Backgrounder: Psalms 60, 61,
63-65 are laments. Watch out
for the cry the “O God” in which
the psalmist stands upon the
promises of God in the face of
defeat, discouragement & deceit.
Through it all the psalmist finds
that God is a praise-worthy
refuge (Psalm 62, 66).
Praise be to God Our Refuge:
My soul wait silently for God,
for my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my
salvation; He is my defense;
I shall not be moved. Trust
in Him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to Him,
for God (Elohim) is our refuge
(Machase Lanu) – Psa 62:5-8.
Lord, You are our refuge and
You are absolutely trustworthy.
Thank You for shielding us as
we face life’s troubles and for
going through them with us.
And we can rise and stand
upright despite what life may
send us for You are our refuge.
We praise You in Jesus’ name.
Elohim Machase Lanu, I don’t
always run to You when I should,
especially when I feel vulnerable.
I turn instead to things I can see to
help me; or to things that distract
me rather than going to You.
Forgive me Lord for not always
acknowledging You as my
strong tower & refuge. Amen.
Lord, guard my life and guide me
away from dangerous situations.
But You’ve warned us that in this
life we will face trials, so I know
sometimes I will be in great need.
Do something to get my attention
to remind me to look to You
and from looking to someone
other than You to be my refuge.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
Psalms 55-59 capture the emotions
of King David during some of his
most difficult days. Notice David
frank petitions and confident trust
in God in the wake of being betrayed
(Ps 55), broken-hearted (Ps 56)
and pursued (Ps 57 and Ps 59).
Through it all David knows there
is a reward for the righteous and
God judges in the earth (Ps 58).
Praise be to Elohim Chasdi:
Deliver me from my enemies,
O my God; defend me from
those who rise up against me…
(And) I will sing of Your power;
Yes, I will sing of Your mercy.
For You have been my defense
and refuge in the day of trouble.
O my strength, I will sing praise
to You; for God is my stronghold,
the God (Elohim) who shows
me lovingkindness (Chasdi)
(Psalm 59:1 & 16-17).
Lord Elohim Chasdi, we praise You
for You are truly gracious and abounding in lovingkindness.
As far as east is from the west,
this is how far You have removed
our transgressions from us.
And as a father has compassion
on his children, so You have
compassion on those who fear You.
Thank You Lord for Your acts of
lovingkindness. In Jesus’ name.
Lord, I confess I don’t always
look to You as my stronghold
but rather attempt to solve
problems on my own strength.
Forgive me for neglecting
to make You the focal point
point when I am facing trials.
Forgive me for turning to other
means for comfort instead of
turning to You for strength and
Your lovingkindness. Amen.
Elohim Chasdi, give me a deeper
experience of Your goodness,
kindness and faithfulness.
And then in fully knowing You,
help me express Your goodness,
kindness & faithfulness to others.
As You minister to others thru me,
fill me up with the fullness of
Your lovingkindness each day.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Psalms 55-59 capture the emotions
of King David during some of his
most difficult days. Notice David
frank petitions and confident trust
in God in the wake of being betrayed
(Ps 55), broken-hearted (Ps 56)
and pursued (Ps 57 and Ps 59).
Through it all David knows there
is a reward for the righteous and
God judges in the earth (Ps 58:11).
Praise be to Elohe Chaseddi:
Deliver me from my enemies,
O my God; defend me from
those who rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers
of iniquity, and save me from
bloodthirsty men (Ps 59:1-2).
I will wait for You, O my Strength;
for God is my defense. My God
of mercy (Elohe Chaseddi)
will meet me; God will let me look
triumphantly upon my foes (v9-10)
Lord Chaseddi, Thank U in Yr loving
kindness, You have shown mercy.
In Your mercy, You have withdrawn
Yr fury & turned from burning anger.
Thank You Lord for forgiving my
iniquity & covering all of our sins.
Thank You for showing us mercy
and empowering us turn from folly.
Surely Lord Your mercy is near
to those who fear You. Amen.
