Psalm 75  "We give thanks to Thee, O God, we give thanks, for Thy name is near."  His Name -His Presence - is near!  The response from godly men is to  "declare [His] wondrous works." 

There is time coming, the psalmist writes, when the Lord will judge the earth. It will be cataclysmic! "When the earth totters, and all the inhabitants of it, it is I Who will poise and keep steady its pillars." says the Lord..  When there are disasters, we may hear people calling out to the Lord, asking for prayer and aid.  But, on that day.. He says.. "Do not boast.. do not lift up your horn.. do not speak with insolent pride" The time will be over for the arrogant and wicked. There will be no help coming from "the east, nor from the west."  

"But, God is the Judge".  He will judge righteously.  He will "put down one and lift up another."  There is a "cup.. in His hand. "  It is a cup of holy wrath. " and the wine foams and is red, will mixed; and He pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth must drain it and drink its dregs." 

This always makes me think of Gethsemane.  Jesus prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but as You will and desire."  The cup had to be drunk and Jesus did it.. for us. All the earth is given a choice to truly receive salvation through His Name.  He is near and He is willing... but we have to choose Him. 

Father in heaven, I pray for those who are still arrogant and wicked, who think they can escape the wrath to come.. to stand when the whole earth is melting away... open their eyes Lord!  We look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, the One Who drank the cup, who gave Himself on a cross, so that our sins can be forgiven and we can be saved from the disaster to come.  May the good news of Christ Jesus be proclaimed with thanksgiving and praise.  We "rejoice forever" and sing praises to You, our God who is near.  Amen. 

 Psalm 74  The first 11 verses of this psalm paint a picture of destruction... destruction of the Lord's House, the temple in Jerusalem.  In despair, the psalmist cries, "O God, why hast Thou rejected us forever?"

It felt like the end.. the Temple was ruined.. everything had been damaged by the enemy.. "It seems as if one had lifted up his axe in a forest of trees. And now all its carved work they smash with hatchet and hammers.  They have burned Thy sanctuary to the ground."  The beautiful temple.. built by Solomon was no longer standing. It meant everything to Israel.. even though they were unfaithful to the God whose name was meant to be honored there. 

The enemy knew that the Temple's destruction would devastate the people. They were attempting to destroy God Himself.. and for a while it seemed to Israel that they had succeeded. "We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, nor is there any among us who knows how long. How long, O God, will the adversary revile, and the enemy spurn Thy name forever?"

Yet, in the midst of his despair, the psalmist chooses to believe.. "Yet God is my king from of old.. "  He remembers the greatness of the God he serves.  The God who divided the sea.. the God who brought water from a rock.. the God who gives food to the "creatures in the wilderness".. who opens His hand and provides for every creature. "Thine is the day. Thine also is the night; Thou hast prepared the light and the sun. Thou hast established all the boundaries of the earth; Thou hast made summer and winter." 

God has not changed. He rules the day.. where we walk in faith.. in light.. when all is going well and we are feeling blessed and happy.  But, He also rules the night.. when we are hurting, afraid, discouraged, or feeling like the psalmist, "Do not forget the life of Thine afflicted forever."  

As the song goes.. when we cannot see His hand.. we can still trust His heart.  O Praise the God who never changes.. who will not forget us forever.. but who loves us with an everlasting love.

Father in heaven, we proclaim that You are our King and our God forever. There is no other god.. for You alone rule heaven above and the earth below!  You are the Almighty God who rules forever. Even when we cannot see You. .we know You have it all under control.   Like the psalmist, we sometimes feel that the wicked are winning and they have banished You.. but that is a lie from the adversary!  You Live and You give life to all who will call upon the Name that is above all names.  So, we praise the Name of Jesus Christ who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who is seated at the right hand of the Father and who is coming back to get us one day soon! Thank You for reminding us once again, through Your Word, that You have the final say on everything !  Hallelujah. Amen!

 Psalm 73  Asaph writes that his "feet came close to stumbling;"  He was looking at the world - seeing their prosperity.  He was envious at how they seemed to have no troubles. They were proud and arrogant.. they were violent and blasphemous. They boasted that God didn't know and didn't care how they lived. "Behold, these are the wicked; and always at ease, they have increased wealth.. " 

Asaph wondered if it was worth it to serve the Lord. "Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence. For I have been stricken all day long, and chastened every morning. " This is a common question, isn't it?  Why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer? Asaph said, "When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my sight.."

"Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end."  When he stopped looking at the perishable and looked to the imperishable.. stopped fixing his eyes on the seen.. and began to gaze at the "unseen".. Asaph began to understand.

The time would come when the wicked would be "destroyed in a moment."  They would be swept away. They would be judged according to their sins and their end would be worse than anything the righteous could suffer in this life.  These truths pierced Asaph's heart.  He stopped complaining and began praising God.. 

"Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou hast taken hold of my right hand. With Thy counsel Thou wilt guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.  Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail. But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."  

Father, how much better it is to be near You, to know Your goodness and to find that You are our refuge and help.. than to have the things of this world.  Life on this earth is sometimes hard and we do have troubles.. but we know that You see and that You care.. that You have given us something far better than earthly pleasures.  You have given us a "living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away.. reserved in heaven.." for us! Hallelujah!  Help us to keep our eyes fixed on You.. to put aside the things of this world that weigh us down.. so that we might run the race set before us and enter into Your Holy Presence.. blameless before Your throne through the grace given to us in Christ Jesus our King. Amen. 

 Psalm 72  This prayer is for a righteous king.. it is a psalm attributed to Solomon, but it is a prayer from David.. This prayer is for a perfect king -  one who would perhaps mirror the One True King, for none could come close to Him who will reign forever and ever. 

A perfect king would have the "judgements of God" - perfect wisdom and perfect justice. Every decision would be right.. no lies, no false testimonies, no hidden agendas.. Our God never makes a mistake in His judgements, unlike the rulers on earth. (v1)

A perfect king would be perfectly righteous.  He would judge the people with righteousness.  He would render every verdict with perfection. (v2)

The perfect king would "bring peace to the people".  He would "vindicate the afflicted" and "save the children of the needy".. (v3-4)  He would "crush the oppressor".  The ones who cause affliction and hurt the children.. would be no more. 

The perfect king would be respected and feared.  He would provide for his people and bring prosperity and peace to his nation.  He would rule "from sea to sea".  His name would be honored far and wide, so that "all king's bow down before him, all nations serve him." ( v11)

He would have compassion and love for those in need. He would be exalted and blessed by all the nations. 

"Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever, and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen" ( v18-19)

There is only One King that could fulfill this prayer.. and it is Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords!  Perfectly righteous, perfectly just, perfectly merciful... He is worthy of all praise and blessing and honor.

 "May His name endure forever; May His name increase as long as the sun shines; and Let men bless Him; Let all the nations call him blessed." (v17)

Father in heaven, You have given to us a King who is far beyond our greatest desires.. our greatest needs.. and our greatest expectations!  Jesus Christ is the King forever.. a King who did all that this psalm prayed for.. and more.  A King who set aside His glory in heaven... who "although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." ( Phil. 2:6-8) Oh Hallelujah! "Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (v9-11) A more perfect King than either Solomon or David could have imagined.  Praise the Father and the Son and the Spirit who teaches us these great truths.  Fill us, move us, and draw us closer, Lord.. for You are the King and we are Your kingdom..Amen. 

 Psalm 70  Prayer - Andrew Murray wrote, "Prayer makes you aware of what you are and what you should be. It fills you with the continual desire for God and the Holy Spirit. There is only one infallible way to safely weather the numerous difficulties you will encounter in life, and that is to expect nothing from yourself, but in everything to expect and depend upon God for relief. If you cling to this truth, you will be led through all your problems to fellowship with God." 

This was David's practice - every psalm reminds me that David was a man who went after God's heart.. every problem was brought to the Lord.. every answer was from God's hand.  David prayed for deliverance and help.. he was "afflicted and needy".. and he looked with expectation for the Lord to be with him.  "Let all who seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; And let those who love Thy salvation say continually, 'Let God be magnified.'" 

Psalm 71 speaks of a lifetime of prayer.. of trusting God.. of hoping in Him. "Thou art He who took me from my mother's womb.. " (v6)   He speaks of being sustained from birth (v6).. his hope and confidence in the Lord... from his youth (v5).. and "even when I am old and gray.. do not forsake me."  Even after the end of his days on earth.. he writes, "Thou who hast shown me many troubles and distresses wilt revive me again, and wilt bring me up again from the depths of the earth." 

