1Help, O LORD, for the godly, are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. 2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
O, God, You save us from certain sins repulsive to You. Mouths that utter lies are contradictory to Your holy character. In our search for brotherly affection and fellowship, we find few believers willing to stand for the truth.
The godly ones are gone, and the faithful are vanishing in complacency, caught by this world’s deception and social indoctrination. Teach us how to stay firm in the truth with our lips. Never be ashamed of the gospel.
Who is Master over Us?
“3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue. 4 They say,”“With our tongues, we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?””3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips boastful tongue. 4 They say, “With our tongues, we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”
Father in heaven, see all the wrongdoings done against our families, children, and people of our land by those who prefer to use their cunning flatteries and lies and boast about knowing everything about life and their truth.
We will never cease to be amazed by the complexity of Your hand’s work, and we’re grateful to be part of this wonderful plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. We’re thankful for Your Word and steadfast love that doesn’t change. We’re grateful that You haven’t abandoned us but given us the Holy Spirit to guide our hearts and steps in doing what is right and claiming the truth.
Safety in Christ
” ““For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise”” says the LORD.”“I will bring safety to him who yearns.” 6 The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.”5“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.” 6 The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.
You care for the poor and needy when their integrity and wealth are plundered. Your Word is comforting and hopeful, and we shall trust in them. For there are no other masters that we would serve.
Purify our hearts from any lies buried deep inside them, convincing us of their importance when we are grieving the Holy Spirit by refusing to repent. Let not Your trials be discouraging to the point of despair. Bring our face upon You, hoping and praying for Your quick return as our King of kings.
The Lord Keeps Us
7 You, O LORD, will keep us; You will forever guard us against this generation. 8 The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.
You, O Lord, will keep and guard us for yourselves from this wicket generation. Setting us apart from a light that shines for Jesus Christ, the truth and life. You promised to keep a remnant in every age, giving us hope and strength to endure a bit longer.
Let the vileness and prowling sinners be exposed by Your holiness. We pray that a holy God will save our children, grandchildren, women, and men, their minds and hearts. Pour Your grace upon our nation that has turned its back on You, Jesus. Forgive us and stir our hearts to come back to You.
Let our lips profess Jesus Christ as our King, Lord, and Savior.
Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
O God, let your face shine so we can stand this time of deception, lies, and oppression. We lift our hands to the sky and call for justice for those suffering and grieving. For the needy, our children, and families caught in all this. Strengthen our minds to become wiser in our stand for justice. Do not forsake us because our nation has rejected You. Stir our leaders, officials, and the people of our land to have our hearts for God’s wiGod’sd leave all aspects of social and mental indoctrination that are harmful to our minds, body and souls. You’re aYou’reeous God; you see all we do, be at the helm of our life.
Faithless and Arrogante Hearts
“””2 In “rrogance, the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in their devised schemes. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4 In the pride of his face, the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are,”“Ther” “is no God”” 5 H”” ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on a high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6 He says in his heart,”“I sh” “l not be moved; throughout all generations, I shall not meet adversity”” 7 H”” mouth is filled with cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places, he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; 9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11 He says in his heart,”“God ” “s forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.””2 In”” rrarrogancehe wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in their devised schemes. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4 In the pride of his face, the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There”is no God.” 5 Hi” ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on a high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6 He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations, I shall not meet adversity”” 7 His mouth is filled with cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places, he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; 9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11 He says in his heart,”“God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”””2 In arrogance, the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in their devised schemes. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4 In the pride of his face, the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are,”“There is no God”” 5 His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on a high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6 He says in his heart,”“I shall not be moved; throughout all generations, I shall not meet adversity”” 7 His mouth is filled with cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places, he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; 9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11 He says in his heart,”“God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.””2 In arrogance, the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in their devised schemes. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4 In the pride of his face, the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” 5 His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on a high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6 He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations, I shall not meet adversity.” 7 His mouth is filled with cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places, he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; 9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.””””2 In arrogance, the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in their devised schemes. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4 In the pride of his face, the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are,”“There is no God”” 5 His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on a high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6 He says in his heart,”“I shall not be moved; throughout all generations, I shall not meet adversity”” 7 His mouth is filled with cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places, he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; 9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11 He says in his heart,”“God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.””2 In arrogance, the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in their devised schemes. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4 In the pride of his face, the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is n o God.” 5 His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on a high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6 He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations, I shall not meet adversity”” 7 His mouth is filled with cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places, he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; 9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11 He says in his heart,”“God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”””2 In arrogance, the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in their devised schemes. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4 In the pride of his face, the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are,”“There is no God”” 5 His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on a high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6 He says in his heart,”“I shall not be moved; throughout all generations, I shall not meet adversity”” 7 His mouth is filled with cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places, he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; 9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11 He says in his heart,”“God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.””2 In arrogance, the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in their devised schemes. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4 In the pride of his face, the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” 5 His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on a high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6 He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations, I shall not meet adversity.” 7 His mouth is filled with cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places, he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; 9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
The faithless are caught in their own lies and evil, desiring to be filled with power. He sits in an ambush, hoping to set himself higher than God. But I know that God has already won! There is nothing under the sun that will be hidden. All will bow down their knees to God.
