Psalm 54- Good Name

 ”God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might! God, hear my prayer; listen to the words from my mouth. I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you. I will praise your name, Lord, because it is good.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭54‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

In this Psalm David is running for his life and Saul is attempting to murder him…David knows that his only hope is if God saves him.  He could ask God to destroy his enemy Saul, but he doesn’t…instead he asks God to protect him by His name.

Gods name is the same as His reputation, or what He is known by.  Gods character is unchanging and He is faithful to consistently follow through with what He says.  David is reaching out because he knows that God is good.

Lord, help me to remember that You are good and will never fail me.  That You actually want what is good for me, and always have my best intentions in mind.  This has been true for my whole life, so help me trust that it is unchanging even when you allow me to experience things that are challenging!

Psalm 53- Wisdom & Foolishness

 ”The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.” They are corrupt, and they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good. God looks down from heaven on the human race to see if there is one who is wise, one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭53‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This Psalm is contrasting the wise with the foolish person. The fool is one who pretends like there is no God.  They walk around not thinking about God or about what He may desire for them.  The result is that they focus only on themselves and what seems “good” to them…which cascades into selfish behavior that is packed with sin…often unintentional, but sin nonetheless.

This is contrasted by the wise person who is seeking after God.  Seeking requires effort…it is not just stumbling upon God, rather it is thinking, planing and making decisions to understand God.  Choosing to learn about God from the Bible, spending time with people who know Him more than they do and shaping their behavior in a way the would please God.  This choice always requires sacrifice of things that they would rather do, places they would prefer to go and even priorities of life.  Wise people seek God and are changed.

Lord, help me delight in seeking You!  You have shaped my sometimes aimless life into one that brings joy and peace, knowing that I am serving You in thought, word and action.  My delight is knowing You and living in a way that demonstrates that to the people around me.  Thank You for saving me from my natural foolishness and allowing wisdom to grow in its place!

Psalm 52- Blessed by Faithfulness

 ”But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God; I trust in God’s faithful love forever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done. In the presence of your faithful people, I will put my hope in your name, for it is good.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭52‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

What a blessing that God is always faithful and He enables us to flourish even through challenging times!  I am so thankful I don’t have to depend on my ability to have things turn out OK, He can even take my failures and make them a blessing!  Who else can do that?

Psalm 51- False Levels

 ”Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me. Against you — you alone — I have sinned and done this evil in your sight. So you are right when you pass sentence; you are blameless when you judge. 

Surely you desire integrity in the inner self, and you teach me wisdom deep within. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit. 

The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭1‬-‭4‬, ‭6‬-‭7‬, ‭10‬, ‭12‬, ‭17‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This is king David’s prayer after he was exposed for his sin with Bathsheba and subsequent murder of her husband (one of his good friends).  I think it is so powerful because it is actually the right way for us to think about how we sin as well.  We don’t have to steal our friends wife, get her pregnant and then kill him to rightfully feel like David does here…this is the appropriate response to lying about something so that we look better, or anything against Gods best plan for us.

Lord, help me not have different levels of sin as I consider them…let me see sin from your perspective: any sin is evil and deserving of eternal separation from You.  Even one white lie is enough to damage relationship with you.  God, I am so grateful that you have saved me so that I don’t have to be fearful of this punishment, because you took away my sin, past, present and future!

Help me to live like that is true, hate sin and long for close relationship with You!  Thank you for cleaning me as white as snow and giving me great joy!!!

Psalm 50- False Hope

 ”But God says to the wicked: “What right do you have to recite my statutes and to take my covenant on your lips? You hate instruction and fling my words behind you. When you see a thief, you make friends with him, and you associate with adulterers. You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But I will rebuke you and lay out the case before you.”

“Understand this, you who forget God, or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to rescue you. Whoever offers a thanksgiving sacrifice honors me, and whoever orders his conduct, I will show him the salvation of God.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭50‬:‭16‬-‭18‬, ‭21‬-‭23‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

God is talking to His people who claim to love Him, but their actions prove the opposite.  He condemns them because what they actually do reveals what is true in their hearts.  They hate His Word, reject His teachings and seek out friendship with other people who also reject God.  These people think that Gods silence means he is OK with them, but will be surprised when He rightly sends them to hell.