This psalm testifies of the faithfulness of God who's righteousness "reaches to the heavens." He is with us from the time we are being knit together in our mothers' wombs and never leaves us through the trials of life and through the death of these mortal bodies..  Hallelujah! 

"To Thee I will sing praises... My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to Thee;" 

Father in heaven, we know that our days are in Your hands.. You already know our last days on earth as much as You know the first.. You have been our refuge and our strength through every trial and You have delivered us from evil. Thank You for the salvation that You have given to us freely through the sacrifice of Your Beloved Son on the cross. We cannot save ourselves, nor can we sanctify ourselves.. but we put our hope in You, our Living Hope.. and trust You.. for today and for all the tomorrows that You grant us..and then beyond to the eternal Kingdom where we will praise You all the more! Keep us in this close fellowship with You every day.. teach us to pray like David, like Jesus.. to draw near every day of our lives... to trust You and love You with all our hearts, for we ask this in Jesus' name.  Amen. 

 Psalm 69 David's prayers are so.. honest.   He lets the Lord know exactly how he feels and he asks for what he desires... this psalm is no different. 

"I am weary with my crying.. "  Weary.. parched.. discouraged... "while I wait for my God."  Waiting is  sometimes the most difficult thing to do when we are in situations that are painful, physically or emotionally, or spiritually.  David prays that others would not be "ashamed" or "dishonored" by his difficulties.  He does not want his friends or family to stop waiting on the Lord either..  

Once again David asserts his faith in the Lord. "But as for me, my prayer is to Thee, O Lord, at an acceptable time; O God, in the greatness of Thy lovingkindness, answer me with Thy saving truth. Deliver me from the mire and do not let me sink."   David reminds himself and us that God is good.. He has compassion for us.. He wants to redeem us, restore us, and bless us.   Our response should always be one of praise and thanksgiving.  "You who seek God, let your heart revive.  For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise His who are prisoners.  Let heaven and earth praise Him.. "

The God who created the heavens and the earth.. Who moves mountains and calms stormy seas... is the same God who sees us.. who hears our cries.. and who loves us with great love.  We can wait on Him for the "acceptable time" of His answers.. knowing and trusting that He will answer. We do get weary sometimes.. but when we remember Who He is.. we can wait with praise and thanksgiving, magnifying His Holy Name. 

Father in heaven, thank You for never leaving or forsaking us.. for hearing us when we are weary and discouraged, and for reminding us that we can wait on You.. knowing that You are near and that it is all in Your hands.  We praise You for showing us the greatness of Your love and kindness through the cross of Christ. We thank You that we can know salvation.. redemption.. restoration. and blessing through the gift of Your Son, who died for us.  Fill us, Spirit of God, with praise and thanksgiving.. and with patient and humble surrender to Your will.. which will be accomplished in the acceptable time. Help us to stay in that stillness with full faith and confidence in You, for You will be exalted in all the earth! Praise God. Amen. 

 Psalm 68  "Blessed be God" ( v35)....With these words David ends this psalm.. The theme is clear - the greatness of God reflected back to the days on Sinai when He revealed Himself to Moses and the Israelites, and the greatness that is revealed in the Sanctuary in Zion. 

"Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered.. " This is our prayer right along with David .. that those who hate the Lord would run away, be driven out, that they would melt like wax. "So let the wicked perish before God."  These things are in God's hands.. the scattering of the wicked and the establishment of righteousness.  That day is coming and we desire to see it.. even as we pray for the wicked to repent and turn back to Him, before it is too late.

"Sing to God, sing praises to His name;"  

The Lord "rides through the deserts." 

He is a "father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows."

He "makes a home for the lonely;"

He "leads out the prisoners into prosperity."

God went before the people of Israel.. taking them out of Egypt, through the wilderness and into His Presence at Sinai. 

He brought them to a land of promise. 

He scattered the foreign kings. 

He chose Zion to put His name there.. for His people... and for all who would call upon the Name of the Lord. 

And He is not finished yet.  The Kingdom of God is coming..  the God of deliverance.. the God of salvation is ready to speak again with His mighty voice. All the kingdoms of earth will sing His praises. That day is coming.. "Blessed be God!"

