Praise the Name of the Lord

148 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
    praise him in the heights!
² Praise him, all his angels;
    praise him, all his hosts!

³ Praise him, sun and moon,
    praise him, all you shining stars!
⁴ Praise him, you highest heavens,
    and you waters above the heavens!

⁵ Let them praise the name of the Lord!
    For he commanded and they were created.
⁶ And he established them forever and ever;
    he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.

⁷ Praise the Lord from the earth,
    you great sea creatures and all deeps,
⁸ fire and hail, snow and mist,
    stormy wind fulfilling his word!

⁹ Mountains and all hills,
    fruit trees and all cedars!
¹⁰ Beasts and all livestock,
    creeping things and flying birds!

¹¹ Kings of the earth and all peoples,
    princes and all rulers of the earth!
¹² Young men and maidens together,
    old men and children!

¹³ Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his majesty is above earth and heaven.
¹⁴ He has raised up a horn for his people,
    praise for all his saints,
    for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the Lord!

• Nature does more than reveal God’s wisdom and power. All the splendor of Creation joins Israel in exalting God’s name, and thus offers praise.
• The psalmist summoned everything above the earth to praise God including the angels, the stars, planets, sun, moon, and clouds, as well as all of the earthly multitudes for God created them all by his command. This is a huge choir of the universe!
• What is the closest you have come, this side of heaven, to experiencing a worldwide worship service such as this psalm announces?
• Imagine what it would be like to have every man, woman and child—young and old alike—participating in your church’s choir. Pray (and practice) toward that end.

He Heals the Brokenhearted

147 Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
    for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
² The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
³ He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
⁴ He determines the number of the stars;
    he gives to all of them their names.
⁵ Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
    his understanding is beyond measure.
⁶ The Lord lifts up the humble;
    he casts the wicked to the ground.

⁷ Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
    make melody to our God on the lyre!
⁸ He covers the heavens with clouds;
    he prepares rain for the earth;
    he makes grass grow on the hills.
⁹ He gives to the beasts their food,
    and to the young ravens that cry.
¹⁰ His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
¹¹ but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
    in those who hope in his steadfast love.

¹² Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
¹³ For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
    he blesses your children within you.
¹⁴ He makes peace in your borders;
    he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
¹⁵ He sends out his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.
¹⁶ He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.
¹⁷ He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
    who can stand before his cold?
¹⁸ He sends out his word, and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
¹⁹ He declares his word to Jacob,
    his statutes and rulesto Israel.
²⁰ He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!

• Praise God the Sustainer! The hallelujah chorus continues with praise to God for maintaining the universe he created, and caring for all who put their trust in his unfailing love.
• God’s greatness, as seen in his control over nature, and his graciousness, as seen in his dealings with his people, call for praise. God sustains both the creation and his creatures with his Word.
• How do you respond to such a great and gracious God?

 

Put Not Your Trust in Princes

146 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
² I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
    I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

³ Put not your trust in princes,
    in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
⁴ When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
    on that very day his plans perish.

⁵ Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord his God,
⁶ who made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
⁷     who executes justice for the oppressed,
    who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;
⁸     the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
    the Lord loves the righteous.
⁹ The Lord watches over the sojourners;
    he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

¹⁰ The Lord will reign forever,
    your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!

• This, first of the five Hallelujah psalms that close the palms, focuses our attention on who Israel’s God is and what he does.
• God is our only real source of help and deliverance. This is the God who bound himself by covenant oath to be the God of Israel. We celebrate him for this God is the maker of all, faithful forever, sustainer of the oppressed, who frees the prisoner, heals the infirm, loves the righteous, watches over the alien, sustains the helpless, and frustrates the ways of the wicked.
• “The Lord will reign forever”, this is the capstone. The one we know and celebrate is sovereign in this universe. In him we are safe and secure.
• Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

 

Great Is the Lord^] A Song of Praise. Of David.

145 I will extol you, my God and King,
    and bless your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless you
    and praise your name forever and ever.
³ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴ One generation shall commend your works to another,
    and shall declare your mighty acts.
⁵ On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
    and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
⁶ They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
    and I will declare your greatness.
⁷ They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
    and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

⁸ The Lord is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹ The Lord is good to all,
    and his mercy is over all that he has made.