O Jesus, You saved our souls from becoming deceitful, arrogant, and liars. To have a sharp tongue that hurts others. In Your mercy, we live to do God’s will, not ours. You’ve not forgotten your people; we see the trouble ahead of us as overbearing and overwhelming. Whatever the future brings us, give us the strength to endure it with grace and faith.
God Remembers
“”12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. 13 Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart” ““You will not call to account””? 14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you, the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none” “12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. 13 Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart,”“You will not call to account”? 14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you, the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none.””12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. 13 Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart,”“You will not call to account”? 14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you, the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none.”12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. 13 Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”? 14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you, the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none.
O God, arise and see the injustice proclaimed in our lands and nations of the world watched according to this injustice. You, O Lord, will bring the final justice to all people. Returning as a King with all power and authority. I’ll take refuge in Your fortress until your return. I pray for the widows, fatherless, poor, and needy Watch over them, for there are none who care for them.
King Forever
16 The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. 17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear 18 to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man of the earth may strike terror no more.
The Lord is King forever! My soul rejoices at the reassurance of this claim upon the throne. He sat in heaven and laughed at those plotting to destroy HIm, for He had already won. You’ll give justice to the fatherless and oppressed and our children who have been indoctrinated emotionally and socially. Strike terror on how who opposed You. O my God, My Savior, Come soon!
1I will thank the Lord wholeheartedly; I will recount your beautiful deeds. 2 I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
O my King, we’re glad and rejoice that you can praise a Majestic and gracious God who shows mercy and steadfast love to His people. We’re thankful for Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins, resurrected and alive. He suffered alone at the cross, enduring the full wrath of God for us. Jesus, you now sit beside the Father will all power and authority, and we will sing praises of thankfulness for what you have done.
Faithless Gentiles
When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before your presence. 4 For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment. 5 You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever. 6 The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins; their cities you rooted out; the very memory of them has perished.
You have rebuked the nations with Your righteous judgement, and if our nation repents its wrongdoings and seeks Your face and statutes, You will forgive us. We’re not to fear our enemies, for You will end their prosperity, exposing their wickedness for their wrongdoings. We should take comfort in knowing Your promises will come to fruition.
You’re reigning in heaven, and You will blot out our enemies, and we should remind ourselves that if our journey is difficult at times, it is just for a short period until Your return. Let me hang into the promises of inheritance and eternal life with You forever. Our reward is much greater than what this life offers. So let us endure patiently and wait for our King’s return.
The Lord Provides Security
7 But he has established his throne for justice, 8 and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges people with uprightness. 9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
O God, Let me hide in Your stronghold and trust Your word. Forgive us when fear and deceit overwhelm us; don’t take comfort in Your word. Forgive us when we instead seek comfort from a temporary fixer and not in prayer with You. Forgive us when we instead listen to those who are liars and deceivers than obey and trust You.
O God, let our hearts not fear those who passed new laws against Your people and families. The wicked hated those who followed Your laws, statutes and rules. Give us strength to shine our little light a bit brighter as we stand firmly in our faith under the suppression.
God Protects the Needy
11 Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds! 12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.13 Be gracious to me, O Lord! See my affliction from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death, 14 that I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion, I may rejoice in your salvation. 15 The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught. 16 The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion.d Selah
Be gracious to us, O Lord, and see the affliction put upon us and the needy. We want to rejoice in our salvation and praise Your name, but those who hate us have lifted their minds and voices against Your people and families, telling dreadful lies. Deceiving many to believe their convincing lies.
Holy Spirit, teach us Your statutes so that our life may be a blessing for others and our families. Protect our children from harmful teachings. Stir the hearts of our young men and women and raise for Yourself a zealous generation who will praise Your name and denounce the wickedness of our nations. Protect our unborn and elderly people, the needy, and the homeless.
Arise, O Lord
17 The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God. 18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever. 19 Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! 20 Put them in fear, O Lord! Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah.
O God, You judge the nations accordingly and will put them in derision for their disobedience and rebellion against You. We shall prevail, for You are our God and love us. We pray for the poor and needy. Give them hope of salvation and rest of peace in You. Give us the courage to withstand those bullied, those of weaker vessels and status. In Christ, we stand firm for the truth.
What do you do when it rains for four days in a row? Well, there is a saying in Ecclesiastes 3:7 that says: “A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.” and that is precisely advantageous during those crappy rainy days, to read, meditate and study the Bible. Three weeks ago, I started studying the book of Ezra and learned a few historical events that I hadn’t put together before and the chronological order of events regarding the rebuilding of the temple of God and the return of exiles to Jerusalem. History has never been my forte, so it’s with delight and joy that I finally learned those crucial factors which make me understand the bigger picture of God’s punishment, restoration, and how important it was to worship Him. I’m going into the second segment of Ezra (chapters 7-10).
It should be encouraging to know that God stirred the kings’ hearts and the people so that they returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the house of God. Fear can pin us down, but God will have his plan of restoration and redemption for His people, and nothing can stop Him.
Also, when you study the Bible, you will want to share those joyful discoveries with your sisters/brothers in Christ. Make it contagious that His word is not just a story but actual events that have occurred and were recorded.
God’s Glory
1O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
What a beautiful Psalm about the Majestic of God. His creation filled the earth, and His name should be proclaimed above all other gods. His glory is set above the heavens. Children, in their innocence, will, at times, tell the simple truth about God. All his enemies will be crushed, for He has already won. A promise that I hold on to every day.
God Gives Dominion to Man
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
The work of his creations is in the heavens, earth, stars, and moon, We are but a mist coming and vanishing, but God lives forever. In his redeeming love, God made us a little lower than the heavenly beings, but He crowned us with his glory and honour. He gives us the privilege to have dominion over the works of our hands, and we should honour him in our work. Not seeking deceitfulness, greed, money, or selfishness in our needs. Our primary purpose is to worship God, love our family and serve our church.
My Redeemer
“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:”— Job 19:25“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:”— Job 19:25
“The essence ofJob’ss comfort lies in that little word”“M”””“My Redeemer,” and in the fact that the Redeemer lives.”The essence of Job’s comfort lies in that little word “My”–“My Redeemer,” and in the fact that the Redeemer lives.
Oh! to get hold of a living Christ. We must get a share of Him before we can enjoy Him. What is gold to me while it is still in the mine? It is gold in my possession that will satisfy my necessities by purchasing the things I need.
So a Redeemer who does not redeem me, an avenger who will never stand up for my blood, what benefit is there in that?
“Do not rest not content until by faith you can say”“Yes, I cast myself upon my living Lord; and He is mine”” You may hold Him with a feeble hand and half think it presumption to say,”“He lives as my Redeemer;” But remember, if you have faith even as a grain of mustard seed, that little faith entitles you to say it.”Do not rest not content until by faith you can say “Yes, I cast myself upon my living Lord; and He is mine.” You may hold Him with a feeble hand and half think it presumption to say, “He lives as my Redeemer;” But remember, if you have faith even as a grain of mustard seed, that little faith entitles you to say it.
