Category: Psalm

Psalm 103:5 …who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Verse 8 really stands out to me in today’s scripture. “Compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love,” what a beautiful description of the Lord. What a beautiful description of anybody. I would like to be more like that. At my best, I hit many of those traits, but, unfortunately, I’m not always at my best.

Psalm 103:6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

If I had to pick one thing to focus on, to work on, to get better about, I think it would be being slow to anger. I shared not long ago a valuable lesson about my spouse I have learned over the years–If something seems out of character, then I’m probably misinterpreting what happened (or why). That realization helped ease my knee-jerk anger reaction with my spouse, but I still have the anger reaction in a lot of areas in my life. That’s definitely something I need to work on.

Psalm 103:7 He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:

Precious Savior, Thank You for a beautiful description of You to emulate. Help me to be more like You: “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” Let love, not anger, be my default reaction. Help me to be more like You with each breath, so that when others look at me, they see You shining through. Amen.

Psalm 103:8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 103:1 Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Since I mentioned Psalm 103 *and* I reached the end of Micah 7 in yesterday’s reflection, I thought I’d focus on the whole of Psalm 103 as my next chapter to reflect on in my daily devotionals. I’ve mentioned that I love the Psalms because they are so real, they can be so raw and honest. Psalm 103 is absolutely a Psalm of praise.

Psalm 103:2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—

There are times when I can get rather grumpy. In those times, especially, I would do well to remember Psalm 103. God is bigger than my feelings, than my grumpiness. And He has been so incredibly gracious to me. If I look–and I truly don’t have to look far, I see so many blessings to thank Him for, no matter my headspace.

Psalm 103:3 …who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases…

Precious Savior, Thank You for understanding when I am grumpy. Thank You for the abundant blessings in my life, regardless of my attitude. Help me, even in my grumpiness, to see Your abundant grace, to praise You for Your mercy and blessings, to take all those blessings to heart, especially when I want to grump. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 103:4 …who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion…

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 71:21 You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.

One of my favorite stories to tell is how I ended up in Taylorsville and how I met my husband for the first time. Those two stories are intertwined and are definitely God-stories, specific times when I know God was guiding me. (I would never have ended up in Taylorsville otherwise, and the second words I ever said to my husband of over two decades were: “I’ve been looking for you!”)  I love those stories because they are fundamental to who I am in this moment, but I love more the fact that they are ways for me to share how God has moved in my life.

Psalm 71:22 I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.

That–sharing our God-stories, stories of how God has moved in our lives–is exactly what David, the author of this Psalm, is talking about in today’s verses: “I will praise you…” “I will sing praise to you…” “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you…” “My tongue will tell of your righteous acts…”

Psalm 71:23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I whom you have delivered.

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that sharing our God-stories with each other is important. It’s important so that we can remember Your faithfulness, so that we can encourage each other, because praising You is one of the reasons we were created. Help us to revel in our God-stories and to share them often as a form of worship and praise. Amen.

Psalm 71:24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 71:17 Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

I take exception to verse 20. While God will let us live with the consequences of our actions, everything is filtered through Him, and sometimes life just stinks, I do not believe that God sends trouble as a punishment. Again, I *do* think He very routinely lets us live with the negative consequences of our actions.

Psalm 71:18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.

I just cannot believe in a vengeful God. A God who would send His one and only Son to earth to live as a human and die for my sins is not a God who would point the finger of judgment, sending plagues upon the earth. Humans make a big enough mess on our own. Natural consequences are a real thing. Sometimes others get hurt because of the natural consequences of *my* choices, but that’s not God. That’s humanity.

Psalm 71:19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?

Precious Savior, Thank You for Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for the change in our relationship that happened when You sent Your Son for my sins. Forgive me when I make bad decisions. Forgive me when my bad decisions result in pain and suffering for others. Help me to grow closer to You with each breath. Amen.

Psalm 71:20 Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 71:13 May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace.

Verse 14 is a personal favorite of mine and one I try to hold on to and live out daily. Hope is a beautiful gift. Praising God for all the blessings in my life helps give me hope when times are tough and having hope allows me to praise God more and more.

Psalm 71:14 As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.

When I was younger, I used to get into what I called a “blue funk” where everything just seemed wrong. It’s a tough spot. To combat it, I eventually started counting my blessings. Literally. It always, always helped my perspective. Even when things are not great, there are still so very many blessings. Praising God for them, focusing on them, gives me hope.