Father in heaven,  our constant prayer is for Your Kingdom to come and for Your will to be done. We want to see Your glory and know You even as we are known.  Meanwhile, we are intercessors for this who are lost.. for the fatherless and the widow.. for the lonely and imprisoned.. and for those who have not heard the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ who has "ascended on high" leading captivity captive.  Thank You that You bear our burdens, You grant us repentance and salvation, and You deliver us from evil and from death.  We ascribe to You strength and majesty, for You are an awesome God! Give strength and power to Your people, Lord God, that we might bless You.  In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 

 Psalm 67 "God be merciful and gracious to us and bless us and cause His face to shine upon us and among us."   The psalmist uses the prayer of blessing that was given to the priests in Numbers 6:24 to sing this song of praise and prayer..  Numbers 6:27 says that God gave them this blessing to "put My name upon the Israelites and I will bless them.." 

It is a prayer that we can pray for our family and friends.. or for anyone..  knowing that it is God's purpose for us to bless them:

"The Lord bless you and keep you."   We are asking the Lord to be their guard... to protect them.. to be a hedge of protection around them.. to attend to their needs. 

"The Lord make His face to shine upon you." - We are asking the Lord to shine His Light - to bring them to salvation.

"The Lord be gracious to you."  We are asking Him to show kindness and mercy, to show His favor to them.

"The Lord lift up His countenance upon you.. " We are asking that He reveal Himself to them.. that they would know His Presence.. that they would see Him with unveiled eyes. 

".. and give you peace.. " shalom - happiness, wholeness, health and safety.. rest. 

It is a wonderful blessing.. a perfect prayer that asks what God wants us to ask for others so that they would know Him.  The psalmist sings this prayer for the people adding.. "That your way may be known upon the earth, Your saving power.. among the nations."

The blessing is not limited to the people of Israel.. the psalmist is bringing it for "all the peoples".. for all the nations - that they would "be glad and sing for joy". That every nation would praise God and give Him thanks..so that "God will bless us, and and all the ends of the earth shall reverently fear Him." 

Father in heaven, we bless Your holy name. We pray for the nations to find this blessing that You have freely and wonderfully given in Your Name.  May the Light of the World, Jesus Christ the Lord be exalted in all the earth.  May the powerful presence of Your Holy Spirit fill the land with repentance and revival, that the earth would truly sing for joy as Your saving power is made know among the nations. It is a big prayer that we are praying.. but it is Your plan and Your purpose to accomplish it.  Hallelujah! Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done! Amen and amen!

 Psalm 66  The psalmist calls for "all the earth" to praise the Lord.. to "make His praise glorious!"   Our songs of praise should have "weight".. they should mean something.. they should tell of His "awesome" works. They should proclaim the greatness of His power.  When we praise God like that, His enemies will bow before Him.. reluctantly and without heart... but they will bow anyway!  There is no choice in the end.. for "all the earth shall bow down to You and sing to You; they shall praise Your name in song." v4

We praise the Lord for the things He has done.. for how He has saved His people.. for how He has answered our cries.  "He turned the sea into dry land, they crossed the river on foot; there did we rejoice in Him."   Just as He allowed Israel to cross the Red Sea and the Jordan.. He is able to open a way for His children to cross over barriers that otherwise would be uncrossable.  He can make a way where there is no way! Sing praise!

"He rules by His might forever, His eyes observe and keep watch over the nations; let not the rebellious exalt themselves."  ( v7)   So thankful that the Lord sees what is happening in the Ukraine.  He sees and will act by His might and power to accomplish His purposes. "Bless our God, O Peoples, give Him grateful thanks and make the voice of His praise be heard." (v8)   We are to give Him praise and thanks for what is happening.. How can that be?  We can be thankful for those who have been "kept.. among the living.." and those whose feet have not slipped. (v9)  Thankful for the Christians who are persevering and who are sharing the Good News of Jesus even as they are being "tried.. as silver" ( v10)

The Lord brought His people "into the net".. He "laid a heavy burden" on them.  He "caused men to ride over [their] heads."  They went through "fire and water". It sounds just like what is happening today in our world.  Yet, He brought His people through.. and He will bring us through again.  God heard their prayers.. and He hears ours. 

"Blessed be God, Who has not rejected my prayer nor removed His mercy and lovingkindness from being with me."  Yes.. sing praise!

Father in heaven, we pray for the nations of this world.. that they might choose to bow before You in true praise and worship.  May Your praise be made glorious!  Remind us to sing with thankful hearts to make Your praise heard!  Fill us with great joy and pure hearts that we might proclaim Your worth with every song that we sing. We are thankful that You have preserved many lives and are providing for Your people in need.  May Your Name be lifted up among the nations today. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on this earth.. today.. as it is in heaven.  In Jesus' name. Amen. 

