Psalm 98

 Psalm 98 We praise the Lord with singing..  "with the lyre.. and the sound of melody.. with trumpets and the sound of the horn... " 

The earth itself breaks forth in song to the Lord.. "Let the sea roar and all it contains.. the world and those who dwell in it.. Let the rivers clap their hands.. Let the mountains sing together for joy.. " 

We sing to the Lord "a new song, for He has done wonderful things. His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him. The Lord has made known His salvation;"

Our God reveals His righteousness.. His faithfulness.. and His lovingkindness to His people. And all on the earth "have seen the salvation of our God."  Though.. sadly.. not all will admit it. 

The psalmist proclaims this truth.. ".. He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness, and the people with equity." 

Our God is "ready to forgive".. for He is good.. He is great.. His lovingkindness is abundant! But, He is also a righteous judge, holy and just.  Those who will not turn from evil.. those who will not call upon the name of Jesus for the salvation freely given.. will be judged.. with equity.. and will be cast out of His Presence.  They will find no joy.. no peace.. no love.. no hope.. 

God is God alone.  There is no other way than the way that He made.. through the Lord Jesus Christ, who died to pay the penalty for our sins.. who rose again from the grave in victory over death.. and who ascended to heaven, to the right hand of the Father.. that He might make intercession for us.. prepare a place for us.. and come again to reign forever with us!  Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Father in heaven, how we praise Your holy Name!  You are good and worthy of all honor and glory and praise. We come to You today, singing our songs of joy.. for You have done great things for us. You have given us such grace and mercy.. You have delivered us from our sins, set us free from death, and made us alive forever in Christ!  Thank You, Lord!  We ask for Your kingdom to come and for Your will to be done. We ask for Your Spirit to move in our homes, in our churches, and in our world.. to bring salvation to those who still walk in darkness. Let the Light of Your Countenance shine through Your people today. We are Your witnesses.. surrendered to Your purposes and plans.  May Your Name be lifted up in our lives today, Jesus!  Amen!

Psalm 97

 Psalm 97  This psalm exults the reign of the Lord Most High.  Jesus told Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world.. " ( John 18:36)  The writer of Hebrews assures us, " Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude  by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire." ( Hebrews 12:28-29) 

This is the Kingdom that we celebrate in Psalm 97 "The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; Let the many islands be glad." 

We rejoice because " Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne."   Think of this.. what nation.. past, present, or future.. besides the Kingdom of God, has such a foundation?  Our country may be better than some.. or even than most, but we lack true justice and there are few that desire what is righteous. 

Our God will judge the earth with righteousness and justice.. and for this we will rejoice.  His "adversaries" will be burned up.  The "earth will tremble". The mountains will melt "like wax".  When He comes again, there will be no question that Jesus reigns.. "over the whole earth".  Hallelujah!

The psalmist encourages the wanderers to look to the heavens, for they "declare His righteousness".  Look to His people, who have seen His glory.  Be ashamed of the "graven images".. the false gods.. and "Worship Him" !

Our God is "the Lord Most High over all the earth.."  Therefore we exalt Him.  We hate evil. We find deliverance from the wicked. We find light and gladness in Him. 

".. give thanks to His holy name." 

Father in heaven, it is with grateful hearts that we come to bow before You and worship.. in spirit and in truth.  For You reign with righteousness and justice.. and Your Kingdom will never end.  Thank You for the promise of a kingdom that will not be shaken!  Our world has seen many "kingdoms" fall and many that have become corrupt and cruel. We pray for Your children, our brothers and sisters in Christ, who suffer even now at the hands of Your adversaries.. and ask that You would deliver them.. " preserve the souls of [Your] godly ones.. " Lord Most High!  We rejoice in You, giving thanks with sincere hearts.. with reverence and awe...  In Jesus' name we come and ask for Your glory to be made known in all the earth!  Amen. 

Psalm 96

 Psalm 96 - This psalm is first presented in I Chronicles 96.. at the time when the ark is brought to the tent that David had prepared.. when he appointed the singers to "celebrate and give thanks and praise the Lord."  

" Sing to the Lord a new song; Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day." 

This psalm gives us much to sing about! 

We sing of the good news.. 

We sing of His glory.. 

We sing of the wonderful things He does.. 

We sing because He is great!

We sing because He is to be feared.. 

We sing because He made the heavens!

We sing because of His splendor and majesty!

We sing because of His strength and beauty!

"Ascribe to the Lord.. " the psalmist instructs us.. give, bestow, appoint, apply.. "...glory and strength.. the glory of His name.."  As Jesus taught us to pray.. "Hallowed be Thy Name.. "  We are to honor His name, even as the commandment taught us.. and never take that Name in vain... in worthless ways. Give glory to His name!

"Worship the Lord in holy attire; tremble before Him, all the earth.. "  We are to mind the way we come before Him in worship. Not half-hearted.. not hypocritically.. not selfishly.. not proudly.. but with the clothing of holiness- humble.. contrite.. surrendered.. yearning.. repentant.. hearts. 

Let our testimony be "The Lord reigns!"  Let our exhortation be "He is coming.. to judge the earth."  For "He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness."  O how the world needs to know that He is coming and He will judge them rightly.. 

Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name in all the earth!  Let the nations bow before You.. to know that You alone are God.. that You alone can save.. that You alone reign forevermore!  We give thank to You for the Word that shows us how to worship in spirit and in truth. We offer up this song of praise, for You are worthy of all praise and honor and glory. "You are good and ready to forgive.. Abundant in lovingkindness.. there is none like You."  Father, we ask that Your Kingdom come and that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Our good, good Father.. grant us daily bread.. forgive us our sins as we forgive others who have sinned against us. Lead us in Your ways and deliver us from evil. We are so needy.. and so thankful.  Be glorified in our attitudes, our words, and our actions today as we abide in Christ our Lord.  In His name we pray. Amen. 

Psalm 95

 Psalm 95 "O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;  Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms." 

This psalm leads us into true worship.  We sing TO Him, we shout with joy TO Him.. we come with thankful hearts before Him!  Our thoughts, our attitudes, and our words are addressed to Him.. "For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.. " 

How great is God?  He holds "the depths of the earth."  He made the sea.. and it is His.  He formed the land that we stand on and the mountains that we gaze upon with wonder.  He is our Maker too!

"Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand." 

In a world that denies that there is any god.. or claims a false god.. or gives honor to an idol of wood, stone, or whatever.. we can make a simple, but powerful proclamation.. WE have a God.. a God who is the only True God.. the Maker of heaven and earth.. the One who made us.  The One who chooses to receive us to Himself.  

"Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.. "  Israel did.  They got things backwards.. they put God on trial.. Isaiah said it this way.. " You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, that what is made should say to its maker, 'He did not make me'; or what is formed say to him who formed it, 'He has no understanding'? ( Isaiah 29:16)

Because of this.. this unbelief.. this rebellion.. this wanting to go their own way and not God's way.. a whole generation of Israel never entered the promised land.  "Truly they shall not enter into My rest, " the Lord swore to them.. and they never did. 

The book of Hebrews shows us that this applies to all.. not just to a group of Israelites in the wilderness. Disobedience.. unbelief.. hardened hearts.. still prevent people from entering into the Lord's rest.  "Let us be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience." the writer exhorts, "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."  ( Hebrews 4:11-13)

Isaiah's message in chapter 29 addressed those whose hearts were far from God, though they gave Him "lip service".  They thought they could hide the dark plans and conceal their wicked thoughts from Him.  The psalmist and the writer of Hebrews remind us that nothing is hidden from Him and that instead of foolishly thinking we are greater than our God who made us.. who holds our every breath in His hands.. we must come.. "kneel before the Lord our Maker".. and worship.. in spirit and in truth. 

Father in heaven, we sing and shout with joy, for You are the great and mighty God.. the Maker of heaven and earth.. our God.. our Maker.  We do not wish to have any hardness in our hearts.. any darkness in our thoughts.. so we come to kneel before You.  We are so thankful for  Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, who has interceded for us.. who has offered Himself in our place so that we might come boldly.. "with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  O how we need You!  Every moment and every hour, we are in need of Your Presence. Fill us, Lord, with Your Spirit, to guide us in Your ways.. that we might not "err in [our] hearts" as Israel did in the wilderness.  Keep us in Your abundant love and power we pray.. in Jesus' name. Amen. 

