Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.

Psalm 16

Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. v5

For sure, I know the Lord provides...but sometimes I don't trust in the Lord. Lord, please forgive me.

Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. Psalm 146:5

Those who trust in themselves are fools Proverbs 28:26

 

My Prayer: Lord, You indeed are a great God, creator of all things, and in all things.  You are active every day, every moment and I know You love me and are always doing things for me.  Yet I often fail to notice the greatness of what You do every single day.  I lack trust sometimes that You can raise my children, that You can be the head of my marriage, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”

Psalm 16

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” v2

No doubt...God created all things and He is in all things.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. Colossians 1:16-18

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

See also this post from Deuteronomy 9. 

I must daily express my gratitude for the many blessings He has provided and understand that apart from God I am nothing.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an incredible God You are - I AM thankful for all the ways that You bless me and I know that apart from You I have no good thing...yet I continue to sin.  I am full of pride, arrogance, selfishness, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin.  Help me turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Whoever does these things will never be shaken.

Psalm 15

Whoever does these things will never be shaken. v5

Wow!  Great promise! This short chapter describes all the ways in which we must live for us to live on God's holy mountain.  Through the blood of Christ however, all can live with God and the Holy Spirit.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength  he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Ephesians 1:18-21

It is impossible to be exactly like Jesus but God will mold us and purify us to be more like Him.

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
    but the Lord tests the heart. Proverbs 17:3    

 

The result and the promise of "doing" the things Jesus asks us to do is awesome - we "will never be shaken".

 

My Prayer: Lord, You make awesome promises and You deliver every time!  Nothing but net...awesome!  I am so thankful to have such a God, but I am not worthy.  I continue to struggle with impatience and anger...please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.

Psalms 14

But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. v5

God is ever present and omniscient.  See also verse 2:

The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

See also Hebrews 4:13:

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.

That God is ever present and all-knowing is comforting because of exactly the circumstances David describes - there are times when we are hemmed in on all sides with dread and we are overwhelmed with fear, worry, etc.  Key can be found in Exodus 14:14 when the Israelites are hemmed in against the Red Sea.

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

I need to be still. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what a great God You are - You are ever present and all-knowing and You only desire what is good for me and for Your glory.  Thank You for the many the blessings I experience in my life.  I am rich.  Yet I often desire status, power, etc. and this is sinful.  Forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.

Psalm 13

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. v5-6.

No doubt on this one...the Lord has been good to me. Yet, what is interesting here is the choice of words David uses.  Note that David indicates that he will offer praise "for he has been good to me"...implying because God has been good to him.  I am not going to judge David as I am not worthy to judge him or anybody else.  However, his choice of words causes me to examine my own motives in my praise of Jesus.  Do I praise Jesus only when he has been good to me - am I a fair weather fan?  I sure hope not!  I recently posted how we must see God's wrath daily...and that it is perfect and good.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You created all things, You provide all things, and You are in all things...for my good and Your glory.  I have seen Your blessing in all circumstances...Thank You Jesus.  Yet I know I continue to have impurities and sin, and that You are not done with me.  I continue to be harsh and impatient with my family.  I am not worthy of Your love and forgiveness, yet You provide it and I seek it now.  Please forgive me.  Help me turn from my sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.

Psalm 12

And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times. v6

God's Word is indeed flawless...His promises, His truth, His love, His power, etc. - everything in the Bible is perfect and for a purpose.  How could you not want to seek daily time with God and His word!?


For no word from God will ever fail. Luke 1:37

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Reading Psalm 12:6 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17 together are key - God's Word is perfect...for a purpose.

See also here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You...and everything about You are perfect.  There is nothing without You - You provide, heal, protect, guide, encourage, teach, etc.  Thank You Jesus for all that You are and all that You do for me.  I am not worth such a God as I continue to be harsh in my relationships with others.  Please forgive me!  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.

Psalm 11

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face. v7

There are days when it is difficult to keep going, and to keep going along the path set for us by God - to avoid sin and to glorify Him.  I know there are many times when I want go my own path, to divert from the path God has set in front of me, because I may believe that my path is better and I don't trust that God's path is the way.  Yet in Psalms 11:7 David provides the encouragement I need to focus on the eternal as a means to persevere while here on earth.

See also Acts 20, 1 Corinthians 9, and 2 Timothy 4, Hebrews 12 - click here for details.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalms 119:105

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are that You provide a path for me...and it is a perfect path.  You have never led me astray - every path You have provided has been a blessing to me. Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a God.  I am easily distracted...even today and desire to go my own path with various frustrations.  Forgive me Jesus.  Help me turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and side effects of cancer.  Please heal her from the removal of the chemo port today and praise God for this milestone!  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land.