 Psalm 65  This psalm exalts the Lord for His provisions.. for all the earth is given what is needed for life.. from His hand alone.  "To You belongs silence.. " David begins.. a reverent awe-filled wonder that realizes and acknowledges that God IS.. that everything exists because He created it.  Yes, "praise is due and fitting.." to the Lord God who is Sovereign over all the universe. 

"O You Who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come."  Whether we acknowledge this or not.. we are all totally dependent on the One True God for everything. From the highest mountain to the lowest valley.. every living being.. every plant.. every man, woman, and child.. God provides.  If He did not.. there would be nothing. 

David starts by acknowledging his sins and praising God for making a way of atonement.. "You forgive and purge them (our sins) away.."  God chooses to draw us near to Himself.. to find satisfaction in Him.. to trust in His justice and righteousness.  He wants to be our hope and confidence.  All He has given.. all He has done is for this purpose. Most importantly, He desires to save us from sin and death.  He sent His only begotten Son to do that for us. 

He made the mountains by His might.. (v6)

He is the One..  "Who still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of the waves, and the tumult of the peoples." (v7)

He makes the morning and the evening.(v8)

He brings the rains and causes grain to grow and provide food. (v9-10) 

He brings the bounty of harvests and clothes the meadows with flocks.(v11-12)

Everything.. everything.. is His and He gives to us all.. the just and the unjust.. the believer and the atheist.. from His store.  How can we not praise Him and sing for joy at His goodness to us?

Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your Name! When we ask You to give us our daily bread.. we are acknowledging that everything we need must come from You. We cannot make the wheat to grow.. the sun to shine.. or the rain to fall.  We cannot make atonement for our own sins.  Thanks be to God.. for You have made a way where there was no way.. Jesus Christ our Lord, the Lamb of God, has paid the price so that our sins have been washed away.  Thank You for providing all that we need for today.. physical need.. spiritual needs.. relationship needs.. everything !  Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, we pray. May praise and worship fitting to You rise from our hearts today. Amen. 

 Psalm 64 When the enemy brings terror..when he conspires evil and schemes to bring against us.. when he aims "venomous words like arrows" and ambushes us with no reason.. when the wicked think that they will get away with their evil acts of injustice.. then.. "God will shoot an unexpected arrow at them.. " 

The wicked will stumble. They will fall.  We will see the work of God and will "be glad in the Lord and shall trust and take refuge in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory and offer praise." 

Our God never changes. His plans and purposes will not fail.  We see the schemes of those who are doing evil.. but our faith is in the God who will work on behalf of His own.  Trust Him.. Wait on Him.  Pray for those who are in the midst of the terror, that God will.. even now.. bring an end to the evil acts of the wicked and will establish His righteous Kingdom. 

Father in heaven, thank You for the truth of Your Word that lights our paths and shows us the way to walk in faith and hope.. through the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Lord of Hosts, move the mountains of hatred and greed. Open the eyes of the lost that they might know Your love and the good news of the Kingdom.  Fill Your people with love and steadfastness. Help us to walk according to Your Spirit and to be faithful in prayer and generous in deed.  We ask this in Jesus' name. amen. 

 Psalm 63  "O God, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is." 

David expresses this longing for God.. the longing that we all have, even though some do not know that this is what they really have need of..  We live in a dry and weary land.. a land that cannot satisfy, cannot quench the thirsting of our souls.. a land where we will perish.. unless we find the One who is Living Water. 

David has found the source.. he has seen the power and glory of the Almighty.  He has known the lovingkindness of His Lord. He has found satisfaction in the Presence of the One Who is his help and His shelter. 

"My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me."  This is the Way of life.. to follow and to cling.. to Jesus the Christ.. to rejoice in God.. to "swear by Him".. as the Amplified Bible says, to "bind himself by God's authority, acknowledging His supremacy, and devoting himself to His glory and service alone; every such one. .shall glory, for the mouths of those who speak lies shall be stopped." 

Father in heaven, You are my God and I thirst for You.. I'm drinking of the Living Water that will never run out.. as Jesus said.. "Whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more.. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up.. within him for eternal life."  Thank You for this Living Water given by our Lord.. to satisfy.. to restore.. to overflow into the lives of others. Keep us walking in Your Spirit, continually drinking deep the Water of Life in Christ. We ask this in His Name. amen. 

