Category Archives: Morning Reflection

Morning Reflection 3/26/12 – Psalm 31

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Psalm 31

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 O LORD, I have come to you for protection;
don’t let me be disgraced.
Save me, for you do what is right.
2 Turn your ear to listen to me;
rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
a fortress where I will be safe.
3 You are my rock and my fortress.
For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.
4 Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me,
for I find protection in you alone.
5 I entrust my spirit into your hand.
Rescue me, LORD, for you are a faithful God.

6 I hate those who worship worthless idols.
I trust in the LORD.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love,
for you have seen my troubles,
and you care about the anguish of my soul.
8 You have not handed me over to my enemies
but have set me in a safe place.

9 Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am in distress.
Tears blur my eyes.
My body and soul are withering away.
10 I am dying from grief;
my years are shortened by sadness.
Sin has drained my strength;
I am wasting away from within.
11 I am scorned by all my enemies
and despised by my neighbors—
even my friends are afraid to come near me.
When they see me on the street,
they run the other way.
12 I am ignored as if I were dead,
as if I were a broken pot.
13 I have heard the many rumors about me,
and I am surrounded by terror.
My enemies conspire against me,
plotting to take my life. Continue reading →

Morning Reflection 3/23/12 – Psalm 30

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A psalm of David. A song for the dedication of the Temple.

1 I will exalt you, LORD, for you rescued me.
You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you restored my health.
3 You brought me up from the grave, O LORD.
You kept me from falling into the pit of death.
4 Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones!
Praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
6 When I was prosperous, I said,
“Nothing can stop me now!”
7 Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain.
Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.
8 I cried out to you, O LORD.
I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
9 “What will you gain if I die,
if I sink into the grave?
Can my dust praise you?
Can it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me.
Help me, O LORD.”
11 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
12 that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!

via Psalm 30 NLT | YouVersion.

It’s good to look back to see where we’ve been. That’s what David does here. He has had many troubles, faced many enemies, and prayed many prayers of distress. In this psalm, the one for the temple dedication, he looks back and sees God’s mighty presence. The times he felt alone, he was not. The times he was powerless, he was not. The times when he thought God had left him, God had not. Life is easier to figure out in the rear view mirror.  Continue reading →

Morning Reflection 3/22/12 – Psalm 29

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A psalm of David.

1 Honor the LORD, you heavenly beings;
honor the LORD for his glory and strength.
2 Honor the LORD for the glory of his name.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
3 The voice of the LORD echoes above the sea.
The God of glory thunders.
The LORD thunders over the mighty sea.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
5 The voice of the LORD splits the mighty cedars;
the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf;
he makes Mount Hermont leap like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD strikes
with bolts of lightning.
8 The voice of the LORD makes the barren wilderness quake;
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD twists mighty oaks
and strips the forests bare.
In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”
10 The LORD rules over the floodwaters.
The LORD reigns as king forever.
11 The LORD gives his people strength.
The LORD blesses them with peace.

via Psalm 29 NLT | YouVersion.

One of the sad things about my childhood is my mother worked, so in the summer I had to stay in the house. My parents did not want me wandering around the neighborhood without any type of supervision. The silver lining in this cloud of home detention was that The Andy Griffith show was on just about every day around lunch time. In the summer, I would spend my time watching the adventures of Andy, Barney, and all there the rest. I watched so many episodes that now, as an adult, I can tell what happens in any episode after watching about 30 seconds of it anywhere in the episode. Continue reading →

Morning Reflection 3/21/2012 – Psalm 28

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Prayer for Help and Thanksgiving for It

Of David.

1 To you, O Lord, I call;
my rock, do not refuse to hear me,
for if you are silent to me,
I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
2 Hear the voice of my supplication,
as I cry to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your most holy sanctuary.a
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who are workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors,
while mischief is in their hearts.
4 Repay them according to their work,
and according to the evil of their deeds;
repay them according to the work of their hands;
render them their due reward.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the Lord,
or the work of his hands,
he will break them down and build them up no more.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
for he has heard the sound of my pleadings.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts;
so I am helped, and my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
8 The Lord is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9 O save your people, and bless your heritage;
be their shepherd, and carry them forever.

via Psalm 28:4 (NRSV) – Biblia.com.

Where do you go when you need help? Where do you go when you need a friend? Where do you go when your world is crashing down around you? No matter what he was facing, David knew he could turn to God.

There are many places we can turn when we run into a rough patch in life. We might call a good friend, take some money out of our savings account, or pull out a credit card. I find those of us who are rich (which would be most anybody reading this, especially if you live in the US) have resources we can utilize when things get tough. Continue reading →

Morning Reflection 3/20/12 – Psalm 27

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Triumphant Song of Confidence

Of David.