¹⁰ All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
    and all your saints shall bless you!
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
    and tell of your power,
¹² to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

[The Lord is faithful in all his words
    and kind in all his works.]
¹⁴ The Lord upholds all who are falling
    and raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.
¹⁶ You open your hand;
    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways
    and kind in all his works.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
    he also hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The Lord preserves all who love him,
    but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
    and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

• This is an acrostic psalm: we might call it “Praising God from A through Z”, as each letter brings to mind a different reason to praise the Lord.
• David resolved to praise the Lord daily and forever. And urged parents to declare God’s great acts and awesome deed to their children. And praise the Lord for his greatness, goodness, and righteousness.
• God’s grace is his favor and divine enablement to those who do not deserve it. He is merciful to those who deserve his wrath. He is patient with those who arouse his anger with sinning. His loyal love is amazingly strong and long-lasting. He is good to everyone, even sending rain and many other blessings on the unjust as well as the just. God consistently sustains the fallen, uplifts the oppressed, and provides for all. He cares for his creatures faithfully and lovingly all the time.
• God is attentive to those who pray to him sincerely. He will grant the petitions of believers and will deliver them in times of need. He will protect those who love him, but destroy those who do not. For these reasons, David said he would praise God, and all people will bless Him forever.
• How do you retell God’s awesome deeds and praise the Lord for his greatness, goodness, and righteousness among fellow-believers? Among your non-Christian friends and relatives?

My Rock and My Fortress

Of David.

144 Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
    who trains my hands for war,
    and my fingers for battle;
² he is my steadfast love and my fortress,
    my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples under me.

³ O Lord, what is man that you regard him,
    or the son of man that you think of him?
⁴ Man is like a breath;
    his days are like a passing shadow.

⁵ Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down!
    Touch the mountains so that they smoke!
⁶ Flash forth the lightning and scatter them;
    send out your arrows and rout them!
⁷ Stretch out your hand from on high;
    rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,
    from the hand of foreigners,
⁸ whose mouths speak lies
    and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

⁹ I will sing a new song to you, O God;
    upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
¹⁰ who gives victory to kings,
    who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.
¹¹ Rescue me and deliver me
    from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies
    and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

¹² May our sons in their youth
    be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars
    cut for the structure of a palace;
¹³ may our granaries be full,
    providing all kinds of produce;
may our sheep bring forth thousands
    and ten thousands in our fields;
¹⁴ may our cattle be heavy with young,
    suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;
may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
¹⁵ Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!
    Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

• David began this prayer by praising God for training him to be a successful warrior and for granting him victories in the past. He piled image upon image to describe his loving God as my rock, my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my shield. David is confident that God would be all this for him, and God would be all this for us, too!
• The psalmist described God’s intervention—in the present battle David faced—in terms of nature. In the past, God had used rain, thunder, lightning, and hail to give His people victory (vv5-8). And David appealed for similar deliverance from his enemy army.
• The outcome of deliverance is peace and prosperity. David cried, “Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!” (v15).
• God saves us from all our troubles and he intends to bless.
• Are you a blessed person? Where do you see God’s salvation and God’s blessings in your life?

My Soul Thirsts for You

A Psalm of David.

143 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
    give ear to my pleas for mercy!
    In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
² Enter not into judgment with your servant,
    for no one living is righteous before you.

³ For the enemy has pursued my soul;
    he has crushed my life to the ground;
    he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
⁴ Therefore my spirit faints within me;
    my heart within me is appalled.

⁵ I remember the days of old;
    I meditate on all that you have done;
    I ponder the work of your hands.
⁶ I stretch out my hands to you;
    my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

⁷ Answer me quickly, O Lord!
    My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
    lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
⁸ Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
    for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
    for to you I lift up my soul.

⁹ Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
    I have fled to you for refuge.
¹⁰ Teach me to do your will,
    for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
    on level ground!

¹¹ For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
    In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
¹² And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
    and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
    for I am your servant.

• Once again, fears drove David to the Lord. Again he was helped. He meditated on God’s past works, and ultimately reached a clear understanding of how he must deal with his trials.
• No one likes to feel helpless. David probably felt like this when he wrote this psalm. He cried out to God for mercy and relief. He realized he had no right to expect God’s help. Yet his desperate situation filled him with dismay. David recalled what God had done and reaffirmed his trust in the Lord.
• We may be helpless to improve our situations. But there is still something we can do! “Make me know the way I should go” (v8b) and “Teach me to do your will” (v10). Each day, each hour, as we wait for God to deliver us, we can concentrate our attention on doing God’s will for that day, for that hour.
• What a sense of relief comes over us as we make David’s discovery. We are not helpless after all. There is something we can do. The most important thing of all. We can do God’s will. So, when you can’t change your situation, make it your priority simply to do each hour, each day, what God wills.
• What is God’s will for you for this day? For this hour?

 

You Are My Refuge

A Maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

142 With my voice I cry out to the Lord;
    with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
² I pour out my complaint before him;
    I tell my trouble before him.

³ When my spirit faints within me,
    you know my way!
In the path where I walk
    they have hidden a trap for me.
⁴ Look to the right and see:
    there is none who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
    no one cares for my soul.

