PSALMSeptember 11
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PSALM 37 BE STILL BEFORE THE LORD
Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices! – Psalm 37:1-7
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
All you people of God, do not be anxious or worried about anything
For the Lord God is steadfast in his love, he is sovereign over everything
Though you are faced with difficulties and suffering
Trust in the Lord for he knows what you are experiencing
Seek the Lord and abide in his word for he will delight in you
Submit your entire life to him including your heart, mind and soul.
Be still before the Lord and completely depend on him
When you do, you will be able to overcome sin
Do not envy those who prosper but are sinful
The Lord only takes delight in the righteous and faithful
The righteous man will prosper and will be protected
The wicked on the other hand will be judged and defeated.
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REFLECTION
• Why is fretting and being overly anxious not a trait that Christian should have?
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PSALM 36 PRAYER FOR PROTECTION FROM ARROGANCE
September 10
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PSALM 36 PRAYER FOR PROTECTION FROM ARROGANCE
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 14:7-12
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
My Lord, you are the fountain of life and the light to our paths
Let us take shelter from you and let us feast in your steadfast love
Grant us your blessings and protect us from our inclination to selfishness
Without your presence, we are inclined to arrogance and unrighteousness
Continue to shower us with your unconditional love and grace
Don’t let arrogance visit us and aways lead us to follow your ways.
Keep us from wicked people and make us discern their plots
Give us a heart that seeks only your will and your plans
How faithful you are that you continue to grant us grace
Comfort us when things around us seem to fall apart
Give us humility that we will always put you first in all things
Never let our pride get in the way of praising you so we can avoid sin.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important for believers to pray for protection from arrogance and pride?
• What humble acts should a Christian be making a habit of on a regular basis?
PSALM 36 THOSE WHO DOES NOT REJECT EVIL
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September 9
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PSALM 36 THOSE WHO DOES NOT REJECT EVIL
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. – Psalm 36:1-6
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Those who does not reject evil are serving the world
They do not fear the Lord nor heed his word
He thinks highly of himself and never cares for others
Greed and control are the way he operates and live for.
What comes out of his mouth are lies and deceit
He always schemes to get and receive
Those who do not reject evil serves the prince of this world
The wicked propagates selfishness and hates God’s word.
Stay away from those who take part in evil ways
They will experience the wrath of God and be shamed
Have nothing to do with them or condone their acts
They will not receive the crown of life from our Lord God.
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REFLECTION
• How can one spot those who do not reject evil?
• How is discernment different from intelligence?
PSALM 35 THE LORD DELIGHTS IN HIS SERVANTS’ WELFARE
September 8
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PSALM 35 THE LORD DELIGHTS IN HIS SERVANTS’ WELFARE
18 I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.
19 Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes,
and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.20 For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.
21 They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”
22 You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!
23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!
24 Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness,
and let them not rejoice over me!
25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart’s desire!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity!
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!
27 Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad
and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.
– Psalm 35:18-28________________________________________
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
All you people of God, thank and praise him amongst all the other believers
Let his holy name be worshipped for he is a God of compassion
When you come to the Lord for vindication, he will not fail you
Those who are pursued by your enemies, don’t fret for you will be rescued
The Lord delights in his servants’ welfare shows his steadfast love
Every detail of your circumstance matters to our merciful God.
Even if your enemy seems to be laughing and mocking
Never fear for that is when your Lord God starts defending
Great is your Lord, for his love overflows and his mercy abound
Do not worry for the Lord provides and protects his faithful servants
Run to your Lord and do not take vengeance in your own hands
He is your vindicator and defender, leave it your Almighty God.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think this psalm is good to meditate on when in adversity?
PSALM 35 O LORD WHO IS LIKE YOU
September 7
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PSALM 35 O LORD WHO IS LIKE YOU
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor
from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
11 Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.
12 They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. 13 But I, when they were sick I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;
as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you,
delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,
the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me;
wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;
16 like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.
17 How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction,
my precious life from the lions! 18 I will thank you in the great congregation;
in the mighty throng I will praise you. – Psalm 35:9-17
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
O Lord, who is like you? You are steadfast in your love
You come to the rescue of those who are needy and poor
To those who are pursued by evil people, you deliver them
No other gods can do what you can, you are Almighty
When I am sick, you heal me and take care of me
When I sin, you forgive me for all my wrong deeds
I praise and glorify you O my Lord who is the giver of life
You have shown us mercy and revealed us your light
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to remember that we serve a God who is like no other?
