Psalm Study Thread

Psalm 13

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

How comforting to know that I am not alone in wrestling with my thoughts. I used to think that my thoughts were what controlled me but now I know that I control my thoughts. That doesn't mean I always have the right thoughts. Far from it! But I do know that I challenge them, fight them, change them and control them. I don't have to be dictated by my thoughts. It is never easy though.

3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

I also used to think that I didn't have any enemies. Unfortunately I have found many along the way. When I was a child I just thought that an enemy was someone who wanted to attack you. I have since found out an enemy is someone who doesn't care about you, someone who doesn't want you to succeed, someone who is just your friend for selfish reasons (such as wanting to make themselves look good), someone who doesn't want you to change your life (so they don't have to change theirs or so you don't end up being better than them), someone who stops you being who God made you to be as well as someone who wants to atteck you. I don't have many people who want to physically hurt me but I do have a lot of people who want me to be everything THEY want me to be. I have friends who don't want me to be better than me and in fact sometimes go out of their way to make me look bad to others. I have friends who don't listen to me and don't let others listen to me. I have friends who get jealous when I talk to others. I have a lot more enemies than I thought! And maybe, just maybe, I treat some people more like my enemy than my friend. I need to be careful too!

But through all of this I can see a light. I can see a hope. I can see God. I may not always be treated right but I know that my salvation doesn't rest in the hands of people who loved me yesterday, hurt me today and will forget me tomorrow. My salvation is in the Lord whose love never fails.

6 I will sing the LORD’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

AllForJesus said:

I am so loving this thread! thank you so much!

Click to expand...

Thank you my friend! I am glad to know that the Lord has touched your heart and it encourages me to keep on going. May the Lord bless you for your kindness!

Psalm 14

For the director of music. Of David.

1 The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good. 2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.

I know that I am guilty of this - somedays I just don't seek the Lord. I don't look for Him in the midst of my problems. I start complaining about things which puts the problem before God. My focus is on the dramas. In one sense I am complaining about the dramas, wanting them to go away but at the same time I choose not to stop talking. I resay it over and over again, making it more and more important. Of course it is not a good importance but it is still important enough not to stop talking about it and sharing it with everyone who I think needs to hear it.

I know that this is not good. I am trying to understand the life God is calling me to live but I know that I can't do it alone (and there are not many people who are willing or able to join me). I thank and praise the Lord that He is with me. He is my hand holder and my redemption. There is nothing I can do to save me from myself but I can seek Him in those moments where I fail, don't understand or just don't want to stop talking about the drama! If I seek Him in those moments where I need Him the most I will succeeed.

3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.

4 Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on the LORD.

It is funny how when we are surrounded by people we change who we are. We, in a sense, become like them. Sometimes it is good but sometimes it is bad. I know this because I can see others in what I say and do. I catch myself speaking like or using the same mannerisms as people I know and can actually tell you who acts like that (I roll my eyes like my aunt). On a more interesting note my students are able to finish some of my sentences for me. All I have to do is say "let's move on" and they say "shall we". It is funny but important to note. People watch us, we watch others. They start acting like us, we start acting like them. It is easy to get so lost in other people that we forget the Lord. They don't know it and we don't realise it. Be careful - when we try to be someone else we may not end up being the person we want to be.

5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

David predicted it, we know it. Jesus came and died for our sins that we maybe restored to the Lord. We don't have to seek our salvation in others (no matter how admirable they are) we just need to seek the Lord. We should be happy in that, we should be rejoicing everyday in that knowledge but are we? Are you rejoicing in the Lord today?

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

1 LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?

Would you like God as your next door neighour? Or even better would you like to live in the house of the Lord? Many times we say that we want to but are we really willing to put in all the effort? David asked God what he had to do to make God a family member. Many times we want God to put in all the effort. We want God to invite us in and allow us to stay for as long as we like whilst He does all the hard work. He provides for us so we will just sit back, relax and do what we like whilst we wait. We have no obligations to God, or do we?

2 The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the LORD;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.

