Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me,for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4,5 (NIV) Make me understand your ways, O Lord! Teach me your paths! Guide me into your truth and teach me. For you are the God who delivers me; on you I rely all day long. What fabulous potions! (1) “Make me understand your ways, O Lord!...
Continue ReadingMay he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4 (NIV) May he grant your heart’s desire; may he bring all your plans to pass! Lord, the psalmist is praying for two things this morning: (1) “May he grant your heart’s desire” and (2) “may he bring all your plans to pass!” The sure answer to this prayer comes when our “heart’s desire” is His de...
Continue ReadingMay the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 (NIV) May my words and my thoughts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my protector and my defender. The psalmist is making two rests of the Lord in this verse: (1) “my words” and (2) “my thoughts.” That both of these would “be acceptable in your sight, O L...
Continue ReadingKeep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. Psalm 19:13 (NIV) Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant sins; do not allow such sins to control me. Then I will be blameless, and innocent of blatant rebellion. There are two requests in our verse: (1) “Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant sins” and (2...
Continue ReadingWho can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Psalm 19:12 (NIV) Who can avoid sinning? Please do not punish my unintentional sins. The psalmist begins with a question: “Who can avoid sinning?” No one! “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 NASB). The question is followed by a request: “Please do not punish my unintentional sins.” “Teach me ...
Continue ReadingThe law of the Lord is perfect and preserves one’s life. The rules set down by the Lord are reliable and impart wisdom to the untrained. The Lord’s precepts are fair and make one happy. The Lord’s commands are pure and give moral insight. The psalmist says four things here: (1) “The law of the Lord is perfect and preserves one’s life”; (2) “The rules set down by the Lord are reliable...
Continue ReadingProtect me as you would protect the pupil of your eye! Hide me in the shadow of your wings! The psalmist has two requests: “Protect me” and “Hide me.” (1) “Protect me as you would protect the pupil of your eye” and (2) “Hide me in the shadow of your wings!” “The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both no...
Continue ReadingYou have scrutinized my inner motives; you have examined me during the night. You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin. I am determined I will say nothing sinful. What a tremendous testimony! (1) “You have scrutinized my inner motives”—the Lord is the only One who can scrutinize our hearts and our minds; (2) “you have examined me during the night”; and (3) “You have careful...
Continue ReadingYou lead me in the path of life; I experience absolute joy in your presence; you always give me sheer delight. Lord, what three wonderful things You do for us, according to the psalmist: (1) “You lead me in the path of life”—“ The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day” (Proverbs 4:18 NIV); (2) “I experience absolute joy ...
Continue ReadingThe word for today is authority. “These things Jesus spoke; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Thy Son, that the Son may glorify Thee, even as Thou gavest Him authority over all mankind, that to all whom Thou hast given Him, He may give eternal life’” (John 17:1-2). “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given ...
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