May they know that you alone are the LORD, supreme ruler over all the earth. Psalm 83:18
This prayer will one day be completely answered. It was prayed during the Babylonian exile, and we pray it again today. We pray it over those we love that are not yet believers, and we pray it over the world we live in, that one day, the Lord will be recognized for who He is – the supreme ruler over all the earth,
See you tomorrow for Psalm 84
The last line in today’s psalm, reminds me who is in control. It is impossible for me to truly judge some of the situations that are occurring in my nation and the nations around me. I don’t have enough information or context to judge who is right and who is wrong. To discern what is true and what is not true. But God does and all nations belong to Him and are ultimately accountable to Him alone. He will judge each nation and each of us accordingly.
Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance. Psalm 82:8
I trust you God. Help me live my life according to your expectations of me, all I have control over is myself.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 83
Answered prayers sometimes require a change in our behavior in order to complete God’s work. This psalm is a perfect example. Judah is back in Jerusalem and they are dedicating the new temple. They are re-establishing the festivals and returning to the Law that God gave them to follow.
We don’t always wake up brand new when our prayers are answered. There is often some work to do to align ourselves back to God’s expectations. Most notably, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our mind and all our soul – and to have no other gods before Him. Help us to return again to you, Father God, our first love.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 82.
As I was reading through this psalm, I could hear the psalmist trying to change his atmosphere from despair to rejoicing. He is in captivity, far from home and what he loves and what brings him comfort. He does what he knows he must, he must praise the Lord, he must remember the Lord’s lovingkindness and power. He is pushing uphill because he knows that’s the only way to find God again.
This made me think of the times I am stuck in a fibromyalgia flare. I know exactly what I need to do to turn things around. I need to go for a walk, even if its a very short walk. I need to drink more water, cut out all sugar and be kind to myself. It can take me days to start on this path to wellness. Even though I feel held back by pain, I must start moving up hill. It’s always worth even the very first tiny step.
We are moving towards you today God, even if it’s only with a glance.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 81
The psalmist paints a picture for us of how the days of the Babylonian exile felt. It was devastating to witness such death and destruction. The remedy he calls for, God’s vengeance towards the other nations and God’s forgiveness of their sins, is ultimately answered. God seeks revenge on the nations around them. Then for his name’s sake, he brings them a Messiah who brings to them the full forgiveness of their sins.
The psalmist did not witness all of the answers to the prayers he lifted to God. This is true for us today. Our prayers are also in process of being answered. Some we will witness, some will be answered after we have left this earth. But, not one prayer is forgotten, and all are considered. What an amazing God we serve.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 80.
This is one of David’s final psalms. He tells his people the story of when God brought Israel out of Egypt. He highlights the ways God cared for and provided for His people and the miracles that took place along the way. He also tells the cautionary tale of Israel’s rebellion and how God responded. A full – 360 view – of Love.
I am so grateful for these words left behind for us to read and study. I am also grateful that we are living in the time of Jesus. God continues to take care of His people. Providing for us more than we could even ask for.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 79.
This psalm teaches us what to do in lonely times of despair.
This is a loving act you cam do, with the Lord, to bring yourself comfort and encouragement while you wait.
I will be still and know that you are God.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 78
The sermon our pastor shared today was about victory. He encouraged us to keep a record of the moments in our lives when God won a victory for us. An answered prayer, a healing, a word, a reconciliation, a miracle, or, what my husband and I call a God-incident. The times that you know, in your knower, God intervened on your behalf. These records help us during difficult times when we are waiting for God to respond to us. Remembering how God has responded to us in the past, helps us expect that He will again.
Thank you God for the records of encouragement we can stand on. Like our pastor said today, when we fight, we don’t fight for victory, we fight from victory.
As we were listening to the sermon, I nudged Bill and said, “he is basically talking about most of the psalms I have studied this year”. Like today’s psalm that celebrates a victory. A record written for the day and for future generations. This psalm can give us confidence of what God can do and will do for the ones he loves.
See you tomorrow for psalm 77.
My journey through the psalms is at the half-way point. Reflecting on a psalm a day for the last 75 days has expanded my trust in God. I trust that He is approachable and able to hear whatever is on my mind in whatever words I can muster. I trust that He will respond to me. I trust that even though I don’t understand what is happening in the world around me, God is in control. I have found a camaraderie with the psalmists, their feelings, the questions they ask while waiting for God to act and their shaky yet unshakeable faith.
Today’s psalm appears to be an answer to the troubling questions asked in psalm 73. The answer is: God’s got it. He will bring justice to the wicked and uphold the righteous. His economy of justice is sure and pure and right on time.
I trust you God.
See you tomorrow for psalm 76.