Rules on how to have a firm foundation in the Lord so that when the time comes we can say "yes Lord, I lived my life that you wanted me to" -

1. Make sure you do nothing that will make people question your love of the Lord and your love of your neighbour. What you do is pure and honest. People should have no doubt that you are part of God's family.
2. You speak the truth with love. This is not to be confused with speaking the truth. We all know the truth can hurt especially when we say purely to elicit a reaction of hate, fear, anger, resentment or jealousy from another person.
3. You control your tongue. Blaming, belittling, complaining and slandering can all be justified within our own minds but that doesn't mean that they are the right things to say.
4. We love our neighbours. Ok so this is not always easy but to love means that we are treating the person with kindness, respect and basically making sure that they are ok on a regular basis. It means smiling and saying hello. It means helping them even though we may not want to. We love not only in actions but in words.
5. We abhor vile acts and condemn evil. I know I struggle with this one. I may not gossip but that doesn't mean I stop myself listening to it or reading it. I may not choose to say mean things but that doesn't stop me watching other people, in real life or on the televison, and laughing.
6. We make our decisions and keep to them even when it is no longer convenient, don't like it or it is painful. Take it from me, I have lived through some situations only by the grace of God. It would have been easy to give up but I needed to stay true to my word. It is not always easy.
7. We give to those who are in need without asking anything for ourselves. We ask for interest we make a seemingly good act into something we benefit from. When we show kindness we should never be looking for how it benefits us.
8. Innocence is innocence and guilt is guilt. We cannot change that and no amount of money should hange our minds.

Psalm 16

A miktam of David.
1 Keep me safe, my God,
for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.”

What do you say to the Lord? I used to always get into trouble by my mum for what I said and, more importantly, HOW I said. Teenagers years were tough in my house. My mum could read my attitude even when I couldn't. That was one of the many gifts my mum had! lol. But at the same time we all need to be aware of what we say and how we say it. Even when I think I have the right attitude most of the time I don't. I think that I work hard and made sacrifices to get to where I am therefore I deserve the job and benefits of my life. So when I pray, I pray with the attitude I know what I need and when I need it. But the truth is only God knows that. There is nothing good in this world that I have apart from Him.


3 I say of the holy people who are in the land,
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
or take up their names on my lips.
5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.

Is God enough? I mean really is He enough for you? This is a question I have pondered long and hard. If I had to give up everything and live back at home without the travelling lifetyle and money I am used to, would I say "yes Lord". Would I be able to say "yes Lord" if I knew I would never marry? There are many little "gods" in my day to day life that help me feel happy and secure. They make me feel like I am a worthwhile person but at the end of the day there is only One who can give me what I crave for. If He is not enough for me nothing ever will be.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.


How far will the Lord go to make sure we know His will? How far are we willing to go to listen to the Lord? If our lives are completely focused on Him, He will be completely focused on us. When this happens we will not be shaken. Even if the storms come and we feel like there is no way to overcome, we will be safe. There will always be a path for us.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

There is a path for us. God will reveal it to us. We may not always see it clearly but it is there. God will not desert us in the wilderness. Take courage. We are where God wants us to be. Let go of the feelings of failure and let God's presence be your joy.

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.
1 Hear me, LORD, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.
Hear my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.

What do your prayers sound like? Are the lips that you use to spread gossip the same lips that you use to pray to the Lord every night? We talk about our hands and how we need to wash them before we eat but do we need to wash our lips before we pray? We need to conscious of the words we say before we pray. There is no point glorifying the Lord with the same voice you use to say vile things about others. David said to the Lord listen to me because I have said nothing wrong. I had the opportunity to say things but I didn't. Can the same be said of us?

2 Let my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.
3 Though you probe my heart,
though you examine me at night and test me,
you will find that I have planned no evil;
my mouth has not transgressed.
4 Though people tried to bribe me,
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
through what your lips have commanded.

