Every Day With Jesus
Moments in the Psalms
August 30 - September 5
MONDAY, AUGUST 30, Psalm 41:1 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.”
REGARDS? Ask yourself: What is my attitude toward those who are weak? When someone who is weak comes into my life in some way what do I do? Look down on them? Lecture them? Turn the other way? Avoid them? Pay them no “regard”?
We might be tempted to avoid the weak – they can be a drain on your time or your money or both. Sisters and brothers, that would be missing an opportunity – an opportunity to do something for Jesus.
“You know the grace of our LORD, Jesus Christ, that though He was rich; yet for your sakes He became poor so that you through His poverty might become rich.” (II Corinthians 8:9) He helped us in our poverty by sharing His riches. Now He takes it personally when we in turn use His riches to help those who are poor. “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brother of Mine, you did for Me.” (Matthew 25:40)
At various times and in various ways we are all weak. As is said, “there, but for the grace of God go you or I”. Regard the weak, no matter what the weakness or its cause. Help them. Deliver them. Then, whenever you are weak, “…the LORD will deliver” you. Note the promises made in the next few verses to the one who “regards” the weak: “The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to his foes. The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.”
PRAYER: LORD, thank You for not turning from me but for regarding me in my weakness, providing help in Jesus. Help me, as Your child, to imitate You by having regard for the weak. AMEN
TUESDAY, AUGUST 31 Psalm 41:1,2b “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirst for God, for the living God.”
THIRSTY? A deer that is thirsty knows perfectly well what it needs. Water. Nothing else will do. It will struggle through any obstacle to find water to satisfy its desperate need.
Whether we recognize it or not, our entire life is really a thirst for God. Saint Augustine put it something like this: You have made us for Yourself, O God, and our souls are restless until they find their rest in You.
We may try to satisfy that thirst by making our own gods out of things or activities but it is a vain attempt that increases thirst instead of satisfying it. Created gods have no life. There is no substitute for “the living God”! The Psalmist knew what he needed and he wanted what he needed – God.
PRAYER: LORD, You are all I need. Help me to find all I need in You. AMEN
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 Psalm 42:5,11, 43:5 “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”
HOPE Hope is only as good as the prospect of its being fulfilled or as good as the object in which it is placed. When we are “downcast” (looking down instead of up!) – it seems to us that our hopes have no prospect of being fulfilled or that the focus of our hope cannot or will not help.
Of course the solution is to put our hope where it cannot disappoint or be unfulfilled. That place would be in GOD. “Put your hope in God”. He is worthy of hope and, in Him, we are certain of help. Remember again the prayer of the apostle: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
Without God life is hopeless. But, our life is not without God and He is not without hope. He is the God from Whom hope comes. The hope that comes from His Word can fill us to overflowing “by the power of the Holy Spirit”.
PRAYER: LORD, give me hope and, as I put my hope in You, give me help! AMEN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 Psalm 42:8 “By day the LORD directs His love, at night His song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life.”
DAY and NIGHT “Twenty four seven three sixty five”, the saying goes. From grocery stores to gas stations, pharmacies to exercise shops – people who live in urban America can find a place open round the clock all year (except Christmas and Easter!).
The God of Christmas and Easter has had that coverage for His people since time began. So far He hasn’t changed managers or called in anyone else to cover the second and third shift or vacation. Day and night His care never ceases!
Every day “the LORD directs His love”. Knowing just what our need is, He directs His love to meet it. Same story every night. In the seemingly unending darkness of the night “His song is with me” – I whistle it, hum it, sing it! The song that reminds me of His presence, His power, His promises. The song that brings me His protection and peace.
He wants me to remember that and find comfort and security “twenty four seven three sixty five”!
PRAYER: LORD, thanks for being there always and everywhere! AMEN
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 Psalm 44:22 “Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE On the one hand – “…for Your sake we face death all day long…” On the other hand – “…we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” God’s people: Humbled on one side; Hunted on the other.
Humbled - although we trust in God and give Him the glory, we experience suffering as the LORD calls His people to repentance. Hunted - because we belong to the LORD and stand upon His Word, the people of the world think that the world would be better off without us.
We feel crushed between this “rock” and this “hard place”; but, because we are God’s people we know what to do in such a situation. We turn it over to God. We confess our helplessness and unworthiness. We seek His mercy, His deliverance. Listen!
“Awake, O LORD! Why do You sleep? Rouse Yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do You hide Your face and forget our misery and oppression? We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground. Rise up and help us; redeem us because of Your unfailing love.”
PRAYER: We are hard pressed LORD. Hear us. Help us. For Jesus’ sake. We are counting on You and we know You will come through. AMEN
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 Psalm 45:17 “I will perpetuate Your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise You forever and ever.”
MEMORIAL You see them scattered throughout the city. Memorials erected and maintained in memory of the honorable deeds and the heroic sacrifice that various individuals and groups have made for our nation or community. Families and individuals too erect memorials to past generations to keep their memory alive.
Here the Psalmist pledges to raise up a memorial to the Messiah, the coming Savior, the Person upon Whom the entire Psalm is focused. Although it is perhaps a thousand years away, he sees the Messiah’s work of salvation, His establishment of God’s eternal kingdom of grace, as a done deal. He wants the Savior and His work to be proclaimed to everyone and appreciated by all.
The intent of the Psalmist’s heart has been wonderfully honored by the LORD’S actions. His recitation of God’s glorious acts has been preserved in God’s Word forever. Down through the generations comes the song of praise. We hear it. We join in praising the King: “You are the most excellent of men…Your throne, O God, will last forever!”
PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for saving us! Eternal praise be Yours! AMEN
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 Psalm 46:7,11 “The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our Fortress.”
REFUGE & STRENGTH Strength. Refuge. All of us need both. All of us! A truly safe place. More than human strength.
Sin and sinners have made this world a dangerous scary place. Sin has also drained us of our capacity to face its challenges and problems. It’s overwhelming. Luther expressed it well: “with might of ours can naught be done, soon were our loss effected…”
Then comes a higher reality. “The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our Fortress.” The LORD is with us!
Do we need strength? He’s ALMIGHTY! Do we need refuge? He is PRESENT. He’s got the power and the love to use it for us. “…but for us fights the Valiant One Whom God Himself elected!”
Bring it on!
PRAYER: LORD, overcome our fears as we trust in Your Presence and power. AMEN
