Daily Food for the Soul

The purpose of these messages is to encourage each of us to read one chapter of God’s word each day, meditate on it, and so gain strength and blessings from the Lord.

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Sunday, June 21 – Psalm 59

From reading the historical account of Samuel, I kind of got the impression that David’s enemy was basically just Saul; but here we see that David must have had many enemies in Saul’s court who were perhaps jealous of his successes. Their lies would further inflame Saul’s wrath. What animal does David call them, and how is this an apt description? (What did one of these scavengers take from David? – 1 Sam.25:44) What do these “animals” do with their mouths at the end of the psalm and why? What does David do with his mouth and why? Jesus also refers to these animals in Ps.22:16 and what they scavenged from him, 22:18. In the NT, Paul warns the Philippians to beware of dogs, (Php.3:2), as he warned the Ephesian elders about the dogs’ close cousins in Acts 20:29.

Dear Father, how terrible to think that some among Your people could actually be scavengers, on the look-out for those who are weak and faltering, so they can devour them to feed their own egos, splitting the church. We pray for our elders, that they will keep Your flock from danger. We pray for ourselves, knowing that we also have a responsibility to resist false doctrine and examine our own hearts to make sure we remain Your humble and faithful servants.

Psalm 59: Those who try to harm God’s people. When needing spiritual protection. Note the difference between the howling of a dog who missed his meal and the joyous singing of the one God delivers.

Saturday, June 20 – Psalm 58

As you know, Hebrew has no vowels, so whether verse one is speaking of elem (silence/silent ones, ASV/NKJV) or elohim (gods/rulers, ESV/NIV), the context makes it clear that those being cursed in this psalm are wicked rulers or judges. This is what is known as an imprecatory (cursing) psalm, and lets us know how David felt – and how he was sure God feels – about those who abuse their power. “Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime” (ESV) – this is certainly vivid imagery! Notice how these authorities refused to listen to anyone who might have helped them change for the better, v.4-5. Thus, they were beyond repentance and their only possible end was God’s “living and burning wrath.” This is a comforting psalm for those who are oppressed; and a sobering psalm for those who are in leadership positions, (elected officials, police), even for those of us who are in relatively minor or less public leadership positions such as parents, teachers, and managers.

Today I want to encourage each of us to pray for our officials according to the opposite of the negative characteristics mentioned: that they will be just, peaceable, righteous, honest, promote healing, and be open to criticism. Then we need to also examine ourselves. How would those “under” us describe us? Pray about that as well!

Psalm 58: Wicked rulers. When oppressed by leaders. When in a leadership position.

Friday, June 19 – Psalm 57

In this psalm there is an abrupt change from peril to praise – right in the middle of a verse! So too it was in real life. One minute David was fleeing for his life, the next minute Saul was delivered into David’s hands, 1Sam.24. In verse 7, David rejoices, not that he slew his enemy, but that his heart was steadfast: he did not take his own vengeance. It happens in life that those who have harmed us in some way end up being vulnerable to being hurt by us in the future. Will our hearts be steadfast? Will we do good to our enemies and overcome evil with good as David did here? If there is a disagreement, will I be the first to try to make amends? If my brother sins against me, will I immediately go to him and try to resolve the problem, in humility being willing to accept that I may have unknowingly done something to offend him? If there is an apology, will I graciously accept it? Am I easy to approach, quick to hear if someone comes to me?

Dear Father, today we pray for a steadfast heart: steadfastly trusting in Your promises, steadfast to do Your will, no matter what, that we may abide in the shadow of Your wings.

Psalm 57: A steadfast heart. When tempted to lose trust in God and take my own vengeance.

Thursday, June 18 – Psalm 56

We may or may not have literal enemies who are trying to undermine or destroy us, but we all will have to face many fears in our lives: will I …recover from this illness? …be able to cope with this pain? …overcome this sin/addiction? …get through this challenging time? …cope with getting older? …ever feel happy again? In situations such as these our own negative thoughts become the enemies that twist our thoughts, are against us for evil, gather together to overwhelm our thinking, hide in the recesses of our mind, marking the steps we try to take in a forward direction, waiting for us to let down our guard for an instant so they can spring out and stab us. In verses 3-4 and 9-11 I have circled in my Bible the words that tell me what to do in this situation. Notice the phrase “praise His word” appears three times. How does one do this? Think of the answers to the questions at the end of each of these two paragraphs. Would “flesh” or “man” include our own thoughts? Our circumstances? In v.12-13 the psalmist looks forward I hope and trust to the day when he has overcome his enemies. So must we.

Dear Father, we bring our fears before You this day, knowing that Your Son who is interceding for us, knows what it is like to fear, not only pain and death, but how to handle it. We cry out to You today, trusting in Your promise to never leave or forsake us, trusting that You collect our tears in a bottle and keep them where You see them so that at the proper time You will act on our behalf. Meanwhile, help us to praise Your word by constantly affirming that Your commands are good and right, and by making every effort to walk in them, no matter how difficult it is for us to overcome the fear and negative thoughts that seem to paralyze us. We trust that, whether in this life or the next, You will keep our feet from falling and we will walk before You in the light of the living.

Psalm 56: Overcoming fear of the enemy. When sick, afraid, or bombarded by negative thoughts.

Wednesday, June 17 – Psalm 55

In Psalm 54, David was betrayed by “strangers,” but here in Psalm 55, David is betrayed by “my companion, my familiar friend,” a man who had counselled with him and worshipped with him, (possibly Ahithophel, 2Sam.15:31). David’s emotions are far more involved, and his anger is far more personal. “Let death seize them; let them go down alive into Sheol.” Why? “He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; he has broken his covenant… bloodthirsty and deceitful,” David cries. Is it OK for a godly person to feel this way? Christians are told to take rest (comfort) in the fact that God will come in flaming fire to take vengeance on those who persecuted them, 2 Ths.1:6-8, because it is “righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you.” It is indeed, a serious thing in the eyes of God to mistreat one of His own. I imagine that there are many who have been betrayed by spouses or other close family/friends/colleagues and who have felt the roller coaster of emotions David felt in his grief. Denial – “Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” Sorrow – “For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; then I could bear it…but it was you…” Fear – “the terrors of death have fallen upon me.” Anger (as we have mentioned). How did David handle this maelstrom of emotion? “Evening and morning and at noon I will pray…and He shall hear my voice.” “Cast your burden on the Lord and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Lastly, David trusted in GOD to meet out what was fair in the situation.

Today I want to encourage us to pray for those who are experiencing these very natural emotions because someone has wounded them, (and pray for ourselves if necessary), that they will remain constant in prayer, casting their burdens (including the emotions that plague them) on the Lord so that they will not become bitter, but stronger, and gain “peace from the battle” against them.

Psalm 55: Loss of a close relationship due to treachery. When deeply wounded by those we love.

Tuesday, June 16 – Psalm 54

This is a song of praise for God’s providence as shown in 1 Sam.23:19-29. When the Ziphites told Saul that David was with him, Saul began to pursue him, Ps.54:3. However, others told David when Saul was near, giving him a chance to flee, Ps.54:4. Even so, Saul’s men were encircling David, and it seemed as though David would be caught, when a messenger came to Saul saying, “Hurry, the Philistines have invaded!” (Ps.54:7) I am sure that all of us have experienced times when we or a loved one narrowly escaped danger or trouble (eg. financial trouble), and times when sickness or emotional burdens have been lifted. We cannot say with certainty that God directly and specially intervened in our lives, just as David could not know for sure that God directly intervened to cause the Philistines to attack at that very moment. But we CAN know for certainty that every good blessing comes from God, whether through His special intervention or not, and we most certainly should praise His name for every good blessing, every day.

Hear our prayer, O God, as we ask for Your protecting hand throughout our day. We are not worthy of the least of all the times You have blessed and delivered us, but thank You for being our helper, and we praise Your name, for it is good.

Psalm 54: God’s providential care. When experiencing a narrow escape.

Monday, June 15 – Psalm 53

This psalm, except for most of verse 5, is identical to Psalm 14. (Please see notes on Psalm 14, May 7, Week  71). There is one other very interesting feature about this psalm. Every time “the LORD” is used in Psalm 14, it is replaced by “God” in Psalm 53. The Hebrew word for “LORD” in Psalm 14 is YHWH (Yahweh, Jehovah, “I AM”). It is only found in the Bible and seems to be the name God chose to emphasize the special covenant He made with His chosen people. God (Elohim) was “the most common general designation for deity in the ancient Near East.” (Vine’s) “Elohim” seems to emphasize God’s power. In Book I of Psalms (Psalms 1-41), the name “LORD” is found 272 times, but “God” only 15 times. In Book II (Psalms 42-72) “God” is found 199 times and “LORD” 28 times. It seems that Psalm 14 (the original psalm of David) was edited in v.5 to fit the occasion of something that happened years later. God caused fear/destruction to come upon the enemies of Israel who had encamped against them on at least two occasions, 2 Chr.20:22 and Isa.37:36. And, it seems, the psalmist wished to emphasize God’s power. So today, we too, find the words of psalmists resonating in our hearts, and we also use their words, changing them to fit our own circumstances when we pray.

O LORD, our God, we are so thankful for these inspired words of praise and prayer that You have given to us in this book of Psalms. We are at a loss as to know how to speak to such a great One as You are. We find it hard to put our emotions into words. But here You have given us the words of godly men who have experienced the same struggles and joys that we do, and have expressed them in a way that pleases You. Thank You for such a wonderful gift!

Psalm 53: The futility of atheism. When surrounded by unbelievers who seek to harm us physically or spiritually.

Sunday, June 14 – Psalm 52

Read the event that prompted this psalm in 1 Samuel 22. Truly, Doeg was an incredibly evil man. Contrast Doeg to the priests who must have known where David was, because the one priest who escaped fled to David. The priests stood firm in their integrity, unwilling to inform Saul where David was to the point of losing their lives. The men ordered to kill the priests also showed great integrity by refusing to obey Saul. Doeg not only killed the priests as Saul commanded, but also destroyed their entire city, even babies. We know what happened to Saul and his family. Here in Psalm 52 David assures the righteous that the same will happen to Doeg (and others like him). I doubt any of us have ever faced such relentless foes as Saul and Doeg were – except for Satan. We must not ever forget that Satan is the father of lies, and he relentlessly pursues God’s children to destroy them.

Dear God of truth, we live in a society that is bombarded with misinformation, and we often make unwise decisions in worldly matters because of it. So today, we praise You and thank You that, because You have kept Your promise to preserve Your word “forever,” we can know the truth in all things that pertain to eternal salvation and therefore become like a green olive tree in Your house. Bless us Lord, to seek for truth like hidden treasure; and when we find it, rejoice to obey it.

Psalm 52: The destructive tongue. When hurt by evil words.

Saturday, June 13 – Psalm 51

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

According to the law of Moses, David should have been put to death, both for his adultery and for the murder of his loyal friend. But there was something David feared more than his own physical death: loss of his relationship with God, Ps.51:11. He realized that God had every right, not only to pronounce a physical death sentence, but totally to disown him. David is not saying what he says in verse 5 to excuse his sin, but rather to express the heinousness of what he has done: his sin sprang from a heart that had become so evil, it was as though his heart was nothing but evil from his conception. Furthermore, as such, it will be as though his heart needs to be “recreated” to be pure again, v.10. Most people who call themselves Christians believe that verse 5 teaches that man inherits Adam’s sin when he is born. How do we know that David is not affirming this? 1) Because Ezk.18:20-21 clearly states otherwise.   2) Because it is impossible for us to be “redeemed” (bought back), Col.1:14, and “reconciled” (made friends again), Col.1:20, unless we at one time belonged to God and were friends with God. This obviously refers to the time before we sinned, Rom.7:9.   3) It is “our sins” that separate us from God, Isa.59:1-2; and sin is a transgression of law, 1 Jn.3:4. Therefore, since babies have not transgressed any of God’s laws, they have no sin and are not separated from God.   4) Because infants cannot do what God requires to have their sins forgiven: believe, repent, confess and be baptized, Mk.16:15-16, Acts 2:38, Rom.10:9-10.   5) Because Jesus and God affirm the innocence of children many times in Scripture, eg. Mt.18:1-3, Dt.1:34-39, Ecc.7:29.

Lord, how truly wonderful it is that, for those of us who died and were buried with Christ in baptism, You, according to Your abundant mercy, have created within us a clean heart! No matter how terrible our sins, Your presence is with us, You have given us the gift of Your guidance through Your Spirit in the words He inspired men to write, You have restored to us the joy of salvation, delivering us from guilt. May we teach transgressors Your ways that sinners may be converted to You. May our tongues sing aloud of Your righteousness and our lips show forth Your praise.

Psalm 51: Amazing mercy. When I have sinned.

Friday, June 12 – Psalm 50

Psa 50:13  Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? 14  Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High. 15  Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."

In other psalms, God judges the nations around Zion, but in this psalm He judges Zion itself, His own covenant people. Why? They were doing all the right “acts of worship,” but not from the heart! God does not “need” us to gather together to worship Him on the first day of the week, He seeks an intimate relationship with us each moment of our lives as we serve Him with thankfulness (v.14), trust in His deliverance (v.15), treat others properly (v.16-20), and praise God from our hearts (v.23).

O mighty One, God the Lord, as the cattle on a thousand hills are Yours, so are we – each one of us. We can call on You in the day of trouble and You will deliver us! What a great an awesome God You are! You have both the power and the desire to save us and make us one of Your family. May we never fall into the trap of worshipping You simply out of habit, just going through the motions. May our worship never be just a shell over the hypocrisy of a sinful or self-indulgent life-style, but an outward reflection of the daily sacrifice of our very selves.

Psalm 50: God judges His saints. When reflecting on whether or not my worship is pleasing to God.

Thursday, June 11 – Psalm 49

What is the common lot of both rich and poor, and what does that say about what our priorities should be? How does the lot of those who trust in the things of the world differ from the lot of the upright? What is the “morning” of verse 14? When times are bad, financially, we tend to focus our lives on sourcing the necessities of life. In good times, we tend to trust in our wealth. We may say that we don’t, but our complacency in spiritual matters gives us away. Rich or poor, this psalmist reminds us why we must work hard not to lose focus on serving God and our fellowmen.

Dear Father, the diseases we face – Covid-19, cancer, Alzheimer’s, etc – these have shown us that no matter how much money we have, we cannot live forever on this earth. We thank You that there will be a morning after death when we wake to the sound of Your voice calling us from our graves. Help us to be prepared for that day and to help others to be prepared for that day: to live each day, knowing it may be our last; for indeed, You may call us to meet You in the air at any time! Father may we live as though we long to be with You above all things, especially above earthly wealth.

Psalm 49: Priorities. When examining self to see where my focus is, where my priorities are.

Wednesday, June 10 – Psalm 48

Heb 12:22  But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,

The capital of the Lord’s kingdom, at that time, is the city of Jerusalem, built on Mt. Zion – because that is where God dwells. But this city, and all God did for her, is just a shadow of the amazing blessings that we, as citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem enjoy. What are these blessings? (v.1-3) To which specific event in the life of Hezekiah could v.4-7 refer? (2 Ki.19:35-36) What are the citizens of Jerusalem encouraged to do in v.9-14?

O God, we think today on Your lovingkindness to Your people. May we praise You to the ends of the earth. May we tell them of Your righteousness and Your judgments. Sometimes it is hard for us to accept Your judgments; help us learn to rejoice in them as we consider Your towers of strength, Your bulwarks of salvation and protection, and the palaces Your Son has gone to prepare for us. Help us to effectively instil a love for You and for the heavenly Jerusalem in the hearts of our children and children’s children.

Psalm 48: Zion, the city of our God. When needing to reflect on the blessings of dwelling where God is and abiding in His judgments. Hopefully the songs we sing about Zion will be more meaningful to us in the future!

Tuesday, June 9 – Psalm 47

Psa 47:6  Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! 7  For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.

Psalm 46 is expressing faith in God when the nation is in turmoil. Psalm 47 is praising God for His deliverance to Israel, and inviting all nations to voluntarily submit to God. “Clap your hands, all you peoples!” This is also a prophecy of the Messianic kingdom. In what way is verse 3 fulfilled? (See Daniel 2:44-45.) People of all nations are welcomed into God’s kingdom; however, they must not sing praises to Him out of compulsion, but out of understanding, truly understanding the greatness of our God: He is King over all the earth. (Notice that God’s kingship is a key thought in this psalm.)

Father, we long to come together as Your people, Your kingdom on the earth, and sing praises to You. We pray that we do this with understanding, perhaps more understanding than we have in the past as we get to know Your word better, and more appreciation than in the past because we lost the ability to do this for a time. We know that You reign over all nations, and we praise You for this because we know that You are a righteous, just and loving God. We pray for our nation at this time, that we may treat each other in the same righteous, just and loving way.

Psalm 47: God the King of all the earth. When wishing to praise our awesome King. Our conquering is done in a spiritual way, but ultimately, on judgment day, all earthly kingdoms will be dissolved and only the kingdom of God will remain.

Monday, June 8 – Psalm 46

Commentators think that Psalms 46-48 were written during the time of Jehoshaphat when God saved Judah from the coalition of Ammon, Moab and Edom, 2 Chr.20, or possibly during the time of Hezekiah and the Assyrian invasion, 2Ki.19. There is quite a correlation between the wording of Isaiah’s prediction of Judah’s salvation during the time of Hezekiah and Psalm 46. (Compare Isa.33:20-22 with Ps.46:4-5,7; Isa.33:3 & Ps.46:8; Isa.33:10 & Ps.46:10.) What did Hezekiah do that possibly correlates with Ps.46:4? (2 Ki.20:20) With which verse in Psalm 46 does 2 Ki.19:35 correlate? What shakes and roars/rages in Ps.46:3? In verse 6? This imagery of mountains/raging seas being kingdoms/nations is repeated throughout the Bible. Take a look at a map of the Assyrian Empire in the days of Hezekiah such as the one found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Assyrian_Empire#/media/File:Map_of_Assyria.png. Note how many “mountains” were shaken to bits by the Assyrian army – except for who? Now think of the faith of those who sang this Psalm in the midst of all THAT upheaval!

