The title of Psalm 102 says it all: A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord. At first, let us note the problem. 1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, And let my cry come to You. 2 Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; Incline Your ear to me; In the day that I call, answer me speedily. 3 For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned like a hearth. 4 My heart is stricken and withered like grass, So that I forget to eat my bread. […]

You are what you eat.  And so, we eat healthy food. The saying, however, extends itself towards who we hang out with.  David, at Psalm 101 seeks the presence of the LORD his God by seeking godliness before Him. 1 I will sing of mercy and justice; To You, O Lord, I will sing praises. 2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. 3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me. […]

With Canadian Thanksgiving having long passed and with American Thanksgiving tomorrow, we come today to a Psalm of Thanksgiving. Psalm 100, however, is not a psalm of thanksgiving for the world, but for the church. 1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Knowing then, that our thanksgiving is rooted upon being considered, one the sheep of his pasture, is not the call then to enter into His gates with […]

Dear Believer, what is your God? The psalmist of Psalm 99 knows. 1 The Lord reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved! 2 The Lord is great in Zion, And He is high above all the peoples. 3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name— He is holy. That He is holy brings all good things. 4 The King’s strength also loves justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. 5 Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at His footstool— He is holy. He has provided the means to worship Him. 6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called […]

Not only is the LORD returning in judgment (for this is how Psalm 98 ends) but He shall judge (9) “with equity.” The psalm is a short one. Here’s all 9 verses. 1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. 2 The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 4 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all […]

Who is the Lord of your life? Psalm 97 has your answer. 1 The Lord reigns; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad! Even the elements honour Him. 2 Clouds and darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. 3 A fire goes before Him, And burns up His enemies round about. 4 His lightnings light the world; The earth sees and trembles. 5 The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6 The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples see His glory. Is He the Lord of […]

Psalm 96 declares that our God is returning in judgement, and that He has every right to do so. 1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. 3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. 4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens. 6 Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Understanding who God is then, the psalmist reminds, if not commands us to […]

When God calls us into worship, we had better listen. Psalm 95 considers such things. At first, hear the invitation: 1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. 3 For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods. To continue, hear why the invitation stands: 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. 7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand… To conclude, hear the […]

Are you as concerned about God’s reputation as much as your own? The psalmist of Psalm 94 brings this to our attention. 1 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs— O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth! 2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Render punishment to the proud. 3 Lord, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph? Having called upon the Lord, the psalmist brings his concerns. 4 They utter speech, and speak insolent things; All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves. 5 They break in pieces Your people, O Lord, And afflict Your heritage. 6 They slay the widow and the stranger, And murder the fatherless. […]

Psalm 93 knows the burdens you’ve been carrying. But first, the psalmist want you to know your God. 1 The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. 2 Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting. Now that you know Him, cry out to Him! 3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, The floods have lifted up their voice; The floods lift up their waves. Now that you have cried out to Him, rest in Him. 4 The Lord on high is mightier Than the noise of many waters, Than the mighty waves […]