Psalm 100 “A Psalm of Thanksgiving”

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” (v.4)

The mention of "gates” and "courts” here points primarily to the temple worship, but for us, they can be extend to; all the faithful and to all places of worship, even our own prayer closets. As this psalm makes abundantly clear, the best way to enter into the Lord’s presence is by thanking Him for what He has done, and praising Him for who He is. Presenting our worship to Him before our petitions of Him, shows our respect for His grace and our thankfulness for His mercy. 

Therefore, spend some time daily in prayer, thanking God for all His protection, provision, grace, and mercy in your life. Praise and bless His name before laying your petitions at His feet. For truly, "the Lord is good” (v.5), and is worthy of praise and honor for keeping his promises to pardon, deliver, cleanse, and give rest, to His people then (Israel) and to us now. 

The Truth: “To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the LORD.” (Psalm 116:17) 

Psalm 99 “God Is Holy”

“Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool! Holy is He!”

The Lord’s holiness is reason for praise, exaltation, and worship. Everything about Him is holy, and Psalm 99 proclaims that message with a threefold refrain in, verses 3, 5, and 9. His holiness is praiseworthy because He is absolutely unique, one of a kind, and there is no other like Him. He is exalted over all, untouched by sin or fault, “perfect in power, in love and purity.”

But Psalm 99’s refrain is more than a declaration, it is also a call to action. We are exhorted to praise the Lord’s great and awesome name, to exalt Him, and to worship at His footstool. God is holy; and therefore, He is to be praised!

Ironically, evil spirits were the first to acknowledge that Jesus was “the Holy One of God” (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34). But later in Jesus’ earthly ministry, Peter too was led to confess: “You are the Holy One of God” (John 6:69), even the centurion standing his post at the foot of the cross upon Jesus’s death stated: “Surly this was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39).

Because of His sacrificial death, the Holy Son of God has made it possible for us (people who are anything but holy in ourselves), to be holy and blameless before Him” (Eph. 1:4). And so we praise Him, not only in word, but also in deed. For the Lord our God is holy!

The Truth: "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2)

Psalm 98 “Sing to The Lord a New Song”

"O sing to the LORD a new song; for he has done marvelous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, has gotten Him the victory. The LORD has made known His salvation: His righteousness has He openly showed in the sight of the heathen. (v. 1)

The work of our redemption and salvation by Christ is a wonder. Looking back at all the steps of it, from the beginning of His communion with man, to His death, burial, and resurrection, to the spread of His gospel throughout the world, until it finally reached us and took root in our hearts - What shall we say except that, "God has done marvelous things", and has put a “new song” of salvation on our lips.

God, by his own power, has overcome all difficulties and enemies, and has, in spite of all opposition, raised Christ from the dead, and set Him upon his throne. Therefore, sing to the Lord a “new song” for the glorious salvation He has brought. Sing songs of joy and thanksgiving for the victory He has given us in Christ.

Hallelujah! Our God regins.

The Truth: “Sing to the LORD, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation. Declare His glory among the heathen; His marvelous works among all nations. For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised.” (1 Chronicles 16:23-25a)

Psalm 97 “The LORD Reigns”

"The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.” (v.1)

"The Lord reigns." This is the watchword of the Psalm - Jehovah reigns. It is also the essence of the gospel proclamation, and the foundation of the gospel kingdom. Jesus has come, and all power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth. Therefore, all men are called here to yield to Him their obedient faith, to rejoice, and be glad, for His kingdom is the hope of mankind.

"Let the multitude of isles be glad thereof." To the ancient Israelites all places beyond the seas were isles, and the phrase is equivalent to all lands which are reached by ships. Scripture records that the Gospel was sent very early to the isles of, Cyprus and Crete (Acts 13:4). Eventually spreading to the northern isles (Great Britain and Ireland), and even across the Atlantic to our own favoured land as well.

“Let the earth rejoice”, that God is holy; that He does not behold iniquity; that there is One eternally pure who presides over the universe; that there is One who will always do what is right; that such a Being is our God; that we may look to Him, trust in Him, and enjoy His reign. -Barnes' notes.

Simply put, all the earth has cause to rejoice. For the gospel will not only be preached in Judea, but through all isles, and to all nations.  Hallelujah!

The Truth: "And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns.” (Revelation 19:6)

Psalm 96 “Sing to the LORD"

"O sing to the LORD a new song: sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless His name; show forth His salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.” (vv.1-3)

Psalm 96 was composed by David upon occasion, of bringing of the ark of God into the tabernacle which David had prepared for it in Zion (1 Chronicles 16:7, 23, 24). Is a universal call to praise the Lord--all people and all creation are invited to join in! The Ark returning to Zion signified that God would one day come again to reign over the world, and there will be (in his reign) a universal occasion for joy.

