Month: April 2021

Psalm 63:1a You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You….

Morning has always been the best time of day for me, and I realized early on that I needed to carve out time with God in those early hours, to sit with Him, so that my soul was more at ease once the day got into full swing. For many years this has been my habit.

Psalm 63:b …I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

I can remember running in the early hours of a summer day, returning home and guzzling ice cold water to try to satisfy my thirst, but no matter how much I drank after those scorching runs, satiation felt just out of reach. I feel like that is the season I’m in currently with my spiritual life.

Psalm 63:7 Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the understanding that this exhausted, thirsty spell is just another season of life. Help me to seek You more, to not give up on reestablishing our close bond. I know that my connection with You will be restored. I know You love me fiercely. I hope You know how deeply I love You. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 63:8 I cling to You; Your right hand upholds me.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 62:1 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him.

I am an introvert, a trait that has gotten stronger as I have gotten older. People, even people I love, can be exhausting. Social situations are so uncomfortable. And, of course, I married an extrovert. He loves people, thrives when interacting with others. As you might imagine, we’ve had very different reactions to the social isolation of the past thirteen months.

Psalm 62:2 Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

But David’s prayer this morning brought clearly to mind how I survive difficult social situations, how I survive most any situation where I feel out-of-place, awkward, uncomfortable—God. 

Psalm 62:5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.

Lord, Thank You for loving me fiercely and unconditionally. I look at myself and see awkwardness. You look at me an see Your beloved child. Thank You for the grace to cling to that fact, regardless of my comfort level in any situation. Thank You for being my rock, my salvation, my fortress. Always. It is because of You, Your love, that I will never be shaken. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Psalm 62:6 Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, and I will not be shaken.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 61:2 From the ends of the earth I call to You, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

We have a local quarry-turned-park, Rocky Face, that always comes to mind when I think of Psalm 61:2. When I hike Rocky Face and am standing at the bottom, all I can see are the trees right in front of me. Nothing else exists. But as I climb higher and higher, as I get above the tree line, I realize that the trees are only a small portion of what’s there—rolling fields, roads and houses, mountain upon mountain in the distance. It’s all there. I just couldn’t see it for the trees blocking my path.

Psalm 61:3 For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.

For me, the park and the verse serve as a reminder of the need for perspective. I have a tendency to worry and fret about all manner of inconsequential things. When I rest on my own strength, all I see are my doubts and fears. It is only when I lean on the rock that is higher than I that I can see from God’s perspective, which is so much more expansive, so much more beautiful than my own limit perspective.

Psalm 61:4 I long to dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.

Lord, Thank You. Thank You for being my rock, my refuge, my strong tower. Thank You for helping me gain perspective when life is crowding in, choking my view. Draw me closer. Always. Amen.

Psalm 61:8 Then I will ever sing in praise of Your name and fulfill my vows day after day.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 60:1 You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us; You have been angry—now restore us!

I love that David is not afraid to be real and honest with God about his feelings. That’s sometimes hard for me, and usually it takes some serious, layered defeats—one after another after another—for me to get to that level of honesty where I can admit my anger and say, “Really, God? I don’t understand. Why? Why? Why?”

Psalm 60:5 Save us and help us with Your right hand, that those You love may be delivered.

Thankfully, God never leaves me in that state of despair, and while I’ve never gotten an answer to the question why, He always brings me around to a space where I can honestly say: “I don’t understand this and I don’t like it, but I trust You and know that You love me and mine more than I can even fathom; You are good and loving; You have a plan to work all things for my good and Your glory.”

Psalm 60:11 Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You that You are big enough to handle all of the emotions You gave me. Thank You for the comfort of Your sovereignty and love, even when I don’t understand Your ways. Draw me closer. Always. Amen.

Psalm 60:12 With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 59:9 You are my strength, I watch for You; You, God, are my fortress….

David, a man after God’s own heart, gives me hope. The psalms show that he experiences the highs and lows of life. He pours out his heart to God, his hopes and fears. He wants God to save him, but he ultimately wants God to be glorified in the process (though he hopes he is allowed to gloat, I’m certain his gloating would include God’s glorious role). Even when he messes up, and he messes up BIG TIME, he is humbled and returns to God seeking renewal, and God draws him back in.

