Posts with the tag “psalms”

Daily Devotional from Psalm 51–Verse 6“You delight in truth in the inward being.”This verse has always stuck out to me like a sore thumb. It bothers me. It screams for attention. It’s easy to commit to truth on the outside. People are watching, after all; so give them what they want to see. Give them what makes you look good. But cover up the things that make you look bad! Don’t let anybody see it...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 50– Verses 14-15“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I shall deliver you and you shall glorify me.”We are called to come to God with thankful hearts, do what we promised him, and call on him when we are in trouble. It means looking for all we have to be thankful for, even in dire circu...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 49– Verse 16-17“Be not afraid when [an ungodly] one is made rich, when the wealth and glory of his house are increased; For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.”There are four kinds of riches:Riches in what you have (material wealth).Riches in what you do (service for Jesus)Riches in what you know (wisdom from God)Riches in what...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 48–Verses 12-14“Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our Godforever and ever. He will guide us forever.”Mt. Zion is an incredibly special place — a high hill within Jerusalem, a place where King David brought the ark, and Solomon built the temple, t...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 47–Verse 5“God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.” The Psalmist makes a clear point throughout the psalm: God is the king over all nations. Yet He is not some far-off, distant, or fantastical ruler. Instead, He is deeply personal, relating to his subjects, and this is a cause for joy. For God to ascend, He must have descended. The p...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 46–Verse 10“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”Sometimes being still can sound counterintuitive in a culture where striving is normal. It’s necessary that we let God be God over our lives and not try to muscle our way into that position. One of the greatest things we can rest in is knowing that God is g...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 45–Verse 1“My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.”Something about verse one of this chapter just makes me want to sing! Maybe it’s because Psalm 45 is a wedding song, addressed to a mighty king and his bride; a beautiful princess. The song describes the king’s might and power, and the uprig...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 44–Verse 23“Awake Lord! Why do you sleep?”Psalm 44 is a lament. It’s a song born out of crises. At one point during the psalm, the writer asserts that they had not forgotten God or broken his covenant, and he wants to know why God would allow the current calamities. He wonders, “Why now, when we are at our greatest need, is he quiet? Haven’t we been good?” even going so...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 43– Verse 3“O send out thy light and thy truth: Let them lead me; Let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles” (KJV). How blessed we are to have the living word of God, which brings us light and truth. While waiting for God’s justice and deliverance, we can remain confident that God will guide us. Like King David, we can look back to our Savior who will...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 42–Verse 8a“The LORD will send his faithful love day by day; his song will be with me in the night—”Sometimes it is so good to remind ourselves that the LORD’s love is FAITHFUL. The writer of the Psalm is going through something heavy. They feel dejected, sad, and forgotten by the LORD. Yet, they hold on to the hope of God’s faithful love. Are you in a place where you f...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 41–Verse 1“Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him…”Throughout God’s word, we see a very strong focus on caring for the poor and needy. We are told to give generously, defend the vulnerable, and view kindness to the needy as a direct act of honor toward God. In Matthew 25, Jesus teaches that when people care for the hungry,...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 40–Verse 8“I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”There's nothing worse than begrudging obedience – for both the obedient and the obeyed. What kind of relationship is that? A loveless one indeed.But to do another's will from a place of delight? Now that's beautiful. That's the kind of heart our Father desires, and the kind of heart the Spirit ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 39–Verse 7b “ …My hope is in You.” David tried to be silent in his trials, which made things worse. His discomfort only built up inside, unvented and without relief from God or man. Silence also became a lack of speaking of the goodness of God that no circumstance could disprove.  When we find ourselves in difficulties, whether of our own making (sinfulness) or due to t...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 38–Verse 15“But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.”In times of discipline, as in this chapter, and in times of sorrow, sickness, pain, suffering, frustration, or lack of understanding, we have only one option available: wait for the Lord. When it comes to waiting on the Lord, is it fun? Not really. Is it easy? No. Is it necessary? Abs...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 37–Verses 23-24“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when hedelights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be castheadlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.”How many times can you fall and still be forgiven? Jesusanswers this question with 70×7 — in other words, too many to count. OUR JOB is to keep trying (He provides resources to help) and never give up wh...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 36–Verse 1“I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes” (NIV).The first point the Psalmist makes about the wicked is that they lack a God-fearing vision. Their eyes dart around, lusting with the possibility to take from any tree they please. Like Eve, they have been deceived. There are trees ou...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 35–Verse 28“And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.”It is so important that we proclaim the goodness and righteousness of God throughout our day. In Scripture, we are encouraged to pray continually and praise God at all times. When we fill our minds and mouths with God’s truth, praise shifts our focus from our circumstances t...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 34–Verse 8a“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!”I just LOVE how descriptive this Psalm is. It touches almost all the senses! Taste and see that the LORD is good. Come, O children, listen to Me. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken (touch).It reminds me that our God is personal and involved. He is not distant or removed from the human experience. If any...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 33–Verses 6 & 8“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”Have you ever seen something so powerful that it shattered all your paradigms and forced itself to be reckoned with? I never have. I’d like to say that I understand the Fa...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 32–Verse 8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”I find great comfort knowing that our Savior is giving us knowledge, leading the way, guiding our steps, and that his eyes are always on us. When Jesus Christ comes and makes his home with us, He gives us confidence to do his will and listen for the prompting of the Hol...