⁵ I cry to you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,
    my portion in the land of the living.”
⁶ Attend to my cry,
    for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
    for they are too strong for me!
⁷ Bring me out of prison,
    that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
    for you will deal bountifully with me.

• The setting of this psalm was the cave in which David hid from Saul’s pursuing army. Troubled and discouraged, David cried out to God for rescue.
• One of the most important lessons we learn from the book of Psalms is that, like David, we can “pour out our complaints” to the Lord. We can tell him every trouble, share every dark and distressed emotion. When no one else is concerned about us, we have in God one who truly cares.
• Sharing our fears and pain with the Lord reminds us of who God is. He not only listens, he is able to help! Our enemies may be too strong for us, but they are not too strong for the Lord.
• We come to the Lord with our fears and our pain. And we come away in peace, with a renewed sense of hope. At last we can see ahead to a time when “The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me”.
• Tell God what is causing your fears and pain. Pause, and allow God to respond and to fill you with his presence, his peace and wait for his deliverance.

Give Ear to My Voice

A Psalm of David.

141 O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me!
    Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
² Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
    and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

³ Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
    keep watch over the door of my lips!
⁴ Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
    and let me not eat of their delicacies!

⁵ Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
    let my head not refuse it.
Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
⁶ When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
    then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
⁷ As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
    so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

⁸ But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;
    in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
⁹ Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
    and from the snares of evildoers!
¹⁰ Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by safely.

• David sought help from God, first to live a righteous life, and then to be delivered from evil-doers he expected God to judge.
• Life is built on character and character is built on decisions. This psalm reveals David making a number of wise decisions as he faced the attacks of the enemy.
• We who are God’s people should pray regularly for our own sanctification, and for protection from the evil individuals who oppose us, as we seek to walk with God.
• Is there any person who is making your life difficult right now? Pray for God’s help and deliverance.

Deliver Me, O Lord, from Evil Men

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

140 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
    preserve me from violent men,
² who plan evil things in their heart
    and stir up wars continually.
³ They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s,
    and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah

⁴ Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
    preserve me from violent men,
    who have planned to trip up my feet.
⁵ The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
    and with cords they have spread a net;
    beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah

⁶ I say to the Lord, You are my God;
    give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!
⁷ O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
    you have covered my head in the day of battle.
⁸ Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
    do not further theirevil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah

⁹ As for the head of those who surround me,
    let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
¹⁰ Let burning coals fall upon them!
    Let them be cast into fire,
    into miry pits, no more to rise!
¹¹ Let not the slanderer be established in the land;
    let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!

¹² I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
    and will execute justice for the needy.
¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
    the upright shall dwell in your presence.

• David’s enemies were evil, violent men who were stirring up trouble for him and his kingdom. He asked God not to permit his enemies’ evil intentions.
• David called on God to rescue him, confident that among his works is protecting his people from men of violence, and securing justice for the poor.
• This psalm encourages God’s people to call on him in distress when wicked people oppress them.
• Bring all your troubles and difficulties to God right now and ask God to rescue you!

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
² You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
³ You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
⁴ Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
⁵ You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

⁷ Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light about me be night,”
¹² even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light with you.

¹³ For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
    I awake, and I am still with you.

¹⁹ Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
    O men of blood, depart from me!
²⁰ They speak against you with malicious intent;
    your enemies take your name in vain.
²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
    And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
²² I hate them with complete hatred;
    I count them my enemies.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    Try me and know my thoughts!
²⁴ And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting!

• David probed the nature of his relationship with God, and traced that relationship back to the Lord’s creation of his “inmost being”. However, David was not troubled by the paradox of a transcendent God who is also imminent. He acknowledged God as one who fills the entire universe, yet saw the Lord as constantly, pervasively present with his people. God was near, observing every act of David, conscious of his every thought. God is transcendent, far above the highest heaven. Yet God is also totally present in our here and now, giving each of us his undivided attention.
• God does know us even when we try to hide from him. And when we consciously open our hearts, and become totally honest with God and ourselves, he tests our hearts, cleansing us from “offensive ways”.
• David realized that God is bending close to express his love, not to catch us in some sinful act. He stays close to guard us, and to guide us into his best. When we sense him near and realize that what we feel is love, we, with David, will invite him to, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”
• Why not invite God right now with the above verses 23-24?

 

Give Thanks to the Lord

Of David.

138 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
    before the gods I sing your praise;
² I bow down toward your holy temple
    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
    for you have exalted above all things
    your name and your word.
³ On the day I called, you answered me;
    my strength of soul you increased.

⁴ All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
    for they have heard the words of your mouth,
⁵ and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
    for great is the glory of the Lord.
⁶ For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
    but the haughty he knows from afar.

⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
    and your right hand delivers me.
⁸ The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Do not forsake the work of your hands.

