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?
Tag Archives: Christian devotional
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?
THE KING OF GLORY Poem Devotional
February 17
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THE KING OF GLORY
The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness there of the world and those who dwell therein,
2 For he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
7 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! – Psalm 24:1-10
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The psalm addresses the Israelites and to glorify the only true king who has delivered them and granted them victory in battles. They acknowledge the source and the creator of all things who wants all of his people to be pure for him and to hate evil, just as he does. The word hosts is a translation of the Hebrew word sabaoth, meaning “armies”—a reference to the angelic armies of heaven. Thus, another way of saying “LORD of hosts” is “God of the armies of heaven.” This is the only psalm declaring God as king of glory. The Hebrew word for glory (kavod) is sometimes used figuratively to mean “heavy” or “dense.” When we speak of a “weighty” person, someone who is honorable and worthy.
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ADORATION: We praise you, the Lord of Hosts, the King of glory. We lift up our heads to give you praise and honor.
CONFESSION: Forgive me each time I fail to hate evil and compromise my purity.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for all creation and all your provision to fill my needs.
SUPPLICATION: May all men bring you the glory that is only Yours alone. May all peoples come to their knees and bow down only to the King of Glory.
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REFLECTION
• Why is the stance of looking up to the Lord in praise essential for all Christians?
O LORD DELIVER MY LIFE Poem Devotional
February 16________________________________________
O LORD DELIVER MY LIFE
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
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We hear King David’s penitent heart in this psalm. He pleads the Lord to correct him but not in anger. He asks for God’s grace to heal him as he acknowledges his sins and past mistakes. We hear the dependence of David to God in the midst of great trouble and physical ailments. What is amazing with this psalm is his humility to admit how weary and tired he was. It illustrates a picture of a king who bows down to a greater eternal King. We see in this psalm how David is intimate with the Lord and isn’t afraid to admit his need for God’s deliverance for him. He is full of hope that the Lord will deliver him. What a heart that really seeks God’s heart!
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ADORATION: Praise to you Lord, full of grace and mercy. You are my deliverer and Savior.
CONFESSION: Forgive me each time I fail to repent and confess my sins.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for never being stingy to reveal yourself to me.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers have a heart like David, who is humble, repentant and pursues God’s heart.
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REFLECTION
• How do you relate with David’s circumstance in this psalm?
• How can he be depressed, tired, sick and yet hopeful at the same time?
SING TO THE LORD A NEW SONG Poem Devotional
February 15
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SING TO THE LORD A NEW SONG
Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song,
His praise in the assembly of the godly! 2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
Let the children of Zion rejoice in their King! 3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
Making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.
5 Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,
7 To execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples,
8 To bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron,
9 To execute on them the judgment written!
This is honor for all his godly ones. Praise the LORD!- Psalm 149:1-9
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This is psalm inviting all the godly to rejoice, be glad and praise the Lord. It invites the children of Zion to rejoice in their king with dancing, making melody with tambourines and lyre. It is stressed in this psalm how the Lord is pleased when we sing to the Lord new songs. It is amazing how God has given us the gift of music so that he can be glorified. Sadly, in our world today, we use singing to glorify our own selves or sometimes the idols that we give more time for than the one who gave us all. Many Christians fail to sing to the Lord new songs because they are so busy with all worldly concerns and pleasing themselves.
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ADORATION: Sing a new song to the Holy, Eternal King Jesus. He is worthy! He is Mighty!
CONFESSION: Forgive me whenever I am not enthusiastically singing or rejoicing about your goodness, your omniscience and omnipotence.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you Lord that you gave us music to express our rejoicing for your glory.
SUPPLICATION: May all of God’s people exult him in songs of praises and hymns about his goodness and miracles.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think God wants us to sing new songs to him? What should our songs be about?
HOW SHALL WE SING THE LORD’S SONG Poem Devotional,
February 14
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HOW SHALL WE SING THE LORD’S SONG?
By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept,
When we remembered Zion. 2 On the willow there we hung up our lyres.
3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth,
Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
4 How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!
6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
If I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!
7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem,
How they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”
8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,
Blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!
9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!
