Psalms – Psalm 120 is the beginning of 15 Psalms known as “songs of ascent!” This could mean the ascent of the stairs to the Temple in Jerusalem – or more likely the annual religious pilgrimages and the ascent to Mount Zion in Jerusalem. Are you ready for the next 15 Psalms of Ascent?
Verse 1 in this Psalm should be encouraging to each of us: “I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.” Do you have troubles in your life? Have you brought them to God in prayer? Will you? Will you allow him to answer your prayer?
Psalm 121 is the second in this series of 15 Psalms of ascent that were likely written for religious festivals when people were making their pilgrimages to Israel. I love verses 3 & 4 today – “He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you will not sleep. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never tires and never sleeps.” How about that! God does not sleep! This reminds me of other parts of the Bible where it talks about God being pure light and having no shadows. God is also so perfect that he does not sleep! I like that… Allows me to sleep better at night.
And the closing verse 8… wow… “The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” Do you believe this is true? Do you believe that God watches over you – always?
Psalm 123 continues the songs of Ascent. Psalm 123 is a short one, but a great one. I love these portions of verses 2 and 3 – “We look to the LORD our God for his mercy….Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy…” Do you look to the Lord for his mercy? What does God’s mercy to you look like? Why would you need God’s mercy? Do you pray to the Lord this simple prayer – “Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy”?
Psalm 125 has great verses in 4 & 5: “O LORD, do good to those who are good, whose hearts are in tune with you. But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O LORD. Take them away with those who do evil. And let Israel have quietness and peace.” I love that closing line – let us have quietness and peace! What a great prayer. Don’t we all wish for quietness and peace in our lives? One thing I’ll recommend – which I am trying so hard to learn myself – is to take a Sabbath day of rest each week. Just rest. Just be peaceful. Just be with God. One day a week. It will dramatically change the other 6 days of your week without a doubt. Will you join me on this quest for quietness and peace in our lives by taking a Sabbath day of rest once each week?
Psalm 126 has a great verse today. I always love the verses in Psalms that speak about water! I don’t know what it is about these verses, but here’s verse 4: “Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert.” Do you believe that God can restore your life like water restores the desert? Will you allow God’s water into all the nooks & crannies in your life that are in need of renewal?
Do you believe that God is living water? Are you thirsty for that living water in your life? Will you drink the Water?
Worship Video: Today’s readings in Psalm 120:1 remind me of the song “What if His People Prayed” by Casting Crowns:
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Whoo-hoo! Today we read Psalm 119, the longest Psalm and chapter in the Bible! This Psalm is a beautiful meditation on God’s Word and how it helps us stay pure and grow in faith. Almost every verse in this Psalm mentions God’s Word. I pray that this Psalm is encouraging to you as you read through it today!
Today in Psalm 119 verse 11 we read: “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Have you hidden God’s word in your heart? So that you might not sin against God? Do you realize that all sin is indeed a sin against God? Are you memorizing Scripture on a regular basis? And, more importantly, reflecting on Scripture?
Wow. Psalm 119 verse 29 is powerful: “Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your law.” Do you ever lie to yourself? If you answered no, are you lying to yourself now? 🙂 I think that lying to ourselves is part of our fallen human condition. I think we’re probably pretty good at it. And I think that maybe the cure for this is even found in this same verse – the prayer of “give me the privilege of knowing your law.” It is a privilege to know God’s Word. It is a free privilege, but a privilege that I think we can often take for granted or simply ignore. Through our study of God’s Word let us pray that we allow God to show us any area of our life where we might be lying to ourselves. And let us allow God to redeem that area and give us the clarity of Truth. Like this Psalmist, will you pray to God and ask Him to keep you from lying to yourself? Will you pray this prayer often?
Today in Psalm 119 verses 47 & 48 we read – “I delight in your commands because I love them. I lift up my hands to your commands which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.” Do you believe it is possible to delight in God’s commands? Why might this be a good thing? Do you believe it is possible to actually love God’s commands? What are God’s commands? Where can we find them? (okay, I’ll give you a hint – the answer is all over Psalm 119 🙂 – God’s Word, the Bible is where we can find God’s commands) Do you meditate upon God’s decrees as found in the Bible? Do you love the Bible? This seems like a strange question to ask in some regards. . . but, maybe ask yourself this – do you love books in general? I think many of us would say we love books. (Maybe using the term loosely. . .) So, if we were to consider just one book that it would really make sense to invest our time in; to meditate upon; to read for all of our lives; to love – what would that book be? Why would it be that book? Are you a bookworm when it comes to the Bible?