I know that it is easy to get into a fight with others. As a teacher I get to referee a lot of fights. The hardest ones are the ones where one student has retaliated to another student's action. Once they have reacted to the situation no one is innocent. We may feel we have the right to treat someone poorly. We may be justified. It may seem the best thing to do but it isn't. God sees the truth. He sees how we have been abused. We don't need to retaliate for He will vindicate us. Hold on. There will be a time when this will come to pass. You may never get to the hear words you want to hear from your enemies but the Lord will see your faithfulness.

5 My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not stumbled.
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.

Do you believe the Lord will answer you? Do you believe there will come a time of restoration? David had the opportunity to act against his enemies. He had the opportunity to walk away from the Lord and seek his own justice. He didn't because he knew that God was a God of love. He was a God of mercy. God will listen and answer his prayers in the right time. David knew that there will be a time when he would see God's amazing love in his life. God would save him, protect him and life him up. If God would do all of this for David, do you believe He will do the same for you? Better believe it because God will! Don't let go of the hope!

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.

10 They close up their callous hearts,
and their mouths speak with arrogance.
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion hungry for prey,
like a fierce lion crouching in cover. 13 Rise up, LORD, confront them, bring them down;
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, LORD,
from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers for their little ones.
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

The time has finally come. You finally have to face the dragons that have been following you. You look up to find that you are surrounded by the dragons of uncertainty, hopelessness, heartache and despair. You lift your sword with hands trembling with doubt and fear that you could never overcome this situation. You close your eyes terrified at what is going to happen next. But when you open them you are surrounded with the wings of love. They have wrapped you up. There is nothing you can see except the golden feathers around you. You don't know what has happened but you know that you are safe and that there is nothing to fear. Then when the wings finally open, all that was attacking you is gone. You are free. You didn't have to fight the battle because the Lord did it for you. All you had to do was stand in the middle of His love.

David understood that there would be a time when God would intervene. He knew that until that moment all he had to do was wait.

Psalm 18
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

1 I love you, LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Where do you go to hide? I use my bed. I like to sleep and hide from the world. My theory is that if I go to sleep everything will be different when I wake up. All my problems will be gone. It hasn't happened yet but I keep trying just in case! lol but the truth is it will never work. The only place I know where I can hide and find the strength to overcome is in the Lord. He protects me where I need it, when I need it.

3 I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

I remember when I was child I could cry and my mum would come. True, she didn't come every cry I made but there was a certain cry I would make and she would come (she still would if I didn't live so far away!) The Lord hears our cry. He also hears our grumbles and complaints. Just because it feels like God is not listening to you doesn't mean He isn't. He knows the right time to intervene. He knows how much we can handle before we need to be rescued. He will hear our cry and know that our distress is overwhelming us.

7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
13 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, LORD,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

Wow! I want to be rescued like that! There is nothing that can stand in the way of the Lord when He comes to rescue us. There will be nothing to prevent Him from reaching down and saving us. He will pick us up, like a parent picks up a child, and will move us to where we are safe. God's love for us cannot be stopped.

18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I am not guilty of turning from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.

When we hold onto God, He holds onto us. We can't just pray and hope during the bad times. When we really need God we turn to Him but what about the other times? Do we rely on ourselves when we know we can do it and only rely on God when we can't? God wants a relationship that survives all seasons and all situations. I pray that I will rely on the Lord every day of my life, in every circumstance.

24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
28 You, LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

Notice how the Lord gives the same us we give? We give love, we receive love. We give hope, we receive hope. We are faithful, He is faithful. We are pure and blameless, He is pure and blameless. This all starts with us and how we act. The Lord helps us through the times that we want to give up and stop doing the right thing. He shines His love into the darkness of our lives and enables us to keep on giving even when we are unsure we can.

29 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The LORD’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?

So if God is not God, then who is? Who can be better, who can be more loving, more caring, more faithful? Who can you rely on more than God? If God is God you need to act accordingly. If not, then who/what is?

32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.

Why is God God? Because everything that you need, everything that you want, everything that you could desire comes from Him. David knew that everything he needed to survive and defeat his enemy came from the Lord. The skills, the direction, the strength all came from God. He couldn't do it alone. He needed God. And so do we.