“But there is also another word here, expressive ofJob’ss strong confidence,”“I know”” To say,”“I hope so, I trust s”” is comfortable; and there are thousands in the fold of Jesus who hardly ever get much further. But to reach the essence of consolation you must say,”“I know.””But there is also another word here, expressive of Job’s strong confidence, “I know.” To say, “I hope so, I trust so” is comfortable; and there are thousands in the fold of Jesus who hardly ever get much further. But to reach the essence of consolation you must say, “I know.”
Ifs, buts, and maybes are sure destroyers of peace and comfort. Doubts are dreary things in times of sorrow. Like wasps they sting the soul! If I have any suspicion that Christ is not mine, then there is vinegar mingled with the gall of death. But if I know that Jesus lives for me, then darkness is not dark: Even the night is light about me.
“Surely if Job, in those ages before the coming and advent of Christ, could say,”“I know,” we should not speak less positively. God forbid that our positiveness should be presumption.”Surely if Job, in those ages before the coming and advent of Christ, could say, “I know,” we should not speak less positively. God forbid that our positiveness should be presumption.
Let us see that our evidences are right, in case we build upon an ungrounded hope, and then let us not be satisfied with the mere foundation, for it is from the upstairs rooms that we get the panoramic view. A living Redeemer, truly mine, is unspeakable joy.
It’s this time of the year again when wildflowers come out in plenty. I’m so grateful to see those little white and purple violet flowers in my field. Others are soon to come out too. Of course, we also have plenty of dandelions, and for the first time, I picked hundreds of them to make infusing oil. Now instead of hating them and seeing them as weed, I’ve gone on my knee and taken close-up pictures. The detail of that weed is impressive at all stages. The bright yellow and its petals against the dark green grass provided great pictures. Yep, being a quilter, I love the details in flowers, and God has provided a diversity of wildflowers on our property.
My Refuge
1O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, 2lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver. 3O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, 4if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, 5 the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust. Selah
O Lord our God, in you we take refuge, and in integrity, we shall live our life. With honour and truth, we shall walk before our enemies without fear and trembling, setting an example to see we are serving a Holy God. You will deliver our souls from our pursuers and give us strength and courage to endure the foolishness and darkness of our time. You alone have the power and authority to deal with those who have gone against You and your people with evil intent. Help us to pray for our enemies, for some of our leaders and counsellors can be only saved by Your grace. Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end.
God is a Righteous Judge
6Arise, O Lord, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed judgment.7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high. 8 The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. 9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous—you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God! 10 My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. 11 God is a righteous judge, a God who feels indignation every day.
You are a holy God. If we’ve sinned against You, judge us according to our deeds and be gentle when You’re disciplining us. Restore us to You so that we may find joy and comfort in Your word, for we know that Your steadfast love endures forever. Let our minds and hearts be tested so we may never forget.
Oh God, stir our hearts and minds to respond to Your word with obedience and reverence, showing good word and faith to all people. Humble our prideful and stubborn minds and hearts so we don’t err from Your word and truth. We seek refuge in a God that cares for our souls, and we shall run and confess our wrongdoings to a righteous Savior who has died for ALL our transgressions.
Repent!
12If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; 13he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts. 14Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. 15He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole he has made. 16His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends.
O, God, You care for our souls and delight in our repentance. If a person doesn’t repent, You will go against him/her. It’s to spare their souls that You do this and don’t take pleasure in rebuking those who go against You. But the wicked man/woman has taken pleasure in conceiving evil, lies, and violence. His path is destructive and chaotic and is often associated with the wicked. They don’t want to know or worship You.
O God, guard us from entering such a lost state of mind by following their foolish and destructive actions. Keep our hearts and minds pure so that we may please You.
The Lord Most High
7 I will give the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
I will give thanks due to his righteousness.
I will sing praise to the name of the Most High.
I will speak the truth and honour God.
