Psalm 42:1-5

For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?  My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.  Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (NIV)

Psalm 41:4-13

I said, "O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you."  My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die and his name perish?" Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad.  All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying,   "A vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies."  Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.  But you, O LORD, have mercy on me; raise me up, that I may repay them.  I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.  Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. (NIV)

Psalm 41:1-3

For the director of music. A psalm of David. Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.  The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.  The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness. (NIV)

Psalm 40:9-17

I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.  I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.  Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.  For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me. Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.  May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.  May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!" be appalled at their own shame.  But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "The LORD be exalted!"  Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay. (NIV) 

Psalm 40:1-8

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.  Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.  Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.  Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.  Then I said, "Here I am, I have come--it is written about me in the scroll.  I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."  (NIV)

Psalm 39:7-13


"But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.   Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools. I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for you are the one who has done this.  Remove your scourge from me; I am overcome by the blow of your hand. You rebuke and discipline men for their sin; you consume their wealth like a moth--each man is but a breath. Selah

"Hear my prayer, O LORD, listen to my cry for help; be not deaf to my weeping. For I dwell with you as an alien, a stranger, as all my fathers were. Look away from me, that I may rejoice again before I depart and am no more." (NIV)




 

Psalm 39:1-6

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. I said, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence."  But when I was silent and still, not even saying anything good, my anguish increased. My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: "Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. Selah. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. (NIV)

Psalm 38:15-22

I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God. For I said, "Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips." For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me.  I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.  Many are those who are my vigorous enemies; those who hate me without reason are numerous.  Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I pursue what is good.  O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God.  Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior. (NIV)

My Thoughts

Don't envy the wicked. Be good to others. Trust and be happy with the Lord and he will give you what you desire.

Donna Stoll
Dexter, MI

Psalm 38:1-14


A psalm of David. A petition. O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.   For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me.  Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly.  I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning.  My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body.  I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.  All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes. My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away. Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception. I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, like a mute, who cannot open his mouth;  I have become like a man who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply.  (NIV)

Psalm 37:34-40

Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.  I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,  but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found. Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.  But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.  The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in 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. (NIV)

Psalm 37:23-33

If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm;  though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.  They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed. Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.  For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;  the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.  The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.  The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.  The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives;  but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.  (NIV)

One's Outlook of Psalms 37

Yet, when I read the psalms, I am moved by the faith of the psalmists.  Their prayers are full of fear and worry but at the same time coupled with a courage and confidence to claim God’s love for them and creation.  I imagine the psalmist repeating their words, poems, and prayers until it enters into the very depths of their being.  The psalmist repeats the words for as long as it takes for them to believe that God is moving in the world.
When I read Psalm 37, I picture the psalmist claiming the truth of God and at the same time trying to persuade him or herself of that truth.

Trust in the Lord.  Do not worry.
Delight in the Lord.  Do not be envious.
Wait Patiently for the Lord.  Do not fret.

And what I learn is that faith is not simply a matter of “do not.”  It’s a matter of learning: “do” place your trust and hope in the risen Lord when all else seems unfair and unstable.  Sometimes we will have a hard time believing in God’s truth, but I hope this week, you will pray the kinds of prayers that require courage and trust in the Lord.

 Charlene's Site

From Reconciling Way

Psalm 37:14-22

The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.  In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.  But the wicked will perish: The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish--vanish like smoke.  The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off. (NIV)

Psalm 37:5-13

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.  Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.  Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.  A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.  But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.  The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;  but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.

Delight

Such a true quote from

  Linda Wichman

Most of all, I learned that no matter what uncomfortable circumstances I find myself thrust into, ”To delight in the Lord,’ to give Him the praise and the glory because He delights in little ol’ me and little ol’ you, so much so, that He waits patiently upon us to desire Him above all other desires! How cool is that?!

We are to delight in the Lord and commit everything we have to him. Have you done this? Take a look at everything around you. Well?

If you haven't, then how do we do this? To delight in someone you have to experience a pleasure, a happiness of their presence. Of course, this would only come by knowing that person very well. So, to delight ourselves in to the Lord, we have to build our relationship with him, to know him better. Once we start to do this and we become wise in God's love for us, we will indeed feel delight in him.

Quote from Living Application Bible Study

     To commit ourselves to the Lord means entrusting everything-our lives, families, jobs, possessions-to his control and guidance. To commit ourselves to the Lord means to trust in him.

Psalm 37:1-4

Of David. Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.  Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Remember This

Quote from Life Application Study Bible

     Because the wicked have no fear of God, nothing restrains them from sinning. They plunge ahead as if nothing will happen to them. But God is just and is only delaying their punishment. This knowledge should hold us back from sinning. Let the fear of God do its work in you to keep you from sin. In your gratitude for God's love and mercy, don't ignore his justice.

Enjoy finding God's words

Psalms 36

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DELIGHTS	FAITH	FAITHFUL
GOD	HEARTS	HEAVENS
HONEST	HUMANITY	JUST
JUSTICE	LIFE	LOVE
PRECIOUS	RIGHTEOUS	TRIUMPH

Psalm 36

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:  There is no fear of God before his eyes.   For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.  The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good.   Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong. Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. See how the evildoers lie fallen--thrown down, not able to rise!  (NIV)

Wake Up!