Psalm 94

 Psalm 94  "O Lord, God of vengeance.. "   The psalmist prays for God, who is Judge will "render recompense to the proud".   He wonders, as we often do, "How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how long shall the wicked exult?" 

We can relate to this prayer.. for the wicked still seem to exult, don't they?  "They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly; all who do wickedness vaunt themselves.."   It is astounding to me these days... how easily political candidates spout off about their support of true wickedness.. especially the killing of unborn babies.   They exult in their superior "wisdom".. they excuse their evil thinking.. calling evil good and good - evil.  Yes, we can easily relate to this psalm.. 

The wicked "crush Thy people O Lord....they slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the orphans."  The psalmist accuses the wicked of their false beliefs.. "they have said, 'The Lord does not see, nor does the God of Jacob pay heed."   He calls them "senseless" and "stupid"! 

"He who planted the ear, does He not hear?"

"He who formed the eye, does He not see?"

" He who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke, even He who teaches man knowledge?"

Good questions!

"The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are a mere breath."  !!!  And here is where the psalmist finds relief.. and hope.. and strength.. in his faith.. "For the Lord will not abandon His people... " He will not "forsake His inheritance."  He will help His servants.  He will hold us up by His "lovingkindness".  

"When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Thy consolations delight my soul." The psalmist continues to remind himself and us.. of the God we serve.. "But the Lord has been my stronghold, and my God the rock of refuge.. "  Vengeance belongs to the Lord and He will deal with the wicked.  He will keep us secure in His mighty love.  So, even when the wickedness seems to be overwhelming.. we can stand firm.. girding ourselves with these truths! 

Father in heaven, we exalt Your Name.  You are good.. You are abundant in lovingkindness. You do great and wondrous deeds. Thank You!  There is none like You, to show us grace, to pour out Your love on us, and to bless us with grace, mercy, and peace in Christ Jesus the Lord.  Father, we pray that You would deal with the wicked.. You know the thoughts and motives of every man, woman, and child.  You see.. You hear.. there is nothing that surprises You or makes You anxious.  Quiet our souls and fill us with Your comfort and peace, that we might reflect Your glory.. through the darkness.. through the uproars.. through the storms of this world that overwhelm at times. Thank You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 

Psalm 93

Psalm 93   This psalm proclaims the majesty of our God.. His excellency, His glory, His magnificence, His highness, His triumph, His increase..  "The Lord reigns,  He is clothed with majesty;"  the psalmist writes, "The Lord has clothed Himself with strength.. " 

My God.. established the world so that  "will not be moved." 

My God.. established His throne from eternity past.. to eternity future!

My God.. rules over the floods and the pounding waves.. that offer up themselves to Him!

My God.. is mighty!

My God.. is true!

My God.. is holy!

My God.. is unmoveable, unchangeable, immutable, eternal, omnipotent, and so, so, good. 

Father in Heaven, we praise Your Name and proclaim Your majesty!  Be glorified in Your people. Dwell in us, Christ Jesus, filling us with all that is true and faithful and holy.  Help us to walk in Your truth and proclaim the great gospel of salvation so that the lost can be saved by the power of Your Name. Amen. 

Psalm 92

 Psalm 92  "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Thy Name, O Most High.. " 

It is the lovingkindness and faithfulness of our God that move us to give thanks and praise to Him.  It is what He has done.. the "works of His hands".. His uprightness, His grace to us.. that we are so grateful for and cause us to offer up songs and declarations and proclamations of His goodness towards us. 

There are those who declare themselves enemies of the Lord. The psalmist says that they sprout up.. "like grass".. they "flourish".. but, "It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore."  

It is the "righteous man" who will "flourish like the palm tree.. like a cedar of Lebanon..  planted in the house of the Lord.They will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green.. "

Do we want to be like grass?  Or would we rather be like fruitful trees that stay young and full of life? That is the difference between those who love the Lord and trust in Him fully.. and those who choose sin and self instead. 

