Category: “Listening to God” Devotional

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Psalms+104

 

Psalm 104 (ESV)

O Lord My God, You Are Very Great

¹⁰ You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
they flow between the hills;
¹¹ they give drink to every beast of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
¹² Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
they sing among the branches.
¹³ From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

¹⁴ You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
¹⁵ and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.

¹⁶ The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
¹⁷ In them the birds build their nests;
the stork has her home in the fir trees.
¹⁸ The high mountains are for the wild goats;
the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

¹⁹ He made the moon to mark the seasons;
the sun knows its time for setting.
²⁰ You make darkness, and it is night,
when all the beasts of the forest creep about.
²¹ The young lions roar for their prey,
seeking their food from God.
²² When the sun rises, they steal away
and lie down in their dens.
²³ Man goes out to his work
and to his labor until the evening.

²⁴ O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
²⁵ Here is the sea, great and wide,
which teems with creatures innumerable,
living things both small and great.
²⁶ There go the ships,
and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.

²⁷ These all look to you,
to give them their food in due season.
²⁸ When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
²⁹ When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
when you take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.
³⁰ When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.

³¹ May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works,
³² who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke!
³³ I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
³⁴ May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the Lord.
³⁵ Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord!

 

REFLECTION:

1. This psalm celebrates God’s creation and sustenance of the world. The structure of this psalm parallels that of Genesis 1, taking the stages of creation as starting points for praise. It is well to read it as a commentary on Genesis 1, not to explain how God created, but to celebrate the wonder of His works.
2. God’s lavish and orderly care for all the creatures brings them joy, and they rely on this steady care day-to-day. (vv27-30) We do well to marvel at the creation and bless God for the power, wisdom and generosity we see in it. Thus to avert our tendency of complacency, self-sufficiency, and even a false sense of entitlement, we do well to remember that each moment, each breath, after all, is a gift from God.
3. When have you enjoyed some aspect of the natural rhythms described here? As you meditate on what God has made, how would you like to respond to God?

 

PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

 

HYMN:

I Will Be Glad in the Lord – www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAgFkQxucdo

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Psalms+103

 

Psalm 103 (ESV)

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

Of David.

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
² Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
³ who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵ who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
⁸ The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹ He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
¹⁰ He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
¹³ As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
¹⁴ For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
¹⁶ for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
¹⁷ But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
¹⁸ to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
¹⁹ The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.

²⁰ Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
²¹ Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
²² Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

 

REFLECTION:

1. This psalm is perhaps the best-known and best-loved of all the hymns. David called on himself to bless the LORD wholeheartedly because of all His many blessings. To “bless the LORD” means to thank Him because He is the source of all blessings.
2. David set down a list of God’s blessings: God forgives our sins and heals our diseases. (v3) He preserves our lives and crowns us with love and compassion. (v4) He satisfies our desires with good things. (v5) He works justice for the oppressed. (v6) He made known His ways to Moses and revealed Himself in mighty acts. (v7) He is compassionate and slow to anger. (v8) He does not treat us as our sins deserve. (v10)
3. And still there is more. Far too much to record in this brief meditation.
4. But if life ever seems hard and the future so bleak that you can see nothing but darkness ahead, turn to this psalm and read it to be reminded of God’s goodness and faithfulness to you.
5. Read this psalm again slowly and allow yourself to be immersed in God’s love and goodness to you. Continue a conversation with God about what you are feeling right now.

 

PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

 

HYMN:

Psalm 103 – www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B2HRkdYMzY

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Psalms+102

 

Psalm 102 (ESV)

Do Not Hide Your Face from Me

A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord.

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry come to you!
² Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call!

³ For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
⁴ My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
I forget to eat my bread.
⁵ Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my flesh.
⁶ I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,
like an owl of the waste places;
⁷ I lie awake;
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
⁸ All the day my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
⁹ For I eat ashes like bread
and mingle tears with my drink,
¹⁰ because of your indignation and anger;
for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
¹¹ My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.

¹² But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever;
you are remembered throughout all generations.
¹³ You will arise and have pity on Zion;
it is the time to favor her;
the appointed time has come.
¹⁴ For your servants hold her stones dear
and have pity on her dust.
¹⁵ Nations will fear the name of the Lord,
and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
¹⁶ For the Lord builds up Zion;
he appears in his glory;
¹⁷ he regards the prayer of the destitute
and does not despise their prayer.

¹⁸ Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:
¹⁹ that he looked down from his holy height;
from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
²⁰ to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to set free those who were doomed to die,
²¹ that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord,
and in Jerusalem his praise,
²² when peoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.

²³ He has broken my strength in midcourse;
he has shortened my days.
²⁴ “O my God,” I say, “take me not away
in the midst of my days—
you whose years endure
throughout all generations!”

²⁵ Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
²⁶ They will perish, but you will remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
²⁷ but you are the same, and your years have no end.
²⁸ The children of your servants shall dwell secure;
their offspring shall be established before you.