• David called us to focus thoughts of God on his “name”, and his “word”. When we do, we learn to trust his love and faithfulness. And when the word uttered in the name of the Lord, it should stimulate even the kings of the earth to praise him.
• David had personally experienced God’s love and faithfulness as the Lord preserved him in many troubles. What David understood, and we need to appreciate, is that each of us is important to God. His love has made our lives meaningful by linking it to his eternal plan. We may not know now what his purpose in us is. Yet God does have a purpose to fulfill in the lives of each of us. To him, we do count!
• Will you say with David the following verse as your prayer to God?

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”

How Shall We Sing the Lord’s Song?

137 By the waters of Babylon,
    there we sat down and wept,
    when we remembered Zion.
² On the willows there
    we hung up our lyres.
³ For there our captors
    required of us songs,
and our tormentors, mirth, saying,
    “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

⁴ How shall we sing the Lord’s song
    in a foreign land?
⁵ If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
    let my right hand forget its skill!
⁶ Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
    if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
    above my highest joy!

⁷ Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites
    the day of Jerusalem,
how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare,
    down to its foundations!”
⁸ O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,
    blessed shall he be who repays you
    with what you have done to us!
⁹ Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones
    and dashes them against the rock!

• The psalmist mourned the plight of the exiled Israelites. He expressed strong love for Zion and strong hatred for Israel’s enemies.
• In Babylon, far from their ancient homeland, the Jewish people felt crushed and isolated from God. Only when God acted again, to crush their oppressors and restore them to the Holy Land, would songs of joy again spring from their lips.
• It is only when we see God at work, in history and in our present lives, that we know real joy. Jesus put it this way, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:24). Christ did not imply that receiving the thing we pray for will bring joy. His point was that in the answer to prayer we will sense God at work, and this – God active in our lives – gives us joy.
• Have you enjoyed this kind of joy – knowing God was active in your life and working for you? What was the situation? How did you feel about that? Find a chance to share it with another person, and the joy you experienced.

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
² Give thanks to the God of gods,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁴ to him who alone does great wonders,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁵ to him who by understanding made the heavens,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁶ to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁷ to him who made the great lights,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁸ the sun to rule over the day,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁹ the moon and stars to rule over the night,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

¹⁰ to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹¹ and brought Israel out from among them,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹² with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹³ to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁴ and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁵ but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁶ to him who led his people through the wilderness,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

¹⁷ to him who struck down great kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁸ and killed mighty kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁹ Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁰ and Og, king of Bashan,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²¹ and gave their land as a heritage,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²² a heritage to Israel his servant,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

²³ It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁴ and rescued us from our foes,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁵ he who gives food to all flesh,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

• Many scholars believe that the Israelites sang this psalm at Passover when they celebrated the Exodus. This psalm is unique because it repeats the same refrain in each verse. The Israelites probably sang this song antiphonally, with the leaders singing the first part of each verse and the people responding with the refrain. With this song, the Israelites praised God for His great acts and His loyal love that endures forever. It is a good one to read when we need to be reminded of God’s mercy.
• Do it with your family, or your cell group. Choose one person to read (or sing) the first part of each verse, and the rest of the people responding with the refrain, “for his steadfast love endures forever”.
• What do you think of praising God together like this?
• How did you feel when you were praising God with the others in this way?

Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever

135 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
    give praise, O servants of the Lord,
² who stand in the house of the Lord,
    in the courts of the house of our God!
³ Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
    sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
⁴ For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
    Israel as his own possession.

⁵ For I know that the Lord is great,
    and that our Lord is above all gods.
⁶ Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
    in heaven and on earth,
    in the seas and all deeps.
⁷ He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
    who makes lightnings for the rain
    and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

⁸ He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    both of man and of beast;
⁹ who in your midst, O Egypt,
    sent signs and wonders
    against Pharaoh and all his servants;
¹⁰ who struck down many nations
    and killed mighty kings,
¹¹ Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    and Og, king of Bashan,
    and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
¹² and gave their land as a heritage,
    a heritage to his people Israel.

¹³ Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
    your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.
¹⁴ For the Lord will vindicate his people
    and have compassion on his servants.

¹⁵ The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
¹⁶ They have mouths, but do not speak;
    they have eyes, but do not see;
¹⁷ they have ears, but do not hear,
    nor is there any breath in their mouths.
¹⁸ Those who make them become like them,
    so do all who trust in them.

¹⁹ O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
    O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
²⁰ O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
    You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
²¹ Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
    he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!