Reading passages like this remind me that God cares about holiness.  He hates sin and punishes people who claim to follow Him, but don’t live their lives to honor Him.

Thankfully, God does offer salvation for free and He longs for us to enjoy life with Him now and in heaven. Lord thank you for saving me, thank you for slowly changing me to love your Word and to find great delight in following your instructions!  I pray that it would be infectious to those around me, that they may follow you and experience the same joy and peace you have given me!

Psalm 49- Powerless Money

 ”Why should I fear in times of trouble? The iniquity of my foes surrounds me. They trust in their wealth and boast of their abundant riches. Yet these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God  — since the price of redeeming him is too costly, one should forever stop trying  — so that he may live forever and not see the Pit. 

But God will redeem me from the power of Sheol, for he will take me.      Selah“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭49‬:‭5‬-‭9‬, ‭15‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context 

I love that this passage was written hundreds of years before Jesus came to earth.  Gods plan was clear in the minds of His people long before He enacted the work of redemption through Jesus on the cross.  Even during this time the people knew that God was the only one able to redeem a person, to pay the price required by all the sin committed while they lived.  The price was too great for even the wealthiest king.  God was their only hope!

There is nothing different about that statement almost 3,000 years later.  Nothing we can do will help pay down the debt we owe for the sin we have committed.  If we attempt to do right/good things to pay that debt, we fall utterly short…even if we lived 1,000 years, and perfectly accomplished 1,000,000 good deed every day, we still haven’t scraped the surface.  Elon Musk isn’t rich enough to begin to erase even one sin.  

Yet shockingly, God offers forgiveness for free.  He sent Jesus to live 33 years, perfectly, no sin, no failures, just perfection…then asked Jesus to sacrifice Himself by dying on the cross.  Jesus takes our sin, selfishness and pride…He accepted the penalty and gave us in exchange the opportunity to freely receive the gift of salvation.  Something only God Himself can do.

Rejection of this truth, brings a life dull and impotent.  Only fleeting moments of joy, days or weeks of forgetting that the end of life brings judgment…judgment that we have no answer strong enough to tip the scales in our favor.  We are hopeless without accepting the truth of salvation through Jesus. 

Lord, thank you for saving me, help me live every moment looking for the opportunity to share what you have done in me.  I pray that my life would be an attractive example to those who don’t know you!!!

Psalm 48- Faithful Love

 ”God, within your temple, we contemplate your faithful love. Like your name, God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with justice. Mount Zion is glad. Judah’s villages rejoice because of your judgments.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭48‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

Gods faithful love is unequaled…not even the love of the happiest, most infatuated couple who is madly in love can compare.  It would be like comparing a glass of water (couple) to the depths of the ocean(God)…incomparable!  Yet, He invites us in to experience and participate in His love. 

I don’t do a good job of  contemplating Your love God!  I agree that Your love is incredible, but I don’t spend time thinking about You…I am much too self focused.

Lord help me to see You, spend time thinking about Your character and how blessed we are to know that You exist let alone have an intimate relationship with.  Lord You are so good and consistent, so loving and reliable, so pure and relatable, so great and matchless!  Remind me to drink in every memory of your faithfulness!

Psalm 47- Praises

 ”Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a jubilant cry. For the Lord, the Most High, is awe-inspiring, a great King over the whole earth. He subdues peoples under us and nations under our feet. He chooses for us our inheritance — the pride of Jacob, whom he loves.         Selah“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭47‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This new section of Psalms is filled with praise and worship.  It is definitely not my preferred type of Bible passage to read.  I am much more comfortable with the portions that give me clear instruction or reminders of who God is.  Honestly, that’s what stands out to me…I don’t spend much of my time in prayer worshiping God.

God You are so unfathomable, so powerful and still loving.  You are the picture of perfection and without limits!  You control the future of everything yet You care about insignificant me.  You are worthy of all the praise of all of the people who have ever lived…yet I often skip over bringing You praise.  Lord help me to remember to give you my praise, because You deserve much more than the little bit I can offer, even if it is all I have.

