June 2
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PSALM 89 THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS
8 O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD,
with your faithfulness all around you?
9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
12 The north and the south, you have created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face,
16 who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel.
– Psalm 89:8-18
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EXALT THE LORD AND BE EXULTED IN HIM by ILMA
O Lord, I bring you all the praise and glory; You are worthy
You created all things for the purpose of giving you glory
Your commands are based on justice and righteousness
Help us to choose and walk towards the path to uprightness.
Blessed is the Lord who lights the lives of his chosen ones
Exalt the Lord so you can be exulted and share your joy
The Lord is your strength and your shield, your true vindicator
Praise and worship him; He alone is your source and Redeemer.
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REFLECTION
• How can exalting the Lord make you exulted?
• How is praising God the way to eternal life?
• What happens when we praise ourselves instead of God?
Tag Archives: Christian devotional
PSALM 89 A GOD GREATLY TO BE FEARED
June 1
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PSALM 89 A GOD GREATLY TO BE FEARED
I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah
5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
and awesome above all who are around him? -Psalm 89:1-7
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AN INCOMPARABLE GOD WORTHY OF PRAISE by ILMA
Who else can compare with a God whose steadfast love endures forever?
Who among the heavenly beings can even come close to a God who is majestic?
Let all people give praise to an incomparable God who made all things
Let the whole creation bow down to Him who has the sole sovereignty
Praise and give glory to the one who established a covenant with David
The Lord promised an offspring from his lineage to rescue God’s people
Let us sing and shout out joyfully for he has been faithful to his promise
Lift up your hands and sing a song to declare his goodness and majesty.
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REFLECTION
• What can you observe from these beginning verses of the psalm written by Ethan the Ezrahite?
• Why was this considered a community lament? What where they weeping about in this song?
PSALM 88 O LORD, WHY DO YOU CAST MY SOUL AWAY?
May 31
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PSALM 88 O LORD, WHY DO YOU CAST MY SOUL AWAY?
13 But I, O LORD, cry to you;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 O LORD, why do you cast my soul away?
Why do you hide your face from me?
15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your dreadful assaults destroy me.
17 They surround me like a flood all day long;
they close in on me together.
18 You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;
my companions have become darkness.– Psalm 88:13-18
________________________________________WHEN DARKNESS SURROUND ME by ILMA
When darkness surrounds me, I feel your absence
Why have you hidden your face from me; I feel helpless
O Lord, I cry out to you as I suffer these terror
Why have you allowed me to be swept over?
Fear envelopes my whole being when I don’t have your presence
I plead you to deliver me from all these betrayals from my friends
I trusted these people, shared all my gifts and formed bonds with them
But the wicked have used my generosity use it to supply their needs.
When darkness surrounds me, I feel restrained and fearful
Hold my hand so I can follow you to the path for the faithful
Why have you abandoned me Lord, come to my rescue
Bring back that Holy Presence so I can have my mind renewed.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it so easy to wallow in our feelings? How can we combat this fleshly desire to cater to it?
PSALM 88 ARE YOUR WONDERS KNOWN IN DARKNESS?
May 30
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PSALM 88 ARE YOUR WONDERS KNOWN IN DARKNESS?
8 You have caused my companions to shun me;
you have made me a horror to them.
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
9 my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call upon you, O LORD;
I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you work wonders for the dead?
Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah
11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Are your wonders known in the darkness,
or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? – Psalm 88:8-12
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MY EYES GROW DIM THROUGH SORROW by ILMA
My Lord, I cry out to you as I am in this chasm of darkness
You have allowed my closest friends to continue their wickedness
I feel so isolated and trapped in this silence that you give me
My eyes grow dim through the pain, sorrow and adversity
How long will you let me suffer Lord, have I not been faithful?
Lord, I call on you daily and yet they continue all their ridicules
Have mercy on me and let me feel your presence again
Show the enemy that their tactics are all in vain
I will not survive this world if your presence is ambiguous
Give me strength to continue to overcome this darkness
Lead me to a place where your assurance of your love is present
Deliver me out of this pit where I cannot experience your presence.
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REFLECTION
• Why does the psalmist sound so desperate and depressed in this individual lament?
• What was the cause of the psalmist’s grief when he wrote this psalm?
• Why is it important not to dwell on our feelings as this psalm illustrates?
PSALM 120 DELIVERANCE FROM LYING LIPS & DECEITFUL TONGUE
May 28
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PSALM 120 DELIVERANCE FROM LYING LIPS & DECEITFUL TONGUE
In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
2 Deliver me, O LORD,
from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given to you,
and what more shall be done to you,
you deceitful tongue?
4 A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with glowing coals of the broom tree!
5 Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,
that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I had my dwelling
among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace,
but when I speak, they are for war! – Psalm 120:1-7
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DELIVER US FROM LIARS AND DECEIVERS by ILMA
Lord, look, I am surrounded by many liars and deceivers
They inched their way to your family of believers
In my anguish and agony, I come to you for rescue
Help your people to detect right away what is askew
Do not let their cunning schemes develop or progress
Lord, hinder their plans to make your saints transgress.
Free me Lord! I have lived with many unbelievers and liars
I am so exhausted by their baits and sly plans to attack
Punish the wicked people whatever it takes to protect the faithful
I plead you to deliver us from all the tactics of Satan and his demons
Grant your people peace even in the midst of war and suffering
Cover us with your love; give us resilience to face these adversities.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it the responsibility of Christians to stay away from liars and deceivers?