Psalm 71:15 My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long—though I know not how to relate them all.

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder to hold on to hope, the reminder that praising You, thanking You, helps me to be grateful and hopeful. Thank You that even when life seems bleak, there are so many things to be thankful for. Thank You. Amen.

Psalm 71:16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 71:9 Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.

I had to consult commentary for this section of verses as I didn’t immediately understand them. In verse 1, the psalmist says he has taken refuge in God so what’s going on that in verse 9 he asks that God not cast him away when he is old?

Psalm 71:10 For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together.

Commentary says that the psalmist knows *man’s* strength fails as he ages, and so the psalmist is asking that the Lord stay near him in his old age, to strengthen him and help him stay on the right path. It brings me comfort to know that the stalwarts of the Bible struggle in ways similar to how I struggle.

Psalm 71:11 They say, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him.”

Precious Savior, Thank You for a model of prayer as I age. I have rooted myself in You. As I grow older, help me to continue sinking my roots down into you. Help me not to forget that life happens and sometimes it stinks, but You are with me always. You will never leave me. You will never forsake me. Help me to remember that I do not walk alone. Amen.

Psalm 71:12 Do not be far from me, my God; come quickly, God, to help me.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 71:5 For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.

Younger me would read these verses and feel like my faith wasn’t strong enough. I doubt. I fear. I worry. There have been times when I thought my wavering faith caused the issues in my life. I’m thankful I’m past that point. I do not serve a God who stands with arms crossed, saying, “Well, if only you had one more person praying, I’d have given you what you wanted.” That is a small, micromanaging God, and that is not my God.

Psalm 71:6 From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you.

My God knows that I am human. He created me to question and seek. He really does want me to get better at laying my burdens–all of them–at His feet, so that I can fully rest in His peace, but He doesn’t withhold His blessings because I struggle, because I didn’t ask enough times or have enough people praying on my behalf. That’s not who He is. Bad things happen in this life. That’s just reality on this side of the veil.

Psalm 71:7 I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge.

Precious Savior, Thank You for who You are and who You are to me. Thank You that I know I can question and seek, for meeting me in my questions, for helping me to see new facets of You every time I spend time in Your word. Help me to keep working on laying my burdens at Your feet and leaving them there. Thank You for loving me even as I struggle. Amen.

Psalm 71:8 My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 31:21 Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege.

David says in verse 22 that he called out in alarm because he was cut off from God’s sight, yet God still heard his cry for mercy. That line brings me such hope. How many times have I been unable to see God in my immediate circumstances but I have called out to Him anyway? Not as many as I would like, but I should because even though I can’t see Him, He is still there. Thank You, Jesus.

Psalm 31:22 In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.

He also ends the chapter by encouraging others to “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” He is with us. He hears us. Even when we can’t see Him. Even when we feel pressed down on all sides. Even when we are afraid. Call out to Him. He will answer. Hold on to Him. He is with us.

Psalm 31:23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people! The Lord preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full.

Precious Savior, Thank You for being a constant in my life. Thank You for being a Rock and a Refuge for me. Thank You that I can call on You and depend on You even when I can’t see You, even when I am afraid, even when all seems lost. Thank You that I can be strong and take heart in You. Amen.

Psalm 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Have a blessed day.

Psalm 31:17 Let me not be put to shame, Lord, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and be silent in the realm of the dead.

Shame is a tough, powerful, negative emotion. Humans often do all kinds of things to avoid feeling shame or having others perceive them as having shame. We bury things that we think will cause shame. We hide them away where they often fester, causing us all kinds of problems later.

Psalm 31:18 Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

The first line of verse 17 resonates with me: “Let me not be put to shame, Lord, for I have cried out to you….” Let me not be put to shame that I believe in Your goodness despite all the evil I see. Let me not be put to shame that I trust Your sovereignty even though nothing is going as I think it should. Let me not be put to shame that I find respite and safety in You, despite the storm still raging all around me.

Psalm 31:19 How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.

Precious Savior, Because we are human, we are prone to shame. Because we are prone to shame, we tend to bury and hide things that cause us great pain later. Be with us, Lord. Help us cry out to You. Let us not be put to shame because of our dependence on You alone. Amen.

Psalm 31:20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues.

Have a blessed day.