In this psalm, we too are urged to sing a new song (v.1), to proclaim God’s salvation (v.2), to declare His glory and marvelous works (v.3) - for He is worthy of, worship and praise, for all His wondrous works in our lives. And, as Christians, we too look for the day when we will return to rule and reign in Zion.

The Truth: “And they sang a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:9)

Psalm 95 “The Invitatory Psalm”

"O come, let us sing to the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.” (v.1)

This Psalm, written by David, is an invitation to mankind to yield unto the true God the praise, worship, and obedience which He requires and deserves. It is an exhortation to praise God for his great power, goodness, and tenderness to his people (vv. 3-7), and cautions against hardness of the heart (vv. 8-11). 

The Lord Jesus, whom we are here taught to praise, is God Almighty; the most high God, the everlasting God, and the Holy One of Israel. To him all power is given, both in heaven and earth. He is our God, and we should praise him. For He has made us what we are - created us, redeemed us, and taken us to be his people. 

The Truth: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.” (Psalm 150:6) 
 "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

Psalm 94 “The Chastening of the Lord"

"Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O Lord, and teach him out of Your law.” (v.12)

The word "chasten" is not used here in the sense of afflicting or punishing. It means here to instruct; to warn; to admonish; to exhort. Meaning, that the man is blessed or happy whom God “warns, admonishes, or teaches”, because he understands the principles of the divine instruction. That man is precious in God's sight, or the Lord would not have taken
 the trouble to correct him. 

These chastenings are tokens of God's love, and evidences of our sonship, whom He must guide and correct through His Word. Through them, He teaches many lessons of faith, patience, humility, self-denial, and submission to His will. God has care over his children, and thus chastens them for their own good, that they should not perish forever with the wicked.

Yes, sometimes His chastening can be painful, but the action is never meant to punish, but rather to correct. Something to keep in my when raising your own children.

The Truth: "And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. For He chastens everyone He receives as a son.” (Hebrews 12:5-6)

Psalm 93 “The Lord is Mighty”

"The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice, the floods lift up their pounding waves. More than the sounds of many waters, than the mighty breakers of the sea, The Lord on high is mighty.” (vv.3-4)

Trouble comes our way, according Psalm 93, in relentless waves that surge and pound against our souls and break upon them with furious force. “The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice,” and they are deafening (verse 3). Yet above the tempest we hear the psalmist’s say: “The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, than the mighty waves of the sea” (verse 4).

Indeed, “the Lord reigns”! He is clothed with majesty and strength. He sits as King, exalted higher than the waves that rise above us, deeper than their immeasurable depths, greater than their strongest surge. The storm is in His all-powerful hands: “The world is established, so that it cannot be moved,” for His rule over it was established long ago (verse 1). He rules the raging of the sea; the “wind and the sea obey Him” (Mark 4:37-41). He speaks and they are still.

In life, the waves of trouble and grief may sweep over us, but we will not be swept away. He “is able to keep us from stumbling” (Jude 24) and He will not let us fall (Psalm 121:3). And while the storms of life rage, you can cling to the Lord’s promises of love and faithfulness, for His “testimonies are sure” (Psalm 93:5).

The Truth: "I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:1-3)

Psalm 92 “The Lesson of the Palm Tree “

"The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” (v.12)

Have you ever wondered why God compares the righteous to a palm tree? The palm tree grows in sandy soil which has the least amount of resources. Less water, less salt, less fertility, less nourishment. Nevertheless the date palm grows and flourishes in this soil, in fact towering majestically over the other desert plants. Lack of fertile soil stunts the growth of most desert plants but not the date palm. The date palm is impervious to the changing climatic conditions and wind velocities of the desert regions where it grows. And it grows in extreme climatic conditions- blazing heat, freezing cold, sand storms, and droughts. Yet it grows on steadfastly through all these different conditions, into a stately tree.

Similarly no matter where we are planted (good soil, average soil, poor soil), God gives us the grace to thrive, and flourish majestically, like the palm tree. And, as the conditions in life change throughout our time here on earth, God will surely see us through them, giving us the strength to stand and face any adversity. God’s plan for us is not to make us a mediocre people, but to make us strong in His Word; to face difficult situations. And, just as the palm tree is perennially green throughout the year, never changing, so should we strive for a similar consistency and always be a source of encouragement to the people around us.