Psalms 10

The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. v16

Believers are encouraged to focus on the eternal.  In this verse, David reminds us to do just this...in the context of earthly kingdoms, powerful nations, governments, etc., the message is the same - everything earthly will pass away but God will not and we will someday be in Heaven with Him and the only thing that matters is how we glorify and serve Him with our time on earth.  

See posts here and verses below.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Matthew 6:19

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ....Philippians 3:20

My Prayer: Lord, You have saved a place for us in Heaven - thank You Jesus.  I am not sure how I feel about death but I am certain that I am thankful for how You beat sin and death for me and gave me both freedom from both.  Yet I don't live often with this freedom in mind, so please forgive me Jesus.  Help me turn from my sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Please help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.” v6

Psalm 10

He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.” v6

I can certainly identify with those who say such things...I have been this person...one who says these things....even as I have claimed to be a believer.  From time to time I know - even though God has justly humbled me - I still  act in ways consistent with saying such things.  I am deeply grateful for how God has humbled me because in my weakness and humility I have seen God's mercy, compassion, love, greatness, etc.

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven....Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:3,5

My Prayer: Lord, You alone are great...I am not great...it is only through You that I can do great things...and hopefully glorifying You.  Thank You Jesus for how You have humbled me and shown me Your mercy, compassion, love, greatness, etc.  Please forgive me for my desire to be great, to have status, etc.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin..and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 9

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. v10

Indeed, this - that He will never forsake me - is a promise God makes often.  He knows us...He knows how easily we forget, how we worry, etc.  Just like a child needs a parent, we need our heavenly father.  God desires for us to run to Him just like we have our earthly parents...in times of joy, triumph, sadness, tragedy, etc.  In all circumstances, God wants us....and as the Psalm says, He will be there when we call.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

See also Deuteronomy 31:6, 31:8, Joshua 1:5, 1 Kings 8:57, Hebrews 13:5 for the following verse that is nearly identical each time it appears:

I will never leave you nor forsake you.

As Jesus sends out the twelve for the Great Commission, he says: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

My Prayer: Lord, You are an incredible God that I know is always there when I call...in all circumstances. Yet there are times when my trust and faith in You is not "with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength".  For this alone, I know I am not worthy of a God such as You Jesus.  Thank You for all that You are, all that You have done and all that You will continue to do.  Please forgive me for my harshness with my family.  Help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me love others as You love me. Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity.

Psalm 9

He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. v8  

Assuming one agrees that equity, fairness, and justice are good things...it is certainly a good thing that God is equitable in how He judges us....He is certainly capable of being a perfect judge - He knows our heart (Psalm 139) and as such knows our motives and intent 100% of the time.  Yet what we need to keep in mind is that God is not only just and perfect in how He judges us, He is also just and perfect in how He punishes us.  This latter truth is more difficult for us to agree with and understand than the former truth. See my post from a few days ago for thoughts about how we as believers can approach understanding of this truth.  We don't know what God is doing when He dispenses punishment or wrath and it is often hard to swallow.  However, we should all take comfort that David's claim from v8 is accurate - "He rules the world" and God is in control...

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who is fair in both  judgement and punishment.  You know what is best for all of us and both Your will and Your works/actions are perfect.  I have experienced this in my own life.  Thank You Jesus.  Yet I am not worthy of such a God...I continue to be harsh with my words.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

Psalm 8

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? v3-4

What an amazing statement from David on God's abounding love for us...a love that we cannot fully comprehend. 

Praying for the church in Ephesus, Paul writes:

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19

Paul encourages us to grasp the magnitude of this love as a path for us to be filled with God (vs idols and/or worldly matters).  Don't miss the latter part of Paul's statement that we should "know this love...surpasses knowledge".

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an amazing God that has created the heavens and the earth and all their inhabitants.  It is difficult to fathom as David writes how you can bother with us...being as broken as we are...yet You do...as You suffered and died for us...for me.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worthy of such a God...I too often concern myself with worldly matters. Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day.

Psalm 7

God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day. v11

Many people, including myself, have viewed God's wrath as a bad thing.  Yet God's wrath also leads to justice and training.  When we view wrath in terms of the positive outcomes it can achieve, we better appreciate the perfection and goodness of God.  Everything God does is good and perfect.  I know for myself that God has been disappointed and angry with my sin, and so he has either allowed me to experience the consequences of my sin, or he has disciplined/tested me with difficult circumstances.  Either way, God's discipline and wrath has resulted in a purification and training process for me - all good.

