Month: April 2021

Psalm 54:1 Save me, O God, by Your name; vindicate me by Your might.

Lord, I know that I am a deeply, fiercely loved child of God, and I am so thankful. You know that I am also physically and mentally exhausted today, that I am feeling defeated, even before the day has begun. I know that that attitude is not of You—the Creator of the universe, the Risen Savior. Save me, O God by Your name. Help me remember that Your power, might, and love are with me through this day, greater than any obstacle I face.

Psalm 54:2 Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.

Lord, I know when I get into this beat-down mental space, it’s hard for You to use me, and I don’t want to be unusable to You. Help me to silence the doubts . Renew me so that I am not drug down by the exhaustion. Hear my prayer, O God and renew Your steadfast spirit within me. 

Psalm 54:4 Surely God is my help; the LORD sustains me.

Lord, You are my help. You sustain me. You hear me. You uplift me. You deliver me. Help me to shake off these chains so that I can shine Your light for all to see. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 54:7 You have delivered me from all my troubles….

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 53:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” …

Commentary tells me that Psalm 53 is a repeat of Psalm 14, with slight differences in wording, but I found one line in commentary that stopped me in my tracks: “…every sin implies the effrontery of supposedly knowing better than God.” 

Psalm 53:2 God looks down from Heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

I’m a worrier from way back. I try to plan for every contingency. I say I do this to make sure nothing falls through the cracks, but even I can see the fear behind my actions, the fear of “What if God misses this, doesn’t see it coming, drops the ball?”

Psalm 53:4 Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on God.

Lord, I stand before You this morning, humbled. I see my worry and fear for what it is—sin, doubt in You, in Your promise to be with me always, to use all things—the unexpected, the uncomfortable, the inconvenient—for my good and Your glory. I do not want to doubt, worry, or fear, Lord. I want to trust You completely. Help me. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 53:6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 52:8a But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God….

Lord, I find myself this morning thinking of anger and bitterness when I feel others have “gotten away with” saying or doing something that isn’t right. I find myself struggling not to try to do Your job, to be sure they “pay” for their transgressions. My thoughts are ugly, Lord, and I recognize the slippery slope I’m on because I say and do things I shouldn’t sometimes as well, things that end up being hurtful to others, things that deserve censure.

Psalm 52:8b …I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.

Lord, I find myself thinking about Jesus and the adulteress and the accusers with their stones. “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” When I get caught up in seeking retribution, I lose sight of mercy and compassion. Ultimately, You are judge, but even before that, You are Father, and You want nothing more than Your children, ALL Your children, with You in paradise. THAT is why You temper Your judgment with mercy and compassion. 

Psalm 52:9a For what You have done I will always praise You in the presence of Your faithful people….

Lord, You are God and I am not. You are sovereign and merciful and compassionate, and I am far too consumed with the things of this world, even now. Help me to leave the judgement to You alone. Help me to react to others with the mercy and grace I hope for myself. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 52:9b …And I will hope in Your name, for Your name is good.

Have a blessed day

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

The story of the prodigal son comes to mind as I read today’s chapter. The younger son is so full of himself when he leaves with his share of the inheritance. But when the good times are over, he finally learns humility and returns home, not to ask for his place as son again, but to be a servant if his father will allow. He knows the depth of his sin. He knows he sinned against his father and heaven. He understands the deep need of restoration.

Psalm 51:11 Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit away from me.

Interestingly, as I was rereading the parable today, the older brother’s behavior jumped out at me. He feels wronged. He feels the father owes him. He is angry that the younger brother got to go live the high life and be welcomed home with no personal cost. (I want to ask indignantly, “How can he not grasp the personal price the brother has paid?,” but I understand where he is coming from all too well.)

Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Lord, I stand before you, at once humble and arrogant. Like the prodigal, I know how unworthy I am, but I beg for Your restoration regardless. Like the older son, I still get indignant over what I see as slights and injustices over what I feel I am owed. Break open my selfish heart of stone. Create in me a pure heart, Lord. Renew Your spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 51:17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart You, God, will not despise.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 50:8 “I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.”

On its surface, this scripture seems pretty straight forward: Do what you are supposed to do (sacrificing offerings, etc), and I will deliver you. Don’t, and I will tear you to pieces. But what if it goes deeper than that? What if it’s is a call to relationship for all?

Psalm 50:14-15 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”

God isn’t interested in believers who just check all the right boxes. Church on Sunday? Check. Mealtime prayers? Check. Prayers before bed? Check. He wants a personal, active, intimate relationship. If we are just going through the motions, that’s not good enough. He wants our hearts. 