• What attributes or traits of God makes him worthy of praise?
PSALM 35 A PLEA FOR DELIVERANCE
September 6
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PSALM 35 A PLEA FOR DELIVERANCE
Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me!
2 Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!
3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers!
Say to my soul,“I am your salvation!”
4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!
5 Let them be like chaff before the wind
with the angel of the LORD driving them away!
6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
7 For without cause, they hid their net for me;
without cause, they dug a pit for my life.
8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!
And let the net that he hid ensnare him;
let him fall into it—to his destruction! – Psalm 35:1-8
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
O my Lord, please hear my cry for help
The enemy have constantly pursued me
You promised to rescue all those who are righteous
Please rescue me from all the enemy’s tactics
Have your angels encamp around me for protection
Do not let them succeed with their plan for destruction.
I plead you to grant me strength and courage
Deal with them fairly and free me from bondage
Let them not be victorious with their schemes
Deliver your faithful servant, come and rescue me
I leave to you the defense against such subversions
Only you my Lord can deliver me and grant me salvation.
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REFLECTION
• Why did the psalmist sound like asking God to curse the enemy?
PSALM 34 DO GOOD AND PURSUE PEACE
September 5
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PSALM 34 DO GOOD AND PURSUE PEACE
1 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. – Psalm 34:11-22
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Come to the Lord and he will show you how to revere him
He wants you to put a rend on your mouth and not speak out evil
The Lord favors those who are walking in righteousness
He cuts off those who continue to sin and walk in darkness
When the upright runs to the Lord for guidance and help
The Lord hears them, rescues and delivers them.
Do good and always pursue peace; abide always in Christ
Never let the world corrupt you to participate in conflicts
The Lord is near to those who are broken and poor in spirit
He gives favor to those who are oppressed and treated unjustly
The Lord watches over those who fear him; he never abandons them
Though they experience suffering, the righteous will never be without help.
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REFLECTION
• How can a believer pursue peace in the midst of a chaotic world?
PSALM 34 THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD HAVE NO LACK
September 4
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PSALM 34 THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD HAVE NO LACK
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. – Psalm 34:1-10
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
All you people of God, praise and bless the Lord always
Raise up the name of the Lord and shout out hallelujah
Seek the Lord and he will free you from all anxieties
Those who fear him will be protected and lack nothing
The Lord positions his angels on all those who fear him
They are shielded from the dangers surrounding them.
All you God’s people, experience the Lord’s goodness
They manifest God’s Spirit and are always contented
The wicked will always struggle with life and be hungry
But those who abide in the Lord will lack no good thing
Those who look to the Lord will never be ashamed
They will be radiant and will exude God’s light always.
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REFLECTION
• Why should a believer never succumb to fear or danger according to this psalm?
• What are the promises of God to his people mentioned in this psalm?
PSALM 33 BY GOD’S WORD, ALL THINGS CAME TO BE
September 2
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PSALM 33 BY GOD’S WORD, ALL THINGS CAME TO BE
Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.
2 Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! – Psalm 33:1-12
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
The word of the Lord is powerful; with it he brings life
When he breathes on something, it comes alive
At the beginning of time, it was all darkness
Then he spoke his word, and there was brightness
Come, honor and shout out your praise to the God Almighty
Be grateful and thank him for all his creativity
He loves the upright and hates wickedness
Let everyone fear the Lord and give up darkness
The Lord’s guidance will forever stand firm
Seek the narrow road and heed his counsel
Blessed is he who serves the Lord our God
He grants him wisdom and the ability to love
Follow his word and you will never stray
Love the ways of the world and you will be derailed.
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REFLECTION
• Share a time when the word of God had been most powerful in your life.
PSALM 32 WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR SINS
September 1
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PSALM 32 WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR SINS
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah6 Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you. – Psalm 32:1-8
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
We are all sinful but to those who don’t hide but confess it
The Lord doesn’t count his sins and he receives his blessings
For those who deny or keep quiet about their wrongdoings
Their bones waste away through their discontent and groanings
Those who continue to sin and follow the world’s ways
They will find themselves weak and dried up like the summer’s heat.
When we acknowledge our sins and confess it to the Lord
He forgives all our faults and guides us to overcome this world
When we don’t deny how we have displeased our Master
We are walking in humility; he’ll preserve us from troubles
The Lord is our refuge and strength, he is our deliverer
He guides and counsels us to follow his ways and become stronger.
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REFLECTION
• What happens when a believer doesn’t acknowledge his sins and confess it to the Lord?