Psalm 81:10 I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it. Open Your Mouth Wide The LORD never tired of reminding His people that, "It was I ... who rescued you." He found it necessary to give them stern warnings as found in verses 8 and 9, "Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you; O Israel, if you would ...

Psalm 67:1 God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us. God Bless Us According to Jewish custom, the people recite the above at the end of each Sabbath day. This Psalm is based on the ancient blessing pronounced by Aaron: "May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favor...

Psalm 66:13-14 I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings; I shall pay You my vows, and my mouth spoke when I was in distress. Foxhole Faith During World War 2 I often heard ... there are no atheists in foxholes. Some of the men I knew who promised God to serve Him if He would spare their lives ... did just that. But most didn't. Seems that as soon as the "distre...

Psalm 62:1 My soul waits in silence for God only, from Him is my salvation. Waiting Quietly David was good at waiting before God. And, waiting quietly. That takes a long term and intimate relationship to achieve. He learned well from his past experiences. I am still learning even though, unlike most men, I like to shop. When it comes to Mall type experiences, I'll spen...

Psalm 59:16-17 But as for me I shall sing of Your strength; yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your loving-kindness in the morning. For You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my strength, I will sing praises to You; for God is my stronghold, the God who shows me loving-kindness. Songs in the Darkness The introduction to this Psalm (part of Scri...

Psalm 57:7-8 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises! Awake, my glory! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. Awaken the Dawn I think David, the poet-king, was the greatest worship leader of the Old Testament. He wrote half of the of the Psalms ( 75 of 150), sang all his songs, chose all his choirmasters and led ...

Psalm 51:2-3 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Confession After David's adultery, his planned murder and his efforts to hide the truth and chloroform his conscience, Nathan came and confronted him (2 Samuel 12:1-14). Once David faced his guilt, evil, sin and shame, he called on th...

Psalm 50:14-15 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay your vows to the Most High; call upon Me in the day of trouble;I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me. What God Wants God wanted His people to thank Him (verse 14). Why? Because saying "thank you" is evidence of a healthy relationship with Him. God also wants His people to trust Him. In the latter part o...

Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD, and He inclined His ear to me and heard my cry. Waiting Patiently I must admit that when I pray I would like quick answers. But after many years some of my prayers continue ... especially those of salvation for loved ones who are still breathing. It is interesting to note that David's natural desire for a quick answer was tem...

Psalm 30:2 O LORD, my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed Me. Here's to Your Health How many people do you know that seem to take good health for granted? What happens when illness strikes? I am like David. I CRY out to God. Not only for myself, but for my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren ... friends and neighbors ... the list goes on. Why? Because ...