Psalm 46- Unchanging

 ”God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, though its water roars and foams and the mountains quake with its turmoil.      Selah“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

The description of the chaos here is monumental.  The strongest structures on earth are being upended from their heights and tossed into the ocean.  This is unimaginable trouble where the most confident knowledge is being rocked.  Yet even in the middle of the worst imaginable situation God is still there for us.

Lord, how incredible that You are to be peace in the storm, even when everything else we know is shake to the core.  Your faithfulness is so reliable, it is an attribute of who You are.  You should be our foundation because You are the only thing guaranteed to stay the same, there is no shifting or even flickering in You!

Lord, establish my confidence in Your unchanging character.  Let me rest in Your faithfulness even when nothing else in life is secure.  You are so good and Your peace is true.

Psalm 45- Worth Fighting For

 ”Mighty warrior, strap your sword at your side. In your majesty and splendor  — in your splendor ride triumphantly in the cause of truth, humility, and justice. May your right hand show your awe-inspiring acts.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭45‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

I read this one a bunch of times, and it was hard for me to find anything applicable.  It is about a royal wedding and goes back and forth talking about how wonderful each person is.  But this portion was helpful…truth, humility and justice are three things worth fighting for.

God help me to see when these are not happening so that I can spread your kingdom a little further by stepping into hard situations to bring truth, humility and justice!

Psalm 44- Gods Story

 ”God, we have heard with our ears — our ancestors have told us — the work you accomplished in their days, in days long ago: In order to plant them, you displaced the nations by your hand; in order to settle them, you brought disaster on the peoples. For they did not take the land by their sword — their arm did not bring them victory — but by your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable toward them. You are my King, my God, who ordains victories for Jacob.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭44‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This psalm is all about Gods people’s frustration that He is not taking care of them like they expect.  They are in a tough spot and feel like God should be doing something to help them.  So here is how they start: remembering all the work He has done in the past…giving God credit for every past victory.

I was impacted by this first section because the pull for me is so strong to want to do something great for the Lord.  After only three weeks in a slower paced job I am chomping at the bit to do more.  My temptation is to think that God made me to do more, to feel like I should be using all the skills He gave me to do something amazing!  That idea is so praised in my culture and I value it highly.  When I read this today the portions in italics were shouting to me.  Read it again:

”God, we have heard with our ears — our ancestors have told us — the work you accomplished in their days, in days long ago: In order to plant them, you displaced the nations by your hand; in order to settle them, you brought disaster on the peoples. For they did not take the land by their sword — their arm did not bring them victory — but by your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable toward them. You are my King, my God, who ordains victories for Jacob.“

All of the “You’s” in there are talking about God…I don’t see any the talked about them (or me)…God was doing all the amazing things!

Lord, help me to rest in You and be a player in Your story.  It really is about You, and You have brought me in to be Your tool.  Allow me to play a part in bringing You glory, but use me in whatever way is best to honor You.  I’ll be waiting here for you to call me into whatever that may be…and I bet You won’t use my strength, but rather my weakness.

Psalm 43- Feelings are Real

 ”Send your light and your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling place. Then I will come to the altar of God, to God, my greatest joy. I will praise you with the lyre, God, my God. Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him, my Savior and my God.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭43‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

Our feelings are real…they are important indicators about what is going on inside our heart and mind.  It is often said that they are like the warning lights in your car coming on when there is a problem in your engine.  They are real, but they should not control us.

David is experiencing turmoil, unsettled chaos in his life.  He is also feeling lost, hopeless and alone.  But he is asking the right question: “why?”  He also knows the remedy, spending time in Gods presence.  He is asking God to help him to see more clearly (why), and he is asking to be reminded of what is true (what).  If he moppes around, feeling sorry for himself, he will find more reasons to feel sad or depressed.  We are good at finding more evidence to condemn ourselves.  But David knows he actually needs truth, and truth is found most consistently in God and his Word.

Lord, help me to transfer my focus away from my feeling and onto the truth of who You are and who You created me to be.  Help me to look for all of the reasons I have to praise you, all the blessings you have freely given me.  Help me to find lasting joy in knowing You.  Allow me to see the path forward so that I can follow you into Peace and confidence in You!!!