Today in Psalm 119 verse 37 we read: “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.” Are there currently things in your life that you are spending time on – focusing your eyes on – that are worthless? What are these things? Do you want to turn your eyes away from these things? Will you? Do you believe that your life can be preserved by the Word of God – the Bible? How will you continue to preserve your life according to God’s Word on a daily basis? Do you consider the Bible literally to be a “life preserver” for you in the midst of the raging rivers of life? Will you hold onto this life preserver each and every day?
Wow. I love Psalm 119 verse 54 today – “Your principles have been the music of my life throughout the years of my pilgrimage.” What a beautiful metaphor – God’s principles being the music of our lives through all our years as we are on our pilgrimage. Great stuff! How might God’s principles actually become the music of your life? Do you think you’d need to be reading God’s Word frequently to tune into his frequency? (did you catch that – frequently & frequency? 🙂 I commend you for reading the Bible each day this year as we go through the One Year Bible. I pray you’ll continue to read the Bible daily in all of your years to come. I pray God’s principles are and will be the music of your life.
Verse 59 today is a great verse for each of us to consider – “I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your statutes.” Have you ever reached a mid-life or maybe even a quarter-life crisis where you pondered the direction of your life? Do you like the direction your life is heading now? Do you want to change that direction? Will you turn to follow God’s way? God’s Truth? God’s life for you? Do you believe that God’s plans for you are so much bigger than any plans of your own that you could dream up on your own?
Psalm 119 verse 71 has an interesting take on suffering – “The suffering you sent was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your principles.” Do you believe suffering can be good for you? Can it teach you to pay attention to God? Christianity Today magazine had a great article on Suffering a while back, which you can read at this link. (Note that the article starts out with this provacative statement – “God loves you and has a difficult plan for your life.”) Also, I did find some reflections on Suffering & Grief on ChristianityToday.com that are worth reading at this link.
I love the imagery in verse 81 today – “I faint with longing for your salvation; but I have put my hope in your word.” I faint! I long! I hope! And Verse 83 – “I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke, exhausted with waiting. But I cling to your principles and obey them.” I am shriveled! I am exhausted! I wait! I cling! I obey! I love this Psalm… Verse 95 is powerful: “Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind on your decrees.” How can you quietly keep your mind on God’s decrees? Will you make this a habit to quietly keep your mind on God’s decrees? Would this be a good habit?
Psalm 119 verse 105 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible! “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.” Do you believe God’s Word, the Bible, is a lamp for your feet? A light for your path? To help put this in perspective – without God’s Word, the Bible, is it possible that we would have no lamp for our feet? No light for our paths? That we’d essentially be groping in the darkness without God’s Word, the Bible?
Verse 111 wow… “Your decrees are my treasure; they are truly my heart’s delight.” What is your treasure? Where is your treasure? Is God’s Word, the Bible, truly your heart’s delight?
Psalm 119 verse 114 is beautiful a beautiful reflection on our relationship with God and his Word, the Bible – “You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my only source of hope.” This ties in so well with the reflections on false teachers above. The Bible is clearly a refuge and shield from false teaching! Is God’s Word your only source of hope? And remember, Jesus is the very Word made flesh, so Jesus would clearly be your only source of hope too, if the Word truly is. Let us take refuge in God’s Word each day of our lives!
Verse 127 today is powerful – “Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest gold.” I think this is something each of us needs to ask ourselves. Do we love God’s commands – his Word – the Bible – more than we love any and all material possessions? Do we value the Bible above all the money this world could ever offer us? This is an important decision to make… I pray we realize the eternal worth of God’s commands compared to the passing and transitory nature of “even the finest gold.” Let us always remember the great peril of ignoring God’s Word and instead chasing after the world’s “fool’s gold…”
Verse 138 is just one more incredible verse from this incredible Psalm – “Your decrees are perfect; they are entirely worthy of our trust.” Do you believe that God’s Word, the Bible, is perfect? Is it entirely worthy of our trust? Would you consider the Bible to be a perfect book of counsel for your life?