Psalm 59:10 … my God on whom I can rely. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

I am also one big ole jumble of emotions and feelings. My joys are great, as are my sorrows. I, too, mess up—anger, fear, jealousy, bitterness, messy emotions that seem to separate me so completely from my precious Savior. David’s example gives me hope that even in my mess, I can forge a stronger relationship with my God if I will humble myself, allow myself to be humbled, and return to Him, seeking renewal.

Psalm 59:16 But I will sing of Your strength, in the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

Lord, I pray to You in the words of David: You are my strength, I watch for You; You, God, are my fortress…. I will sing of Your strength, in the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” Draw me closer, Lord. Give me a heart only for You. Amen.

Psalm 59:17 “You are my strength, I sing praise to You; You, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.”

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 58:1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge people with equity?

Commentary suggests that David is expressing his anger and outrage at corruption, perhaps because he is currently being exposed to the consequences of said corruption. After all, commentary goes on, it is human nature not to care unless we are personally affected. That little bit jumped out at me because I feel the weight of its truth.

Psalm 58:2 No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

Christian doctrine says that man was born evil, fallen. A close look at the world today and it is easy to see all manner of evil, unjust, corrupt schemes and systems in play. It is also easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of such corruptions.

Psalm 58:6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God; LORD, tear out the fangs of those lions!

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. It is easy to feel helpless and hopeless in the face of injustice, evil, and corruption, but I know that Your goal is to equip us with Your love, grace, and mercy so we know how to respond to the reality of this fallen world. Help me, Lord, to be Your hands and feet, help me to shine Your Light and show Your heart. Help me to make my tiny corner of the world just a bit better for all who inhabit it. Amen.

Psalm 58:11 Then people will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.”

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 57:1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in You I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed.

Lord, I want to take refuge in You always, no matter what danger may be lurking. Thank You for hiding me in the shelter of Your wings when I need to catch my breath.

Psalm 57:2-3 I cry out to God Most High, to God who vindicates me. He sends from Heaven and saves me…God sends forth His love and faithfulness.

Lord, Thank You for hearing my cry—my cry of anger, fear, exhaustion. Thank You for sending from Heaven to save me and for Your love and faithfulness.

Psalm 57:9 I will praise You, Lord, among nations; I will sing of You among peoples.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture, for the ability to call on You no matter what is going on in my life. Save me. Shelter me. Renew me. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 57:10 For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.

Commentary on this chapter talks about how faith and fear CAN coexist. David clearly shows that in this psalm (and many others). I often fall into the trap of thinking that if I truly had faith, I would not be afraid, but this psalm reinforces that faith is about trusting even in the face of fear.

Psalm 56:4 In God, whose word I praise—In God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

This week has found me utterly exhausted every single day. Exhaustion makes me whiny, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. But I can be exhausted and faithful at the same time. In fact, that’s what I’ve been trying desperately to do this week—praise God, cling to God, even in my exhaustion. I’m not sure how successful I’m being, but I’m still trying to cling to His hope in spite of my exhaustion, so I am definitely counting that a win.

Psalm 56:10 In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise—

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for faith in the face of fear or exhaustion (or any other emotion that tries to separate me from You). Help this exhaustion to pass. Help me to cling to You regardless. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 56:11 …in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?

Have a blessed day

Psalm 55:16 As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me

Lord, This is a tough time of year. I’m exhausted. Students are exhausted. Yet the finish line seems so very far away. I know my problems, in the grand scheme of things are small, Lord. Thank You for listening, for caring, for giving me strength, regardless.

Psalm 55:17 Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.

Lord, You want me to call on You always. Thank You, when I’m worn out, for making prayer my default. Thank You for welcoming my prayers even about rather small, often trivial matters. To be able to call on You when I’m exhausted makes it easier, more natural, to call on You when I’m afraid. Thank You.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the ability to call on You always. Thank You that You hear me, that You allow me to cast all my cares—big and small—on You. Always. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 55:23 …But as for me, I trust in You.

Have a blessed day.