Psalm 42- Myopias’ Cure

 ”As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while all day long people say to me, “Where is your God?” Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him, my Savior and my God.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42‬:‭1‬-‭3‬, ‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

What a testimony that David is portraying in this passage.  He is experiencing deep depression and feels abandoned by God…yet, he desires to have God close.  He remembers the joy and blessing that come from being in His presence.  This mentality is not typically, often when I feel depressed I feel similar to David, but my mind goes to feeling hopeless about Gods ability to intervene.

David’s memory overcomes this conclusion, and he chooses to enter into praise, even though he doesn’t feel like it.  He remember all the times in the past God has shown up and has proved Himself able.  He finished out this passage saying, “despite my feelings, I will praise God because He is faithful”.

Lord, bring to my memory all the ways You have been faithful for me in the past.  Help me to muscle up the energy to praise You for these times of blessing, even if those times feel so far away.  Help me to see my situation from Your perspective and how small it is in comparison to You!  Build my trust in Your love for me,

Psalm 41- Powerful Peace Balm

 ”But you, Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up; then I will repay them. By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy does not shout in triumph over me. You supported me because of my integrity and set me in your presence forever. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭41‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This Psalm is hard to read because David has someone or a group of people who don’t want good things for him.  They seem to be ganging up on him and David is feeling discouraged…so he turns to the Lord.

David’s confidence in the Lord is obvious in the last few verses.  He is reminding himself of truth, while he is experiencing unfair treatment, or at least anxiety about things out of his control.  This is something that I must do at times as well!  Remember all the ways God has blessed me, and what He thinks about me and most importantly who He is.  Being with Him drives away all fear, anxiety and fear…His presence is a powerful peace balm!

Lord, help me to run to You at all times.  I need to experience You for comfort rather than be distracted.  I want to run to You at the first sign of fear or joy. God I love You and am so thankful that You desire to be with me and even invite me to be with You!

Psalm 40- Unending Love

 ”How happy is anyone who has put his trust in the Lord and has not turned to the proud or to those who run after lies! Lord my God, you have done many things — your wondrous works and your plans for us; none can compare with you. If I were to report and speak of them, they are more than can be told.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭40‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

Many may consider this an exaggeration as David is proclaiming how incredible God is.  Some may think this is because God protects them from facing hard times, but the reality is, God walks with us through the inevitable trials.  He rescues us from terrible lies and reminds us of the truth.  There is no inflation of truth, rather God is better than can be described.

Lord, You are eternally faithful through every season and demonstrate Your love for me in a million different ways. Reminds me of who You are, even in the worst circumstances.  Help me to live like this passage is true and I pray the my life would point everyone back to You !

Psalm 39- Freedom to Choose

 ”“Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you. Rescue me from all my transgressions; do not make me the taunt of fools. I am speechless; I do not open my mouth because of what you have done.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭39‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This Psalm is talking about how short life actually is.  That is truly a perspective that is most relevant as you get older.  These three verses David is speechless because of what God has done for him.  David understands fully that only God can remove his sin.  Only God can give real hope.

Lord, you are so good to me!  You have pulled me out of sin where I had only the ability to choose what sin to accomplish next.  You gave me a life of freedom and for the first time the ability to choose to say “no” to sin.  By Your Spirit, You have given me the power to opt for righteousness rather than sin…right over wrong.  Without You, I don’t have a choice!

Lord, let me choose righteousness more often today, than I did yesterday.  Let me be transformed by Your strength, by Your power.  Let me love you intensely and let everyone see Your love in me…

Psalm 38- Self Inflicted Hopelessness

 ”Lord, do not punish me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has pressed down on me. 

For my iniquities have flooded over my head; they are a burden too heavy for me to bear. 

For I put my hope in you, Lord; you will answer me, my Lord, my God.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭38‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭4‬, ‭15‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

In this Psalm David is remembering a time where he was overwhelmed by the intensity of his own sin.  He is recognizing just how impactful his sin was in his own life and likely to other people.  He is giving God credit for bringing him to this place of understanding, but he also sees that God is the only one who can help him.

I have felt this same way and this whole Psalm ministered deeply to me.  I had no idea how much pride was woven throughout my life and the way it impacted other people.  Foolishly, I was blind to it, and I had no one or nothing else to blame…this Psalm comforted me, because I knew other people have felt the same way, but also it helped me to stay focused on the One who could change me.