The Truth: "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3)

Psalm 91 “Safe In His Hand”

“He shall call upon Me and I will answer him; I will be with him in time of trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” (vv.14-16)

This psalm describes the safety of abiding in the Presence of God. As the psalmist describes it, He is our refuge (v.2), our deliverer (v.3), and shall protect us (v.4). He is our habitation (v.9), and shall give His angles charge over us (v.11), and be with us in time of trouble (v.15). Then we shall treed upon the lion and the cobra (v.13), and will see His salvation (v.16). 

Meaning, those who abide in Jesus, who dwell in the Lord, will not only be protected and provided for now, but will overcome the evil one and have a glorious destiny in heaven with Him for eternity. This does not mean we are immune to danger, but regardless of our circumstances, we do have the Lord Himself as our refuge. Hallelujah! 

The Truth: "Now this is what the LORD says—He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine! For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place.” (Isaiah 43:1&3)

Psalm 90 “Sing For Joy"

"O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."

Psalm 90 is the oldest psalm in the Bible. Written by Moses, probably during the close of the desert wandering as the old saint looked back on life. In it, he gives us a glimpse into his heart’s desire for his people, God’s lovingkindness. What a great prayer, so selfless, full of love and grace, for a people who were on many occasions, anything but.

In this psalm, Moses also gives us a preview of the love of Christ, who intercedes for us before the Father, that our sins might be covered by His love. Like the dawn of a new day, our Lord brings joy and gladness to our lives, as He washes away our guilt and shame. I believe Moses was not only looking back over the times when the LORD had forgiven the people, but himself as well.

May our prayers, our heart’s desire, be the same for all those whom God has placed in our sphere of influence, as it was with Moses. That they too may sing for joy and be glad, as their heavenly destination becomes clearer every morning through His love.

The Truth: “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” ( Psalm 100:1-4)

Psalm 89 “He Is Faithful”

“I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant, I will establish your seed forever, and build up your throne to all generations.” (vv.3-4)

Here in psalm 89, the psalmist recalls an amazing promise given to David by God. It established a covenant with David that his offspring would reign forever! But in looking at Israel’s current state, the psalmist asks the question, “Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David” (v.49)? What led to this seemingly lack of faith?

After Zerubbabel, no prince of the house of David sat on his throne, or had temporal sway over Israel and the kingdom split in two. The Northern Kingdom of Israel would fall to Assyria, and later the Southern Kingdom of Judah would fall to Babylon. The descendants of David then sank into obscurity, and so remained for five centuries. It seemed as though God’s Word was unsure.

However, God had not removed his steadfast love or faithfulness, nor had he broken his covenant. An offspring would come from David’s line (see Matthew 1) who will reign forevermore over the people of God… Jesus. In Jesus Christ (of the seed of David), every pledge made to David was fulfilled. The Psalmist would never see this in his lifetime, and it would be hundreds of years before the first coming of Christ as prophesied (see Isaiah 9:6-7). But, even among all the questions he raised before the Lord in this psalm, the psalmist remained steadfast in his hope of the faithfulness of God (v.52).

Likewise, amidst all our pain and suffering in this life (which we’ve been told will come, John 16:33, 1 Peter 4:12), we too must remain steadfast in our trust in God’s Word. And even though we can not understand our current trials, we can look to His track-record and see His faithfulness shining through in our lives and know that He is faithful.

The Truth: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Psalm 88 “The Dark Night"

“I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth up; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me; Your terrors have cut me off. They came around me all day long like water; They engulf me altogether” (vv.15-17)

Some have called this psalm, "the dark night of the soul,” because it doesn’t end on an up-beat note. It is possibly the only psalm that ends without a solution or any relief. It was written by the son of Korah, who had been ill or injured since his youth (verse 15), and was struggling with God’s failure to answer his prayer for healing. Even though he did not understand God’s ways, he kept turning to God in trust.

Sometimes events in life are clouded this side of heaven and things happen that do not add up in our minds. Other times things happen that don’t seem right, as in  our text of the psalmist suffering from depression sense his youth. And even though we find no indication of God hearing his cry, silence is sometimes His answer. And if we must continue on in our weakness, it does not mean God has not heard our prayer, or that He does not love us, or that He has abandoned us.

Scripture tells us that, "the rain falls on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45), and that "in this world we will have tribulation” (John 16:33). Therefore, all of us will experience things we don’t understand, that seem unfair, and even feel like our prayers are not being heard. But take heart! For scripture also tells us that, “God so loved the world: that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Meaning, no matter how wretched we feel, no matter how distressing our situation, no matter how severe our suffering, we are loved.