Dear Almighty God, why do we limit Your power in our minds? Increase our faith, Lord! May this psalm help us to grasp the fact that nothing is too difficult for You; that You will strengthen us to do whatever task You set before us, be it to open our mouths and invite someone to study the word, be it to care for someone who needs us, be it to overcome some financial hurdle, be it to handle our emotions in a good way. Whatever our trouble is in this life, help us to draw on You for strength, knowing that You are a very present help in time of trouble, and giving You the glory for every victory.

Psalm 46: God, our ever-present help. When facing overwhelming problems.

Sunday, June 7 – Psalm 45

This is an incredibly beautiful psalm picturing the marriage of the Messiah and his bride. It may have been originally written to commemorate Solomon’s marriage to the princess of Egypt (1 Ki.3:1, 2Chr.8:11), or Hezekiah’s marriage to Hephzibah, 2Ki.21:1. However, there is no human bridegroom who can truly fulfil this psalm. In our weddings, the bride’s beauty is the focus, but in this wedding, it is the Groom’s. Spend some time meditating on the beauty of Christ as portrayed in this psalm, not just in appearance but in character and achievement. The bride, of course, is a picture of His church. What is it that makes the bride beautiful in the King’s eyes? (v.10-11) As those in the church convert others, sons are born into the kingdom, and so the name of our King is remembered in all generations – even 2000 years later!

Dear Lord, we simply cannot comprehend how it is that we can have such an honor as to be the bride of Your glorious Son. We pray that we will leave the world behind and focus fully on worship of our King so that when Christ, who is our life, appears, we will also appear with Him in glory. (Col.3:4)

Psalm 44: The Messianic Bridegroom. When preparing for worship, when wanting to praise our King.

Saturday, June 6 – Psalm 44

When we read of David’s victories over enemy nations, for example, the victory over the Syrian/Edomite coalition in 2 Sam.8:13 & 1 Ki.11:15, we only are told of the final result, not the valleys of darkness that were crossed in order to achieve it. The superscription of Psalm 60 identifies it as being written after this war, and talks about how, at times, it seemed that tide of the war was going against them. Psalm 44 seems to be written in the same or similar circumstances. The phrase “all day long” appears twice in this psalm, once to describe what God does, (v.22) and once to describe what God’s people do, (v.8). Now turn to Romans 8:35-39 to see how Paul used this psalm as a lesson for us today.

O mighty God, God of hosts, may we never boast in ourselves, but only in You. May we do this when things are going well and when they are not. Today we pray for those who are righteous, yet suffering: persecution, illness, grief, job loss, difficulties in relationships, whatever it may be. Help us to realize that You WILL eventually bring about victory in our lives if we do not forget You, if our hearts do not turn back nor our steps depart from Your way, no matter how dark our valleys. Help us to remember that even should we be killed for Your sake, You have redeemed us for Your mercies’ sake.

Psalm 44: Remaining faithful in dark days. When suffering, even though righteous.

Friday, June 5 – Psalm 43

Many Bible scholars think that this psalm is actually part of Psalm 42. Why do you think they came to that conclusion? What two enemies does this psalmist face, and in what way do we face the same enemies? What is the solution to the problem? When is the psalmist going to praise God?

Dear Father, today we pray for all of us, Your children, as we face the enemy of ungodliness. Thank You for Your truth and wise guidance (light). Help us to become skilled in using it so we can be shining examples, influencing others, especially our children, to live separate from the world, holy for You. We thank You for Jesus, who opened the way for us to approach Your tabernacle and offer the incense of our prayers on Your altar. May our prayers be a sweet-smelling aroma of praise and thanksgiving and expression of our dependence on You and trust in Your goodness, no matter how others may treat us. May our hearts turn from tears to joy as we fully see that You indeed never forget us, but are the help of our countenance and our God.

Psalm 43: Mourning to joy. When feeling the pressures of an ungodly society or hurt by the actions of ungodly men. The phrases in Ps.43 that are identical to Ps.42 is why some scholars think they are really one psalm. Also, Psalm 43 is the “answer” to Psalm 42, the part of the lament where the psalmist praises God for what God has done or will do.

Thursday, June 4 – Psalm 42

This psalm is ascribed to “the sons of Korah,” who were descendants of Kohath, one of the three sons of Levi. The Kohathites were in charge of the furniture of the tabernacle, Num.3-4. David and Samuel appointed them to be “gatekeepers,” in charge of opening and closing the entrances to the tabernacle, taking care of the furnishings and seeing to the flour, oil and wine for the daily sacrifices, 1 Chr.9:14ff. This psalm is a lament, a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. The author of a lament usually bewails that his life has broken down in three areas: God, others and self. What repetitive phrase describes turmoil within himself? (v.5,6,11) How does he describe the painfulness of the reproach of his enemies? (v.10) How does he describe his past relationship with God (v.4) – and his present relationship with God? (v.7,9) What does the psalmist remember? (v.4,6). After remembering, what conclusion does the psalmist come to? (v.8)

Dear Father, thank You for these words which so beautifully express the isolation we feel when we cannot gather together for worship. Please help us as we battle the enemies of fear and frustration. Some of us are experiencing waterfalls of stress; help us to realize that You always give a song in the night – a song that we can hope in You because You are in control and You are full of lovingkindness.

Psalm 42: Deep longing for a relationship with God. When unable to gather for worship, when feeling spiritually “dry.”

Wednesday, June 3 – Psalm 41

This is the concluding psalm of Book I, which, at some point in history, was the end of the collection of Psalms. As do the other books, this book ends with a doxology, v.13. A doxology is a word (logos) of praise (doxa); a short, spontaneous ascribing of praise to God, usually at the beginning or end of prayers and NT epistles. Psalm 1 began the book with the two ways. Psalm 41 closes the book with two men, or groups of men in their relation to David when he was suffering “an evil disease,” v.8. The word “poor” in v.1, does not necessarily mean a person who is financially destitute, but a man who is helpless or powerless. The helpless man in v.1 was David in his illness of body and soul. In these first 3 verses, David asks the Lord to bless the man, or group of men, who “considers the poor.” The second group of men are the enemies, v.5-9. These include a close, trusted friend who betrayed him. Perhaps this fits in with 1 Kings 1 when David’s cousin Joab, who had been his chief general for years, conspired against David’s (and God’s!) wishes and helped David’s son Adonijah try to usurp the throne. The psalm ends with David’s prayer asking God to raise him up. From the words of verse 13 it seems that God heeded his prayer.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and amen.

Psalm 41: God’s mercy towards the helpless. When in physical or spiritual trouble.

Tuesday, June 2 – Psalm 40

David, having accepted that he, as a sinner, deserved to die; and as a sojourner, was destined to die, is surprised by joy! He cannot count his blessings! He “proclaims,” “declares,” and “does not conceal” God’s wonderful attributes to the entire nation. He makes a commitment to God by presenting, not animal sacrifices, but himself as a sacrifice to God. “My ears You have pierced,” [NIV]. This refers to Exodus 21:6 when a slave is freed by his master, but so loves his master that he wishes to serve him forever. God freed David from his illness, and that prompted David to live no longer for himself but for Him who saved him. This is a shadow of Christ’s sacrifice of Himself to do the will of God so that His plan for saving us could be accomplished. It is also a shadow of the type of sacrifice that we should want to give to God when we are freed from sin: our body as a living sacrifice, holy, set apart for Him, Rom.12:1-2.

Lord, may we never forget that, no matter how dark the valley is, no matter that our iniquities outnumber the hairs of our head, You have the power to bring us up onto a mountain of blessings. Indeed, we are so poor and needy, so insignificant and unworthy and empty-handed, but You think on us! Pierce our ear, O Lord! May we delight to do Your will, and may we declare the praises of Your righteousness, faithfulness and lovingkindness to everyone we meet for as long as we live!       Psalm 40: Surprised by joy. When we are grateful for unexpected or overwhelming blessings.

Monday, June 1 – Psalm 39

In this psalm, David’s “plague” (38:11, 39:10) seems even more dire than in the previous psalm. He struggled to understand why, in his penitent state, he continued to worsen while the wicked continued “before him” (in prosperity). But he did not open his mouth (in complaint) “because it was You who did it,” 39:9. Eventually, when he could hold his tongue no longer, he asked to know the measure of his days, v.4. He continued to pray for deliverance from his transgressions, v.8, and healing, v.10. However, after releasing his pent up emotions and praying to God, he came to realize that he was but a stranger, a sojourner on this earth. He accepted that he might die, in which case he simply asked for a respite before he passed away, v.13, or perhaps he was asking for the strength he needed to face death.

Dear Father, we all have loved ones who have come to this point in their lives – the point where we still pray for healing, but as their beauty melts away like a moth slowly eats a garment, and things become dire, they and we need to accept that we all are only sojourners, Your guests on this earth, and that Your plan is that we eventually travel on to our eternal abode. We pray that You will grant those In this state the spiritual wisdom to put their hope in You by penitently praying for deliverance from all their transgressions so that they may have receive the comfort of forgiveness – strength  from You to face their death with the calm acceptance of this psalmist. Thank You for this psalm!

Psalm 39: Man is but a sojourner on earth. When facing death or when a loved one is facing death.

Sunday, May 31 – Psalm 38

The superscription of this psalm says “A Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance.” [NKJV] It seems that David’s illness has brought his sins to his remembrance. We have learned from Job that sickness is not necessarily a punishment from God. However, we also learned that sickness was beneficial in the life of Job, bringing him closer to God. When life is going well, we are often too busy and too complacent to examine ourselves the way we ought. However, illness or some other trial (David mentions aloofness of friends and aggressiveness of enemies) brings our normal activities to a halt and gives us both the time and the motivation to look deep within ourselves as David did. David prayed that God’s rebuke and chastisement would not be “in wrath” or “hot displeasure,” such as would destroy him. He prayed that according to his penitent heart, v.6, and upon confession of his sins, v.18, his punishment would not be too harsh; God would not forsake him but “make haste to help” him.

Dear Father, these words of David are so relevant to the pandemic we currently face. We pray that each of us as individuals and our nation as a whole would use the difficulties we face due to these uncertain and fearful times to honestly examine ourselves, mourn for our sins instead of excusing them, and put our hope in You so that the righteous anger You must feel as You look down upon the sins of mankind does not consume us.

Psalm 38: Sin and sickness. When I have brought trouble on myself through foolishness or sin.

Saturday, May 30 – Psalm 37

Psa 37:11  But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Are you suffering, even though you are righteous? Are evildoers prospering? Don’t fret: we have an amazing heritage – but we may have to wait for it!  Find the verses in this psalm about receiving an inheritance: “earth” or “land.” In the OT context, this obviously referred to the land promise initially given to Abraham, and repeated throughout Israel’s history. Note the character of the people who will enable Israel to keep their inheritance. Note also that the third beatitude given by Jesus in Matthew 5 is a direct quote from verse 11. However, the “earth/land” that Jesus promises is not a physical land, but a spiritual land given to spiritual Israel, 1 Pet.1:3-4, Rom.11:25-26. In order to inherit that land, to not fret when life is unfair, but instead trust in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him, we need meekness. “It is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting,” Vine’s. “It is only the humble heart which is also the meek, and which, as such, does not fight against God and more or less struggle and contend with Him. This meekness, however, being first of all a meekness before God, is also such in the face of men, even of evil men, out of a sense that these, with the insults and injuries which they may inflict, are permitted and employed by Him for the chastening and purifying of His elect,” Trench’s Synonyms. Psalm 37 is a wonderful psalm that encourages us to not fret when we suffer, but meekly look beyond the present and wait for the Lord to do all things well in His perfect timing.

Dear Father, as a little child runs to his mother for comfort, fully trusting in her ability to make his world right again, so today we come to You in prayer, bringing to you all our griefs and grievances, acknowledging that we do not understand the hearts of men nor do we know the best way to handle our situation and theirs. But You know, Father, and we trust You to work things according to Your glory and the spiritual good of all.

Psalm 37: Motivation to Meekness. When life seems unfair.

Friday, May 29 – Psalm 36

Psa 36:1  … There is no fear of God before his eyes. 2  For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. [NIV]Here is the root of our sin: we think too highly of ourselves. On the other hand, in a beautiful poetic way, David describes the “highness” of God – and the results: benefits to mankind instead of the hurtful actions of the man who justifies himself. Spend some time meditating on the meaning of the beautiful imagery in this psalm. David’s meditation led him to pray for protection against the proud man of v.1-4. Today I encourage us to use the words of this psalm to praise God for His amazing attributes and blessings, as well as praying for the protection we need: not just from the harm that society might do to us physically, but for the spiritual harm they might do us by influencing us to put self first.Psalm 36: Contrasting a godless man to God. When wanting to meditate on God’s amazing attributes and actions.

Thursday, May 28 – Psalm 35

Here David deals with three different situations: 1) v.1-10; 2) v.11-18; 3) v.19-28. In situation 1, what are the enemies trying to do to him, and where in David’s life does this seem to fit? What is David’s main emotion, and what does David ask God to do? How did David get into situation 2 (v.15), who are the enemies, and what is David’s main emotion? Why do you think he does not ask God to destroy them? It seems that situation 3 might be in David’s old age as he struggled to maintain enough control of the kingdom to pass it intact to Solomon. Who does David pray for and why? What important principle is brought out in all three situations?

Dear almighty God, today we pray for those who have urgent need of Your rescue, such as those in other lands who are persecuted for Your sake or who are bound by addiction or poverty or disease. We burn with anger when we consider what these oppressors do. Destroy their power, Lord, that our souls may rejoice in You. We also pray for those who are hurting because they have been deeply wounded by those they love. Rescue us/them from feelings of rejection and despair so that we may praise You to others. Finally, we pray for those who have righteous causes that are being hindered by deceitful men. We pray for us, Lord, as we spread the gospel. May those who undermine our efforts be brought to shame and confusion so that all can see Your righteousness and give praise to You.

Psalm 35: Prayer for help. When people threaten, hurt or undermine us. Perhaps David did not want his loved ones destroyed because he still loved them, even though they hurt him. (I think of Absalom.) In situation 3 David prays for himself, his enemies and his supporters because he has a righteous cause that is in line with God’s will and will bring glory to Him. In every situation, David prays for God to be the One who avenges.

Wednesday, May 27 – Psalm 34

In his first epistle, the apostle Peter wrote to Christians who were suffering “various trials,” 1:6. It seems that many of those trials had to do with relationships: harsh and unfair masters (2:18-20), wives who feared their husbands (3:6), any kind of evil treatment by anyone (3:9). How should we handle difficult people? Peter quoted Psalm 34:12-16, pointing us to this beautiful psalm that contains God’s instructions for those who “desire life and love many days that he may see good,” Ps.34:12.

Dear Father, thank You for Your beautiful promises. You hear us when we cry to You. Your angel encamps all around us. You deliver us from our fears, troubles and afflictions. You bless us far more than we deserve. You redeem our souls. As we look to You, may we be radiant because we reflect Your light. May we bless You at all times. May Your praise be continually in our mouths. May we invite others to magnify Your name with us. May we use this psalm to teach our children what a blessing it is to fear You.

Psalm 34: Exuberant expression of trust in the Lord. When facing trials. When a burden is lifted. When teaching our children about life.

Tuesday, May 26 – Psalm 33

There is nothing like a crisis to turn our minds towards God. Several potential crises are mentioned in this psalm: enemy nations, v.10; personal challenges, v.15; financial insecurity, v.19. What should we not trust in? (v.16-17) In times of fear, the psalmist exhorts us to do what? (v.1-3) If we struggle to do this, all we need to do is look around us and see that “the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord”! Meditate with the psalmist on the Lord’s omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence. This is what enabled him to “wait for the Lord,” “trust in His holy name,” and live a life of joy and hope instead of a life of fear and futility. Notice the extreme lengths to which the psalmist went to praise God in v.2-3: composing a new song, and learning to play on 10-stringed harp skilfully. In the NT we are instead commanded to make melody (“play”) on the strings of our hearts, Eph.5:19. The Greek word for “make melody” in Eph.5:19 is the word psalm, the Greek word that corresponds to the Hebrew word zawmor, the word used for “make melody” (NKJV, ESV) in Ps.33:2. Therefore, to “translate” this command to what Christians today are to do, I think of making the effort to change our thought patterns into a new, God-centred way of thinking, skilfully tuning our hearts to be sensitive to God’s word so that when we sing His praises, our heart strings vibrate with passionate desire and resolve to obey Him.Dear God of comfort and hope, we praise You for Your goodness that we can see by the order and beauty of Your creation, and we thank You that you love righteousness and that Your eye is always on those of us who fear You. We pray that as we face Covid-19 or any other trial, we will appreciate that You are fashioning our hearts to put our trust in You instead of in ourselves. Help us to wait patiently for Your deliverance as we hope in Your mercy so that our lives can be full of joy, trusting in and rejoicing in You.Psalm 33: Rejoicing during troublesome times. When facing trials. When fearing the future.

NB. I have decided to put my “answers” under the psalm the day we read that chapter rather than the day after we have read it. I think it might be difficult to be “left hanging” for a day. J However, I still encourage you to think of your own chapter titles before looking at what I have written.

