May 19
________________________________________
PSALM 27 LOOK UPON THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”
9 Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.
13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
– Psalm 27:7-14
________________________________________
I SEEK THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD by ILMA
O my Lord, I cry out loud for your grace and response to my plea
I seek your presence O God; In spirit, I long to see your face
Though I cannot see you with my eyes, I ask you to be with me
Help me as many plots have come my way from the enemy
Even my own family and loved one have left me on my own
But I know that you are faithful and will never leave me all alone.
I believe that your goodness will always manifest in our lives
I will patiently wait on you Lord; you are my salvation and my light
Do not let me be overcome by evil and lead me to the right path
Keep me strong and let me trust you more when I am down
My Lord, you are my priority, let that be manifest in my life
I will seek the Lord alone; I will worship him with all heart.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What did David mean when he said “Your face Lord, do I seek in verse 8?
• What did verse 10 means when he said that his parents have forsaken him?
• How often do you seek the presence of the Lord in your life?
Monthly Archives: May 2022
PSALM 27 WHOM SHALL I FEAR?
May 18
________________________________________
PSALM 27 WHOM SHALL I FEAR?
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?
2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD, all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD. – Psalm 27:1-6
________________________________________
THE LORD IS MY LIGHT & MY SALVATION by ILMA
Since I serve the Lord, He is my light and my salvation
There is nothing in this world to be fearful or anxious about
Whenever the enemy spits their venom on the righteous
The Lord will ensure his people are aware and cautious
Though the devil relentlessly attacks here and there
I will not be afraid; I will gaze on the Lord’s beauty
He will hide me in his sanctuary during times of troubles
He will watch over me, protect and encamp angels around me
The Lord is my fortress; no schemes of the devil will prosper
He will lift me up and ensure that I am out of danger
I will sing and praise the Lord with shouts of joy
He alone can deliver me; I offer him my heart and soul.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why should a believer not be habitually fearful?
• What should we do when we are pressed down by the enemy and feel crushed?
PSALM 113 WHO IS LIKE THE LORD OUR GOD?
May 17
________________________________________
PSALM 113 WHO IS LIKE THE LORD OUR GOD?
Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD!
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!
4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the LORD! – Psalm 113:1-9
________________________________________
WHY PRAISE GOD FOREVER by ILMA
There is only one true God, the Lord Almighty Father
He made heaven and earth and all things for his purpose
He made the sun and the moon, the day and the night
It is only fitting to praise him at sunrise and at moonlight
Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high?
He will always be there for his people when they need him
The Lord is the only one who can speak life to his creation
He also is the only one who can bring destruction
Give him all your blessings for he is steadfast in his love
He is patient and generous to forgive our misdeeds and wrongs
He is in control of all things and whatever he pleases, he does
When he closes a door for you, no one else can open it
He is generous to give and never gives up on his children.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is praising God very important in a believer’s life? Share some reasons why you need to give God glory?
PSALM 73 GOD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY HEART
May 16
________________________________________
PSALM 73 GOD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY HEART
20 Like a dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works. – Psalm 73:20-28
________________________________________
THOSE WHO ARE UNFAITHFUL SHALL PERISH by ILMA
O Lord you are so faithful and continue to hold me close
You constantly guide those who lovingly serve you
Without your counsel, I will not understand things
The wicked continue to attack and wallow in sin
Let me stand on your promise of deliverance
Keep my eyes focused on your steadfast love
You are faithful to give protection to your children
The enemy seems to flourish with their wickedness
Lord, I plead you to protect and deliver your people
Let the unfaithful perish and stop all their schemes
Put an end to all those who do not serve and believe
I am grateful for your promises and I humbly receive.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What should we do whenever we are almost feeling defeated by the enemy’s attacks?
PSALM 73 UNTIL I WENT TO GOD’S SANCTUARY
May 15
________________________________________
PSALM 73 UNTIL I WENT TO GOD’S SANCTUARY
13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean
and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all the day long I have been stricken
and rebuked every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their end.
18 Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment,
swept away utterly by terrors! – Psalm 73:13-19
________________________________________
DISCERNMENT COMES ONLY FROM GOD by ILMA
When you seek the Lord your God, your view changes
You begin to discern things you never used to see before
The world dictates different standards and priorities
Through the Word, we can observe what belongs to worldly systems
Do not be envious of those who live following this world
Be transformed by the renewal of your mind through God’s word.
All you people of God, set your mind on heavenly things
Gather riches in heaven so you can overcome sin
Feed on the Word constantly and discern what is good and evil
It is the only way we can align our hearts with God and beat the devil
Wear the armor of God so you can fight all the tactics of the enemy
Discernment comes only from the Lord; run to God’s sanctuary.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is discernment only possible when we feed on God’s word?
• How can we grow the gift of discernment in our lives as believers?
PSALM 73 THE WICKED IS ALWAYS AT EASE
May 14
________________________________________
PSALM 73 THE WICKED IS ALWAYS AT EASE
Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.
10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.