The prophet Zechariah speaks to God's refiner's fire and how it produces a more pure child of God, one that is closer to God's image:

On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity....This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, They are my people,and they will say, The Lord is our God.  Zechariah13:1, 9

Circling back to Psalm 7:11, we should look DAILY for how God's wrath (pruning) is producing fruit (see also John 15) in our lives.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God, abounding in love for me...even though I am certain I am not deserving.  Thank You Jesus!  I am easily distracted by worldly matters.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me every day.

Arise, Lord, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice.

Psalm 7

Arise, Lord, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice. v6

David implies (correctly) in this Psalm that God is the only one appropriate to judge - see here.  We must be careful of trying to mete out our own brand of justice - see also post here.  As part of this God, also says we should not gossip.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-5

For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 2 Corinthians 12:20

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the only one worthy to be Judge.  And You are just...all discipline that you pour out on me is for my good and Your glory.  No sin is unnoticed in Your eyes. I can rest secure in Your righteousness.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet often I don't.  I see sin and I want my own brand of justice - please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands—if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe—then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.

Psalm 7

Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands—if I have repaid my ally with evil  or without cause have robbed my foe—then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust. v3-5

The thing is that we ALL have guilt on our hands and we deserve punishment and condemnation.

[F]or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God[.] Romans 3:23

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. 1 John 1: 8-10

 

 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

 

We are then to be humble and know that we need Jesus Christ as He is the only one to cleanse of our sins.  He is also our everything...our hope, provision, security, confidence, etc.

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Hebrews 6:17-19

God is counter intuitive to the world (Isaiah 55:8) but this I have come to know as truth: out of our fear and reverence of God, and out of our humility and desire for God, we find peace, confidence, security, etc...this is what the author of Hebrews 6 refers to.

My Prayer: Lord what a great God You are!  You are able in all ways and You provide for my every need - physical, emotional, and spiritual.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a God.  I often place my hope in earthly matters...please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

Other study - Radical: Love That Captivates

John 3:16

Hosea 1-2

All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish; they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

Psalm 6

All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish; they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame. v10

Over the course of our life, others will either purposely or unintentionally hurt us.  That is just the nature of our world.  Although I am not so certain I agree with David's words about how we are to respond to others that hurt us, David is correct that God alone is the source of our protection.  He will strengthen us and give us confidence in peace that He is always with us - our security should rest in Him alone.

In our relationships with others, God provides significant guidance - starting with John 13:34-35:

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

On the subject of revenge and hardened hearts:
^- Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  Colossians 3:12-13
- Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

My Prayer: Lord what an amazing God You are!  I know I have disappointed You and sinned against You greatly....yet Your heart has not hardened against me and You forgive me...Thank You Jesus!  I am not worthy of such a God.  I am harsh with those closest to me.  Please forgive me.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me a tender heart...including towards others.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.

Psalm 6

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.  Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. v1-2

In this Psalm, David cries out for mercy from God because he knows he has sinned.  This cry for help is something that all of us must do on a daily basis, if not more often.  We should know that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) and God is the only one who can spare us from our sin.  However, we should not be crying to out God just for his mercy but also to help us repent from our sin, which is to turn away - this turning away requires heart transformation and life change that ONLY God can do.  This is the blessing that Jesus promises in the Sermon on the Mount - God promises blessings for us when we come to Him in humility - we must desperately admit that we are nothing apart from Him (see also John 15).

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

Of course there is more to this story, but repentance and humility are great places to start.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God full of mercy and compassion for me even though I am not deserving...in fact I know I am deserving of death yet You spare me.  You also help me turn from my sin and help me produce fruit!  What an awesome God You are.  Thank You Jesus for knowing everything about me and choosing to die for me...the greatest gift of all time.  Please forgive me for my harshness with others.  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Other Study:
The Disciples Relationships - David Platt 
Colossians 3-4 

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.

Psalm 5

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. v11

In this Psalm, David is acknowledging that God protects His children. In world where sin is ever present - as it has been since the dawn of man - God is our only refuge.  In this specific verse (and in the remaining verses), David prays for his fellow believers.  We must encourage one another as believers...there is power in community.

See also posts here, Acts 2:42-47.  In particular:

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. Hebrews 3:12-14.

