Monthly Archives: December 2023

PSALM 19

Devotion, ,

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the LORD are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalms 19

Psalm 19

Look up!  The skies above you tell a story!

The craftsmanship and skill of God declare;

Without a word, they spread abroad His glory,

His majesty and power laying bare.

The sun moves through the heavens, like a bridegroom

Hurrying to his wedding in the skies;

From east to west in radiant splendour shining,

Then hides himself from sunset to sunrise.

God’s laws are perfect, daily they protect us,

Make wise and give us joy and peace and light:

They never change, their goal is to perfect us,

To make us pure and holy in His sight.

Like gold, we treasure them, for they are sweeter

Than honey dripping from the honey comb:

They warn us, giving wisdom to the eater,

Success to all who listen well to them.

How can I know what hidden sins are lurking,

What secret faults are hidden in my heart?

O let your Holy Spirit keep on working;

From stubborn sins and wrongs keep me apart.

For only then can I be clean and guiltless

Of visible and outward crime and wrong:

O Lord, please let me think and speak of kindness

To give you joy and pleasure all day long.

PSALM 15

Christian Life, ,

LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the LORD;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken. Psalms 15

Psalm 15

Lord, who may go and refuge find

Within the Holy Place?

And who may climb your holy hill

And look into your face?

The one who leads a blameless life,

Who truly is sincere;

The one who will not evil speak

And gossip will not hear.

The one who cares for fellow men,

Who speaks against all sin;

Encourages God’s faithful ones

Whose lives are pure within.

He keeps his promise to his hurt;

He does not crush the poor

By charging interest on debt

Which they cannot endure.

He will not testify against

Those who are innocent;

No offered bribe is big enough

To change his pure intent.

This is the man who will be strong

‘Gainst evil all around;

His heart is anchored in his God

Where truth and right are found.

PSALM 14

Bible Study, ,

The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.


2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.


3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.


4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on the LORD.


5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.


6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.


7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 14

How foolish is the man who says,

“There is no God for me.”

Such talk comes from an evil heart;

‘Tis clear to all he has no part

Of those who truly see.

The Lord looks down from heaven to seek

True wisdom in mankind:

He longs for one with faithful walk,

A single one with honest talk,

But not one can He find.

What, no one!  All have strayed away,

All eaten up with sin,

Devouring other men like bread,

And pray? They might as well be dead!

They’re rotten out and in.

Sheer terror grips them when they come

To realize their plight,

For God is with the ones who’ve proved

That from His way they’ll not be moved,

No matter what the fight.

God is the refuge of the poor

And humble, when oppressed

By wicked men who scheme and plot

To spoil and overthrow the lot

Of those whom God has blessed.

Oh, that deliverance would come soon:

From Zion God will come

To save His people from distress,

To rescue them from wickedness

And joyfully take them home.

PSALM 2

Bible Study,

1 Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain. ”
7 I will proclaim the LORD’s decree:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.
8 Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will break them with a rod of iron;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery. ”
10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
12 Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Psalms 2

Psalm 2

What fools the nations are to rage

Against the Lord; how odd

That they should scheme and plot and try

Their best to outwit God.

A summit conference is called

To plot against the Lord:

They want to overthrow the rule

Of God, as if they could!

“Come, let us break His chains,” they say,

“Throw off this slavery;

We do not need God’s government:

Of Him we would be free.”

But God in heaven merely laughs

At puny little man.

They think that they can overthrow

God’s rule by their own plan!

With fury fierce, God’s mirthless laugh

To strong rebuke is turned.

Their hearts are filled with fear, for they

His King, His Christ, have spurned.

The Lord declares, “This is my king,

Enthroned on Zion’s hill!”

The Christ replies, “I shall declare

Your everlasting will.”

For you have said, “You are my Son;

“Tis coronation day.

Just ask of me and I will give

Whatever you may say.

For your inheritance I’ll give

To you earth’s farthest shores:

To rule them with an iron rod

The nations will be yours.”

So listen, rebel rulers, bow

To Christ, you earthly kings:

Serve God with reverential fear

And know the joy He brings.

Fall down and kiss the Son, before

His wrath sweeps you away:

How blessed are those who trust in Him

Forever and for aye.

PSALM 1

Christian Life, , ,

Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Psalms 1

Psalm 1

O the joys of those who do not

Follow evil men’s advice,

Keeping company with sinners,

Joining them at any price.

Their delight is in Jehovah;

Day and night they read His word:

‘Tis their joy to follow closely

All the precepts of the Lord.

Like the trees that grow and flourish

Planted by the water course –

They are rooted, ever strengthened

By God’s word, their secret source.

Bearing fruit, though all around them

Wither in the barren soil,

They draw up the hidden moisture

Without fret and without toil.

They stay green and fresh forever,

Caring not what comes their way;

People round them fade and wither,

Wilting in the evil day.

But for sinners who have nothing

To sustain them in the drought,

Just like chaff in blust’ry weather,

Blown away by fear and doubt,

On the fearful day of judgment,

When they’re called before the throne,

They won’t stand among the godly:

They will not be called His own.

Righteous ones will stand before Him;

Those who choose to walk His path:

Godless men cast out forever,

Left to face God’s fiery wrath.