I keep thinking about Psalm 90-- Mose's prayer. He speaks of the anger of God.. the "fury" towards sin.... so much so that "we have been consumed" by His anger. "Who understands the power of Thine anger, and Thy fury.. " Moses wrote.  Why does sin make God so angry?  Sin separates us from Him.. Adam and Eve hid from God in the garden.. and every sin.. every lie, every theft, every act of hatred or cruelty.. every attitude of pride or superiority.. every time we turn from Him to another.. we turn away from Him.. and it makes Him angry.  "Our God is a consuming fire," the writer of Hebrews wrote.  He hates the sin that has stolen away our hearts..Yet,  He has given us a way back.. a way out of that prison of darkness.. a way free from the evil one and his spell.  He gave us Jesus, His beloved Son, so that we can escape..and come into His holy Presence! 

 But, we must make that choice..each of us..individually.. of our own free will.  If we stay separate.. we stay in the darkness and will be burned up like the grass.  But, if we choose Him.. choose to put our trust in the salvation provided by Jesus on the cross.. we will have every sin forgiven and will "flourish in the courts of our God."  Hallelujah!  What a Savior!

Father, thank You for providing a way, when there was no way!  You have made us glad by what  You have done! Your works are great!  Your lovingkindness is abundant! Your ways are perfect! We sing praise and thanksgiving to Your great Name. Amen and amen!

Psalm 91

 Psalm 91 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."  What a wonderful place to be! When we seek Him.. we find all that we need:

We find "refuge" in Him.. for He is a mighty "fortress".

We find that we can trust in Him.. and He will "deliver us" - from snares, from "deadly pestilence". .from terrors and arrows.. from evil and from plagues. 

In the Most High.. we find our "dwelling place".  He is our forever home.  He is our shelter and our defender. 

Verses 14-16 are His words to each of us who trust in Him... let me make it personal and not an exact quote:

Because you have loved Me.. I will deliver you. 

I will sit you up in a secure place because you know My name.

When you call on Me, I will answer you.

I will be with you in trouble.

I will rescue you and honor you with a long life.

I will satisfy you and let you see My salvation!

Hallelujah! Our God is good! He is abundant in lovingkindness.. in mercy and grace.  He is great in all He does!

Father, thank You for loving us and bringing us to Yourself.. that we might call on Your Name and be saved. Thank You for being our fortress and our deliverer. Thank You for covering us with Your wings and being our shield and bulwark!  Thank You that we do not need to be afraid, but rest in Your faithfulness.  Let us dwell in You.  Strengthen us in faith.. in love.. and in grace.. that we might be all that You have planned for us to be. Draw us nearer and nearer still.. filling us with Your Spirit.. to do the work that You put into our hands, for the glory and honor of our Lord. Amen.

Psalm 90

 Psalm 90 This psalm is "a prayer of Moses the man of God".   It focuses on the eternal existence of God in contrast to the brief existence of men.  It is a psalm that we need to read often.. reminding ourselves that our days on this earth are numbered and we need to live in a way that matters.

He starts out with recognizing the truth about our God:

v1 "Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains.. before the earth.. Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God."   Tozer says it this way.. "From the vanishing point to the vanishing point!.. The mind looks backward in time till the dim past vanishes, then turns and looks into the future til thought and imagination collapse from exhaustion; and God is at both points, unaffected by either."  Past and future have no effect on God...time does not apply to Him. "God dwells in eternity but time dwells in God. He has already lived all our tomorrows as He has lived all our yesterdays.."   Not only that but God "appears at the beginning and end of time simultaneously.. " 

Thinking of this psalm, Tozer continues.. "We who live in this nervous age would be wise to meditate on our lives and our days long and often before the face of God and on the edge of eternity. For we are made for eternity as certainly as we are made for time, and as responsible moral beings we must deal with both."   (From The Knowledge of the Holy)

In contrast to the eternal God.. our lives are truly like a "wisp of smoke"..  Moses wrote, "For a thousand years in Thy sight are like yesterday when it passes by.. "  We are like the morning grass, he writes, "In the morning it flourishes... toward evening it fades and withers away.. "  We know this is so true.. we hardly remember where the days have gone.. another week.. another month.. another year flies by and we shake our heads and wonder.. how can I be this old?  How can my children.. my grandchildren be so grown up already? Where did the years go?

These truth, Moses writes, should make us remember.. God has seen our sins.. He has condemned our iniquities.. He told Adam in the garden that he would surely die because of his sin.. We know the scripture that tells us that" it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes the judgement." (Hebrews 9:27) 

 Moses prays, "Who understands the power of Thine anger?"  For, if we truly do understand this truth.. that sin arouses the wrath and fury of our God.. then and only then will we "fear" Him as he is "due." 

But, thankfully,  we are not without hope!  Moses makes this petition.. "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom."   Let us take time to contemplate the limited number of days that we have in this briskly moving stream of time.. to make the most of every hour that He gives us. 

How?  "O satisfy us in the morning with Thy lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad in our days."   Making the most of our time on this planet begins, most importantly, with fellowship with Him!  "Let Thy work appear to Thy servants.. and do confirm for us the work of our hands.."  All that we do.. we are to do "as for the Lord." .. for His favor.. to see His majesty.. for our children to know Him in all His glory and goodness and love. 

Father in heaven, teach us these things.. that we might also walk with You in faith and love.. that we might worship You in spirit and in truth; and that we might love You with all our hearts and souls and minds and strength. For we ask this in the Name of our Lord Jesus, who has rescued us from sin and death, by the sacrifice He made on the cross.  In Him we have the blessed hope of eternity with You.  Hallelujah! Amen. 

Psalm 89

 Psalm 89  The first 37 verses of this psalm proclaim the lovingkindness, faithfulness, righteousness and justice of the Lord.  It recalls the covenant that the Lord made with David, to establish his throne forever.  But in verse 38 the psalmist begins to lament.. for it appears that the Lord has abandoned and rejected His people and "spurned the covenant" of His servant David. 

 "How long, O Lord?" the psalmist prays.  The Lord is hidden.  His wrath is like a fire.  It seems that there is no hope of salvation.. that there is no purpose to life.. that there is no more that he can do.. that it is just all too much. "How do I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples.. " he  cries. 

The prayer has been lifted before the Lord.. praise and worship.. desperate petitions.. and then, with a final surrender, having left it all on the altar.. he ends, "Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen." 

Every word of this prayer is directed to the Lord Most High. The psalmist appeals to the love, the mercy, the greatness, and the character of God.. for this is still and yet.. his hope.  His faith is in the Lord, who is able.. the Lord who is faithful.. the Lord who keeps His covenants.  And so, we also pray..

Father in heaven, Your lovingkindness is "built up forever".  Your faithfulness is established in the heavens. Your promises are true and are complete in Christ Jesus, the eternal King, who fulfills every one. Father, we sometimes fail you. We sometimes become unfaithful.. yet You are always faithful.. and we are so thankful! Lord, may our faith and hope be established in the truth of Your Word, by the power of Your Spirit at work in our hearts, to bring honor and glory to Your anointed One, Jesus Christ, our Lord and King! Amen and Amen. 

Psalm 88

 Psalm 88 This psalm is a desperate prayer from a man who  feels that he is about to die.. and not just pass into his heavenly home.. but to go down to Abaddon - the place of destruction..It is attributed to Heman the Ezrahite.

"O Lord, the God of my salvation, I have cried out by day and in the night before Thee. Let my prayer come before Thee; Incline Thine ear to my cry!" 

The psalmist is in trouble and he feels his life is done. " I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit; I have become like a man without strength."   Perhaps we have  felt that way at one time or another. On our sickbed.. in depression.. under horrible circumstances .. of our own making or not..  We might feel forsaken, cut off, afflicted.. alone and in terror. The psalmist feels as if God has rejected him and in anger has brought him to the point of death.  I don't know that I have ever felt that level of darkness and pain.. but I know some who have.. 

Yet, in spite of his feelings.. which he honestly lifts up to God in prayer.. it is clear that the psalmist's faith is in the Lord. 

" I have called upon Thee every day, O Lord; I have spread out my hands to Thee." ( v9)

"But I, O Lord, have cried out to Thee for help, and in the morning my prayer comes before Thee." (v13)

This psalm does not end with resolution or praise or any answers.. and we know by experience that we sometimes do not get an answer to our prayers.. at least not one we can see.  But, we can still learn from this psalm.. that even when we are in our most desperate need.. we can walk in faith.. in prayer.. trusting the Lord.. as Psalm 86:15 reminds us "But Thou, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth."  As my friend Kate said Sunday night.. "We must speak truth to ourselves!" 