My Prayer: My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an incredible God You are...I know You love me, You encourage me, Your Word encourages me, my brothers and sisters in Christ encourage me and You provide the Holy Spirit that is always with me...awesome!  I am not worthy of such a God.  I am harsh in my words and often discouraging to others.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin.  Help me turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple.

Psalms 5

But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple. v7

According to this study tool, Psalms 3-41 focus on how God delivers us.  In today's verse in Psalm 5, I am reminded of God's abounding love and grace that "by [His] great love, [we] can come into [His] house.  And Jesus, by dying on the cross, and through the tearing of the temple curtain, can come to allows us to come to Him daily and personally, without the need for an intermediary.  We can all have a daily personal relationship with Him.  How awesome is that!

My Prayer: Jesus, You are a great God, abounding in love and grace for me...even though I am certain that I am not deserving.  I fail to dispense grace and encouragement as You do...forgive me Jesus.  Thank You that You are so patient and compassionate.  Your greatness points to my need for You.  Please help me overcome my harshness with others and help me turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.

Psalms 4

Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. v4

Although it is not explicit here in this Psalm, I am nonetheless mindful of how I am not silent in waiting on the Lord to reveal my sin (through prayer and study), and to work on my behalf.  I know I worry...there are times when I cannot sleep because my mind is active.  David's words in this Psalm speak to me.  I also know that if I release my worries and pray to God that He help me with my concerns He will.

 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

My Prayer:  Lord, You are a great God and You know my heart.  You provide rest that I cannot get elsewhere.  You always listen to me and help me relieve my concerns.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I continue to worry-often.  Please forgive me and help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.

Psalms 3

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.  I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. v5-6

We need protection daily - physical, spiritual, emotional, etc.  We often do much (I know I do) to take steps to protect ourselves, even going to the point of NOT doing something to avoid harm (fear of failure, etc.).  Yet God is the one should be taking all steps to protect us, and as David writes hear in this Psalm as he runs from Absalom, He is always there to protect us.  This should give us freedom to serve Him without fear of failure or harm.  See also Romans 8:1-2 (recommend reading full chapter for context):

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.  Romans 8:1-2

My Prayer:  Lord You are a great God full of love and compassion for me...and patience...I am not worth such blessings Jesus.  I fail to serve You in the capacity that You ask of me.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me the courage that only You can provide.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin and help me serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling.

Psalms 2

Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. v11

The Overview Bible Project has, I believe, good context for understanding the Psalms.  Books 1-41 are authored by David and in chapter 2, David rightly encourages us to "serve the Lord with fear and to celebrate His rule with trembling".  Indeed, we must understand our rightful position relative to God...He is sovereign over all.  Yes, we may be His children and created in His image but we were created to glorify Him and to serve Him...at HIS discretion.  The Bible is full of people who did not follow God and felt his wrath...even to the point of death.

See also here and here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are worthy of my full attention, awe, respect, and fear.  You are all powerful and capable of wiping me out at anytime...I am not worthy of Your mercy and grace yet You have provided too often for me to mention here.  Thank You Jesus for Your grace and mercy.  Please forgive me for my discouraging nature...in particular with Zach.  Help me overcome and turn from such and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

Wisdom from the Psalms
Psalm 1

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.  Not so the wicked!  They are like chaff that the wind blows away.  Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.  For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

God makes many promises and all of them are true and accurate:

For no word from God will ever fail.  Luke 1:37

In Psalms 1, God promises that we will be blessed when we avoid walking with the wicked, when we delight in the law of the Lord.  We will prosper God says.  God does not say how we will prosper but we will...his ways are not our ways but when we view things as God does we will feel blessed.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are a great God able to do all things, the source of all knowledge and wisdom and You love me, even though I am broken and in need of rescue.  Thank You Jesus that You love me!  I am not worth Your love as I fail to devote my full attention to You.  Forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You!  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Exploratory Surgery
Psalm 139

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  v23-24

I have often searched for ways to improve myself - my health, fitness, bad habits, productivity, etc.  Yet I need not search any further...God has done and is able to do all things.  Today's post not only helps clarify for me what God is able to do and how He is able to do it.  He even helps with our anxiety that we are able to defeat the demons in our head that we are unable to do what can do.  See also posts here, in particular from here:

When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” (Deuteronomy 20:1-4)

My Prayer: Lord You are an amazing God, capable of all things and full of grace and compassion for me...thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of such blessings!  I am easily distracted and I have neglected my daily time with You - forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Heal her back.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.