Psalm 21 is a bookend of Psalm 20. Psalm 20 was a prayer for King David and his army as they prepared to go to battle. Psalm 21 is a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s strength and protection . . . and for giving them victory. As I read these words today, I wondered how…
Is it hard for you to ask for prayer? Maybe you don’t want to appear weak or needy. Maybe you don’t want people to know your private struggles. Or maybe you aren’t ready to face the problem yourself. Psalm 20 is often called . . . “David’s Psalm” or “A Prayer for the King.” It…
Creation points to the Creator. It is God’s will for all He has made. The heavens declare the glory of God Psalm 19:1a I sometimes wonder why David began Psalm 19 by telling us to “look up!” Look at God’s display in the heavens. Without a sound, the sun, moon, and stars proclaim the majesty…
Do you ever feel like you’re just incapable of handling the challenge in front of you? Maybe you’re at a place in your life where you’ve looked to the heavens and said, “God this is too hard. I can’t do this!” I had a time like that years ago. Our lives were turned upside down…
Do you feel like we live in a just and fair world? Do you feel like people are treated fairly? Are you crying out for justice? David began Psalm 17:1 with these words… O Lord, hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Psalm 17:1 Take a scroll through social media or listen to…
Psalm 16 reminded me of a story… There was once a king who offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. After much deliberation, he was down to the last two. One picture was of a calm lake perfectly…
The Bible says we need to live a blameless life to approach God in worship and praise, and Jesus is the only way we can be made blameless to approach Holy God.
Many of us want to see the world in shades of gray . . . a blending of beliefs and ideas presented as perfectly acceptable truth. But there is no simply acceptable truth. There is only truth or lie, fact or fiction, right or wrong. David believed that God and His Word are the absolute…
I was one of those kids whose report cards consistently said . . . “Talks too much!” Yep, I have definitely been given the gift of gab! I especially love asking questions that lead to interesting conversations, discussions, and debates. It’s my favorite way to process the world around me and learn new things. Can…
Are you ever discouraged because you feel like you’re fighting your fears and frustrations alone? As I read David’s words in Psalm 12, it reminded me of Elijah’s loneliness in the valley of fear following his mountaintop experience with the prophets of Baal. Elijah had boldly challenged Baal’s prophets saying… “How much longer will you…
How much hope do you have? Let me ask it another way… How often does fear overwhelm you? Believe me, I understand your struggle because I spent years living with oppressive fear and anxiety. All it took was a “what if” whisper for me to spend hours trapped in a circle of fretful thoughts. But…
Do you ever look around and wonder . . . “why would God allow this to happen”? Maybe it’s while you’re watching the news or after you’ve learned of a difficult diagnosis. Maybe it’s after a painful betrayal or a devastating loss. In Psalm 10, David wrote: O Lord, why do You stand so far away? Why…