 

REFLECTION:

1. Grief is an experience of deep sorrow over a significant loss. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, a job, our health or our home, the physical, emotional and spiritual suffering is intense. This psalm speaks our anguish to God in times of grief.
2. The psalmist felt a desperate need for the Lord’s immediate intervention in his painful situation. His sorrow had made his bones ache; his emotional state was affecting his physical condition. His enemies ridiculed him continually.  He believed his life was ending and felt as if God was shortening his life. (v23)
3. Yet, in contrast to his own sorrow, he showed confidence that God will rebuild Zion even in the midst of tragedy. Israel will see the fulfillment of its dearest hopes that even the nations will gather in Zion to worship and obey God. The God who is “enthroned forever” and outlasts heaven and earth will see to it. Such faith builds hope when disaster would tear us down. (vv12-22, 25-28)
4. Express your feelings of grief to God and pray for others you know who are grieving.

 
PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

 

HYMN:

Song of David – www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNIN1jis_RU

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Psalms+101

 

Psalm 101 (ESV)

I Will Walk with Integrity

A Psalm of David.

1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
to you, O Lord, I will make music.
² I will ponder the way that is blameless.
Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
within my house;
³ I will not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
it shall not cling to me.
⁴ A perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will know nothing of evil.

⁵ Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly
I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart
I will not endure.

⁶ I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he who walks in the way that is blameless
shall minister to me.

⁷ No one who practices deceit
shall dwell in my house;
no one who utters lies
shall continue before my eyes.

⁸ Morning by morning I will destroy
all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all the evildoers
from the city of the Lord.

 

REFLECTION:

1. This is a prayer of David’s resolution to walk a blameless path. David is committed to live in a way that pleased God. He may have written this psalm early in his reign as king as he set down the standards he wanted to follow. David knew that, to lead a blameless life, he would need God’s help. (v2)
2. We can lead blameless lives if we avoid (1) looking at wickedness (v3), (2) evil thoughts (v4), (3) slander (v5), and (4) pride (v5). While avoiding these wrongs, we must also let God’s Word show us the standards by which to live.
3. Where in your thoughts and deeds do you need to change?
4. David said that he would keep his “eye on the godly.” In other words, he would choose as models and as friends those who were godly and truthful. Our friends and associates can have a profound influence on our lives. Make sure to keep your eyes on those who are faithful to God and His Word.
5. Who are the faithful and godly that you “will look with favour on”? (v6) How would they have a positive influence on your life?

 

PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

 

HYMN:

I Will – www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_0DpwqaaL8

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Psalms+100

 

Psalm 100 (ESV)

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

A Psalm for giving thanks.

1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
² Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

³ Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

⁵ For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

 

REFLECTION:

1. The psalmist invited God’s people to approach the Lord with joy. We can serve God gladly because He is the creator, and we can worship Him thankfully because He is good and faithful.
2. We appreciate the fact that our God is the sovereign God. And acknowledge that He has created us and that we are not self-made individuals. We belong to Him, and we partake of what He graciously provides for us.
3. In response, we are called to enter into worship with thanksgiving in our hearts and live with liberating trust in God. We are to confess that God’s steadfast love and faithfulness will never fail. This opens the way for us to be joyful and glad.
4. How might it help you personally to “know that the LORD is God,” that you are made by Him, and “the sheep of His pasture”?
5. God is inviting you to worship Him with gladness. Offer a brief song or poem or prayer of worship or praise to God.

 

PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

 

HYMN:

Enter In – www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1gETAmOejs

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Psalms+099

 

Psalm 99 (ESV)

The Lord Our God Is Holy

1 The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
² The Lord is great in Zion;
he is exalted over all the peoples.
³ Let them praise your great and awesome name!
Holy is he!
⁴ The King in his might loves justice.
You have established equity;
you have executed justice
and righteousness in Jacob.
⁵ Exalt the Lord our God;
worship at his footstool!
Holy is he!

⁶ Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.
They called to the Lord, and he answered them.
⁷ In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;
they kept his testimonies
and the statute that he gave them.

⁸ O Lord our God, you answered them;
you were a forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
⁹ Exalt the Lord our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for the Lord our God is holy!

 

REFLECTION:

1. This psalm celebrates the Lord as the great and holy king in Zion. It repeatedly calls the people of God to worship, to tremble, to be overwhelmed by the God who is with us but is set apart from us.
2. Other songs celebrate God as king for His acts of creation and deliverance. This one focuses more on God’s character as one who is just, who answers those who call for help, who forgives and establishes justice all at once, who is holy.
3. God is terribly awesome and holy, forgiving and punishing.  What does God expect you to do in response to His holy character and righteous decrees?
4. This psalm invites us to tremble, praise, exalt and worship this Lord. How do you do that each day?
5. Let the awe of knowing this holy God sink in. Pray for a desire to be and do and love the things that characterize this holy God.

 

PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

 

HYMN:

Psalm 99 – www.youtube.com/watch?v=113XpysHskA

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Psalms+098

 

Psalm 98 (ESV)

Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord

A Psalm.

1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
² The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
³ He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.

⁴ Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
⁵ Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
⁶ With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

⁷ Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it!
⁸ Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together
⁹ before the Lord, for he comes
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

 

REFLECTION:

1. This psalm celebrates the marvel of God’s love, faithfulness, and righteousness, which bond together to win glory for “the ends of the earth.” (This psalm inspired Isaac Watts to write the hymn “Joy to the World!”) The chorus is joined by the sea and all in it, the world and all living things in it, the rivers and mountains as well.
2. When the Lord comes to earth to reign, God’s salvation appears. We, along with all creation, will at last be set free. It is with this anticipation of a future victory that the psalmist called on his readers to praise God.
3. Do you ever “cut loose” in joyful expression? Or do you sing your songs to God like a quiet ballad?
4. In your next cell meeting, sing some favorite praise songs together. Try to use some instruments, even if some homemade instruments, clapping hands, stomping feet. Really make a LOUD and JOYFUL NOISE to the Lord. After all, His coming will be a good thing for humankind. We who are believers should rejoice greatly as we anticipate it, and we should pray for its arrival.

 

PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

 

HYMN:

Sing Unto the Lord – www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbOd8Uc8Js0

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Psalms+097

 

Psalm 97 (ESV)

The Lord Reigns

1 The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
² Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
³ Fire goes before him
and burns up his adversaries all around.
⁴ His lightnings light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
⁵ The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.

⁶ The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
⁷ All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
worship him, all you gods!

⁸ Zion hears and is glad,
and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
because of your judgments, O Lord.
⁹ For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰ O you who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the lives of his saints;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
¹¹ Light is sown for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
¹² Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!

 

REFLECTION:

1. The foundation of God’s rule is justice and righteousness. This psalm is vibrant with a sense of awe at God’s greatness. That greatness is displayed in a righteousness which establishes justice, punishes the wicked, and delivers the upright who hate evil.
2. This psalmist describes the appearance of God in glory in vivid word pictures: clouds and thick darkness, fire, lightning, trembling earth and the melting of mountains. They depict God’s awesome power, His consuming judgment, and the Lord’s coming to earth.
3. What word pictures can you use to describe God’s appearance in your life?
4. Since God loves righteousness and hates evil, it is only fitting that those who love Him should hate evil. By doing so, they will receive His blessing rather than His discipline. If we live a righteous life we are promised both light to guide us and joy to accompany us.
5. Which description fits you the closest: (1) Hater of evil? (2) Faithful? (3) Religious? (4) Upright in heart? Which would you like to be? Speak with God about it.

 

PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

 

HYMN:

The Foundation of God’s Home – www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_gSwDwEJt0

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Psalms+096

 

Psalm 96 (ESV)

Worship in the Splendor of Holiness

1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
² Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
³ Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
⁴ For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
⁵ For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
⁶ Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

⁷ Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
⁸ Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
⁹ Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!

¹⁰ Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”

¹¹ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
¹² let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
¹³ before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

 

REFLECTION:

1. This psalm is vibrant with shouts of joy as God approaches to “judge the world in righteousness.” It is a portrait of God’s children lining the streets, with arms open, jumping up and down in excitement as the Lord approaches.
2. If our own relationship with the Lord is warm and close, this psalm will excite us too. The Lord is near! He’s coming back soon! And we are lining the street, eager to meet Him and filled with a great joy!
3. In light of this universal call to worship, think of those around you and on the other side of the globe. What does this psalmist prompt you to do about those who don’t know God?
4. Pray for someone who does not yet know God. Pray about inviting that person to join you in worship.

 
PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

 

HYMN:

Psalm 96 – www.youtube.com/watch?v=mudGglaGnqs

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Psalms+095

 

Psalm 95 (ESV)

Let Us Sing Songs of Praise

1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
² Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
³ For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
⁴ In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
⁵ The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.

⁶ Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
⁷ For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice,
⁸ do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
⁹ when your fathers put me to the test
and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
¹⁰ For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart,
and they have not known my ways.”
¹¹ Therefore I swore in my wrath,
“They shall not enter my rest.”

 

REFLECTION:

1. This psalm celebrates God as the great king. We acknowledge His lordship by responding when we hear His voice. Only by showing respect to God as King and Lord, and obeying His voice, can we find rest.
2. This psalm recalls Israel’s refusal during the Exodus to obey God and enter the Promised Land. That failure to obey led to 40 years of wandering in a wilderness until an entire generation died.
3. Imagine life for you without God’s promised rest. If your life and well-being were constantly threatened with adversaries in the land where you live and work, what would you be praying for? During those times in your past when your heart strayed from God’s ways (v10), how did God bring you back to Himself?
4. As you listen to God’s voice “today” (v7), what is He saying to you?
5. Whatever the past or present circumstances of your relationship with Him may be, this psalm invites you to come into God’s presence today. Try kneeling in His presence, acknowledging Him as Lord of your life, even during those times you have strayed. Soften your heart and give Him the praise and thanksgiving He deserves.

 

PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

 

HYMN:

Psalm 95 – www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfaucp65djc