Monday, May 25 – Psalm 32

Psalms 6, 32, 38 and 51 are known as David’s penitentiary psalms. Whereas in Psalm 51 David is pleading for God’s forgiveness, in this psalm he is thanking God for His mercy. Notice how failure to repent and confess our sins leads to physical problems (bones old), emotional turmoil (groaning), guilty conscience (hand heavy), and lack of energy/ depression (vitality to drought). What does the phrase “in a time when You may be found” imply? (See Heb.6:4-6) What should one do after being forgiven? This is what David does to fulfil the vow he made in Ps.51:13.

Dear Father, when we look back to the day we were buried with Christ in baptism, we remember the wonderful blessing of forgiveness and the way our hearts shouted for joy. We remember the “lightness” we felt when You lifted the heavy burden of sin from our shoulders. Now I pray for each of us, that we will instruct and teach others in the way they should go so that they too can be so incredibly blessed to partake of this wonderful joy. We pray especially for parents. Help them to never ignore sin in their children’s hearts, but teach them how to be cleansed of a guilty conscience so that their consciences do not become seared, but instead so appreciate the joy of a clean conscience that they confess their sins before they are caught. Help us to trust that You really do forgive so that we have no fear to stand before You.

Psalm 32: The blessedness of forgiveness. When I have sinned.

 Notes from Saturday’s reading:

Psalm 31: Peer Pressure. When facing adversity due to circumstances or peers. David’s remedies: trusting in God, praying to Him for salvation and guidance, relying on His strength, committing his spirit into God’s hand, rejoicing in His mercy, etc.

Friday, May 22 – Psalm 29 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

The first word of the Psalm, “Give/ascribe,” means to point to someone as the cause, source or author of something. The “mighty ones/heavenly beings – Hebrew elohim” are to point to God as the source of glory and strength, and therefore “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” They will do this as they see a magnificent display of His glory: a storm. Notice how David poetically pictures the thunder, wind, lightning, and the storm’s effects on flora, fauna and the heavenly host. To what purpose does God use His power and glory in verse 11?

O God of glory, today as we look at the work of Your hands, we see that nature declares Your power, wisdom, holiness and love – and we worship You! Help us as we go through this day to see these things about You in nature, in events, in the accomplishments of the men You created, and in the love we receive. Let us ascribe every good thing to You and remember that, after every storm, there is peace.

Psalm 28: The Lord our Rock. When worried about dying. Invocation (v.1-2), Supplication (v.3-5), Exultation (v.6-7), Intercession (v.8-9).

Thursday, May 21 – Psalm 28 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

It is of great comfort to me that faithful men of God also worried about what would happen after death. Am I perfect? Do I deserve salvation? Here David is begging God not to become “like those who go down to the pit,” and I don’t think he is speaking here simply of dying, but of dying without the Lord, of being “taken away with the wicked.” David saw the salvation of his physical life as an answer to this prayer and as hope for the entire nation (since he was their leader). See if you can find the verses that fit the way Jensen charted this psalm: Invocation (appeal to God for aid), Supplication (request for self), Exultation (rejoicing), Intercession (request for others).

Dear Father, today we lift up to You our undeserving souls and pray that You will keep us safe, not only from physical death, but especially from spiritual death. Help us to have faith in Your promise to forgive us when we repent and cry to You so that we too can exult in knowing that You hear the voice of our supplications. We thank and praise You for making us part of Your inheritance, for shepherding us and bearing us up forever! We are weak; You are our Rock.

Psalm 27: The Lord is my light. When afraid of the future.

Wednesday, May 20 – Psalm 27 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Since watching my father die an agonizing death of cancer, the word “cancer” has made me feel literally sick to my stomach. Many years later I read a book on grief in which the author suggested that, when facing grief and looking to the psalms for comfort, one should think of the “enemies” as the things which have caused our grief. “When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh…” – that’s what cancer does! “Though an army [of cancer cells] may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear…in this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life…” That is something cancer (or any other disease or calamity) cannot take from its victim! This gave me great comfort when my husband was facing his cancers and their treatment.

Today I encourage each of us to think of the “enemies” that beset us and apply the phrases of this psalm to our fears and to the things we can praise and thank God for in our situation. God is the “light” and “salvation” at the end of every dark tunnel. “Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart.”

Psalm 26: How to have integrity. When falsely accused, when longing to have confidence before God

Tuesday, May 19 – Psalm 26 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Our word integrity comes from the Latin word integer, which means whole or complete. The Hebrew word also has this meaning: wholeness, man as he ought to be, honest, upright, innocent, trustworthy. Notice that the first paragraph (v.1-3) and last paragraph (v.11-12) both define what integrity means in David’s life in a positive sense. What does David ask God to do, based on his integrity? How can we have the same confidence as David? What do paragraphs 2 (v.4-5) and 4 (v.9-10) have in common? In what way are they different? Paragraph 3 is the center-point of this psalm, a sort of axis to which preceding and following paragraphs point. Notice that David can approach God in worship because of what he had done in the preceding paragraphs, and the following paragraphs are what will happen because David has worshipped.  The word “blessed” in Ps.1:1 is a Hebrew word that expresses happiness. The word “bless” in Ps.16:12 is a different word which means, “to kneel, by implication an act of adoration.”

Father, it is our greatest privilege to worship You publicly in the congregation, lifting our voices together to praise and thank You for who You are and what You have done for us through Jesus Christ, and to listen to someone tell of all Your wondrous works. We so long for the day when we can do this again, we pray for Your blessings that it will soon be possible, and we pray that we will have the integrity that You will accept our worship.

Psalm 25: Waiting on the Lord. When waiting, when beset by troubles. God’s goodness is the axis of this psalm, the reason why the psalmist prays. Section 4 is different: the psalmist is not praying, but preaching, perhaps to himself because this is what he needs to do while waiting. Perhaps at the same time, or perhaps later, v.22 was added to remind people that these words spoken during one person’s crisis, also apply in a time of national crisis.

Monday, May 18 – Psalm 25  (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

This is an example of an acrostic psalm. The beginning of each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It also has an unusual structure. Divide the psalm into 7 sections: 1)v.1-3,  2)v.4-5,  3)v.6-7, 4)v.8-15, 5)v.16-18, 6)v.19-21, 7)v.22. Who is speaking to whom in each section? The theme of the first section is repeated in section ____, the second in section ____, and the third in section ____. Notice the phrase in v.7c that is repeated in v.8a. It is a kind of axis on which the psalm revolves. Section 7 is a kind of addendum. What is different about it? Although the theme of section 2 is repeated in section ____, there is a difference. What is it and what do you think the psalmist’s purpose is in making it different? We cannot know the mind of the psalmist for sure, but it is a clue that he wants us to stop and think! One key word in this psalm is “wait.” Find the three places it is used. There are 18 different Hebrew words translated “wait” in the OT. This one means “to hope strongly, to trust, implying firmness and constancy of mind…and to wait steadily and patiently until it is effected,” Wilson’s. Another key word is “ashamed.” It means shame because a hope or trust was misplaced. What is the psalmist waiting for, and what is he doing to make sure that he will not be ashamed? How then, does this psalm apply to us?

Dear Lord, we as a nation, even as the world, are facing a crisis such as the psalmist referred to in verse 22; and I pray that each of us will heed the wise words spoken through inspiration of Your Spirit: to be humble, and respectful, seeking Your truth and walking in it, confessing our sins and asking for Your mercy.

Psalm 24: The King of glory comes to dwell with His people. When preparing to worship, when seeking a deeper relationship with God. Irving Jensen has charted Psalms 22, 23 & 24 as a trilogy: The Cross: A gracious Savior dies. The Crook: A guiding Shepherd lives. The Crown: A glorious Sovereign reigns.

Sunday, May 17 – Psalm 24 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

According to Jewish tradition, this psalm was sung in the temple services on the first day of the week, and it is another one of those psalms I like to read on the way to worship. Originally, the psalm may have been sung when the Ark was successfully brought to Jerusalem, 1 Chr.15:14-17. The Ark was symbolic of the God’s special fellowship with His people. He is pictured as dwelling between the cherubim and resting His feet on the mercy seat, Ps.80:1, 1 Chr.28:2. But wait! “The gate is too low, the doors too narrow for the King of glory. They are told to expand themselves in a manner worthy of the Lord, rejoicing in this great honor.” (K&D) So today, where does God dwell in such a way? Eph.2:21, 1 Cor.6:19. 

O Lord, King of glory, who are we that we can be in the presence of such a great God as You! Help us to open wide the gates of our hearts by removing all obstacles of sin, broadening our knowledge of Your will, and heightening our appreciation of all You are and do. Dwell in our hearts, dear Lord! Help us to strengthen our faith and fill our hearts with Your word so that Your indwelling is full, rich, deep – that our hearts may be strong, overflowing with Your love and abounding in praise. (Eph.3:16-17, Eph.5:18-19, Col.3:16.)

Psalm 23: My God and I. When seeking stillness of soul. Sheep only lie down when free of fear, hunger, pests, pain and friction in the flock. Staying in the paths of righteousness and God’s presence give me calmness in the valley of death. I arrive at my destination, no more to be like a fearful sheep; God is my host and treats me as an honored guest – forever.

Saturday, May 16 – Psalm 23 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

This is an intimate psalm. The Lord is pictured as my shepherd in v.1-4.  When do sheep lie down? How does this apply to my soul? Apply each picture of a timid sheep that is given here to your own heart. What is the biggest threat to stillness of soul? What enables my soul to be still, even in this? The imagery changes in v.5. Why do you think this is? How is the Lord now pictured? How am I pictured? My enemies see my admission but are not invited, eg. Mt.25:33-34. In v.6,_______ and ______ are pictured as my special attendants for how long? In view of the previous psalm, why can God have such intimate fellowship with me?

Today we praise and thank You for Your power and love – You who did not spare Your own Son but delivered Him up for us all, and now with Him freely give us all things! (Rom.8:32) When the waters in our lives are turbulent, the grass is not green, the paths are difficult, the valleys dark and Your rod corrects, help us to rest our souls in Your care so that they can feel soothed, being filled with perseverance, trust and gratitude.

Psalm 22: No greater love. When partaking of the Lord’s supper. Jesus dies between the first and second sentences of verse 21. Jesus declared His name to His brethren through the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, Jn.14:16-18, Acts 2. Indeed His name continues to be declared in the assembly (church) to this day by means of the written revelation of His Spirit. Both the poor and the prosperous, indeed all who destined to die, are invited to partake of the peace offering, v.26,29. This is only possible because Christ Himself is our peace offering, Eph.2:13-19.

Friday, May 15 – Psalm 22 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

It is hard to reconcile the Messiah of Psalm 21 with the Messiah of Psalm 22. Notice all the details of Jesus’ death in this psalm. No human mind could conceive of these details a millenium before it happened! How awesome it is that we have here the very thoughts of Jesus as He suffered and died for us, v.1-21. This psalm is a lament. (See DBR for Psalm 13.) Notice how Jesus’ life has broken down in relation to God, others and self. At which point in the psalm does Jesus die? Taking what you know from other Scriptures, when and how does God answer? (v.21) When and how does Jesus do what He says He will do in verse 22? Verses 25-26 refer to the peace or thank offering. (See DBR for Leviticus 7.) Who are invited to eat of it and how is it that they would be able to eat of it?

Father, it is hard for us to conceive of the great love You had for us, Your enemies, to watch Your beloved Son suffer. It is hard to comprehend the love Jesus had for us to willingly go through the physical and mental anguish pictured here. All we can do is thank You from the bottom of our hearts and recount to the next generations that You have done this!

Psalm 21: The exaltation of our King. When prayer has been answered.

Thursday, May 14 – Psalm 21 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Psalm 21 is the answer to the prayer in Psalm 20. The Lord is praised for giving the king his heart’s desire: salvation from his enemies, a secure kingdom (crown), and long life. Notice the phrase in verse 4 which lets us know that this psalm also has a Messianic fulfilment. As you read the rest of the psalm, apply it to our King. Notice that although God gave Him victory, there are still more enemies to be conquered; and we who are His soldiers must be willing to fight for Him.

All praise to God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ! You have been strong to save us from sin, and we trust in Your strength to help us through the battles of this life. May You always be exalted in our hearts and in our lives!

Psalm 20: God save the King. When facing spiritual battles, when our country is in crisis.

Wednesday, May 13 – Psalm 20 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Psalms 20 and 21 are a pair. Psalm 20 was written to be sung before a battle or coronation, originally perhaps Solomon’s coronation. It was possibly the psalm that was sung by the people before Jehoshaphat’s battle in 2 Chr.20:18-19 as well as before other battles. Verses 1-5 are spoken by the people. Verse 6 and possibly also 7-8 are spoken by the king. The people speak again in verse 9. The Hebrew in verse 9 is save-Jehovah-king-answer-us…, and so the NKJV and NASV have, “Save, O Lord. May the King answer us…” The ESV and NIV follow the Septuagint and Latin Vulgate: “God save the king! Answer us…” Notice from verse 6 that this psalm also looks forward to the Messiah and His kingdom.

Dear God, we rejoice that You saved the anointed kings of Israel and their descendants to bring Your Anointed into the world as You promised. We praise You for giving Your Anointed to die for our sins and become the Captain of our salvation by raising Him from the dead, thereby assuring us that our Commander-in-Chief will lead us to victory over sin, Satan and ultimately, even over death itself. We do also pray for the leaders of our government in this difficult time. Help us and them not to trust in tangible things, but humbly turn from sin and trust in You.

Psalm 19: How God reveals Himself to us. When longing for a deeper relationship with God. In the first 2 sections God is influencing man by revealing His glory, His goodness and His word – and the third section is the result. God had already answered the prayer of the psalmist by communicating how we can discern our errors and thus have thoughts, words and deeds that are acceptable to Him, reflecting His glory and goodness. However, we still need God’s grace to be freed of the sin’s dominion over us – and that prayer was answered in Jesus Christ.

Tuesday, May 12 – Psalm 19 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Divide this incredibly profound psalm into 3 sections: The world of God, the word of God, and the worshipper of God. What is God’s purpose in the first two sections and how does that fit with the third section? “Line, v4” NKJV is translated “voice” in the ESV.  For verses 4b-6 meditate on how the sun is like a bridegroom: rejoices, strong, runs a race, has a daily goal, follows a circuit, is there for the good of all. We are a tabernacle for the SON. How should we be like the SUN in our Christian race? For verses 7-9 draw a table entitled “The Word of God” with three columns: Aspect, Attribute & Ability. The first line in the chart would be: law, perfect, converting the soul. If you have the time and ability, research in Hebrew the six synonyms that describe different aspects of God’s word to see their shades of meaning. This is beautiful poetry, the ultimate in Hebrew synonymous parallelism. In v.12-14 notice how the psalmist’s meditation on God’s revelation moved him to prayer. How does God answer that prayer? Let this psalm move us to pray!

Psalm 18: Who God IS/The power of prayer. When preparing to fight a foe, whether the foe is without or within.

Monday, May 11 – Psalm 18  (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

1Ch 14:11  Then David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water."

As a background to this psalm, please read 1Chr.14:8-17 and take the time to savor several things about this psalm. There are so many descriptive adjectives of God! I have colored them in my Bible: strength, rock, fortress, deliverer…. Now take a bit of time to meditate on God’s reaction to David’s prayer, (v.7-19). God’s emotions were involved, v.7. His reaction was speedy, v.10; His thoughts are His alone, v.11. There is nothing on heaven or earth that is not at his command, v.13-15. He destroyed the enemy, yet with gentleness he drew David out of suffocating floods and brought him to a “broad place” where he could breathe freely. Now notice the character of the one whom the Lord saves, v.20-27. Finally, use the phrases of David’s song of praise to pray your own prayer of praise to our awesome God, v.28-50.

O Lord of heaven and earth, strong and mighty, yet gentle and merciful. Thank You for this amazing glimpse into the way You hear and act upon the prayer of a righteous man. As David knew it was Your plan for him to destroy Israel’s enemies, so we know it is Your plan for us to overcome the spiritual foes of Your spiritual Israel. Help us to be Your righteous servants, pray to You, and go to war, trusting that You will use Your great power on our behalf.

Psalm 17: Where is my satisfaction? When life seems unfair. In this psalm David prays that God will save him (and all who trust in God) from their enemies. They have “fat” (self-indulgent) hearts that are calloused, “closed” to compassionate feelings because they have their portion (an abundance of possessions/children) in this life. In contrast, David’s heart has been “tested,” but he “purposed” that he would not transgress God’s word. Instead of a good portion in this life, David chooses to set his heart on see God’s face in righteousness and being resurrected in His likeness.

Sunday, May 10 – Psalm 17 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

What is David praying for? Note the beautiful poetic way he expresses this in v.8. How does David describe the hearts of his enemies? Why are they easy in their hearts? What has God done to David’s heart? What did David do in his heart so that he would pass God’s test? (v.3) What thought “satisfies” David when it seems life is unfair?

Dear Lord, help me to remember that challenges in this life are tests for my heart – tests that will motivate and strengthen me to desire to see Your face more than I desire any earthly treasure! When Satan comes against me, keep me as the apple of Your eye and hide me under the shadow of Your wings!

Psalm 16: Our hope. When contemplating my own mortality. The preservation of spirit, soul and body, 1 Ths.5:23.