I will humble myself in a continuous prayer of repentance.
I will seek joy, peace, and hope through His word.
I will see relationships with other believers.
I will pray over His word and hope to grow in strengthen my faith.
How is your prayer life? What are you presently reading in your Bible? When was the last time study a book of the Bible? We are all imperfect Christians and failed to draw near Him. Today is a good day to start afresh and dig into His word or simply read a chapter and pray over it.
Hello Everyone; it has already been a year since I started blogging my prayers over the Scripture. It has taught me to seek His will, find joy and comfort in His promises and trust Him in all circumstances. Going over my blog, I realized that many Psalms were omitted for one reason or another, and I resumed praying over those I skipped after I was done praying over the Book of Romans. Returning to those overlooked Psalms, I started taking notes for the central theme and purposes for the lament and underlined His promises, character, and our responsibilities as Christians.
Interestingly, the more I dug into His Word, the more I wanted to study another book of the Bible. I purchased two study books a few months back: Overcoming Fear and Discouragement by Kay Arthur and Ezra and Nehemiah by Kathleen B. Nielson. Both books are good, but I preferred the inductive study by Kay Arthur. Also, Jen Wilken applies that same method of inductive in her studies. This a personal bible study, spending hours in His word, seeking to understand the whole picture of redemption and restoration for His people.
Do you seek God through His word? Do you study or read His work? Is your prayer life active or dormant? Do not be spiritually sleeping.
Be Gracious to me, O Lord.
1O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. 2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones, are troubled. 3 My soul also is distraught but you, O Lord—how long?
O Lord, be gracious when we lament our distress or anger to You because of our sufferings. Be our cries. Do not rebuke us when our soul is greatly troubled or confused, for we long to love You but cannot, for our hearts and minds are preoccupied with the troublesome events in front of us. O Lord, we seek to please You but are incapable if Your wrath is against us.
Deliver My Life
4Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for your steadfast love. 5 For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol, who will praise you?
In Your grace, you’ve delivered us for Your steadfast love. There are no other gods before us worthy of praise. You are our God! We come to You fully confident, weeping and weak in our prayers, asking You to forgive our wrongs. For there are many that we cannot shake off, and those sins will bother our minds. Discipled us with patience and gentleness so that we can lift our eyes to You. O gracious God, heal our weaknesses and strengthen our groins so that we can praise Your name.
You Hear my Plea
6 I am weary with my moaning; every night, I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes.
Lord, You hear our plea and our confessions. You’ve poured Your steadfast love and wrapped Your wings over us like a hen with her chicks. We feel protected, loved, and cared for during our most distressing time. You accepted our prayers like a Father who cared for his child. You provided refuge and comfort through Your word and Son Jesus Christ.
Ashamed and Greatly Troubled
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. 9 The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer. 10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.
Holy Spirit, in our lament, let us not be like our enemies who have troubled us with their shameful acts and words. Their lies, deceptive arguments, and bloodthirsty actions will bring God’s wrath upon them. Let the sound of our voices be heard when we call for justice for those who suffer under the hand of our enemies.
Now that I’ve prayed over Psalm 60, I want to pray over Psalms not posted on my blog. Either the reason was I couldn’t share because they were too personal or repetitive in their content. Also, I’m working on the book of Romans and won’t share those prayers until it’s done. For it’s wise and profitable to be alone with God before sharing those prayers on my blog. My heart and conscience can be stuck on a matter of the heart until the Holy Spirit gave me to rest upon it. I need to put into practice what I said: Be alone with God in prayer.
What is interesting is I’ve changed a bit my format of prayer. Not only do I mix the ACTS with finding God’s attributes, His promises, and our responsibility. So here we go!
“Psalm 14 is a community lament in which the people of Gd mourn the fact that human is general do not seek after God and thus they treat God’s people cruelly. It’s’s almost identical to psalm 53, which was probably and alternate version of the human prior of both of them being into the Psalter. ”
Croosway ESV Study Bible
Haters of God’s People
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand,who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the Lord?
