Category Archives: Devotion

PSALM 84

Devotion,

How lovely is your dwelling place,
LORD Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
12 LORD Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.

Psalm 84

How lovely is your temple, Lord of hosts;

You welcome sparrows, swallows build their nest

Among your altars, there they raise their young:

‘Tis in your presence, Lord, I long to rest.

My King, my God, what pleasure in the hearts

Of those who make your temple their abode;

They sing your praises, strong and full of joy;

They follow in the footsteps of their God.

For them the Vale of Weeping holds no fear;

Their tears collect like pools of summer rain

To bless and bring refreshment on their way,

Your constant favour shining through their pain.

They grow in strength as each to Zion goes

To meet his God, to seek Him at His place:

O God, Jehovah, hear me as I pray,

Show me your mercy, your abundant grace.

I’d rather spend a single day with you,

A humble doorman in your temple be

Than live a thousand days with evil men

In pomp and wealth and godless luxury.

O God, you are our light, protector too;

Supplies of grace flow freely from your hand:

To those who choose to follow in your way

No good will you withhold, just as you planned.

What blessing comes to those, O Lord of hosts,

What joy abounds to all who trust in you:

You freely give your choicest gifts to them

And mercy follows mercy all life through.

PSALM 42

Devotion

As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon —from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42

My soul is like a thirsty deer

That pants for cooling streams:

I thirst for you, the living God,

I long to hear your healing word,

But you’re not there, it seems.

Both day and night I weep for help;

My foes keep poking fun,

“Where is this God?”  they taunt and jeer,

But O, my soul, you must not fear —

Your vict’ry will be won.

Remember (O, can I forget?)

Those celebration days!

You led the great procession to

The temple, yes, my soul, ‘twas you

That sang with joy and praise.

And now, my soul, why are you sad?

Why downcast and depressed?

Hope still in God, yes, I shall raise

My heart to Him in fervent praise —

His help will give me rest.

Yet at this moment, filled with gloom,

Discouraged, here I stand;

I choose to turn my thoughts to you,

To praise for help and blessings too

On this, your lovely land.

For floods of grief break over me

Like waves upon the shore;

Yet, day by day your steadfast love

Is lavished on me from above;

I could not ask for more.

And, sleepless, through the night I sing

Your songs of love and grace;

I pray to God who gives me life,

Who comes to help me in the strife;

O, show your lovely face.

“O God, my rock,”  I cry to you,

“Why have you left me, why?

Why must I suffer waves of scorn?

I feel forsaken, so forlorn;

O listen to my cry!”

They pierce with taunts like sharpened swords,

They scoff, “Where is this God?”

My soul, take heart and trust in Him

Let not you faith and hope grow dim,

For yet you’ll praise the Lord.

PSALM 45

Devotion, ,

My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
2 You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.
6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
8 All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.
9 Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.
10 Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The city of Tyre will come with a gift,
people of wealth will seek your favor.
13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber;
her gown is interwoven with gold.
14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her—
those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,
they enter the palace of the king.
16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

Psalm 45

There rises in my heart a song of joy,

A poem to my king, I will employ

My tongue to sing a song to honour you.

You are the fairest of them all, my Lord;

By God Himself you’re honoured and adored.

Your words are full of grace and they are true.

O Mighty One, take up your armour strong

Humility and truth to you belong:

Defend them, Glorious One, in your great might.

No enemy can stand before your face:

Your sharpened arrows pierce them in disgrace

Removing them forever from your sight.

O God, you rule eternal from your throne,

Your royal sceptre, justice, truth alone;

No evil there, yes, loving only good.

You’re drenched with gladness more than anyone,

The gift of God, the Father to His son:

Your joy has every evil thing withstood.

The fragrance of your garments draws me near

And in your palace, music soothes my ear;

Your beauty, love and peace embraces me.

Your queen, in splendour, stands beside her spouse:

“Fret not, O daughter, for your father’s house –

Your royal husband loves you passionately.”

Submit, then, to His love, O fairest one:

Let all your qualms and fears for aye be gone.

He is your Lord, submit to His embrace.

Your Bride, your princess, waits within her room,

So lovely, robed in splendour for her groom,

With eager longing yearns to see His face.

The festal train moves through the palace gates:

The king, in joyful expectation, waits

To seal their union, never more to part.

Your sons will some day rule the nations too:

The people of the world will honour you;

They’ll lift your name in praise with all their heart.

PSALM 27

Devotion, ,

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 the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
4 One thing I ask from the LORD,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7 Hear my voice when I call, LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face! ”
Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 27


 Lord, my light and my salvation,

Whom have I to fear?

You protect me from all danger,

You are always near.

Evil men may come against me,

They will trip and fall :

Mighty armies may confront me,

You come at my call.

One thing I desire from you,

For this joy I strive,

To behold you in your temple,

In your presence live.

There to gaze upon your beauty,

In your glory bask;

There to soak up your perfection,

This is all I ask.

Then when trouble comes upon me,

In your temple hide,

High upon a rock for safety

‘Neath your wings abide.

Enemies can never touch me

When I’m in your care,

Sheltered in your glorious presence,

I’m protected there.

I will bring you sacrifices,

Sing your praise with joy

When you listen to my pleading

And your help employ.

I have heard you calling to me,

“Come and seek my face.”

Now my heart will gladly answer,

“Yes, Lord, by your grace.”

Do not hide when I am seeking:

In your anger, turn:

Through my trials you have helped me,

For your help I yearn.

You’re the God of my salvation,

Don’t forsake me now:

Father, mother may abandon;

That you’ll never do.

Waiting enemies surround me! 

Tell me what to do.

Keep me from their wicked clutches

For I trust in you.

They accuse, though I’m not guilty,

Plotting cruelty.

Lord, I wait for your salvation;

Come and rescue me.

Hope wells up in expectation.

You will save me, Lord;

Once again I’ll see your goodness

Promised by your word.

O my soul, be not impatient;

Quietly wait for Him:

In His time He’ll come and save you,

Let not faith grow dim.



PSALM 23

Devotion, ,

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 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.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 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

Lord God, you are my Shepherd, I your sheep;

With ev’ry need and want supplied, I’m blessed:

In grassy meadows I can play and leap,

By quiet streams in peace I lie and rest.

My wayward heart you lovingly restore;

You lead me in the path that’s right for me;

E’en in life’s darkest vale you go before,

My help, my strength, my comforter to be.

I will not fear when you are close beside –

The way be dark, no terror grips my heart;

Your rod to check, your staff to be my guide,

No evil thing can keep from you apart.

You treat me to a feast of finest fare,

The oil of honour pour upon my brow;

My enemies can only stand and stare;

My cup of joy begins to overflow.

Your love and mercy follow everywhere,

Surrounding me with comfort, come what may –

You change my heart, your purpose to prepare

Me for your home, forever and for aye.