I love verse 130, which I used to have at the top of this blog in the NIV translation: “The unfolding of your words gives light…”Do you believe this is true? Does reading God’s Word, the Bible, bring light into your life? If you did not read God’s Word would you be in darkness?
I think the last 3 verses of Psalm 119 are worth us camping out on here for a moment. In verses 174, 175 & 176 the author of Psalm 119 closes out the Psalm with what I think is a prayer and a confession all in one – “O LORD, I have longed for your salvation, and your law is my delight. Let me live so I can praise you, and may your laws sustain me. I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commands.” Wow… not a bad prayer and confession, eh? Is God’s Word your delight? Do you wish to live so you can praise God? Does His Word sustain you?
Worship Video: Today’s readings remind me of Matt Maher’s song “Christ is Risen:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today in Psalm 115 verse 1 we will read – “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory.” (Chris Tomlin fans out there will recognize this as one of his many awesome worship tunes. . .) I don’t know how this verse strikes you, but it strikes me hard. Which is good. I think sometimes I do things for my own glory. And this verse, and really the entire Bible, is clear that the glory is God’s and not ours. Yeah, sure, we will live our lives full of “glorious” moments when we are loving God and loving people. But, we should not be living our lives to build up our own fame or our own glory. As Rick Warren states so well in the 1st sentence of the 1st chapter of his book “Purpose Driven Life”- “It is not about you.” And this is true. It is about God. And this is good news! Really. I have tried to live my life in the past where it was all about me. And this was a miserable way to live life. I pray that you see the incredible wisdom in this verse – “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory.” How are you living your life? Are you living your life to advance the fame and glory of God? Are you doing this by loving God and loving other people with all that you are? Or, are you by chance living your life to advance the fame and glory of yourself? And if so. . . how’s this going for you?
Psalm 116 verses 1 & 2 are amazing- “I love the LORD because he hears and answers my prayers. Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath!” How is your prayer life these days? Do you believe God bends down and listens to your prayers? And answers them? Will you pray as long as you have breath?
Psalm 117 is the shortest of all the Psalms – and the shortest chapter in the entire Bible. This Psalm is said to basically be one long Alleluia. 🙂 Actually verse 1 has a very important message – “Praise the LORD, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth.” This demonstrates that God was very interested in the salvation of the Gentiles and all the nations in the Old Testament. And not just in the New Testament as we get to the book of Acts. This was part of the plan all along…
I came across a wonderful speculation on Psalm 118! Zondervan’s commentary suggested that Jesus and the disciples sung this psalm/hymn at the end of the Last Supper. Matthew chapter 26 verse 30 tells us – “When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Adds a bit of a new dimension to this Psalm, no? The reason for this speculation is because this is the final Psalm in the Egyptian Hallel of Psalms 113 through 118. These Psalms were used in Jewish liturgy at the great religious festivals of Passover, Tabernacles, Dedication, Weeks, New Moon. At Passover Psalm 113 & 114 were sung before the meal and Psalms 115 – 118 were sung after the meal. Perhaps, even after the Last Supper by Jesus and the disciples? Below is Russian artist Simon Ushakov’s “The Last Supper” from the year 1685 –
Verse 8 in this Psalm stands out to me big time: “It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in people.” Kind of strong words I know… but what do you think? Might people, on occasion, let you down? Obviously, we know the answer to this one. People will let us down. Even our closest friends and family at some point will let us down. However – I don’t think this means we give up on investing and loving friends and family! It just means we should not be surprised when someone let’s us down. That’s human nature. None of us is perfect this side of heaven – you will obviously let people down too. Realizing this, I think all of us should be prepared to forgive others and to ask for forgiveness of others. However, what do you think on this question: Will God ever let you down? Will Jesus ever let you down? Please know He won’t! In fact, I believe that He’s holding you up right this very moment…
Psalm 118 is the last half of the psalm possibly sung by Jesus and the disciples after the Last Supper – see yesterday’s posting below for details. What an amazing Psalm… Verse 22 was quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10 and Luke 20:17 and he used this verse to refer to himself – “The stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone.” Do you believe this verse applies to Jesus? Is Jesus the cornerstone in your life?