Saturday, May 9 – Psalm 16 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

This is such a beautiful Messianic psalm that foretells the resurrection of Christ, but it is also such a wonderful psalm for all of us who cry out to the Lord, “Preserve me!” Covid-19 has forced all of us to realize how fragile life is and to pray this prayer. Because David had realized that the source of everything good in his life was due to God, it enabled him to stand strong against idolatry. (What kind of “idols” tempt me?) David pictured God as looking at all possible outcomes and making sure that when lots were cast, the (boundary) lines of his inheritance was the best possible. He pictured God as his ultimate counsellor, giving him all the advice he needed to “not be moved.” David was confident that such a God would not allow his end to be simply dust. Therefore, his heart “is glad” (presently) and his glory (the God-given spirit that glorifies us above the rest of creation) “rejoices” (presently) because his flesh “will rest” in hope (future). Here we have the preservation of _____, ______ and _______ that God promises to you and I in 1 Thess.5:23.

Father, help us to be faithful to You in all circumstances with hearts overflowing with gratitude, realizing that we owe every good thing in our lives to you, made possible by the ultimate sacrifice of Your Son. Help us to be full of gladness and joy every day, no matter how close we are to death, because through the resurrection of Christ You have given us the wonderful hope of being in Your presence in “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore.”

Psalm 15: The character of God’s child. When going to worship/teaching our children about good character

Friday, May 8 – Psalm 15 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

This psalm is one of several that I like to read to my husband as we travel to worship, a psalm that reminds us of who we are as God’s people. It begins by asking two questions with the exact same sentence structure, asking the same thing only in different words. If you notice, “abide” and “dwell” are synonyms. “Tabernacle” and “holy hill” describe the same place since David had built a tabernacle for the Ark of the Covenant when he brought it to the “holy hill” of Jerusalem. Two phrases next to each other that say the same thing using synonymous terms is a type of Hebrew poetic form called synonymous parallelism. The writer uses parallelism either to emphasize his point by repeating it, and/or he to enrich his thought by describing it using similar words with slightly different shades of meaning. For example, the Hebrew word “abide” means to sojourn as a guest, and the word “dwell” means to reside permanently. In other words, who would the Lord invite into His home to stay permanently?  The rest of the psalm answers this question. However, before meditating on the answers, stop, as did the psalmist, and meditate on the question. What an amazing thing that the Lord would invite someone as lowly and sinful as we are into His household, even adopting us and making us His children!

Today I encourage each of us to meditate on the answers by translating them into today’s culture and examining ourselves to see where we need to improve. Then pray, giving thanks to God for being our Father and asking His help to become more like Him.

Psalm 14: God’s remedy for a fallen world. When feeling overwhelmed by the evil in the world and its sad consequences.

Thursday, May 7 – Psalm 14 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Notice who wrote the psalm and the last verse, in which the NKJV and NASV speak of bringing back the captivity – something that happened after the time of David. The ESV/NIV interpret it as “restore the fortunes of His people.” It is possible David is speaking of the land that had been overrun by the Philistines, and it is possible that the psalm was edited during the captivity to make it more relevant to God’s people at that time. Paul used this psalm to convict the Jews that they were just as sinful as the Gentiles, Rom.3:9ff. Indeed, all of us have been corrupted by sin. Notice in each verse who it is that needs “the salvation that comes out of Zion” = the Savior. See Luke 2:30. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!”

Dear Father, how amazing it is that you looked down on us and saw all of our vileness, and yet You still loved us enough to provide salvation for the fool, the corrupt, the abominable, those who lack understanding, those who turned aside from Your ways, the corrupt, the workers of iniquity, the fearful, the poor, and the captives. Help each of us today to realize how unworthy we are of Your love, and be all the more thankful that Your salvation did indeed come out of Zion! Help us to be eager to spread the good news of salvation to all.

Psalm 13: Lament. When God seems far away. Parts of lament. 1) O LORD. 2a) Will You forget...hide Your face from me. 2b) Verse 2a&b.  2c) Verse 2c.  3) Consider…eyes.  4) Lest I sleep….end of v.4.  5) v5a.  7) My heart shall rejoice – end.   

May 6 – Psalm 13 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Psalm 13 is a form of Hebrew poetry called a lament, a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. Laments have 7 parts, although not every part is in every lament. See if you can find each part in this psalm. 1) Address (who the lament is directed to). 2) Lamentation in three areas where life breaks down: a. God, b. Self, c. Others (enemies). 3) Petition. 4) Reasons God should help. 5) Confession of trust.  6) Confession of guilt or protestation of innocence (not found in this psalm). 7) Praise for blessings or future expected blessings. From these laments we see how a person with a heart overwhelmed with grief, a heart that struggles to understand why things happen, a heart that is upset with God, can approach God and express how he really feels in a godly, respectful way.  

Father, we know that You know our hearts, for You made us and our emotions. Help us to handle our negative emotions in a way that is respectful to You and helpful to us so that we can cope with our stresses and griefs in a way that is a light that draws others closer to You.

Psalm 12: Words of men vs the word of God. When men misuse the gift of speech. Idle speech (empty or false) masks what is in the speaker’s heart. Flattery manipulates. Double-hearted speech portrays yourself to be better than you are. Proud speech exalts self. Speech to “prevail” is designed to crush others. Vile speech mocks what is pure and true.

Tuesday, May 5 – Psalm 12 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Go through this psalm and list all the types of destructive speech you can find and its purpose, eg. flattery is designed to manipulate. Meditate on what that might look like in my own life, both as a victim of ungodly speech and as a perpetrator. Destructive speech is so ingrained in our culture: sarcasm, innuendos, quick come-backs, humorous cut-downs, clever repartee – all designed to make ourselves look good, (“with our tongue we will prevail”), and mask the anger, frustration and pride in our hearts, (“with a double heart they speak”). God’s words are pure because His heart is pure. They are refined seven times; carefully chosen to most effectively touch our hearts for good.

Father, we alone of all Your creatures have the gift of speech, the ability to reveal our thoughts, desires, and concerns. We pray that we will use this amazing gift to praise Your name and express our love. May our speech uplift, strengthen, encourage, and teach others about Your love. May we speak truth at all times, from hearts overflowing with Your love.

Psalm 11: Faith or Flight? When I want to run away from challenges. 1. Trust God, v1. 2. Realize trouble is a test, v4-5. 3. Meditate on the end of the wicked, v6. 4. Wait for God’s justice, v7.

May 4 – Psalm 11 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Psa 11:4  The LORD is in His holy temple, The LORD's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.

This psalm opens with a choice: the right way and wrong way to face an enemy. David’s enemies may have had literal bows. Our enemies could be people who shoot poisonous words, illness that shoots fear into our hearts, circumstances that shoot depression into our hearts, or any trial that we fear to face. What are the two responses to fear given in verse 1? The answers to the question at the end of verse 3 are given in verses 4-6. The answers are what strengthen us to face our fears with faith, not flight.

Dear loving God, help us to realize that if, in our trials, we try to take the easy way out – make excuses for ourselves -- run away Your discipline, that we will actually run to destruction. Help us to rather trust that the trials we experience in life are designed by you to remove our impurities and help us to come forth as gold, vessels of honor, useful to You.

Psalm 10: Pride vs. Humility. When dealing with a bully. The wicked trusts in himself; the humble trusts in God.

May 3 – Psalm 10 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Grammatically, Psalm 10 is the second half of Psalm 9. Phrases in Psalm 9 begin with subsequent letters of the first half of the Hebrew alphabet, and phrases in Psalm 10 begin with subsequent letters of the second half of the Hebrew alphabet. It seems that the author of Psalm 10 is using the past defeat of enemy nations of Israel, described in Psalm 9, as encouragement that God will one day “arise” (Ps10:12), and “break the arm of the wicked and evil man,” v.15. It seems that this wicked man is an oppressor inside Israel, a person having some kind of power over others, perhaps an unjust master, judge, influential citizen, or ruler. Find/mark the six uses of the word wicked/wickedness. How is the victim of the wicked man described in v.2, 9(twice), 12, and 17? These words, depending on your translation (poor, weak, meek, humble, afflicted) are from a root in Hebrew which means to be pressed down in mind or circumstance; humble, lowly, poor. Find the five uses of the word heart. What is the difference between the heart of the wicked and the humble?

Dear Lord, when tested by being treated unfairly, help me to remember that you can prepare/strengthen my heart so that I am able to return truth for lies, blessing for reviling, and soft answers for harsh speech – and all to Your glory.

Psalm 9: What destroys a nation and what spares individuals. When we need to be the salt that preserves our nation from destruction. We do this by knowing His name (who He is), putting our trust in Him, and seeking Him, v.10.

May 2 – Psalm 9 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Psa 9:8  He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness. 9  The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.

What brings judgment on a nation? The answers to this question, so relevant to this time of COVID-19, are scattered throughout this psalm: wickedness/ lawlessness (v.5,17), bloodshed (6), oppression (9), killing the innocent (think of abortion!) (12), hatred (13), deceit (15), forgetting God (17), failure to help poor (18), exalting themselves (20). For us as Christians, we seek a refuge in this time of trouble and need to look in this psalm to see what we need to do for God to give us this refuge: knowing His _______  and putting their ______ in Him, and ________ Him (v.10), humility (v.12, NKJV). Then, each and every day of safety, and for all God’s provision financially, emotionally and spiritually…

We praise You, O LORD, with our whole heart! Help us to encourage others by telling them of Your marvellous works of providing our physical, emotional and spiritual needs. We rejoice in Your goodness – in our spiritual blessings, in the beauty, warmth and hope of Spring and in the loving deeds of others. We are glad, we are thankful, we rejoice to have You as our Father and Savior. We praise Your Name, O Most High!

Psalm 8: Mankind and the Messiah. When looking for meaning in life

May 1 – Psalm 8 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

When interpreting Scripture, it is always important to understand the words themselves as well what they meant in their historical setting. Then we can understand what the human author meant when he wrote them. We use this same approach to interpret everything from ordinary conversation to instructions on how to file our taxes. It is how we “rightly divide the word of truth,” and how we prevent ourselves from twisting the Scriptures to our own destruction, 2 Tim.2:15, 2 Pet.3:16. Jewish Old Testament scholars, however, went a step further. Since God is the ultimate author of Scripture, and since He knows the end from the beginning, they realized that it is possible for God to be expressing something in His mind that the human author does not know – and so they recognized that some Scripture was not only pointing to the past, or the present, but also to the future Messiah and His kingdom. Here in Psalm 8, David saw the past: God’s exaltation of mankind to have dominion over the rest of creation, Gen.1:28. God, however, also saw the future: Christ’s “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem, Mt.21:16, and Christ’s incarnation and subsequent kingship, Heb.2:5-9, Eph.1:22, 1 Cor15:27. Read these NT passages and meditate on what the truths in this Psalm mean to us as Christians.

Dear God, we stand amazed at Your incredible providence and power to plan our salvation, to bring it to pass, and to reveal it bit by bit so that as we look backwards through Scripture, we can come to no other conclusion but that it is truly inspired by You! “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!”

Psalm 7: When victimized by evil people or falsely accused. The blanks are 1) self,  2) judge,  3) reap,  4) praise.

April 30 – Psalm 7 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Some commentators think that Cush is really Shimei (2 Sam.16), but I think the context of the Psalm makes it more likely that he was a Benjamite (Saul’s tribe) who falsely accused David during the time when he was fleeing from Saul, eg. 1 Sam.24:9. Have you ever been falsely accused and unable to prove your innocence to that person’s satisfaction, possibly because they didn’t want to believe the evidence? Have you ever had a person in your life who just seemed like he/she was out to get you (“tear me like a lion”)? A person who twisted your innocent actions by imputing evil motives to you (“conceives trouble and brings forth iniquity”)? How was David able to handle this slander? First, by examining ________ (vv.3-5), second by petitioning the One who is a just _______ (vv.6-13), which led him to the conclusion that in time He will see to it that the wicked will ______ what he has sown, (vv.14-17). This caused David to __________ God, v.17.

O righteous Judge, it is so hard for us to be calm in our spirits and trust in you when someone is acting so malignantly towards us. Help us to pray for and do what is best for our enemies as Your Son commanded in Mt.5:44 so that You can work in our lives for evil to be overcome by good, Rom12:19-21.

Psalm 6: David talks to God in v.1-7, and to enemies/other people in 8-10. In v.1-5, God has departed from David due to His anger – which means David must have sinned. In v.8-9, God has heard and received David’s prayer; obviously because his tears in v.6 were due to his godly sorrow, which led to repentance.

April 29 – Psalm 6 (Remember to give it a title and write “When _____” in your Bible’s margin.)

Who is speaking to whom in each of these verses? When does this change? Notice the change in David’s attitude before and after this change. What does the word, “return” in verse 4 indicate about David’s relationship with God in the first part of the Psalm? What must have caused this and what were the consequences in David’s life, physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually? What do David’s tears in verse 6 indicate that he has done about his sin, especially based on what happened in verse 8? The word “grave” in verse 5, is the Hebrew word sheol [ASV, ESV], which corresponds to the Greek word, hades, the abode of the dead. If one dies without a relationship with God, he goes to the “pit” of hades, Dt.32:22, Ps.30:9; 88:3-6,10-12, rather than “resting in peace,” Isa.57:1-2, Ps.49:15. Although “sin” and “repentance” are not specifically mentioned, now that you have meditated on this Psalm, I am sure you understand why this is known as the first of David’s six “Penitentiary Psalms.”

Father, we give you our deepest praise and thanks that, if we turn to You in genuine repentance, we can have the same confidence that You will receive our prayer, forgive, and restore the relationship we broke when we sinned against You.

PS. A friend suggested that I give my “answers” to what I have asked you to do the day before so that she could check herself. So here goes:

Psalm 5: Morning prayer of trust in God. When starting a new day/new chapter in my life. My stanza titles: Prayer (v.1-3), Who God Hates (v.4-6), Approaching God (v.7-8), Rebelling against God (v.9-10), Who God Blesses (v.11-12).

April 28 – Psalm 5 (After meditating on this psalm, give it a title and write “When _____” in Bible’s margin.)

Mark the 5 stanzas in this Psalm: verses 1-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12. In my Bible they are separated by a space. If they are not marked in your Bible, draw a line between them. Try to describe the subject of each stanza in 3 words or less. Try to use words that are in the Psalm to do this. Now notice all the different ways that David describes that subject. For example, the subject of the first stanza is prayer, and David describes prayer as God giving ear to his words, considering his meditation, giving heed to the voice of his cry, hearing his voice in the morning, something directed to God, and a “looking up.” (The word “direct” means to put in order and is the same Hebrew word that described how the Levites were to arrange the wood for the daily sacrifices, Lev.1:7-8, which was one of their first duties as the day dawned).

Meditate on this and ask yourself if this is what prayer is to you. This multi-faceted way of describing things is the parallelism that is the foundation of Hebrew poetry. Do the same with each stanza, based on its subject.

Now lift up your own prayer to God, perhaps in a more meaningful way than you normally pray. Verses 8-10 remind me of the phrase in the Lord’s prayer: “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” How could this be a type of “model prayer” for our morning prayer to God, and how might that make our day better?

April 27 – Psalm 4  (After meditating on this psalm, give it a title and write “When _____” in Bible’s margin.)

Psa 4:4  Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah

Psa 4:5  Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD.

The word “angry,” literally means to tremble with strong emotion, especially anger or fear, and so it is quoted by Paul as “anger” in Eph.4:26. Anger is one of the strongest and deadliest of emotions. What have the “sons of men” done in verse 2, either in their anger, or that has caused anger in the heart of David? If they are acting in anger, notice how it has clouded their judgment. I am not sure if verses 4-5 are David’s admonition to himself or to the sons of men, but Paul applied it to anyone who becomes angry, and so I should apply it to myself. When I go to a quiet place to meditate, I need to meditate until I can put away “all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking,” and think with a “still” mind unclouded by anger. What can I say that “is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers”? I need to offer the sacrifices of being “kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another.” (Eph.4:29-32) In this way I put my trust in the LORD. If I do this, what will the LORD do in Ps.4:6-8? What will I be able to do in v.9?

Dear Lord, please help us to think about how Your Son endured such anger and hostility against Himself, but was able to sacrifice His own desires to do what was best for us, even to die for us. Help us also to put self to death and do what is best for the person who has angered me – to speak encouragingly to calm his spirit and lovingly to bring about his repentance if necessary.

April 26 – Psalm 3

What emotion is David experiencing and why? What enables him to have enough faith to lie down and sleep? (Remember the child’s prayer: “Now I lay me down to sleep...”?) What message does this psalm have for you personally? Three times in this psalm (and 73 times in the book) we have the word selah. This word possibly comes from the Hebrew word salal which means “to lift up.” It was possibly a pause for instruments to lift up their voices, or perhaps a signal to the reader/singer to lift up his voice to impress the listener with the words of the phrase. Read just the three phrases that are followed by selah, one after the other. How does this fit with the message of the psalm? Be sure to give this psalm a title and label it with “When____.”

Dear Lord, help us to remember that, no matter how dark the circumstances, salvation belongs to You. Help us to strengthen our faith so that we can overcome our fears, especially our fear of death.

April 25 – PSALM 2

Whereas Psalm 1 was two ways in relation to God’s revelation, Psalm 2 is two ways in relation to God’s _____,” v.7. Who is speaking in verses 1-3, 4-9, 10-12? Notice the repetition of words, and the difference in circumstances when the word is used the second (& third) time, eg. nations, set, kings/king, break, pieces, the LORD, rage/wrath. Find the opposites and see how they are used: heaven/earth; vain/wise. What three words in verse twelve are prominent in Psalm 1:1,6? Give this psalm a title. Write in the margin of your Bible “When _________.”  Eg. “When feeling rebellious.” Or “When nations are ungodly, God is in control.” This psalm is the first of what are known as Messianic psalms. The Hebrew word Messiah, is translated to the English word “Anointed” in verse 2. Historically, this psalm may have originally had to do with the coronation of a king in Zion, eg. Solomon, 1 Ki.1:32-35. Subject nations would often use this time to test the new king, eg. Philistines against David, 2 Sam.5:17ff; or the Moabites at death of Ahab, 2 Ki.1:1, 3:5. Many events and prophecies in the Bible have double meanings: a historical meaning and an application to the Messiah and His kingdom.