11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. – Psalm 73:1-12
________________________________________
ON THE FATE OF THE WICKED AND THE PURE IN HEART by ILMA
The Lord is good and blesses those who are pure in heart
He also makes the sun rise on both the evil and the upright
The Lord also sends rain both on the just and the unjust
But he blesses the meek for they will inherit the earth.
It may seem that the wicked are enjoying their lives
But they will account for every word that they speak
Their homes may be full of riches and wealth
But their spirits may be suffering and in ill health.
The pure in heart may not have any comforts in this world
They have the fruits of the Spirit and have God’s word
So, do not envy the wicked who are seemingly wealthy
They are lacking in riches that are required to enter heaven.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think Asaph seemed to be envious of the wealth and health of the wicked in the following passages?
• What do you think is going on in your heart if you have this kind of envy towards the comforts and riches of the unrighteous?
PSALM 44 REDEEM US FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR STEADFAST LOVE
May 13
________________________________________
PSALM 44 REDEEM US FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR STEADFAST LOVE
18 Our heart has not turned back,
nor have our steps departed from your way;
19 yet you have broken us in the place of jackals
and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 would not God discover this?
For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
24 Why do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
our belly clings to the ground.
26 Rise up; come to our help!
Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love! – Psalm 44:18-26
________________________________________
GOD KNOWS THE SECRETS OF THE HEART! by ILMA
Lord, why have you not come to my aide
You know every secret of my heart
We are bowed down by too much pain and affliction
Why do you allow your people to go through oppression?
Lord, you are the only one who completely know me
Rise up, come and help me from all of the attacks of the enemy
Do not let another day of evil consume my life
I want to live only for you and be your shining light
Remove all hardness in my heart and let it be like your own
Give me courage and peace to live my life for you alone.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is being secretive to God counter productive for Christians?
• How can we seek God’s own heart like David did?
PSALM 44 LIKE SHEEP FOR SLAUGHTER
May 12
________________________________________
PSALM 44 LIKE SHEEP FOR SLAUGHTER
7 But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually,
and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah
9 But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies.
10 You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil.
11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them.
13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
the derision and scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face
16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you,
and we have not been false to your covenant. – Psalm 44:7-17
________________________________________
ON BEING RIDICULED AND DISGRACED by ILMA
When you are being ridiculed, do not agonize
Remember that Jesus’ was mocked by the Pharisees
Like sheep being led for slaughter, he didn’t say a word
He silently took all the taunting of this cruel world.
When you are being disgraced and made a laughingstock
Recall how many times Christ was whipped, tortured and spat on
Continue to endure the adversities you go through in life
It will bring you strength and your faith will shine like a light.
Press on to the progress you have already made
You won’t be given anything you can’t handle
The Lord our God has his purpose for letting you suffer
Be strong and firm in trusting him and do not cower.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it important to cry out to God when you are being ridiculed or disgraced?
• What must we do when we are discouraged by persecution or being mocked?
PSALM 44 THROUGH YOU LORD WE PUSH DOWN OUR FOES
May 11
________________________________________
PSALM 44 THROUGH YOU LORD WE PUSH DOWN OUR FOES
O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free;
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm,
and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.
4 You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 Through you we push down our foes;
through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me. – Psalm 44:1-3
________________________________________
THE LORD GIVES; THE LORD TAKES by ILMA
All you people of God, you have heard of all his majestic work long ago
Remember to declare his goodness and steadfast love to the world
When you face all kinds of trials and sufferings, you are not alone
When you win battles and attacks of the enemy it’s not your own
The Lord gives whatever pleases him; he also takes it at his discretion
Never forget that everything comes from the Lord, have no illusions.
The Lord’s ways are not our ways; we can’t always comprehend His plans
Trust only in God so you will be able to follow his will and his ways
Our strength and victory only come from the Lord; do not boast
Do not take credit for everything that you achieve, it is not yours
The Lord gives and the Lord takes when the timing is right
Keep your eyes focused on Christ so you won’t lose sight.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How can we avoid taking credit for anything we do since the Lord owns everything anyway and he is the Master and Maker of all things?
• How can we develop the habit of making God increase and us decrease mentioned in John 3:30?
PSALM 31 THE GOD WHO HEARS OUR PLEAS FOR MERCY
May 10
________________________________________
PSALM 31 THE GOD WHO HEARS OUR PLEAS FOR MERCY
21 Blessed be the LORD,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm,
“I am cut off from your sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
when I cried to you for help.
23 Love the LORD, all you his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful
but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the LORD! – Psalm 31:21-24
________________________________________
THE LORD PRESERVES THE FAITHFUL & REPAYS THE PROUD by ILMA
To our gracious and generous Lord,
Let all praise and glory be to him
The Lord preserves the faithful
He repays the proud who constantly sins.
Our Lord hears the upright when they plead
When they cry out for help, he listens and heeds
Be strong all you faithful servants of the Lord
Let your heart take courage as you face this world.
To all the saints, love the Lord with all your strength
Our gracious God will give you your needs and keep you well
He will deliver you from the proud and the wicked
He will raise them up just like Christ was risen.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it important for us to ensure that we look up the cross and reflect on Christ’s resurrection when we feel discouraged and down?
• What promise of God is stressed on this psalm and why do we need to hold on to that?