This psalm gave me a lump in my throat. I felt a pang of anguish as the psalmist described how God’s temple and altars were destroyed and turned to ruins. That would be a horrifying scene to witness. The psalmist feels powerless over this violence. He continues the psalm by reminding God of His mighty power, listing many great acts God has done. He asks God to arise and defend his cause and his people.
We can look back and see that God did defend His cause, in His perfect timing. He always does. He will again. That’s our assurance.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 75
I’ve written a version of this psalm in my heart long before I ever read it. My version goes something like this…. Why do some people prosper and sail through life with few problems? Why does it appear they don’t pay any consequences for their bad behavior? It looks like they do whatever they want and remain carefree and wealthy. I chose you Jesus and I try to live my life in a way that honors you. Yet, I have face challenge after challenge. In some seasons, it feels like all I do is wait for you to help me.
When I only consider my problems, the truth gets fuzzy. The truth that my eternal victory is secured in you, Jesus. Nothing can take it from me. Even when I struggle, I have my ever-present savior by my side. I can ask my questions and you will answer me in your perfect timing. You have always helped me. I am forever loved.
My body and mind may fail, but you are my strength and my choice forever. Psalm 73:26
See you tomorrow for Psalm 74
This is a beautiful “royal psalm”. David is praying for and prophesying over his son Solomon as he becomes King. His proclamations also sound like a foreshadow of Jesus’s reign. If a king on this earth could walk in the promise David is proclaiming, we would be living in a wonderful world. To imagine this psalm coming to be has been an inspiring exercise for my imagination today.
May the king’s name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun shines. May all nations be blessed through him and bring him praise. Psalm 72:17
We look forward to your return Jesus and to our eternal life with you.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 73.
David is writing this psalm in the last years of his life. His son Absalom is pursuing him, trying to dethrone him. As he pleas for help from God, he is also reflective, recalling the mighty way the Lord has supported him – his whole life. David’s desire is to reach the new generation and teach them about God and His ways. This is a great psalm for all of us to reflect on.
As our lives change, we may look back and miss the past. We may not feel satisfied with our new normal. David is encouraging us to set a new course for our lives. To reach out to the next generation. To share our faith and testify what the Lord has done in our lives. To become translators for God’s Kingdom, teaching others to seek God. Our lives can speak of God’s love and faithfulness.
Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me Psalm 71:18
See you tomorrow for Psalm 72
This psalm is a short and urgent plea from David to God for help. It also includes a blessing proclaimed over all who follow and will follow the Lord. David’s life is an example to us of how to be in relationship with God. He pleas for help when he is in need and at the same time, he praises the Lord for His strength and love.
This is the blessing David proclaims over you. May you walk in it’s promise today.
May all those who seek You [as life’s first priority] rejoice and be glad in You; May those who love Your salvation say continually, “Let God magnified!” Psalm 70:4
See you tomorrow for Psalm 71
This psalm is a sorrowful lament. David is in deep water, feeling overwhelmed and persecuted. When He praises the Lord, the people around him scoff. You can feel the oppression he feels as he describes his situation to the Lord. He also gives the Lord a lot of suggestions on what to do to the people who are hurting him and dishonoring God. These curses can be hard to read, because when Jesus came, he taught us a new way. To hate the sin and love the sinner.
One of my sons and I talked about this a few days ago. We were talking about some of the changes in our culture and the new definitions for acceptable and unacceptable behavior. What should our attitude be towards people who are caught up in a sinful lifestyle? This is a good question to think and pray over. What would Jesus do?
But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me in your saving faithfulness Psalm 69:13
We put our requests in your hands and we trust you Lord. May your will be done.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 70.
This Psalm takes us back to time of David’s kingship. The ark of the Lord is being brought back to Jerusalem. This is a time of great celebration. It must have been the most magnificent parade as all the tribes of Israel lined up to bring the Ark home.
To be united in a mission with other believers is a powerful experience. Maybe it’s in a church setting when you are all united, learning and growing together. Maybe it’s with a group on a missions trip. Maybe it’s in a season of a ministry outreach to your community. Being united with others in pursuit of God’s work among us, is a time to witness God’s strength together. It’s the best of times.
Our God, show us your strength. Show us once again! Psalm 68.28
See you tomorrow for Psalm 69
Yesterday’s psalm was written after Judah’s exile to Babylon. Today’s psalm was written during the exile. The psalmist’s words in the first line is the prayer that was answered in Psalm 66:20.
May God be merciful and bless us. May his face smile with favor on us. Psalm 67:1
This prayer reflects the desire of the psalmist’s heart, for himself and his people. To return to an intimate relationship with God.
I have noticed in my own life that my desire for God is the fuel that draws me closer to Him. It may be possible for a person to approach God by “going through the motions”, but to truly experience Him, desire has to be present. Well, that’s my working theory.
