October 31
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PSALM 68 BLESSED BE THE LORD WHO DAILY BEARS US UP
11 The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a great host:
12 “The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”
The women at home divide the spoil—13 though you men lie among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold.
14 When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalmon.
15 O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
at the mount that God desired for his abode, yes, where the LORD will dwell forever?
17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands;
the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
18 You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train
and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious,
that the LORD God may dwell there.19 Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD,
the Lord, belong deliverances from death. – Psalm 68:11-20
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
When you are troubled and discouraged, run to the throne of God
The Lord gives his word; it enlightens and guides your path
What life brings may seem like a heavy burden
But the Lord bears us up in all our struggles
Praise the Lord in his holy dwelling; he is our God of salvation
He alone is in control of everything in all his creation.
Blessed be the Lord, who daily guides and protects us
He never fails to provide for all our needs and for our growth
He gives us the ability to overcome all challenges
He is also the one who transforms and makes us courageous
Give your Lord all the thanksgiving and honor he so deserves
He is full of mercy and will never turn his back on his people.
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REFLECTION
• How is looking up to God the only solution to all our struggles?
Monthly Archives: October 2022
PSALM 68 THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE JUBILANT WITH JOY
October 30
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PSALM 68 THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE JUBILANT WITH JOY
God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;
and those who hate him shall flee before him!
2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire,
so the wicked shall perish before God!
3 But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God;
they shall be jubilant with joy! 4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the LORD; exult before him!
5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.
6 God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
7 O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness, Selah
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
you restored your inheritance as it languished; 10 your flock found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. – Psalm 68:1-10
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
The way of the righteous is always blessed by the Lord
The Lord is faithful to reward those who go against the world
They will have an abundance and they will never perish
They view things with much gratitude and they flourish
The upright is always rejoicing in the Lord who provides all their needs
They do not rely on their own strength but only on God’s Spirit
Come together, all you people of God and praise him
He is the only dwelling place that your sins can be cleansed
Rejoice in the Lord and your hearts will be overflowing
Give the Lord all your attention and you will be abounding.
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REFLECTION
• Why is a glum and depressed Christian an oxymoron?
PSALM 67 MAY GOD GRACIOUSLY SHINE HIS FACE UPON US
October 29
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PSALM 67 MAY GOD GRACIOUSLY SHINE HIS FACE UPON US
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
6 The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.7 God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him! – Psalm 67:1-6
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Hear O Lord our exaltation to your name most holy
You have made all things so you will be given all the glory
Show yourself in all your creation so all the people will praise you
They will magnify your works that are unparalleled with any other gods
Let all the nations sing joyfully and give the Lord thanksgiving
Without his steadfast love, we will have nothing.
May God’s gracious face shine upon all his beloved people
May the Lord light the paths that we tread and keep us all faithful
May God bless us with much fervor and love for all that he cherishes
May all the ends of the earth see the Lord’s power and goodness
May his name be known throughout all the corners of the world
May his presence be felt especially amongst the oppressed and poor.
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REFLECTION
• What happens to us when we don’t long to have God’s face or presence shine upon us?
PSALM 66 WITH GOD COMES AN ABUNDANT PLACE
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October 28
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PSALM 66 WITH GOD COMES AN ABUNDANT PLACE
11 You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
12 you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you,
14 that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
19 But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me! – Psalm 66:11-20
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
The Lord is faithful to provide for all the needs of his people
A life without serving the Lord brings with it much trouble
Come, all you who love the Lord, praise him with all your heart
Offer your whole life to the Almighty One whose love is steadfast.
Cry out to the Lord for he will never give you a deaf ear
Do not let your sinfulness get in the way of serving God
Plead the Lord to give you a desire to follow his will
With God comes an abundant place to experience peace.
Blessed be the God who takes care of all his children
He will be the only one who can fulfill all their needs
Praise the Lord who knows you inside and out
With God you will be blissful and contended.
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REFLECTION
• What do you think is the difference between abundance from the world’s perspective and God’s own view?
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PSALM 66 LET THE SOUND OF YOUR PRAISE BE HEARD
October 27
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PSALM 66 LET THE SOUND OF YOUR PRAISE BE HEARD
Shout for joy to God, all the earth; 2 sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise! 3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.” Selah 5 Come and see what God has done:
he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,7who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations— let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard,
9 who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip.
10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.
– Psalm 66:1-10
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Shout out loud to sing praises to the only God who is powerful
He made all things on this earth so bright and beautiful
Let all his creation bow down to their wonderful Maker
Let all mankind worship God who makes enemies cower.
Clap your hands, rejoice and sing to your Lord and Master
Declare to everyone God’s amazing grace and power
He is Lord Almighty, he is our strength and our shield
Come and see what the Lord has done for mankind.
Our Lord God has tested us like silver is refined
He purifies our hearts and makes us shine
He keeps his people on a path towards heaven
Praise the name of the Lord who loves all his people.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to sing out loud your praise to the Lord?
• Can you praise and worship the Lord without uttering a word? Why or why not?
