Category: Psalm

Psalm 82:1 God presides in the great assembly; He renders judgment among the “gods”:

Commentary posits that ‘elohim,” translated here as “gods,” means human judges, meaning those in the court system, but it got me thinking. Aren’t we all judges at times? Don’t we all get judgmental, pass judgment on others? 

Psalm 82:3 Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.

And in those times where we act like judges, where we pronounce judgements in our hearts or with our lips, we need to remember that we are NOT God, that we are NOT His judges on the earth. He asks us to be His hands and feet, His heart, NOT His judges.

Psalm 82:4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that You called me NOT to judge but to love others as You love them. Help me, Lord. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 82:8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are Your inheritance.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 81:10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

I am very upfront with my students. I put directions in writing, I tell them, and I typically create a video for them to watch if they need it. I also try to tell them when we start where we are headed. For instance, when we began our massive research unit, I was very clear (in person AND in writing) that we were NOT going to write essays for our final product. That was the only thing that was off the table. Imagine my surprise when one of my students, in our final feedback, told me that she wished I had told her sooner that she couldn’t write an essay.

Psalm 81:11 “But my people would not listen to Me; Israel would not submit to Me.”

But how many times have I been the one not listening, not paying attention to God? How many times has God been crystal clear with me and I’ve gone blithely along and done exactly what I wanted? How many times have I cried, “But God….if You had only told me sooner….”?

Psalm 81:12 “So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Forgive me for the many, many, many times when I don’t listen, don’t pay attention. Help me to seek You, to see You, to hear and obey You always. Thank You for Your fierce love and undeserved grace. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 81:13 “If My people would only listen to Me, if Israel would only follow My ways….”

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 80:3 Restore us, O God; make Your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

I love the repetition of this refrain throughout this psalm. The psalmist calls on God for restoration, each time addressing Him more reverently: O God, God Almighty, Lord God Almighty.

Psalm 80:7 Restore us, God Almighty; make Your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

I have mentioned many times that this time of year is difficult for me for a host of reasons. I know I need restoration and renewal to make it through. I try to keep God as my primary focus, to call to Him in my need. But I’m human. I have dipped into grumbling and whining during this season. You’ve seen that firsthand. Jesus, Help me.

Psalm 80:18b …revive us, and we will call on Your name.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the restoration and renewal that can only come from You. Help me to turn to You, to lean into You, and to resist the pull of this world to grumble and complain instead. It is only through You that I can be renewed. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 80:19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make Your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 79:1 O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.

When I feel attacked, when I feel insulted or wronged, it is easy to want to get even, to make the person pay for their insult. Yet even typing this causes shallow breath and clinched muscles, and I know that any retribution I want to exact is solely for my benefit and not on my Savior’s behalf.

Psalm 79:6 Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge You, on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name….

One thing I notice here is that even in the rubble and destruction of this defeat, God is still at the center. An appeal to the heart of God. The desire of the glory of God. It takes humility to stand in the rubble, destruction all around, and want to draw closer to God more than you want revenge. I understand that the speaker is calling on God to exact revenge, but, again, the focus is on God, not man. Are my priorities ordered that way?

Psalm 79:9 Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of Your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. You came into this world and turned everything on its head. To be seen as sheep, the sheep of Your flock, is a blessing, not an insult. To be sitting in the rubble of defeat is a chance to draw closer to You, to humble ourselves, not an ending. I want to glorify You more than I want to get even for transgressions. I want to draw closer to You more than I want to defend my name. But sometimes the way of this world is so strong. Help me die to self so that I can live for You only. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 79:13 Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will praise You forever; from generation to generation we will proclaim Your praise.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 78:34-35 Whenever God slew them, they would seek Him; they eagerly turned to Him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, the God Most High was their Redeemer.

God is God, and I am not, which I’m thankful for always, especially this time of year. This Psalm recounts God’s faithfulness, even in the face of man’s faithlessness. Clearly, my compassion and grace have limits. Thankfully, God’s is boundless.

Psalm 78:36-37 But they would flatter Him with their mouths, lying to Him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to Him, they were not faithful to His covenant.

It’s so easy to slip into the mentality of “us” and “them.” How could they be so faithless, so arrogant? But when I look at this Psalm with a clear eye and an open heart, I see my own faithlessness in shocking clarity, and I am ashamed and humbled.

Psalm 78:38 Yet He was merciful; He forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time He restrained His anger and did not stir up His full wrath.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for Your patience and compassion. Forgive me for those times where I whine and complain, where I turn my back on You, and then try to tell myself that my behavior is somehow ok. With a humble heart, I ask for Your forgiveness, Your compassion, and Your grace. Draw me closer, Lord. Make me more like You. Amen.

Psalm 78:39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 76:1 God is renowned in Judah; in Israel His name is great.

Commentary describes this as one of the fighting psalms. I was caught off guard. When I think psalms, I think hymns of praise. However, it’s totally true that God is praised in this psalm, even if it is considered a psalm for battle (or for those who are embattled).

Psalm 76:3 There He broke the flashing arrows, the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.

It reminds me that God should be praised always—when I am enjoying blue skies and sunshine as well as when I am embroiled in battle of any kind. God is my refuge. He is my shelter and my shield. He is my hope and my victory. Always.

Psalm 76:5 The valiant lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep; not one of the warriors can lift his hands.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder to praise You always. Thank You for being my shelter and my shield. Thank You for being my hope and my victory. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 76:7 It is You alone who are to be feared. Who can stand before You when You are angry?

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 75:1 We praise You, God, we praise You, for Your Name is near; people tell of Your wonderful deeds.

This psalm seems to divide people neatly into three categories: the righteous, the arrogant, and the wicked. In life, however, the distinctions are not so neat and tidy. One person can by turns act righteous and arrogant and wicked. 

Psalm 75:4 To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,” and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift Your horns.”

And I’m not just casting aspersions. I know I have the capability to run the gambit, depending on subject and my attitude. Maybe that’s why I try to give people the benefit of the doubt (though, admittedly, sometimes I go straight to judgement with no mercy nor compassion in sight).

Psalm 75:7 It is God who judges: He brings one down and exalts another.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for seeing what’s good, what’s redeemable, in all of us. Help me to look at others with love and compassion and not judgment. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 75:9 As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 73:23 Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand.

Today’s psalm puts me in mind of the story of the prodigal son. The prodigal son gets his inheritance and spends it all, living the highlife, and then comes back to beg for a servant’s position but is given a party and welcomed back home. The other son is livid because he feels like he’s done what was right and gotten no reward. 

Psalm 73:24 You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory.

And haven’t we all been there? We feel we are doing everything right, yet those who are cheating the system seem to be getting ahead, getting the praise, getting the reward. This world will tell you to come on over to the dark side. Instant gratification is soooo worth it. But God says trust Him.

Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for bringing to mind the story of the prodigal son. While he was living the highlife, he was totally cut off from You. He did not have Your peace which surpasses all understanding. He did not have fellowship with You. Help me to be mindful of what’s really important, Lord. Remain the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Have a blessed day.