Lord, help us to desire you and as we seek you that we will find you. Please make your face shine on us with your favor. Thank you for hearing our prayers God, and never losing track of one of them!
See you tomorrow for Psalm 68
This Psalm was written after Judah’s exile in Babylon. They have returned to Jerusalem and are beginning the work of rebuilding God’s temple. They are also rebuilding their relationship with God. The psalmist expresses his relief at the end of the psalm; “Praise God who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.” Psalm 66:20.
The relationship between God and Israel is full of ups and downs. As Israel moves from one generation to the next, their commitment to God swayed. Some generations honored God, some turned from God and did “evil in His sight”. God remains steadfast in his love for his people. His discipline and punishment is a consequence of sin, and an invitation to come back to Him.
We can feel this ebb and flow within our own relationship with God. When we are honoring God, it’s hard to imagine we may one day go astray. When we do go astray, we share the same relief as the psalmist when we return to God and find His unfailing love covering us.
See you tomorrow for psalm 67
David praises God in this Psalm, for the way God cares for and nourishes the land and His people. He acknowledges that God is the hope for all people, even those who sail on distant seas. God is our hope and the hope for those who are yet to acknowledge Him. This can be easy to forget when we consider other nations or far off lands. It can be easy to demonize people we don’t know. A better strategy would be to pray for them ~ to find the One to put their hope in.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 66.
In this psalm, David describes the people around him. They are actively plotting the perfect crime. They are setting raps and actively trying to do evil. David goes on to say that even in the midst of their plots, He knows that God will win in the end.
In my late 30’s, I joined an organization that was over 100 years old. I noticed right away that the politics and the alliances between leaders were well established. There were several factions plotting against each other. They CEO was about to retire which fueled the undercurrents as each faction tried to shape the future. Being new and not sure who to trust, I decided the focus on my job and to lead my team with the highest integrity I could muster. I was approached by several leaders, trying to influence me. I did my best to weigh their request against the policies of the company and good business ethics. During the next four years, the organization went through a transformation as a new CEO stepped in. The alliances fell apart, several leaders left the organization and a new team formed.
I witnessed the “right” decisions stand and the schemes and alliances fall apart. Maybe this is an example of what David is sharing with us? When the short run looks treacherous and chaotic, trust in the One that is leading us home. He will win.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 65
The title of this psalm is: God’s Love Means More Than Life. David wrote this while he was in the wilderness. He praises God for all He has done and for who He is. David’s love for God is evident throughout the words of this beautiful psalm.
I love verse 6:
I think about you, God, before I go to sleep, and my thoughts turn to you during the night.
I have had seasons in my life when I felt plagued by nightmares. The kind that make your heart race. It was so hard to shake them off and go back to sleep. A friend of mine taught me a prayer that included this verse. When I say it before I sleep, it always keeps the nightmares away.
Jesus, be with me as I close my eyes to sleep. I will think of you as I fall to sleep. I ask that my thoughts will continue to return to you as I sleep. Please join me in my dreams. Thank you for being with me tonight.
Sleep well!
See you tomorrow for Psalm 64
This psalm starts out with a powerful declaration:
“Only God can save me, and I calmly wait for him.” Psalm 62:1
In these words I hear confidence and assurance. David knows who God is and has learned throughout his lifetime that his true victory comes from God and that God will help him. So, he waits on God.
This psalm speaks so loudly to me right now. The ministry work I am part of is parked in the “waiting room”. We are waiting for the Lord to guide us and to show us where He is in this work that He called us to. It sounds so easy to wait on the Lord, but for me, it takes practice and intention. I have to focus on not getting impatient, distracted, worried, disruptive or discouraged. I have to chose to be calm and to trust the Lord. I have to chose to spend time in prayer. I then have to chose to pause to listen for the Lord to speak.
In verse 8, David speaks to us and gives us a suggestion for how to wait.
“Trust God my friends, and always tell him each of your concerns. God is our place of safety.”
And he closes with an inside scoop, revealing what he has heard from God.
“I heard God say two things: I am powerful and I am very kind.” The Lord rewards each of us according to what we do. Psalm 62:11-12
We share our concerns with you God and we trust you. We will keep the dialog going with you and listen for you while we wait. Amen
See you tomorrow for Psalm 63
This psalm was written during the last years of David’s life. He writes confidently of what God has done and how he desires to live with the Lord forever. He reminds God that He has heard David’s promises and given David what belongs to those who honor God. The list of things that belong to those who honor God is a long one that extends to eternal life.