 Psalm 62 (Amplified Bible)    "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation."  (v1)

 To wait.. to stop everything.. to be still and silent before God.. this is what is necessary.  This is what we are missing in the midst of busy days.. in the noise of our world.. in the distractions of our culture.  David goes on to say, "My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him." (v5)

To wait on God is to trust Him.. "Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times, you people; pour out you hearts before Him. God is a refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower). (v8) To wait on Him is to pray... 

When God is our ONLY rock.. our ONLY salvation.. our ONLY Defense.. our ONLY Fortress.. When we are waiting on Him.. silently and submitting to Him fully.. then and only then.. will we stand firm  "I shall not be moved".. David proclaims.. I won't be shaken.  I won't but my trust in  the emptiness of men.. whether they are low on the social scale or high up.   David warns us to not trust in riches.. to not set our hearts on anything or anyone else.. but on God alone for " power belongs to God."  Mercy and lovingkindness belong to Him also. 

Wait.. rest.. trust.. surrender..obey.  This is what we must choose if were are to find His salvation. 

O Lord our God, Father in heaven, we set our hearts on You, to wait on You.. to silently, humbly, patiently surrender to Your will and purposes.  May we not fear what man is doing in this world today.. but to trust You.. that You are in control, that You are God in heaven and on the earth and there is no other.  All power belongs to You. Hallelujah! You are merciful and kind.  You see Your children and You hear the prayers of Your people.  We are waiting with hope and expectation to see You move among the nations.  You will be exalted! Praise Your holy Name. Amen. 

 Psalm 61  This psalm is a beautiful prayer and confession of faith in God's protection.  It is one that is very personal for David.. and one that we can truly make our own prayer.. 

Lord, Adonai, You are God in heaven above and on the earth below and there is no other.. therefore I ask You to hear my cry and give heed to my prayer.   Even though I am far away.. "from the end of the earth I call to Thee.."  Even though "my heart is faint;"  Hear me and lead me to Yourself.. "to the rock that is higher than I."  I will trust in You. 

You are my refuge. You are my strength.  To You I come.. to" take refuge in the shelter of Your wings."  To be in Your tent.. in Your presence forever.  I will trust You. 

Lord,  I have committed myself to You.  I have vowed to follow You, to worship You, to serve You. Let me be steadfast as Christ Himself is steadfast..  You have given to me a promise.. a living hope.... an inheritance that will never fade or rust or rot away.. for it is eternal and true. And I will trust You. 

Thank You for a King who will abide forever at the right hand of the throne of glory.  Thank You that lovingkindness and truth belong to Him. 

 "I will sing praise to Thy name forever." This is my promise,  and by Your grace and power, it will be so, for You are faithful and You will bring it to pass according to  Your will.  Hear me.. lead me.. and keep me abiding in Christ the Lord. 

This I pray, in the name of that is above all names, the name of Jesus. Amen. 

 Psalm 60  David speaks of his nation.. "Thou hast broken us.. "  I imagine that there are some in the Ukraine that feel this same depth of despair. "Thou hast made the land quake, Thou hast split it open.." In many ways this truth applies to the U.S.A. too... 

The prayer is simple.. "O restore us.. heal its breaches, for it totters..

David understands that even the bad things that happen to a nation are under the authority of God's sovereign reign.. "Thou hast made Thy people experience hardship; Thou hast given us wine to drink that makes us stagger.." 

Yet, even in the "fiery ordeal" there is hope.. for God will be exalted, He will hear the prayers of His people, He will help those who will call upon Him.  "O give us help against the adversary, for deliverance by man is in vain. Through God we will do valiantly, and it is He who will tread down our adversaries."   Hallelujah! Our hope is a "living hope"!  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.." ( I Peter 1:3)

I have been praying Zechariah 2:11 for our nation.. "and many nations will join themselves to the Lord in that day and will become my people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you."  Pray that our nation will be one to join themselves to the Lord.. before it is too late.  As Zechariah reminds us.. ".. behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst.." (v10) It is in the restoration and healing that God alone can bring that we will then.. "Sing for joy and be glad"!

Father, we need Your healing and restoration for we are a broken and sinful nation.  We pray for Your Word to "spread rapidly and be glorified..." in our nation today!  We pray for the nation of Ukraine and for Your people there.. and we pray for our own nation.. that You would "let the evil of the wicked come to an end" and establish the righteous.. in the Name of Jesus, our Lord and our King.  Amen. 