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
39 You armed me with strength for battle;
you humbled my adversaries before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but he did not answer.
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;
I trampled them like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations.
People I did not know now serve me,
44 foreigners cower before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.

David could have easily said that this was his voctory but he knew that was not true. Our victories come from the Lord. He is our rescuer.

46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!
47 He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,
48 who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations;
I will sing the praises of your name.
50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing love to his anointed,
to David and to his descendants forever.

Why should you praise the Lord? David knew his reason for praising but do you know yours?

Psalm 19

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice[goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.

There have been many days that I have forgotten the Lord. I have looked around and seen nothing that gives me pleasure. Then my eyes catch a glimpse of His majesty in the birds playing in the yard, glow of the sun reflecting off the sea, the plants taking root and spreading throughout my garden, the majesty of the mountains towering over the city of Dili... the list goes on. There are no words spoken but in those moments I know the Lord cares for this earth. I know He cares because there would be no need for such beauty if He did not.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.

Even though I have pressing deadlines, important things to do, other things I enjoy doing, sleep that needs to be taken... I love to spend time in the Lord. Yes, my body needs refreshing. I eat, sleep and drink without asking why or bothering about the time but sometimes my soul needs refreshing yet I find something better to do. Yet I know that there is nothing more refreshing to my Spirit than the word of the Lord. I pray that I will find more time to spend with Him.

8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the LORD are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.

In my own eyes I am perfect but I am sure that you could ask a lot of people and soon find the truth! I am far from perfect and the more I live, the more distant I find myself. Not that I am half bad but I am just not perfect. Some times when I read God's word I don't like it because I feel a little tug from the Spirit asking me am I living the right way. Or sometimes I am talking to my students about the right way to live and I find my Spirit asking me to act the way I am asking my students to. Accountability is never easy but if we ignore it we can find ourselves in a whole lot of trouble.

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

It is so easy to fall into sin especially if we are willing. This is something I need to work on but I don't have to do it alone. The Lord will help me in all of this.

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

As they say - "watch your thoughts." Everything starts with a thought - I can't do this, I am too tired, I have better things to do, I am not going to like it, if only it could be done my way... Our thoughts often become out words. What we think about is what we talk about. If you want to say encouraging things think encouraging things. If you want to talk with love, think with love. As I tell my students - you can only control you but if you are not controlling yourself who is? If your not controlling your thoughts then who is? You have choices in all things.

Psalm 20

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
4 May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory
and lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.
This I pray for all of us both now and until the end of our days. May our days be surrounded by the Lord our Creator who enables us to overcome all adversity in our lives. May He proivide all your needs and may He refresh you everyday. May His name be our praise and may all our prayers for help be answered. May He remember how we whose to walk with Him all the days of our life and may we continue to do so. Praise the Lord for He is our victory. He goes before us into battle.


6 Now this I know:
The LORD gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

I have gone into many battles and I have fought many foes but in everythin I know my victory is in the Lord. He is who enables me to overcome. There is nothing else I can rely on.

8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
9 LORD, give victory to the king!
Answer us when we call!

Those who seek victory in other things will never win. We will win because we have the Lord. He will answer us and save us. Praise be to His name!

Psalm 21

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 The king rejoices in your strength, LORD.
How great is his joy in the victories you give! 2 You have granted him his heart’s desire
and have not withheld the request of his lips.
3 You came to greet him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, for ever and ever.
5 Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;
you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
6 Surely you have granted him unending blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

King David has gone from saying "may God" to "God has". God has brought him through all the struggles and he is now finally on the other side. It is a wondeful moment in life when we get to see how far the Lord has a brought us. We can look back and say "in that moment, Lord, you provided. In that moment you provided. In that moment you carried me and now I am here. My life is filled with Your blessing. There is nothing more that I need." Those moments are worth all the sufferings because we finally understand what it means to say "God is good."

