Psalms – Be Still…

Psalm 103:1-5 – Why Praise God?

“Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” (Psalm 103:1-5)

While each of these verses could stand alone as a memory verse as well as a shout-out to God. Together, they pack a powerful punch to help us get our praise on! God does all this for each of us. We can’t help but want to sing our praises when we think of God in this way. Can I get an Amen?

Context (Psalm 103) This whole psalm speaks of the wonderful things God does for us. If you ever need a pick-me-up to get you through a tough time, this psalm reminds us over and over of all the benefits we enjoy as believers. We get a good glimpse at the character of our Heavenly Father. You’ll notice there are a number of familiar verses in this psalm to also reflect on. Continue reading “Psalm 103:1-5 – Why Praise God?”

Psalm 40:1 – Are You Patient?

“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.” (Psalm 40:1)

If you struggle with patience like me, this is a great verse of promise to call on while waiting on God’s timing. The psalmist trusted God, and we, too, can muster up the same belief in our Creator. God always responds, but perhaps his response is different from what we expected or hoped.

Context (Psalm 40): What a beautiful psalm of expectant praise in the midst of trials! The psalmist shares his experiences of patience and how blessings surround him alongside the trials. The confident hope is palpable that God will care and come to the rescue. In the waiting, the psalmist worships and remembers God’s provisions. Continue reading “Psalm 40:1 – Are You Patient?”

Psalm 51:10-11 – Cleanse Me

“Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.”
(Psalm 51:10-11)

This is a great passage to remember when you want to tell God your heart needs cleansing. In those moments of weakness when we have fallen prey to the wiles of the evil one or simply made a bad choice, we, too, can cry out to God.

Context (Psalm 51): This psalm was written after the prophet Nathan had come to King David and confronted him about his infidelity with Bathsheba. The psalm laments and also praises God. David wants to remove the stain of sin from himself, hoping God will redeem him. David seeks forgiveness and mercy, to be purified and restored. Continue reading “Psalm 51:10-11 – Cleanse Me”

Psalm 31:2 – While We Wait

“Turn your ear to listen to me;
rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
a fortress where I will be safe.”
(Psalm 31:2)

This is a great verse to help us when we are feeling afraid or apprehensive about something happening in our lives. As I’m writing this, we’re approaching the end of Holy Week on Saturday. Jesus’ followers would have been worried and fearful they might be hunted down and executed next. It would have been a time of reflection and crying out to God.

Context: Psalm 31 is a psalm of David with a feeling of lament all the way through. David also reminds us God is who we should trust. Sometimes when we’re stuck in one of those challenges of life, we forget to fully rely on God. In this verse, as well the whole psalm, David cries out for God’s deliverance from his enemies.

Continue reading “Psalm 31:2 – While We Wait”

Psalm 4:8 – Peaceful Sleep

“In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.”
(Psalm 4:8)

Have you ever had a toss-and-turn kind of night where you felt like sleep evaded you? Perhaps you were lost in troubling thoughts or struggling with an illness or infirmity. Those hours seem to just trudge by, don’t they? This is a memory verse to call on in those moments. We often forget to call on God or claim his promises in our moments of insomnia.

Context: Psalm 4 is a cry to God from the psalmist, David. Apparently, he was going through a very hard time in his life where he felt attacked and misunderstood. He turned to God because he wanted God’s provision. David seemed confident he would be comforted in his hour of despair because he knew God was listening. Verse 8 is the concluding verse of the psalm, and it reveals David’s trust in God. Continue reading “Psalm 4:8 – Peaceful Sleep”