Unfortunately, faith is no protection from trouble and sometimes we can spiral into sorrow. Nevertheless, like the psalmist, we must remain earnest in prayer. Knowing that God loved us enough to give us His only son, we can know He loves us enough to hear our prayers. And when we feel abandoned, know that God is with us (Immanuel), even in “the dark nights.”

The Truth: "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23)

Psalm 87 “Born In Jerusalem”

“And of Zion it shall be said, This one and that one were born in her: and the Most High Himself shall establish her. The Lord shall record, when He registers the peoples: that this man was born there." (vv.5-6) 

This Psalm deals with Jerusalem and the coming kingdom. In it the psalmist says that everyone that is born in Jerusalem, their name is recorded by the “Highest Himself.” But what does “born in Jerusalem” mean? I believe that it means born again. And the name of every Christian is recorded in God’s book; the Lambs book of life and He will not forget any of them.

This Jerusalem is not yet on earth, but is the heavenly Jerusalem where God lives. Our names then are written into His book of life, where we will one day be admitted into the kingdom of heaven. And once our names are there, scripture tells us that, "no one can remove them"; Satan can never pull our names out of God's Book of Life. 

Therefore, let us join with the people in the 87th Psalm and praise God for the glorious city of Zion where our names are recorded for entry into His heavenly kingdom.

The Truth: "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand.” (John 10:29)

Psalm 86 "Forgiveness"

"You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.” (v.5)

Forgiveness is at the heart of our relationship with God. Ever since the Fall, humans have been sinning and repenting, and God has been redeeming, forgiving, and restoring. Such mercy and grace best show His character (vv. 13, 15). In response to these truths, David proclaimed God’s greatness and His worthiness to be worshiped, as well as our responsibility to obey and glorify Him.

Satan, on the other hand, wants us to think that we’ve committed something unforgivable each time we sin, “Surely God could never forgive me. After all, what I did was so horrible … ” Such thoughts are his speciality--he wants you to believe that God’s love is less than what it is. Don’t believe the lie, David didn’t - And he was right up there in terms of committing what we would see as, unforgivable sin.

Therefore, pour out your heart to Him, "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Romans 10:10)

The Truth: "Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)

Psalm 85 “A Prayer of Restoration”

“Show us your mercy , O LORD, and grant us Your salvation” (v.7)

Much of the Old Testament is filled with the Israelites' obedience, disobedience, obedience again, disobedience again, etc. In those times of sin and disobedience, God sent prophets to warn the people that as judgment for their sin, He would send other nations in to conquer them.

True to His Word, after years of their continually falling into sin, God sent the Babylonians and the Assyrians in to conquer Israel and to carry off most of the people into captivity for seventy years. In this Psalm the Lord (in His timing) has once again withdrawn His chastisement of His people, and returned the Israelites to their own land. And the Psalmist correctly records that it is God alone whom they must trust for "mercy and salvation” (v.7).

In looking back over my life, I see God's mercy woven all through it. And like the children of Israel, I too had to learn the hard way. His mercy towards me during my rebellion was inexhaustible, His grace never ending, and His pursuit relentless. Until, finally realizing that God alone can forgive my sin, and that He is whom I must turn to for "mercy and salvation” - I did! Won't you?

Thank you Lord for Your mercy and Your salvation, Jesus Christ - And for His long-suffering in my life.

The Truth: "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Psalm 84 “Blessing Through Trust”

"O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!” (v.12)

Once a week I get together with a group of men from church to enjoy the great game of Golf. The course we generally play has many squirrels on the property. Most are very leery of us, and scurry away when approached in our golf carts. Some are sneaky, and will look for any opportunity to rob your cart of an unguarded snack. And a few have come to trust us, going so far as to take a peanut right out of our hands - receiving a reward for their trust. 

This brings to mind the scripture in Psalm 34, “O taste and see that the Lord is good” (v.8). For you see, people are like the squirrels, they shy away from God, they are leery of Him. But, by taking in His Word, reading and reflecting on His compassion and lovingkindness, they could learn that He can be trusted (84:12). Thereby losing their dread of getting closer to Him, and fear becomes a healthy respect and honor of Him.

You may have doubts about God, just as the squirrels were wary of us at first. But give Him a chance to prove His love. Read about Jesus in the Gospels. Read the praises to God in the Psalms. Taste and see that He is good, and your life will never be the same.