“”Father in heaven, you”ve looked down from heaven on the children of men and seen they’ve hardened their hearts against the Son of God. Profaning with their mouth, body, and mind in every possible way, saying, “There is no God.” The haters of God have consciously rejected Jesus Christ.
O Father, your judgment is upon us! Let us not be like the haters of God and be tempted to deny You when faced with difficulties. Restore us to You in a way that is divine and miraculous. Forshake us not when we need revival in our churches, home, and nations.
The haters of God have consciously rejected Jesus Christ. O Father, your judgment is upon us! Let us not be like the haters of God and be tempted to deny You when faced with difficulties. Restore us to You in a way that is divine and miraculous. Forshake us not when we need revival in our churches, home, and nations.
The Lord is My Refuge
5 There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous. 6 You would shame the plans of the poor, but the Lord is his refuge.
The faithful are subject to exhortation, ridicule, mockery, and threats. But we must hold our grudges and let God’s punishment fall on the fools and unrighteous, for He’s gracious and merciful in His dealings with sinful people. Jesus Christ, you’re our refuge, giving us the strength of perseverance and endurance when faced with threats.
Holy Spirit, set my heart to please Jesus Christ. Let not my mouth, soul, and mind live in reclusion of fear of evil that is running amidst us. Our prayers should be filled with thanksgiving for Jesus’ work of salvation and restoration. Our simple should give great pleasure to others as we share the gospel with them. Teach me how to retain our will to live for Christ.
Restore Your People!
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Oh, how I love Your promise of salvation and restoration. A story of the love of redemption that abounds in the mercies of God. God’s people, lift your voices and prayers to the Almighty God who has done it all. God has won the battle! He’s coming back as my King on Mount Zion.
Psalm 3-5 are similar in their layout. David’s confidence in bringing his prayer to a righteous God. He then tells us about the behaviour of the faithless. Also, how the godly people respond to God. There is no grey area regarding worshipping God or disobeying Him. Last, David glorifies the Lord, showing His promises and character. Have you built your confidence in prayer when you approach the throne of a gracious God?
Confident Prayer
1Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. 2Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. 3O Lord, in the morning, you hear my voice; I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
“My King and my God, for to you do I pray”(v2). In the morning, YOu hear my voice and pay attention to my words. You hear our voices when we cry or groan in our prayers. We prepared ourselves and gave ourselves to You in our supplication and confessions. My King, You heard it all before but still listened to your faithful children.
Holy Temple of God
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. 5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. 6 You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
My King and my God, you don’t delight in the wickedness of the unrighteous and evil doesn’t dwell in You. You also abhor those who are deceitful and bloodthirsty. In Your grace, you’ve saved people for yourselves. We shouldn’t envy those who condemned themselves by their evil deeds or have rebelled against You.
Holy Spirit, guide our steps in a direction that will honour God in everyday life. Not desiring to sin against our King. Humble our spirit to love You rather than self-love.
Abundance of Love
Through the abundance of your steadfast love, I will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. 8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.
My King, your abundance of steadfast love gave us joy that surpassed all other love. Our knees shall bow down to You with honour and obedience. O, my King, we’re patiently waiting for your glorious return. Let our fear not succumb to evil but take refuge in Your righteousness and make our path straight before You.
Transgressors
9 For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. 10 Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions, cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.
The faithless have no truth, and they take pleasure in their self-destruction. They flatter with their tongue leading others astray and perversion. In their transgressions, they are condemning themselves. In their hearts, they hate and rebel against You. O, My King, in your grace and mercy, teach us not to rebel against You.
Sing for Joy
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. 12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favour as with a shield.
O, My King, we will take refuge in You! Our joy and protection come from You. May we exult Your name above all other names? Your promises and blessings of righteousness cover our souls. And we’re confident in coming to you with our prayers. O God, forgive our transgressions and do not delay your return, my King and God.