Almighty God, we thank You that You have given us Your Son to be our King. In our hearts we fall down and kiss His feet as did the sinful woman in Simon’s house, being so thankful and full of love, as she was, because we are given the opportunity through Your Son to start life afresh, free from the terrible burden of guilt, and serve Him with joy. (Lk.7)

April 24 – PSALM 1

For every Psalm, I encourage you to read through it and give it a title of 5 words or less. I called this psalm, “The two ______.” (See verse 6.) For many psalms I also write in the margin of my Bible, “When ____________.” This helps me to quickly find a psalm to help me deal with situations that come up in my life. For this psalm I wrote, “When making decisions.” It is an especially good psalm to teach our children. The first verse contains a progression of thought (progressive parallelism). Notice the progression of verbs (walk, stand, sit), places, and people in this first verse. What lessons do we learn about how a godly man might get sucked into being comfortable with sin? How do verse 1 and verse 5 connect? See how many contrasts can you find in this psalm, eg. tree, chaff; prosper, perish. Think of ways you can summarize the godly man. One time in a class someone said, “To get close to God you must separate, meditate and germinate!” Regarding verse six, someone said, “Decision determines direction. Direction determines destiny.” Every day, sometimes multiple times a day we stand at a crossroad. Which way will we take? After thinking about it, you can see why this psalm serves as an introduction to the entire book.

Dear Father, thank you for providing us with these glimpses into the minds of godly men who worked so hard to give their best in prayer and praise to You. We also want to do better in opening up our hearts to You and ask You to help us to learn to do this as we study this book.

April 23 – Job 42

Job 42:5  "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.

Job 42:6  Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."

Jas 5:11  Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

A better understanding of who God IS. Full submission. Full realization of the unworthiness of self. I pray that just by reading this book, we have, to some degree, made this journey along with Job and our understanding of God and ourselves has been deepened as was Job’s. The three friends had made untrue assertions about God (that all suffering is due to sin), and they also needed to repent. By humbling himself and speaking what was right (“I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes”), Job was lifted up by God to become their mediator: the one chosen by God to pray for them. James encourages us to meditate on Job’s perseverance as our example in suffering. Job was not perfect, he sinned at times in his suffering, but he never gave up his faith, and so found that the Lord was very compassionate and merciful.

O God of mercy and compassion, please be with all who are suffering, physically, emotionally and spiritually. No matter what our struggles, help us to persevere, to never give up. Help us to value knowing more about You as a treasure more precious than health or wealth. If we need to suffer to gain eternity with You, Lord, may it be so. Help us to remember that our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And finally, Lord, be merciful to us as we humble ourselves before you, repenting of our sins in dust and ashes.

April 22 – Job 41

Job 40:9  Do you have an arm like God's, and can your voice thunder like his?

Job 40:19  He [behemoth] ranks first among the works of God, yet his Maker can approach him with his sword.

Job 41:10  No one is fierce enough to rouse him [Leviathan]. Who then is able to stand against Me?

Job 41:34  He [Leviathan] looks down on all that are haughty; he is king over all that are proud." [NIV]

God continues his speech by showing Job that, not only is he powerless against God, but he cannot even exercise authority over all of God’s creation. Even today – although we may have found ways to subdue all large mammals, we are currently struggling to conquer the tiny corona virus and other diseases. This fact is certainly humbling, as God reminds us in the last verse of chapter 41. Certainly, the reference to pride evidently struck a chord in Job’s heart – and it should in ours!

Lord, pride is such a difficult thing to root out of our hearts. Humble us! Help us to humble ourselves and give all the glory for every accomplishment to You.

April 21 – Job 40

Job 40:2  "Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it."

Job is the one who had contended with God, the one who had rebuked God – and now God gives Job a chance to explain his actions. Of course, Job can do nothing but say, “I am vile.” (unworthy, ESV; of small account, ASV). Job sees his insignificance. He now realizes that it would be presumptuous of him to question God, but he has not yet repented of his self-justification, his conviction that he had been treated unfairly. Therefore, God asks Job, “Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?” We see from various psalms (10:1, 42:9, 43:2, etc) and even from the Lord Himself on the cross as He cried, “Why have You forsaken Me?” that it is not sinful to question why God has allowed certain calamities to befall us. However, it IS wrong to accuse God of wrong-doing in allowing those calamities! Lord, it is sometimes hard for us in our limited to knowledge to comprehend why bad things happen to good people, why we are not allowed to divorce for any cause rather than fornication, why good people who have not been baptized into the death of Christ will not be saved, why we can’t use musical instruments in public worship. May we never be guilty of correcting You, even in our thoughts!

April 20 – Job 39

“Who provides?” “Do you know?” “Who set … free?” “Will … serve you?” “Have you given … strength?” “Can you frighten?” “Does … by your wisdom?” Job 38:41, 39:1, 5, 9, 19, 20, 26.

Truly the design of nature demands, not only a powerful God, but a wise and loving God. From vulnerable to strong, timid to fearless, foolish to wise, small to large, tame to wild, tough wilderness to exhilarating mountain tops, each animal has been given different traits in order to survive in their different habitats. We (and Job), observing these things can come to no other conclusion but that our wisdom and understanding is so insignificant compared to God’s; it is only God who can give us the ability to survive in whatever tough situations we may find ourselves. We may observe that the mother ostrich lacks wisdom, but God enables her to scorn the strong horse and its intelligent rider. We may see no wisdom in suffering, but God enables sufferers to ascend to a higher plane.

Dear all-wise and loving Father, as we face tough situations, may we have faith in You to provide everything we need to survive both emotionally and spiritually.

April 19 – Job 38

Job 38:4  "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? … 7  When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1516/symphony-of-stars-the-science-of-stellar-sound-waves/

Job 38:16  "Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths?

https://www.icr.org/article/springs-ocean

What a terrifying surprise it must have been to all when, in the midst of the storm, a whirlwind appeared and God spoke from it! However, God did not directly address Job’s complaint. God’s purpose was to bring Job back from the brink of the Pit, and for that to happen, Job had to come to a fuller understanding of who God IS. From question 1 to question 56 (count them!) God reveals Himself to Job. In this chapter, God speaks mainly of His inanimate creation, including some things that science did not discover for nearly another 4000 years. (See the links above for articles about these scientific discoveries and to listen to the star-symphony!)

Dear God and Creator of all things, just from observing the heavens, Your power, intelligence, wisdom and control are clearly seen. We humble our hearts before you, Lord of heaven and earth. May we keep ourselves within the paths You have ordained, just as the planets follow the orbits You have set for them.

April 18 – Job 37

Job 37:13  Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen. [ESV]

Elihu takes advantage of an approaching storm to impress Job with the majesty of God. As the lightning flashes and the thunder crashes, Elihu says that his “heart trembles and leaps from its place.” He asks Job if he can understand how the clouds are balanced and if has he helped God to spread out the skies. He closes by saying to Job that he lacks too much understanding to approach God, v.19. If the sun after the storm is so bright that we cannot look at it, how could it be possible to look upon the awesome majesty of God? (v.21) However, the verse that really struck me is the one about the three reasons for our weather. When there is a hurricane or other destructive storm, do we ever stop to think that God might be wanting us to think about what we might need to correct in our lives, individually or as a nation? When God blesses the land with the right conditions in the right seasons so as to provide food for man and beast, do we stop to thank Him? Do we acknowledge His love?

Father of love, truly our hearts tremble and leap from their place in fear when we see Your power in a storm and realize how fragile our lives are and how dependent we are upon You for every breath we take. Truly our hearts tremble and leap from their place with awe when we ponder the intricacies of science. And truly our hearts tremble and leap from their place with gratitude when we think of Your love and mercy that caused You to send Your Son to die for us. May we truly give our hearts to You.

April 17 – Job 36

Job 36:15  He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity. [ESV]

While the original three friends accused Job of evil actions, Elihu accuses Job of having a bad attitude: “wrath” (v.18) instead of an attitude of “opening his ear” to the instruction that suffering brings. Elihu asserts that if a man has acted out of pride (v.9) and turns from whatever iniquity he has done (be it actions or attitude), God will eventually bring him “out of dire distress into a broad place.” He also rebukes Job for longing to die rather than to suffer, vv20-21. Instead Job should be focusing on magnifying God’s work, v.24. Because Elihu said “one who is perfect in knowledge is with you,” (v.4) he is often accused of simply being an arrogant version of the other three friends. However, since God accuses the three friends of wrong-doing, but not Elihu, I believe we must tie Elihu’s words in with the previous two verses: he is claiming to be perfect in knowledge because He has “gone afar” to gather the knowledge that comes from God. (Perhaps that was why he came to listen to Job and his friends – to see if he could learn more about God from them.) Christians today are sometimes also accused of being arrogant or judgmental when they make statements based on knowledge that comes from God’s revelation.

Lord, please help us to be sensitive and understanding towards those who are suffering, but also give us the courage to tell them what they need to hear, even though it may cause them to think badly of us. Let us especially take care to not speak from our own opinions or experiences, but to study so that we can give them Your word, the powerful two-edges sword that is able to pierce their hearts and bring them into fellowship with You, and then also with us.

April 16 – Job 35

Job 35:14  Although you say you do not see Him, Yet justice is before Him, and you must wait for Him.

Elihu begins another speech by asking Job if he thinks he is more righteous than God, or if his standard of judgment is better than God’s. (Remember, Job wanted to take God to court, so to speak.) In a sense, what Elihu says in verses 4-8 is not true: God is affected by our sin – He is sorely grieved. However, the point Elihu is making is that God isn’t affected in the sense that He doesn’t feel obligated to give us good things in exchange for our obedience. His second point is that God will not answer Job’s (or anyone’s) cries if they are proud or self-righteous; and even if they are righteous, they “must wait for Him” to answer.

Loving Father, we do not deserve any of the multitude of good things You have given us. As we lift our hearts in prayer to You, asking Your help and guidance for our nations, our brethren around the world, our loved ones and our own personal well-being, help us to also wait patiently for Your answers, trusting that You may have a purpose in suffering, that Your righteousness may demand a reckoning, and that Your love is reaching out to bring many to repentance.

April 15 – Job 34

Job 34:10  "Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to commit iniquity.

Elihu speaks both to Job and his friends in this chapter and asks that they all agree on this point: God is 100% just; and therefore, Job is wrong to say that God had taken away his justice. God’s just character is seen in the fact that He spares the world from destruction. He is no respecter of persons. His judgments are right because He sees and knows all. After stating these observations, Elihu asks Job if, in his limited knowledge, it is right to dictate to God the terms of what God should and shouldn’t do. He accuses Job of speaking without knowledge – and God later does the same, Job 38:2. He asks that Job be tried (by God) “to the end,” (ESV) -- to the point where he would be convicted of his wrong thinking. This did indeed happen, Job 42:6. Job did not reply to Elihu’s invitation to speak: perhaps Elihu’s words gave Job some-thing to ponder. Lord, we thank You that you are a just God who also made provision for us to be justified by Your Son.

 April 14 – Job 33

Job 33:29  "Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man, 30  To bring back his soul from the Pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

Elihu was careful not to accuse Job of suffering because he had sinned. However, he did accuse Job of sinning because he was suffering! Job should not contend with God, but rather listen to Him. Elihu then speaks of three ways God revealed Himself to men in the Patriarchal age: 1. direct revelation (Eg. dreams, Gen.37:6); 2. chastening/discipline, and 3. revelation through a messenger (Eg. An angel, Gen.21:47; a prophet, Hag.1:12-13; or even an ordinary person who has knowledge). It seems that Elihu believed himself to be an ordinary person who has knowledge, and so fit to be a messenger of God to give help to Job. The main difference between Job’s friends and Elihu is that Job’s friends thought his chastening was punishment for sin. Elihu introduces the possibility that chastening, indeed all of God’s revelation, is not necessarily punitive, but rather instructive: to keep man from the Pit. [I believe that men of old knew of a difference between “resting” after one dies, Job 3:17, 1Ki.2:10, Isa.57:1-2, and “going to the Pit,” Ps.86:13, 88:6.]

Dear Father, as we and the nations of the world endure trials, help us to think of them as chastening: something to wake up to the fact that we need to be constantly examining ourselves and listening to what You would have us do. Help us to remember that Your discipline is always for our benefit and done out of love, Job 5:17, Heb.12:5-6.

April 13 – Job 32                                                                   

Job 32:2  Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God. 3  Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

This fourth speaker seems to have been a younger man who came to listen to the wisdom of older men and learn from them. It seems he was there from the beginning because he frequently quotes things Job had said. Look in Gen.22:21 to see how he was related to Abraham. Elihu has the sharp mind and confidence bordering on arrogance that is typical of youth. He succinctly stated Job’s problem: he was seeking to justify himself rather than seeking to justify God. And he succinctly stated the friends’ problem: they condemned Job (on false allegations of previous wrong-doing) instead of helping Job find an “answer” – a good way to handle his problem.

Dear all-wise Father, help us all, young and old, to see your wisdom in giving each one of us a place of usefulness in Your body. May those who are old value the fresh ideas of the young, even though they challenge them to think outside of their accustomed mind-set. May those who are young treat their elders with respect, recognizing they have experience, and take care not to be arrogant or insubordinate, for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

April 12 – Job 31

Job 31:1  "I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?

In this chapter Job speaks of his moral code, and how he had lived without violating it. The code of conduct listed in verse one must have been something he lived by since his youth, and something that, in this time of constant visual stimuli, we desperately need to teach our children, especially our sons. Young men who can control their sexual desires will be able to exercise the self-control necessary to live the Christian life as well as be successful in the endeavors necessary to life on earth. Knowing that sexual immorality is wrong and knowing how to prevent sexual immorality are two different things. Just as people strive to keep deadly viruses out of their body, everyone needs to keep spiritually deadly thoughts out of their mind. How? They must guard their eyes! If they never see things that promote lustful thoughts, they won’t think about lusting for those things. If they inadvertently see them, (and they will) they can make a covenant with their eyes that they will remove their eyes from that sight and focus them (and their mind) elsewhere. Since this is a particular problem for young men after puberty, it would surely be good to teach them not to look at immodestly dressed women before they reach puberty. (And of course, it goes without saying that parents should insist that their daughters dress in a way that is respectful of godly young men who are struggling to keep their thoughts pure.) Proverbs 6:20-24 teaches us that teaching our children to avoid sexual sin is a joint responsibility of both parents.

Dear loving Father, we pray for all of us as we struggle with the lust of the eyes, and today we especially bring before you all parents who are seriously concerned about the purity of their young people. Help them to help their children make a covenant with their eyes.

April 11 – Job 30

Job 30:1  "But now …”  Job 30:20  I cry to you for help and you do not answer me; I stand, and you only look at me. 21  You have turned cruel to me; with the might of your hand you persecute me. 22  You lift me up on the wind; you make me ride on it, and you toss me about in the roar of the storm. [ESV]

In this chapter Job contrasts his present misery to his pleasant past – and then he accuses God of unreasonable cruelty. Job, who rightly rebuked his friends for accusing him without knowledge, now turns and does the same to God! There are people today who refuse to believe in a God who would order the extermination of innocent children when Canaan was conquered. Some believe in God, but refuse to believe He would condemn anyone to hell. Truly, our human reasoning fails us when we contemplate these things – and that is exactly what happened to Job.

O righteous and holy God, with human vision we cannot see how truly terrible sin is. And with our human reasoning, we lack the ability to discern between what is good and what is evil. Thank You for revealing to us how we should live, and for this book of Job which teaches us not to speak of things about which we have no knowledge.

April 10 – Job 29

Job 29:2  "Oh, that I were as in months past … 5  When the Almighty was yet with me, When my children were around me; 6  When my steps were bathed with cream… 7  "When I went out to the gate by the city…

Job did fear God, and that had resulted in wisdom – the wise choices that led to him being surrounded by loving children, physical blessings and the respect of others. He has now lost children, blessings and the respect of even his closest friends. Does that mean he has also lost wisdom? Has he also lost God? We have the advantage of knowing how things turn out. Job didn’t. God has given us the gift of the book of Job so that we can know that losing everything in life does not mean that we have lost either God or wisdom. This book should help us to cling to God and His wisdom when we experience loss in this life. Then we can handle that situation by making the best choices possible.

Lord, as we lose our ability to connect with our loved ones in person, as we lose income, and as we experience other losses, major or minor, we thank You for your sourcebook of wisdom. We humble ourselves before You, giving You the fear You deserve, and pray that You will open our eyes to see the treasures of wisdom that You have given us, even in times of grief and fear and loss.

April 9 – Job 28

Job 28:23  God understands its [wisdom’s] way, And He knows its place…. 27 … He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out. 28  And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom [Hebrew – chokmah], And to depart from evil is understanding.' "

“Chokmah is the knowledge and the ability to make the right choices at the opportune time,” Vine’s OT Dictionary. In daily life, and especially at this time as we face extraordinary challenges, we surely all want to be making the right choices! We want medical staff, scientists, government leaders, those who are working on our behalf to keep the country running, and family members to make the right choices to be safe, keep others safe, keep financially afloat, and save lives. God not only understands wisdom, He created it! He knows exactly what vaccine will work against CoVid-19 and what medications will cure it. It would be wonderful indeed if those on the front lines all feared the Lord, humbled themselves before Him, and prayed for wisdom to fight this pandemic. However, since they do not, the next best thing is what the Lord told us in 1 Timothy 2:1-3 – that those of us who fear God should lift up supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks for all men and all who are in authority. “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much,” James 5:16.

