Daily Devotional Podcasts

502_Clinging to God in desperation Psalm 69 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. 2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. 3 I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. 4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore? 5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you. 6 Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel. 7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons. 9 For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me. 10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. 11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. 12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me. 13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness. 14 Deliver me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. 15 Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the pit close its mouth over me. Years ago, during a massive earthquake in Armenia, a school collapsed on the children inside. One father whose little son was in the school rushed to the site. Rescue workers and the people around him assured him there were no survivors. But he refused to leave. He’d often promised his son: “No matter what happens, I’ll always be there for you.” He began digging, carefully pulling away debris piece by piece. Hours passed, then a day, then two. Many called him foolish and stubborn. After thirty-eight hours, he heard a faint voice—his son calling, “Dad, it’s me!” Beneath the rubble, a pocket had formed where his son and several classmates were huddled together. “I told them,” the boy said, “If my dad is alive, he will find me.” Psalm 69 paints this kind of picture—of a God who hears and rescues, of a child of God who refuses to stop believing. This heartfelt psalm is also prophetic in its portrayal of one who believes against all hope that God will never abandon him. For it was fulfilled in the earthly life of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who said, “My Father never leaves

503_The confidence of the believer Psalm 70 Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! 2 Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! 3 Let them turn back because of their shame who say, “Aha, Aha!” 4 May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” 5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay! George Müller, was a man of God who ran orphanages in England during the 1800s. Müller cared for over ten thousand children in his lifetime, but what stood out was not just his generosity—it was his unwavering trust in God. One morning, the children were ready for breakfast, but there was no food in the pantry and no money to buy any. The staff grew anxious, but Müller calmly said, “Let the children be seated at the table.” He prayed, thanking God for the food He would provide. Moments later, there was a knock at the door. It was the local baker, who said he couldn’t sleep the previous night and felt compelled to bake bread for the orphanage. Shortly after, the milkman’s cart broke down right in front of the home, and he offered all his milk before it spoiled. The children ate their fill. Müller’s confidence was not rooted in circumstances. He sought the Lord with all his heart and had learned that God never fails those who trust Him. Psalm 70 is an urgent prayer of David that reflects the same confidence. The heading says, “To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance.” This is not just a casual note; it’s a reminder that this psalm was to be sung, remembered, and taken to heart. In fact, much of it echoes Psalm 40:13–17. These words were meant to be imprinted in the minds of God’s people, equipping them for times of need. David’s prayer begins: “Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!” You can feel the desperation. It’s the cry of a man cornered, who knows that unless God intervenes quickly, he is finished. Those who seek the Lord do not hesitate to call upon Him in every trouble. They know He is their only source of help. David then paints a contrast between two very different groups of people. The first group is those who seek his life. These are not casual enemies; they actively plot harm, seeking to destroy him both physically and emotionally. They mock him, delight in his troubles, and whisper plans to ruin him. David prays that God, his judge, will put them to shame, turn them back in confusion, and ensure their plans come to nothing. Not mere vindictiveness, this reflects the strong desire for God’s justice to be seen—that evil should not triumph over righteousness. The second group has an entirely

504_Faith that grows stronger with age Psalm 71 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! An old man owned a stout, weathered walking stick. It wasn’t fancy—just a sturdy piece of wood, smoothed and darkened by years of use. Whenever he went on walks with his grandson, he leaned on that stick—not just for support, but almost as if it were an old friend. His grandson once asked him why he didn’t buy a newer, lighter one. He smiled and said, “This stick has been with me for many years. It’s carried me through uneven paths, steep hills, and slippery ground. It’s not just a stick—it’s part of my journey.” The child didn’t understand his grandpa’s statement at the time. As he grew, he realized that the old walking stick was more than a tool—it supported his grandpa’s confidence in his mobility. In the same way, the psalmist in Psalm 71 leaned on God as his unfailing support through every stage of life. And as he grew older and weaker, his dependence and his confidence only deepened. Psalm 71 testifies to the righteousness and strength of God. It is the song of one who had walked with God for a lifetime and found Him faithful at every step. As the old man looks back, he remembers God’s steadfast care. Yet his words are not just reminiscences of the past—they are the confident prayers of one who knows that the God who carried him through youth will not abandon him in old age. He begins in trust: “In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame.” As his strength faded and his enemies threatened his life, it would have been natural for him to feel vulnerable. As we age, we may lose confidence in our abilities. We may even

