April 21
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PSALM 145
14 The LORD upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
– Psalm 145:14-21
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PSALM 145 GOD FULFILLS THE DESIRE OF THOSE WHO FEAR HIM
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Revere the Lord your God for he is kind and merciful
He is there when you call and he answers your prayers
The Lord is near to those who love and fear him
He will not let you down if you repent of your sin.
When you run to the Lord, he will protect and deliver you
He is generous to provide for all the needs of those who stay true
God fulfills the desire of those who fear him and obey his laws
Praise the Lord who keeps his promises and listens to the cries of his saints.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think some of our desires are not fulfilled by God?
• Verse 20 says God will destroy the wicked, how come some of them are prospering in their pursuits instead of being ruined?
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PSALM 79 LET YOUR COMPASSION COME SPEEDILY LORD
March 5
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PSALM 79 LET YOUR COMPASSION COME SPEEDILY LORD
8 Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake! 10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes! 11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die! 12 Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord! 13 But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise. – Psalm 79:8-13
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LET YOUR LOVINGKINDNESS COME QUICKLY LORD! by ILMA
Lord, do not take against us the sins of our past
Instead, let your lovingkindness come quickly to us
For the sake of your glory, compensate for our sins
Only your mercy can deliver us from this and win.
Lord, have compassion on your faithful servants
Deliver us from all those who mock and taunt us
Help us, O Lord, so your name will be honored
Let the death of those who serve you bring you glory.
Let the groanings of those who are suffering reach you
Let all the prisoners come before you and be assured
Enlighten all those who struggle to live and see truth
Give them wisdom to focus their eye only on you.
We give you thanks for all your steadfast love and mercy
Let us never stray from your path and rescue us quickly
Each time we fall, let your Spirit correct us and lead us back
Give us grace to love others and never ever go astray.
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REFLECTION
• Why did the psalmist emphasize the importance of recounting God’s deeds in our lives and pass it on from generation to generation?
• Why is thankfulness an essential part of worship?
PSALM 17 PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE AND TO BECOME MORE LIKE GOD
January 28
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PSALM 17 PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE AND TO BECOME MORE LIKE GOD
Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2 From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right! 3 You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. 6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,9 from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me. 10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.11 They have now surrounded our steps; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.12 He is like a lion eager to tear, as a young lion lurking in ambush.13 Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by
your sword,14 from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants.15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness. – Psalm 17:1-15
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This psalm is an individual lament of David, much like Psalm 7. Both have the same theme in which a person considers himself unjustly accused of wrong. This is a prayer for vindication. It is a prayer of someone very confident of his standing with the Lord and an expose of David’s honest heart. The first line pronounces that David won’t come to the Lord, unless he was pure in his heart. He continues to enumerate how faithful he had been to his master. He had followed his path and have evaded any evil act.
Verses 6-8 shifts to declaring God’s promises and trait. He knew that his Lord will answer him because he had responded to God as He requires of him. He also mentions God’s steadfast love and reminds God of his claim on him, that he was the apple of His eyes. In verses 10-12, David tells the Lord how the enemy was accusing him and attacking like a lion would want to tear his prey. Then David closes in verses 13-15 by reminding God of his promise of deliverance to his people. He ends the psalm with a confident trust and hope that when he awakes, he will become more like his Lord.
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REFLECTION
• Why do humans often forget to pray to become more and more like the Lord?