a href=”http://www.ilmaarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/barrie-visit-2011-412.jpg”>
August 16
________________________________________
PSALM 16 IN GOD’S PRESENCE THERE IS FULLNESS OF JOY
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”
3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.
4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also, my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. – Psalm 16:1-11
________________________________________
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
My Lord, I run to you for safety; you preserve me
I am nothing apart from your love and righteousness
Without your presence, life is full of troubles and darkness
It is only by your Spirit that we can have joy in fullness.
Because I have set the Lord always before me
I shall not grumble, crave for worldly things or live in discontent
The Lord gives me wisdom and leads me in the right direction
Without his guidance, I will perish and live in chaos and confusion.
My Lord is true to his word, he will never abandon his people
He makes me know the path to life and gives me his blessings
Therefore, my heart is joyful and my whole being rejoices
I shall worship the Lord all the days of my life; I shall sing him praises.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Can someone who doesn’t know or serve God have a fullness of joy? Why or why not?
Tag Archives: Christian blog
PSALM 15 WHO CAN COME BEFORE THE LORD
August 15
________________________________________
PSALM 15 WHO CAN COME BEFORE THE LORD
O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the LORD;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved. – Psalm 15:1-5
________________________________________
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Who can come before the Lord?
Who can stand before him?
He who is faithful to keep his laws
They are those who bring him glory and praise
They do not tell lies or defend themselves
They are those who don’t easily get offended
They are patient, kind, loving and humble
They do not easily succumb to sin or stumble.
He prays and confesses his sins regularly
The world can never deceive him easily
Who can come before the Lord, our God?
They are those who do not conform to this world
They are those who love their neighbors as themselves
He who are honest and live in blamelessness
They are those who walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh
They take the path that is narrow and not wide.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What do you think is David’s intention when he wrote this psalm?
PSALM 14 THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NOT EVEN ONE
August 14
________________________________________
PSALM 14 THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NOT EVEN ONE
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?
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.
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. – Psalm 14:1-7
________________________________________
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
There is none who does good, not even one
Because of our sin nature, we turn away from God
We become proud and fools when we think we are wise
Only the Lord can grant us wisdom to live righteous lives.
No matter what we do, God sees our actions from above
We are only lying to ourselves when we think we are good
When we pride ourselves in what we can accomplish
We are not acknowledging God’s providence and generosity.
Every good gift comes from our heavenly Father
Thank the Lord for his provision; without it, we will suffer
Praise his name forever for he is our salvation
Depend only on him or you will live in an illusion.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What is the danger of not acknowledging God in one’s life?
• Why do you think some people think that they have no need for God?
PSALM 11 ANTIDOTE TO FEAR
iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/kvMwSukBKCQ” title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen>
August 11
________________________________________
PSALM 11 ANTIDOTE TO FEAR
In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to my soul,
“Flee like a bird to your mountain,
2 for behold, the wicked bend the bow;
they have fitted their arrow to the string
to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
3 if the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”
4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
5 The LORD tests the righteous,
but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
6 Let him rain coals on the wicked;
fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face. – Psalm 11:1-7
________________________________________
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
When fear comes unexpectedly, run to the Lord for shelter
He is the only One who can bring peace in the midst of terror
The enemy attacks the upright by creating havoc and chaos
But the Lord is our stronghold and our shield who protects the righteous
Never forget that the Lord sits on his throne in heaven, full of majesty
His steadfast love doesn’t stop; he is in control, he is Almighty
The Lord tests the righteous and gives them strength and endurance
He refines all those who love him and gives them patience and tolerance
Our loving God hates the wicked and all those who loves cruelty
They will receive his judgment and will be punished severely
For our heavenly Father hates all kinds of evil and wickedness
He will vindicate and deliver all those live in righteousness
So, when you experience doubt and fear, run to the Lord
Exercise your faith for it removes all fear that is rampant in this world.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What do you think was happening in this psalm when David wrote this?
PSALM 10 A PRAYER TO DELIVER THE HELPLESS FROM THE WICKED
August 10
________________________________________
PSALM 10 A PRAYER TO DELIVER THE HELPLESS FROM THE WICKED
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 and 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.” 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. 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 who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
– Psalm 10:6-18
________________________________________
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
The wicked plot all kinds of mischief against the righteous
They curse and oppress them in their innocence and weakness
The evildoers stealthily watch and prey on them
He lurks like a lion ready to devour his found victim
O Lord, please do not forget these people who are helpless
In your steadfast love, you will never let the vulnerable perish
O Lord, hear the cries of the afflicted; incline your ear to them
You are a just God, do justice to the oppressed and fatherless
Please strengthen their hearts and deliver them from the wicked
Do not let the unrighteous get away with their schemes to strike terror
Keep your people out of their evil tactics and plots to make them fearful
O Lord, you are our refuge, our fortress, our strength and our vindicator
Keep us away from the haughty, the arrogant and all the manipulators.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How to do we protect ourselves from the evil schemes of the wicked?
