Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

Psalm 145


This Psalm is rich in praise of the Lord:

⁴ 

One generation commends your works to another;

    they tell of your mighty acts. 

⁵ 

They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—

    and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

⁶ 

They tell of the power of your awesome works— 

    and I will proclaim your great deeds. 

⁷ 

They celebrate your abundant goodness 

    and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

⁸ 

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, 

    slow to anger and rich in love.

⁹ 

The Lord is good to all;

    he has compassion on all he has made.

¹⁰ 

All your works praise you, Lord;

    your faithful people extol you. 

¹¹ 

They tell of the glory of your kingdom 

    and speak of your might, 

¹² 

so that all people may know of your mighty acts 

    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 

¹³ 

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, 

    and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises 

    and faithful in all he does.

¹⁴ 

The Lord upholds all who fall

    and lifts up all who are bowed down. 

¹⁵ 

The eyes of all look to you,

    and you give them their food at the proper time.

¹⁶ 

You open your hand

    and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

¹⁷ 

The Lord is righteous in all his ways

    and faithful in all he does. 

¹⁸ 

The Lord is near to all who call on him, 

    to all who call on him in truth.

¹⁹ 

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; 

    he hears their cry and saves them. 

²⁰ 

The Lord watches over all who love him, 

    but all the wicked he will destroy.

My Prayer: Lord, You ARE awesome and I have seen the greatness in my own life - the love, grace, compassion, blessings, protection, etc. - it is more than I can describe and as it is written is even more than can be fathomed.  For all of this I am not worthy because of my sin.  I thank You of course for all of this but I need You to forgive me for my sin today and help purify and refine me.  Help draw me nearer to You to be more like You and to glorify You.

Lord, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them?

Psalm 144

³ Lord, what are human beings that you care for them,
    mere mortals that you think of them?
⁴ They are like a breath;
    their days are like a fleeting shadow. 

Even on a day when we might be more righteous than on other days....there is still nothing we do or say to be worthy of the love of Christ.  Christ is everything (and we are nothing in comparison):

⁴ For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. (Hebrews 3:4)

I need to remember how great God is.


My Prayer: Lord, in this moment I know You are a great God who is the builder of everything.  You have done everything for me, You have DIED for me and You think of me (ME!) all the time.  I am not worthy of such love and grace yet You provide it anyway - even though many times or most of the time I place my trust and faith not in You but elsewhere.  I DO thank You for everything that You are and what You have done for me specifically, including dying on the cross for ME.  Today I ask that You forgive me Lord Jesus.  Please build me up.  Purify me.  Refine me.  Strengthen my heart and desire for You Lord Jesus.

 

Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Psalm 141

³ Set a guard over my mouth, Lord;    keep watch over the door of my lips.
⁴ Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil
    so that I take part in wicked deeds
along with those who are evildoers;
    do not let me eat their delicacies. 

My heart is pierced by the above words, particularly verse 3 but also verse 4.  I am prone to lash out when under stress and my words cause harm to those around me at home, work and elsewhere.  I need the Lord's help to protect me from stress and lashing out. 


I think of the words of James as well:

⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. (James 3:6)

...

Help me stay near to the Lord Jesus and have His words - heavenly words and wisdom - firmly in my heart:

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:17).

My Prayer:Lord, only You are pure, holy, and right.  You are the standard and You are truth.  I fall because I lack a strong faith - and I am deeply sorry for this Lord Jesus.  Thank You for all that You are, all that You do, and for Your love and grace towards me.  I don't deserve Your love - yet of course You provide it anyway.  Please forgive me Lord Jesus for harsh words towards others and also Lord Jesus purify and refine me of this sin.  Help me embed Your words in my heart.  Help me strengthen my faith and trust more deeply in You.

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!

Psalm 139

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand[.]

While this Psalm is most often discussed in the context of how God from our very birth and even before, has great plans for us and that we should never doubt this.  Today's reading says to me and reveals to me the extent to which God thinks of me...a sign of the depth and breadth of His love for me.  That God's thoughts of me outnumber the grains of sand...that is an amazing amount of love!!

My Prayer: Lord, wow!  I don't think I have ever understood the depth and breadth of Your love in such terms!  I am amazed that You think of me and love me so much...I am not deserving of such love.  I am lazy, mean, selfish, and prideful.  I thank You for the love You have for me and I need it NOW.  I pray Lord Jesus that You forgive me for my sin today.  Purify and refine me - transform both my heart and my life Lord Jesus.  Help me be more like You.  Help me recognize Your love for me so that I can more fully love You with all of my heart, soul and mind.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

Psalm 139

¹ You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

When I read this it begins to sink in the depth and breadth of who God is and His presence.  I don't ever have to worry about God not being available to me.  God's had is always upon me:

- and you lay your hand upon me v5

- if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast v9-10

What comforting thoughts...that God's hand is always on me, no matter where I go!

My Prayer: Lord, how awesome You are...that You are everywhere and with me, no matter where I go.  I am not deserving of such love and attention Lord...for I am full of sinful behavior: lust, envy, pride, anger, etc.  I thank You for all of the rich blessings You provide yet I beg of You that You forgive me please for these sins.  Please also refine and purify me of these sins and make me more like You.  Help me seek You out more often.

Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly, though lofty, he sees them from afar.

Psalm 138

⁶ Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
    though lofty, he sees them from afar.

We have a God that knows all the details of our lives and desires deep intimacy with us - this means all things big and small.  Not only are we not too small or insignificant for Him, nor are the minor details of our lives too small or insignificant for Him.  He wants us, all of us, all of the time.  

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. (Matthew 22:37-38)

My Prayer: Lord, You are truly an awesome God in that You already know everything about me yet you STILL love me!  I confess to you now that I am guilty of sin - of lustful thoughts.  I thank You Lord Jesus for Your love and grace and I come to You now to forgive me today for my sin.  Please also purify and refine me Jesus.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind. 

Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.

Psalm 128

¹  Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
    who walk in obedience to him.  
² You will eat the fruit of your labor;
    blessings and prosperity will be yours.
³ Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
    around your table.
⁴ Yes, this will be the blessing
    for the man who fears the Lord. 

I seek blessing all the time...I mean c'mon...I am a selfish being.  Yet rarely do I reflect on blessing in the eyes of the Lord.  He knows what is good for me and produces fruit.  The wisdom and truth here is that blessing is the product of obedience, and perhaps grace...not of my hand and not certainly of luck.


My Prayer: Lord, Your truth and Your wisdom is infinite.  My wisdom, on the other hand is lacking and it often leads to sin.  Lord, I need You greatly and daily.  I thank You for Your grace and love as I am not deserving...and that You will provide it anyway.  I come to You know asking for grace and forgiveness once more for my sin today and for my disobedience.  Please purify me and help me be more obedient in You and seek blessing in Your eyes and to glorify You alone.