Father in heaven, You are good.  Your lovingkindness is abundant to us who call upon You.  You have not forsaken us or left us in darkness.. even if we don't always see things as You do.  Keep us walking in faith and in truth, according to Your good will. Open our eyes, Lord, that we might see Your glory and praise Your name today.. no matter what our circumstances might be.  In Jesus' name we come. Amen. 

Psalm 87

 Psalm 87  This song proclaims the glory of Zion, the city of God:

It is His "foundation.. in the holy mountains.." 

It is a place that the Lord loves..

It will be established by "the Most High Himself". 

He will count and register the peoples there. 

Joy will spring up in singing and with flutes for all who are "born there". 

What does it mean to us when the Lord Himself says "This one and that one were born in her" ?  

Ultimately it means that the place of God's Presence - will become home for all who trust in Him. Our citizenship is forever changed..  As Jesus prayed for His disciples at the last supper.. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. " ( John 17:16)  We have a new birthplace.. a new hometown!

The writer of Hebrews wrote. "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant and to the sprinkled bold, which speaks better than the blood of Abel." (12:22-24) 

Zion is the unshakable kingdom.. the blessed hope that we have in Christ. 

"This world is not my home, I'm just a-passin' through; my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.. " 

There is a beautiful song by Wayne Watson called "Born in Zion".  You can find it on YouTube.. one stanza speaks of the Father's declaration: "This one was born in Zion.. this one is Mine.. this one will never die.. "  This is the hope and foundation of every true believer in Jesus Christ.  Praise His Name!

Father, thank You for bringing us out of this world and into the realm and reign of the Lord Jesus, our King forever!  O the wonder and joy that is our inheritance kept for us where there is no rust or mold or anything that can ever take it away! Thank You, Father.  We set our hearts towards You and our eternal home. O Lord, You are good and Your lovingkindness is abundant. We praise Your holy Name. Amen.

Psalm 86

 Psalm 86  Andrew Murray wrote, ".. the psalms take us into the sanctuary of God's presence to experience the riches of fellowship with Him. If you truly desire, each morning, to meet with God and worship Him in Spirit and in truth, then let your heart be filled with the Word of God expressed in the psalms. As you read the psalms, underline the words Lord or God wherever they occur, and also the pronouns referring to God: You, He, and I... the underlined words will assist you in connecting the content of the psalm with God, who is the object of all prayer." 

So, I tried this in Psalm 86.. 44 times, David directs his prayer to the Lord! His prayer is clearly focused on the only One who hears.. the One that David trusted.. the One that he worshipped. We can learn much about how to pray for this psalm.. 

"Incline Thine ear, O Lord, and answer me; for I am afflicted and needy." (v1)  "Blessed are the poor in spirit.." Jesus taught.. and we recognize that truth as David did.. for we are all in great need.. spiritually poverty stricken.. without any way to provide life or help for ourselves.  We call out to the Lord who hears and answers our cries:

Preserve our souls.. 

Save Your servants.. 

Be gracious to me..

"Make glad the soul of Thy servant, for to Thee, O Lord, I lift up my soul." (v4) 

This is a prayer from someone who desperately knows his need and humbly bows before the Lord.  Do we come to the Lord in prayer with this sense of desperation and humility? 

David's prayer is lifted up.. and his heart begins to worship:

"For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon Thee." (v5)

"There is no one like Thee among the god's O Lord; Nor are there any works like Thine." (v8) 

"For Thou art great and doest wondrous deeds; Thou alone art God." (v10)

"But Thou, O God, art a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.." (v15)

These are great verses to incorporate into prayer.. to connect with God who is present.. to unite with Him in fellowship.. to truly worship. 

David expressed thanksgiving to the Lord in this prayer:

"I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and will glorify Thy name forever." 