I woke up this morning with Isaiah 61:3 on my mind. This verse gives us some gifts to consider:
Isaiah 61:3: To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following: To give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning], The oil of joy instead of mourning, The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God], The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
Lord Jesus, help us to see all that you have given to us.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 62
This psalm is a prayer for deliverance. David is asking God to turn things around. To once again, be on Israel’s side. The last line says it all: With God on our side we will win, he will defeat our enemies. (Psalm 60:12)
I hope you have all experienced a victory at the hands of the Lord. When God wins a battle for you that you have not been able to win on your own. To witness His hand and His love for you. These moments give us time to absorb His words:
I will help you. (Isaiah 41:13)
My yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)
Ask, and it will be given to you. (Matthew 7:7)
Lord Jesus, I pray we will each see your hand of victory in our lives today.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 61
The title for this psalm is, “A Prayer for Safety”. David is asking God to protect him fromSaul, who posted me to watch David’s house with an order to kill him. Thankfully we don’t live in this type of danger today. We do, however, have an enemy that is always on the move to destroy us. His tactics are not always easy to discern and the battlefield is often in our minds.
Before I was filled with the Holy Spirit, I had a chorus of negative thoughts that kept me in a dark and desperate place. Thoughts that told me I didn’t deserve a close relationship with Jesus. Thoughts that condemned me for wanting more stability in my life. Thoughts that mocked me and told me I was not lovable. After being filled with the Holy Spirit, He helped me challenge these thoughts and replace them with the truth. Jesus died because He loves me and wants to have a relationship with me.
He came to tell the oppressed the good news, to heal the brokenhearted, and to announce freedom for prisoners and captives. (Isaiah 61:1)
When confronted with lies now, I try to catch them, dismiss them and turn it around with praise. Much like David teaches us in verse 16.
I will sing about your strength; every morning I will sing aloud of your constant love. You have been a refuge for me, a shelter in my time of trouble. Ps 58:16
See you tomorrow for Psalm 60
This psalm is a continuation of yesterday’s psalm, Psalm 57 . Yesterday, David talked about God fulfilling our purpose as He completes His Plan. Today’s psalm talks about God’s end game – justice. In the last verse, David imagines the celebration when people realize God brought Justice.
Everyone will say, “It’s true! Good people are rewarded. God does indeed rule the earth with justice.” Psalm 58:11
The day of justice will make sense out of today’s struggle. How many times have you declared, “it’s not fair!”? When we measure things with a micro-view they don’t always look fair. But at the end of each story, there will be a reconciliation to justice. We can count on that, because God declares it.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 59
David wrote this psalm while he was hiding in caves, on the run from Saul. He is afraid and uncomfortable, yet he knows that God is in charge. The second verse is encouraging for all of us.
I will cry to God Most High, Who accomplishes all things on my behalf (for He completes my purpose in His plan). Psalm 57:2
God’s plan includes each of His children. Without His presence in our lives, our purpose can not be fulfilled. We can’t accomplish it alone. Whatever is happening in our life today, whether comfortable or uncomfortable, we can be confident tat God is at work completing His plan and our purpose, in His plan. This makes all things bearable, even when we don’t know how it will be woven together. God’s will is perfect and good.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 58
This psalm was written during the time Saul was pursuing David. David spent many years keeping an eye out for Saul and hiding from Saul and Sauls allies. It had to feel never-ending at times. This psalm and David’s life-story, tells us that we will have trouble in this world. We will have sorrow. We will shed tears. We struggle, but, we will not be alone. God will be with us, watching over us, tenderly gathering all of our tears and noting them. In the new testament, Paul tells us that God will work all things together for our good. God can turn each healed sorrow into strength – for us and for His Kingdom. He is on our side. Always.
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in a bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8
See you tomorrow for Psalm 57
This psalm was written during the time that David’s son, Absalom betrayed him. To be betrayed and then pursued by a member of your family has to be a deep and complicated form of anguish. I’m sure it would be hard to talk about or to even know what to ask God for in this situation. Thankfully, God can hear all things we have to say, even when we don’t know how to say them. He knows our hearts and our thoughts and he knows the situation we face. His communication skills are way more advanced than our own. He knows what we need in the way we sometimes know what a child needs, when they can’t tell us. We are in the very best hands when we start the dialog with God, he will be faithful to discern exactly what we are going through.
Our Lord, we belong to you. We tell you what worries us and you won’t let us fall. Psalm 55:22
See you tomorrow for Psalm 56
David wrote this psalm while being pursued by Saul. Saul had all the power, but David had God. He speaks confidently in this psalm about what God will do to help him. Sometimes God works in a powerful way by influencing the circumstances that surround you, bringing in allies, confusing your enemies and interrupting plans formed against you. Sometimes he whispers the truth to you when you are absorbed in lies. A whispered truth is as mighty as an earthquake when it sets you fee. He may remind you who you are with one of these scriptures:
Listen for the truth and let it set you free.
See you tomorrow for Psalm 55
Daily Bite 