Daily Devotional Podcasts

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

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,

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