And, he expressed his commitment and devotion:

"Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth; Unite my heart to fear Thy name." (v11) 

Father in heaven, we join in this prayer of David's, seeking Your presence and fellowship; bringing our desperate needs before You; and bowing before You in worship.. in spirit and in truth.  You are gracious and merciful.. You hear our cries and help us.  You are our comforter and Savior.  Thank You for saving us, for lifting us up out of the ashes and bringing beauty and strength so that we can have life in Jesus Christ our Lord.  May all the nations worship You. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done!  You alone are God and we are Your servants.. the sheep of Your pasture.  Be glorified in us and use us as You choose.. for the glory of Your Holy Name. Amen. 

Psalm 85

 Psalm 85  Look at what the Lord has done, the psalmist writes:

He showed us favor.

He restored us from captivity.

He forgave our iniquity.

He covered our sin.

He withdrew His fury.

He turned away His anger.  (v1-3)

It's like he is saying.. listen.. remember.. take note.. this is what the Lord has done for YOU!  What Grace!

It is by grace that we have come to know Him.. to have our blind eyes.. opened.  To have our sinful hearts cleansed.. to be freed from the penalty of sin.. from death.. from darkness.. from hell.  Christ Jesus took upon Himself the wrath that was rightfully ours.. He bore it.. His blood has turned away our punishment. Hallelujah ! What a Savior!

Because of this.. we can pray.. boldly come to the throne of grace.. and ask these things that are impossible for man.. but wonderfully provided by our Lord:

We ask for the "God of our salvation" to "restore us".  To keep us from all anger and indignation that we might cause Him when we fail.. 

We ask for continual revival and rejoicing in Him.

We ask for His unfailing love and kindness.. and for the salvation of others. 

We ask for His peace.. wholeness and health and rest in Jesus. 

We ask the He keep us from foolishness. 

We ask that His Kingdom come, that we might dwell in His presence forever.

(v4-9)

The beauty of these next verses are surely the answer to such a prayer:

"Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth; and righteousness looks down from heaven." 

The Lord gives us what is good. He provides for our needs. He leads us in paths of righteousness. "and will make His footsteps into a way." (v10-13)

Father in heaven, praise and honor and glory to Your Name!  Your unmeasurable goodness and eternal love are awesome and amazing! Father, let Your Name be exalted in all the earth.  May Your will be done and Your Kingdom come. We do ask for daily bread.. for forgiveness of sins.. and for merciful hearts to have forgiveness and love for others.  We pray that You would lead us into all righteousness and deliver us from all evil. We come with hearts of gratitude for all that You have given to us.. for Your favor..for Your salvation.. for Your Presence.  All praise to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.. Three in One.  Amen. 

Psalm 84

 Psalm 84  "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts!"  This psalm is attributed to the sons of Korah.  This prominent group of singers presented this hymn of praise, revealing a heart for God.. a passion for being in the presence of their King and God.  This is the kind of song that is so personal and beautiful that we want to sing it ourselves!

The Easy translation says it this way: " I want very much to go to the Lord's temple. I very much want to be in the temple yards. With all that I am, and with great joy, I sing to you, the God who lives forever!" (v2)

Even the birds of the air, the psalmist writes, want to be near your altars.  Those who live in the temple are so blessed!  "They can praise you all the time!" 

As the people of the Lord travel from their homes.. towards Jerusalem.. to come to the temple they "become stronger as they travel, until each one meets with God is Zion."  From "strength to strength" the NASB says. 

Do we ever feel that way as we head out to church on a Sunday morning?  Perhaps our prayer needs to be more like this psalmist..  "Behold our shield, O God, and look upon the face of Thine anointed. For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."  

Lord, give us a desire to be in Your Presence.. a desire and a passion to come together in our local congregations.. to worship in harmony and unity.. to find strength in coming.. in singing.. in rejoicing in You. You are a "sun and a shield" to us.  You give us Light that overcomes the darkness of this world. You protect us and deliver us from evil.  You give "grace and glory".  You do not withhold any good things from those who walk with You.  "O Lord of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in Thee!" Father, we need You. We need to be filled with Your Spirit. We need to find that passion and longing that the psalmist wrote about.. to come to Your house as often as we can.. Lead us, Lord, in Your ways and meet us in church and all along the way,  we pray. In Jesus' precious name. Amen. 

Psalm 83

Psalm 83   "O God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still."  Now, isn't that a prayer!