Verse 26 was the chant of the crowds as Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday – “Bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD.” And verse 29 I’m pretty sure is a Michael W. Smith song – “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” 🙂
Worship Video: Per Psalm 115:1 reflections above, here’s Chris Tomlin’s “Not to Us:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Psalm 107 today is a wonderful Psalm of thanksgiving! Okay, be honest, who started singing the Michael W. Smith/Chris Tomlin worship tune “Forever” when you read verse 1? – “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” I did! That’s a great tune… based on a great verse in a great Psalm.
Psalm 107 repeats a verse four times – starting with verse 6 here – “”LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress.” (then see verse 13, verse 19, and verse 28 – same verse) This is a great reminder to pray – and yes, it’s great to pray during times of distress of course. But, how about praying during times of happiness & joy? Or even times of just regular blahs? I recently read much of the book “The Life You’ve Always Wanted” by John Ortberg (great book!), and it has a great chapter on prayer. It is so true that one of the best ways to truly know and love God is through prayer. Simple prayer. 5 minutes a day. Do you pray to God 5 minutes a day? When the storms of life come, do you cry out for help to Jesus? Do you know that he will always be there for you in the midst of the storm?
Psalm 111 is a wonderful Psalm of praise! I love the way it ends in verse 10: “Reverence for the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. The rewards of wisdom come to all who obey him. Praise his name forever!” Do you believe that reverence for God is the foundation of true wisdom? Do you believe that there are rewards of wisdom if you obey God? Will you praise his name forever?
Psalm 112 is a great look at a godly person’s life. Today in verse 1 we read: “Blessed is the person who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.” Is fear of the Lord healthy? Why or why not? Is fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom? Are you blessed if you fear the Lord? Do you find great delight in God’s commands? What are God’s commands?
Verse 4 stands out – “When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in.” This is encouraging. When darkness overtakes us, if we stay true to God and Christ and faith, light will come “bursting in”! I like that… Know that the light is coming… Below is a fresco from 1517 by Raphael of God separating the light from the darkness –
And verse 9 is a great reminder – “They give generously to those in need.” Are you doing something in your life to serve the poorest of the poor? There are 1.2 billion people living in our world today on less than $1 per day. Is there something you can do to give generously to those in need? Below is an oil on canvas painting from 1611 by Bartolomeo Schedoni titled “The Charity” –
Psalm 113 & 114 today are very interesting and important Psalms! These are 2 of 6 Psalms, 113 to 118, that form the “Egyptian Hallel.” These Psalms were used in Jewish liturgy at the great religious festivals of Passover, Tabernacles, Dedication, Weeks, New Moon. At Passover Psalm 113 & 114 were sung before the meal and Psalms 115 – 118 were sung after the meal. As you read these two Psalms today, do you sense joy in the Lord’s work? Justice? Glory? Power? Does reading these two Psalms make you want to celebrate and give thanks for the Lord and all he has done throughout history and in your life?
Worship Video: Psalm 112 today reminded me of Casting Crowns’ song “American Dream:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Psalm 105 verse 4 stood out to me today – “Search for the LORD and for his strength, and keep on searching.” I like that – search! If you search for God, he will indeed be found. Have you ever searched for God? And for his strength? Are you maybe searching now? Do you believe he will be found? Will you keep on searching?
Verses 8 & 9 remind us of this character of God: “He always stands by his covenant– the commitment he made to a thousand generations. This is the covenant he made with Abraham and the oath he swore to Isaac.” The covenant continues today through the new covenant (testament) brought to us through Jesus.
Psalm 105’s verses today give us a good Cliff Notes version of the end of the book of Genesis and beginning of the book of Exodus!
Psalm 105 wraps up with a great closing verse 45 – “All this happened so they would follow his principles and obey his laws. Praise the LORD!” Indeed, praise the Lord!
Psalm 106 is a repentive Psalm, likely written by a Levitical priest after returning to Jerusalem after its destruction. Verse 2 stood out to me today – “Who can list the glorious miracles of the LORD? Who can ever praise him half enough?” Can you list all of the glorious miracles of God? Can anyone? Are you praising God today? Every day?