7 For the king trusts in the LORD;
through the unfailing love of the Most High
he will not be shaken.

The hardest thing I have found is to trust someone when we don't know the outcome. There are times I have had to hand over my most precious possession to starngers - my passport. Without it I can't go home. Without it I can't leave. I can't stay here without a stamp in it. Without it I cease to be a cotizen of Australia. In fact right now it is in the hands of immigration. It is hard to trust. It is also hard to trust in God. We can't see what tomorrow brings. We can't see His plans. However, we need to trust Him. It is what makes us stronger. It is what makes able to overcome.


8 Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies;
your right hand will seize your foes.
9 When you appear for battle,
you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath,
and his fire will consume them.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their posterity from mankind.
11 Though they plot evil against you
and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs
when you aim at them with drawn bow. 13 Be exalted in your strength, LORD;
we will sing and praise your might.

I will sing of the Lord's praise because He is worthy of it. He is my defender. He will conquer. He is able to do all things. He is worthy of my praise. He is worthy of me taking time out to talk with Him. He deserves my time and attention because He is with me through all the hard times. He is my King. He is my God, He is my friend. He is my father. He is everythng to me and I need to show it.

Psalm 22

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.

Jesus cired this out and so did David. Have you? Sometimes we just don't understand why we have to go through the suffering facing us. The choice we have is whether we trust the Lord or not. It is easier to go though suffering with the Lord.

3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

God has proven His trust worthiness. He is the King on high. He has provided for the people in the past and He will provide for you.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
“let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

Before you were born the Lord has a plan for you. Before you were born you belonged to God. God has proven His love for us. There will be times when people lead you to second guess who you are in the Lord but know that you have always belonged to the Lord. He has guided you since before you were born.

11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment. 19 But you, LORD, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.

Have you ever felt so scared that you thought that you were going to die? Have you ever felt so fearful that you wouldn't make it through? There are times that we are unsure, that we think that it would be easier to not to go on. Jesus felt the same way. He didn't want to do what He knew He had to. He prayed that the Lord would take away the cup that He had to drink from. He prayed that the Lord would provide Him a different path. But God asked Him to do it and He did it. It wasn't easy but He knew that His strength was in His Father. Don't forget that we can have the Spirit, the same Strength, the same Father that Jesus has.

20 Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.

God deserves our praise! Why? Because He will never leave nor forsake us. He has never turned His back on us. So keep praising Him! Even though it may hurt now, He is worthy of praise. He will provide so continue to praise and sing! Shout for joy for He is and will be with you.


25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations. 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!

The Lord will be known throughout the world. Everyone will know Him. The future will know of Him, the past knew of Him and we in the present have the choice to know Him now or not. But there will come a time when you will have no choice but to acknowledge Him. Which way do you choose?

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.

Why does God do all that He does for me? Because He is who He is. He can't stop being God. There is nothing that can prevent Him from guiding me, giving me peace and refreshing me. He is all I need because He is who He is.

4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

I love that goodness and mercy will follow me. It is not my guide but it is behind me. Sometimes it catches up to me but most of the time it is just a few steps away. I don't do what I do because of the goodness and mercy that I see coming from my next endeavour but when I need it it God will provide it. God is leading me but sometimes I don't feel that way. Feelings are fleeting. They come and they go but the Lord is with me forever.

Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.
1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters.

Here is the truth - I own nothing. I can lay claim to half a car that is in Dili. Well it is not in my name but I paid half for it. I should be proud but it has trouble with its gears, And I am not sure it can take you up a mountain. Dili is kind of flat. I have a computer and a degree. And ummm.... yeah. That is about all of me. On the other hand God has everything. He made, created, established, owns the world. Including me. I feel a little insecure right now.

Why is this so important right now? My boss keeps asking me what I am doing next year! I mean next year as in 7 months away. He wants me to tell him if I am going to stay or leave. Today I had to email him. So I thought about. I own nothing. I have nothing. What is it that I want? All these insecurites started to play around in my head. I can keep my job, keep working here and earning money so I can finally start having all the things that I don't have. But the truth is I don't really need it all. My Father has everything I need. I can ask of Him and I shall receive. It may not have been the best decision but I have peace in it - I told my boss I am not going to be staying here. My God is able to provide for me. And what does He want from me? To do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with Him all the days of my life.