PSALM 65 THE OVERFLOWING LOVE OF THE LORD
October 26
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PSALM 65 THE OVERFLOWING LOVE OF THE LORD
Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.
2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.
3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.
4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;
6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;
7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,
8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.
9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water;
you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.
11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.
12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,
13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy. – Psalm 65:1-13
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
To you, my gracious and generous God, I shall bow down in awe
All praise and thanksgiving for your unconditional and steadfast love
When I am overcome with much sinfulness, you compensate for it
When I am in dire need of something, you are very quick to give
You made the heavens and the earth and everything on it
You can make anything just by opening your mouth and breathing
The whole creation speaks of your majesty and power
May all of these creatures give you all praise and honor
All things manifest your overflowing love, my Lord
Keep me always humble so I can give you all the glory.
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REFLECTION
• How has God manifested his overflowing love for you?
• Why is it a good habit to magnify at God’s creation? What does that do for us?
PSALM 64 BROUGHT TO RUIN BY THEIR OWN TONGUES
October 25
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PSALM 64 BROUGHT TO RUIN BY THEIR OWN TONGUES
Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers,
3 who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows,
4 shooting from ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear.
5 They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, “Who can see them?” 6They search out injustice, saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.” For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep.
7 But God shoots his arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly.
8 They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them;
all who see them will wag their heads.9 Then all mankind fears;
they tell what God has brought about and ponder what he has done.
10 Let the righteous one rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him!
Let all the upright in heart exult! – Psalm 64:1-10
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
My Lord, hear my plea; free me from being fearful of the enemy
Nothing they do will ever harm me because you are my vindicator
There is a constant battle ongoing even if we do not see the foes
They are there to go against the righteousness of the Lord
The wicked pursue all forms of oppression and injustice
The righteous will always be protected by God’s righteousness.
Let all the godly ones prevail and be bold to proclaim the truth
Even though the enemy plots all kinds of acts against what is true
They will be brought to ruins by their own schemes and tongues
The Lord will never abandon his people; he gave them his own Son
Let all the upright and those who follow the Lord be assured
For they will always be led to do what is right and what is true.
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REFLECTION
• How are we assured by the psalmist about not fearing the unrighteous and the wicked schemes against God’s people?
• Why is it the tongue usually the culprit of evil?
PSALM 63 GOD’S STEADFAST LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
October 24
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PSALM 63 GOD’S STEADFAST LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,6 when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
9 But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult,
for the mouths of liars will be stopped. – Psalm 63:1-11
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
My Lord, fill up my life with your steadfast love and mercy
It will be an empty and vain life without your grace and blessings
My whole being thirsts for your presence and searches for it all the day long
Let a day never pass without your loving kindness so I can always be strong.
When I relied on the things and people around me, I was upset
But when I dwell on your faithfulness and glory, I found rest
O God, I praise and glorify you; your steadfast love is better than life
There is nothing better than your love and the gift to follow what is right.
My soul latches on to you for without you, I will be drowning
Grant me tranquillity to let go of all control and striving
Protect me from all those who seek to destroy me
I will forever serve you my Lord who is full of mercy.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think the psalmist think that God’s steadfast love is better than life itself?
PSALM 62 SET NOT YOUR HEART ON RICHES
October 23
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PSALM 62 SET NOT YOUR HEART ON RICHES
9 Those of low estate are but a breath;
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no trust in extortion;
set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
11 Once God has spoken;
twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
12 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
according to his work. – Psalm 62:9-12
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
All you people of God, do not be attached to your wealth
All the things we have are all coming from our gracious God
Do not put down those who are poor and lowly
They are blessed by the Lord, so treat them kindly.
If your wealth increases, do not set your heart on them
They are fleeting and when you die, you can’t bring it
Do not garner riches by stealing or extortion
The Lord hates any form of cheating or injustice.
Set not your heart on riches that are earthly
Instead, gather riches that are eternal and heavenly
Our earthly life is only temporary and just a stop over
The life to come is our destination and lasts forever.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think God doesn’t want us to set our hearts on earthly riches?
• What happens when we get so attached with the gifts that God gives us?
• What kind of riches should we focus on gathering instead of material wealth?
PSALM 62 POUR OUT YOUR HEART BEFORE GOD
October 22
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PSALM 62 POUR OUT YOUR HEART BEFORE GOD
For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him,
like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah
5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah – Psalm 62:1-8
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
All you people of God, praise him by waiting silently
He alone can save you and release you from slavery
There is no need to fear those who attacks all God’s people
For he delivers then all, he is their fortress and refuge.
Do not fear when the devil schemes against you
Pour out your hearts to the Lord, so he can make you new
He knows what you are going through; he is all powerful
Be vigilant to continue to be devoted and faithful.
The Lord is our strength and our solid foundation
Cling to him always and you will have your salvation
Trust him alone at all times, depend on his provision
Do not ever waver in your faith, for he is your redemption.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think God wants us to pour our hearts on him instead of whining and complaining to others?
• What is the value of opening up your hearts to your Lord?