Verse 3 is powerful- “Happy are those who deal justly with others and always do what is right.” I think this is such an important thing to know – we will be happy when we deal justly with others and when we do what is right. This is happiness. Not money or fame or power or luxuries. Dealing justly with others and doing what is right is happiness. So, Biblically, are you happy?
Today in Psalm 106:19-21 we read: “At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt.” This of course sounds very familiar to Romans chapter 1 verses 22 and 23: “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” Was this wise that the Israelites exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull? Why did they do this? What should have been their Glory? What is your Glory today? Do you, at times, exchange your true Glory for something else? Is this wise? Are you forgetting the God who saved you? The God who has done great things for you? Please don’t ever exchange the true Glory for a false idol!
Verse 13 in this Psalm also stands out: “Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel!” Is this true of us? Do we forget or take for granted all of the blessings God has poured out into our lives? In doing so, do we decide to take matters into our own hands – not waiting on God’s counsel for our direction? Will we remember? Will we wait? Patiently…?
Psalm 106 verse 39 stood out to me today, speaking about the Israelites: “They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the LORD’s sight.” I think this Psalm verse stands the test of time with our modern world today. Do you believe that we still defile ourselves with our evil deeds today? Do you believe that our love of idols is adultery in God’s sight? How can we stop defiling ourselves with evil deeds and stop loving idols in our modern world today? Who can save us from ourselves?
Worship Video: Today’s readings in Psalms 105 & 106 today remind me of Laura Story’s song “Blessings:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Psalm 99 is a great psalm of praise! This Psalm mentions the word Lord 7 times. I like verse 6 – “Moses and Aaron were among his priests; Samuel also called on his name. They cried to the LORD for help, and he answered them.” These were obviously some major characters in the Bible.
I love Psalm 99 verse 3 – “Let them praise your great and awesome name. Your name is holy!” I think sometimes in our modern world we can forget that God’s name is holy. Jesus’ name is holy. These holy names change things. They change everything. If ever you are ever feeling like you are being confronted by evil – maybe even in your sleep in a dream – call upon Jesus’ name and watch the evil flee from you immediately. It is true… Jesus’ name is holy! God’s name is holy! I don’t know if anyone has a CD by Vineyard Worship with Kathryn Scott singing on it? It’s called “Hungry, Live in London”. This is a great CD and they have a wonderful song that includes lyrics saying, “You are the sovereign I AM, your name is holy!” Beautiful tune… And so true.
Today we read Psalm 100! I will copy this short Psalm below. Does this Psalm speak to you? Do you feel joy while reading this song? I have read much of “The Life You’ve Always Wanted” by John Ortberg (a great book!) and he has a great chapter on JOY being a spiritual discipline. It is amazing to realize that Joy is a gift from God we should be experiencing every day. I pray you are experiencing joy as a spiritual discipline! Think this Psalmist in Psalm 100 was?
Psalm 100 A psalm. For giving thanks.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
When is the last time you shouted for joy to God? Do you regularly worship God with gladness? Do you come before our Heavenly Father with joyful songs? Do you know that you are God’s? Is this fact alone worth being joyful about each and every day?
Psalm 102 is a great reminder to us on the importance to pray. To bring our troubles to the Lord. Psalm 102 can also definitely be a comfort for us during a time of sorrow. I love the reminder about God in verse 27 (which Hebrews also reminded us of today in the verses above…) – “But you are always the same; your years never end.” God does not change. He is perfectly consistent. We are oftentimes inconsistent. But, our inconsistencies do not change God’s consistency. He is always the same – yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever. God is the one sure thing in life that you can count on – forever.
Psalm 104 is a beautiful hymn to the Creator! I like all of the verses – verse 19 stands out to me because I can find some cool images related to this verse on the web! 🙂 “You made the moon to mark the seasons and the sun that knows when to set.”
Worship Video: Today’s readings remind me of Tenth Avenue North’s song “Love is Here:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today in Psalm 92 verse 4 we read a joyful verse! “For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.” When was the last time you reflected upon God’s deeds? When was the last time you reflected upon God’s work of his hands? Do you think this might be a good daily habit? Do God’s deeds make you glad? Do you sing for joy regularly for the work of God’s hands?