3 Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swear by a false god. 5 They will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God their Savior.

You know it is funny. You never really know that you have an idol until it is taken away. I had always thought I had a drive to be something bigger and better than what I am. I always thought that if I just studies harder, or did a different thing, or had something else, a different vision, I might be more successful. I always wanted to be something better than I am. That recently got challenged in me. My blessing is not found in my success but in my willingness to be all that God wants me to be. At the moment - this is it. I feel very blessed.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, God of Jacob.
7 Lift up your heads, you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD Almighty—
he is the King of glory.

Psalm 25

Of David.

1 In you, LORD my God,
I put my trust.
2 I trust in you;
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.
4 Show me your ways, LORD,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, LORD, are good.

Dear Lord God,

You are my hope and my trust. Who do I have other than You? Who can answer my calls and uphold me in my sorrow? Who has a plan for my future? Who knows the very depths of me. There is only You. Only You can do all of this. Only You answer me I cry and lift me up in times of pain. There is no hope in life without You. There is nothing I have that can save me. There is nothing I can do without You. You will never shame me. I am never lost when You are near.

My Lord God, show me how to be all that You have made me to be. Though I have not always followed Your path, forgive me for my foolishness. I know now that I am nothing, I have nothing without You. Show me Your ways in this world. Show me Your love. For You have never changed. Your love is, was and forever shall be. Your mercy flows through my life. Lord, You are good to me. My life is good because of You.

Lord, I pray this for You are my everything.
8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

Lord, I am not sure where I am going or how I am going to get there. All I know is that I am with You. You are the path that I am travelling. You are the guide showing me the way. You are the place I want to be. Show me Your ways. Instruct me in Your ways. Teach me, O Lord, that I may be like You. For You are faithful and loving to me.

11 For the sake of your name, LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
12 Who, then, are those who fear the LORD?
He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,
and their descendants will inherit the land.
14 The LORD confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Lord, forgive me all that I have done. When I have fallen away from Your path and turned my eyes away from You. Forgive me when the world seemed to offer me more than You and I forgot to trust in You. Lord, in the times that I have lost my hope in You, please forgive me. For I know that You will release me from the sin that captures me. My eyes are on You and not on this world. Forgive me Lord.


16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart
and free me from my anguish.
18 Look on my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.
19 See how numerous are my enemies
and how fiercely they hate me! 20 Guard my life and rescue me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.

Lord, You know where I am and how I live. You know the troubles that surround me everyday and my enemies that hound my days. Lord, conquer the fears in my heart and free me from the anguish that plagues my days. Lord, You are my refuge. You are my strength. Rescue me and guard my life. Protect me, O Lord, so that I may walk in Your ways.

21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope, LORD, is in you.
22 Deliver Israel, O God,
from all their troubles!

My hope is in You Lord. I love You and I thank You for all that You have done, are doing and will do in my life.

Psalm 26

Of David.
1 Vindicate me, LORD,
for I have led a blameless life;
I have trusted in the LORD
and have not faltered.
2 Test me, LORD, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;
3 for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love
and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.

I have lived me life relying on many things but have I relied on the Lord's faithfulness? Do I always think of God's unfailing love towards me? I have struggled through many things and most of the time I rely and think about other things.


4 I do not sit with the deceitful,
nor do I associate with hypocrites.
5 I abhor the assembly of evildoers
and refuse to sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence,
and go about your altar, LORD,
7 proclaiming aloud your praise
and telling of all your wonderful deeds.
8 LORD, I love the house where you live,
the place where your glory dwells.
9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
my life with those who are bloodthirsty,
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 I lead a blameless life;
deliver me and be merciful to me. 12 My feet stand on level ground;
in the great congregation I will praise the LORD.

All that I am, all that I ever shall be is the Lord's. I will live my days dwelling in is majesty. That is enough for me.

Keri said:

Verse 4 really has been crucial in my life this last year or two. I've gotten rid of the negative, hypocritical, and depressing people in my life. Some think that I'm harsh and judgmental but there are verses to back up not associating ourselves with the wicked.