Today I encourage us to make a list of those we need to pray for and do it – regularly. Let’s also pray for the heads of our homes and the leaders in our congregations as they wrestle to make the right spiritual decisions.

April 8 – Job 27

Job 27:2  "As God lives …3  As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils, 4  My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit. 5  Far be it from me That I should say you are right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. 6  My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.

Whether or not God acts in the way Job expects, Job here actually vows that he will never speak anything but truth. For that reason, he cannot say that his friends are right, nor can he confess that he is wicked. Those who do not hold fast to their integrity have no hope when they die, no matter how rich or powerful they are in this life. Job understood the value of a clean conscience. He was determined that his heart (conscience) would never reproach him.

Today I want to encourage those of us who are parents to make sure that we train our children to have a good conscience 1) by teaching them God’s standard of right and wrong, and 2) by teaching them God’s steps to a clean conscience: repentance, confession to those wronged (especially God), and restitution when possible. Then God lifts that burden of guilt from their hearts, blessing them with a happy heart, Gen.4:7a (NASV), Ps.32:1. When we let our children get away with disobedience, we are searing their consciences because, unless their guilt is taken care of in a godly way, the burden of that guilt remains and they are tempted to further sin, Gen.4:7b. Of course, the same applies to ourselves! If we have committed any sin that we have not taken care of, let’s do it today so that our heart does not reproach us!

April 7 – Job 26

Job 26:14  Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?"

In a beautiful poem, Job adds to what Bildad said in describing the majesty of God. He concludes that all these things about God’s works that he and others have observed – they are simply the mere edges, a small whisper of God’s power. Today we know so much more about God’s power than Job did. We have sent out space probes that show that the universe is far larger and more mysterious than we ever imagined. Yet, even now, this is still simply the mere edges, a small whisper of God’s power.

Almighty God, we stand in awe of Your works and fall in submission at Your feet. Even more awesome is Your great love seen in Your work of salvation. Yet, these are but the fringes of Your glory and the wonderful things You have prepared for the eternal abode of those who serve You. Lord, preserve our souls by Your grace and mercy that we may one day be forever with You.

April 6 – Job 25                                                                      

Job 25:4  How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?

Eliphaz has spoken 3 times, becoming increasingly adamant that Job has sinned and his punishment is less than he deserves. This is Bildad’s third and last speech. He does not seem to know how to answer Job’s challenge to explain why we do not always “see” God’s judgment on evil in this life. He instead focuses on Job’s insistence to appear before God and vindicate himself. This, in Eliphaz’s opinion is impossible: 1) because God is too pure and great and 2) because man is too sinful and insignificant. Eliphaz’s question in verse 4 is one that plagues every person as he contemplates death and the judgment that follows. Thanks be to God; He has provided a way for us to not fear death! Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, … 7  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

All praise and thanks to You, Father, for Your amazing plan to provide a way for such a worm as I to have bold access to Your throne of mercy and assurance of dwelling with You eternally.

April 5 – Job 24

Job 24:22  "… He rises up, but no man is sure of life. … 

Job 24:24  They are exalted for a little while, Then they are gone. They are brought low; They are taken out of the way like all others; They dry out like the heads of grain.

Job asks in the beginning of this chapter, “Why do those who know God not see His days (of judgment)?” In life the poor cry out to God, but sometimes nothing changes. They continue to huddle around a rock for want of shelter. Meanwhile, the oppressor remains mighty, and thieves continue to steal. Men do not “see” them being judged. Nonetheless, every man is going to die, by which I think Job infers that perhaps this is why the day of judgment is not seen – it takes place after death? Job challenges his friends to refute this.

Father, we are troubled by all the evil in the world. Our hearts ache as we or our loved ones or Your faithful servants worldwide endure painful trials. We grieve at their deaths. Help us to “not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Bless us as we renew our inward man day by day through listening to Your words, praying to You, and serving You. Help us to not lose heart. (2 Cor.4:16-18)

April 4 – Job 23

Job 23:10  But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

Job 23:12  I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.

In this chapter we see a man who is not just searching for answers, but for God Himself. How did Job search for God? Verse 12 says that he had treasured the words of God more than his necessary food! Nonetheless, there were a lot of things about God that Job didn’t know. He expresses longing to stand before God, and confidence in God’s deliverance, but on the other hand, he was also terrified to be in God’s presence.

Dear Almighty God, we trust that by obedience to Your word, we will also come forth as gold when the trials of this earth are over; yet we too are terrified lest we come up short when we appear before Your throne in judgment. We thank You for the amazing way You made provision for us who are sinners to approach You in prayer without fear. And we thank You for the complete revelation of Your words which we have today and which enable us to come to know You. Help us to long for a relationship with You more than we long for the essentials of this life. As we come to know You more and more, and thus our love for You grows more and more, may our love be perfected so that we can have boldness in the day of judgment. (1 Jn.4:17-18)

April 3 – Job 22

Job 22:9  You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless were crushed. 10  Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden terror overwhelms you,

Have you ever been falsely accused? Worse, have you ever falsely accused someone else? Sometimes we put two and two together and get five. Since, In Elihaz’s mind, Job must have sinned, he accuses Job of a list of sins – probably sins that were very prevalent in those days. One time in their early childhood I accused our three daughters of sneaking cheese out of the refrigerator and eating it – which to this day they deny. They have forgotten many events in their childhood, but they have never forgotten “the cheese incident”! Solomon said, “Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest,” Pro.26:2. Did you know that swallows don’t stop flying, even to sleep? In anger we often hurl accusations without diligently making sure we are correct – and even if they are correct, they shouldn’t be hurled in anger.

Father, forgive us! Help us to be careful to treat others the way we would want to be treated.

April 2 – Job 21

Job 21:7  Why do the wicked live and become old, Yes, become mighty in power?

A person can never reach the right conclusion by ignoring evidence that doesn’t support his position. Job’s friends observed that the wicked were cast down, but they ignored the fact that not ALL wicked come to destruction in this life. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to make the same mistake today when we study the Bible. People quote John 3:16 and assume that all we have to do to be saved is believe, ignoring the evidence of other scriptures that repentance and baptism are also necessary, eg. Acts 2:38. The same holds true for disagreements we have with others. Maybe we would be able to resolve our differences if we truly listened to their “evidence” as to why they feel the way they do. Maybe we wouldn’t be so quick to spread misinformation on social media if we examined the evidence regarding that information first!

Lord, today we pray for open minds – minds that seek Your will above our own desires, minds that seek truth above what we want to believe, and hearts that seek to understand those who disagree with us.

Wednesday, April 1 – Job 20

Job 20:12  "Though evil is sweet in his mouth, And he hides it under his tongue, 13  Though he spares it and does not forsake it, But still keeps it in his mouth, 14  Yet his food in his stomach turns sour; It becomes cobra venom within him.

Zophar’s speech lacked any hint of the pity Job begged for, but rather falsely assumed that Job was the wicked man pictured in this chapter. Nonetheless, the verses above are a graphic warning to us of what happens when we savor the desires of the flesh. Sin may taste sweet, but it poisons our system. Regret churns in our stomach, making us feel we want to vomit. Lack of inner peace causes us to have a sour attitude that strains or ruins our relations with others. Anger, hatred or bitterness eats away at our insides like acid.

Dear Father, when we taste the vomit of our sins, help us to turn our hearts to You for cleansing, praising you that when we truly repent You cleanse not only our sin, but our guilty consciences and our poisoned attitudes.

Tuesday, March 31 – Job 19

Job 19:21  "Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, For the hand of God has struck me!

Job 19:25  For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth.26  And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,

(Job’s poetic way of expressing himself is very difficult to interpret and to understand at times, especially in this chapter. I suggest that you read this chapter in a couple of versions to see the various ways scholars have translated the Hebrew, especially verses 6, 17, 21, 25-27.)

The word struck in verse 21 does indeed mean “to strike.” It is the same word Satan used when, in chapter 1:11 and 2:5, he challenged God to “touch” Job. Yet, even in the depths of despair, Job has faith that the One who struck him is the One who will redeem him, whether Job has in mind in this life or the next, whether Job thinks he will literally see God or see Him through the eyes of faith, (42:5). As we see pestilence striking the world today, we need to examine our hearts and strengthen our faith so that, should we face extreme physical suffering, will we have this same kind of confidence that God will redeem us, even in death!

Dear Lord, You have promised that those who keep themselves from sin will not be “touched” by the wicked one. (1 Jn.5:18) We may suffer, but Satan cannot touch our souls! Help us to cling to this promise in the difficult days ahead!

March 30 – Job 18

Job 18:17  The memory of him perishes from the earth, And he has no name among the renowned.

Jas 5:11 ... You have heard of the perseverance of Job …

In the last chapter, Job asked God to “put down a pledge for him,” be His advocate. In this chapter, Bildad sets himself up as Job’s prosecutor! He lists every calamity that befell Job as evidence that that “such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him who does not know God.” I find it interesting that almost everyone, even if they are not Christians, has heard of Job, but I doubt many Christians can list the names of Job’s three “friends”! So now that we have read about Bildad, how are we going to remember him?

Today I want to encourage us to meditate on the words of an old song which I have not heard sung for years, “When in a better land, before the bar we stand, how deeply grieved our souls may be; if any lost one there should cry in deep despair, ‘You never mentioned Him to me!’” How are we going to be remembered on the judgment day?

March 29 – Job 17

Job 17:15  where then is my hope? Who will see my hope? 16  Will it go down to the bars of Sheol? Shall we descend together into the dust?" [ESV]

Since there is no one on earth who will put down a pledge for Job (stand on his side, be his advocate) in the trial he hopes to have, Job asks God to be witness (16:19), and advocate (17:3). At one point, Job longed for death, but now, as death approaches, he changes his mind; his hope is that he will be vindicated in the eyes of his friends before his hope dies with him.

Dear Father, as our nation and many of us personally face trials, help us to remember Your promises in Romans 5 and rejoice that You are developing a perseverance in us that develops the character that is able to put our trust in a hope that does not disappoint: the hope of eternal salvation, the anchor of our souls as we face uncharted waters.

March 28 – Job 16

Job 16:4  I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you. 5  But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.

It is so easy judge those who are less fortunate than we are. “They should / should not have ….” It is also tempting to tell them what we would do if we were in their shoes. However, the problem is that we often have never been in their shoes! Those who have experienced similar pain, grief, depression, rejection, and loss are the ones who tend to be the most understanding and encouraging to others who are suffering. If we have not been in someone’s shoes, we need a large dose of humility. We may feel at a loss as to the best way to comfort and encourage those who suffer, but we can always point them to Job and to the Psalms. There we find the heart’s cries of people who have experienced every human trial and every emotion that arises from suffering.

Thank You Father, that Your word connects us with the hearts of men who struggled as we struggled so that we can find comfort. We thank you that as Job boldly came to You, asking You to be his witness and vindicate him, we may also come boldly to Your mercy seat and find grace to help us in our time of need – not because we are righteous, but because we have a great High Priest, Jesus, who has been in our shoes, who understands our weaknesses and fears, and who intercedes for us with His blood! (Heb.4:14) Job said, “Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor,” – and You have provided such a Man for us!  

March 27 – Job 15

Job 15:10  The gray-haired and the aged are on our side, men even older than your father. [NIV]

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you were trying to convince someone of something (like your spouse or teen or co-worker) but didn’t really know how to answer their counter-argument, and so you just re-emphasized arguments you had already used in the past, perhaps using a more forceful tone or attacking the person you were arguing with – as though that would make your arguments weightier? That’s kind of where Eliphaz was. And it never works, does it? All Eliphaz succeeded in doing was to argue illogically – which certainly didn’t help Job at all!

Dear Father, help us to be swift to hear and slow to speak. Help us to truly listen to what others have to say and answer them according to Your word, not our opinion. And if we do not know how to answer, help us to be humble enough to admit it – and then search Your word for answers. May we never stoop to attacking others to bolster our arguments.

March 26 – Job 14

Job 14:13  "Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14  If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes. 15  You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands.

As Job turns away from listening to the “wisdom” of his friends and turns to God, his knowledge of God’s character brings him a glimmer of hope. Surely man’s Maker will desire fellowship with His creation after death – surely He shall “call” Job from the grave after His wrath has passed. This is Job’s only hope. He sees this hope realized in nature: trees cut down can sprout again. On the other hand, his fragile hope is short-lived when he considers that even mountains eventually crumble away, never to be restored. Here we see the rollercoaster of depression. Job’s hope wavers, but it is there and will grow stronger as he climbs up through his trial.

Dear Father, today we pray especially for those who are suffering depression. We pray that, whenever any of us become anxious or depressed we will not look to worldly wisdom, but to You and Your revelation for hope, so gaining the courage and strength to keep climbing, to keep striving for the inner peace that comes from fellowship with You. Above all, thank You for Your Son who has demonstrated to us that there IS life after death!

March 25 – Job 13

Job 13:15  Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. 16  He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him. … 18  See now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall be vindicated.

This reminds me of the prayer of David in Psalm 26 where David says, “Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip…do not gather my soul with sinners.” Job and David were not afraid to come before God – not because of arrogance but because they both trusted God to vindicate them – not because they were sinless but because their faith, their trust in God, was real, not hypocritical. One day all of us will come before God.  Our own righteousness will be as filthy rags before Him, but if our faith in Jesus Christ is real and we walk in the integrity of that faith, His blood will enable us to have confidence when we appear before God. 1Jn 2:28  And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. …  5:13  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

O Almighty God, how wonderful it is that we can have confidence in the blood of Your Son, that we can approach You in prayer and know that You hear us and forgive us so that we need not fear death and the judgment to come. Yet, Lord, it is difficult to trust that You, as holy as You are, could accept someone like us who so often sin and comes short of Your glory. Strengthen our trust in You, O Lord, so that, though You slay us, yet we will trust You to be our salvation.

March 24 – Job 12

Job 12:6  The tents of robbers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure…

Job answers his friends with sarcasm: “No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!” Even the animals know that whatever happens on earth is by the hand of the Lord. So…what about those who are wicked and prosper? Is this not an exception to their “proverb of ashes” that the righteous are blessed and the wicked are punished? (13:12) In other words, have they not observed what God does and realized that their simplistic way of looking at things is flawed?

Dear Father, today we are facing a future that appears unusually uncertain. We are forced to make decisions that we never expected. Suddenly our simplistic way of understanding what it means to “forsake not the assembling of yourselves together” is no longer so simplistic. The previous exceptions that were common to us, Eg. To be ill or attend to someone who is ill, to be in a war situation, etc. – how do we handle this new exception? We pray for congregational leaders and all of us who are agonizing over this issue that we will honestly seek and find and do what is right.

March 23 – Job 11

Job 11:6  …Know therefore that God exacts from you Less than your iniquity deserves.

David said, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities,” Ps.103:9. What Zophar said was so true: even Job suffered less than his sin deserved. But what Zophar said was also so wrong – because in saying that he was implying that his own suffering was less than Job’s because he was more righteous than Job! Sometimes we might fall into the same trap: to say what is true, but in a very damaging and insensitive way, or a way that makes us appear to be very self-righteous: a way that brings condemnation to us as it did to Zophar, Job 42:7.

Dear God of infinite lovingkindness, a God who made a way for mercy and truth to meet, help us to never shirk speaking the truth when we need to, but help us also to always speak the truth in love, using words of grace, seasoned with salt.

March 22 – Job 10

Job 10:8  'Your hands have made me and fashioned me, An intricate unity; Yet You would destroy me.

Who is God? Job thought he knew God, but God is acting differently to the God Job thought he knew. Why did God create Job so intricately – just to destroy him? Job is not wicked; why is God treating him as though he was? Job cannot understand why God seems to have forsaken him, and without God, death is no longer the “rest” Job described in 3:13, but the very deepest darkness and chaos. Here is not only agony of body, but agony of spirit. Job has lost hope because he has “lost” God.

Lord, we thank You for Your revelation which clearly portrays to us who You are, especially how clearly You manifested Yourself to us in the life of Your Son – how You are a God who will never forsake us, no matter how much we are suffering. Help us to see You clearly, and not worship a god we create according to our own desires and human wisdom. When we are tempted to complain, help us to remember that our problems not nearly as severe as what Job endured. Help us to give You the honor and respect You deserve, and never lose our hope in Your promises, even in the darkest hours of our lives.

March 21 – Job 9

Job 9:32  "For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together.

Job 9:33  Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.

Bildad said, “Behold, God will not cast away the blameless, nor will He uphold the evildoers,” Job 8:20. Job answered, “Truly I know it is so,” Job.9:2.  However, what Job knows and what he is experiencing are polar opposites. Job feels that he is too far inferior to the Almighty to confront God about what he considers to be unfair treatment. Even if he were 100% righteous, he could never win a court case against God! He sees other cases of injustice in the world: good and evil people alike being destroyed by wicked men – and if this was not God’s doing, “who else could it be?” The only way Job can see to resolve this issue is to have a mediator, someone who had been, so to speak, in the shoes of both God & man.

We praise You, O God, for answering the cry of Job in this chapter and providing for us the perfect Mediator – One who came to earth as both man and God, and experienced all the trials, suffering and temptation that we do: Your Son, Jesus Christ! We thank You that He died to save us from sin and ever lives to make intercession for us!

March 20 – Job 8

Job 8:8  "For inquire, please, of the former age, And consider the things discovered by their fathers;

Eliphaz based his beliefs on his own experience; Bildad based his on tradition. According to tradition, a wicked man was like a papyrus plant without water, a spider who trusts in his web, or a plant that wraps its roots around rocks. Therefore, according to the wisdom of the fathers, it must be Job’s wickedness that has caused his calamities and his children’s wickedness that caused their deaths.