The Truth: “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8) 

Psalm 83 “The Battle Belongs to the LORD”

"O God, do not remain quiet; do not be silent and, O God, do not be still. For behold, Your enemies make an uproar, and those who hate You have exalted themselves. They make shrewd plans against Your people, and conspire together against Your treasured ones. They have said, “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more.” (vv.1-4)

 Most Bible scholars agree that this psalm deals with the story of 2 Chronicles 20, when a great multitude came to do battle against king Jehoshaphat. Where, upon being informed of a confederation of nations coming against him from beyond the sea; from Syria; Jehoshaphat sought the Lord, declared a fast throughout all of Judah, praised the Lord for His previous protection, and prayerfully asked for help.

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon the prophet Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah who said to Jehoshaphat, “Thus says the LORD, Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. You will not need to fight in this battle. Go out, position yourselves and see the salvation of the LORD" (2 Chronicles. 20:15-17).

How often do we rush out in our own strength to meet a problem head on before seeking the LORD, and then make matters worst? The best remedy against any form of opposition is to follow Jehoshaphat’s example: In everything give thanks, rejoice in the LORD, give praise to Him, prayerfully seek His guidance, step out in faith, then stand still and see the salvation of our God.

The Truth: “Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD.” (Psalm 31:23-24)

Psalm 82 “Defend The Powerless”

“Defend the poor and the fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and the needy. Deliver the poor and needy, free them from the hand of the wicked.” (vv.3-4)

This psalm addresses the injustice of earthly judges who were meant to protect and care for the weak and needy. It accuses them of social injustices that violated God's law. And because they had the power to sentence a man to death (Exodus 22:28), they were even called gods (v.6) - not because they were divine, but because they had been put in a place to judge and to execute justice among God's people.

Some modern day false prophets continue to misunderstand this verse and concept, and use it to lead others into great error. Wanting to be like God goes back to the Garden of Eden. It was there that Eve first believed the lie from Satan, and ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in an effort to be like God (Gen. 3:5). She and Adam did indeed get first-hand knowledge of good and evil, and the world has never been the same.

At the end of this psalm when God said, “I said, ‘You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High, He followed that statement with, "But you shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes'” (Psalm 82:6–7). In other words, you might be judges, but you're not divine, you're going to die like every other man.

Today we often see that earthly justice is not righteous, but is mans best attempt at being so. However, when administered (at any level) to knowingly thwart justice and support injustice, wow to those who do so. For they will be held to God’s law for their failure to defend the the needy. And His justice is righteous!

 The Truth: "For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

Psalm 81 ”I Am The LORD”

“I Am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” (v.10)

This is a promise from the Lord designed to encourage us to pray and ask Him to fulfill our needs. It is almost as if He is giving us His resume, as if He is trying to be hired for the job of answering our prayers. He reminds us that He was the one who did all the miracles for the children of Abraham, when they were brought out of Egypt. God is saying that He is still the same; He hasn’t changed. This means that He is just as willing to fill our needs now, as He was when this psalm was first written. So, open your mouth wide, and Hw will fill it!

The Truth: "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)

Psalm 80 “Restore Us, O God of Hosts”

“Restore us, O God of hosts; cause your face to shine, and we shall be saved!” (v.7)

Psalm 80 deals with Israel and Judah during the time of the Babylonian captivity. In it, the psalmist cried out to the Lord on behalf of the people, asking that God would deliver them. Throughout the song, he acknowledged that the only hope they had was for the God of hosts face to shine on them, or look with pleasure on their difficult situation; for without that, they would be lost. Consequently, three times the psalmist petitions the “God of hosts” to restore them (v. 3, 7, 19).

The phrase “restore us” means to “turn us back.” In this case, the psalmist cries out for a return of the people to fellowship with God, a revival. Revival always begins in the heart of the individual. Pastor Leonard Ravenhill once wrote, “Evangelism affects the other guy but revival affects me.”

Frederick the Great, the Prussian king from 1740–1781, was once touring a Berlin prison. During his visit the prisoners fell on their knees before him, proclaiming their innocence—except for one man, who remained silent. Frederick called to him, “Why are you here?” “Armed robbery, your majesty,” came the reply. “And are you guilty?” “Yes indeed, your majesty; I deserve my punishment.” Frederick then summoned the jailer and ordered him, “Release this guilty wretch at once. I will not have him kept in this prison where he will corrupt all these fine innocent people who occupy it.”

Never stop praying for restoration in the lives of your friends and loved ones, but also never forget, it begin with you. Our prayer, like Asaph’s, when we get off target should be, “Restore us, O God of hosts; and we shall be saved.”

The Truth: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” (Psalm 51:10-13)