I’m so glad to pray over those psalms I skipped the first time. It provides a different perspective on praying over those psalms when my heart is in a different state of mind. Not so troubled or worried about what I couldn’t control. Events that were crushing my mind with unbelievable lies and oppression. God, in the end, got the best of me by testing my heart, soul, and mind to trust Him in a place I didn’t believe I could. God promised He would have justice over the faithless, unbelievers, wicked, and unrighteous (Those against God). Set your eyes upon Jesus, abide in Him, and say your confident prayers to Him.
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
O God of my righteousness, hear my prayer. In my trials, hear my distress and strengthen my faith so it may be well with our souls. In your grace, you’ve listened to our prayers of repentance and thanksgiving. Let Your glory and joy shine upon our faces.
Faithless
O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah 3 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.
Holy Spirit, teach us not to act sinfully like the unfaithful who love vain words and seek after lies. Hear our simple request to live according to Your will and not ours. O God of righteousness, fill our minds and hearts with heavenly desires worthy of Your name.
Godly
Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah 5 Offer the right sacrifices and trust the Lord.
My Sweet Savior, let our hearts never dwell and cultivate bitterness toward those who are faithless, immoral, and ungodly. They do not want to honour You in their action and words. Your wrath and vengeance belong to You, and we must be patient while waiting for Your return. Our hearts cried to You, saying, “How long, O God?”
Oh, I want to live among Your godly people and never fear ridicule, oppression, or loss of a relationship. The world spun out of control, and we watched in distress the evil that had taken over. O God, give us the strength to be at peace and seek joy where there is none. Keep our eyes on Jesus! Our trust is in the Lord.
Joy in Our Heart
“6 many say,”“Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” 7 You have put more joy in my heart than when their grain and wine abound.8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”6 Many say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” 7 You have put more joy in my heart than when their grain and wine abound.8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
We will trust the Lord and” Lift up my face to the Lord.” Our joy came from You alone because You saved our souls from loneliness and evil. Oh, how are we should be thankful for our Beloved Redeemer!
“In peace, I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” May Your word convict our souls and find peace and joy in Your word and prayer.
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! You had given me relief when I was in distress.
O God of my righteousness, you hear my call and answer us. our grace abounds and saves our souls from having eternal life with Jesus Christ, our Savior. our endless mercies are shown through all creation. ur distress is but a mist, and to endure it for a short while so that our faith may be tested and sanctified. n Your steadfast love, you relieve us and set our feet in the right direction, consistently profiting from Your teachings. our glory endures forever and ever. here is none like you.
The Faithless
2 O men, how long shall my honour be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah. But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.
O Father in heaven, let us not be like the faithless and dishonour your name or seek after lies. That all may be well with us if our love is faithfully genuine toward You. Declaring the gospel the message of truth, repentance, salvation, hope, and restoration. We are set apart for the Lord; he sees and hears us in our needs. We shall hold fast to God’s steadfast love and trust Him always. Only then can my faith grow spiritually.
Offering Sacrifice to the Lord
4 Be angry,and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah 5 Offer the right sacrifices, and trust the Lord.
Forgive us, O Lord, if we’ve sinned in anger that is not righteous. If I’ve questioned Your will for the wrong motives. Ou lacks faith and trust in certain aspects of your life. Forgive us if we’ve not pondered or meditated on Your word. Forgive our minds for blaspheming doubts and thoughts unworthy of You. Our hands covered our mouths in shame for not speaking the truth about the gospel or were ashamed of not sharing it with others. Let my daily prayer be a pleasing sacrifice to God.
The Lord is Good
“6 many say,”“Who will show us some good? ift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” 7 You have put more joy in my heart than when their grain and wine abound.”6 many say, “Who will show us some good? ift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” 7 You have put more joy in my heart than when their grain and wine abound.
Our hearts rejoiced, and we lifted our faces to You, O Lord. ur prosperity comes from You. Even the poor cannot get anything if not for Your care. You changed our hearts so that we may love and help others. Remember and forsake us not, O God, for we need a good Shepherd. War, famine, and despair filled our world, and only You can renew it with the power of Your word.
Peace
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
In the safety of Your arms, we lay all our worries and call upon Your name for a safe dwelling. Let my night be at peace and restore us to You if we’ve gone astray.
PrayingOverScripture 