When our beloved Reuben (4 year old) is taught to memorize Bible verses, he often questions us (Sangeetha and me) on the meaning of certain words, but recently instead of asking for the meaning of a word, he asked for clarification. We were teaching him Psalm 34 and verse 11 reads “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” Reuben paused and questioned, is it the Lord or is it my Lord? I did not pay that much attention to it at that moment, but answered that it could be “the” Lord or “my” Lord. Then when meditating from the book of Philippians, I noticed that the apostle Paul, refers to Jesus Christ as “my” Lord (Philippians 3:8). This lead to the revelation of the hidden treasure – Paul personalizes Jesus as His own. Reuben, in a sense was asking for the same and we ought to as well. Jesus is the Lord over all, and many believe in him being the Lord, but what matters truly is if one can answer the question, “Is Jesus ‘my’ Lord or not?” We ought to make Jesus our personal Lord which in other words mean that we must be willing to submit to His personal Lordship.
Now with this revelation, I went and re-read Psalm 34 and was thrilled to learn on what it assures when I substituted the word, “the” with the word “my”. You will understand what I mean when you read below.
1 I will bless my the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make her boast in my the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3 O magnify my the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought my the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and my the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of my the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
8 O taste and see that my the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9 O fear my the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek my the LORD shall not want any good thing.
11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of my the LORD.
12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
15 The eyes of my the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
16 The face of my the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and my the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 My The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but my the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22 My The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