– Psalm 137:1-9
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This community lament remembers the Babylonian captivity. The Israelites remember how they were asked to sing songs by their captors. It was difficult for them to do so as they would rather do so when they are in their own land. It is a prayer of plea to the Lord not to let them forget Jerusalem and to deliver them from the cruelty of the Edomites. This psalm requests the Lord to bring them justice and payment for the abuses and wickedness that the Babylonians did to them. Because they are sure that the Lord is a God of Justice, they look forward to that day that their enemies will be punished for their evil deeds to them.
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ADORATION: You are a just and fair God. Praise you for delivering us from evil.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I fail to be intimate with you and rely on you.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for delivering me from wickedness and injustice.
SUPPLICATION: May evil be defeated by righteousness and your unfailing love.
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REFLECTION
• How can the Israelites pray with such boldness and trust for justice to be done to them? What is required to have such boldness to pray to God?
WHO IS LIKE THE LORD OUR GOD? Poem Devotional
February 12
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WHO IS LIKE THE LORD OUR GOD?
Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD,
Praise the name of the LORD! 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD.
From this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!
4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high,
6 Who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 To make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 113:1-9
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According to the ESV Bible Study footnotes this short hymn of praise celebrates the way in which the great God who rules over all takes notice of the lowly. Such a God is indeed worthy to be praised by all mankind. Psalms 113-118 have been used in connection with Passover. These psalms likely provided the hymn that Jesus and his disciples sang after the Passover meal (Matt 26:30).
This hymn elevates a God who sees all especially even the poor and the lowly (verse 7). It is amazing to remember that he is a God of Justice (verse 7-9) who brings equality to those who are poor and deprived. God’s people must never forget this one and only God who loves all his creation. We must revel and worship this God who is faithful, just and loving.
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ADORATION: You are one of a kind. We praise you Lord of all creation, full of love and mercy. You are just and fair to all of mankind. You are holy and righteous.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I fail to be fair to others especially when I forget those who are in need and hurting.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your unwavering and unfailing love and mercy to undeserving people like us.
SUPPLICATION: May all the earth give glory to God who is one of a kind and full of mercy.
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REFLECTION
• How can believers maintain a posture of worship to the one true God daily?
MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE TO THE LORD Poem Devotional
February 10
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MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE TO THE LORD
Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
2 The LORD has made known his salvation;
He has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
Break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody!
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
Make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!
8 Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together
9 Before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. – Psalm 98:1-9
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This psalm is a celebration of God’s marvelous deeds for his people. This psalm reminds me of New Year’s celebration in my country of origin, the Philippines. Filipinos celebrate the coming of the year with a big bang, loud firecrackers and fireworks that probably lasts for a minimum of an hour and a maximum of four hours. Why can’t we do that for God who made all things? This psalm shouts and gives praises to the Lord who granted deliverance for the house of Israel. It also tells the whole world that God can do the same for all nations and it invites all people to praise the Lord.
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ADORATION: Shout and make noises to rejoice because the Lord is good. Praise him forever! He delivers his people from all evil and brings peace and joy to all mankind.
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord when I am not expressing gratitude that declares your love.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for being faithful and a promise keeper.
SUPPLICATION: May all people declare and shout out loud their praises to the Lord.
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REFLECTION
• Why is rejoicing and making noises to the Lord something all Christians must do?
THE STEADFAST LOVE OF GOD ENDURES Poem Devotional
February 9
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THE STEADFAST LOVE OF GOD ENDURES
Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right.
4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent;
He will uproot you from the land of the living.
6 The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make God his refuge,
But trusted in the abundance of his riches
And sought refuge in his own destruction!”
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever, because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly. – Psalm 52:1-9
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This psalm is one of the contemplative poems of David. He wrote this as he was fleeing from Saul who wanted him killed (1 Sam 21 and 22). David tried to seek help from the priest Ahimelech and when Saul heard about the help he got from the priest, his whole family and the other priests, 85 of them were all killed. It was Saul’s chief Doeg, who executed the whole priestly clan. It is amazing to see David trust the Lord despite the knowledge of the evil things that Saul and Doeg have done. He still relied in the Lord. He knows that God is steadfast in his love and that he will deliver him from all wickedness.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord for his steadfast love that endures forever.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I don’t totally trust in your unwavering love, O Lord.
THANKSGIVING: I am grateful for the stability I am given because of your faithfulness.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers recognize and realize that without your relentless love, we are nothing. May their faith grow and may they only rely on your steadfast love.
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REFLECTION
• How can David still be full of hope despite the wickedness of his enemies?