Category Archives: Psalms

Psalm 14 [NLT]
Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!

The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God.

But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!

Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord.

Terror will grip them, for God is with those who obey him.

The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed, but the Lord will protect his people.

Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel? When the Lord restores his people, Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.

Dear God, I wish there was a little key that would tell us what was going on in David’s life when he wrote this Psalm. Where was he in his ascendency to the throne? Was he being chased by Saul? Was he living in exile? Was he King, but it’s pre-Bathseba so things are good? Was it post-Bathsheba when things were bad?

Good poetry, I think, bring me into the author’s thoughts and emotions and connects to something similar that is within me. In this instance, I do get very frustrated with the evil I see around me. I get frustrated by the domestic violence, emotional abuse, drug use, sex trafficking, etc. How long, oh, Lord?

The end of this Psalm gives me a link to the hope that David felt. It is the same hope that I feel. You will restore your people. One day, your justice is coming. The question is, what will I be doing on that day? Will I be found faithful, working in your field, taking the talents you gave me and trying to return them to you with interest? Or will I be feeling sorry for myself, complaining about the evil, but doing nothing about it? Will I be about building my own cocoon that will protect me through my own efforts, or will I be out there, vulnerable, leaning on you?

Father, help me today. There are times when I pray great things in the morning, but then go right out and fail you. Help me to not fail you, but to be so in tune with you that I will see every moment through your eyes. Thank you for what you are doing. Thank you for what you have done. And that you for what you will do.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand.

Psalm 119:130

Dear God, there are so many lessons for ya to learn from reading scripture. And the nice thing about the Bible is that the writers told us the ugly parts too. We like to think of David as this perfect king, but staying with2 Samuel 11, his mistakes, weaknesses and sin are there for all of us to see.

I met a young woman last week. She is at a real crossroads in her life as she tries to start her career. As I spoke with her, I tried to encourage her with a Bible story. I knew she grew up with Christian parents so I asked her if she knew who David was. She said, “Goliath?” I said, “Yes, but do you know anything more about him.” She didn’t. I encouraged her to take some time to just read 1 & 2 Samuel, and then I told her something about David’s life that might help her.

With my own children, I don’t know where each of them are in their hearts when it comes to their level of their desire to love and submit to you, but part of my prayer for them is that the seeds that we, family members, church friends, and Sunday school teachers planted in them as they grew will find good soil, establish roots, and bear great fruit in their lives.

Father, my heart still has a lot to learn. Help me to take your scripture and learn from it. That’s one of the things I’m trying to do with these prayer journals—learn from your word. Make it one of the things you use to sharpen and guide me.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord — now and always.

Psalm 131:1-3

Dear God, I woke up at 2:30 this morning worried about a friend who might have a serious health condition. My mind was really racing so I had the thought that I just need to be still before you. But even with that thought I was not able to still myself. Then I decided to listen to a sermon podcast from a church I have visited before. The pastor referenced this psalm. And while the sermon wasn’t about a topic that spoke to me, this passage did. It seemed to echo what I think you had spoken to me. Maybe it’s for me. Maybe it’s also for my friend.

In times like great illness, it is tempting to ask why me? Why does a loving God allow this to happen? Where is God in this tragedy? I’ve never thought of answering those questions with the first verse of this psalm: “Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.” The truth is, it is hubris to think I can understand your ways. It is my pride that drives me to think I can grasp the complexities of this world. Chaos Theory is not chaotic to you at all.

“Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

A child demands answers from her or his parent. Even the teenaged child expects justice and fairness. They expect the parent to provide and equitable structure. But that’s not how it works, and eventually that child should stop feeling sorry for themselves and make their way through life. They calm down and, if they are well-adjusted, they press on. Tragedy might possibly be falling upon my friend. I don’t know how she will respond, but maybe I can guide her into stillness before you.

“O Israel, put your hope in the Lord — now and always.”

Father, my hope is only in you. It is in you and your provision while I’m here on earth and it is in you in death. Not only for my life and death, but for the lives and deaths of everyone I know. Help me to live in that truth and to spread that truth. I am your child, but I should be weaned by now. I’ve been a discipline Christian for 31 years. Please help me to live in that maturity and to be able to share it with the world around me.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly. I obey your precepts and your statutes, for all my ways are known to you.

Psalm 119:167-168

Dear God, I was part of interviewing people lately to be part of a board, and one of the questions they gave us to ask was about a time when the candidate had to bend or break the rules. One of the candidates could not come up with an example of a time when they broke the rules. He said, “I’m a rule follower. I’ve been known to question the rules or try to change the rules if I thought they weren’t right, but my personality is to follow the rules.”

When he left, there was a lot of discussion about that one particular answer. I have to say, it’s probably similar to how I would have answered. But the people in the room started punting out all of the ways we break rules every day. Minor traffic violations. Little lies we tell. So yes, in that context, I can see where I’m a rule bender.

As I’ve thought about it, I don’t think there’s any way to be a rule follower 100%. Like in negotiations, when you start at an extreme, I think some of our rules are set at an extreme so that even a bending of them will still keep us within societal norms.

Are your laws the same? This last week, I participated in a deception of someone with some other people. We did it so we wouldn’t hurt the person’s feelings. I was talking to one of my “co-conspirators” later about how there was a part of us that felt a little bad about it, but we wouldn’t have done it differently because we love this person too much to have hurt their feelings. It was what we southerners call a white lie (maybe that’s not just a southern term).

Then there are the important laws that I break. Hatred. Judgment. Lust. Coveting. Lethargy. Idolatry. Yes, if I’m honest with myself, I break rules all of the time—big and small. I might like to think that I’m a rule follower, but maybe that is just part of my facade. Perhaps my heart is more corrupt than I want to admit.

Father, forgive me. Continue to break me, shape me, mold me, and fill me. Use my life to refine out the dross. There’s a line in an old Amy Grant song that says, “We’re just here to learn to love Him.” Help me to learn to be the best lover of you that I can be so that I might be as effective for you as I can be as long as you have me here, and I’ll be a great worshipper of you when I get to the other side of the Jordan.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen