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Psalm 92

Has anyone ever woken up in the morning to pray or lied down at night to pray and not found at least one thing to give thanks to God??  I know, me either.  In fact, it is 1,000% the opposite.  I bet anyone of us could sit down and write a list to last all day long of everything in our lives that we could thank God for.  I mean, He has given all of us everything that we have so far achieved or received. He brought us through yesterday, gave us this day today, and God willing that we wake up tomorrow and are blessed to praise Him for all we have again until our time on Earth is done.

Psalm 92 is a reminder of this, to be thankful while also being humble.  Sing about His love in the morning and His faithfulness at night.  There will never be a shortage of reasons for any of us to never give thanks to and worship God.  The cycle will repeat every day for the rest of your life.

What we see in the second half of this passage is familiar throughout many stories and messages in the bible.  The wicked always seem to flourish momentarily but it never lasts forever.  It’s the righteous who are always the last left standing.  Verse 12, “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon”.  This is God’s people, compared to those that seem to be doing great for a while but wither away, much like a weed.  Even when the tree gets older, it stays fruitful, fresh and full of life.

Verse 15, “The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him.”

 

“Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”

Psalm 90:14 is a heartfelt plea from Moses for renewal and joy in the midst of human frailty and divine judgment. Having reflected on the brevity of life and the weight of sin earlier in the psalm, Moses turns to God with a humble request — that His mercy would come early, filling the hearts of His people with satisfaction and gladness. The phrase “satisfy us early” speaks not only of urgency but also of a desire to begin each day anchored in God’s steadfast love. Moses understood that true joy does not come from possessions, achievements, or length of years, but from being satisfied in the mercy and presence of God Himself.

This verse reminds believers that while life is fleeting and uncertain, joy can be constant when rooted in divine mercy. Each morning becomes an opportunity to be filled anew with the assurance of God’s forgiveness and faithfulness. When our hearts are satisfied in Him first, even difficult seasons can be met with peace and gratitude.

For today’s Christian, Psalm 90:14 calls us to begin each day by seeking God’s mercy through prayer and reflection on His Word. It is an invitation to let His grace shape our outlook before the demands of the world take hold. In doing so, our hearts are steadied, our attitudes transformed, and our days filled with rejoicing — not because life is easy, but because God is enough.

Heavenly Father,
Satisfy my heart this morning with Your mercy and love. Before the noise of the day begins, fill me with the joy that comes only from knowing You. Teach me to find my contentment not in what I achieve, but in Your steadfast presence.

When I am weary, remind me that Your compassion is new every morning. When I am anxious, let Your mercy quiet my spirit. May the joy of Your salvation steady me through every challenge, and may my words and actions reflect the gladness that comes from walking with You.

Lord, help me to live each day aware of how brief life is, but also how rich it can be when spent in Your grace. Let Your favor rest upon me and establish the work of my hands for Your glory.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Written with the assistance of ChatGPT

2^nd Thess. 1

Both Paul’s first letter and his second letter deal heavily with eschatology, or the study of end times. Paul is trying to clarify some misunderstandings that the believers in Thessalonica had about the rapture and Jesus’ second coming to the earth. The emphasis of this first chapter of Paul’s second letter is to provide some comfort and hope for this church which is suffering some intense persecution. Despite the hardship, persecution, and suffering this church was facing, Paul commends them for their growing faith and love for one another. A common theme throughout the church in history is that when persecution runs rampant, faith grows. When persecution is nonexistent, faith is weakened. It is because persecution refines the faith of the church the same way that fire refines and purifies gold. It makes you worthy of the kingdom of God in the sense of sanctification, not justification (v.6).

Sometimes it is hard to trust that God is just when you are suffering persecution and you don’t see immediate vengeance. Passages like this help us to cling to the truth that God will make every wrong right when He returns. Sin requires a punishment. Either you pay that punishment or you let Jesus pay that punishment on the cross by surrendering your life to Him. God promises that those who do evil and don’t obey the gospel will suffer a painful punishment from Jesus’ presence and from the glory of His power. What does this passage encourage the believer who is suffering persecution to do?

1. Cling to the hope of eventual rest (v.7)
2. Consider your persecutions an opportunity to witness (v.4)
3. Count your persecutions as a purifier of your faith (v.5)

God will take vengeance. He is a just God. Be patient in your tribulation. He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Today’s Reading: Psalm 88

From the beginning of time, darkness has always held a mystery. But that mystery was revealed and solved by God’s light.

“The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We have been conditioned to be afraid of the dark. There are many things that happen in the dark when you’re not able to see your surroundings. The uncertainty of your environment creates a sense of unnerving and suspense. These thoughts have been used over the millennium to create distractions and anxiety . In today’s psalm, there’s nothing but fear and isolation and a cry out to God.

“For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭88‬:‭3‬-‭7‬, ‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

But if we look at darkness through a different lens, darkness has some positive aspects.

In darkness … there is shelter.

In darkness … there is peace.

In darkness … there is rest. 

When you have a relationship with God, the darkness is not as scary as it could be. But the darkness does give you a chance to reset and reflect upon your situation or your circumstance.

Darkness can be a place of shelter.  Many times when David was fleeing his enemies, he would go into a cave and he will get shelter. He was in darkness, but he was safe. 

