February 22
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GIVE EAR TO MY VOICE
O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
And the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!
4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds
In company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies!
5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—
It is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it.
Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
6 When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
Then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
7 As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
So shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol; 8 But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers!
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely. – Psalm 141:1-10
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The ESV study bible calls this an individual lament, a prayer that God will protect the faithful person against all insincerity and compromise. This is a prayer to God requesting the Lord to hear the plea for protection over any form of complacency, dishonesty and impurities in their hearts. We can all definitely identify with this prayer. This world is full of seductions to do evil and live compromised lives. When we fail to see that the Lord comes first, we are putting ourselves in danger of being ensnared by the evil one.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord! He is merciful and loving. He is our protector. Hallelujah!
CONFESSION: Grant me pardon each time I compromise making you first in all.
THANKSGIVING: Thanks be to God who cares for every detail of our lives.
SUPPLICATION: May we never merge evil and righteousness together which is a form of compromise and lack of integrity.
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REFLECTION
• What compromises do you see in the body of Christ and what should you do?
Category Archives: Psalm Blog
THE RIGHTEOUS WILL NEVER BE MOVED ILMA’S VLOG
February 21
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THE RIGHTEOUS WILL NEVER BE MOVED
Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; The generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
Who conducts his affairs with justice.6 For the righteous will never be moved;
He will be remembered forever.7 He is not afraid of bad news;
His heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
Until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.9 He has distributed freely;
He has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever;
His horn is exalted in honor.10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
He gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!
-Psalm 112:1-10
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This psalm declares the fulfillment of God’s promise to those who are righteous. The psalm praises God for granting his people a reverence for him. We are not able to do that in our own strength because of our fallen nature, so God grants his chosen people to have that fear for him and delight in his commands. The psalm enumerates the blessings that the righteous receive. They become prosperous and unmovable. Their hearts are firm and trusting in the Lord always and thus, they triumph over their enemies. They are full of integrity and just in all their ways. God honors such faithfulness with much favors.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord for being the Rock that we can all stand on.
CONFESSION: Forgive me whenever I rely on others people and things rather than on you.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for the foundation that you grant me in your truth.
SUPPLICATION: May all God’s people never fail to obey and trust him all the days of their lives. May they choose righteousness in all they do.
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REFLECTION
• How has God been faithful to provide your every need and requests when you stay faithful to trust and obey him? What happens when you don’t do so?
HE PUT A NEW SONG IN MY MOUTH Psalm Blog
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HE PUT A NEW SONG IN MY MOUTH
I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog,
And set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust,
Who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
Your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
None can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them,
Yet they are more than can be told. – Psalm 40:1-5
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The Lord puts a new song in the psalmist’s mouth. He enumerates the many reasons why we all need to declare the new song which is a testament to all of his goodness and love. He reckons the reasons why we need to continue to put our trust in God. His loving kindness to hear our cry is clearly stated in verse 1. The second verse shows God’s deliverance and protection and how he gives us stability and strength like a rock. It is only right to sing the new song (new things he has done for us) so many will see and fear the Lord and continue to put their trust in him. Our testimonies will bring glory to his faithful love for us and shine light on those who have forgotten him. It will be an encouragement to those who have lost their way and gone tepid in their walk. By singing the new song he gives us, we become salt and light of the earth and we praise and worship him.
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ADORATION: We sing the songs that you placed in our mouths to glorify you. Hallelujah!
CONFESSION: Forgive me each time I fail to see the blessings and solutions you give me.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for rescuing me from darkness and the hopelessness.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers hear the new songs you put in their mouths so they can glorify you and give you all the praise for the many blessings you bestow on us each day.
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REFLECTION
• What is the new song that the Lord has put in your mouth lately? Have you sang these songs to others?
