commentaries. I. Title
BS1430.53.W54 2004
223′.207--dc22
2004002872
The Be series had a modest beginning in 1972 when Victor Books published my commentary on 1 John and called it Be Real. Nobody remembers who named the book, but for me it was the beginning of three decades of intensive Bible study as I wrote additional commentaries, all of them with Be in the title. It took twenty-three books to cover the New Testament, and they were published in two bound volumes in 1989. Then I started the Old Testament Be series, and Be Obedient, on the life of Abraham, was published in 1991. Over twenty books are now available in the Old Testament series, and the Lord willing, I hope to complete the Old Testament within a year.
I owe a great debt of gratitude to the editorial staff for their encouragement and cooperation these many years, including Mark Sweeney, Jim Adair, Lloyd Cory, Greg Clouse, and Craig Bubeck. These men have been faithful to “shepherd” me through book after book, and I appreciate the friendship and ministry of each more and more. Every author should be as fortunate as I’ve been to work with such dedicated, skillful people who always take a personal interest in their authors. To the best of my knowledge, during these years we’ve ministered together, we’ve never had a cross word or a serious misunderstanding.
I especially want to thank the Lord for His kindness and mercy in allowing me to minister in this way through the printed page. I can think of many of my friends who could have done a far better job than I in this series, but the Lord graciously gave the privilege to me. He also gave me the wisdom and strength to get each book written on time—and sometimes ahead of time—in the midst of a very busy life as a husband and father, a pastor, a radio Bible teacher, a seminary instructor, and a conference speaker.
This leads me to say that I couldn’t have done it without the loving care of my wife, Betty. She manages our household affairs so well and takes such good care of me that I’ve always had the time needed for studying and writing. When I started this series, our four children were all at home. Now they’re all married, and my wife and I have eight wonderful grandchildren! Time flies when you’re checking proofs!
The numerous readers of the Be of encouragement to me, even when they have written to disagree with me! I have received letters from many parts of the world, written by people in various walks of life, and they have gladdened my heart. Unless a writer hears from his readers, his writing becomes a one-way street, and he never knows if what he wrote did anybody any good. I want to thank the pastors, missionaries, Sunday school teachers, and other students of the Word who have been kind enough to write. We could compile a book of letters telling what God has done in the lives of people who have studied the Be series. To God be the glory!
As I close, there are some other people who ought to be thanked. Dr. Donald Burdick taught me New Testament at Northern Baptist Seminary and showed me how to study the Word of God. Dr. Lloyd Perry and the late Dr. Charles W. Koller both taught me how to “unlock” a Scripture passage and organize an exposition that was understandable and practical. I recommend their books on preaching to any preacher or teacher who wants to organize his or her material better.
For ten happy years, I was privileged to pastor the Calvary Baptist Church in Covington, Kentucky, just across the river from Cincinnati. One of my happy duties was writing Bible study notes for “The Whole Bible Study Course,” which was developed by the late Dr. D. B. Eastep, who pastored the church for thirty-five fruitful years. No church I have ever visited or ministered to has a greater love for the Bible or a deeper hunger for spiritual truth than the dear people at Calvary Baptist. The Be series is, in many respects, a by-product of Dr. Eastep’s kindness in sharing his ministry with me, and the church’s love and encouragement while I was their pastor. I honor his memory and thank God for their continued friendship and prayer support.
To you who study God’s Word with me, “I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:32).
Warren W. Wiersbe
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