• The psalmist began by expressing his wonder that God should have chosen the Hebrew people to be his own. As the entire Old Testament testifies, this was a sovereign choice, not based on Israel’s merits. God, “who does whatever pleases him,” selected Israel simply because he wanted to.
• How good to know that God’s choice of you and me is also an expression of his free will. God loves us because he wants to, not because we deserve to be loved.
• God’s love counts. He, unlike the pagan’s idols, is able to act for us in the real world. No wonder Israel was moved to praise! God wrested Israel from slavery, struck down many nations, and gave his people their land as an inheritance.
• God demonstrates his sovereignty in nature and history. Truly there is no other God like Him.
• Can you think of a song to praise God’s sovereignty in nature and history – your history or that of another’s?

Come, Bless the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

134 Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
    who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
² Lift up your hands to the holy place
    and bless the Lord!

³ May the Lord bless you from Zion,
    he who made heaven and earth!

 

• This last pilgrim psalm called on the priests who served God at the temple to praise Him, and it called on God to bless them.
• Priests were on duty 24 hours a day at the temple. They served as guards, and they also offered sacrifices and carried out other sacerdotal functions during the daylight hours. The psalmist called on them to praise God even at night. Lifting up the hands in prayer was a common posture that symbolized the petitioners offering praise up to God and receiving blessings from Him. The pilgrim then asked God to bless these special servants of His.
• Pray for pastors and leaders of the church that they will “lift up their hands and bless the Lord”. And also be blessed by the great God who made heaven and earth!

When Brothers Dwell in Unity

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
    when brothers dwell in unity!
² It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down on the collar of his robes!
³ It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
    life forevermore.

• The psalmist called the Israelites to consider the beauty of the unity of brethren. He said it is essentially good and it is a pleasant condition. This was an appropriate thought for pilgrims to entertain as they anticipated meeting other worshippers in Jerusalem shortly.
• If the oil of anointing that saturated Aaron’s beard and priestly robes was so precious and sanctifying (v. 2; Ex 29:7; Lev 21:10), what does that say about harmony running its course through the fellowship of God’s people?
• Have you experienced the good, pleasant and sacred “brothers dwell in unity”? How can you help to bring it into existence in your cell group, your church and other places?

The Lord Has Chosen Zion

A Song of Ascents.

132 Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor,
    all the hardships he endured,
² how he swore to the Lord
    and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
³ “I will not enter my house
    or get into my bed,
⁴ I will not give sleep to my eyes
    or slumber to my eyelids,
⁵ until I find a place for the Lord,
    a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

⁶ Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
    we found it in the fields of Jaar.
⁷ “Let us go to his dwelling place;
    let us worship at his footstool!”

⁸ Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
    you and the ark of your might.
⁹ Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
    and let your saints shout for joy.
¹⁰ For the sake of your servant David,
    do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

¹¹ The Lord swore to David a sure oath
    from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body
    I will set on your throne.
¹² If your sons keep my covenant
    and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
    shall sit on your throne.”

¹³ For the Lord has chosen Zion;
    he has desired it for his dwelling place:
¹⁴ “This is my resting place forever;
    here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
¹⁵ I will abundantly bless her provisions;
    I will satisfy her poor with bread.
¹⁶ Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
    and her saints will shout for joy.
¹⁷ There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
    I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
¹⁸ His enemies I will clothe with shame,
    but on him his crown will shine.”

• David wanted to build a magnificent temple for God to glorify Him. And he made great personal sacrifices to prepare for its construction, even though the Lord did not permit him to build the building himself. David’s desire to build God a house resulted in God promising to build David a house or dynasty. The psalmist prayed that God would remember and fulfill His promises to David.
• The Israelite pilgrims who sang this psalm resolved to meet God on Mt. Zion where the ark – God’s footstool rested (v. 7). They asked God to remember His promises to David, His anointed king, “The Lord swore to David a sure oath” (v11).
• Jerusalem, the city of David, was ruled by an unbroken line of his descendants. And one of his descendants would yet be placed on the throne, there to rule “forever”. In addition, God had chosen Zion as the location for his temple. So Israel’s future was secure.
• This psalm should encourage God’s people to believe that He will fulfill His promises. Therefore, we too face a future that is totally secure. We can celebrate, for in Christ God’s oath to David was fulfilled, and a new promise of eternal life made to every person who puts his or her trust in the Lord.
• Have you received this new promise? Do you believe God will fulfill His promise to you?

 

I Have Calmed and Quieted My Soul

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

131 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
    my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
    too great and too marvelous for me.
² But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
    like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child is my soul within me.

³ O Israel, hope in the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore.

 

• David pictured faith as a young child, nestling against its mother, and contrasted this attitude with an arrogance which challenged God’s word.
• Pride is essentially a belief that one does not need God but is self-sufficient. He looks down on other people and overestimates his own abilities as well as his own importance. The humble person, however, has a realistic understanding of his or her capabilities and limitations.
• The ability to rest and be quiet, rather than struggling for what we want, is a sign of maturity as well as humility.
• David called on the nation to follow his example and rest in confidence that the Lord would provide what His people needed. This dependent trust is a need God’s people never outgrow.
• This psalm reminds us what it means to have faith as a child. We can trust God because he is who he is. We must trust him because we are who we are.