Dear Lord of truth, it is hard for us to objectively examine our traditions in the light of Your word. Help us to see that the traditions of our fathers are as substantive as spider webs, and if we trust in them we will shrivel and die as plants without water. Help us also to examine the “traditions” we are making in our own lives – our habitual ways of doing things – to see if we are forming personal habits or interacting with our loved ones habitually in ways that will be detrimental to our and their spiritual health in the long term. May we instead form habits based on Your principles.

March 19 – Job 7

Job 7:20  Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?

Job 7:21  Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer be."

“Why…?” From the fact that Job offered sacrifices on behalf of his children in case they might have sinned, Job certainly must have recognized the possibility that there may be sin in his life, but he didn’t know what it was and he didn’t understand why God delayed to forgive him if he had sinned. Nor did God listen to his pleas to take away his suffering, not even for a moment, not even when he slept, not even long enough to swallow his saliva. Why? Job never found out the answer to this question, and we may never understand why certain things happen in our lives either. But one thing Job did know, and that is that God alone was the answer to all his problems, and before God he laid his heart bare.

Today I encourage each of us to lay our hearts bare before the Lord. Confess to Him all our hurts and griefs, doubts and fears, weaknesses and sins. Determine to trust Him, and do His will, no matter how we feel, no matter that we cannot understand why God allows bad things to happen, no matter that we cannot understand why God has given us certain commands to obey. Cling to the One who alone has the answers and has promised us an eternity free from sorrow and pain.

March 18 – Job 6

Job 6:10  Then I would still have this consolation— my joy in unrelenting pain— that I had not denied the words of the Holy One. [NIV]

Job saw no possibility of physical recovery; his only request was that God would take his life before he denied Him in some way. Job called Eliphaz’s “solution” to his problem as tasteless as the white of an egg (vv.5-7); furthermore, these “friends” have not even shown compassion! They are like streams which are full in the good times but vanish when a person really needs them, (vv.14-23). Job asked his friends to look him straight in the eye as he affirmed his innocence, “for I would never lie to your face.”

Dear Father of mercies, help us to show compassion to those who are hurting. May we take great care to never assume that they have done wrong; but even if they have sinned, may we still be understanding and supportive, and point them to the wise solutions found in Your word, never our own wisdom.

March 17 – Job 5

Job 5:13  He catches the wise in their own craftiness

Job 5:17  "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.

Eliphaz said a lot of wonderful things about God in this chapter which are absolutely true. Verse 13 is quoted by Paul in 1 Cor. 3:19, and verse 17 is quoted in Hebrews 12:5-6 & Pro.3:11. Many of these verses are quoted or alluded to in the Psalms and prophets. (Job is believed to have been the first OT book written.) Despite the beauty and eloquence of his speech, Eliphaz missed two important truths: 1) Physical blessings are not always the direct result of obedience, and therefore 2) the receiving of physical blessings is not the reason for obedience.

Dear Father, the giver of every good and perfect gift, the One who has given us precepts that, if followed, will result in our lives being filled with much joy and many physical blessings: may we serve You with our whole hearts, not because of what You may give us physically, but because of who You are and because of our love and gratitude for all You have done to bring us into a relationship with You.

March 16 – Job 4

Job 4:8  As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.

“As I have seen…”— Eliphaz’s problem was that he interpreted revelation in the light of his own experience. The vision that Eliphaz saw was possibly from God, as God did speak to the patriarchs in that way. The message of the vision was that if angels (God’s servants) are judged, man, who is but dust, will certainly be judged. However, the spirit-being did not say that all human suffering is a direct result of sin in the life of the sufferer. Eliphaz just jumped to that conclusion, based on his own experience.

Dear Lord, each of us have grown up with certain religious backgrounds and certain life experiences which will cause us to miss the true application of Your word to our lives if we do not diligently seek Your will. Help us to interpret Your word based on what You say instead of what we think. Help us to seek truth and wisdom above our own desires or the approval of our loved ones. Help us to remove the colored lenses of our own prejudices and culture from our application of Scripture so that we who are Your children will all be united in truth and the world will believe in Your Son.

March 15 – Job 3

Job 3:20  Why is light [the light of day] given to him who is in misery, And life to the bitter of soul…?

Job 3:25  For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.

Job’s suffering was so intense that he wished he had never been born. He longed for death – but it did not come. Even today there are those who suffer so terribly that they long for death, and I personally greatly fear that kind of suffering! Perhaps lifestyle changes can help me avoid suffering, but there are no guarantees: there is so much we don’t understand about the human body. Accidents, persecution, war, disease pandemics, natural disasters, economic meltdowns, and things we cannot even imagine may be in our future. The only thing we can do is to work at having the kind of integrity Job had so that we hold fast to God, no matter what our future may be.

Almighty, all-wise God of goodness and mercy. Help us to face the future with confidence that You will never allow us to be tempted above that which we are able to bear – and that includes suffering. Bless those who are suffering now, Lord. Help them to cling to Your promises of eternal reward and hold fast to their integrity.

March 14 – Job 2

Job 2:9  Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

This word integrity is a special Hebrew word, occurring only in Job. It means “complete, upright, perfect.” In other words Job was “blameless and upright…one who fears God and shuns evil,” v.3. That’s who he was, and circumstances did not change that. Job’s wife was different Her lack of integrity caused her to be a stumbling block to her husband: to encourage him to do exactly what Satan wanted: “He will surely curse You to Your face!” v.5.

Dear Father, we thank You that who we are is Your beloved children who should be like You, and we are Christians who should be transformed into the image of Your Son. Today, and in the days ahead, help us to be aware of who we are when circumstances tempt us to let go of our integrity, lest we, by our attitudes or actions, not only lose our own integrity, but discourage others so that they are tempted to lose theirs also.

March 13 – Job 1

Job 1:10  Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. Consider what God does and what Satan does in this chapter. God “hedges” and “blesses.” Satan kills and destroys. Whose side do we want to be on? Whose side are we on? There is no neutral territory.

Dear Father, help me to realize that every sin I commit, no matter how “small” it may seem to me, causes me to be Your enemy, aligned with the one whose goal is to kill and destroy.

March 12 – Esther 10

Est 10:3  For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.

We who are women are perhaps not leaders in the sense of having authority over others as Mordecai did, but most of us are leaders in the sense that we lead our children. Some of us have a job where we do exercise authority over others. Some of us have husbands who are leaders in the church, and we are in a position to influence them to lead in a good way. All of us lead by influence. So what will make us good leaders? To actively seek the good of others, and to speak  things that make for peace.

Lord, please help us to consider our motives, that our deeds may be helpful to others. Help us also to consider our words, to remove all corrupt speech such as deceit, gossip and cutting speech from our lives and instead speak encouraging words that make for peace. If we need to confront sin, may we do it in love and truth with humble, gracious and gentle speech so that there can be peace with them and You.

March 11 — Esther 9

Est 9:22  as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor.

We will never have rest from our enemy the Devil as long as we are in this world; however, there is nothing in our lives greater than the day of our physical birth except for the day of our spiritual birth: the day Satan lost his hold on us, the day sorrow for our sins led us to be buried with Christ in baptism into His death in order to be raised to a new life – sorrow turned to joy! We all know the date of our physical birth … how many of us remember the day of our spiritual birth and remind ourselves periodically of the life and joy that is ours because of that day?

Father, we thank and praise You for providing us a way for us to be born again. May the joy we experienced on that day ever motivate us to serve You with humility, gratitude and joy, not forgetting to help those who are poor in this world – especially those who are poor because they have not yet heard Your gospel.

March 10 – Esther 8

An interesting bit of trivia: Esther 8:9 is the longest verse in the Bible.

Est 8:6  For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?"

Have you ever been in a crowd of people at a store or sports event or concert and thought about their eternal state? It is so unbearable to think about that we push such thoughts out of our minds as much as possible – at least I do and I reckon others do too. Esther risked her life twice because she could do something to prevent the evil that would come to her countrymen. So can we – and we don’t even have to risk our lives. All we have to do is open our mouths or hand out a tract. The difference between us and Esther is that we can usually only do it one person at a time. The similarity is that neither Esther nor we are responsible for saving those who hear. Those who heard the proclamation of the decree that went out from Esther and Mordecai had to fight to save themselves. Those who hear the proclamation of the gospel have to obey it to save themselves.

Dear Lord, please be merciful to us who are so selfish to keep the gospel to ourselves. We pray over and over to you about this because we are so fearful and complacent. You have given us so many examples to touch our hearts. I pray that we will also consider the evil that will come to our countrymen if they don’t respond to your gospel and take every opportunity to avert their destruction.

March 9 – Esther 7

Est 7:3  Then Queen Esther answered and said, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. 4  For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king's loss."

As Esther fasted (and prayed, we assume), she also applied her mind to a wise way to approach the king. She approached him in her royal robes, perhaps to hint that she was approaching him on a matter of state and not simply a personal matter. She further hinted at this when she invited him and his chief advisor to a banquet. Telling him her request in private was also a wise strategy. I have often wondered why she did not tell the king what she wanted at the first banquet, but perhaps it was not the correct protocol to do so. When she finally did request the lives of herself and her people, she let the king know that granting her request would also be to his benefit.

Dear Father, it is so amazing that You have allowed us to approach Your throne of grace and mercy at any time. When we do so, help us to be respectful in the requests that we make. May we not request things of You simply for our own benefit, but help us to consider how that, should You grant our requests, how would we use the resultant blessings to glorify You?

March 8 – Esther 6

Est 6:6  So Haman came in, and the king asked him, "What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?" Now Haman thought in his heart, "Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?"

Haman thought that he deserved to be honored! I know a brother in Christ who, if you ask him how he is, replies, “Better than I deserve.” I heard a talk on the radio the other day by a man who had written a book on happiness. His basic premise was that happiness is the difference between expectation and reality. If you receive more than you expect to have or feel that you deserve, then you are happy. Many young couples are unhappy because they expect to start out on the same financial level as their parents who have worked years to save for the homes, furniture, etc which they now have. So…when we or our husband receive a promotion or our children graduate with good grades, do we think, “He/she/I worked hard, and got rewarded for it!” or do we think, “Thank You, Lord, for graciously giving us the ability and opportunity to receive this blessing!”?

O Lord, our God, we thank and praise Your holy name; for who are we that we should be honored by You to have received the opportunity to become Your children, to hold Your complete revelation in our own hands, to receive so many good things from Your hands, to approach You in prayer, and to give back to You? For without You our lives are but a shadow, without purpose, and without hope. But with You, we know love, joy and peace. Thank You, Lord!

(Prayer from 1 Chronicles 29:13-15)

March 7 – Esther 5

Est 5:13  Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."

Haman had an amazing abundance of riches and power, but he couldn’t be content or happy because just one man didn’t bow to him. How many times do we complain at one or even several relatively minor things that have gone wrong in our lives instead of rejoicing in all the wonderful blessings we DO have! I remember thinking when Les was graciously restored to health after his cancer, “Lord, I will never complain about anything ever again!” But sadly, I have!

Today I encourage each of us to make this day a day of gratitude. Express gratitude to God for every blessing you can imagine. Express gratitude to everyone you come in contact with for what they mean to you, or simply comment to them about how grateful you are for God’s blessings. If things go wrong today, see if your attitude of gratitude helps you to deal with your problems in a better way.

March 6 – Esther 4

Est 4:14  For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

Mordecai and Esther were very much in the same position as we are today. They had no access to prophets or Urim & Thummin, no special revelation that would tell them what to do in this situation. From the Scriptures Mordecai knew that God would preserve His people to fulfil the promise of the Messiah, but he did not know how God was going to do that. Perhaps it was through Esther! They would never know unless they tried. And so it is with us. Every day we have opportunities to do good to family, brethren, friends and strangers. Who knows whether we have come to God’s kingdom for such a time as that moment -- to make a positive impact on them that will help them reach heaven!

Dear Father, creator of our hearts. You know our abilities and you know the hearts of the people we come into contact with. Help us to invite them to taste and see that You are gracious, for we do not know their hearts, but You do – and perhaps you have brought us into contact with each other for just such an opportunity as this!

March 5 – Esther 3

Est 3:13  And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.

Esther is the only book in the Bible in which God is not mentioned by name. Yet, this book is really all about God: He knows the end from the beginning and He can accomplish His will on earth without violating any person’s free will. When God’s people are threatened, God already has a plan in place to save them –a plan that has been slowly unfolding for years already.

Dear almighty God, there is no scheme of man that can stand against You, even the scheme of a powerful man who has the world’s largest army at his disposal. Why do we, as puny as we are, sometimes resist Your will? Why do we sometimes think that we know better than You do – dare to presume that the path we think will bring us happiness is more important than the path in which You have directed us to walk? Why do we “push the envelope” when it comes to Your boundaries regarding our role as women, our dress, our entertainment choices, etc? Lord, help us to recognize Your wisdom, power, justice and love so that we are happy to abide under Your sovereignty. 

March 4 – Esther 2

Est 2:17  The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

The events in Esther 2 take place about 5 years after the events in chapter one, just after Xerxes returned home after an unsuccessful bid to conquer Greece. Esther is described in verse 7 as both beautiful and “lovely” – a word which can mean inner as well as outer beauty. Mordecai obviously did a wonderful job of raising her to be unpretentious (v,15) and humble (v.20), despite her outstanding beauty. From his actions in verse 11, we see that he gave Esther the love that every child needs to be a well-adjusted adult with the ability to love others, a woman worthy of being queen.

Dear Father, how can it be that you have chosen us to be the bride of Your Son? We pray Lord, that Your love as our Father will motivate us to be humble and obedient to You, to have the meek and quiet spirit that is beautiful in Your eyes, and so be a fit bride for Your Son.

March 3 – Esther 1

Est 1:20  When the king's decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small."

Ahasuerus (NKJV) is generally thought to be Xerxes I who reigned from 486-464 BC. In the second year of his reign, he had fought against Egypt while his son-in-law had fought against Babylon to bring them under Persian control. Then, for the next 3 years, he prepared himself for war with Greece. The events in chapter 1 take place during this time. There has been a lot of speculation regarding why Vashti refused to answer the king’s command. Perhaps he had asked her to do something improper in their culture, immodest or demeaning. Perhaps she was angry and wanted to embarrass Xerxes. We don’t know her motives but we are told how the counsellors felt! They feared that wives throughout the kingdom would use Vashti’s behavior as an excuse to not submit to their own husbands. Even today husbands are sensitive to how their wives feel about their role as head of the home. A wife who is submissive from the heart, frees her husband’s heart to listen to her advice and be sympathetic to her desires. The Proverbs 31 husband knew that his wife would do him good and not evil all the days of his life – and he evidently gave her the freedom, not only to run the household, but to have her own businesses. There are most likely times in every marriage when the wife feels that her husband is asking her to do something that violates her conscience, but if she has a submissive spirit, he will be far more likely to honor her feelings, and so conflict can be averted.

Dear Lord, I pray that you will bless all wives who are truly submissive in their hearts, first to You, and then to our husbands, that their marriage relationship will bring out the best qualities in them both, and that their homes will be a place where their children can be nurtured in the best possible way, that You may be glorified.

March 2 – Nehemiah 13

Neh 13:31  Remember me, O my God, for good!

Heb 6:10  For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 8:12  FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."

Three times in this chapter Nehemiah begs God to remember him for good. What a merciful God we serve! A God who remembers the work we do out of love for Him, but forgets the trespasses we repent of.

Lord, help me to forgive as you forgive. Whenever I am tempted to dwell on past hurts, help me to instead focus on past kindnesses!

March 1 – Nehemiah 12

Neh 12:31  So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs. One went to the right hand on the wall toward the Refuse Gate. …38  The other thanksgiving choir went the opposite way… 40  So the two thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God… 42  … The singers sang loudly with Jezrahiah the director. 43  Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.

Imagine what it would have been like to have been in Jerusalem that day! Like surround-sound! There is something about music that intensifies whatever we are expressing with our lips, imprinting it on our minds, memories and hearts. And when the sound of our lips is echoed by the sound of hundreds of others, the strings of our heart truly throb! Just imagine what heaven will be like as we all praise God and the Lamb together!

“Blessing, honor, glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever!” (Rev.5:13)

February 28 – Nehemiah 11

Neh 11:1  Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities. 2  And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.

Chapter 10 ended with the phrase “We will not neglect the house of our God.” From Neh.7:4 we learn that there were not enough residents of Jerusalem to defend it – and part of not neglecting the house of God involved the ability to defend the city. Also there needed to be enough priests, Levites and Nethinim to be full-time workers at the temple. From Neh.7:5 we learn that it was God who instructed Nehemiah to register the people by their genealogy so their conscription to dwell at Jerusalem would be orderly. The “lot” system was God’s way of choosing; and therefore, fair.

I am not sure if there were some who willingly offered themselves before lots were cast, or if those in verse 2 were simply willing to accept the results of the process. Whichever way it was, the people blessed them, perhaps with similar words God gave Aaron to use when blessing the people: “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace,” Num.6:24-26.

Today I encourage each of us to think of people we know who willingly sacrifice to serve others: elders, deacons, preacher & teachers of course, but today perhaps think more about Christians who just quietly go about doing good, and ask God to bless them!

February 27 – Nehemiah 10

Neh 10:28  Now the rest of the people—the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge and understanding—29  these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law…

It is interesting to notice the specific areas the people listed where they thought they would struggle to keep the law. One had to do with who their children would marry, and the rest had to do with finances. Are these not the very same areas which trouble us today? As women, it is hard to be patient for a good Christian mate to come along, or even more difficult to accept singleness rather than marry in the world. It is hard to give to the poor in a way that is not to their spiritual detriment – so it is easier not to give at all. We are bombarded by temptation to spend money for things we don’t really need, and so have less to give to the Lord and His work. It is easy to get trapped into the sin of not being able to pay what we owe, much less have enough left over to give to God the way we should. Notice that these Jews did not commit to give tithes only, but also the firstfruits of their crops, and the firstborn of animals and sons (for which they gave 5 shekels to redeem).

