Psalm 64

Psalm 64
Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers,
who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows,
shooting from ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear.
They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly,
thinking, “Who can see them?” They search out injustice,
saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.”
For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep!
But God shoots his arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly.
They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them;
all who see them will wag their heads.
Then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about
and ponder what he has done.
Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him!
Let all the upright in heart exult! (Psalm 64:1-10 ESV)

God, you are familiar with the depths of my heart and the recesses of my mind.
Let your grace penetrate even the most hidden parts of me so that all that I am honors and glorifies you. I look forward to a day when there is not one ounce of my being that is not completely surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. You also know the enemies that stand in the way of my sanctification; the obstacles to grace in my life. Forgive me of my sin and cleanse me of all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9). Amen

Psalm 37:21-40

Psalm 37:21-40
The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;
for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.
Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.
For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.
The Lord will not abandon him to his power
or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
though I sought him, he could not be found.
Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.
But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
The Lord helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him. (Psalm 37:21-40 ESV)

God, help me to live a life that is a reflection of who you are. In response to your generosity, help me to give to others. In response to your holiness, help me to commit my life to following your way. In response to your justice, help me to join the cause of the needy and oppressed. In response to your blessing, help me to bless others. Amen

Psalm 26

Psalm 26
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.
For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.
I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites.
I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.
I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O Lord,
proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.
O Lord, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells.
Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.
But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.
My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.
(Psalm 26:1-12 ESV)

God, help me to not conform my life to the pattern of this world, but to walk in integrity after the example of Jesus (Ro. 12:2). Search my heart and mind and make me aware of the places that need to be surrendered more fully to your transforming grace. Thank you for the friends you have given me for this journey that help strengthen my walk with you instead of tearing it down. Help me to be humble enough to repent when I need to repent, trust you enough to change when I need to change, and be brave enough to proclaim what you’ve done for me when given the opportunity. Amen.

Psalm 24

Psalm 24
The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah (Psalm 24:1-10 ESV)

God, help me to live in the awareness that everything in this world belongs to you. Help me to be a wise steward of all the blessings you have given me, big and small. Your word says that without holiness no one will see you (Heb. 12:14), but holiness is not something I can conjure up or muster by my own will power. You are the source of the only holiness that is possible for me. You alone are holy and you alone make people holy. So, pour our your grace upon me that my hands may be washed, my heart may be pure, and my soul may be faithful. Amen.

Psalm 19

Psalm 19
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:1-14 NIV)

God, I work so hard to use my words to defend myself, to justify myself, and to explain myself. Words are the language I am most attentive to. Help me to realize the wealth that is being said without a sound being made. Instill in me the importance of who I am beyond what I say. May my whole life, not just my words, proclaim the work of your hands. Sanctify even the most hidden meditations of my heart that they would be pleasing in your sight. I pray that your Word would be my refreshment, my joy, my light, and my treasure. Amen.

Psalm 17

Psalm 17
Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.
Hear my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips. Let my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right. Though you probe my heart,
though you examine me at night and test me,
you will find that I have planned no evil;
my mouth has not transgressed. Though people tried to bribe me,
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
through what your lips have commanded. My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not stumbled. I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Show me the wonders of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me. They close up their callous hearts,
and their mouths speak with arrogance. They have tracked me down, they now surround me, with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down; with your sword rescue me from the wicked. By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it, and may there be leftovers for their little ones. As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness. (Psalm 17:1-15 NIV)

God, what do you find in me when you probe my heart; when you examine me and test me? What do you see when you look upon my life…even in the darkest, most hidden places? You know me better than I know myself, you see parts of me that I’m not even aware of, and yet you still love me unconditionally. Continue to reveal the wonders of your love to me. Show me how special I am to you, not in a way that makes me arrogant, but in a way that affirms that I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14). Hide me, all of me, in you. Amen

Psalm 15

Psalm 15
Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken. (Psalm 15:1-5 NIV)

God, without your grace and the power of your Holy Spirit I cannot come close to living the life you desire. Apart from you I can do nothing, but with you all things are possible (Jn. 15:5). Help me to abide in you in such a way that my actions, my words, my thoughts, my intentions, and my relationships are transformed for your glory. Help me to reflect your holiness so that I will not be shaken. Amen.

Psalm 14

Psalm 14
The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on the Lord. But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is their refuge. Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad! (Psalm 14:1-7 NIV)

God, I would think it was so foolish for someone to say that you don’t exist, but how often am I guilty of living like it? How often do I go about my day to day life with myself at the center and no serious thought of seeking you? Give me extra grace, that if you look upon my life, you would be pleased with what you see. I do not know the day or hour when you will return, so help me to be ready; to be doing what I am supposed to be doing in this life (Mt. 24:36-51). Amen