 Do you hear me? 

What are you waiting for?

 Take action now! 

Is there a communication break down?

During your broken times you may be talking to God this way. Demanding we can be. David was. Reread verse 23. We want things done on our watch, not God's. We get to a point where we want to take revenge now and not wait for the "what comes around, goes around" stuff. We need to see that revenge will destroy our enemy for what they've done to us. Am I right? I know I've felt this way, many times. We need to remind ourselves that God will fight our battles, but on his watch, not ours. Yet, this is where is gets tough. To figure out what he wants us learn from our challenges in life, our battles. I could be here forever on that.

God is on our side, praise him daily.

Ask yourself:
     What do I get from these verses?
     What steps do I need to take? 
     What does good want me to see?

Psalm 35:19-28

Let not those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; let not those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye.  They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.  They gape at me and say, "Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it."  O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent. Do not be far from me, O Lord. Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord. Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me.  Do not let them think, "Aha, just what we wanted!" or say, "We have swallowed him up."  May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace.   May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, "The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant."  My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.  (NIV)

How Long?

17-How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing? Rescue me from their fierce attacks. Protect my life from these lions!

Is there a time limit on evil done to us or our broken heart? I'm guilty in thinking that once evil is attacking me, that it will won't be here long. God will crush it when I tell him to, but it's when God wants it to be crushed. His time, not mine.  We're sad when we think our prayers are being "unanswered." Did you hear me Lord? How much longer are you going to take to answer me? Don't lose your faith here, which is what evil wants, but gather yourself together and deepen your faith with God. Grow with him, step towards him, don't back way when you need him the most.

Ok. Here is another Beth Moore insert. This is about the "Healing Heart."

 Beth Moore: The Cure for a Broken Heart

 (LIFE Today/James Robison)

Psalm 35:11-18

Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about. They repay me evil for good and leave my soul forlorn. Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,  I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother.  But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; attackers gathered against me when I was unaware. They slandered me without ceasing.  Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked [fn]; they gnashed their teeth at me.  O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.  I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you.  (NIV)

Enemies

Isn't it nice to know that God's armor will protect you? No weapon will bring you down. Did you know that? God is our protector, our shield, our armor, our weapon against sin and evil.

My footnotes in my "Life Application Study Bible" says this about Psalms 35:

A prayer to God for help against those who try to inflict injury for no reason. When our enemies are unjust and lie about us, even when we do good to them, we can appeal to God who is always just.

I remember just last week telling my daughter that God will take care of things and "what comes around, goes around". We may not see it right away, but God will persecuted and bring judgment on unrepentant sinners.

Psalm 35:1-10

Of David. Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.  Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.  Brandish spear and javelin  against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, "I am your salvation."   May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.  May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away;  may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them. Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me, may ruin overtake them by surprise--may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.  Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation.  My whole being will exclaim, "Who is like you, O LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them."  (NIV)

Trouble Times

 

I have to be honest here, I get scared when I read the words "trouble times" in the bible. I've gone through trouble times, but I worry what is coming and how will I handle those times. I know, I know, worry about today and not my tomorrow, but being a mom, it's hard not to over think things.

What we all need to remember is that God is close to those that are broken and not to get frustrated with him. Admit to him you need his help, he is there for us, he will never leave us and he will always love us.

Psalm 34:19-22

A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.  Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.   (NIV)

Broken

Do you remember a time being broken? I sure do. Hardship times with my parents was awful. I remember my body shaking, trembling over my broken heart. I also remember God pulling me up out of the pit, opening my eyes to him, opening my ears to hear him and giving me peace through this time. I am thankfully out of this pit, because of God's grace.

I'm always reading Beth Moore stuff and I came across this:

"Can you remember when you lost your first tooth? Rode your first two-wheeler? Lived through your first day of Junior High? These were monumental experiences, yet you may or may not even recall them. But if I asked about the first experience that shattered your heart, you'd likely remember everything--down to the last detail. Somehow having your heart broken is a class all by itself. But one of the primary reasons God sent His Son to earth was to bring tender salve and relief to those whose hearts have been broken. Binding up the brokenhearted is one of His greatest priorities."

 

Take a moment a praise God.

Psalm 34:15-18

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.   The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (NIV)

Psalm 34:11-14

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.  Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,  keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.  Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.  (NIV)

Psalm 34:7-10

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.  Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.   Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.  The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Psalm 34:4-6

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.  Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.  This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.

Psalm 34:1-3

Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.  I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.  My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. 

Day Ten - Psalm 33:20-22

We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.  May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.

Day Nine - Psalm 33:13-19

From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;  from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-- he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.   No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.   A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.  But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,  to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

Day Eight - Psalms 33:10-12

The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.  But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.

Day Seven - Psalm 33:6-9

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.  He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

Day Six - Psalm 33:1-5

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.   Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.  For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.   The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

Day Five - Psalm 32:6-11

Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.  You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.  Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.  Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.  Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Day Four - Psalm 32:1-5

Of David. A maskil. Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.  When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.   For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Sela.  Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"--and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.