505_The glory of the coming King Psalm 72 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! 2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! 3 Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! 4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor! 5 May they fear you while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations! 6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth! 7 In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more! 8 May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth! 9 May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust! 10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! 11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him! The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 was among the greatest events of the century. It was broadcast to millions across the world—an unprecedented moment in television history. London streets overflowed with people, banners waved in the wind, and the sound of trumpets filled the air. Dignitaries, royalty, and leaders from around the globe gathered in Westminster Abbey to watch as the young queen received her crown. Yet, for all its grandeur, she was still a mortal, a monarch who was nevertheless subject to death. It was but a faint shadow of a greater coronation still to come— when the King of kings will take his power and reign, not over a single nation, but over all the earth. Psalm 72 describes that momentous time, with prophetic vision. Introduced as David’s psalm “Of Solomon,” it quickly becomes clear that its vision is too vast, too perfect, too enduring to be fulfilled by Solomon alone. Solomon’s reign began with promise and was marked by matchless wisdom, enduring peace, and dazzling prosperity. Yet he, like every human ruler, was flawed and finite. This psalm stretches beyond him to the only King who embodies the righteousness and justice that are the very foundation of God’s throne, as Psalm 89:14 declares. This great psalm begins: “Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.” Solomon’s prayer closely resembled this, when God asked him, in a dream, what he desired most. At that time, he begged for neither wealth nor long life, but for wisdom to judge God’s people in righteousness. God was pleased with his prayer. For righteousness and justice are not merely admirable traits in the leader of the people. Rather, they are the reason he rules as a representative of God’s kingdom. Solomon ruled with justice and mercy. He foreshadowed the coming King who would defend the cause of the poor,

506_It is good to be near God Psalm 73:1-6 Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. 5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. Vs. 23-28 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. A girl who freshly graduated, was in her first year working at a large company. She was diligent, honest, and often stayed late to finish her work. She assumed that hard work and integrity would be noticed. But when promotion season came, the recognition went to a colleague who, in her words, “spent more time flattering the boss than doing actual work.” This colleague cut corners, took credit for others’ ideas, and seemed to play the system perfectly. She said, “I didn’t just feel overlooked—I felt foolish, like maybe I was the one doing life wrong.” That deep ache when the world seems upside down is exactly where Asaph finds himself in Psalm 73. This psalm was written by one of King David’s chief musicians, a man who was not only skilled in music but also reflected deeply on the ways of God. The problem he addresses is as old as humanity itself: Why do bad things happen to good people, and why do the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer? Asaph begins with a confident declaration: “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.” He knows the history of his nation and the faithfulness of God, even in times when the people were unfaithful. But almost immediately, he admits to a personal crisis of faith: “My feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.” Why? “For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Envy has a way of twisting our perspective. It always begins with comparison—measuring our lives against someone else’s—and it is very dangerous. The first murder in history - when Cain killed Abel - was born of envy. So was the greatest injustice in history, the crucifixion of Jesus, driven in part by the envy of the religious leaders. Asaph’s envy began