My Soul Waits for the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

130 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
²     O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
    to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

³ If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
    O Lord, who could stand?
⁴ But with you there is forgiveness,
    that you may be feared.

⁵ I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
⁶ my soul waits for the Lord
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning.

⁷ O Israel, hope in the Lord!
    For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
    and with him is plentiful redemption.
⁸ And he will redeem Israel
    from all his iniquities.

 

• Donald Grey Barnhouse used to picture a believer, burdened with a sense of guilt, appealing to God for forgiveness. The believer was ashamed, for he knew that he had committed the same sin many times before. “O Lord,” he begged, “Please forgive me again, I know I don’t deserve it, as this is the nineteenth time I’ve committed this sin this month. But please, Lord, forgive me this nineteenth time.” And Dr. Barhouse would say, the Lord looked up in surprise. “What do you mean, nineteenth?”
• The point this great old expositor of God’s Word was making is stated clearly in Psalm 130:3-4. “If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness.”
• God keeps no record of our sins! When we confess, He forgives, and then our sins are gone.
• What a blessing! Our past no longer is a weight we must carry with us always. Our past is gone, and we can look ahead with renewed hope. Through forgiveness we have been cleansed! Tomorrow will be different, and through Christ we will win victory over sins that in the past meant defeat.
• Don’t let a sense of shame keep you from enjoying God’s forgiveness. Confess your sin (sorry), Receive God’s forgiveness (thank), Ask for protection and strength to resist any future temptations (please).

 

 

They Have Afflicted Me from My Youth

A Song of Ascents.

 

129 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—
    let Israel now say—
² “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
    yet they have not prevailed against me.
³ The plowers plowed upon my back;
    they made long their furrows.”
⁴ The Lord is righteous;
    he has cut the cords of the wicked.
⁵ May all who hate Zion
    be put to shame and turned backward!
⁶ Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
    which withers before it grows up,
⁷ with which the reaper does not fill his hand
    nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
⁸ nor do those who pass by say,
    “The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
    We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

• The psalm writer urged the people to acknowledge that God had enabled Israel to survive the many persecutions throughout her history. Israel’s enemies had, as it were, plowed deep furrows on Israel’s back. This was a vivid figure of speech in an agricultural economy. It pictures the land as a human being. However, righteous God had cut the cords to Israel’s oppressors.
• The psalmist encouraged the Israelite pilgrims to pray for continuing deliverance. The mention of Zion, the pilgrim’s destination, recalled the place where God dwelt, the most important place in Israel. Those who hated Zion would be hating and setting themselves against God.
• God’s people should carefully thank Him for past deliverances, but should also continue to pray for His safekeeping in the future, since their enemies will continue to oppose and oppress them.

Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

 

128 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
    who walks in his ways!
² You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
    you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

³ Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
    around your table.
⁴ Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
    who fears the Lord.

⁵ The Lord bless you from Zion!
    May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
    all the days of your life!
⁶ May you see your children’s children!
    Peace be upon Israel!

 

• “Fear of the Lord”, the Old Testament respect for God that motivates obedience, is the path of blessing for all of us. In most cases, the blessing will be obvious: long life, prosperity, a large and happy family.
• These are the things that the Jews of biblical times wished for one another as they gathered for worship. Peace and prosperity.
• This psalm beautifully tied family and nation together in the thinking of the pilgrim Israelite who traveled with his family to Jerusalem for a national feast. It is a reminder of the importance of God’s blessing on both home and nation that are mutually dependent. Families and nations can only succeed with God’s blessing.
• Pray for your family and your nation to fear the Lord and to enjoy God’s blessings.

 

 

Unless the Lord Builds the House

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
² It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives to his beloved sleep.

³ Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children of one’s youth.
⁵ Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

 

 

Reflection

• Our culture elevates the possession of things and applauds compulsive work habits. This psalm puts it in perspective. We can’t be self-sufficient. We can’t make ourselves safe. Work and workaholic lifestyles don’t help a bit. God alone provides, guards, and gives peace.
• The folly of working all the time and not trusting in the Lord should be obvious when one considers that much of what we enjoy does not come from working hard. Many of life’s best blessings come as gifts from God. Children are one of these great gifts. God gives them to a couple or withholds them, as he chooses, regardless of how much a husband and wife may strive to obtain them. 
• Followers of Christ need to recognize that people are never self-made. We owe all that we possess to God’s providence ultimately. Consequently, we should avoid the trap of depending totally on ourselves for all we need in life. Instead, we should trust God as we work and acknowledge His good gifts.
• Is God building your business? Family? Support system? Or are you building it?
• Have a conversation with God about this “building” business.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

Restore Our Fortunes, O Lord

A Song of Ascents.