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 31–Verse 24“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!”I have been in a season of waiting recently. Sometimes it feels like God is taking FOREVER!!!! The waiting feels like its own torture. But as we read Scripture, we realize that those who are filled with the Holy Spirit have the fruit of patience. The people of God are those who wait. ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 30–Verse 11“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.”I love the imagery of joy and utter abandon this psalm conjures up in my mind! Being able to run, dance, and sing like a carefree child with no stiff joints or balance issues! Doesn’t that sound lov...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 29– Verse 2“Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”That phrase has always stirred my imagination. I picture the splendor of a royal court… the majesty of a King… the dignity of His throne… and the honor of those who minister before Him. That's why I love Scripture's throne room scenes. They remind me that, when we worship, we join something far greater than what we...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 28–Verse 7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him, my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”What wondrous benefits the Lord bestows on us, his children! Strength, shielding, trust, help, an exultant heart and a thankful song are the gifts of belonging to him—and so much more. It would take many lifetimes to discov...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 27– Verse 4“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire inhis temple.”I always thought David was talking about Heaven when he asked the Lord that “I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” But no, he was asking God to...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 26–Verses 1-2“Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.”In this psalm, King David claims his integrity and his trust in God. He asks the Lord to examine, confirm, and protect him as a result.This is what we expect if we are living a life pleasing to t...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 25–Verse 5 “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long” (NIV).The Psalmist refers to God as a teacher and a savior throughout Psalm 25. These are ideas we are often familiar with applying to God. However, the inverse should also be applied to ourselves. If God is a teacher, then we must be students. If God is a sav...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 24– Verse 8“Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.” It is important to remind ourselves who is on our side when we are in the midst of a battle. God invites us to bring every circumstance before Him, and He delights in fighting on our behalf. Let’s not forget that God is already victorious. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection,...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 23– Verse 4“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”Have you ever felt like you were walking through the valley of the shadow of death? That’s a pretty intense description, but I’m sure many of us have found ourselves there at some point. In those valleys, peace and...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 22–Verses 1“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.”In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus cried out from the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He knew that those present would recognize the words he spoke. Jesus was quoting King David, who wrote these words roughly a thousand years earlier from...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 21–Verse 2“You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips.”‭‭God longs to give us the desires of our heart. The Bible tells us it is God who placed them there. That sure puts things into proper perspective. As we wait and walk with God, our answer to prayer takes second place as we realize it is in the waiting that we are able to dr...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 20–Verse 7“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”During this time, chariots and horses were signs of military strength and financial prosperity. The world would like us to believe that we are successful (as a nation or individually) if we have a strong military or abundant resources. Yet, as we see so often in scripture...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 19–Verse 14“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Half this psalm describes how the majesty of creation glorifies God (the sun, moon, stars, and the innumerable unique galaxies), and the other half explains how perfect and beautiful His Law (the Bible) is! His word is not beautiful only in ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 18–Verse 29“For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.”Listen to David's confidence. He's not dwelling on the problem or imagining the worst. He's looking to God and expecting victory. Troop? Wall? Child’s play. That's the outlook faith produces. As God's people, we're called to move forward with courage, believing that He is able to do ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 17– Verse 8b“…hide me in the shadow of your wings.”David wrote this Psalm while fleeing from the insanely jealous King Saul. Trusting wholly in God, he cries for protection, giving us the picture of a great eagle with wings spread to cover him. Jesus gave us the image of longing to hold Jerusalem close as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings (Luke:13:34).We can rely...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 16–Verse 8“I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”King David had his priority right. He put the Lord first in his life. Does that mean he was perfect? No, only Jesus lived a perfect life. But David knew that the Lord was his sourceof strength. By acknowledging that God was at his right hand, David was acknowledging t...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 15–Verse 1“O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?”This song gives us a standard by which we may attempt to live — walking in integrity, speaking the truth, not slandering, keeping promises, not taking a bribe. But even if we were able to do all of these things, we are not worthy to be in God‘s presence. It’s only through the filter of...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 14–Verse 5b...God is with the generation of the righteous.It’s easy to read this snippet of verse 5 and think, “Whew. I’m saved. God is with me.” But we have to be careful not to develop a self-righteous attitude. We truly have to examine ourselves and ask questions. Am I walking with God daily? Am I in any way contributing to the corruption of the world? Do I have any ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 13–Verse 1How long, O Lord? Verses 1-2 contain a litany of questions that basically boil down to one big question: “How long?”Many of my high school friends married right out of school. I headed to college, planning to wait a few years to meet my future wife. But after graduation and starting my first job at 24, nothing had happened.As everyone wed, I waited... 25, 26, ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Psalm 12–Verse 6The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.The overall tone of this psalm is somber. “The faithful have disappeared,” David bemoans. Everyone on earth speaks nothing but lies to each other. I’ll tell you what, online gossip forums provide space for exactly that today. It takes strong will to stay ...  Read More