 

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me

to devour my flesh—

my adversaries and foes—

they shall stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,

my heart shall not fear;

though war rise up against me,

yet I will be confident.

4 One thing I asked of the Lord,

that will I seek after:

to live in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the Lord,

and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter

in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;

he will set me high on a rock.

6 Now my head is lifted up

above my enemies all around me,

and I will offer in his tent

sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,

be gracious to me and answer me!

8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”

Your face, Lord, do I seek.

9 Do not hide your face from me.

Do not turn your servant away in anger,

you who have been my help.

Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,

O God of my salvation!

10 If my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,

and lead me on a level path

because of my enemies.

12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,

for false witnesses have risen against me,

and they are breathing out violence.

13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the Lord!

 

Trust is something that isn’t given. Trust is earned. Reading through the various psalms I find  that David knows that he can trust God, because God has always been trustworthy.

I tend to forget that God can be trusted. When the enemy crowds around and I fear that war is drawing near, fear starts telling me I’m alone. If I believe what fear tells me, I forget that God is trustworthy. The higher my fear, the lower my trust. However, the higher my trust, the lower my fear. When I trust God, fear flees.

David trusted God. That is why he is able to write what he does. That is why he is able to wait for the lord and take courage. God had “earned” his trust time and time again. No matter what was going on around him, David knew he could trust and he did.

 

Morning Reflection 3/19/12 – Psalm 26

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Plea for Justice and Declaration of Righteousness

Of David.

Psalm 26

Plea for Justice and Declaration of Righteousness

Of David.

1 Vindicate me, O Lord,

for I have walked in my integrity,

and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me;

test my heart and mind.

3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes,

and I walk in faithfulness to you.a

4 I do not sit with the worthless,

nor do I consort with hypocrites;

5 I hate the company of evildoers,

and will not sit with the wicked.

6 I wash my hands in innocence,

and go around your altar, O Lord,

7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,

and telling all your wondrous deeds.

8 O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell,

and the place where your glory abides. Continue reading →

Morning Reflection 3/16/12 – Psalm 25

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Prayer for Guidance and for Deliverance

Of David.

1To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
3Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

4Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
5Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.

6Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
7Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!

8Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
10All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

11For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12Who are they that fear the Lord? He will teach them the way that they should choose.

13They will abide in prosperity, and their children shall possess the land.
14The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them.
15My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

16Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
17Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring mea out of my distress.
18Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.

19Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20O guard my life, and deliver me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

22Redeem Israel, O God, out of all its troubles.

via Psalm 25:16 (NRSV) – Biblia.com.

I remember heading of town one day when I realized I didn’t have any money with me. Usually I don’t carry too much money, but I like to have something, especially when I’m leaving town. As I was wondering what I would do I realized that I still had a credit card. Society is at a place now that as long as I had a credit card with me, I believed I would be fine.

So, as I read this psalm, I have to wonder where is my trust? Is my trust in God, or have I placed my trust in my resources?

David’s trust was securely in God. I’m not sure mine always is. Perhaps this is why Jesus told the disciples that it was difficult for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God (Mark 10:25).

 

Morning Reflection 3/15/12 – Psalm 24

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Entrance into the Temple

Of David. A Psalm.

1 The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;
2 for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah

7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.Selah

via Psalm 24:5 (NRSV) – Biblia.com.

I still remember the days when my children would look at their brother or sister and cry out, “Mine!” If I ever heard this, I would try to soothe the situation, but it wasn’t always easy. One would cry out “mine!” and the other one would just cry. They both wanted the same thing, but it did belong to one of them.  Continue reading →

Morning Reflection 03/14/12 – Psalm 23

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The Divine Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

via Psalm 23 (NRSV) – Biblia.com.

In my experience Psalm 23 is the most requested scripture for funerals. In some cases, it is the only scripture the family knows. Psalm 23 seems to capture the imagination whether religious or not. It is a beautiful psalm of trust. Continue reading →

Morning Reflection 3/13/12 – Psalm 22

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Plea for Deliverance from Suffering and Hostility

To the leader: according to The Deer of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest.

3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
8 “Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”

9 Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
10 On you I was cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

12 Many bulls encircle me, strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
15 my mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.

16 For dogs are all around me; a company of evildoers encircles me. My hands and feet have shriveled;
17 I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.

19 But you, O Lord, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!

From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nationsshall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.

Disappointment can come at any time. We believed that God was with us. We knew of his love. Yet, amid the trouble surround us, God is silent. We pray and we pray, but no answers come. Darkness surrounds us. Is God going to answer? Will God come through?  Has God abandoned us? Continue reading →