Day 82 - March 23, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 121

1 I look to the mountains;
    where will my help come from?
2 My help will come from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let you fall;
    your protector is always awake.

4 The protector of Israel
    never dozes or sleeps.
5 The Lord will guard you;
    he is by your side to protect you.
6 The sun will not hurt you during the day,
    nor the moon during the night.

7 The Lord will protect you from all danger;
    he will keep you safe.
8 He will protect you as you come and go
    now and forever.

Observation:

Psalm 121 is one of the psalms in a section of the psalms called Psalms of Ascents. These psalms were most probably used by pilgrims on the journey to one of the major festivals. The Temple in Jerusalem was built on Mount Zion, so a pilgrim needed to ascend as they journeyed toward the Temple of the Lord. The Psalmist here asks and answers his own question, “I look to the mountains; where will my help come from? My help will come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2)

Application:

Where does our help come from? Often times we seek help from all sorts of places, but the psalmist today reminds us that we need not look further than our God who created the heaven and the earth. Our God is able to help us in all circumstances in life. So, let us trust in the Lord with all our mind, heart and soul. For our God truly is our Deliverer.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, there is no problem too hard for you, no hill too high, no valley too low. Your love for us and your Spirit always remains with us on our journey. Help us to be ever conscious of your presence in our lives, and help us to honor you in all that we say and do. Amen.

Day 81 - March 22, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 116

1  I love the Lord, because he hears me;
    he listens to my prayers.
2 He listens to me
    every time I call to him.
3 The danger of death was all around me;
    the horrors of the grave closed in on me;
    I was filled with fear and anxiety.
4 Then I called to the Lord,
    “I beg you, Lord, save me!”

5 The Lord is merciful and good;
    our God is compassionate.
6 The Lord protects the helpless;
    when I was in danger, he saved me.
7 Be confident, my heart,
    because the Lord has been good to me.

8 The Lord saved me from death;
    he stopped my tears
    and kept me from defeat.
9 And so I walk in the presence of the Lord
    in the world of the living.
10 I kept on believing, even when I said,
    “I am completely crushed,”
11 even when I was afraid and said,
    “No one can be trusted.”

12 What can I offer the Lord
    for all his goodness to me?
13 I will bring a wine offering to the Lord,
    to thank him for saving me.
14 In the assembly of all his people
    I will give him what I have promised.

15 How painful it is to the Lord
    when one of his people dies!
16 I am your servant, Lord;
    I serve you just as my mother did.
You have saved me from death.
17 I will give you a sacrifice of thanksgiving
    and offer my prayer to you.
18-19 In the assembly of all your people,
    in the sanctuary of your Temple in Jerusalem,
    I will give you what I have promised.

Praise the Lord!

Observation:

The psalmist expresses his continual faith in the Lord who has helped in multiple circumstances in life. He writes: “The Lord is merciful and good; our God is compassionate. The Lord protects the helpless; when I was in danger, he saved me. Be confident, my heart, because the Lord has been good to me.” (Psalm 116:5-7)

Application:

One of the best ways to praise the Lord is to remember his mercy and goodness to us in past circumstances. When you really think about it, the great celebrations in faith are acts of remembrance like the Passover, like Communion, where we remember and are grateful to our God. The psalmist’s faith is fortified when he remembers God’s deliverance in his own circumstances of life. His appropriate response to God’s mercy is to bring an offering and proclaim God’s acts of compassion in the midst of the assembly. Our blessings are not for us alone but should be shared so that others might hear and know of God’s amazing love and provision.

Prayer:

Lord God, we remember your hand of grace and your ever-present help in times of testing and trouble. Thank you for the faith that you have given us and help us to increase our faith in you as we remember every act of provision, mercy, and love. We are especially thankful for our salvation in your Son, our Lord and Redeemer. help us to always remember you and your presence in our lives through your Holy Spirit. Help us to live a life of praising you on a continual basis that others might know of your amazing love and grace. Amen!

Day 80 - March 21, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 115

1 To you alone, O Lord, to you alone,
    and not to us, must glory be given
    because of your constant love and faithfulness.

2 Why should the nations ask us,
    “Where is your God?”
3 Our God is in heaven;
    he does whatever he wishes.
4 Their gods are made of silver and gold,
    formed by human hands.
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
    and eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears, but cannot hear,
    and noses, but cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but cannot feel,
    and feet, but cannot walk;
    they cannot make a sound.
8 May all who made them and who trust in them
    become like the idols they have made.

9 Trust in the Lord, you people of Israel.
    He helps you and protects you.
10 Trust in the Lord, you priests of God.
    He helps you and protects you.
11 Trust in the Lord, all you that worship him.
    He helps you and protects you.

12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us;
    he will bless the people of Israel
    and all the priests of God.
13 He will bless everyone who honors him,
    the great and the small alike.

14 May the Lord give you children—
    you and your descendants!
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!

16 Heaven belongs to the Lord alone,
    but he gave the earth to us humans.
17 The Lord is not praised by the dead,
    by any who go down to the land of silence.
18 But we, the living, will give thanks to him
    now and forever.

Praise the Lord!

Observation:

In Psalm 115 the psalmist makes a contrast between the One True God and gods (idols) created by people. He writes that their gods have eyes yet cannot see, ears yet cannot hear, and mouths yet cannot speak. He encourages us to worship only the One God saying: “Trust in the Lord, all you that worship him. He helps you and protects you. the Lord remembers us and will bless us…. He will bless everyone who honors him, the great and the small alike.” (Psalm 115:11-13)

Application:

Although we cannot see God, we worship God who is seen in all of God’s creation. We can experience our God through the Bible and through every believer who trust in him. As forgiven and reconciled children of God through our Lord and Savior, Jesus, we are given the Holy Spirit that seals us for our inheritance with God. We experience God through the Holy Spirit in ourselves as we trust in God and believe in Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord God, you are the one true God. You have promised us to never leave us or forsake us. We know that we can rest and trust in you for You alone are God and there is no other. Help us to experience you through eyes of faith and help us to follow your son Jesus that we may honor you with ur daily lives. Amen.

Day 79 - March 20, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 102

1 Listen to my prayer, O Lord,
    and hear my cry for help!
2 When I am in trouble,
    don't turn away from me!
Listen to me,
    and answer me quickly when I call!

3 My life is disappearing like smoke;
    my body is burning like fire.
4 I am beaten down like dry grass;
    I have lost my desire for food.
5 I groan aloud;
    I am nothing but skin and bones.
6 I am like a wild bird in the desert,
    like an owl in abandoned ruins.
7 I lie awake;
    I am like a lonely bird on a housetop.
8 All day long my enemies insult me;
    those who mock me use my name in cursing.

9-10 Because of your anger and fury,
    ashes are my food,
    and my tears are mixed with my drink.
You picked me up and threw me away.
11 My life is like the evening shadows;
    I am like dry grass.

12 But you, O Lord, are king forever;
    all generations will remember you.
13 You will rise and take pity on Zion;
    the time has come to have mercy on her;
    this is the right time.
14 Your servants love her,
    even though she is destroyed;
they have pity on her,
    even though she is in ruins.

15 The nations will fear the Lord;
    all the kings of the earth will fear his power.
16 When the Lord rebuilds Zion,
    he will reveal his greatness.
17 He will hear his forsaken people
    and listen to their prayer.

18 Write down for the coming generation what the Lord has done,
    so that people not yet born will praise him.
19 The Lord looked down from his holy place on high,
    he looked down from heaven to earth.
20 He heard the groans of prisoners
    and set free those who were condemned to die.
21 And so his name will be proclaimed in Zion,
    and he will be praised in Jerusalem
22     when nations and kingdoms come together
    and worship the Lord.

23 The Lord has made me weak while I am still young;
    he has shortened my life.
24 O God, do not take me away now
    before I grow old.

O Lord, you live forever;
25 long ago you created the earth,
    and with your own hands you made the heavens.
26 They will disappear, but you will remain;
    they will all wear out like clothes.
You will discard them like clothes,
    and they will vanish.
27 But you are always the same,
    and your life never ends.
28 Our children will live in safety,
    and under your protection
    their descendants will be secure.

Observation:

The psalmist cries out to the Lord in desperation, he looks to God not only to answer his prayer but to do it quickly. He writes: “Listen to my prayer, O Lord, and hear my cry for help!  When I am in trouble, don't turn away from me! Listen to me, and answer me quickly when I call!” (Psalm 102:1-2) Don’ t we all want God to hear our prayers and answer them quickly? Yet the psalmist also realizes that he is but a whisper while God is Creator God who lives forever.

Application:

Knowing that God is Creator God, we should approach his Throne of Grace with the understanding that even to pray to God, to have the life and breath that God created in us, is a miracle in itself. To have the brain God gave us to acknowledge God in the heavenlies is remarkable.

Therefore, when we approach our God in prayer, it is helpful to understand our place in respect to our Holy Lord. We should be humble and contrite as we pray expectantly. But as the psalmist states, our God is a God who hears our prayers. He writes: “The Lord looked down from his holy place on high, he looked down from heaven to earth. He heard the groans of prisoners and set free those who were condemned to die.” (Psalm 102:19-20) Our God hears our prayers. So pray.

Prayer:

Lord, we approach your Throne of Grace today, knowing that we are all unworthy of your love. Yet, you sent your son Jesus to earth to set the captives free from a life of sin and death. The victory is already ours in your salvation. Help us to have an eternal perspective of your answered prayer. Help us to realize that you have already set us free and therefore we should live in to that freedom with love and grace for the orhers in our lives that they may come to know and to love you as Redeemer God. Amen.

Day 78 - March 19, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 91

1 Whoever goes to the Lord for safety,
    whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty,
2 can say to him,
    “You are my defender and protector.
    You are my God; in you I trust.”
3 He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers
    and from all deadly diseases.
4 He will cover you with his wings;
    you will be safe in his care;
    his faithfulness will protect and defend you.
5 You need not fear any dangers at night
    or sudden attacks during the day
6     or the plagues that strike in the dark
    or the evils that kill in daylight.

7 A thousand may fall dead beside you,
    ten thousand all around you,
    but you will not be harmed.
8 You will look and see
    how the wicked are punished.

9 You have made the Lord your defender,
    the Most High your protector,
10 and so no disaster will strike you,
    no violence will come near your home.
11 God will put his angels in charge of you
    to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
    to keep you from hurting your feet on the stones.
13 You will trample down lions and snakes,
    fierce lions and poisonous snakes.

14 God says, “I will save those who love me
    and will protect those who acknowledge me as Lord.
15 When they call to me, I will answer them;
    when they are in trouble, I will be with them.
    I will rescue them and honor them.
16 I will reward them with long life;
    I will save them.”

Observation:

The writer of Psalm 91 places his trust in the Lord, seeking protection under the wings of the Lord. He writes: “God says, “I will save those who love me and will protect those who acknowledge me as Lord. When they call to me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them. I will rescue them and honor them.” (Psalm 91:14-15)

Application:

Psalm 91 celebrates God’s love for God’s people. It does not say that God’s people will not have trouble in their lives, but it says, “…when they are in trouble, I will be with them.” (Psalm 91:15a) We know that God promises to be with those who believe in him, and he will never leave them nor will he ever forsake them. Therefore, we can be confident in all that we do because God is with us in every circumstance.

Prayer:

Lord, help us to remember your love and faithfulness as we seek the shelter of your wings. Grant us the trust in you for all the circumstances of our lives. Help us to be like the psalmist, professing and proclaiming your salvation and care so that others might come to know and love you. Amen.

Day 77 - March 18, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 90

1 O Lord, you have always been our home.
2 Before you created the hills
    or brought the world into being,
    you were eternally God,
    and will be God forever.

3 You tell us to return to what we were;
    you change us back to dust.
4 A thousand years to you are like one day;
    they are like yesterday, already gone,
    like a short hour in the night.
5 You carry us away like a flood;
    we last no longer than a dream.
We are like weeds that sprout in the morning,
6     that grow and burst into bloom,
    then dry up and die in the evening.

7 We are destroyed by your anger;
    we are terrified by your fury.
8 You place our sins before you,
    our secret sins where you can see them.

9 Our life is cut short by your anger;
    it fades away like a whisper.
10 Seventy years is all we have—
    eighty years, if we are strong;
yet all they bring us is trouble and sorrow;
    life is soon over, and we are gone.

11 Who has felt the full power of your anger?
    Who knows what fear your fury can bring?
12 Teach us how short our life is,
    so that we may become wise.

13 How much longer will your anger last?
    Have pity, O Lord, on your servants!
14 Fill us each morning with your constant love,
    so that we may sing and be glad all our life.
15 Give us now as much happiness as the sadness you gave us
    during all our years of misery.
16 Let us, your servants, see your mighty deeds;
    let our descendants see your glorious might.
17 Lord our God, may your blessings be with us.
    Give us success in all we do!

Observation:

The author of Psalm 90 is reflective of our short lives in comparison to our Eternal God. He writes: “O Lord, you have always been our home. Before you created the hills or brought the world into being, you were eternally God, and will be God forever. You tell us to return to what we were; you change us back to dust.” (Psalm 90:1-3) The psalmists realizes that we are God’s workmanship and our lives are like “…weeds that sprout in the morning, that grow and burst into bloom, then dry up and die in the evening.) (Psalm 90:5b-6)

Application:

Since God is already our eternal home as the psalmist reveals, we should align ourselves and our thinking with our God who created us for an eternal relationship with God’s Self. We make plans, but God is Forever God and his will for our lives is always best. Why not live our lives in the shelter of God’s wings and allow God’s eternal word to shape our lives and light our paths. Then, we will rest in his love and care.

Prayer:

O Lord people make plans, but you know the plans you have made for us. Plans to prosper us and give us a hope and a future. No matter how long we live our mortal lives, be it 70, 80, 90 years or more, our true home is in our eternal relationship with you. Grant that our children and their children and all our descendants might know and appreciate your eternal love and care, for you are our true home. Amen!

Day 76 - March17, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 89:1-18

O Lord, I will always sing of your constant love;
    I will proclaim your faithfulness forever.
2 I know that your love will last for all time,
    that your faithfulness is as permanent as the sky.
3 You said, “I have made a covenant with the man I chose;
    I have promised my servant David,
4 ‘A descendant of yours will always be king;
    I will preserve your dynasty forever.’”

5 The heavens sing of the wonderful things you do;
    the holy ones sing of your faithfulness, Lord.
6 No one in heaven is like you, Lord;
    none of the heavenly beings is your equal.
7 You are feared in the council of the holy ones;
    they all stand in awe of you.

8 Lord God Almighty, none is as mighty as you;
    in all things you are faithful, O Lord.
9 You rule over the powerful sea;
    you calm its angry waves.
10 You crushed the monster Rahab and killed it;
    with your mighty strength you defeated your enemies.
11 Heaven is yours, the earth also;
    you made the world and everything in it.
12 You created the north and the south;
    Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon sing to you for joy.
13 How powerful you are!
    How great is your strength!
14 Your kingdom is founded on righteousness and justice;
    love and faithfulness are shown in all you do.

15 How happy are the people who worship you with songs,
    who live in the light of your kindness!
16 Because of you they rejoice all day long,
    and they praise you for your goodness.
17 You give us great victories;
    in your love you make us triumphant.
18 You, O Lord, chose our protector;
    you, the Holy God of Israel, gave us our king.

Observation:

Today’s Psalmist is happy in The Lord of Hosts. He writes: “How powerful you are! How great is your strength! Your kingdom is founded on righteousness and justice; love and faithfulness are shown in all you do. How happy are the people who worship you with songs, who live in the light of your kindness!” (Psalm 89:13-15) The psalmist is joyful in justice, love and faithfulness of the Lord who is powerful beyond all power.

Application:

We should be like today’s psalmist, singing praises to our God whose kingdom is founded on righteousness, justice, love and faithfulness. Our God is worthy of our constant praise, and as we praise and trust in our Lord, we become joyful in all circumstances. because the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Prayer:

Lord, we will sing praises to you in the heights; we will sing praises to you in the valleys. we will sing praises to you in times of trouble because you are strength, our ever-present help in times of trouble. Because you are our Lord, our joy is complete in You who is trustworthy in all circumstances. Let your presence in our lives be our joy. Amen.

Day 75 - March 16, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 88

Lord God, my savior, I cry out all day,
    and at night I come before you.
2 Hear my prayer;
    listen to my cry for help!

3 So many troubles have fallen on me
    that I am close to death.
4 I am like all others who are about to die;
    all my strength is gone.
5 I am abandoned among the dead;
    I am like the slain lying in their graves,
those you have forgotten completely,
    who are beyond your help.
6 You have thrown me into the depths of the tomb,
    into the darkest and deepest pit.
7 Your anger lies heavy on me,
    and I am crushed beneath its waves.

8 You have caused my friends to abandon me;
    you have made me repulsive to them.
I am closed in and cannot escape;
9     my eyes are weak from suffering.
Lord, every day I call to you
    and lift my hands to you in prayer.

10 Do you perform miracles for the dead?
    Do they rise up and praise you?
11 Is your constant love spoken of in the grave
    or your faithfulness in the place of destruction?
12 Are your miracles seen in that place of darkness
    or your goodness in the land of the forgotten?

13 Lord, I call to you for help;
    every morning I pray to you.
14 Why do you reject me, Lord?
    Why do you turn away from me?
15 Ever since I was young, I have suffered and been near death;
    I am worn out from the burden of your punishments.
16 Your furious anger crushes me;
    your terrible attacks destroy me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
    they close in on me from every side.
18 You have made even my closest friends abandon me,
    and darkness is my only companion.

Observation:

There are many psalms of lament where the psalmist cries out to God because of either a physical condition or circumstance the psalmist is in. Most of those psalms conclude with a statement of trusting in God while still in the midst of the trouble. This psalm is different in that respect. Here the psalmist seems to be saying that his only companion is darkness. The Psalmist seems to be without hope, and yet still cries out to God. He writes: “Lord, I call to you for help;   every morning I pray to you.” (Psalm 88:13)

The psalmist knows even with seemingly unanswered prayer, that his only help comes from God. Look at verses 1 and 2 where he begins: “Lord God, my savior, I cry out all day, and at night I come before you.
Hear my prayer; listen to my cry for help!” (Psalm 88:1-2)

Application:

There are times in our lives where it seems our prayers do not reach God’s throne of grace. We may feel shut out and maybe even abandoned. In those times, let us be like the writer of Psalm 88 who continues to pray unceasingly. Sometimes in our own prayers, our answers come in the prayer itself. Whatever befalls us and no matter what circumstances in which we might find ourselves, our help is only from the Lord. So keep on praying day and night. Our God is a God of grace, even when we can not discern it.

Prayer:

Dear Lord our God, there are times in our lives that you seem so far away. In those times, help us to remember who moved. You are a God of love, peace, mercy, and provision. Our very lives are a result of your love, creating us in your own image and likeness. Help us then in times of trouble to continually turn towards you. Help us to praise you no matter what our circumstance. Amen.

Day 74 - March 15, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 84

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
    Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
    Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;
    the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
    till each appears before God in Zion.

8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield, O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.

10 Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed is the one who trusts in you.

Observation:

The Psalmist writes about his desire to be in the house of the Lord. He writes: “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold. Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” (Psalm 84:10-12)

Application:

At the time when the Psalms were being written, the Holy Spirit would inspire the writings. Today, that same Holy Spirit is with every professing believer in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Therefore, like the psalmist we should yearn for God’s presence. Yet often times, even as believers, we can ignore the Holy Spirit in our lives. What would the Psalmist say to us regarding that? The Psalmist has already given us this council, when he says, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” (Psalm 84:10)

Since as believers, the Holy Spirit is with us as promised in the scriptures, we are already in the House of the Lord, here on earth as it is in heaven. So, we should live our daily lives in thankfulness of that reality. We should live our lives in reflection of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, as the Psalmist reminds us, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” Help us through your Spirit to be ever mindful of your presence in our lives. Help us to grow in wisdom and knowledge of you that we might walk in your ways and allow the others in our lives to recognize your presence in us, all to your glory. Amen

Day 73 - March 14, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 82

A Psalm of Asaph

82 God presides in the heavenly council;
    in the assembly of the gods he gives his decision:
2 “You must stop judging unjustly;
    you must no longer be partial to the wicked!
3 Defend the rights of the poor and the orphans;
    be fair to the needy and the helpless.
4 Rescue them from the power of evil people.

5 “How ignorant you are! How stupid!
    You are completely corrupt,
    and justice has disappeared from the world.
6 ‘You are gods,’ I said;
    ‘all of you are children of the Most High.’
7 But you will die like mortals;
    your life will end like that of any prince.”

8 Come, O God, and rule the world;
    all the nations are yours.

Observation:

Who is this ruling council that the Psalmist Asaph writes about? There seems to be "gods" or “sons of God” to describe a group of beings, either heavenly or divine, who are under God's authority and are called to judge justly. Asaph was a Levite and worship leader who wrote twelve Psalms during the time of David and Soloman. He served in the tabernacle choir singing and playing before the Ark of the Covenant. The Psalmist Asaph calls upon God saying: “Come, O God, and rule the world; all the nations are yours.” (Psalm 82:8) Asaph recognizes there is only One Supreme Being, The Lord of Hosts, Our God.

Application:

There is only One God who is ruler of all and our God desires mercy and justice. God wants us to care for the helpless and to take up the cause of the orphans.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, we admit that we do not always know how to interpret your word. But we know that you are God and you are God alone. There is no one like You, The Creator and Ruler of All. Help us to have a right spirit as we approach your throne of grace. Help us to realize that we have much to learn from you every day of our lives. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and give us hearts to love as you love. Amen.

Day 72 - March 13, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 77

1 I cried out to God for help;
    I cried out to God to hear me.
2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
    at night I stretched out untiring hands,
    and I would not be comforted.

3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
    I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.
4 You kept my eyes from closing;
    I was too troubled to speak.
5 I thought about the former days,
    the years of long ago;
6 I remembered my songs in the night.
    My heart meditated and my spirit asked:

7 “Will the Lord reject forever?
    Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
    Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
    Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
    the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works
    and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

13 Your ways, God, are holy.
    What god is as great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles;
    you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
    the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

16 The waters saw you, God,
    the waters saw you and writhed;
    the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water,
    the heavens resounded with thunder;
    your arrows flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
    your lightning lit up the world;
    the earth trembled and quaked.
19 Your path led through the sea,
    your way through the mighty waters,
    though your footprints were not seen.

20 You led your people like a flock
    by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Observation:

The Psalmist laments seeking God’s help and not being comforted. He speaks of continually seeking God’s help without receiving any peace. His soul is restless and without sleep. He writes: “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” (Psalm 77:7-9)

Then the psalmist turns to remembering all of God’s mighty acts of deliverance and begins to rest in the God who delivered the people of Israel, as God led both Moses and Aaron as they followed the footprints of God which were unable to be seen. The psalmist receives his peace in remembering who God is and what God has done.

Application:

There are times when it seems that our prayers do not even reach the ceiling of our homes, let alone make it to the throne of God’s mercy. Yet, we should remember that God’s promises never fail; and we should remember the times in our own lives that God has clearly provided for us with unseen hands and footprints. Trust in God in all the circumstance of our lives for God has our eternity in the grip of his grace.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, today’s reading from Psalm 77 reminds us that you are not a magic wand which we are able to wave, but that you are Creator God, Sovereign and Ruler of all Creation. Help us to have a right perspective as we approach your throne of grace. Help us to remember that you are always with us; and you never leave us or forsake us. Your grace and your Spirit in us alone are sufficient for all of our needs. Help us to rest in your promises as we make requests of you. Help us to walk humbly before you with contrite hearts and minds. Shape us as your people, that others might see your presence in our lives. Amen.

Day 71 - March 12, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 76

1 God is renowned in Judah;
    in Israel his name is great.
2 His tent is in Salem,
    his dwelling place in Zion.
3 There he broke the flashing arrows,
    the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.[b]

4 You are radiant with light,
    more majestic than mountains rich with game.
5 The valiant lie plundered,
    they sleep their last sleep;
not one of the warriors
    can lift his hands.
6 At your rebuke, God of Jacob,
    both horse and chariot lie still.

7 It is you alone who are to be feared.
    Who can stand before you when you are angry?
8 From heaven you pronounced judgment,
    and the land feared and was quiet—
9 when you, God, rose up to judge,
    to save all the afflicted of the land.
10 Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise,
    and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.

11 Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;
    let all the neighboring lands
    bring gifts to the One to be feared.
12 He breaks the spirit of rulers;
    he is feared by the kings of the earth.

Observation:

The Psalmist describes the righteous judgement of God in which the unrighteous can-not stand. He warns the righteous reminding them to: “Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared. He breaks the spirit of rulers;  he is feared by the kings of the earth.” (Psalm 76:11-12

Application:

We should all have a righteous fear of the living God who gave us life and invests his life in us. We should all be careful to keep our promises to God, for God will not be mocked. Who can escape God’s righteous judgement? But praise be to God for we have a living hope in our Lord and Savior, Jesus, who has atoned for our own unrighteousness. Therefore, we should live our lives in gratitude and righteous fear of the God who holds his our eternity in the grip of his grace.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, we thank you for the grace you have given us to believe in you as our Lord and Savior. Help us to live our lives in gratitude of your grace. Help us to live in a righteous fear of you, being careful to keep our promises and vows to you that others might come to know your saving grace and love. Amen.

Day 70 - March 11, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 71

1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
    let me never be put to shame.
2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
    turn your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my rock of refuge,
    to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.

5 For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord,
    my confidence since my youth.
6 From birth I have relied on you;
    you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
    I will ever praise you.
7 I have become a sign to many;
    you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise,
    declaring your splendor all day long.

9 Do not cast me away when I am old;
    do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies speak against me;
    those who wait to kill me conspire together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken him;
    pursue him and seize him,
    for no one will rescue him.”
12 Do not be far from me, my God;
    come quickly, God, to help me.
13 May my accusers perish in shame;
    may those who want to harm me
    be covered with scorn and disgrace.

14 As for me, I will always have hope;
    I will praise you more and more.

15 My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;
    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
18 Even when I am old and gray,
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.

19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
    you who have done great things.
    Who is like you, God?
20 Though you have made me see troubles,
    many and bitter,
    you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
    you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honor
    and comfort me once more.

22 I will praise you with the harp
    for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,
    Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy
    when I sing praise to you—
    I whom you have delivered.
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
    all day long,
for those who wanted to harm me
    have been put to shame and confusion.

Observation:

The Psalmist understands that not only is God his rock and fortress, but it is incumbent upon him to profess and proclaim God’s mighty acts of salvation for the rest of the world to see and hear. He writes: “Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come. (Psalm 71:17-18)

Application:

It is important for us to recognize God’s provision and salvation in our lives, but we are also responsible for spreading the faith to the next generation. We should live our lives as a faithful witness to Jesus Christ that others may see that our God really is God and come to a saving faith in Christ Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, allow us to be faithful followers of you. Help us to study your word and allow your Holy Spirit to remind us of everything that you have taught us. Help us to live faithful lives, professing and proclaiming your saving grace and sharing your mercy, forgiveness and love with those who need it most, allto your glory. Amen.

Day 69 -March 10, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 64

A Psalm of David

1 Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint: the threat of the enemy. 2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the plots of evil doers. 3 They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows. 4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent; they shoot suddenly without fear. 5 They encourage each other in evil plans, they talk about hiding their snares; They say “Who will see it?” 6 They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!” Surely the human mind and heart are cunning. 7 But God will shoot them with his arrows; they will suddenly be struck down. 8 He will bring their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. 9 All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done. 10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!

Observation:

People can make all the evil plans they want but their own plans will bring them down. David writes: “They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!” …But God will shoot them down with his own arrows; they will be suddenly be struck down.He will bring their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin.” (Psalm 64:6-8)

Application:

Do not fear when people plot against you. Maintain a righteous attitude, pay no attention to their evil plans and watch how God will take care of your enemies.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, when people plot against me, I will trust in your help. I will maintain a righteous attitude and be confident that you not only have my back but my fiuture. I am in your hands and as David says, “The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!” Amen.

Day 68 - March 9, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 63

A Psalm of David when he was in the Desert of Judah.

1 You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
    and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
    my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

6 On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help,
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

9 Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;
    they will go down to the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the sword
    and become food for jackals.

11 But the king will rejoice in God;
    all who swear by God will glory in him,
    while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Observation:

David the Psalmist is praising God in the middle of a dry and waterless land. He writes: “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. (Psalm 63:3-4)

Application:

Like in Psalm 61 and Psalm 62 David continues to place his reliance upon the Lord even in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. It is not water that David longs for, but for God. David describes his longing for God as a thirst for God.

Do we thirst for God in our every day lives.? Do we thirst for God when we have plenty to eat and drink? We like David should have a healthy thirst for God and God’s love. Let us thirst for God in our lives no matter what the circumstances might be.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, we are so thankful for your saving and birthing love. For you have not only saved us from our sins but you have placed within us your own Spirit, the Spirit of God that proceeds from the Father and the Son. May your Spirit lead us to the well of your love to satisfy our thirst for you. Help us to remember your love every moment of our lives for as David writes, “your love is better than life.” Help us to praise you with our lips and our whole beings as we walk in the light of your Word, and as we live New Lives in Your Name. Amen.

Day 67 - March 8, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 62

1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
    my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

3 How long will you assault me?
    Would all of you throw me down—
    this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 Surely they intend to topple me
    from my lofty place;
    they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
    but in their hearts they curse.

5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
    my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge.

9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
    the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
    together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
    or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
    do not set your heart on them.

11 One thing God has spoken,
    two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,
12     and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;
and, “You reward everyone
    according to what they have done.”

Observation:

“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress; I will never be shaken.” (Psalm 62:1-2)

Application:

Since God is our rock and our salvation, what can harm us for God is our ever-present help in times of trouble. We will never be shaken.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, let us rest in your care and understand that we are always in the grip of your grace. Help us to be confident in your love and in your salvation. Amen.

Day 66 - March 7, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 61

For the Director of Music, with Stringed Instruments. A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my cry, O God;
    listen to my prayer.

2 From the ends of the earth I call to you,
    I call as my heart grows faint;
    lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the foe.

4 I long to dwell in your tent forever
    and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
5 For you, God, have heard my vows;
    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

6 Increase the days of the king’s life,
    his years for many generations.
7 May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever;
    appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.

8 Then I will ever sing in praise of your name
    and fulfill my vows day after day.

Observation:

David, the Psalmist knows that God has always been David’s true help. He writes: “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. (Psalm 61:1-3)

Like David, our God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.

Application:

Like David, we should be ever thankful to our Lord for our salvation and our rock. May we always praise our Lord and God that the others in our lives will hear and see our praises and be enticed to seek the Lord for their own salvation and strength.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice that makes us whole in you. May we be ever thankful to you, singing your praises and witnessing to our friends and family that they also might seek your forgiveness and the new life that you promise all of your children. Amen.

Day 65, 2025 - March 6, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 40:1-11

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

4 Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.
5 Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.

6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
    but my ears you have opened—
    burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
    it is written about me in the scroll.
8 I desire to do your will, my God;
    your law is within my heart.”

9 I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
    I do not seal my lips, Lord,
    as you know.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
    I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
    from the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
    may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

Observation:

“ I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.” (Psalm 40:1-3)

David extols the virtue of waiting upon the Lord and writes about standing on the firm foundation of God’s love and provision. The Lord puts a new song in our mouths and a trust in our hearts that continually sings praises to God for God’s faithfulness and enduring love.

Application:

Therefore, we can rest in the Lord who sets our feet on a firm foundation of his love and faithfulness. As we place our trust in our Lord, we will not be disapointed.

Prayer:

Lord, let our mouths and our hearts continually sing your praises for you are our Rock and our Firm Foundation and we can trust in you. Allow others in our lives to see and hear our praises that they might draw close to you and be captured by your saving love. Amen.

Day 64 - March 5, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 51

For The Director of Music. A Psalm of David, When the Prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
    and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
    you who are God my Savior,
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
    in burnt offerings offered whole;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Observation:

David is consumed with guilt after the prophet Nathan confronted him regarding his adultery with Bathsheba, and his premeditated murder of Bathsheba’s husband Uriah. In this tremendous guilt, David writes Psalm 51 saying: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” (Psalm 51:1-3)

David had enjoyed God’s favor and now he feels the loss of that relationship. His sin is so great yet he focuses on his first sin against God. David also knows that he had sinned against Bathsheba, Uriah, and the nation of Israel, of which he is the king. Yet his confession to God is for God to wipe away his iniquities and to blot out his transgressions. He wants God to restore to him the joy of his salvation and to give him a clean heart.

Application:

The truth of the matter is that everyone of us has fallen far short of the Glory of God, and each one of us, your pastor included, needs to pray the prayer of confession to God. Each one of us needs to have broken and contrite hearts before our God that he may restore us to a right relationship with our Holy God.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, our God, when we measure our lives against your Word and your Ways, we find ourselves wanting, for we have all fallen short of your best intentions for our lives. Help us to approach the throne of your grace with broken and contrite hearts. Create in us clean hearts and a spirit that is steadfast in following your ways, and your truth, and your life. Thank you for sending your son, our Lord, Jesus as an atonement for our sins, and help us with the gift of your Spirit to follow Jesus in the ways that lead to life eternal. Amen.

Day 63- March 4, 2025

Scripture: Psalm 33

1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully, and shout for joy.

4 For the word of the Lord is right and true;
    he is faithful in all he does.
5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
    the earth is full of his unfailing love.

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
    their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars[a];
    he puts the deep into storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
    let all the people of the world revere him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm.

10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
    he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
    the purposes of his heart through all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down
    and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches
    all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all,
    who considers everything they do.

16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
    no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
    despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
    and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord;
    he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
    even as we put our hope in you.

Observation:

Our God created the heavens and the earth and knows all things and the mind of every person. Nothing is beyond the Lord’s sight. “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.” (Psalm 33:8-9)

Application:

Knowing that God is aware of all things, we should have a righteous fear of the Lord, submitting ourselves to God’s Lordship. When we work against the Lord’s purposes, we labor in vain because the “…Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” (Psalm 33:10-11)

Prayer:

Look upon our lives Lord and guide our paths. Lead us into righteous and joyous living as we place our trust in you daily. For we wait in joyful hope for the Lord because he is our constant help in all circumstances. May we live in a righteous fear of you as we trust in your Holy Name. Amen.