We often want to pray the same thing, don't we?  We don't hear Him.. we don't see Him.. we want Him to act.. to solve our problems, to heal our sickness, to save our loved one.. to do what we want Him to do - in our way.. and in our time frame.  But, He doesn't work that way.

The psalmist pleads and presents his argument.. ".. Thine enemies make an uproar;"  They "hate" Your people. They make "shrewd plans against Thy people."  They want to "wipe" us out!  He names names too:  Edom, the Ishmaaelites, Moab, the Hagrites.. etc, etc. etc.   "O my God, make them like the whirling dust; like chaff before the wind.. " the psalmist prays,  ".. like fire that burns the forest, and like a flame that sets the mountain on fire, so pursue them with Thy tempest, and terrify them with Thy storm.. " Basically.. sent them a volcano AND a hurricane!  Wow.. that's a pretty bold.. and perhaps harsh prayer request, isn't it?

But then, the psalmist throws a bit of a twist here.. "Fill their faces with dishonor, that they may seek Thy name, O Lord.... that they may know that Thou alone, whose name is the Lord, art the Most High over all the earth."  

Sometimes, the Lord does act in ways that humble, dismay, make ashamed.. even humiliate.. the wicked. All through the Bible there are examples of times that great judgements are waged on sinful people.. and sometimes that is what it takes for them to repent of their sins and turn back to the Lord, who alone is God, the Most High. 

As we read back through that list of nations and people that the psalmist named.. we see that most, if not all, are no longer nations today.  Their descendants were changed forever.. and yes, there are still plenty of nations who hate Israel and still wish it to be wiped out; there are plenty of wicked people who persecute and kill Christians.. and there are plenty of people who still would rather never hear the Word of the Lord.. But, let us not quit praying that perhaps some.. will seek Him.. some will know that He is the Lord, the Most High over all the earth!

Father, be exalted! Let Your Name be honored and glorified in ALL the earth. May Your people who are called by Your Name, stand firm in faith and in prayer for the lost. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

Psalm 82

 Psalm 82 The Psalmist here is lamenting the fact that God's judgements seem quite unfair to him.  It seems that the  "wicked" are getting away with murder.. while the "weak and fatherless.. the afflicted and destitute.. the weak and needy" are suffering unjustly.  His prayer rises up in a desperate plea.. "Vindicate.. Rescue.. Deliver.. "Arise, O God, judge the earth! For it is Thou who dost possess all the nations." 

We wonder, sometimes, about this same thing in the world today.  Why do the wicked get rich and the righteous seem to eke by..  If we are all "sons of the Most High".. if we are all in the same boat.. headed to judgement before the same God.. why are things the way they are?

Again, the words that Andrew Murray wrote so many years ago.. that I just read this morning.. speak to the very issue .. the issue of sin in the world.. 

"Never forget.. " he begins, "that your whole relationship with God depends on what you think of sin and of yourself as a redeemed sinner.

It was because of sin that God did not spare His own Son. It was sin that nailed Jesus to the cross, and revealed the depth and the power of the love with which He loved.... never forget that it was sin that led to your experience of salvation in Jesus Christ, and that each day He greatly desires to deliver and keep you from its power and transform you into His likeness."

"... it is the thought of sin that makes Christ so precious, keeps us dependent on His grace every moment, and inspires us to lay claim to being more than conquerors through Him who loved us. It is the thought of sin that calls us to thank God with a broken and humble heart." 

We see the wickedness around us.. we hear of their exploits and callousness. But, if we look closely, we will see that they too.. are aware.. even if they don't admit it.. the certainty of coming judgement.  Even when we feel like the psalmist, that God is not being fair.. let us remind ourselves, that God is always just and that we have experienced His mercy.. His deliverance.. and that He will vindicate His own people.  Let us remember that without His grace we would be in the same boat as those who we are so upset about.  So, as we pray for the weak, the fatherless, the afflicted, the destitute, the needy.. let us also pray for those who are "wicked".. lost.. walking in darkness.. not knowing or understanding.. let us ask the God who possesses "all the nations".. to move mountains.. to part the waters.. and to bring the lost .. home.. to find the Life that is in Christ alone. 

Father, hear our prayers . Send forth workers into the harvest.. bring the lost to Yourself as only You can do. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen