March 21
________________________________________
PSALM 132
Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the LORD and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!”
8 Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
– Psalm 132:1-10
________________________________________
PSALM 132 UNTIL GOD IS WORSHIPPED AND HE DWELLS IN US
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
In the midst of life, am I prioritizing the worship of my Lord?
Or am I so enmeshed and distracted by the systems of the world?
Does my heart and mind seek him first in all that I say and do?
Or am I constantly engrossed with selfish pursuits and idols?
Deliver me Lord from the sin that easily crops up in me
I have this tendency to make my life comfortable and easy
Take it away from me, so I can live to serving you only
Keep my eyes focused on your truth so that I can be holy.
I will not stop until you increase and I decrease
Remind me that I am strong especially in my weakness
Let me praise and glorify your holy name all of my life
Never let me be oppressed by the enemy, give me light.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What traits of David was clearly displayed in this psalm?
• Why is it important for us to seek God first in all things?
Monthly Archives: March 2023
PSALM 131 CALM & QUIET MY SOUL O LORD
March 20
________________________________________
PSALM 131
O LORD, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, hope in the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore.
– Psalm 131:1-3
________________________________________
PSALM 131 CALM & QUIET MY SOUL O LORD
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
O Lord, without your steadfast love and forgiveness
I will continue to struggle with my sinfulness
Forgive me when I am overcome with haughtiness
Make me aware of all my transgressions and weaknesses
I have committed to follow your ways all the days of my life
Yet, I find myself being tempted to follow my cravings and desires
Show me each time I walk the path of darkness; shine your light on me
Do not let me be fearful of things that are uncomfortable and ugly.
Grant me a calm and quiet spirit and expose all lusts that entices me
Discipline me but be gracious to me when I become weak
Each time I am oppressed and minimized, give me patience
Wean me from anything that doesn’t show your magnificence
Calm and quiet my soul as it goes through waves of varying emotions
Only in you, O Lord can I be assured of peace and salvation
Let me be still and know that you are the only One in control
Keep my eyes focused on you and let me walk only in your ways.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What can make our souls out of control and unwell?
PSALM 130 MY SOUL WAITS ON YOUR GRACE AND MERCY
March 19
________________________________________
PSALM 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope; 6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
– Psalm 130:1-8
________________________________________
PSALM 130 MY SOUL WAITS ON YOUR GRACE AND MERCY
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
O Lord, out of my anguish and misery, I ask for your mercy
Grant my soul forgiveness, for I have been such a sinner
Out of your steadfast love, you have not punished me accordingly
My soul waits on your grace so I can repent and turn my back on sin.
My hope is on you alone; I am wretched on my own
I cry out to you; please pour out your mercy on my poor soul
Redeem me from all my natural tendencies and iniquities
Give me a heart that longs for you always and completely.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it essential to believers to constantly examine their hearts and humbly ask for God’s grace and mercy?
• What happens when we do not reflect on God’s generous grace and mercy?
PSALM 129 THE LORD HAS CUT THE CORDS OF THE WICKED
March18
________________________________________
PSALM 129
“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”- let Israel now say-
2 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.”
4 The LORD is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backward!
6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8 nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the LORD be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the LORD!”
– Psalm 129:1-4
________________________________________
PSALM 129 THE LORD HAS CUT THE CORDS OF THE WICKED
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Remember what the Lord has done for his people time and again
If you do not forget such wonderful deeds, you’ll have a lot of gain
You may not be free from corruption as you live in this world
But God has exposed all their wickedness through his word
Man’s nature is sinful but there is hope in the Risen Christ
If you believe in Jesus, you will overcome evil and have life.
It may not seem so bright as you are amongst the wicked
But remember that the Lord has already cut their cords
The blessings of the Lord is upon all those who love him
They are protected and have the answer to win over sin
Praise the Lord who has faithfully provided all your needs
Do not worry or be anxious, remember all his good deeds.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it important to recall God’s wonderful deeds as we live in this world?
PSALM 128 BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO WALK IN GOD’S WAYS
March 17
________________________________________
PSALM 128
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the LORD.
5 The LORD bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
6 May you see your children’s children!
Peace be upon Israel! – Psalm 128:1-6
________________________________________
PSALM 128 BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO WALK IN GOD’S WAYS
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
When you serve the Lord, you will be blessed with bounty
There will be enough and more for yourself and your family
Blessed is everyone who walks in the ways of the Lord
They will be protected from the evil and chaos of this world
For each person who fears the Lord, blessings will flourish
They will be like a fruitful vine that gives yield to much harvest
There’ll be an overflow of offspring to the parents who serve God
Their love for the Lord will shine his light, his truth and his word
Blessed are all the humble and those who fear the Lord
For they will experience an overflow of spiritual growth
Discernment will thrive for all those who are righteous
For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What is the greatest blessing you can take away from this psalm?
PSALM 127 THE VANITY OF ANXIOUS TOIL & THE VALUE OF REST
March 16
________________________________________
PSALM 127
Unless the LORD builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
– Psalm 127:1-5
________________________________________
PSALM 127 THE VANITY OF ANXIOUS TOIL & THE VALUE OF REST
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
All the things man does to labor only matters if God approves
We can plan to build and do things, but it may not pull through
We can work hours and hours to ensure we have what we want
But unless the Lord is glorified by our works, it is all vanity that we do
God created a day of rest so that man can honor its worth
To devoid oneself of this “rest” is to lead to a life of chaos.
To work without pause is like beating up your own bodies
It is vanity to toil anxiously without the benefit of rest
It is in the stillness of sleep that our minds and bodies get refreshed
Without such rest, we will all be constantly anxious and depressed
Remember that God created in six days and rested one day
He also wants us to honor the value of resting in his grace.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think that a majority of people are sleep and rest deprived today?
PSALM 126 TO THOSE WHO SOW IN TEARS
March 15
________________________________________
PSALM 126
When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.
4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
– Psalm 126:1-6
________________________________________
PSALM 126 TO THOSE WHO SOW IN TEARS
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
To those who are weeping and suffering, there is hope in the Lord
God restores you when you have lost something or someone in this world
Though it seems bleak and dreary when you’re undergoing harsh conditions
Do not despair, the Lord never leaves you, he knows what you are going through
When you lose something precious to you, remember how God delivered his people
Their freedom and source of income were compromised under the Egyptians.
But the Lord restored their fortunes and brought them out of the land of Egypt
He can also heal you and make you recover from all the pain of such adversities
Rejoice when you are suffering right now, for you will produce steadfastness
And when steadfastness has its full effect, you’ll be complete, lacking in nothing
Let us all praise the Lord who promised that one day, there’ll be no more tears
No more sorrow and death, but a life eternal that has no place for pain and fears.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What’s the promise of God for all those who sow tears according to this psalm?
PSALM 125 THE LORD SURROUNDS HIS PEOPLE
March 14
________________________________________
PSALM 125
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
the LORD will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel! -Psalm 125:1-5
________________________________________
PSALM 125 THE LORD SURROUNDS HIS PEOPLE
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Serve the Lord your God with all your heart and you will be glad
The Lord surrounds his saints with his angels and his steadfast love
You will find refuge though you are in the midst of trials
Protection is what he promised to all those who’ll stay faithful.
Like a fortress, you will find safety and assurance from the Lord
He is your stronghold, stay pure and be unstained by this corrupt world
The Lord will set apart the godly for himself, you will be guarded
When they are amongst the saints, God pulls out all the wicked.
Keep your mind focused on his word and meditate on it day and night
It helps you to examine the mindsets that can creep in your heart
The word of God will expose evil and guide you to do what’s right
Use this weapon to ward off all wickedness, so you can stay in the light.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How comforting it is for you to know that the Lord surrounds his people?
PSALM 124 WITH GOD’S HELP WE CAN ESCAPE THE SNARE
March 13
________________________________________
PSALM 124
If it had not been the LORD who was on our side-let Israel now say-
2 if it had not been the LORD who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth!
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken, and we have escaped!
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
– Psalm 124:1-8
________________________________________
PSALM 124 WITH GOD’S HELP WE CAN ESCAPE THE SNARE
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
The prince of this world has laid down vicious traps
It is set so that believers cannot progress in their faith
The enemy’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy our peace and joy
He is the master manipulator, so let’s continue to rely only on the Lord.
Our Father in heaven has given us a tool to discern subtle evil ways
He gave us the word so we can clearly see what goes on in the spirit realm
With God’s help, those snares can be easily detected and we can escape it
We need to stay faithful to serve the one who can rescue and protect us.
Praise be to the Lord who has promised us deliverance and protection
He is steadfast in his love and never leaves us during all kinds of temptations
Come close to God and he will draw near to you all the days of your life
Our help is in him alone, we will be defeated by evil if we fail to see his light.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What happens if we rely on ourselves to escape the traps that the enemy plots against us?
PSALM 123 DELIVERANCE FROM SCORN & CONTEMPT
March 12
________________________________________
PSALM 123
To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
till he has mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than enough
of the scorn of those who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.
– Psalm 123:1-4
________________________________________
PSALM 123 DELIVERANCE FROM SCORN & CONTEMPT
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
O Lord, I plead you to hear my prayer for deliverance
Have mercy on us because pride and arrogance are in abundance
Give me discernment to recognize the subtle and deceiving ways
You hate all evildoers and the boastful shall not stand before your eyes
There are so much scornful and disapproving eyes around me
Give me wisdom to keep my eyes focused on your grace and mercy.
Let me not get sucked into their deceitful ways, keep me pure
My Lord and Master, let me know how I can stay faithful
Grant me courage not to go with the norm but only with your word
Allow me to be brave to expose the darkness and corruption of this world
Let your Holy Spirit never leave me nor forsake me specially when I am attacked
I lean and rely only on you my Lord and Savior; deliver me from the proud.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What do you think verse 4 mean when it points to “the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud”?