This is a journey through the Psalms! Thank you to Anchor Church, Restoration Church, and Sent Church, for joining us on this journey. Take time each day to reflect on a Psalm and pray the ACTS model of prayer..
Adoration - What in this passage calls you to worship?
Confession - What in this passage calls you to confess sin?
Thanksgiving - What in this passage calls your to thankfulness?
Supplication - What in this passage calls you to request God’s help?
click on the blue banners ↓ to expand the reading each day.
Psalm 63:1-11 God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you. I thirst for you; my body faints for you in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. 2 So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory. 3 My lips will glorify you because your faithful love is better than life. 4 So I will bless you as long as I live; at your name, I will lift up my hands. 5 You satisfy me as with rich food; my mouth will praise you with joyful lips. 6 When I think of you as I lie on my bed, I meditate on you during the night watches 7 because you are my helper; I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings. 8 I follow close to you; your right hand holds on to me. 9 But those who intend to destroy my life will go into the depths of the earth. 10 They will be given over to the power of the sword; they will become a meal for jackals. 11 But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by him will boast, for the mouths of liars will be shut.
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Years ago, I had the privilege of visiting Israel. One of my favorite moments was touring a place called En Gedi. This area in the Judean wilderness is probably where David wrote this Psalm. A small stream of water flows down from the plains into this small canyon. All around the canyon is a desert land covered in dirt and rocks, but there is life in this small place; vegetation grows along the banks of the small stream and pools of water inside the canyon. I want you to reread the Psalm and, this time, picture the scene. David starts by comparing his desire to seek the Lord to the intense thirst that comes from this desert place. This hunger and desire for God are characteristics that define David's life. This is why he is described as "A man after God's heart."
In verses seven and eight, we are given the image of the protection that comes from the "Shadow of [God's] wings" and the security that comes when we "Follow close to [God]." I want you to picture the little stream running through the valley again. Life in this desolate land can only be sustained by clinging to the stream's banks and finding shade from the scorching sun in the canyon. This is also true of our life in Christ; we must stay close to the source of life. In John 15, Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches… Abide in me."
In the last section, David describes God's deliverance from those who seek to harm him. David was writing this Psalm from this wilderness place because he was running from King Saul, who wanted to kill him. Even in this, he recognized that God would have the final word. As you reflect on this Psalm, ask God to help you grow in your desire for Him and help you follow close to Him, knowing that no matter what you are going through, He will sustain you. I am praying for you during this 21 Days of Prayer. May you grow in your desire for his presence, and may you experience the reality that His "Faithful love is better than life!”
Psalm 65:1-13 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. 2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. 3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. 4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple! 5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; 6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; 7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, 8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. 9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.
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David's Psalm 65 is a hymn in which he expresses his gratitude to God for being the giver of all things. David begins this Psalm by pointing out that God answers prayers and forgives us of our sins.
David understood his personal struggle against sin but also that even though the struggle was real, the atonement for our sins has triumphed over it all. David is clear: though imperfect and sinful, God's people are blessed because of God's mercy and willingness to forgive. This forgiveness draws us into God's presence, filling our hearts with satisfaction and joy. Verse 4 says, "Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts!" This verse reminds us that closeness with God is a gift, not something we earn. We are invited to worship and know Him intimately despite our failings.
In the second portion of this Psalm, David shifts his attention to God's power. One certain thing is that when it comes to God's power, nothing close in proximity can match His power. Who else can still the roaring seas besides God alone? The picture painted here is one of stability; no matter how chaotic the world may seem, God is in control. His power brings peace, showing we can trust Him even in life's storms.
Finally, in verses 9-13, David celebrates God's provision, describing how He waters the earth, providing food and abundance. Some things we take for granted, such as food and water, but David reminds us that they all come from our glorious Father in heaven. Let us be reminded of this in our everyday lives and "shout and sing together for joy."
In total, David describes 19 specific actions that God performs. Can you find them all?
Psalm 66:1-9 Let the whole earth shout joyfully to God! Sing about the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. Say to God, “How awe-inspiring are your works! Your enemies will cringe before you because of your great strength.The whole earth will worship you and sing praise to you. They will sing praise to your name.”Selah Come and see the wonders of God; his acts for humanity are awe-inspiring. He turned the sea into dry land, and they crossed the river on foot. There we rejoiced in him. He rules forever by his might; he keeps his eye on the nations. The rebellious should not exalt themselves.Selah Bless our God, you peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard. He keeps us alive and does not allow our feet to slip.
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Do you ever notice how recalling what God has done in your life changes your perspective? The psalmist here is recalling the mighty acts of God; he is bringing to mind things he has seen God do. This is a psalm of thanksgiving.
He starts off with a call to praise the Lord! In verse 3, I love how the psalmist tells us what to say to God. If you are ever struggling with gratitude, turn to this Psalm, read chapter 66, verse 3, and say to God, “How awe-inspiring are your works!”
In verse 6, he refers to God allowing Israel to cross the Red Sea when God delivered them from Egypt (Exodus 14:15-31.) The psalmist remembers that God keeps His eye on the nations, paying close attention to what is happening.
As the psalmist recalls and brings to mind all the wonderful things God has done - not just for him and his family, but his entire nation and God’s chosen people throughout the generations - it causes him to rejoice, sing, and praise the Lord. He calls the whole earth to shout joyfully to God. He encourages them to sing about the glory of His name and to make His praise glorious. When we have the right perspective of who God is and what He has done, we recognize that He is the one who keeps us alive and does not allow our feet to slip (in other words, He’s got you!)
This is something we should practice as well. Think back to what God has done for His people; the earliest thing you can think of. Maybe it goes back to Genesis or Exodus, or you need to start in the New Testament. Recall how God has sustained His people, and throughout thousands of years, we are still experiencing Him in new and fresh ways, still learning from His Word, experiencing Jesus, and still being indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Think about how God has done miraculous things in your own life and the lives of others around you.
Then, like the psalmist, you can say: “Let the whole earth shout joyfully to God! Sing about the glory of His name; make His praise glorious.”
Psalm 66:10-20 For you, God, tested us; you refined us as silver is refined. 11 You lured us into a trap; you placed burdens on our backs. 12 You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us out to abundance. 13 I will enter your house with burnt offerings; I will pay you my vows 14 that my lips promised and my mouth spoke during my distress. 15 I will offer you fattened sheep as burnt offerings, with the fragrant smoke of rams; I will sacrifice bulls with goats. Selah 16 Come and listen, all who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. 17 I cried out to him with my mouth, and praise was on my tongue. 18 If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 19 However, God has listened; he has paid attention to the sound of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God! He has not turned away my prayer or turned his faithful love from me.
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If any nation has reason to praise the Lord, it is Israel. I mean, just think about what God has done for them over and over again. He rescued them from slavery, guided them through the wilderness, took them into their land, and allowed them to defeat their enemies and claim their inheritance.
Now, let’s look at what God gave them. He gave them His law, sanctuary, priests, and prophets and blessed them with all they needed. When they disobeyed and started following their own hearts and desires, he disciplined them. One commentator says, “Like a careful craftsman, He put them through the furnace and removed the impurities.”
When they turned to the Lord, He transformed their sufferings into blessings. God can take our trials and turn them into triumphs. There is a purpose for the suffering; God works through it in a mighty way, but we’ve got to move ourselves out of the way and let Him! We can go through fire and water and be the better for it (Isa. 43:2).
In vv.13-20, you see it go from “we/our” to “I/my”. I love this because we see the intimate, individual relationship that we GET to have with the creator of the universe. The psalmist speaks of the offerings that he brought to the altar. He brought the very best he had, which showed his complete and total dedication to God. Now, as New Testament Christians, we are to be that offering, as it tells us in Romans 12:1-2 “present your bodies as a living sacrifice.” We are to give God everything that we have; HE must be first, as The Lord of our lives. So now, what do we do with all of that? It’s simple. GO AND TELL! Vs.16-20 tells us we need to go and testify. Share with other believers, share with your lost neighbor or co-worker. Go brag on God, and watch what HE will do with it!
Psalm 67:1-7 May God be gracious to us and bless us; may he make his face shine upon us Selah 2 so that your way may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise you, God; let all the peoples praise you. 4 Let the nations rejoice and shout for joy, for you judge the peoples with fairness and lead the nations on earth. Selah 5 Let the peoples praise you, God, let all the peoples praise you. 6 The earth has produced its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. 7 God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.
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Think back to the last time you received an announcement of extraordinarily good news or a valuable gift—something so precious that sharing it felt almost as good as receiving it, and you couldn't keep it to yourself.
That feeling represents the heartbeat of Psalm 67, which calls us to respond in a like manner to our Lord's unmerited favor, kindness, and generosity.
In other words, Psalm 67 is a call to praise and to missions!
Habakkuk 2:14 tells us that one day, the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord's glory as the waters cover the sea. That's God's plan for the world, and this Psalm calls God's people to be active participants in seeing this mission fulfilled.
The question we must ask is: Will we embrace our mission?
Like the Psalmist, our hearts, blessed by the mercy and grace of God, ought to desire to see His saving power and glory spread from our lives to our families, cities, and nations. It is loving and right to yearn for our Righteous Judge, our Good Shepherd, to be praised by all people!
Of course, we know that only the Lord can transform a heart and cause a desire to worship Him. Yet, He invites us to participate in this mission to spread the worldwide call to repent, to believe, and to praise the One who is worthy, our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Psalmist closes this call with praise for the Lord's fruitful harvest. On this side of the cross, we see this as a metaphor that anticipates a more incredible future blessing: a harvest of souls.
"After this, I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" Revelation 7:9-10
We know that our Lord Jesus will ultimately fulfill this future harvest. He is working His plan of salvation through His Church, and He uses His people to bring His Gospel to the nations!
Oh church! Will you find joy in saying yes to the missional exaltation of King Jesus?
Psalm 71:1-12 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! 2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me! 3 Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man. 5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. 6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you. 7 I have been as a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. 8 My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. 9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent. 10 For my enemies speak concerning me; those who watch for my life consult together 11 and say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.” 12 O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!
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Today's Psalm is written anonymously by someone more advanced in years than most of us. Our writer has lived a full life. And with that full life came a life that was constantly under attack and needed rescue. When his years are spent, his enemies see his physical strength as an opportunity to pounce! But they need to realize that he is not relying on his strength to carry him to the finish line. Let's see what a life of reliance looks like.
The first section of this Psalm can be categorized as a prayer of trusting the Lord. Verse two says, "In your righteousness," which means that the psalmist understood that man's strength and righteousness are not enough to fend off the attacks and troubles of this world. We need God's righteousness to deliver us and rescue us.
How often have you or I tried to do life on our own strength? Maybe we think God is too busy or far away, or we just doubt God's sovereign plan. I know I've been guilty of trying to wrestle the steering wheel away from God because I know what's best for me… Lord, forgive me for my short-sightedness and lack of trust!
Through his life of faithfulness, the psalmist reminds us that many enemies will be a part of our lives and try to find ways to diminish our walk with Christ. We realize that every trial and attack is another reason to have hope in God and to praise Him continually. We can have faith that God will deliver us from evil and that He is never far from us.
In the ESV translation, verse seven uses the word "portent." The KJV says, "wonder." The CSB is a "miraculous sign." The psalmist recognizes that the life of a faithful believer is strange to those who don't believe. I mean, who fills their mouth with praises to God when a saint's life is constantly bombarded with trials?
When we read this Psalm, I pray we recognize our weakness and God's greatness. We understand that through our trust in Him, we are saved. We depend on Him as our rock and fortress. When we rely entirely on our Lord and Savior, He is never far from us. May we be people who never outgrow the need for a Savior.
Psalm 71:13-24 May my adversaries be disgraced and destroyed; may those who intend to harm me be covered with disgrace and humiliation. 14 But I will hope continually and will praise you more and more. 15 My mouth will tell about your righteousness and your salvation all day long, though I cannot sum them up. 16 I come because of the mighty acts of the Lord God; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. 17 God, you have taught me from my youth, and I still proclaim your wondrous works. 18 Even while I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me, while I proclaim your power to another generation, your strength to all who are to come. 19 Your righteousness reaches the heights, God, you who have done great things; God, who is like you? 20 You caused me to experience many troubles and misfortunes, but you will revive me again. You will bring me up again, even from the depths of the earth. 21 You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. 22 Therefore, I will praise you with a harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing to you with a lyre, Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you because you have redeemed me. 24 Therefore, my tongue will proclaim your righteousness all day long, for those who intend to harm me will be disgraced and confounded.
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Jim Elliot was called as a young man to spread the Gospel to the Woadani people of Ecuador. Although Waodoni men killed Jim and 4 of his missionary partners, Jim’s wife, Elisabeth, chose to return to Ecuador to continue the mission. Relying on her faith, she forgave her husband’s killers, lived among them, and inspired many to embrace Jesus as Lord.
Most would agree that this takes unshakable faith, a faith that stands firm in the most difficult of trials.
Commentators believe Psalm 71 is a lament of David filled with praise, possibly amid the conflict with Absalom. The Psalmist’s faith is rooted not in his immediate struggles but in a righteous, mighty, and faithful God who comforts and saves.
Psalm 71 makes us thirsty for this kind of faith. Truth be told, when trials come, we often doubt, fear, and perhaps even wander from the Lord. The Psalmist beautifully illustrates what it looks like to persevere, by God’s grace, in steadfast, unshakable faith.
In verse 14, the Psalmist declares that he will “hope continually.” Or, as the NLT puts it, “I will keep hoping for your help.” This statement reveals a confident expectation in the faithfulness and goodness of a Sovereign God and fuels hope. This hope does not disappoint because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts by His Spirit (Romans 5:5)
Hard times, however, can lead to feelings of hopelessness as we are prone to forget God’s past faithfulness and eternal goodness.
Psalm 71 shows the way to remember.
We see that the Psalmist TELLS of the innumerable righteous and salvific works of the Lord. He REMINDS others of the Lord’s righteous character and PROCLAIMS God’s wondrous deeds. He desires rescue to PROCLAIM the Lord’s mighty power to the next generation.
His hope and his faith inspire praise to the Lord. He PRAISES with instruments. He SINGS. He SHOUTS FOR JOY with his lips and his soul. His praise and proclamation keep his focus on the Lord, sustaining his hope.
Oh, Church! Psalm 71 points us to the Lord Jesus, who endured the suffering of the cross so that God’s eternal plan might be fulfilled, Christ might be glorified, and we might be redeemed, restored, and enabled to live forever to praise Him.
Will you praise Him today?
Psalm 73:1-12 God is indeed good to Israel, to the pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my steps nearly went astray. 3 For I envied the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have an easy time until they die, and their bodies are well fed. 5 They are not in trouble like others; they are not afflicted like most people. 6 Therefore, pride is their necklace, and violence covers them like a garment. 7 Their eyes bulge out from fatness; the imaginations of their hearts run wild. 8 They mock, and they speak maliciously; they arrogantly threaten oppression. 9 They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues strut across the earth. 10 Therefore his people turn to them and drink in their overflowing words. 11 The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High know everything?” 12 Look at them—the wicked! They are always at ease, and they increase their wealth.
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It's unfortunately typical for Christians to struggle in the same way the psalmist struggled. If we're being honest with ourselves, the ways of this world can sometimes look a lot better than God's ways. God's Word can start to sound too extreme or too demanding. This is so common when we start chasing pleasure and status. We can sometimes catch ourselves looking around the world, and it seems they're having so much fun. Everything is going great for them. They're clearly living for themselves as if they're the god of their lives, but it seems like it's working out decently for them. And it looks like things are going better for them than for us. We feel like we're missing out, and our feet begin to slip.
You may be reading this and know that your feet have already slipped, or your steps are on the verge of stumbling. Take advantage of this. It could be that God, in HIS grace and love for you, has brought you to this Psalm. Faith is a real-life struggle, and this Psalm deals with real life.
The author of this Psalm is Asaph, a Levite who serves as a worship leader among God's people. Deep down in his heart, he knows God is good (v. 1). This Psalm is not the doubting of someone who is opposed to God or someone trying to prove God isn't good. No, this is doubting someone who believes God is good. This Psalm is split into 2 perspectives. Vv 1-16 is when he sees the wicked BUT in Vv.17-28 we know what happens when he sees God, and that is when his perspective changes. Don’t stay so focused on seeing the world around you and the temporary that you miss the eternal and what's ahead. Don't you dare forget, Christian, that an inheritance awaits you! And your inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It's being kept in heaven for YOU, guarded by GOD himself!!
Psalm 73:13-20 13 Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing? 14 For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning. 15 If I had decided to say these things aloud, I would have betrayed your people. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it seemed hopeless 17 until I entered God’s sanctuary. Then I understood their destiny. 18 Indeed, you put them in slippery places; you make them fall into ruin. 19 How suddenly they become a desolation! They come to an end, swept away by terrors. 20 Like one waking from a dream, Lord, when arising, you will despise their image.
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Asaph, the writer of this psalm, speaks of a personal crisis of faith that he experienced—one that many of us can relate to. From his perspective, the wicked enjoy God's blessings and none of His curses. They disregard the Lord but thrive in wealth, success, comfort, and an easy life. Meanwhile, Asaph, faithfully serving the Lord and striving to live righteously, found his life marked by challenges and difficulties. Shouldn't his pious life count for something in this world? Wasn't he entitled to enjoy the worldly blessings the wicked seemed to have?
This internal struggle made him question whether living a righteous life and pursuing holiness was all for nothing—whether it was in vain. If we're honest, many of us have wrestled with similar doubts. Is it all worth it? Perhaps you've tried to live a life of integrity and faithfulness to the Lord, only to face relationship challenges, financial struggles, or persistent health issues. Then you look around and see people who want nothing to do with God, seemingly living the "good life." This can tempt us to envy the wicked and doubt God's goodness.
Asaph's struggle brought him to the point of exhaustion. He wearied himself trying to make sense of it all. But then he experienced a turning point, as described in verse 17: "Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end." In worship, surrounded by God's people and in God's presence, Asaph gained the proper perspective. He realized that the prosperity of the wicked was fleeting. Their success is like a dream, quickly forgotten upon waking. Their lives are built on foundations that will ultimately crumble, and their ruin is assured.
The reality of God's presence and the certainty of His judgment cleared up the distortion in Asaph's perspective. The wicked may prosper now but will not prosper in the end. God's justice may not be immediate, but it is certain. For the faithful, however, the trials and sufferings of this life are shaping them for eternity.
If you're facing a crisis of faith or wrestling with life's apparent unfairness, bring your frustrations to God in prayer. Fill yourself with God's Word, allowing it to renew and reshape your perspective on this fallen world and the fleeting prosperity of the wicked. Surround yourself with godly and mature believers who can encourage you. Remind yourself when you're tempted to envy the wicked and doubt God's goodness that God is always good to His children, and the wicked will not prosper in the end.
Psalm 73:21-28 When I became embittered and my innermost being was wounded, 22 I was stupid and didn’t understand; I was an unthinking animal toward you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me up in glory. 25 Who do I have in heaven but you? And I desire nothing on earth but you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever. 27 Those far from you will certainly perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, God’s presence is my good. I have made the Lord God my refuge, so I can tell about all you do.
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In today's passage, the psalmist, Asaph, finds himself in a place I believe so many of us do from time to time - the trap of comparison. In the first half of the Psalm, Asaph compares the seemingly easy life of the wicked with the struggles of His own life. In today's passage of verses, Asaph has begun to realize the bitterness within his own heart caused by such comparison. Asaph is confronted with his sin and how it has affected his relationship with God. The trap of comparison can easily lead us down a path of questioning - the motives of God, the fairness of God's plan, and the justice of God's character.
Asaph had certainly been questioning God. Maybe you've found yourself in that place too. Perhaps comparing what those around you have, possessions or relationships, has made you bitter about what you feel God hasn't given you yet. Maybe the difficult circumstances of life, whether loss or mistreatment or sickness, have led to a spirit of questioning God's plan or His goodness. As Asaph does in today's Scripture, let's evaluate our hearts. Let's name the struggles within our own spirit, confess them, and bring back a perspective of who God is and what He does.
The last statement of this passage, I think, is one of the most powerful. He says, "But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." He acknowledged how precious it is to be near to God. We won't always be able to make sense of some things in this world, but ultimately, we don't have to. They are out of our control. They are not, however, out of God's control!
Asaph decided to rest in God and His wisdom. We must make that same decision every day. Regardless of where you find yourself today, remind yourself of the promise in verse 26: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever."
Psalm 75:1-10 We give thanks to you, God; we give thanks to you, for your name is near. People tell about your wondrous works. 2 “When I choose a time, I will judge fairly. 3 When the earth and all its inhabitants shake, I am the one who steadies its pillars. Selah 4 I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn. 5 Do not lift up your horn against heaven or speak arrogantly.’” 6 Exaltation does not come from the east, the west, or the desert, 7 for God is the Judge: He brings down one and exalts another. 8 For there is a cup in the Lord’s hand, full of wine blended with spices, and he pours from it. All the wicked of the earth will drink, draining it to the dregs. 9 As for me, I will tell about him forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob. 10 “I will cut off all the horns of the wicked, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”
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Giving thanks to the Lord is one way we worship. Asaph reminds us that it is important to thank God and to thank him together. When we give thanks to the Lord, it is contagious. The more time you spend with thankful friends, the more thankful you naturally become. The opposite is also true and far more common; grumbling and bitterness spread like wildfire.
Thankfulness in the individual spreads to thankfulness in the family, thankfulness in the family spreads to thankfulness in the church, and thankfulness in the church spreads to thankfulness in our communities. I pray that our lives and churches are described as “people telling about God’s wondrous works” (v1).
The main reason this psalmist gives is to thank the Lord for his grace and mercy toward us. God speaks beginning in verse 2, declaring that he is the judge and will judge fairly. 1 Peter 1:17 states that everyone is responsible for their actions and work, and God judges impartially. God is omnipotent and sovereign over every creature, so do not even try to mess with him. That is a fight that no one can win. Thank God there is a living hope for each of us who has placed our faith in Christ Jesus to save, redeem, and reconcile us to God. This was accomplished by Jesus on the cross when he became sin for me, and when the cup of wrath that I deserved was poured out on Jesus for me. Jesus paid it all.
Thank God today for his grace and mercy. Thank Jesus for enduring the cross and the joy that lay before him. Thank God that he is fair and will lift up the righteous, for “the righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe since there is no distinction (Rom 3:22).”
Psalm 77:1-12 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. 2 I sought the Lord in my day of trouble. My hands were continually lifted up all night long; I refused to be comforted. 3 I think of God; I groan; I meditate; my spirit becomes weak. Selah 4 You have kept me from closing my eyes; I am troubled and cannot speak. 5 I consider days of old, years long past. 6 At night I remember my music; I meditate in my heart, and my spirit ponders. 7 “Will the Lord reject forever and never again show favor? 8 Has his faithful love ceased forever? Is his promise at an end for all generations? 9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Selah 10 So I say, “I am grieved that the right hand of the Most High has changed.” 11 I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember your ancient wonders. 12 I will reflect on all you have done and meditate on your actions.
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How do you respond in seasons of deep grief? Do you mask your sorrow with a facade of shallow joy, or do you isolate yourself from the world, hoping the pain will dissipate somehow? Grief is strange. Perhaps you are currently enduring a season of grief. God deeply understands grief, as it is explicitly expressed throughout the pages of Scripture, especially in the Psalms. Does it comfort you to know that God understands our grief and gives us language to express it? It certainly does for me. And I hope that as we examine this Psalm, rich with the language of lament, it will help you press into Christ with a more profound hope in the Lord and His promises.
This Psalm of Asaph, composed alongside Jeduthun, one of David's musicians (1 Chron. 25:1–3), reflects Asaph's profound grief over his personal afflictions and the suffering endured by the nation of Israel. This Psalm aligns with the tradition of Psalms that anticipate the vicarious suffering of Christ (Rom. 15:3). Sometimes, the sins and afflictions of others can wound us more deeply than our own, for instance, our children's struggles, the tribulations affecting our church, or the turmoil that plagues our community and nation. This was the case for Asaph. He reaches a point in his prayers where his very soul "refuses to be comforted" (v. 2). As he remembers God, the good and sovereign Lord, his soul moans for relief; yet, even as he sets his mind upon God, his Spirit faints (v. 3). In verse 4, the Lord shows us that it is normal and even permissible in times of harrowing grief to reach a dead end in our prayers, being "so troubled that [we] cannot speak." This is where the New Testament reminds us that the Spirit helps us in our weakness, interceding for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom. 8:26-27).
But Selah marks a fundamental change in this Psalm. The Psalmist declares, "I will appeal to this: to the years of the right hand of the Most High" (v. 10). Instead of looking back negatively or nostalgically on God's promises, Asaph reflects positively and with faith: "I will remember … yes, I will remember!" Today, remember Christ, who knows your grief and has borne it in Himself. Yet, do not merely recall His promises; by His grace, believe them by faith as you lament!
Psalm 77:13-20 God, your way is holy. What god is great like God? 14 You are the God who works wonders; you revealed your strength among the peoples. 15 With power you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah 16 The water saw you, God. The water saw you; it trembled. Even the depths shook. 17 The clouds poured down water. The storm clouds thundered; your arrows flashed back and forth. 18 The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind; lightning lit up the world. The earth shook and quaked. 19 Your way went through the sea and your path through the vast water, but your footprints were unseen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
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This Psalm reflects times of deep pain, sorrow, and fear, and we see the redemptive response as reflecting on God’s holiness and mighty deeds, remembering who He is and what He’s done. (vv13-14)
Most of us will never face a physical army, but we do have an enemy of our soul who is relentlessly seeking our destruction. Like the Psalmist, we ought to declare that God is great and his works are like no other. The Psalmist recounts God’s mighty and decisive deliverance by proclaiming what he KNOWS is true. He finds light in the darkness and a path through turbulent times as he boldly proclaims creation is subject to His authority (vv15-18). Where do you turn when you are surrounded by trouble?
Dr. Google, AI, the news, drugs or alcohol….?
This Old Testament account of redemption from the Exodus foreshadows the ultimate redemption that God planned through His future Mediator, Jesus Christ….to whom we all must turn.
So, as you work and pray through the challenges of this life, reflect on all of Psalm 77 and remember God’s faithfulness and unfailing ability to deliver and guide, even in times of distress. In verse 19, the Psalmist follows unseen footprints! We, too, live by faith and not by sight. Deuteronomy 32:4 comforts us, stating, “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.”
It is a comforting promise to know we have a faithful and good shepherd (v20) who continues to lead us. John 10 says His sheep hear his voice, and He knows them; they follow Him—and He gives them eternal life. May we turn to Christ in faith, confess and obey Him, and then lift up prayers of thanksgiving as one of His blood-redeemed sheep.
Psalm 82:1-8 1 God stands in the divine assembly; he pronounces judgment among the gods: 2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Provide justice for the needy and the fatherless; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. 4 Rescue the poor and needy; save them from the power of the wicked.” 5 They do not know or understand; they wander in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High. 7 However, you will die like humans and fall like any other ruler.” 8 Rise up, God, judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you.
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Have you ever lost something you felt like you were entitled to? We’ve all felt loss at one time or another. Times when we feel like we deserve something but don’t get it, the life we thought we would have was taken from us, or we just came up short of our expectations. In those moments, we long for justice; God built that feeling into us. It’s a good and right emotion given to us by God because we are built in the image of an ideally just God.
In Psalm 82, we get a snapshot of a communal prayer from God’s people asking that God would have justice for those who have wronged and hurt the Israelites. Throughout their history, there are so many stories of tragic loss, sometimes from their own decision, but other times it’s due to living in a fallen world. In this Psalm, Asaph says that God has an absolute tangible judgment on the “gods” of their age; that’s another way of saying the ruling authorities or governing powers. Oppression happened as often in their day as it has in our own, and here’s the good news: God has a beautiful plan of redemption and a perfect plan of justice for those who are oppressed.
There’s an issue, though. Many of us have seen injustice in our day, and it seems unpunished. We may have felt like God forgot about us or just turned a blind eye. The prayer in verses 3 and 4 seems to fall on deaf ears that God would deliver the weak and needy from the hand of the wicked. Here’s the reality, though: sometimes, God’s justice looks different than ours, and sometimes, the timing looks different than we would like it to be.
Romans 12:19 gives us a promise that in the end, God will have His justice and every wrong will either be paid for through the wrath of God or forgiven through the powerful blood of Christ by the grace of God. Justice or grace will be the final outcome of all wrongs done on this earth, and as God’s people, we can rest in the fact that we don’t need to get vengeance. We need only to trust the good and faithful judge who throws those offenses either onto the cross of Christ or delivers condemnation through His wrath. No matter what… justice wins.
Psalm 84:1-12 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord of Armies. 2 I long and yearn for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh cry out for the living God. 3 Even a sparrow finds a home, and a swallow, a nest for herself where she places her young— near your altars, Lord of Armies, my King and my God. 4 How happy are those who reside in your house, who praise you continually. Selah 5 Happy are the people whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a source of spring water; even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings. 7 They go from strength to strength; each appears before God in Zion. 8 Lord God of Armies, hear my prayer; listen, God of Jacob. Selah 9 Consider our shield, God; look on the face of your anointed one. 10 Better a day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than live in the tents of wicked people. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord grants favor and honor; he does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity. 12 Happy is the person who trusts in you, Lord of Armies!
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The Psalmist in this passage conveys the weight and longing to be in the house of the Lord! This Psalm isn't just focused on the physical house of the Lord but the fact that the Lord is there! He says blessed are those whose strength is you. “Behold OUR shield, O God, look on the face of YOUR anointed.” The Psalmist is conveying ownership and belonging to the Lord!
Since we belong to the Lord and since He takes care of us and loves us, "A day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere." Even the greatest places of honor and prestige pale in comparison to being the house of the Lord.
Yet, if we are honest, we treat this meeting with the Lord as mundane. The excitement of a football game seems more appealing than being in the house of the Lord! Other things pull our attention, and we find them more satisfying than the Lord. The Psalmist wants us to know that being with the Lord is more significant than anything this world has to offer.
God is so much greater than the things of this world. If it came between being the doorman for God or the personal house guest of the wicked, the Psalmist clarifies that it's better to be a servant of God than a guest of Satan. In this passage, we are given a perspective on our priorities.
Possibly, meeting with the Lord hasn't been the priority for you and your home. The joy and excitement of going to the house of the Lord aren't something you've celebrated in your home. Maybe there are idols and obstacles in the way of your relationship with the Lord. I want you to know that there is hope for you!
We can rejoice in God's house because Jesus has opened the door for us. Without Christ, we would be stuck in the tent of the wicked. Jesus' sacrifice has made the way to welcome you to the House of the Lord!
During this prayer time, go before the Lord and ask Him to return you to the joy of being with Him. Remember the great sacrifice Jesus has accomplished so we can rejoice in God's house.
Psalm 86:1-10 Listen, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Protect my life, for I am faithful. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. 3 Be gracious to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. 4 Bring joy to your servant’s life, because I appeal to you, Lord. 5 For you, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive, abounding in faithful love to all who call on you. 6 Lord, hear my prayer; listen to my cries for mercy. 7 I call on you in the day of my distress, for you will answer me. 8 Lord, there is no one like you among the gods, and there are no works like yours. 9 All the nations you have made will come and bow down before you, Lord, and will honor your name. 10 For you are great and perform wonders; you alone are God.
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In Letters to Malcolm, one of his lesser-known books, CS Lewis writes one of my favorite quotes on prayer, “We must lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us.” King David’s Psalms validate this quote, none more so than Psalm 86. David pleads with God in seven different ways in the first seven verses. He writes this Psalm almost as if God is asking David, “Why should I?”
“Listen and answer me.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I am poor and needy.”
“Protect me, save me.”
“Why should I?”
“Because you’re my God, I am your faithful servant who trusts in you.”
“Be gracious to me, Lord!”
“Why should I?”
“Because I call you all day long.”
“Bring me joy.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I keep asking.”
“Be kind to me, forgive me, faithfully love me.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I called on you.”
“Hear me and listen to me.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I am crying out to you.”
“Answer me!”
“Why should I?”
“Because I am distressed and calling out to you.”
God is abounding in faithful love, and our neediness is what qualifies us to receive it. “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) Pray like David. Cry out to the Lord 7 different ways, but praise Him for who He is: God is faithful, loving, kind, and ready to forgive (v5). There is no one like our God (v8). He is great; he made everything, and everything he does is great (v9-10). God is a good Father (Rom 8:15) who loves caring for his kids (Matt. 7:11). Pray what is in you.
Psalm 86:11-17 Teach me your way, Lord, and I will live by your truth. Give me an undivided mind to fear your name. 12 I will praise you with all my heart, Lord my God, and will honor your name forever. 13 For your faithful love for me is great, and you rescue my life from the depths of Sheol. 14 God, arrogant people have attacked me; a gang of ruthless men intends to kill me. They do not let you guide them. 15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me. Give your strength to your servant; save the son of your female servant. 17 Show me a sign of your goodness; my enemies will see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped and comforted me.
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As we come closer to the end of these few weeks of prayer, we are reminded that prayer is not just about us speaking to God but us listening to Him. In Psalm 86, verse 11, David says, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.” We may ask God many things, but do we ask with an open heart, ready to walk with God where He will lead us? I know this is a struggle we all face. We want a way that seems safe, comfortable or familiar. Unfortunately, we can fear following God’s way and doubt His power to care for us. David also understands this struggle, so he pleads, “Unite my heart to fear your name.” The answer to our struggle to follow the Lord is to get our fear in the right place. We need our hearts united or made one in devotion and loyalty to God. When we fear the Lord in reverence and awe of who He is, all our other fears melt away. Do you find yourself constantly making your own path for your life and winding up empty? Are you tired of anxiously fearing what might happen to you if you make the wrong choices or go the wrong way? Then submit your heart to the Lord, and make it a point to focus all your attention on Him.
And what happens next when our hearts are freed from fear and turned into devotion to God? We can burst out in gratefulness and praise! Verse 12-13 says, “I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depth of Sheol.” When our hearts are set on God, we can see beyond our problems, beyond our limited circumstances, to the great wonder of God’s steadfast love and His power to save. Sheol was a frightening place to the original hearers of this Psalm, a place where the dead go and don’t come back. Yet God’s steadfast love overcomes the grave. Even as David continues to lay before God his fears of ruthless men who hated him and were seeking his life, he knows that God can save him. Knowing God’s mercy, grace, and patience towards us is our greatest hope for enduring the challenges we face in this life. But how can we find the actual comfort and help of the Lord when we are at our weakest? How can we know that God answers and understands our cries?
Remember that God Himself went into the grave, to the depths of Sheol, to the depths of His steadfast love, and sent His only Son to save us. Jesus is where we find our most profound comfort and the answer to our cries. Jesus was pursued by enemies, betrayed, and suffered not because He deserved it but because we did. Only Jesus can truly say, “You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol”, when God raised Jesus from the dead. Our hope and strength to continue praying our hearts to God doesn’t come from what we can do but from what Jesus has done for us. If you ever doubt that God can answer prayer or worry that God won’t show up, look to the empty tomb. Jesus’ prayers were answered when God rescued Him from the grave. If you are trusting in Christ, then God has saved you from the depths of sin and shame. You are a child of God, adopted and freed by the Gospel of grace. Do you believe this? What things turn your attention from God and the joy of your salvation back to worry and fear? Pray and ask the Lord to set your mind on this good news and that the Holy Spirit will help give you hope in Christ, especially when it seems most challenging. Then you can pray with David in verse 17, “You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.”
Psalm 92:1-8 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to your name, Most High, 2 to declare your faithful love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, 3 with a ten-stringed harp and the music of a lyre. 4 For you have made me rejoice, Lord, by what you have done; I will shout for joy because of the works of your hands. 5 How magnificent are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts! 6 A stupid person does not know, a fool does not understand this: 7 though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be eternally destroyed. 8 But you, Lord, are exalted forever.
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Psalm 92 is a psalm that helps realign our worship. Why do you worship God? Because your parents taught you? Because your pastor growing up told you to? We might glorify God for many reasons, but there is only one valid reason why we should. That reason is found in verse one of this psalm: "It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High" (Ps. 92:1). It is not only right to worship God—the psalmist says, "it is good"! We were created to worship God. The very purpose of our existence is to exalt the name of the Lord. When we orient our lives and affections to Christ, we soon find our souls filled with thanksgiving.
Just as the right remedy restores health when we are sick, worshiping the one true God through the person and work of Christ brings us to full strength. When our hearts are correctly oriented toward the Lord, thanksgiving and praise to the Most High flow from us like a mighty rushing waterfall (v1). True worship of Christ opens our eyes to the goodness of God, the faithfulness of God, and the steadfast love of the Lord (v. 2). We become truly alive and awake at the foot of the cross.
As you read through verses 2–5, you see a fully awake soul, don't you? In the morning, He declares the steadfast love of the Lord; at night, He declares God's faithfulness (v. 2). We gather whatever instruments we can find to make music to the One who has created a symphony within us because of His goodness, love, and faithfulness toward us. His goodness becomes our lute, His steadfast love becomes our harp, and His faithfulness is the melody upon which we play the lyre.
Until Jesus awakens you to life, you will be like the wicked described in verses 6–8. Behold Jesus, the Savior who died to awaken you to life—a life filled with true joy, praise, and a heart overflowing with thanksgiving. When you trust in Jesus, He will change the "station" of your heart from your works to His works (v. 5), making your life an endless song of praise unto Christ!
Psalm 92:9-15 For indeed, Lord, your enemies— indeed, your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered. 10 You have lifted up my horn like that of a wild ox; I have been anointed with the finest oil. 11 My eyes look at my enemies; when evildoers rise against me, my ears hear them. 12 The righteous thrive like a palm tree and grow like a cedar tree in Lebanon. 13 Planted in the house of the Lord, they thrive in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, healthy and green, 15 to declare, “The Lord is just; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”
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Psalm 92 is called a "praise psalm," meaning it was generally sung when the Israelites gathered for public worship. Reading the psalm in its entirety makes it clear why! While the psalmist reflects on a specific event where he has witnessed his enemies fall, he also points to God's enemies, God's victory over them, and then back to his own enemies in verse 11. His spirit is so closely aligned with God's that he identifies God's enemies as his enemies and vice versa. Consider this thought: what would it look like if we identified that closely with God?
I want to highlight two things:
As we continue reading, the psalmist presents a stark contrast between those who belong to the Lord and those who oppose Him. God's enemies are like grass—temporary, withering—but God's people are like palms in the desert or mighty cedars, bearing fruit even in old age. What a needed encouragement!
Psalms like this remind us of God's design for worshiping together. We were created to flourish only through the gathering of the local church. When we gather, we foreshadow what we will do forever in heaven's eternal, glorious, ultimate gathering. How does this look in our lives right now? Are we sacrificially loving one another? Are we rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn? It is truly supernatural when we imperfectly live out the perfect design Christ has set up for His bride. When we love in this way, Christ is magnified, and outsiders are irresistibly drawn to it.
Let us ask Christ to help us prefer our brothers and sisters over all others so that we may love them as His beautiful design commands us to.
Psalm 95:1-11 1 Come, let’s shout joyfully to the Lord, shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let’s enter his presence with thanksgiving; let’s shout triumphantly to him in song. 3 For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods. 4 The depths of the earth are in his hand, and the mountain peaks are his. 5 The sea is his; he made it. His hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the Lord our Maker. 7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep under his care. Today, if you hear his voice: 8 Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah in the wilderness 9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. 10 For forty years I was disgusted with that generation; I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray; they do not know my ways.” 11 So I swore in my anger, “They will not enter my rest.”
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This hymn of praise invites us to sing, be thankful, and worship the Lord our great God. These acts help stir our hearts for the Lord, renewing our faith in Him with the promise to enter into His rest.
The Psalmist instructs us to sing as the joyful response of the heart, posturing us upon the “rock of our salvation”. We can make a joyful noise because of our standing as people who have been rescued!
Because we have been rescued, we get to serve God as our great King and ruler—but not only have we been rescued by the Lord, but He made us and holds each of us, just like the rest of creation, in His hand. Only He has such power to create life, and the natural response to reflecting on that truth should be worship and submission to Him—“like the clay in the Potter’s hand,” as Jeremiah 18:5 says, so are we in His.
The latter half of this Psalm reminds us of the Israelites, whom God rescued from Egypt, who, rather than inclining their hearts towards the Lord, hardened them against Him. They bring complaints rather than singing or joyful noises, quarreling rather than being thankful, and testing rather than bringing their worship. Because of their persistence and going astray, they were forbidden to enter the “Promised Land”.
So, “Today, if you hear His voice,” what will be your response and the posture of your heart? The Lord’s rest is for the obedient who respond with true faith.
Psalm 96:1-13 Sing a new song to the Lord; let the whole earth sing to the Lord. 2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; proclaim his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all peoples. 4 For the Lord is great and is highly praised; he is feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; bring an offering and enter his courts. 9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him. 10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken. He judges the peoples fairly.” 11 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and all that fills it resound. 12 Let the fields and everything in them celebrate. Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy 13 before the Lord, for he is coming— for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his faithfulness.
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Today, we conclude our 21 Days of Prayer with a Psalm of pure praise, declaring the greatness of our God! As we step into this new year, may the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts echo that of the psalmist as he proclaims the salvation of the Lord and ascribes to the Lord the glory He is due.
The chapter begins with a charge to “sing a new song.” Charles Spurgeon said, “A new song, always new; keep up the freshness of your praise. Do not drive down into a dull routine…. We have new mercies to celebrate. Therefore, we must have new songs” This reminder is so important. We have new mercies from the Lord every day, and therefore, we have new reasons to praise Him.
Routine, in and of itself, is not a negative thing. Maybe these 21 Days of Prayer have helped you begin your new year by focusing on routine quiet time with the Lord. Don’t stop today. Keep going! However, the reminder here is that we must never let the awe-inspiring wonder of our God become routine. We must always recognize “the Lord of glory and strength” and “the splendor of His holiness.”
This Psalm takes us on a journey of praise from the past to the present and into the future. We praise God for what He has already done as the Lord who made the heavens and the One who provided a way for our salvation. We praise God for who He is as the Lord who reigns and cannot be shaken, and we praise God for His future promises as the Lord who is coming again in righteousness and faithfulness.
As we conclude this season of corporate prayer together and embark on this new year, let us seek the Lord in all things and develop a pattern of praise in our hearts. Let’s close with this thought by F. B. Meyer - “If the Lord Jesus has become King of your heart and has brought blessing to you, do not hesitate to give voice to your allegiance. In private, sing unto Him a new song; in public, show forth His salvation and declare His glory.”