Lord, these Psalms seem hard to relate to, until they align with our experience.  Thank you for writing this as part of scripture so that we can see You working even in the hardest places of our life or the most hopeless scenarios.  Even if it is our fault, You still have compassion and a way of escape.  Help me to trust You always, even when You are the only hope.

Psalm 37- Person of Peace

 ”A person’s steps are established by the Lord, and he takes pleasure in his way. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the Lord supports him with his hand. Watch the blameless and observe the upright, for the person of peace will have a future. But transgressors will all be eliminated; the future of the wicked will be destroyed.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭23‬-‭24‬, ‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

Gods provision is discussed over and over in this Psalm.  The frustration of how people who reject the Lord are sometimes successful and it seems like they get away with their sinful behavior.  That can be confusing for the one who is sacrificing daily to follow the Lord.  Gods protection and guidance for His people is clear.

What stands out to me is the statement about the person of peace…what is meant by the person of peace?  I love this name because how they live their life is their nickname.  This person is at peace with everyone around them.  They are not often stirred up by their circumstances or by the trials of life.  They live confidently in every decision and rest in Gods promises.  I don’t know about you, but that sounds amazing!

Lord, You tell us that You will produce in us most of these qualities as we depend on the Spirit.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self control.  If I live this way, I will definitely be know as a man of peace.  Give me the strength to surrender to You so that I can produce these qualities and exude peace in every area of life!

Psalm 36- Wrong God?

 ”Lord, your faithful love reaches to heaven, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your judgments like the deepest sea. Lord, you preserve people and animals. How priceless your faithful love is, God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They are filled from the abundance of your house. You let them drink from your refreshing stream. For the wellspring of life is with you. By means of your light we see light.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭36‬:‭5‬-‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This Psalm is powerful at comparing the one who is perusing self, while the other is looking at who God is.  This section is taken from the description of God…What an incredible visual description of who God is:

”Lord, your faithful love reaches to heaven, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your judgments like the deepest sea. Lord, you preserve people and animals. How priceless your faithful love is, God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They are filled from the abundance of your house. You let them drink from your refreshing stream. For the wellspring of life is with you. By means of your light we see light.“

‭‭If this doesn’t sound like the God you are following, you need to realize that you are not following the God of the Bible.

Lord, help me to worship You because You are amazing!  Highlight for me when I have wrong beliefs about You, and remind me of the truth.  You are so good, we don’t deserve Your love…yet You give it to us.  I surrender to You!!!

Psalm 35- Devine Protection

 ”Let those who want my vindication shout for joy and be glad; let them continually say, “The Lord be exalted. He takes pleasure in his servant’s well-being.” And my tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praise all day long.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭35‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

This Psalm is from David and is full of requests that God would save him from his enemies that are trying to kill him.  For David this was actually his son attempting to Kill him and take his kingdom, or possibly Saul trying to kill his so that he wouldn’t take over as king.  He had a rough life with all kinds of turmoil cause by his own sin or others…

Thankfully, I don’t know of anyone trying to kill me physically…but I know the enemy is working to assassinate my character and drag me into sin.  I know my flesh is working to lure me into pursuing selfish desires.  And I feel the worlds pull to conform to its ways.  Everywhere I turn, destruction is lurking, ready to pull me into the darkness….

Lord, thank you for caring about me and desiring what is good for me.  What a blessing to know that you actually take pleasure in protecting me and giving me what is best…not just the least necessary for me to get by.  You have blessed me immeasurably and continue to protect me.  I echo David and praise you with every step, all day long.

Psalm 34- Blessed Fingerprints

 ”I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad. Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Read Context

I love how this passage is packed with delight in the Lord…I can relate to it in this last season.  God continues to be faithful and has blessed in so many ways.  I am literally walking around humming praise songs and just so thankful for all that He has done.

I have not always been able to recognize all that God is doing around me.  There have been seasons of frustration, wonder and trial.  In each of them I look back and see so much of what was invisible to me at the time.  Growth that happened in those seasons, faith that was strengthened, purification and even exposing idols in my life.  Without each of those periods, I would not be able to enjoy God like I do today!