126 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dream.
² Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”
³ The Lord has done great things for us;
    we are glad.

⁴ Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
    like streams in the Negeb!
⁵ Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy!
⁶ He who goes out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    bringing his sheaves with him.

 

 

Reflection

• This is a song of celebration by the exiles who returned to Zion. What emotions do you see expressed throughout this psalm? Have you ever experienced such emotions?
• Has God ever done something so great that you had to pinch yourself to see if you were dreaming?
• The Israelites give God the credit for the “great things” that have happened. How do you do with giving God the credit?
• When do you feel inhibited about freely expressing your joy?
• What do you need to praise God for? Share your joy with him and others.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.

The Lord Surrounds His People

A Song of Ascents.

125 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
² As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the Lord surrounds his people,
    from this time forth and forevermore.
³ For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
    on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
    their hands to do wrong.
⁴ Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
    and to those who are upright in their hearts!
⁵ But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
    the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
    Peace be upon Israel!

 

 

Reflection

• The simile “like Mount Zion” offers a powerful image. Those who trust God enter into a towering security where evil neither has sway nor corrupts, where God’s goodness and peace prevail.
• Christians will also face many temptations and challenges as we live out our lives with God in this world. We should have such confidence and stability knowing that “the Lord surrounds his people from this time forth and forevermore” (v2).
• What worldly influences tempt you at home, at work, or in society? How do you stay “unmoved” (v1)?
• When is it hardest for you to trust the Lord? Why?

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

 

Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

124 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
    let Israel now say—
² if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
    when people rose up against us,
³ then they would have swallowed us up alive,
    when their anger was kindled against us;
⁴ then the flood would have swept us away,
    the torrent would have gone over us;
⁵ then over us would have gone
    the raging waters.

⁶ Blessed be the Lord,
    who has not given us
    as prey to their teeth!
⁷ We have escaped like a bird
    from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
    and we have escaped!

⁸ Our help is in the name of the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

 

 

Reflection

• David voiced praise to God for not allowing the pagan nations that surrounded Israel to defeat and assimilate God’s people. It’s only because God was on Israel’s side, that they had survived. So, all Israel praised the maker of heaven and earth, who has proven to be his people’s help.
• No one can fight evil alone. It is God who “was on our side” fighting for us. God has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrew 13:5). Jesus told his disciples, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”(Matt 28:20)
• What external or internal enemy is God saving you from? Come before His mercy throne, for we know where we can have sure help.

 

 

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God

A Song of Ascents.

123 To you I lift up my eyes,
    O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
² Behold, as the eyes of servants
    look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
    to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
    till he has mercy upon us.

³ Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
    for we have had more than enough of contempt.
⁴ Our soul has had more than enough
    of the scorn of those who are at ease,
    of the contempt of the proud.

 

Reflection

• Mercy (v3) is a much-admired quality in the Old Testament. It is compassion, and concern for a helpless person’s plight, which finds expression in reaching out with help.
• The person who needs mercy is completely dependent on the willingness of another to help. God’s people look to God for mercy as a slave, dependent on another’s kindness, looks expectantly to his or her master. How wonderful that as we depend on God, he does reach out to help us.
• Recall a time when you’ve said “I’ve had it” (or as in v3, “we have had more than enough of contempt”). How has God shown mercy then? Read this psalm over a couple of time and have a conversation with God.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

 

Let Us Go to the House of the Lord

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

122 I was glad when they said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
² Our feet have been standing
    within your gates, O Jerusalem!

³ Jerusalem—built as a city
    that is bound firmly together,
⁴ to which the tribes go up,
    the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for Israel,
    to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
⁵ There thrones for judgment were set,
    the thrones of the house of David.

⁶ Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
    “May they be secure who love you!
⁷ Peace be within your walls
    and security within your towers!”
⁸ For my brothers and companions’ sake
    I will say, “Peace be within you!”
⁹ For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will seek your good.

 

 

Reflection

• David wrote of his delight in going up to the temple to worship God in this short psalm. And the joy of finally arriving at Jerusalem where God’s people worships. Surely, this is a cause for celebration.
• Worship at Mount Zion was both a regular obligation (although a joyous event) and a bonding experience for temple-bound worshipers. What is “going to church” like for you?
• Psalm 122 also reminds us of how Jesus marveled and wept over Jerusalem (Lk 9:51; 13:31-35; 19:41-44). By comparison, what tears have you shed over your beloved city?
• Scan the city news section of your newspaper for events and people that need God’s “shalom” (peace and prosperity). Bring to God in prayer everyone you know in city hall and the key urban areas that need shalom.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

My Help Comes from the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

121 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

 

Reflection

• There is no help in the hills on which the pagans worship. However, for God’s children, our hope comes from the Lord himself.
• What can we expect from the God who watches over us at all times? Simply that he will “keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life”.
• Imagine you are an Israelite making this pilgrimage to Mount Zion and visual verbal journaling your way through this psalm of confession and assurance. What parts do you find most reassuring for yourself?
• What parts do you find most reassuring for a fellow pilgrim whom you know is struggling along the way?
• Consider using Psalm 121 as an appropriate prayer for all your comings and goings. Offer it at mealtimes, office breaks and bedtimes. Let it influence the prayers and counsel which you offer family, friends and work associates, especially anyone facing an uphill battle.