Psalm 50:16 But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite My laws or take My covenant on your lips?”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You that You are not satisfied with just checking off boxes. Thank You that You want real, authentic relationship. Forgive me for the times when I “phone it in,” just going through the motions. Help me, in my life and in my faith, to be an active participant. Help me, always, to take You personally. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 50:22-23 “Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces with no one to rescue you: Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor Me, and to the blameless I will show salvation.”

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 49:16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases….

The saying “You can’t take it with you” is as true today as when I first heard it, which was a very long time ago. Yet even the not-rich seem to spend an inordinate amount of time collecting material things. One look around my den confirms that while I am no one’s definition of rich, I have way too much stuff. I know I’m not alone in this space.

Psalm 49:17 …for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.

The truth is that all this stuff just weighs me down, and the older I get, the more I feel the weight of it. Sometimes I feel like the more physical clutter I have, the less mental space I have for anything else—like God. This is definitely a problem.

Psalm 49:18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—and people praise you when you prosper—

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. I feel like I have spent a lifetime collecting stuff, yet the older I get, the more I understand that what is truly important is my relationship with You and my relationship with others. Help me to shed the weight of all my stuff and to focus on what’s truly important. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 49:19 …they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 48:1 Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise….

Gaining perspective can be a gift. Interestingly, I often don’t realize I need a change in perspective until it has been shared. I must admit, at this time of year, in the last months of school, with student interest waning, my perspective isn’t always great. I’m tired, grouchy, negative. But God is still great and most worthy to be praised. I would do well to remember that.

Psalm 48:8 As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the LORD Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her secure forever.

Not only does God make His holy city secure, He makes me secure as well. His steadfast love and provision, which are all around me, anchor me, especially during this turbulent time of year. 

Psalm 48:9 Within Your temple, O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love.

Lord, You are great, and most worthy to be praised. Thank You for Your steadfast love and presence. Thank You for surrounding me with so many reasons to praise You. Especially now, when I am cranky and tired, help me to focus on Your abundant blessings in my life. Help me to meditate on Your unfailing love and to praise Your holy name. Amen.

Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 47:1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.

Lord, Thank You for giving me so many reasons to sing praises to You, to shout to You with cries of joy. Every moment of every day I am surrounded with reasons to praise You. Help me to seek them, to see them, to praise You for them.

Psalm 47:2 For the LORD Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth.

Lord, Thank You for being awesome and sovereign. Thank You for Your power, might, and majesty, for choosing me and allowing me to choose You, seek You, on my own. Help me seek You, see You, praise You daily.

Psalm 47:6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for Your word and Your people. Thank You for drawing me closer every day. Help me to praise You always. Amen.

Psalm 47:7 For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

I have always loved Psalm 46. When life gets to be too much, this is one of the touchstone scriptures I turn to to help me keep going. The first two verses remind me that God is present and active in my life. I can depend on Him to protect me, to shelter me, no matter what I face. I do not need to be afraid—ever—because God is with me.

Psalm 46:2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea….

I found commentary on verse 10 fascinating. I have always taken it as a call to the reader to rest, but commentary says it is God speaking to the attacker, telling the attacker to cease fighting, quit attacking, lay down your weapons and know that *I* am God, I am sovereign.

Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for being my refuge and strength always. Thank You for being my protection so that I do not have to be afraid. Thank You for calling my enemies, my attackers, to cease and to understand Your role in my life and this world. Help me as well to cease striving, cease fighting, to be still and to know Your sovereignty and power. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 46:11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 45:1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

This psalm, to me, is a bit of an enigma. It feels totally different from the previous Psalms, the themes we have been working with. Commentary says that while it is clearly written to commemorate a royal wedding, it “undoubtedly” speaks of Christ. Even Wikipedia says the Psalm is about the Messiah in the Christian tradition, but no one tells me why or how that is “undoubtedly” the case. There is zero support, which leaves me wondering what I am to do with this Psalm.

Psalm 45:2 You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.

Looking back to the past few Psalms, the message is that we have a choice, always, even when it doesn’t feel like it. We can choose to trust that God is at work in our circumstances or we can wallow in our own misery. I am trying, always, to choose God, to trust God, to see God, even without proof or support or evidence to back that choice. 

Psalm 45:10 Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that You are a choice that I get to make every hour of every day. Help me, always, to choose You, to see You in my circumstances. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 45:17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

Have a blessed day.