Click to expand...

Yes, Keri, I understand that. I have had many friends that I have had to turn my back on or limit my time with because of attitude and lifestyle they portray. I think that when we put God first we are able to see those who draw us close to Him and those who are dragging us away, and then actually do something about it. It may not be the most popular of decision but it is one that keeps us walk closely with God and that is far more important.

Blessings!

Psalm 27

Of David.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

I am scared of many things but I am not justified in my fear. It is not rational. If I truely believe that the Lord is greater than all things then I have to love a life without fear. The Lord is my salvation and my strength. He is my protector and my hope. There is nothing I can fear because I always have Him when I need Him.

2 When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.

How confident are you that you can do all the things that are layed out in front of you? How confident are you that you are exactly where you need to be? How confident are you that you are "enough" and there is nothing more that you need to prove? I have struggled with self doubt. I have struggled with the though that I have to be someone better than I am. I struggled with feelings of emptiness and anxiety about my future. But now I am confident. I am who I am meant to be. I am all the Lord wants of me and everyday I step put confident that there is nothing more required of me than to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with my God.
4 One thing I ask from the LORD,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.

I sought many things in this world - a husband, a better job, a house of my own, a lifestyle that I want (and others would be jelaous of) but I know that it will never be enough. This is all I need - to live with the Lord, to dwell in His house, to be part of His family. That should be all that I ever need.

5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.

6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7 Hear my voice when I call, LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
Which direction are you going? Where are you headed? Is it the way of the Lord? I teach students and know that sometimes I struggle to learn the same lessons I teach them. But I know, in all things, that the Lord is my teacher. Though I may not always see, and I may get lost at times, He is always ready to take me back into His arms and teach me one more time.

13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

These are 2 of my favourite verses of all time. Whenever I can't see the Lord's will in my life, whenever I think there was a road that would have been better to travel, whenever I think the Lord has left me here in the midst of my suffering, this is what I remember. It may not happen in my timing but it will happen. I am waiting on the Lord. I am waiting on His righteousness. I am waiting and I am confident that I am not forgotten. I am confident that this too shall come to pass and the Lord will fill my life with His love. I know who I am in Christ. I know that He has a plan. I have a hope and a faith that I am confident in.

Psalm 28

Of David.
1 To you, LORD, I call;
you are my Rock,
do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
I will be like those who go down to the pit.

The Lord is my rock. He is my foundation. There are going to be times when I feel like I have failed. There are going to be times when I feel like my world is falling apart. There are going to be times when I feel like there is nothing left but the Rock underneath my feet. I know those moments and I am thankful for that solid Rock.

2 Hear my cry for mercy
as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your Most Holy Place.

Dear Lord, Hear my cry for help. I have failed. I have tried but I have failed. I lift my hands to you and ask your forgiveness. I have tried to do so much by myself thinking that I could do it on my own but I can't. I failed to study alone, I have failed to work alone. I am not sure anymore but I pray Lord that You will shine Your mercy on me. Forgive me for my focus has been on me. Show me Your ways, I want to walk humbly with You. I want to do what You want me to do. I want to see Your path and Your direction for my life. Lord, I lift my hands up to You and offer You my life. Lord, all I am is in You. Failing has made me see that. I need you.


3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
but harbor malice in their hearts.
4 Repay them for their deeds
and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done
and bring back on them what they deserve.
5 Because they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD
and what his hands have done,
he will tear them down
and never build them up again.
6 Praise be to the LORD,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him. 8 The LORD is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
9 Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Lord, tomorrow is a new day in You. I thank you that You have poured Your mercy on my life and that I will be able to see You in all that I do. I am thankful that there is a way through all of this - Your way. I know that You have a plan for me and that I don't have to work alone on it. Thank you that You have renewed my joy and trust. For the longest time I was scared that I didn't know where You wanted me to be. Now I know - I am exactly where I am meant to be. Thank you Lord that You have carried me thus far. You have guided me and upheld me whenever I needed to be. Lord, thank you that your blessing is upon us all, now and forever more.