March 11
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HOW PRECIOUS IS YOUR STEADFAST LOVE!
Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God
Before his eyes.2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes
That his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;
He has ceased to act wisely and do good.4 He plots trouble while on his bed;
He sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.
5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
Your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
And you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.
10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
And your righteousness to the upright of heart!
11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
Nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.12 There the evildoers lie fallen;
They are thrust down, unable to rise. – Psalm 36: 1-12
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Transgression refers to presumptuous sin. To transgress is to choose to intentionally disobey; transgression is willful trespassing. Iniquity is more deeply rooted. Iniquity refers to a premeditated choice; to commit iniquity is to continue without repentance. When we confess and repent our sins, we are recipients of God’s steadfast love, which is so precious. We can only be able to walk in the light with such kind of unconditional love.
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ADORATION: Praise be to a God whose love is steadfast and endures forever!
CONFESSION: Forgive us all our transgressions and iniquities, my Lord and my God.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your faithful and unconditional love.
SUPPLICATION: May all men seek God so that they can continually live in the light.
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REFLECTION
• How is focusing on God’s steadfast love a weapon from wickedness?
Category Archives: Psalm Blog
MY SOUL WAITS FOR GOD ALONE
March 13
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MY SOUL WAITS FOR GOD ALONE
For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone
is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him,
Like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position
They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse.
5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.9 Those of low estate are but a breath;
Those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up;
They are together lighter than a breath.10 Put no trust in extortion;
Set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,
12 And that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man according to his work. – Psalm 62:1-12
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The ESV study bible says that this psalm is one that God’s people sing for encouragement as they oppressed by powerful, wealthy people. In such a situation, it would be easy to despair, or else to seek security in power and wealth rather than God, but David always faithfully sees the power of God in whatever he is going through. He believes that only God can be his refuge and that he always focuses on God’s steadfast love and waits for his deliverance alone.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord, who alone is the source of power, strength and help.
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord when I forget that you are the only one who can help me.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for being the rock that I am anchored in.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers have a faith like David has. He never wavered.
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REFLECTION
• How can we develop a faith that is strong enough to combat any adversity?
HE WILL TREAD DOWN OUR FOES ILMA’S VLOG
March 12
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HE WILL TREAD DOWN OUR FOES
O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us.
2 You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open;
Repair its breaches, for it totters.3 You have made your people see hard things;
You have given us wine to drink that made us stagger.
4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you,
That they may flee to it from the bow. 5 That your beloved ones may be delivered,
Give salvation by your right hand and answer us!6 God has spoken in his holiness:
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Vale of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet; Judah is my scepter.
8 Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
9 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go forth, O God, with our armies.
11 Oh, grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!
12 With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes- Psalm 60:1-12
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Matthew Henry’s commentary says that this psalm is David’s jewel, and it is to be taught and passed down. The Levites must teach it to the people, and by it teach them both to trust in God and to triumph in him; we must, in it, teach ourselves and one another. In a day of public rejoicing we have need to be taught to direct our joy to God and to terminate it in him, to give none of that praise to the instruments of our deliverance which is due to him only, and to encourage our hopes with our joys.
We clearly see how much David relied on God especially in treading down his foes. He alludes all of his victories only to the one who deserves it, to his loving God.
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ADORATION: Blessed be the Lord who grants all the victories over all our enemies.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I fail to praise you for treading over my enemies.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your Spirit that shows us that you are our source.
SUPPLICATION: May we never forget that without God, we are nothing.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to bring praise to God each time we triumph over the enemy?
• How can “forgetting the source of our victory” easily trip us up with “pride”?
MY SOUL WAITS FOR GOD ALONE ILMA’S VLOG
March 13
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MY SOUL WAITS FOR GOD ALONE
For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him,
Like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position
They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse.
5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.9 Those of low estate are but a breath;
Those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up;
They are together lighter than a breath.10 Put no trust in extortion;
Set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,
12 And that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man according to his work. – Psalm 62:1-12
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The ESV study bible says that this psalm is one that God’s people sing this psalm for encouragement as they oppressed by powerful, wealthy people. In such a situation, it would be easy to despair, or else to seek security in power and wealth rather than God, but David always faithfully sees the power of God in whatever he is going through. He believes that only God can be his refuge and that he always focuses on God’s steadfast love and waits for his deliverance alone.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord, who alone is the source of power, strength and help.
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord when I forget that you are the only one who can help me.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for being the rock that I am anchored in.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers have a faith like David has. He never wavered.
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REFLECTION
• How can we develop a faith that is strong enough to combat any adversity?
JOY COMES IN THE MORNING ILMA’S VLOG
March 10
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JOY COMES IN THE MORNING
I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
And have not let my foes rejoice over me.2 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
And you have healed me.3 O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
You restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O LORD, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face;
I was dismayed.8 To you, O LORD, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9 “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me! O LORD, be my helper!”
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth
And clothed me with gladness,12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever! -Psalm 30: 1-12
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According to the ESV study bible, this psalm was written by David for the temple’s dedication which took place after his death. It was King Solomon, his son who finished the building of the temple. It praises the faithful God who always brings joy in the morning. In Lamentations 3:22-23 it says that God’s mercy never ends and they are fresh and new each morning. No matter what we are going through, joy always comes after. No matter how bleak circumstances are, God generously gives us hope and joy especially when we are faithful to love him.
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ADORATION: I exult you Lord. You are worthy, you are Mighty, you are Lord and Savior.
CONFESSION: Forgive me whenever I resort to being discouraged and hopeless.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your mercy, always fresh each morning.
SUPPLICATION: May we all find joy in trials for it grows our faith and endurance.
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REFLECTION
• What do you do when you get discouraged with a challenging situation?
I WILL BLESS THE LORD ILMA’S VLOG
March 9
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I WILL BLESS THE LORD
Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity,
And I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
2 Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind
For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.
4 I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites.
5 I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O LORD,
7 Proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8 O LORD, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.
9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 In whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.
– Psalm 26:1-12
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An article on gotquestions.org is about What does it mean to bless God? The Hebrew word translated ‘bless’ or ‘praise’ means literally ‘to kneel’, the implication being to kneel in worship. Therefore, to bless the Lord means to praise Him, exalt Him and worship Him. We offer Him our praise and blessings because He deserves them. Unlike God’s blessings upon us, which are wholly undeserved and by His mercy and grace, our blessing God is done out of an understanding that He is the true praiseworthy Creator and our heavenly Father. God is glorified when we bless and praise and acknowledge Him.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord of all Nations, lift Him up in exultation.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I get to be so busy to bless you my Lord and my God.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for being the perfect Father to all your children.
SUPPLICATION: May all of God’s children never forget their purpose in this life: to bring God all the glory, honor and praise.
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REFLECTION
• What are the benefits of blessing the Lord? Why do we need to make a habit of it? What happens when we don’t do it?
LEAD ME IN YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS ILMA’S VLOG
March 8
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LEAD ME IN YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.
3 O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
In the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
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.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, 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.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. – Psalm 5:1-10
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This psalm is an individual lament from David. It is the first psalm that prays for the downfall of one’s enemies. You may wonder how David can ask the Lord to bring downfall to his enemies. Only someone who is so deeply intimate with the Lord will have the honesty and courage to do so. His heart is right because he knows that the Lord hates evil. He knows well how God would react to transgressors and wicked people. He has the confidence that he is one with God’s heart. Do we have such confidence in our relationship with God?
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ADORATION: Blessings to the one who leads us to righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ!
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I fail to see wickedness for what it is.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for delivering me from evil each day, Lord.
SUPPLICATION: May we grow our intimacy with the Lord and confidently pray to him.
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REFLECTION
• Have you ever prayed confidently for God to bring justice to your enemies or those who oppose your faith?
THE REIGN OF THE LORD’S ANOINTED ILMA’S VLOG
March 7
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THE REIGN OF THE LORD’S ANOINTED
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,
Against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
And cast away their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
The Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
And terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
And the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
And dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
Be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
For his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. – Psalm 2:1-12
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This psalm alludes to the promise of God to Abraham. He wanted the Messiah to come from the family of Abraham and David is from that lineage. According to ESV study bible footnote, “kiss the Son” (v12) denotes religious homage which the Davidic king (v2) deserves. The kings must understand that the ruler whom they reject is not just another human ruler but is God’s own appointed king for the whole world. David was the king where Jesus, the true king will come from.
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ADORATION: Praise the Son and the Father, who loves all of mankind. Blessings to them.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I do not submit to authority and to your will, Lord.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you Jesus for coming down to our crazy sinful world to save us.
SUPPLICATION: May the Lord’s anointed rulers be honored and may all the world recognize that Jesus is the only true king for whom all things were made for.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think David was anointed by God supernaturally even though he was just an ordinary shepherd boy? What was in him that God loves?
LET US SING SONGS OF PRAISE ILMA’S VLOG
March 6
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LET US SING SONGS OF PRAISE
Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving
Let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 3 For the LORD is a great God,
And a great King above all gods.4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
The heights of the mountains are his also. 5 The sea is his, for he made it,
And his hands formed the dry land. 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! 7 For he is our God,
And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
As on the day at Massah in the wilderness, 9 when your fathers put me to the test
And put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
10 For forty years I loathed that generation
And said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart,
And they have not known my ways.” 11 Therefore I swore in my wrath,
“They shall not enter my rest.” – Psalm 95:1-11
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Do you remember when you first experienced joy? When my son was born, I couldn’t stop marveling at the miracle right in my arm. If you are a parent, you know what I am talking about. That rejoicing was something leaping out of my heart to thank the Lord for getting me through almost 8 hours of labor. It was a delight to see that the person I carried inside me is right in my arms. You can’t help but thank a God who brings life. You want to shout out loud and sing songs of praise to him just like this psalm focuses on how we need to focus on his greatness and constantly thank him with songs of praise and worship.
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ADORATION: Praise be to the rock of our salvation, the greatest God and Maker of all.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I don’t rejoice in all the big or little things you make.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for the gift of life and all the provisions you give us.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers never be lukewarm in praising the Lord and giving him all the laud that is due him.
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REFLECTION
MY SOUL THIRSTS FOR YOU ILMA’S VLOG
March 5
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MY SOUL THIRSTS FOR YOU
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you
My flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
And my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,6 when I remember you upon my bed,
And meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help,
And in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to you; our right hand upholds me.
9 But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10 They shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult,
For the mouths of liars will be stopped. – Psalm 63:1-11
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This psalm that David wrote while he was in the wilderness of Judah is full of expectancy and passion for God. It sounds like a lover constantly wooing his beloved. He thirsts so much for the Lord as a dry land would for water (v1). He is looking forward to God’s steadfast love as it is better than life itself. He is waiting for that promise that God will deliver him for the mouth of liars and those who seek to destroy his life. Do we have this unwavering hope and passion for God like David had?
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ADORATION: Praise you Lord for your steadfast love that endures forever.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I stop looking forward to your promises and get discouraged or let down by trials and sufferings.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for making us in your image; that it is possible to truly love like you do.
SUPPLICATION: May love be always the reason why we do things and relate with others.
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REFLECTION
• How can we thirst for God like David does? What is the most crucial virtue we can have to be able to pursue God’s own heart?