February 3
________________________________________
MY SOUL WAITS FOR THE LORD
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! 2O 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
________________________________________
This psalm is an individual lament, expressing repentance and trust in God’s mercy. The psalmist reaches out from the depth of his agony. The plea for God to hear him is so marked in this cry for forgiveness. He recognizes his sinfulness and magnifies at how God could stand such sins he has committed, but also sees hope because he knows how great is God’s faithfulness and mercy. He waits on the Lord’s forgiveness after the acknowledgement of his sins with an expectancy that is such a picture of hope and new life.
________________________________________
ADORATION: You are the Maker of all things. Mercy and grace abound in you and you give it so generously to all your creation. Praise the Lord, he is all good and faithful.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I forget to magnify at the generosity of your heart and when I forget to bow down on my knees to ask forgiveness and depend on you.
THANKSGIVING: I am grateful for all that you are and all that you grant us. You fulfill all my needs.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers have a repentant heart and always hopefully wait on the Lord’s mercy whenever they recognize their sins.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How can we develop a heart that cries to God especially when we realize our sinfulness and pride?
• How is righteous lamenting different from condemning oneself when we are convicted of sins?
Tag Archives: poetry
THEY HAVE AFFLICTED ME FROM MY YOUTH Poem Devotional
February 2
________________________________________
THEY HAVE AFFLICTED ME FROM MY YOUTH
“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 129:1-8
________________________________________
This psalm is a song of ascents or a pilgrim song which reflects what God’s people have endured and how God has sustained them. Verse 2 “afflicted me from my youth” indicates the longsuffering and “yet they have not prevailed against me” shows that because God has been faithful to walk alongside with them, they have endured. The psalm shows the trust that the Israelites have for the Lord, knowing that he will defend them from all those who hate them or plan evil against them. Because of their dependence and faith on the Lord, we can see how they can ask the Lord such protection and know in their hearts that they will be heard and that they will be blessed just like how a child believes that their own parents would grant them their requests.
________________________________________
ADORATION: Lord, you are magnificently omniscient and omnipotent. You are a great Father to all your children, providing and protecting all your loved ones.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I do not endure the trials that come my way and when I become proud and forget that it is you who defends me.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for all the opportunities you give me to constantly rely on you.
SUPPLICATION: May all your people bear all their trials and sufferings knowing that you have them covered and that you are in control. May we learn to let go of taking things into our own hands.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How can we deepen our dependency on God in this very “self” focused world?
OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD Poem Devotional
February 1
________________________________________
OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD
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,
3Then 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
________________________________________
This song of ascents written by David points to how God has delivered them faithfully from all the dangers and enemies that they were up against. We hear David’s gratitude and humility in this psalm as he always points to the Lord whenever they face threats, that if it had not been for the Lord, they would have never made it. He praises and acknowledges God for all the protection and provision He has given them. How many of us would easily attribute to God all the good things we have especially when we just overcome or went through danger or trials?
________________________________________
ADORATION: Praise you Lord for your generous and unfailing love. You are the only One who can deliver us from any evil. Bless you Lord, for your protection and love for us.
CONFESSION: Grant me pardon whenever I don’t point to your provision and protection and take credit instead for overcoming something that was difficult.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your unconditional love that you extend help and provision even though at times I don’t deserve it.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers have a heart like David, who never forgets the hierarchy of God in their lives. May we never forget that all good things come from God.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What do we need to do so we can always point to the Lord when we are delivered from a difficult situation?
• Why is gratitude and humility essential in a believer’s life?
MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD Poem Devotional
January 31
________________________________________
MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forevermore. -Psalm 121:1-8
________________________________________
This psalm is a confidence song of those who make the pilgrim to Jerusalem, the top of the hill. It keeps the pilgrim encouraged to keep on looking at the top of the hill instead of focusing on the other elements of the travel that will keep them distracted to finish the journey. It is the same with our walk with Jesus. If we keep our eyes on Christ, we will receive the help we need and the sustenance to endure. God doesn’t sleep, He watches over us and keeps us away from all the distractions in life if we abide in him. He wants us to finish the race and hand us the reward at the end.
________________________________________
ADORATION: Praise you O my God who never slumbers but always keeps watch on his people. You grant us all the love and protection we need. We adore you and bless you.
CONFESSION: Whenever I allow myself to be distracted by worldly stuff, forgive me Lord. I repent of idols that I unknowingly pay attention. Forgive me when I remove my eyes on you.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your love and unfailing mercy and grace.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers remember to constantly fix their eyes on you. May all idols be smashed so that there will be no other distractions that hinders our intimacy with you, my Lord and my God.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How can we constantly keep our eyes on the Lord in this very busy and chaotic world?
• What are the distractions you struggle with in your daily life?
TREMBLE AT THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD Poem Devotional
January 30
________________________________________
TREMBLE AT THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
When Israel went out from Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
3 The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.
5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?
6 O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 Who turns the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a spring of water. -Psalm 114:1-8
________________________________________
This hymn praises what God has done for the Israelites. Verse 3 recalls those two times that the Red Sea and the river Jordan was parted just so the Israelites can run and be rescued from their enemies. It is a reminder how God takes care of his people and how powerful he is that he can command any of his creation to turn into something that it isn’t. The flint in verse 8 is a very hard variety of quartz that was abundant in those times and could be broken into sharp pieces and used to make tools, knives and weapons. Even something as hard as this, God can turn into a spring of water. Let us tremble at the presence of such power.
________________________________________
ADORATION: Praise the Lord who is mighty and powerful, who can turn anything into something else. O come, let us adore the God who protects and faithfully loves his people.
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord whenever I do not tremble at your presence and take all that you have done for me for granted.
THANKSGIVING: I am so grateful for your thoughtfulness and generosity at providing for all things that I need even before I ask for it.
SUPPLICATION: May we never forget the miracles or the little things we don’t recognize that are the ways that God protects and cares for his people.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What happens when we don’t tremble at the presence of the Lord?
I WILL WALK WITH INTEGRITY Poem Devotional
January 29
________________________________________
I WILL WALK WITH INTEGRITY
I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music.
2 I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;
3 I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.
5 Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly, I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart, I will not endure.
6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me;
He who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.
7 No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house;
No one who utters lies, shall continue before my eyes.
8 Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land,
Cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD. -Psalm 101:1-8
________________________________________
This psalm is an oath of David to God to ensure that his kingdom will exercise integrity. David’s biggest strength is his honesty and integrity. Despite his weaknesses, he is a king who is faithful to the Lord and wants to ensure that his house and kingdom do the same. He talks about not being able to tolerate evil wherever he is ruling. His love for righteousness is clearly the trait that identifies him as the worthy to be Jesus’ ancestor.
________________________________________
ADORATION: Praise to you the God who makes us walk in righteousness. You are the only one who is without sin. You are Worthy. We adore you our Lord and Savior.
CONFESSION: Grant me mercy each time I fail to walk the straight path of righteousness.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you Lord for giving me choices to choose the right way through Jesus Christ’s example.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers recognize that the only way to the way, the truth and the life is through a blameless and pure life.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it such a challenge to live a life of integrity in this fallen world?
• How can we exercise honesty even though no one sees us?
RESCUE THE WEAK AND NEEDY Poem Devotional
January 28
________________________________________
RESCUE THE WEAK AND NEEDY
God has taken his place in the divine council;
In the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?
3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
Maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness;
All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you;
7 Nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!
-Psalm 82:1-8
________________________________________
In the book of Chronicles, it is said that Asaph was a descendant of Gershon the son of Levi. He is also known as one of the three Levites commissioned by David to be in charge of singing in the house of Yahweh. According to the ESV study bible notes, Asaph wrote this psalm to God as a community lament with a request on behalf of the whole people. It teaches God’s people to aim to have an ideal society, with their justice visible for all to see. This way, all nations might come to know the one true God. In a corrupt world we live in, this is a reminder for all human rulers and judges (referred to as “gods) that they are accountable to a divine heavenly King, higher than all of them, to bring justice to all.
________________________________________
ADORATION: Praise you Lord for your just treatment of all. You are Worthy of all praise
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I mistreat anyone because they are different from me.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your magnificent creation of man, each one unique.
SUPPLICATION: May all rulers and judges recognize that they are accountable to someone higher than themselves and lead with the same fairness that you rule.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think God is so concerned that justice prevail in the world?
• What is the responsibility of the justice system or sovereignty when they lead the system or monarchy? What is the subjects responsibility on the other hand?
SAVE ME, O MY GOD Poem Devotional
January 26
________________________________________
SAVE ME, O MY GOD
O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;
2 Many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.”
3 But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4 I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill.
5 I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.7 Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.
8 Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people!
– Psalm 3:1-8
________________________________________
It must be heart breaking to know that your own son is wanting to have you killed! This was the psalm that David wrote when he ran from Absalom’s rebellion. Absalom took justice in his own hand by killing Amnon his brother, who raped his own sister Tamar. Because David did not do anything about confronting what his son Amnon did, dis angered Absalom and motivated him to kill him. Despite all of this, David prayed hard that his son be not harmed and ordered his army not to hurt him. In this psalm, we witness David’s heart after God’s own heart. He trusted that God will resolve all.
________________________________________
ADORATION: We exult you O Lord! You are the One who has power and might to bring justice to all situations. You are omnipotent and omniscient. Praise you Lord.
CONFESSION: Whenever I forget to run to you and do things on my own, grant me forgiveness. Have mercy on me when I act independently from you.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for all the protection you give those who love you.
SUPPLICATION: May we have the mind of Christ especially in the midst of our trials and sufferings. May we have the humility to run to our heavenly Father especially when we are in trouble and in pain.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is running to God a great picture of humility and dependence?
• Why is God-dependence better than independence?
• How can running from someone’s wrath be a better option than facing it?
YOU ARE MY REFUGE Poem Devotional
January 25
________________________________________
YOU ARE MY REFUGE
With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.
2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.
3 When my spirit faints within me, you know my way!
In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me;
No refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.
5 I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.”
6 Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!
7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.
-Psalm 142:1-7
________________________________________
In this psalm, David flees from Saul into a cave. He must have been so discouraged after finding out that his loyalty to Saul have been returned with a threat to be killed. Saul’s jealousy over David’s strength, power, anointing and charisma with the people drove Saul to desire him killed. Despite the discouragement, we hear David’s dependence on God, that God is his refuge. What a close relationship he had with the Lord! He can be honest and open about what he feels and how weak and tired he was, and yet trust God fully.
________________________________________
ADORATION: Praise the Lord for his unwavering faithfulness and love for all his people.
CONFESSION: Forgive me each time I am not honest with you about how I feel when I am discouraged and frustrated.
THANKSGIVING: I am forever grateful for all the strength and encouragement you bring me whenever I need it.
SUPPLICATION: May each believer have the humility and vulnerability to admit their weaknesses and let the Lord take over in times of danger and threat.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why was David fleeing from Saul when he can actually defend himself easily because he is stronger than him? What was his special relationship with God?
DELIVER ME FROM LYING LIPS AND DECEITFUL TONGUE Poem Devotional
January 24
________________________________________
DELIVER ME FROM LYING LIPS AND DECEITFUL TONGUE
In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me.
2 Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you, you, deceitful tongue?
4 A warrior’s sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!
5 Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war! – Psalm 120:1-7
________________________________________
This Psalm is an individual lament sung by someone living away from Israel (v.5). The psalmist weeps over those people who constantly seek to lie and pursue wars and conflicts. He wants peace so he even went away from such high conflict people, but the effect of living with such kind of evil is not unnoticed. In the first verse, he recalls how the Lord has delivered him in the past from such circumstances and pleads for deliverance from such situations and conflict lovers. I could easily identify with the psalmist. I have loved ones who just loves do fight for the sake of being right or just to prove how much better they are from others. It is an exhausting task to love people like this, but we are commanded to love all, especially those who are difficult and makes an enemy of us. I do my best to justify the reasons for their insecurities and pray for freedom from that bondage for all those who embrace a life of conflict. I have been there and I know how hard it is to cling to self-protection or mistrust. When I learned my true identity in Jesus, I didn’t have to continue being imprisoned by proving my self-worth.
________________________________________
ADORATION: Praise you Jesus, for your faithful love that endures forever.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I engage in conflict and anger to defend myself. You are my defender and I need not say a thing to explain.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for being the epitome of unconditional.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers remember to surrender to God who is “love” himself.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How do we deal with people who constantly lie to us? Should we just be silent?
• What is the antidote to those who love to argue and engage others in conflict?
• What other verses in the bible can we dwell on when faced with conflicts?