Lord, help me to keep You in the proper place in my life, surrendered to Your leading and seeking You throughout each day.  Continue to show me Your fingerprints on all the blessings and challenges that come my way so that I can praise You in everything!  You have blessed me beyond measure and I am sure I don’t even see half of Your work in my life.  Thank You for loving me!!!

Psalm 33- Minuscule Details

 ”We wait for the Lord; he is our help and shield. For our hearts rejoice in him because we trust in his holy name.

May your faithful love rest on us, Lord, for we put our hope in you.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭33‬:‭20‬-‭22‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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This Psalm talks about God being the creator and all of the ways He blesses His people.  It wraps up with these few verses essentially reminding us that if God has created all the earth, and cares about every detail, we can trust Him to help us with the small (and humongous) problems in our life.  We can trust Him with anything and everything.

Sometimes, I feel like there are parts of life I can handle on my own…they are insignificant, things I should be able to handle on my own.  Then I am reminded that God cares about those things too…He desires to be a part of every aspect of my life, even the minuscule details.

Lord, help me to bring You into every thought, every conversation, every decision.  Help me to consult Your Word and seek Your wisdom in everything so that You would be glorified in all that I do, say or think!

Psalm 32- Power of Forgiveness

 ”How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How joyful is a person whom the Lord does not charge with iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceit! 

When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat.  Selah 

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not conceal my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin.  Selah

Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to you immediately. When great floodwaters come, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.  Selah 

I will instruct you and show you the way to go; with my eye on you, I will give counsel.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭32‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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The contrast between living in sin and confessing our sin to God is made clear.  Lord, thank You for Your mercy and grace that allows me to live at peace with You!  Shatter the lies that hold me back from seeking You so that I can eternally live in your joy!

Psalm 31- Protected Under Siege

 ”Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his faithful love to me in a city under siege.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭31‬:‭21‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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What an incredible reminder that God will show His love in every situation.  It is not only that we see Gods love when everything is going our way…when everything is rainbows and unicorns…but also in the middle of terrible life circumstances.  In fact this is the more critical time to experience His love, when the rest of the world seems to be falling apart.

Lord help me to look for your fingerprints in the storms of life…your love in the midst of trials.  Allow me to give you credit for the care you show when things are going badly!  And give me the wisdom to remember your love even when things are going well!!!

Psalm 30- Fleeting Sorrow

 ”Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me. Sing to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime. Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30‬:‭2‬, ‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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I love how this Psalm reminds us of the answers that we get from the Lord.  But even better is the comparison of the pain with joy and how one is fleeting and the other eternal.  That is the opposite of what we experience apart from Christ.  It seems like pain, sadness and sickness are the majority of our time, with brief moments where we can forget the rest of our miserable life.

Life with Jesus is exactly the opposite, brief moments of pain in the middle of joyous peace filled days.  Why would anyone want something else?  

God remind me to run to you quickly in the moments of pain so that I can experience your peace, comfort and joy!

Psalm 29- Peace in the Storm

 ”The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned, King forever. The Lord gives his people strength; the Lord blesses his people with peace.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭29‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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This whole Psalm talks about the power of God and how He deserves our worship. The last couple verses stand out to me because of the picture it paints.  Floods are chaotic and bring destruction, they are terrible and uncontrollable…yet God reigns over them.

This is such a good metaphor for our lives!  So much of what we experience in life is out of our control.  We feel helpless to move in the right direction because even when we make plans, they often fall apart.  Yet this verse reminds me that God is firmly seated above all the chaos.  It doesn’t throw Him for a loop when things don’t go the way I expected, He already knew.  And if we are trusting Jesus, he gives us strength to endure the chaos and unexplainable peace.

Lord, you have walked right beside me through so much trial, suffering and chaos.  Never once were you worried about the result, even when I was anxiously wringing my hands, losing sleep and distracted by trying to control things.  You were always calmly confident, siting on your throne, patiently guiding me and attempting to draw my attention back to who You are…and how little I control.  Lord keep my mind focused on who You are and how You have consistently strengthened me and brought me through every chaotic moment!  You are beyond good!!!