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.

Deliver Me, O Lord

A Song of Ascents.

120 In my distress I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
² Deliver me, O Lord,
    from lying lips,
    from a deceitful tongue.

³ What shall be given to you,
    and what more shall be done to you,
    you deceitful tongue?
⁴ A warrior’s sharp arrows,
    with glowing coals of the broom tree!

⁵ Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,
    that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
⁶ Too long have I had my dwelling
    among those who hate peace.
⁷ I am for peace,
    but when I speak, they are for war!

 

Reflection

• How do you feel when Sunday comes, and you approach the church where you worship? This group of psalms reminds us that worship is to be a joyous occasion, rich in meaning for the believer.
• These 15 “songs of ascents” (Psalms 120-134) on a variety of themes, were probably chanted by Hebrew pilgrims as they approached Jerusalem to attend one of the Old Testament’s annual worship festivals.
• Ps 120, the first psalm of ascents pictures a burdened person of God, far from his spiritual homeland. This land of strife is not his home: his homeland is a land of peace. In this psalm, the psalmist asked God for protection from people who wanted to stir up war. This psalm has been called an individual lament that anticipates thanksgiving.
• The Jews were called to turn in their hearts, if not possible to return physically, to Jerusalem at specified times during the year to join the believing community in worship at the temple of the Lord.
• This psalm pictures a person living among the ungodly, who realized afresh at this time of year that he was a man of peace, who lived among those who were for war.
• How important for us Christians to return to our roots, and with the community of faith, look to and call on the Lord.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.

Psalm 119 (vv161-176)

English Standard Version (ESV)

Sin and Shin – Joy in God’s Word^­

¹⁶¹ Princes persecute me without cause,
    but my heart stands in awe of your words.
¹⁶² I rejoice at your word
    like one who finds great spoil.
¹⁶³ I hate and abhor falsehood,
    but I love your law.
¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise you
    for your righteous rules.
¹⁶⁵ Great peace have those who love your law;
    nothing can make them stumble.
¹⁶⁶ I hope for your salvation, O Lord,
    and I do your commandments.
¹⁶⁷ My soul keeps your testimonies;
    I love them exceedingly.
¹⁶⁸ I keep your precepts and testimonies,
    for all my ways are before you.

Taw – Salvation in God’s Word^­

¹⁶⁹ Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
    give me understanding according to your word!
¹⁷⁰ Let my plea come before you;
    deliver me according to your word.
¹⁷¹ My lips will pour forth praise,
    for you teach me your statutes.
¹⁷² My tongue will sing of your word,
    for all your commandments are right.
¹⁷³ Let your hand be ready to help me,
    for I have chosen your precepts.
¹⁷⁴ I long for your salvation, O Lord,
    and your law is my delight.
¹⁷⁵ Let my soul live and praise you,
    and let your rules help me.
¹⁷⁶ I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
    for I do not forget your commandments.

 

Reflection

1. The psalmist wrote that powerful men, princes, were oppressing him without cause. Even though they made his life miserable, he resolved to stand in awe of God, rejoice in God’s Word, love God’s Word, praise God and to keep God’s commands.
2. In a world struggling for peace, Christians can find peace – a peace that comes from being in right relationship with Him. Like the psalmist, when we resolve ourselves to follow God regardless of the circumstances around us, we have the promise of God’s peace – an inner tranquility of spirit that defies circumstances and the ability of the human mind to create or understand.
3. Spend time re-read and meditate on v165. Where do you need God’s peace now? How does v165 help you in obtaining God’s peace in turmoil, tragedy or unexpected difficult times?
4. We’ve come to the final stanza of this psalm, vv169-176. With the conclusion of this section, the writer concludes the prayer he began in verse 17. He is still struggling with his oppression, still crying out to God. Yet, as followers of Christ, where else can we turn but to God in prayer and to his word.
5. Thank God for this psalm 119, for what it teaches us about God’s word, and about life, and the hope we have in God’s promises.  

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.

^­    Subtitle of each paragraph is from http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/OT/Psalms/Psalms.htm