 Psalm 59 It seems that David's songs all have the same theme... He needs deliverance from the enemy and he clings to God to show His lovingkindness and be his stronghold. 

Peter wrote, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation" ( I Peter 4:12-13)  And, James wrote, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, know that the testing of your faith produces endurance... " 

Peter said that the trials are "the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 

David was surely tested.. facing fiery ordeals.. and coming through the fire with faith that was indeed more precious than gold.. Over and over again, he cried out to the Lord and found Him faithful. 

"But as for me, I shall sing of Thy strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Thy lovingkindness in the morning, for Thou hast been my stronghold, and a refuge in the day of distress.  O my strength, I will sing to Thee; for God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness." 

Whatever "fiery ordeal" we might face.. may we hold on tightly to the God who will bring us through by His grace and merciful love.  May we trust Him to deliver us and to take care of the enemy of our soul.  Pick up that shield of faith.. like David did.. and stand firm through the fire. 

Father, You never change.. You are the God of David.. and You are our God.  We will sing of Your goodness and love. We sing to You, our Strength and our Defender.  Fill our hearts with Your love and give to us the steadfastness of Jesus our Lord. Amen. 

 Psalm 58  "Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods?"   Can the idols of the world know anything about righteousness?  Looking back on my blog to the last time I read this psalm I talked about an article I had read.. the people in a certain country had made a plaster elephant head.. they worshipped it and then threw it into the ocean.  It is a hopeless source of righteousness.. or peace.. or of anything.. The same with any worthless idol.  It may be beautiful for a moment, but there is nothing that it can do in light of eternity. 

The idols of our nation are equally worthless.. wealth, privilege, power.. fame.. whatever it is that a person seeks to find some hope in..other than the One True God.. will not last any longer than a plaster elephant in the ocean.. 

David tells us that those who trust in these false gods cannot "judge uprightly".  Their hearts are dark and their hands are violent. They are like venomous snakes.. dangerous and deadly. His prayer is direct and bold: " O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord. Let them flow away like water that runs off." 

What if we.. all those who believe in the One True and Righteous God.. who alone judges on earth.. what if we prayed this bold prayer.. asking God to shatter the teeth of those who are doing wickedness in our world today?  

Father, when the wicked ones aim their arrows, "let them be as headless shafts".  Let them "be as a snail which melts away as it goes along..  Like the miscarriage of a woman that never sees the sun."  Sweep them away with Your Mighty hand. Stop the violence against the innocent and defenseless.  Righteous Judge, let the evil of the wicked come to an end and establish the righteous we pray.  We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, the Righteous One who came to proclaim Truth and Grace. Amen. 

 Psalm 57  David escaped, once again, from the hand of Saul.  He refused to harm Saul, even when he had the opportunity in the cave.  He walked in faith.. "In God have put my trust, I shall not be afraid."  He continued to take refuge in the "shadow of [His] wings".  With every battle.. every threat.. every trap..to trust God.  He learned to have a "steadfast heart".  A heart that was established in the grace and lovingkindness of God Most High.  May God teach us to walk in this kind of faith.. no matter what our circumstances may be.. 

David's song of praise rings out, "Be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let Thy glory be above all the earth." (v5 and11).  For God was gracious to him.  He saved him. He sent help. He defended him from the enemy.  "I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to Thee among the nations. For Thy lovingkindness is great to the heavens, and Thy truth to the clouds." ( v9-10)

Father,  today we again pray for the people of Ukraine. May they find refuge in the shadow of Your wings. May they know the You are for them and that they can put their trust in You and not be afraid.  May they exalt Your Name and sing Your praises among the nations as You "accomplish all things" for them. Bring peace and truth down into their land today, we pray.. in Jesus' name. Amen. 

 Psalm 56  David fell into the hands of his enemies, the Philistines.. his enemy that "trampled" him.  His enemy "distorted" his words, planned evil against him, attacked him, lurked around every corner, watched him and waited.. to take his life. 

We have an enemy who would like to do the same... he is the devil, who "prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." ( I Peter 5:8)  Peter says to us, "But resist him, firm in your faith..."  This is what David did.. "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee, in God, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust." (56:3) 

I wrote in my Bible.. ( but I don't remember the source..) these words.. Faith - A deliberate act in defiance of one's emotional state.   David defied his own fears - and trusted in the God who he knew through the Word.  He knew that  "mere man" could not do anything to him. He knew that God would deliver him. His firm statement of faith is this:  "This I know, that God is for me".  (v9)

God saw David's fear and counted his tears.  God took account of his steps.  He knew exacted where David was and He would not abandon him. 

"In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?" 

David goes from " I will"  to "I have"..He has put his trust in God.  A  deliberate act of defiance of his fears.  And God did deliver him. He did keep David from falling.  And David continued to "walk before God in the light of the living."   We are reminded to walk by faith and not by sight. David gives us a perfect example here.  It doesn't mean we won't ever be afraid.. or suffer.. or cry.. but it does mean that we can choose to defy our own emotional state and keep walking in the Light. 

Father, thank You for the Truth of Your Word that changes our thoughts from fear to faith. Thank You for revealing Your love that holds us firmly and keeps us from falling into the hands of the enemy.  Thank You for encouraging us today.. to walk in faith and to know that You see us clearly and You are able to deliver us.. no matter what.  To Your Name we give praise and honor and glory. Amen. 

 Psalm 55  This is not a song I would like to sing, at least at first glance... David jumps back and forth - He seeks God's ear and determines to trust Him, but he is filled with complaints and distractions and conflict. 

Listen to David's confession/complaints - 

He is restless. v2

He is "distracted". v2

He is under pressure from his enemy. v3

He is in trouble.

He feels their anger.v3

He is in anguish. v4

He is terrified. 

"Fear and trembling come upon me." v5

David wants to fly away and find refuge.

He wants God to intervene. 

His hurts are multiplied because it is a friend that has betrayed him. Instead of "sweet fellowship", David has received reproach and hatred aimed at him. v12-14  He is in despair. 

In the middle of this, David prays.. "As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my voice, He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me.. God will hear and answer.. ." (v16-19)

 And He does answer:

"Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." 

Think about this - It is ok to murmur and complain TO the Lord  (Just not about the Lord as the Israelites did in the wilderness)... to cast our burdens upon Him.. As  Jesus said, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. "( Matthew 11:28)  Here we find the Truth that rescued David from his despair - No matter what the circumstances we are facing.. no matter who has turned against us.. no matter what troubles we find ourselves in.. when we take these things to the Lord.. He will hear us and He will answer.....

Father in heaven, thank You for listening to our heart's cries.  Thank You for listening, even when we are complaining or murmuring.. Thank You for caring about our every burden.  Thank You for sustaining us and bringing us peace.  I bring my cares to You today, Lord... burdens for family, for the church, for our country.. and for the world in conflict today and I ask for Your grace and mercy.. I pray that the evil of the wicked would come to an end and that You would establish the righteous. (Ps. 7:9) For You are the Righteous God who tries hearts and minds, Who is our shield, and Who saves the upright.  Praise and honor and glory to Your Holy Name!  Amen. 

Psalm 54  When "violent men" decided to seek David's life, he turned to the One who he knew would help.  "Save me, O God, by Thy name. And vindicate me by Thy power."  

It is the Name of the Lord that saves.  It is His power that vindicates.  It is His hand that sustains. It is His faithfulness that delivers. 

"I will give thanks to Thy name, O Lord, for it is good."  The Name.. that is above all other names.. is Adonai... Master.. Jehovah.. Jesus... It is a good, good name.. Our Father.. is a good, good father.  Our Lord Jesus.. is Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace.. Coming King.  Oh it is a GOOD Name!

David's enemies did not "set God before them.."  They didn't call on His Name.  They didn't turn themselves towards His Name. They didn't impute to Him the glory that He is due.  They would be judged by the One that they would not worship. 

The choice is always made clear in Scripture.. turn to the Lord for salvation, help, deliverance.. or turn away and find only destruction and death. 

David continually turned his face towards the Lord. He set his heart and life firmly in the Name and Power of the Lord, Most High. May we do the same.. always!

Father in heaven,  Your Name is holy and we give thanks for it is good!  When we find ourselves in trouble or in doubt, help us.. deliver us.. and keep us in Your powerful right Hand. May we continually take up the shield of faith and trust You to be our Savior and Deliverer.  We praise and worship only You! May Your will be done in us today, we pray.. in Jesus' name. amen