Psalm 28- Despair to Delight

 ”Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the sound of my pleading. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart celebrates, and I give thanks to him with my song.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭28‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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David begins this Psalm telling God that he needs help. He follows that with pleading that God will listen to him, answer him and powerfully work in his life.  David says the very things we feel while in the midst of suffering or trial: Are You listening?  Are You even there? Do You care about me? We are tempted to suspect the answer to all of those questions is “NO”!  We feel alone and hopeless…

Then you get to the last few verses and David sees help arrive and his feeling change in an instant.  He is transformed from despair to delight because God is at work.  In a flash, David goes from hopeless to happy and claims God as his strength and the only one who can save Him.

Lord give me eyes to see Your fingerprints around me.  Allow me to see Your help and give You the credit for it.  Help me to rejoice in the strength that You bring and bolster my confidence that You will continue to show up in the future, build my faith in You!

Psalm 27- Waiting Patiently

 ”I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple. 

I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭4‬, ‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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I really needed this passage this morning…I was feeling down yesterday, discouraged and depressed.  I was surprised because I had such a sweet time with the Lord in the morning, but by dinner time, I was pretty low.  Partly this is the natural transition of work that I was proud of, excited to do and felt like I was making a difference.  New jobs always start off in a challenging way.  Sometimes there seems to be so much to learn and do that it will be impossible to get it all done.  This is the first time in my career that I literally have nothing to do.  That posses it’s own challenges for me, but it has been discouraging.

This Psalm though. reminded me that God has a plan and He has perfectly orchestrated this transition for me.  Maybe I was enjoying the hit of adrenaline that the stressful work setting provided, or I delighted in the feeling of being indispensable …all of which distracted me from being dependent on God. He is asking me to wait on Him…because He has His goodness to show me.

The other portion that was flashing in my face was David’s desire to be close to God.  I have this same goal, that is ultimately why I changed jobs to start with, to follow Him more closely.  To do what He was asking as soon as I understood what He wanted.  It hasn’t been easy, leaving a job that I loved 90% of and people I loved 100% of…but God asked me to do it, so I followed.

I am excited to see what He has in store, because I have the same confidence as David, “I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living”!  That means I won’t have to wait till I am in heaven to experience His blessing, but I will see it soon.  Lord, help me to wait patiently on You!

Psalm 26- Becoming Who?

 ”I do not sit with the worthless or associate with hypocrites. I hate a crowd of evildoers, and I do not sit with the wicked.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭26‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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I woke up this morning praying about my opportunity to tell my coworkers about Jesus.  Most of the people I work with don’t know Christ so I have to he potential to live out my faith in an attractive way before them.

This verse also popped off the page for me because David is talking about the exact same thing from the opposite perspective.  It is commonly said “show me the five people you spend the most time with and I will show you your future”.  The idea is that we are transformed into the average of the people we spend the most time with.  This is absolutely true.

That is why David is proclaiming so vehemently that he doesn’t spend time with evildoers, the wicked, worthless or hypocrites.  He knows that if he does, he will end up like them…and those characteristics are the exact opposite of what God has called him to.

Lord, help me to choose my friends based on what I desire to become…Lead me to friendships that hold You in high esteem and honor You in every way!  Open my eyes to recognize the people around me that pull me away from You.  God allow me to interact with those who need You but not be influenced by them.

Psalm 25- Unending Mercy

 ”Lord, for the sake of your name, forgive my iniquity, for it is immense.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭25‬:‭11‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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This line really jumped out to me, “for the sake of your name”.  I feel like forgiveness is primarily benefiting me (the sinner) and costing God, yet this verse the proclaims the opposite.  

Often times when scripture is talking about “the name” of God it is describing His reputation, or the understanding of who He is.  Accomplishing this action of forgiveness is building, in a positive way, our knowledge of God and His character.  According to this verse it is amplifying Gods reputation because David’s  sins are so big and impact so many people…which is in every other case terrible!

But many times God is the opposite of what we imagine.  In this case He is greater because of His ability to forgive more.  The depth of His riches are demonstrated to be even more vast.  And His compassion is immeasurably more than imagined and proven to be so by every act of forgiveness.

Lord, help me to meditate on the greatness of who you are!  Allow me to release you from the mental box I have placed you within so that I might see your majesty!  Give me a bigger view of You!!!