Bible.org’s commentary on Psalm 92 titled “Worship – Our Delight and Our Duty” is at this link.
Psalm 94 verse 14 is fantastic today – “The LORD will not reject his people; he will not abandon his own special possession.” I love this thought – that God will not reject us. He will not abandon us. We are his own special possession. Do you believe that you are God’s own special possession?
Bible.org has a wonderful commentary on Psalm 94 titled “The Psalmist Speaks When Society Sins”at this link.
Psalm 95 verses 4 & 5 remind me of the Chris Tomlin song “Indescribable”: “He owns the depths of the earth, and even the mightiest mountains are his. The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too.” Have you heard this song by Chris? Very joyful modern day psalm! Great tune… And great Psalms of praise in 95 & 95 today! Bible.org’s commentary on Psalm 95 titled “A Warning about Worship” is at this link.
Wow.. Psalm 96 today is amazing! I love verse 1: “Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD!” And I love the imagery in verse 12: “Let the fields and their crops burst forth with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise.”
Psalm 97 verses 10 & 11 are so spiritually powerful & true: “You who love the LORD, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked. Light shines on the godly, and joy on those who do right.” I do believe that God protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked. Honestly, I believe that God does this in our lives much more often than we even consciously realize. I am sure there are a few moments in our life when we fully realize we were being protected by God. But, I also have a strong belief that God protects us from unforeseen things that never entered our consciousness. Do bad things still happen to godly people? Yes, of course they do. Why? I can’t answer this – I’ve heard C.S. Lewis’ book “The Problem of Pain” gets at this a bit. I need to read it. We are in a fallen world. There is evil and an enemy in this world. Bad things do happen. But, overall, I believe these verses above are so true. I do believe that light shines on the godly and joy on those who do right. Do you believe these verses above to be true? Have you experienced the truth of these verses in your life?
Worship Video: Psalm 94:14 reminds me of Third Day’s song “You Are Mine:”
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today we read this reflection on the godly in Psalm 1 verse 2: “But they delight in doing everything the LORD wants; day and night they think about his law.” How well does this verse ring true with your life today? Do you delight in being obedient to God? Do you think about God’s Word, the Bible, day and night? Should you? This year, will you?
Psalm 2 today is a prophetic and Messianic Psalm! This Psalm is frequently quoted in the New Testament in reference to Jesus as God’s Anointed and the great son of King David. The word “Messiah” comes from the Hebrew word for “anointed one.” And the word “Christ” comes from the Greek word for “anointed one.” (as we read Anointed One in verse 2 of this Psalm today)
Verses 11 & 12 in Psalm 2 are encouraging and also a strong warning for us at the same time: “Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of your pursuits–for his anger can flare up in an instant. But what joy for all who find protection in him!” I think the closing sentence should be a huge encouragement to us. If we are seeking to love God and Jesus and other people with all of our hearts, mind, strength and souls – God knows it. And he will provide eternal protection for us. Yes, there will be suffering in this life – but joy can be found in knowing that we will have an eternity to spend with God and his royal son!
Psalm 33 verse 11 is strong today – “But the LORD’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.” I think the thing that grabs me about this verse is that it is God’s plans – not our plans – that stand firm forever. Therefore, it’s only logical in my mind that we should align our lives such that they are part of God’s plan – God’s kingdom. I think reading the Bible each day is one excellent way to discern what God’s plans are. And then – once we know what God’s plans are, will we then align our lives with his plans? Knowing that his intentions can never be shaken? Or will we keep trying to forge out on our own…
Today in Psalm 71 verses 6 through 8 we read – “Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you! My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection. That is why I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long.” So true that God has cared for each of us since we were in our mother’s womb! This a beautiful thing to realize. There is an interesting thought in these verses – if our live is an example to many – and well, yes, it really is no matter what we actually do. Hopefully our life is a good example – but there could be seasons of bad example too. . . If our lives are good examples to many, why is this so? I agree w/ the Psalmist – it is simply because of God in our lives.