PSALM 47 GOD IS KING OVER ALL THE EARTH
May 27
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PSALM 47 GOD IS KING OVER ALL THE EARTH
Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
2 For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.
3 He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.
4 He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah
5 God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm
8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
9 The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted! – Psalm 47:1-9
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SHOUT TO GOD WITH LOUD SONGS OF JOY by ILMA
Exult and hail our God, who is King over all the earth
He alone is to be revered and praised; he is the only true God
Raise your hands to praise your Maker; he made you in his own image
Shout out loud and give glory to the Most High; he is ruler of all age.
Sing hallelujah; clap your hands, sound your trumpets
God is sovereign and he reigns over all realms
All things belong to God; he created every creature on earth
All must praise him; a God who is generous and full of steadfast love.
All you people of God, do not forget to worship and give him thanks
He has dominion over you and all things in heaven and on earth
Pledge your allegiance to the only one who can give you deliverance
He promises eternal life to all those who fear and give him reverence.
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REFLECTION
• How can singing and shouting out loud to God be a manifestation of worship?
• Why do you think God created music? What is its purpose?
• What can you say about the modern worship in our current age in the Evangelical, Pentecostal and other denominations?
• Do you think God is glorified in the modern Christian songs of praise?
PSALM 80 STIR UP YOUR MIGHT AND COME TO SAVE US!
May 25
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PSALM 80 STIR UP YOUR MIGHT AND COME TO SAVE US!
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might and come to save us!
3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
4 O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
– Psalm 80:1-7
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RESTORE US AND LET YOUR FACE SHINE O LORD by ILMA
O Lord, hear me out as I plead you my cause
You are the Lord Almighty, the God of Hosts
Come and bring to your people restoration
Let me feel your presence during this period of depression
How long will you be angry at your people’s prayers?
Please do not cut us out from your loving presence.
Let your face shine upon us, O just and merciful God
Without your face shining on us, we won’t have joy
We have been drowning in tears and feeling abandoned
Grant us grace and have your presence be manifest
Forgive us all our sinful nature and give us strength to hold on
Rejuvenate your people and help us to endure and press on.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think God was angry at his people as mentioned in verse 4 that even their prayers were rejected?
• Share an experience when you have felt God’s anger or disapproval of a prayer you pleaded him to answer.
PSALM 81 AFTERMATH OF STUBBORNNESS
May 24
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PSALM 81 AFTERMATH OF STUBBORNNESS
11 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” – Psalm 81:11-16
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CONSEQUENCE OF STUBBORN HEARTS by ILMA
When you do not listen to the voice of the Lord
You are probably corrupted and consumed by this world
He gave us everything so we can serve and glorify him
But the world we live in entices us to disobey and sin
When you hear God’s voice today, harden not your hearts
The consequence of such stubbornness will tear you apart
The Lord promised his covenant people his protection
But when you do not follow him, you are on your own
Those who hate the Lord, watch out, for you will regret it
The consequence of stubborn hearts will bring you down the pit
Our God Almighty will not force you to walk in his ways
If you resist, he will leave you in your own stubbornness
Those who submit to the Lord will reap a harvest of rewards
They will be protected, rescued and be assured of deliverance.
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REFLECTION
• How is rebellion and stubborn hearts like witchcraft or divination as 1 Samuel 15:23 mentions?
PSALM 81 OH ISRAEL IF YOU WOULD BUT LISTEN TO ME!
May 23
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PSALM 81 OH ISRAEL IF YOU WOULD BUT LISTEN TO ME!
Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.
4 For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. – Psalm 81:1-10
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GOD ADMONISHES HIS PEOPLE by ILMA
All you covenant people, sing out loud and joyfully praise the God of Jacob
He brought you out of the land of Egypt and delivered you from the evil one
He led you out of bondage into a land of freedom so you can give him glory
He decreed you to follow his commands; but you wouldn’t heed his warnings
He commanded pure allegiance to him alone and no other gods idolized
Yet, you bowed down and worshiped some of these gods who are powerless.
Have you forgotten all that God has done to free you from slavery?
How long will you continue to be untrue to a God who loves you faithfully?
He has chosen you to serve him and have showered you with blessings
Why have you turned your back on the Lord God who is just and is so giving?
All you people of God, confess and turn from your evil ways and be cleansed
The Lord admonishes those whom he loves so he can be worshiped and praised.
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REFLECTION
• How did Asaph illustrate God in the following passages in this prophetic hymn?
• Why would a majestic God sound almost like pleading his people in this psalm?
PSALM 135 THE FATE OF IDOLATERS
May 22
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PSALM 135 THE FATE OF IDOLATERS
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them,
so do all who trust in them.
19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD!
O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!
20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD!
You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion,
he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 135:15-21
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WHEN ONE MAKES IDOLS by ILMA
When one bows down to idols made by human hands
They are worshiping things that do not have life
They appear to have mouths but they are mute
Their ears are not able to hear and are devoid of sounds.
When one makes idols, they turn to objects that are lifeless
They become like what they bow down to and idolize
O you house of Israel, praise only the God who made you
O you house of Aaron and Levi, bless the Lord.
Let all who serve the Lord bless His holy name
Do not tolerate those who likes to compete with God
Stay away from idols and idolaters, they are enemies of God
They have no loyalty to anyone else but their own selves.
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REFLECTION
• Why is idolatry and having idols a big sin to our Lord God?