Category Archives: Psalms

A Psalm for the Day of Trouble

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Psalm 77

In the Day of Trouble I Seek the Lord

To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

1 I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I moan;
when I meditate, my spirit faints.
Selah

4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?”
Selah

10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph.
Selah

16 When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

We are mourning the loss of my precious infant niece,  please remember us in your prayers as we grieve.

“God of all comfort, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, grant the consolations of your Holy Spirit to all comfortless and afflicted souls. Make us be rooted and grounded in faith, armed with the breastplate of Christ’s righteousness, furnished with the helmet of an unwavering hope, and provided with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of Truth, by which we shall triumph over all enemies. Amen”

Reading the Psalms with Luther, Psalm 77

Becky

>Sunday’s Psalm -Psalm 96-

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Psalm 96

Worship in the Splendor of Holiness
Oh sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth!
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!
Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

 

Becky

Praying the Psalms -Psalm 130-

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Summer is here, and for me summer is the time to study the Psalms in depth. Last year I used Calvin’s commentary as my guide; and this summer I will be led through them by Spurgeon. This week I have been meditating on Psalm 130, and as I read Spurgeon’s commentary, I was impressed on the richness of this wonderful Psalm, and how much I need to pray it. This Lord’s day my prayer is based on this Psalm as well as on Spurgeon’s reflections.

Psalm 130

My Soul Waits for the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!

Father of Lights, All Merciful King, let my life be a progression, an ascent to you. Never going back, but always growing, always from glory to glory until the day I see your face and find my joy fulfilled. Oh LORD, that I may always cry to you, no matter where I might be, no matter how depth the valley or how scary the storm; that you may always hear my voice calling your name which is mighty to save at all times. Let me walk this week whispering prayers, laying down at your feet, with an audible voice, my cares, my concerns, the deepest longings of my heart knowing that you hear me.

 

O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

Hear me, hear my prayer, O Father!  To know that you hear my prayer is my only hope, my only comfort in the valley. That I may not forget that you are a God who delights in hearing the prayer of his people, of his children! Lord, open my mouth, that I may utter all day prayers before you! Why should I keep quiet if you hear me? Why should I remain silent if my Heavenly Father has ears for my prayers?

 

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

Father, it is true, “none fear the LORD like those who have experienced his forgiving love. Gratitude for pardon produces far more fear and reverence for God than all the dread which is inspired by punishment”  O God, amen,  I fear your name, which is holy, because of your amazing grace has been manifested to me. You have seen my heart, you have searched within me and have not found anything good in me; yet, in spite of all my iniquities and for the sake of Jesus Christ, my Mediator, it has pleased you not to count me among the condemned, among those who have no hope; you have not marked all my iniquities, and now in Jesus I can stand before the Most Holy and find forgiveness. I bow with all reverence and fear your goodness.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

Father, because I know that you hear me, I can now wait on You knowing that if it pleases You to make me wait, I will wait with all my heart because those who wait on the Lord are blessed indeed!  Help me remember that the waiting itself is beneficial for my soul as it “tries my faith, helps me exercise patience, trains me in submission, and helps me endear the blessing when it comes.” Father, help me to persevere as I wait on you in the study of your Holy Word and prayer, because “Your Word O LORD, is a firm ground for a waiting soul to rest upon.” Father, give me the determination to wake up early every day, strengthen my body that I may wake up before my family, to pray earnestly for each one of them. That I may not be distracted by anything! That my first words every day bring glory to you. Lord, I want to seek you diligently, with all perseverance, wholeheartedly;  I want to wait for you even more than the watchman for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

God, you are my only hope; in you alone is steadfast love, and plentiful redemption! You have crowned me with these three, what else should I want?

I love you, O Lord, my Redeemer!

Becky

 

>Meditating on Psalm 130

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Psalm 130: 1-6
 
My Soul Waits for the Lord
 
A Song of Ascents.
 
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

 

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

 

 

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

 

 

O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

Under His sun and by His grace,

Becky

>Psalm 89: 8-10

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“O LORD God of hosts,

who is mighty as you are, O LORD,

with your faithfulness all around you?

Be still and remember that in the midst of your storm our God the Lord of Hosts never ceases to be mighty; His faithfulness never fails; He rules over all with wisdom.

Under His sun and by His grace,

Becky

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 119: 1-8-

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Psalm 119

Aleph

1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!

Lord, it amazes me how you have blessed my life.
How you have called me blessed when I deserved nothing but death.
You have blessed me by setting my feet to walk on the narrow way.
By forgiving all my sins.
It is a miracle.
It is the greatest blessing any woman could have.
I hated your ways, even today, my ways are not blameless;
yet you give me your Word to guide my steps,
to cleanse me.

Lord, help me walk in your ways,
blameless…
yes, blameless.
That is my heart’s desire.
Help me, Lord,  to keep your testimonies,
in a world that is twisted and calls my name.
Lord, that I may seek you with my whole heart.
Every day, every minute, wholeheartedly.
Deliver me from all unbelief,
from my own heart.

 

4 You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!

Father, I thank you, that through the power of the Holy Spirit in me
I can walk diligently in your ways.
Thank you that through the atonement of Jesus,
I have been delivered from the bondage of sin,
and can walk freely, keeping your statutes!

 

6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.
8 I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me!

Father, hear my prayer today,
when the evildoers come against me,
when temptation finds me,
help me that I may not be put to shame,
but that I may stand firm;
fixed my eyes on all your commandments;
praising you with an upright heart.

Lord, help me to study your Word,
to abide in it.
To learn your righteouss rules,
and love and keep your statutes.

Father, hear me!
Do not utterly forsake me!
Be with me as I grow in grace
in a world that hates You.

This I pray,
in the name of my Mediator,
Jesus Christ,

Amen

Becky