“And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In this story, David is in the cave and Saul is right in front of him. David is so close to him that he was able to get a piece of his garment. David was safe in the darkness. David has shelter in the darkness.  Darkness can give us peace from the chaos and hustle of the day. In darkness, we are able to disconnect and be in unison with God. 

Darkness can give us peace.  Jesus advises us to go into our closet and pray to God. This is where you are isolated in the darkness and you are able to communicate and focus on God. In the darkness, you are able to receive peace.

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In darkness, you can get rest. At the end of the day when you are tired or frustrated and you find a dark place to rest. Your body becomes rejuvenated and your spirit becomes refreshed.

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭23‬:‭2‬, ‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In many aspects of our life, we can see the situation through many perspectives. But when we allow God to open our vision in our perspective, we can see things differently. Things that we used to fear and become distraught, now we can see God‘s work in them and allow his work to be with us. 

May you be able to best restful, at peace, and comforted and safe in the darkness and allow God’s presence be your strength and comfort. 

Be blessed 

Psalm 87

When I hear the word Zion, I shudder. Internally, I translate it to Zionists and Zionism. Those words, in the context of modern world affairs, stir images of rage, hate, bigotry, and nationalism. That’s part of what’s broken in our culture. We take good and pure things and turn them rotten. I think that’s exactly how Satan works. He trades truth for lies (Romans 1:25) and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20).

This becomes clear to me when I read Psalm 87.

On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God. — Psalm 87:1–3 (ESV)

I don’t get past verse 2 without feeling it. That word Zion catches in my throat. Is this how it all started?

The answer is both no and yes. No, because the Zion I hear about on the news is not the Zion of Scripture. But yes, because the original Zion, the place where God chose to dwell, is where the story begins. To understand it, we need a full picture of what Zion truly is.

Zion is a hill in Jerusalem, not just any hill, but the one where God established His dwelling. There, His people gathered to worship. Yet Psalm 87 reveals something remarkable. The city’s register includes names from far beyond Israel: Rahab (Egypt), Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush (v. 4). Nations once known for slavery, pride, and sin are written as if they were born there. Even Babylon, later described in Revelation 17:5 as “the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth,” is named among those who belong.

How can that be? Because Zion isn’t about who controls the ground; it’s about who is welcomed home. It isn’t about who has sinned and who has not. We all have. Zion points higher to God’s presence among His people and His desire to gather the nations to Himself.

Zion is a picture of Jesus. Through Him, we are purified and made worthy to live in God’s presence. He writes our names in His book, making us citizens of His eternal city, permanent residents in His household, together on that holy hill where God dwells with His people.

Psalm 85

As you read through Psalm 85, it shows two sides of God.  First, God’s anger against sin then secondly, God’s salvation that restores sinners and fills them with righteousness.  This psalm follows up after God’s people had been disciplined from what I can tell in earlier psalms, the people of Israel.  God’s anger had been directed to his people but now things seemed to be cooling off, and everyone was repenting and asking God for forgiveness.

The psalmist voices how things are getting hard again.  They are praying for God to not turn his back on them and instead show them mercy and help them once more.  Basically saying, the people that love and honor you are here for you to rescue them again.

Verses 10 thru 13 paraphrased: “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.  Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.  The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.  Righteousness will go before Him and make His footsteps a way.”

I have heard a prime example of when righteousness and peace kiss each other is when Jesus died on the cross for our sins.  When Jesus died for our sins, we are able to be declared righteous and that brings us into a relationship of peace with God.  Here, we see the reunion with righteousness and peace.  The righteousness bestowed on us and the peace that comes with that need never be separated or estranged again if our trust remains in Jesus.

Psalm 85 is a perfect prayer for anyone hoping for renewal, whether in their family, community, business, or nation.  It is about remembering God’s past faithfulness, owning our need for change, and asking Him to revive hope and blessing in our lives again.

“Do not be silent, O God!” (Psalm 83:1)

In Psalm 83, Asaph cries out in desperation as Israel is beset by enemies who conspire for its annihilation. He prays not for self-glory, but for God’s name to be vindicated—and for deliverance from an overwhelming threat. Toward the end he says: “that they may seek Your name, O Lord … that they may know that You alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.” (vv. 16,18) 

Today, as many await the freeing of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, this psalm takes on fresh emotional and spiritual resonance. The hostages represent innocent lives caught in the crossfire of forces far greater than themselves. Their families have prayed, pleaded, and waited, sometimes in utter silence. The expectation of their release brings hope that God may yet act dramatically in the realm of nations and suffering.

From Psalm 83 we learn:

• Cry boldly to God: Don’t hesitate to bring anguish, injustice, and longing before Him. “Do not be silent” is a sacred permission to pour out our hearts.
• Trust in God’s justice: The psalmist calls on God to thwart conspiracies and to scatter foes as chaff. When political and military power seem overwhelming, divine intervention remains possible.
• Aim for transformation, not just rescue: The ultimate end in Psalm 83 is that the nations would come to know God. So in praying for the hostages, we pray not only for their safe return, but for hearts to turn, for darkness to give way.

Let us pray:

Sovereign Lord, hear our cry and break the chains that bind these precious lives. Do not hide Your face. Grant deliverance that glorifies You. May those released know afresh Your mercy. Let this moment draw many to seek Your name and to acknowledge You as Most High. Amen.