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.