Today in Psalm 91:11-12 we read the words quoted by Satan to Jesus during the temptation in the desert: “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” As you read this Psalm, do these words apply to Jesus only? Or to those who trust in the Lord as well? Do you believe that the Lord is guarding you in all your ways? Do you believe this is possible? (I hope your answer is yes) Do you recall Jesus’ response to Satan in Matthew 4:7: “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” What do Jesus’ words to Satan tell you about these words in the Psalm? Can we believe these words of the Psalmist, and also not put God to the test at the same time? As an example, maybe to just myself 🙂 , is driving over the speed limit putting God to the test? Is deciding to skip church one week (or for many weeks) because we have some chores to catch up on / or fun stuff to do / or because we’re just tired, putting God to the test? Think we just might look like this little guy below to God when we come up with all of our excuses of why we don’t go to church…?
Worship Video: Psalm 2:2 reminded me of the Chris Tomlin song “Jesus Messiah.” Here is a great live version of this song with Chris talking about why he wanted to write a song about Jesus with the word “Messiah” in it:
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Psalm 47 is an awesome Psalm! I can almost hear and feel music and a drum beat as I read this Psalm today! This Psalm was used in later Jewish synagogue liturgies for Rosh Hashanah, the New Year Festival. This Psalm has also been used by the Christian church in the Celebration of Jesus’ ascension, in particular with emphases on verse 5 – “God has ascended with a mighty shout. The LORD has ascended with trumpets blaring.” Do you hear and feel the music as you read this Psalm? Verse 1 sets the stage so very well for verse 2 in the image below – “Come, everyone, and clap your hands for joy! Shout to God with joyful praise!”
Psalm 48 is a celebratory Psalm of Mount Zion in Jerusalem, as verse 8 reads: “We had heard of the city’s glory, but now we have seen it ourselves- the city of the LORD Almighty. It is the city of our God; he will make it safe forever.”
I like verse 10 a lot in this Psalm: “As your name deserves, O God, you will be praised to the ends of the earth.” I have had the good fortune to travel many places on this planet, and I will admit that it always encourages me to no end when I see God being praised and worshiped in other cultures. I always try to visit churches wherever I travel on Sundays, and I love seeing how different cultures worship God. One of the most memorable experiences was in the Dominican Republic in a very impoverished community. I honestly don’t know that I have ever seen a congregation worship God so wholeheartedly than I did that day in the DR. It was beautiful. The other thing I am reminded of when traveling is that when we are in relationship with Jesus, God is always with us no matter where we go. When we’re 35,000 feet above the ground in an airplane, God is with us. When we’re in the middle of nowhere that has no church – God is with us. So, no matter where we go, if God is with us, we have the opportunity to praise God’s name to the ends of the earth! Even if you’re traveling to some far off locale where no one else around you would praise God, will you?
Psalm 49 verses 1-3 are a fantastic teaching that the Word of God, the Bible, is for everyone, no matter what our lots in life may be – “Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! High and low, rich and poor–listen! For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight.” Are you listening today? Are you paying attention to the wise words and insights of the Bible? Are you truly studying the Bible and then applying the Bible’s teachings to your life? Then, verse 15 in this Psalm is beautiful: “But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of death.” How about for you? Will God redeem your life? Like the parable of the lost sheep that we read about in Luke 15:3-7, has Jesus saved you from being snatched from the power of death?
Today in Psalm 84:5 we read: “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.” Where does your strength come from? God? Or your own will-power? Why might it be a good idea to rely on God for your strength rather than yourself? Have you set your heart on a pilgrimage? Is the pilgrimage toward God? Do you think this will be a life-long pilgrimage? Later in this Psalm, verse 10, we read: “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” This is a song many of us have probably sung before at church. What does this verse mean to you? What does one day in God’s courts look like for you? Why would one day in God’s courts be better than one thousand days elsewhere? Do you look forward to spending an eternity in God’s courts? Is your heart on a pilgrimage to God’s courts?
Psalm 85 is awesome today! So many great verses…. I love verse 8 – “I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his people, his faithful ones. But let them not return to their foolish ways.” I like that thought – God speaks peace to his people. Are we listening carefully to what God is saying? Are we receiving his peace into our hearts? And so importantly – are we not returning to our foolish ways? Verse 6 reminds me of the Jeremy Camp tune “Revive Me”, which is an amazing tune – “Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you?” Do you need God to revive you? Will you pray for revival?