PSALM 9 THE LORD IS A STRONGHOLD IN TIMES OF TROUBLE
August 9
________________________________________
PSALM 9 THE LORD IS A STRONGHOLD IN TIMES OF TROUBLE
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. 2 I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3 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. 7 But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, 8 and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples 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. 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. – Psalm 9:1-14
________________________________________
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
I will sing praise to the Lord and remember all his wonderful deeds
I will rejoice and be glad and glorify the only true God, the Most high
When the enemy plots to destroy those who live in righteousness
The Lord is their stronghold in times of troubles and weaknesses
He comes to the rescue of all the oppressed and unjustly treated
The Lord delivers them, heals and comfort all those who are afflicted
He does not forget the cry of those who are faithful to him and his word
Praise our Lord God Almighty, he sits on the throne watching over the world
Our Lord God punishes all wickedness, he judges the people with uprightness
He hates evil and won’t allow it to triumph; he crushes all forms of wickedness
Run to the Lord for refuge for he is our strength and stronghold in troubled times
He is the strong foundation for all those who love, trust him and follow his lead.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Share some experiences that proved God is our stronghold in times of trouble?
• Why is it important to sing praise and remember God’s marvelous deeds?
PSALM 8 MAJESTIC NAME OF GOD
August 8
________________________________________
PSALM 8 MAJESTIC NAME OF GOD
O 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.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what 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 honor.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
7 all 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! – Psalm 8:1-9
________________________________________
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
O Lord my God, your name is above all else in all creation
How majestic is your name; it can bring us salvation
What is man that you even care for his welfare and his whole life?
You gave him authority over all the things and all creatures you made
When I bask at your beautiful and wondrous nature, I am in awe
Your name is the only name that can make us bow down
No other name can have this power over any person
It is the name that can conquer and overpower forms of evil
Praise the Lord and glorify his holy and majestic name
He alone has authority over all the earth and the entirety of his creation
Glory to the most majestic name; praise the Lord who created all things
The name of the Lord is to be worshipped and adored in all the earth.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is praising the name of the Lord something a Christian ought to always do?
PSALM 6 THE LORD HEARD THE SOUND OF MY WEEPING
August 6
________________________________________
PSALM 6 THE LORD HEARD THE SOUND OF MY WEEPING
O 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 greatly troubled. But you, O LORD—how long?
4 Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?
6 I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes.
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. -Psalm 6:1-10
________________________________________
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
O my Lord, I cry out to you and plead you to hear my prayer
Please, grant me grace for I am hurting so much from this torture
Heal me O Lord for my soul is distressed and troubled
I am so tired from the enemy’s pulling me down to the rubble
Often, I cry myself in bed; it’s too painful to watch violence
The world is full of people who don’t care for others but themselves.
I know you are steadfast in your love and your mercy abounds
Please hear the sound of my weeping and wrap your arms on me
Let the unrighteous and wicked people leave me alone
My Lord, please accept my prayer for deliverance and wisdom
Grant me peace and strength so I can endure for your sake
Let me never forget that all your elect will have to go through trials.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Do you think it’s alright to weep to God? Why do some people think that it isn’t appropriate to do so?
• Why did David sound so depressed in this psalm?
• What is the spiritual antidote for anxiety and depression according to the bible?
PSALM 5 LEAD ME O LORD IN YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
August 5
________________________________________
PSALM 5 LEAD ME O LORD 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. 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 favor as with a shield. – Psalm 5:1-12
________________________________________
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
My Lord, I plead you to lead me to your righteousness
Without your guidance, I will succumb to my weaknesses
Let your Holy Spirit help me discern how to show grace
It is difficult to bear those unrighteous and wicked men
Help me to surrender to you all these trials and difficulties
Never let me figure this out for myself; you are my vindicator
Give me strength to endure all these so I can exalt you
Grant me a pure heart and a mind that is always renewed
Bless the righteous and cover him with favor as with a shield
Keep me safe in your steadfast love and grant me peace.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it a good habit for a Christian to let go of independence and depend on God instead especially in difficult circumstances?
PSALM 4 THE LORD ALONE MAKE ME DWELL IN SAFETY ILMA’S POEM DEVOTIONAL
August 4
________________________________________
PSALM 4 THE LORD ALONE MAKE ME DWELL IN SAFETY
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!
2 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.4 Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.
6 There are many who 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 they have 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. – Psalm 4:1-8
________________________________________
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
When I feel down and threatened, I run to the Lord for rescue
He is faithful to relieve me of worries; he gets my mind renewed
O Lord, help me to seek your word daily and not believe in lies
So much in the world system corrupts our hearts and lives
Help me when I am angry to not sin, but acknowledge the cause
Keep my tongue from speaking lies; instead, let your word flow
Put a rend on my mind and heart so my lips speak only the truth
Let me be used by you as a vessel to bring your kingdom to come
You alone, O Lord make me dwell in safety; you are my Savior
It is only from You that I will experience contentment and joy
In Christ alone can I lie down and sleep and rest knowing his love
The world can never give me such care because its system is corrupt
O men, go and pay homage and praise to a gracious and generous God
He alone can satisfy and give you peace and joy in this fallen world.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why should we only trust the Lord when it comes to satisfying our needs?