Dear Lord, help us to truly understand that everything we have comes from You, and that we are not even our own; we have been bought with a price – a price we can never repay. Help us to be content with what we have so that we can be rich in good works, ready to give, and willing to share. (1 Tim.6:8,18)

February 26 – Nehemiah 9

Neh 9:38  "And because of all this, We make a sure covenant and write it; Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it."

This chapter is a recitation of Israel’s spiritual history, reciting all that God had done for their nation, starting with their father Abraham, and confessing all the ways they and their fathers had wronged God through the centuries. “And because of all this” – God’s faithfulness and their unfaithfulness, “we make a sure covenant.” Commitment. If we were to recite the spiritual history of our own lives, beginning with Jesus’ sacrifice and the Holy Spirit giving us a new covenant, what would we recite…and would that motivate each of us to be truly committed?

Today I encourage each of us to think about how different our lives on this earth would be without what God has done for us. Think of the ways we have grown spiritually in character due to the sanctifying work of the words which the Holy Spirit has given to us. Think of God’s providential work in our lives – the blessings and the wake-up calls. Now let’s pray to Him, confessing where we have come short, thanking and praising Him for all He has done for us, and renewing the commitment we made to Him when we confessed Jesus as Lord.

February 25 – Nehemiah 8

Neh 8:14  And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month,

Neh 8:16  Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths…

Notice the progression in this chapter: people heard the word, they understood the word, their emotions were stirred by the word, and they obeyed the word.

Today I encourage us to think about ourselves. Which step(s) am I leaving out? Do I read, but not work to understand? Do I just read for information, or is my heart stirred to godly sorrow that produces repentance when I understand I have done wrong? Is my heart filled with awe when I learn more about God’s character and stirred with eagerness to be more like Him? Do I obey the Lord in every area of my life?

Dear Lord, may our hearts be filled with joy when we read Your word, and may it be our strength to DO Your will. (v.10)

February 24 – Nehemiah 7

Neh 7:3  And I said to them, "Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut and bar the doors; and appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his watch station and another in front of his own house."

With the wall completed, Nehemiah and the people might have been tempted to let down their guard. So it is with us. As time goes by and things seem to be going well in our lives, we are tempted to relax our guard – and that leaves us vulnerable to Satan’s attack. Satan is so subtle that we may not even realize that he has penetrated the walls of our heart. Then, when our faith is tested, we suddenly find out that our hearts are not as strong as we thought!

Dear Captain of our souls, help us to arm ourselves daily with Your armor so that we can stand against the wiles of the devil. (Eph.6:11)

February 23 – Nehemiah 6

Neh 6:12  Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

Here we have an interesting account of a “prophet” who said that God wanted Nehemiah to do something against Scripture (go into the temple) to avoid being murdered. When his supposed prophetic utterance contradicted God’s written word, Nehemiah had the spiritual sense to realize that Shemaiah was a false prophet. Nehemiah’s example is especially pertinent in these times when many claim to be prophets. Do we have the spiritual sense to know that God’s written word asserts that prophecy and the other spiritual gifts would cease when God’s revelation was completed? (1 Cor.13) Since we have had the completed New Testament for nearly 2000 years, we are forced to conclude that every person today who claims to be receiving messages from God or the Holy Spirit is a false prophet!

Lord, today we praise You especially for the comfort we have in knowing that we have in black-and-white Your completed revelation to mankind. As we read, study and meditate on Your word, help us to mine its depths to find the treasures that it contains: the answer to every challenge and temptation, the instruction to develop every good character quality, and the proper way to worship and honor You.

February 22 – Nehemiah 5

Neh 5:1  And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren.

Chapter 4 describes the threat to the work of rebuilding the wall from outside enemies. Chapter 5 describes the threat from internal strife. Due to lack of available farming land for all returnees, famine, and taxes, some of the Jews were unable to afford to buy food. Their leaders, instead of helping them, were taking advantage of them by exacting interest on the money they lent them, violating God’s law in Ex.22:25. When they couldn’t pay their debts, they were forced to forfeit their property, and even sell their children into slavery. (Israelites were not supposed to buy fellow Israelites as slaves, but as servants for 7 years only, Lev.25:39-41.) Nehemiah wasted no time in confronting the problem, persuading those guilty of oppression to swear that they would repent, and leading by his own example of kindness to the poor: paying all the expenses of his office out of his own pocket instead of taxing the people.

Today I encourage us all to pray for the leaders of our local congregations, that as they lead us ins striving against those in the world who are against us, they will also be vigilant to confront challenges that arise within the congregation, and to help us, by teaching and by example, to treat each other as Christians should.

February 21 – Nehemiah 4

Neh 4:17  Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.

How many times have you and I thought, “Just as soon as I get through this crisis, I will be able to do the things I know you want me to do.”? (Eg. read my Bible & pray more regularly, show hospitality, visit the needy, etc.) Then when the crisis is over, we almost always carry on with our previous habits!  Because the Jews carried on with the Lord’s work during the crisis, the Lord blessed them – and He will bless us too. We may not be as able to accomplish as much during crisis situations: it definitely took longer to build the wall when working one-handed! But because we are doing what we can, the Lord will bless us far more than we can imagine!

Dear loving Lord, let us follow the example of Your Son who, even during the crisis of death, was focussed on helping others until He took His last breath.

February 20 – Nehemiah 3

Neh 3:12  And next to him was Shallum the son of Hallohesh, leader of half the district of Jerusalem; he and his daughters made repairs.

This is a remarkable chapter of how men (and women!) from all walks of life (priests, leaders, skilled workers, merchants, etc.) came together for the common good. Some took care of the part of the wall outside their own dwelling. Others came from other towns, displaying unselfish desire to help their needy brethren. The women in verse 12 may not have been personally able to build the wall, but perhaps hired workmen instead. The Tekoites repaired more than one section, even though their nobles refused to “put their shoulders to the work,” v.5,27.

Dear Lord, how wonderful it is that You have designed Your church in such a way that each and every member has a way to be of service to others. Even those who are bedridden can access Your throne of grace on behalf of their brethren and their work in Your kingdom, praying also for Your intervention in the affairs of the nations that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives and that the gospel can be spread to all men.

February 19 – Nehemiah 2

Neh 2:4  Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Nehemiah was “on the spot.” He needed help right then; there was no time for a formal prayer. So he obviously offered up a quick, silent prayer. This is so encouraging to know that we can do this and that God will answer. However, we must also remember that perhaps this quick prayer would not have been so powerful, nor such an automatic response of Nehemiah, if it was not undergirded by the life dedicated to prayer that we read about in chapter 1.

Lord, You are omnipotent and omnipresent. Help us to be aware of Your presence so that we remember to pray in every situation and act as though You are watching – as You are indeed!

February 18 – Nehemiah 1

Neh 1:4  So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

This verse tells us so much about Nehemiah: he had a heart that truly cared for others, and he had an intimate relationship with the God of heaven. From verse 11 we find out that his days of fasting and prayer had resulted in a determination to do something about the dire straits of his brethren, a plan that would jeopardize his job, obliterate his comfortable life-style, and risk the king’s anger. This took place in the 20th year of Artaxerxes, 445 BC, 13 years after Ezra returned to Jerusalem. We will see in chapter 8 that Ezra was still actively working in Jerusalem at this time.

Today I want to encourage us to think about the people we pray for who have various physical and spiritual needs: even those who are far away. Like Nehemiah, perhaps we should pray about making a plan to do something to help them beyond simply praying for them: a letter of encouragement, a gift of something that could help their need, perhaps even a life-changing plan to travel to a far place to teach/preach/serve. Think about it! Pray about it!

February 17 – Ezra 10

Ezr 10:3  Now therefore, let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and those who have been born to them, according to the advice of my master and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

Deuteronomy 7:3-4, from which Ezra quoted in his prayer, made it very clear that marriages to the people of Canaan were strictly forbidden. (The exception is marriage to a captive woman, Dt.21:10-14.) If a certain marriage is forbidden, then those who are in such a marriage and who “tremble at the commandment of our God” will follow the example of these God-fearing Jews and extricate themselves from that forbidden relationship. In the New Testament it is not forbidden to be married to a person who is not a Christian, 1 Cor.7:12-13. However, it is forbidden to be married to a divorced person who has not divorced his mate because of the mate’s fornication, Mt.19:9, Luke 16:18. Do we tremble enough at God’s word to believe, practice and teach this?

Dear Lord, today we bring before You all who are struggling with their marriage relationships and are tempted to divorce their mates. May they clearly see the fence that You in Your wisdom have built to protect the family, and draw on Your strength and Your wisdom to keep their marriages intact, even at great personal sacrifice. Help us to remember that Your main desire for us on this earth is not our happiness, but our eternal well-being – and the same for our mates and children.

February 16 – Ezra 9

Ezr 9:13  And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since You our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such deliverance as this, 14  should we again break Your commandments, and join in marriage with the people committing these abominations?

When Ezra followed his dream to return to Israel to preach, I wonder if he ever thought he would be so severely tested by his own people? Notice how he handled the situation. He showed such grief at their sin, fasting and painfully plucking out his hair. He remained silent until ready to speak. Then he first turned to God, confessing their sin in such a powerful way – by quoting God’s law and reminding the people of how incredibly blessed they had been by God’s goodness. God’s word is so powerful – even more so when a servant-hearted man such as Ezra encourages people to obey it.

Dear Lord, there are times when each of us need to confront sin in the lives of our loved ones. Help us to have such servant-hearts that our loved ones will never doubt our love or Yours. Help us to grow ever more skilled at knowing which of Your words applies to the different situations we face, so those we speak to are convicted by Your words.

February 15 – Ezra 8

Ezr 8:20  also of the Nethinim, whom David and the leaders had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim. All of them were designated by name. [Nethinim literally means, “those who are given.”]

Not much is known about the origin of the Nethinim, but it seems that they were possibly descendants of the Gibeonites, (see Josh.9:27), and other foreign captives who were enslaved by the Israelites. They did the menial work of the temple, eg. drawing all the water to fill that incredibly large “bath” that Solomon built! No longer slaves, these men chose to return to their menial, but important tasks in the temple. I can only assume they did this out a love for God. It seems they were given property to farm and worked in shifts, as did the Levites, Neh.11:3.

Dear Lord, I pray that, out of love for You, I will give myself to do whatever needs to be done for You or for Your people, no matter how menial or insignificant (in the sight of men) or unrecognized that task may be.

February 14 – Ezra 7

(NB. The book of Esther fits here between Ezra chapters 6 & 7.)

Ezr 7:10  For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Ezra was a man with a different kind of vision. It is relatively easy to build a literal structure; it is far more difficult to build up men’s hearts. The literal temple was completed 57 years previous to this time – but the new generation of Jews seems to have lost sight of how to properly worship in it and how to be the kind of worshippers God would accept. To accomplish his mission, Ezra first concentrated on his own heart. He was “a skilled scribe” and “expert in the words of the commandments of the Lord and of His statutes to Israel.” He obviously also lived according to those statues; otherwise he would never have received the respect of those around him. He then concentrated on the physical aspects of his plan; firstly, to obtain financial aid from the king and permission to collect financial aid from others to furnish the temple with everything needed to restore proper worship, including more priests, Levites and leading men of Israel to accompany him back to Jerusalem. Secondly he received authority, not only to teach Israelites the law, but to set up judges to make sure they obeyed it!

Dear Lord, Your people so badly need more precious servants like Ezra today, and families who are willing to leave the area, even the country they have grown up in to go to where teachers and preachers are needed. We pray that there will be those among us who have this vision and will prepare themselves to do this. We pray that others will encourage them, and give freely to support them. We pray, Lord, that You will send forth reapers into Your harvest.

February 13 – Ezra 6

Ezr 6:10  that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

1Ti 2:1  Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2  for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

God’s people may have differing opinions regarding politics, but God tells us in Timothy that, as well as supplications, we must give thanks for our leaders, even if we feel they are our enemies, Mt.5:44.

Dear Almighty God, help us never to take our quiet and peaceable lives – the religious freedom that we have – for granted, but continually pray to You, not only that our own freedoms will continue, but for those of Your children who are persecuted for their faith. We thank you Lord for our leaders, for the services they authorize to be provided on our behalf such as education, roads, and protection. We pray that you will bless them with wisdom.

February 12 – Ezra 5

Ezr 5:1  Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.

When the Jews stopped striving to complete the temple, it seems they also stopped striving to be the type of people God wanted them to be. They began focussing on increasing their worldly possessions. In the book of Haggai, we find out that God responded to their spiritual apathy by bringing a drought on the land – a wake-up call that motivated the Jews to listen to the prophets and begin building the temple again. When they were willing to stick out their necks to obey, God was willing to stick out His hand of protection. When the elders of the Jews were questioned, they gave a wise answer that caused the governor to write to King Darius for verification instead of forcing them to stop working.

Dear Lord of wisdom, please help us to also give a wise answer to those who question our actions, whether it be friends, strangers, or even our own children -- an answer that will cause them to go to Your word for verification!

February 11 – Ezra 4

To understand Ezra 4, it will be helpful to read the information about the kings of Persia below.

KINGS OF PERSIA

Cyrus (559-530 BC) A Persian king who defeated the king of Media and united Media and Persia under his own rule in 549 BC. He defeated Croesus of Lydia and extended the Medo-Persian empire from the Aegean Sea to India. Then he marched on Babylon and took it in 539 BC. In 536 he came to reign in Babylon and decreed that Jews could return to Jerusalem to build temple. He then appointed a “phantom king” to rule in Babylon (the Darius mentioned in Daniel who threw him in the lions’ den).

Cambyses (530-522) Son of Cyrus. He conquered Egypt but committed suicide on the way back, possibly due to fear of rumors of an uprising in Persia.

Darius I (522-486) NOT the Darius mentioned in Daniel (above). Married to Cyrus’ daughter. Quelled uprising. Wise ruler. Organized kingdom, built roads and made many reforms to aid commerce. Enlarged empire to cover territory from the Indus valley of India to Thrace and Macedon, but failed to conquer Greece (Battle of Marathon, 490 BC).  Haggai and Zechariah prophesied during his reign. Temple completed in 516 BC.

Xerxes/Ahasuerus (486-464) Son of Darius. Esther’s husband. Famous for his long, unsuccessful war with Greece and marching his army over the Hellespont via pontoon bridges. He was assassinated by the commander of the royal bodyguard.

Artaxerxes (465-424) Son of Xerxes. Killed assassin. Quelled Egyptian rebellion. Made peace with Greece. Ruled during the time of Ezra, Nehemiah and Malachi, the last OT book written. Walls of Jerusalem rebuilt in 444 BC.

Ezra 4 continued

In the first 3 chapters, Ezra is writing, perhaps from using old records, but definitely by inspiration, about events that took place before he was born. Chapter 4:1-5 is dealing with events that took place during the rest of the reign of Cyrus, which lasted another 5 years after the foundation of the temple was laid, and during the reign of his son Cambyses. Verse 24 is a summation of verses 1-5. The verses in between (verses 6-23) have to do with a later problem the Jews faced: the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. Ezra 4 simply relates the two sets of hindrances that the Jews had regarding the comple-tion of the work that the Lord wanted them to do.

The events in verses 1-5, 24 have so much relevance to us today. First of all, the Jews were right to resist having fellowship with people who claimed to worship God as they did, but they really didn’t. Today there are many who claim to be Christians – hundreds, if not thousands, of different churches, all claiming to worship God. It takes a lot of backbone to stand up for the pure doctrine of Christ. When we do this, we get attacked. We are accused of being unloving, legalistic, and arrogant. Dear Lord, I pray that, unlike the Jews in this chapter who stood up for the truth but then yielded to the discouragement of the nations around them, we will not allow outsiders to frustrate Your purpose for us: to plant the pure seed of Your gospel into the hearts of everyone we know. Help us to be willing to suffer ridicule, accusations and fear of rejection if need be to invite everyone we come in contact with, by word of mouth or at least by tract/card/leaflet, to come investigate what God’s word says about the true way to salvation and Christ’s church.

Sunday, February 9 – Ezra 2

Ezr 2:62  These sought their listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore they were excluded from the priesthood as defiled.

Even though Jerusalem was destroyed, and the temple burnt; somehow, by the providence of God, the genealogical records were not lost. This insured that priestly and Levitical orders could be continued, and most importantly, that the Messiah could be identified as a descendant of David. When Jerusalem was destroyed the second time; again by the providence of God, the genealogies were lost! Judaism can never be properly practiced again, since no priest can establish his genealogy, Num.3:10.

Thank You Lord, for making it so clear to the world that today we have a better Law, based on better promises.

Saturday, February 8 – Ezra 1

Isa_44:28  Who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built," And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid." '

Fifty years have passed since Jerusalem’s destruction in 586 BC. The Medo-Persian rulers, once Nebuchadnezzar’s allies against Assyria, have conquered the entire Babylonian Empire and more. Amazingly, Isaiah, who has been dead for nearly 150 years, not only foretold the rebuilding of the temple, but the name of the person who would decree it! The leader of the returning Jews is Sheshbazzar, the Persian name of Zerubbabel, the descendant of king Jeconiah, the one through whom the Messiah would come. The nation has been refined by the fire of Babylon. Never again will she turn to idolatry.

Thank You Lord, for refining and preserving this faithful remnant to give birth to our Messiah and His kingdom!

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