Category Archives: Psalms

>Living in the Sacred – Desiring to be in the Holy Place-

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Martin Luther says about the Psalm 63,

“The 63rd Psalm is a psalm of prayer in which David, when he had to flee into the wilderness from Saul, desired to be in the holy place and hear God’s Word. He laments over the “Saulites” who seek his life so that he cannot come there and thus is deprived of the Word of God. But he meditates, nevertheless, on the promise and God’s choice of him to be king, and he comforts himself with these in the meantime.” (1) (emphasis added mine)

Living in the Sacred, is to live having the same desire that David had, he desired to be in the holy place and hear God’s Word even when Saul was seeking him to destroy him. He knew that clinging to God was the only option he had  in order to live.  Living in the Sacred, is abiding in God’s Word, so when trials come and “Sauls” come to hunt our lives we will have His Word in our hearts sustaining us.

Living in the Sacred, is living thirsting for God, for His Word; it is longing for nothing more than the Living Water to satisfy our soul. It is reading His Word, mediate on His Word, live His Word. It is abiding in His Word (v.1)

Living in the Sacred is knowing that God’s steadfast love is better than life. (v.3) What else beside this, do we need, but His love surrounding us when Saul comes against us? This should make our lips praise Him! This should move me to love those around me passionately; like God has loved me.

Living in the Sacred is to live blessing God until my last breath under His sun.(v.4) Blessing God… blessing my children, my husband, my neighbor; speaking words that bless those around me; I remember what the Scripture says, from one same mouth cannot proceed life and death; we either live blessing, imparting life, or we are spreading death. Living in the Sacred has to do with what comes from my  mouth too.

Living in the Sacred means living worshiping God, raising my hands and bowing my head to adore Him (v.5) It is feasting at His presence, no matter how many “Sauls” seek my life; I shall not lose the joy of feasting on God’s Word, of feasting at His table; of praising my Sovereign God with joy when sadness, or anxiety try to take over my heart. (v.5)

Living in the Sacred  is laying down to sleep, even in the wilderness of our lives, and count His blessings, meditate on Him, on His goodness, on how much He has helped us;  Why should we fear Saul? We are safe, always safe in the shadow of His Wings. Only there,  the safest place for our being, is where can we sing for joy when the world seems to dark to sing for joy. (v.6)

Living in the Sacred is is clinging to God, every day, every minute, every second. O but I love this, I love how David reminds us that our clinging to God is sure not because of our hand is strong enough to hold Him; but because HIS right hand upholds me!  (v.8)

Living in the Sacred is knowing that I am not call to take revenge against “Sauls” it is God who will judge them. It is God who will remove them from my life at His appointed time; my call is to Live in the Sacred, desiring to be in the holy place, hearing God’s Word. My enemies are not in my hands but in His. (v.9-11)

Psalm 63

My Soul Thirsts for You
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

 1O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
   as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
   beholding your power and glory.
3Because your steadfast love is better than life,
   my lips will praise you.
4So I will bless you as long as I live;
   in your name I will lift up my hands. 5My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
   and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
6when I remember you upon my bed,
   and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7for you have been my help,
   and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
8My soul clings to you;
   your right hand upholds me.
 9But those who seek to destroy my life
    shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
   they shall be a portion for jackals.
11But the king shall rejoice in God;
   all who swear by him shall exult,
    for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

I pray God will teach us to Live in the Sacred today.

>Sunday’s Psalm – Psalm 62-

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My Soul Waits for God Alone
To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
How long will all of you attack a man;to batter him,
like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse.
                                         Selah
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.
                                          Selah
Those of low estate are but a breath;
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.
Put no trust in extortion;
set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
Once God has spoken;
twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
according to his work.
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May your Sabbath be full of joy 
as you meditate on God’s Word.

Praying the Psalms -Psalm 100

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Folio 111 verso from a psalter (British Library, Stowe 2). Initial D from Psalm 100 (Beatus).

Thanksgiving is almost here, the last details are on our list and we are excited… It makes me happy to think that Thanksgiving is the opening door to the way that leads us to the Nativitity. We start with thanksgiving, with a grateful heart, we slow down to give thanks to the Almighty One for his mercies .

What a better way to prepare our hearts for this Advent season, and for the celebration of the Incarnation of our Lord?

Let us walk towards Bethlehem with thanksgiving in our hearts!

 

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, 
all the earth!
Make a joyful noise to the Lord,
O my soul!
Do not be quiet today,
praise Him out loud!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come, serve Him, O my soul,
For all that He has done,
Come and serve Him
in your home and family today!
Come into His presence with singing!
Join me little ones,
come with mom and dad and let us
enter today His presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, He is God!
It is he who made us, and we are His;
we are his people, and the sheep of 
his pasture.
God the Creator of all,
the Lord of lords,
has made us, and we are his!
We are His because He bought us
with a price.
We are His and not ours.
Our days are in His hands,
we are His sheep and
He nourishes our souls
and bodies.
Let us give Him thanks!
Let us make a joyful noise!
Let us serve Him with gladness!
Let us come into His presence with singing!
We can not see this and remain quiet,
we cannot see His goodness and not be glad.
We cannot see His new mercies every morning
and not be thankful!
Enter His gates with thanksgiving,
enter His courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
Lord, your goodness, your mercy,
your grace,
they are too wonderful to comprehend!
When fears try to threaten me,
I will raise my voice and give thanks
to you, O Lord,
who has promised me goodness,
and steadfast love,
and faithfulness to all generations!
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Praying the Psalms -Psalm 116-

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I love you, my Lord,
because you have heard my voice and my pleas for mercy;
–so many times I have sinned and you have brought me before You
 to ask forgiveness, only to find mercy at your feet.

I love you, my Lord,
because you have inclined your ear to me.
 – who else can I call day and night?
    who else will hear my heart beat
    and my deepest dreams?
Therefore I will call on you as long as I live.

When the snares of death encompassed me:
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me:
when I have suffered distress and anguish
I have called on your name:
“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

– Lord, I am so thankful for this, 
  you not only hear my weary voice,
  but you hear to answer my cry.
  
-Lord, I am forever thankful, because
 you turn your ear to hear the voice of 
 your people, your delight is in answering our pleas.

Gracious you are O Lord,
Righteous and merciful you are, my God;
You preserve the simple;
When I was brought low, you saved me.

– Lord,  your deeds are too wonderful for me to grasp,
 you delight in raising up the low;
 It amazes me that you, the Most Holy One,
 will  stretch out your hand to save sinners like me 
 from the darkest pit.

-O my soul, don’t be anxious for nothing,
 have you forgotten Who the Lord is?
Return, O my soul, to your rest,
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.


-Lord, I am grateful because in my iniquity,
 you came to me and cleansed me,
 and not only that but you have dealt  with me
 with many blessings, with many gifts,
 I don’t deserve any of those,
 yet you have dealt with me bountifully!

Lord, my God, you have delivered my soul from
death
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;

My heart can’t comprehend your grace!
I am yours, all my gratitude is due to you!

Because of your perfect sacrifice,
Because of your amazing grace,
I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.

What shall I render to You,
O Most High God for all your benefits to me?

What shall I render to you,
O Most High God for all your benefits to me?

I will lift up the cup of salvation
 and call on the name of the Lord,
I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all His people.

Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of hos saints.
O Lord, I am your servant;
You have loosened my bonds.

For this I am grateful, O Lord,
for who is he who buys a servant
only to make Him free?
It is only you, O Lord, who looses
the bonds that separated me
from your divine love!

I will offer to you the sacrifice of
thanksgiving
and call upon your name, O Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of His people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord,
In your midst, O Jerusalem,

Praise the Lord!

 
 
 
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>Sunday’s Psalm – Psalm 99-

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The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
The Lord is great in Zion;
he is exalted over all the peoples.
Let them praise your great and awesome name!

Holy is he!
The King in his might loves justice.
You have established equity;
you have executed justice
and righteousness in Jacob.
Exalt the Lord our God;
worship at his footstool!

Holy is he!
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.
They called to the Lord, and he answered them.
In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;
they kept his testimonies
and the statute that he gave them.
O Lord our God, you answered them;
you were a forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
Exalt the Lord our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;

for the Lord our God is holy!
Have a most blessed Lord’s Day!

Sunday’s Psalm – Psalm 19-

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The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
  Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
  There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
  Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
  Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
  the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
  the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
  More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19 ESV