507_Longing for the glory of His temple Psalm 74 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? 2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt. 3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! 4 Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs. 5 They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees. 6 And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers. 7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground. 8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. Vs. 12-17 Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. 13 You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. 14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. 15 You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams. 16 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. 17 You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter. Vs. 22-23 Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day! 23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! There was a priceless painting that hung in a cathedral in Europe. The artwork had been admired for centuries, not merely because of its beauty but because it represented deep faith and devotion. During an act of vandalism, someone walked in and slashed the canvas with a knife. In a matter of seconds, what had taken the artist months to paint and what generations had cherished was marred almost beyond recognition. When people saw the damage, they were heartbroken—not just because of the financial value lost, but because something sacred, something that represented their shared heritage, had been violated. The good news was that skilled restorers later worked painstakingly to repair it. But in that moment of destruction, the grief was overwhelming. That kind of anguish is what Israel felt when the sanctuary of God was destroyed. Psalm 74 captures this raw lament. It is a psalm attributed to Asaph, though commentators are divided on the exact historical setting. Some suggest it was written when the Babylonians tore down the temple in Jerusalem; others believe it might go back to the loss of the tabernacle at Shiloh in 1 Samuel 4. Whichever event it refers to, the heart of the psalm is clear—it is a desperate cry for God to look upon the ruins of His sanctuary and act.

508_Promotion comes only from God Psalm 75 We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds. 2 “At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. 3 When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady 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 on high, or speak with haughty neck.’” 6 For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, 7 but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. 8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs. 9 But I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up. While Abraham Lincoln was President of the United States, a certain man came to him asking for a political appointment. The man spoke at length about his qualifications and his experience. When he was done, Lincoln quietly responded, “I will see what I can do, but remember this: it is not I who give promotion, nor the cabinet, nor even the people—it is God.” Whether in the corridors of power or in the ordinary course of life, people strive for recognition, advancement, and honor. Yet the Bible repeatedly reminds us that only God can confer true promotion - not human effort, manipulation, or influence. Psalm 75 begins with thanksgiving: “We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.” It begins with thanksgiving to God. This is always the right place to begin. For unless we lift our eyes to the One who is above all, we will fall into the trap of comparing ourselves with others or striving in our own strength. The psalmist knew that Israel’s God was awesome in majesty, clothed in light unapproachable, and mighty in His wondrous deeds. Yet, high and exalted as he is, He was near to the lowly among His people. Isaiah 57:15 declares: “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.’” Psalm 138:6 echoes this truth: “For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.” Psalm 75 reminds us that in a world filled with injustice, unrighteousness, and power struggles, as verse 2 says, “At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity.” God has fixed a

509_God is to be feared Psalm 76 In Judah God is known; his name is great in Israel. 2 His abode has been established in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion. 3 There he broke the flashing arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah 4 Glorious are you, more majestic than the mountains full of prey. 5 The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil; they sank into sleep; all the men of war were unable to use their hands. 6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay stunned. 7 But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused? 8 From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still, 9 when God arose to establish judgment, to save all the humble of the earth. Selah 10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt. 11 Make your vows to the Lord your God and perform them; let all around him bring gifts to him who is to be feared, 12 who cuts off the spirit of princes, who is to be feared by the kings of the earth. Imagine standing at the foot of a great mountain. The air is sharp, the peak towers above, and its vastness makes you feel small, even fragile. A man once visited the Himalayas for the first time. He had seen pictures, read books, and watched documentaries, but none of that prepared him for the immensity of standing there in person. He said he felt overwhelmed, almost trembling—not because the mountains were threatening, but because their sheer grandeur dwarfed his existence. That sense of awe, that trembling recognition of something far greater than ourselves, is a faint reflection of what Scripture calls the fear of the Lord. It is not the cringing fear of a tyrant, but the deep reverence and trembling awe before the majesty of Almighty God. Psalm 76 captures this awe. It celebrates God’s greatness and His mighty acts on behalf of His people. The psalmist recalls a victory where God Himself intervened, stripping enemies of their strength and leaving them helpless. It is both a song of triumph and a solemn reminder: this God is not to be trifled with. He is near to His people, but His holiness demands reverence. The psalm begins on a note of celebration: “In Judah God is known; His name is great in Israel. His abode has been established in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion.” God is not far away or hidden. He has revealed Himself. His people know His name and His character, and His presence dwells among them. Yet this nearness does not make Him ordinary. It magnifies His greatness. The God who dwells in Zion is the same God who shatters weapons of war and silences the proud. The psalmist paints a vivid picture of that victory: “The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil; they sank into sleep; all the men of war could not use their hands. At

510_The light of God’s faithfulness in dark days Psalm 77 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 When William Carey, the great missionary to India, returned home one evening in 1812, expecting the familiar comfort of his study, he was greeted instead by the charred remains of his house and printing press. Almost all his work had been consumed by the fire. Years of painstaking work—the manuscripts of his translations of the scriptures into Indian languages, dictionaries, and other writings—lay in ashes. Carey had devoted countless hours to this work, but much of it was now irretrievably lost. Instead of collapsing in despair, Carey revealed remarkable composure. He wrote to a friend, “The loss is heavy, but as traveling a road the second time is usually done with greater ease than the first, so I trust the work will lose nothing of real value. We are not discouraged. We will begin again with redoubled vigor.” Such resilience in the face of devastating loss was driven by Carey’s secret strength. This lay in the constant habit of looking beyond immediate circumstances to the unchanging faithfulness of God. He focused, not on the ashes of his labor, but on the God whose wonderful deeds in the past assured him of His goodness in the future. This is the very melody of Psalm 77. It is a psalm for those walking through fire, for those standing among the ruins of what once was, for those facing questions with no immediate answers. This psalm of Asaph begins with anguish. “I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and He will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched

511_Resting in God’s salvation Psalm 78 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, 3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. 5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, 7 so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; 8 and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. Vs.67-72 He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, 68 but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loves. 69 He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded forever. 70 He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds; 71 from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance. 72 With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand. The waves were gentle at first. The man paddling in the sea did not know how to swim, but he told himself it was harmless to wade just a little further. He enjoyed the cool splash of the water against his knees. But in a moment, the mood shifted. A strong current pulled him off balance. He stumbled, tried to regain control, and before he realized what was happening, he was being dragged out into deeper waters. The fun turned to fear. He thrashed wildly, gasping for air as the waves crashed over his head. On the shore, a watching lifeguard sprang into action. Experienced, strong, and calm, he dove into the surf, and swam with steady, powerful strokes. Relief swept over the victim as he felt himself secured in the powerful grip of the rescuer. He was no longer alone and helpless. But as the lifeguard began the long swim back to shore, the rescued man began to panic again. Struggling to swim, he screamed, “What if we sink again? What if you can’t hold me?” The lifeguard replied: “ Relax and trust me. I know what I’m doing.” This picture is not far from what Psalm 78 describes. God had delivered His people Israel time and time again. He had rescued them from Egypt with mighty acts, parted the Red Sea, fed them with manna in the wilderness, given them water from the rock, and protected them by the pillar of cloud and fire. Yet, like the man in the sea, Israel

512_God, be merciful unto us Pslam 79 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. 2 They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth. 3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. 4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. 5 How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire? 6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name! 7 For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation. 8 Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake! 10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes! 11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die! 12 Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord! 13 But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise. Once, after the great preacher Charles Spurgeon had preached a powerful sermon on the need for repentance, a man came to him and said, “Mr. Spurgeon, you have almost persuaded me to become a Christian. But I feel I am too great a sinner. Surely God could not forgive me.” Spurgeon tenderly replied, “My friend, you have underestimated the mercy of God. Your sins are many, but God’s mercy is more. If you will only come to Him, crying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner,’ you will find that His grace is sufficient even for you.” That conversation has been repeated countless times in different ways throughout history. This is the only cry of the human heart that acknowledges its sinful failure: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” It is this cry that echoes through Psalm 79, a psalm born out of Israel’s greatest tragedy—the destruction of Jerusalem and of the Temple by the Babylonians. The psalm is not just a historical lament. It is the heartfelt cry of an intercessor for a sinful people. He can only plead for God’s mercy on the guilty who nonetheless identify themselves as God’s people, his servants. The prayer acknowledges the sin of the people. They can no longer hide behind their religious observances. They cannot give excuses. Utter calamity has overtaken them and they have been stripped of all vestiges of God’s presence or protection. It has

513_O Lord, restore us again Psalm 80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. 2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us! 3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! 4 O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers? 5 You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. 6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. 7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! 14-19 Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, 15 the stock that your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself. 16 They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your face! 17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself! 18 Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call upon your name! 19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved! A few years ago, a massive wildfire tore through parts of California. Families who lived in their own hillside homes were suddenly left with nothing but ashes. One image stood out: a single vineyard, still green and vibrant, while everything else around it was charred. The owner of that vineyard had spent years caring for those vines. While others soon stopped maintaining firebreaks and watering systems, he remained vigilant, and his vineyard was spared. Our lives and our faith can be just as fragile as the vineyard - and yet survive as miraculously. When we are carefully tended by the hand of God, our Shepherd and our Keeper, we prosper. When we turn away from Him and neglect His Word, walking in disobedience, the brokenness of the world can sweep in, leaving devastation behind. In such a situation, we pray with the author of Psalm 80: “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!” Psalm 80 is a prayer of desperation. The people of Israel had suffered defeat at the hands of their enemies, likely during one of the many invasions by pagan nations. Their land was devastated, their dignity was trampled, and their prayers seemed to meet only with silence from heaven. Asaph, the psalmist, lifts up his voice on behalf of the nation and calls upon God, addressing Him as the “Shepherd of Israel.” This is not just a poetic title. A shepherd is responsible for the provision, protection, and preservation of his sheep. Rather than simply watch while his flock is scattered or destroyed, he runs to their defense. Here, when it feels as if

514_Oh, that my people would listen to me Psalm 81 Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! 2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. 3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. 4 For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob. 5 He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known: 6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. 7 In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah 8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! 9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. 10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. 13 Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! 14 I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. 15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. 16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” A father once shared a story about his teenage son. The boy had grown increasingly distant, and was always with undesirable friends. The father warned him again and again—“Be careful. That road will only lead to pain.” But the son believed he knew better. Months later, the father received the kind of phone call every parent dreads. His son was in trouble with the law. Broken, guilty, and ashamed, the boy sat in the police station, wishing he had listened to his father. The father’s heart ached for his son. His pain was not because his son had flouted his authority, but for the loss of his son’s innocence, freedom, and inner sense of worth. That story echoes the cry of God in Psalm 81. This psalm is the cry of a Father longing for His children to listen and walk in His ways, and enjoy their rest and blessing. It is a lament, but also a promise. God’s voice speaks the same words to us today: “Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!” Psalm 81 was sung during a feast, most likely the Feast of Tabernacles. It was a time of remembrance of the marvelous deliverance from Egypt and God’s provision in the wilderness. Israel’s people gathered with joy to sing praise to God. The

515_Arise, O God, judge the earth Psalm 82 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: 2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” 5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; 7 nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.” 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations! Imagine a courtroom, with a poor widow standing in front of the judge, trembling as she brings her case. She speaks of the land that was unjustly taken from her. On the other side sits a wealthy and powerful landowner, flanked by expensive lawyers. The judge listens, nods briefly at the widow, and then turns his full attention to the wealthy man’s polished arguments. The verdict comes swiftly: the case is dismissed, and the land remains in the hands of the powerful. The widow walks away empty-handed, her heart crushed. As you watched this unfold, wouldn’t something in you rise up and say, “This is not right! Where is justice? Who will stand for her?” All of us, in some way, have felt the sting of injustice. Maybe it was in the workplace, where connections, not competence, won someone else a promotion. Maybe it was in school, where the loudest and strongest got their way over the weaker. Society at large sees the vulnerable—the children, the poor, the marginalized—pushed to the edges while the powerful thrive. The cry rises from our hearts, “God, will you not step in? Will you not judge rightly?” This is the cry of Psalm 82. The psalm opens with a startling picture: “God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the ‘gods.’” God is sitting as judge over the powerful among men, the rulers and princes entrusted to rule on his behalf. Their authority is given them to protect the weak and ensure that right prevails. But instead of reflecting God's justice, they pervert it. They show partiality to the rich and powerful, they take bribes, and turn a blind eye to the poor. Injustice flourishes under their rule. Until God Himself takes His seat among them. He confronts them: “How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” God is not indifferent to injustice. He is passionately opposed to favoritism, to bribery, to exploitation. Throughout Scripture, He warns His people never to pervert justice, whether in favor of the rich or the poor. In Exodus 23 He says, “When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not

516_That they may know that He alone is the Lord Psalm 83:1-8 O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! 2 For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. 3 They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. 4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” 5 For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant— 6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, 7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8 Asshur also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah Vs.13-18 O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind. 14 As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze, 15 so may you pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane! 16 Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O Lord. 17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace, 18 that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth. During the Second World War, a small European village was constantly threatened by invading forces. The villagers lived in fear. One old man, however, never seemed shaken. When asked why, he replied, “This land belongs to my father, and my father will not let it go. Whatever happens, I know it is safe in his hands.” He spoke, not of his earthly father, but of God. He believed and knew that no army, no scheme, no power could ultimately prevail against God. That story captures the essence of Psalm 83. It is not simply about Israel’s survival in the face of overwhelming enemies. It is about the reality of God’s ownership of His people. Psalm 83 is a vehement appeal to God to protect the people of Israel from their enemies. “O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! 2 For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads.” For the psalmist, those who aimed to wipe Israel off the face of the land were not just political or military rivals. Their hostility was against God who had chosen Israel and chosen Canaan to be their possession. Psalm 83 describes how the ten nations around Israel conspired together, determined to annihilate Israel. Their goal was not limited to conquest or plunder. They wanted total annihilation. “Come,” they said, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.” In this situation, the psalmist pleaded desperately for God’s intervention - for it was a matter of life and death. If God kept silent, if He held back His hand, His people would not survive. The words reach back into Israel’s history. In the days of the

517_Turning the valley of weeping into springs Psalm 84 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 6 As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. 8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah 9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! 10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! When Fanny Crosby was only six weeks old, she was left blind because of a medical accident. Imagine the crushing weight of that reality for a little child and her family. Many people in such circumstances might have given in to bitterness or despair. But Fanny chose a different path. At the age of eight, she wrote her first poem, expressing not sorrow but joy: “Oh, what a happy soul am I, Although I cannot see, I am resolved that in this world Contented I will be.” As she grew, she began writing hymns—over 8,000 of them—Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine, To God Be the Glory, Safe in the Arms of Jesus, Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior, Rescue the Perishing, All the Way My Savior Leads Me, Safe in the Arms of Jesus, Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross - to name a few. Her blindness did not stop her; in fact, it became the soil in which her faith grew deep. Instead of making her life a wilderness of self-pity, she turned her valley of weeping into springs. Even today, somewhere in the world, her words are sung in churches, hospitals, prisons, and homes, refreshing weary souls and lifting hearts to God. Her story is a living picture of what Psalm 84 describes—the blessedness of those whose strength is in God, who transform their valleys of sorrow into places of life and refreshment. This psalm was written by the sons of Korah, who carried their own story of mercy. Their father Korah led a rebellion against Moses in the wilderness, and he and his followers were judged by God (Numbers 16). Yet, by God’s

518_Revive us again that we may rejoice in you Psalm 85 Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah 3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. 4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 6 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. 8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. 9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. 12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way. A pastor once told the story of a small church in the countryside that had grown cold over the years. Worship had become a formality, prayer meetings were empty, and people seemed more interested in discussing crops and weather than God’s Word. One day, during a particularly lifeless service, an elderly farmer stood up and prayed aloud: “Lord, the barn needs cleaning, the fields need plowing, but more than all of that, our hearts need reviving. Revive us again, Lord, that we may rejoice in You.” His words struck the congregation like lightning. For weeks afterward, people gathered to pray, tears flowed, old grudges were forgiven, and joy returned to that small church. The farmer had put into words the cry of Psalm 85: “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” Psalm 85 is the prayer of a people who know what it is like to walk away from God, to experience His discipline, but also to taste His mercy and forgiveness. It is both a looking back to God’s past mercies, a prayer for rescue in present troubles, and a picture of what happens when his people walk with him. The psalm opens with remembrance. “Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.” Israel’s history was marked by wandering, rebellion, and repeated failure. They underwent repeated discipline, being overcome by their enemies. Yet they were not forsaken. God restored them when they repented and cried out to him. He forgave their sins. He turned His anger away. Verse 2 reminds us that God forgave their iniquity and “covered” their sins. Importantly, the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin. These sacrifices only foreshadowed the final and only perfect atonement made by Christ our Lord on the cross. For Christ’s sake, God continued to be merciful

519_To You I call all the day Psalm 86 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. 3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. 6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. 7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. 8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. 11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. 12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. 14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. 15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. 17 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me. During the dark and bloody years of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln bore the crushing weight of a nation divided. Day after day, reports of battles arrived—lists of casualties that stretched into the thousands, decisions that would alter the course of history, and political pressures that seemed unbearable. Lincoln, by his own admission, was not always a man of strong personal faith in his early years. But through the agonizing burdens he carried as president, he drew closer to God. He once confessed, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had absolutely no other place to go.” Those words capture the very heart of prayer—not a religious duty or a ceremonial act, but as the lifeline of a soul that knows its own poverty and casts itself wholly on God. Psalm 86 is the only psalm of David in the third book of the Psalter. It describes the life of prayer - the how and the what. David finds himself in desperate circumstances, surrounded by enemies and overwhelmed by need. And there was nowhere to go except

522_God’s covenant faithfulness Psalm 89 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. 2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.” 3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: 4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah 5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, 7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? 8 O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? A little boy once asked his grandfather, “Grandpa, why do you always keep that old pocket watch in your pocket? It doesn’t even keep time properly anymore.” The grandfather smiled, took out the worn watch, and said, “This was given to me by your great-grandfather on the day I left home as a young man. It may not keep perfect time, but it reminds me of his love and his promise: that no matter where I went, I would always have a home to return to.” That watch, though imperfect as a timepiece, was a faithful reminder of an unchanging promise. In a far greater way, Psalm 89 points us to a God whose promises are not tarnished by time, nor weakened by circumstances. His covenant faithfulness endures, no matter what His people may face. Ethan the Ezrahite, who wrote this psalm, lived during a time of national calamity—perhaps after a crushing defeat at the hands of enemies. Yet, in the midst of that despair, Ethan anchors his song in the faithfulness of God, whose covenant with David was unshakable. He begins not with complaint, but with praise: “I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 89:1). The word used here for steadfast love is hesed—God’s covenantal, loyal love. It is His unbreakable commitment to His people, reflecting His own character. Knowing that God’s mercy and faithfulness are everlasting should bring forth unending praise. He longs to make God’s faithful love known so that generations to come will also glorify God. In verses 5–14, the psalmist declares the majesty of God. “The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them” (v. 11). There is none like Him, in heaven or on earth. The universe was made by him and belongs to him. Yet greater far is God’s character as verse 14 says, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.” God rules not with tyranny or unpredictability, but with rich grace

523_God our dwelling place Psalm 90 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3 You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” 4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. 5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: 6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. 7 For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. 8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9 For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. 10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. 11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. 16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. 17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! A young soldier returned home after years of overseas service. Walking in, he dropped his heavy bag by the entrance, hugged his mother and said emotionally, “Now I can finally rest. I am home.” Home is more than a building or an address. It’s the place where you are safe, where you belong. This is the thought that begins this psalm of Moses: “Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” Moses, who spent forty years in Pharaoh’s palace, forty in the Midianite wilderness tending sheep, and the last forty leading Israel through the wilderness, knew the reality of dwelling in God. He knew what it was to be homeless, to be restless, to be a wanderer. Yet in God, he found belonging, safety, and rest. This psalm may have been composed toward the end of Moses’ life. By the world’s standards, the first eighty years of his life look unremarkable, almost wasted. But those hidden years were where God trained him to lead a vast and rebellious people as a shepherd patiently leads his intransigent flock to safety and water and food. Moses also declares God’s eternity.