Psalm 87 is a celebration of Jerusalem as the City of God, as we read in verse 3 – “O city of God, what glorious things are said of you!” As we continue to read through the One Year Bible this year it is amazing to reflect upon how much focus there is on Jerusalem as the city of God. Truly, so many of the Psalms glorify Jerusalem, often as a foreshadowing of the Heavenly City of God. Indeed, as this verse suggests, many glorious things are said of Jerusalem in the Bible!
Worship Video: Today’s readings remind me of the terrific CeCe Winans song, “Believe For It:”.
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” Psalm 84:10 NIV
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today we read Psalm 42 verse 1, which is one of my favorite verses in the Bible! “As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.” That is so right on. Lately these days I have been longing for God more than ever – and I love that. I am thankful for that. There have been seasons in my life – which can certainly be called “dry” seasons – where I have not longed for God. Where I have not longed for the true Living Water. I just love the picture this Psalm verse paints in my mind – a deer in the wilderness is fleeing from hunters. It is literally dying of thirst as it runs. It is tired. It is weary. It is running from death. And it needs water. It pants for streams of water. Like this deer, I pray that I long for God in the same way. As I flee from sin. As I am tired. As I am weary. As I run from death. I need God. I long for God. How about you? Do you long for God these days as a deer longs for water? Are you consistently drinking from the true Living Water?
I think Psalm 43 verse 5 starts off with a couple of questions that then answer themselves by the end of the verse – “Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again–my Savior and my God!” I would agree with what this verse is getting at. If I find myself to be discouraged or sad, it comes as no great surprise to me that I have been putting my hope in things other than God. I have been perhaps even praising false idols. And the sure fire way to be freed from the discouragement or sadness? To put my hope once again in God and God only. And to praise him again! I think this Psalm verse is a great reminder to make sure we are not placing our hope in anything other than God. For anything other than God will only leave us empty in the end.
Psalm 44 verse 3 is a wise statement about where the Israelites and our true strength and victory in life comes from! “They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strength that gave them victory. It was by your mighty power that they succeeded; it was because you favored them and smiled on them.”
Every time I read Psalm 44 verse 23 it reminds me of one of the amazing aspects of the Psalms – that the Psalms are people like us speaking to God – and in all sorts of emotional ways: “Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever.” This type of verse reminds me that it’s okay for us to not always talk to God in our “church voice.” It’s okay to get a little bit passionate in our prayers to God. I think God would prefer us to be real with him – where we are right now or at any given moment – rather than try to put on any special facades for God. If ever you feel like you are at a loss for words for what you might want to say to God – how you might be needing to pray to God – surf through the Psalms… you’ll very likely find voice for what you are trying to say.
Today we read Psalm 46, which is an incredible Psalm! This Psalm represents a song of hope celebrating the certain triumph of God’s kingdom – even in the midst of times of severe trouble. This Psalm served as the inspiration for Martin Luther’s famous Hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” Just after 9/11 I saw emails and posts on the internet floating around with the entirety of this Psalm. I would encourage you to keep this Psalm in your “back-pocket” as a Psalm to meditate upon whenever you personally might be going through times of severe trouble – or whenever our world might be going through times of severe trouble. Near the end of Psalm 46 in verse 10 we read a tiny little verse that I think is the key to this Psalm – “Be still, and know that I am God.” If you are going through a time of trouble in your life right now, will you take some time to meditate upon Psalm 46 and in particular verse 10?
Psalm 45 is very likely a song of praise to King David on his wedding day. Interestingly, after the Babylonian exile, this Psalm was applied to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the promised Son of David. I can see how some verses in this Psalm could apply to both the current king of the day and the true king yet to come. Verse 7 is a good example: “You love what is right and hate what is wrong. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.” Below is Mary’s (Martha’s sister) anointing of Jesus from the Gospel of John chapter 12 verses 1-8.
YouTube: Psalm 42 and my reflections above on Living Water reminded me of the Brother Yun book titled Living Water. Brother Yun wrote the well-known book Heavenly Man, and Living Water is his second book. Below is a 10 minute talk from Brother Yun about his imprisonment in China and his ultimate freedom in Christ.
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Chronological Bible Blog 