Lord Chaseddi, I confess sometimes
of taking too lightly of Your Mercy.
Because of Your Mercy, I have been
given 2nd chance after 2nd chance.
You have shown me forgiveness
and withheld full consequences
that my actions would deserve.
Forgive me for not remembering
what You spared me from and for
not giving full devotion of my heart.
Lord Chaseddi, in Your Mercy
and compassion, You have given
us great and powerful promises.
In Your mercy, equips us to live in
peace, untroubled by fear of harm.
Through the gift of Your mercy,
grant us peace of mind and heart
so that we will not be troubled
or afraid. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Psalms 42-49 are attributed to
the sons of Korah, descendants
of the man who died for his
rebellion against Moses (Num 16).
One part of this family became
the temple doorkeepers (1Chr 9:19)
while another became the singers
and musicians in the temple
(1 Chron 6:31-33, 37).
Praise be to the Lord of My Life:
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I’ll yet
praise him, my Savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember You…
By day the Lord directs His love,
at night His song is with me –
a prayer to the God of My Life
– El Hayyay (Psalm 42:5-8).
Lord El Hayyay, when it is dark
You light the way and give comfort.
Yet at times I just cannot see the
goodness before me because
my eyes are dulled by darkness.
But in those times, You ask me
to have faith in You and to cling
to Your Word, so that when the
sun rises, I will see the greatness
of Your goodness in my life. Amen.
Lord El Hayyay, sometimes I have
questioned more than I should.
Forgive me for doubting Your heart
when I couldn’t see Your hand or
when Your ways seemed confusing.
Forgive me for not resting in
Your name, El Hayyay, the God
of my life and for trying to be
in charge of my life myself.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen
Lord El Hayyay, open my ears
to hear from You; and soften
my heart to discern Your Spirit.
Help my eyes to recognise when
You are weaving something new
in my life. Help me remember
You are sovereign and nothing
happens to me that doesn’t
first pass through Your hands.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Paul’s second missionary journey
begins with a new companion
– Silas. But the team soon doubles
in size as Timothy is added
at Lystra and Luke at Troas.
Initially given a warm reception
in Philippi, Paul and Silas
soon experience flogging and
imprisonment for disrupting the
profitable soothsaying business.
But God uses even this to bring
a jailer and his family to salvation.
Lord, Paul’s missionary adventures
show us the gospel should not be
confined to one corner of the world
but the hope be offered to all people.
And Paul’s second church-planting
journey shows the apostle at work
bringing the gospel to some of the
most significant cities of their time.
Learning from Paul, we too should
also venture forth and share this
heroic task to witness for Christ.
As we seek to join You at work
Lord, we Seek Your Presence;
Lord, we Seek Your Deliverance;
Lord, we Seek Your Support. Amen.
Lord, we Seek Your Deliverance:
Around midnight, Paul and Silas
were praying and Singing Hymns
to God, and the other prisoners
were listening. Suddenly, there
was a great earthquake and
the prison was shaken to its
foundations. All the doors flew
open, and the chains of every
prisoner fell off (Acts 16:25-26).
Lord, we praise U for Your mighty
power in our lives. We magnify
Your Name for there is none like U!
When I look at my circumstances
and am tempted to give up,
remind me of the example of
Paul & Silas and how U intervened
for them. Then put words of Praise
in my mouth. For You are my hope
in the midst of trouble. Amen.
Lord, we Seek Your Presence:
(God) Himself gives all men life
and breath and everything else.
From one man He made every
nation of men, that they should
inhabit the whole earth; and He
determined the times set for them
and the exact places where they
should live. God did this so that
men should seek Him… reach
out for Him and find Him, though
He is not far from each one of us.
For in Him we live and move and
have our being (Acts 17:25-28).
Lord, I know You are constantly
watching us, protecting us and
even sharing Your thots with us.
In You Lord, we live and move
and exist. Help us Lord to become
a noticer of Your Presence and
acknowledge You in every situation.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord, we Seek Your Support:
One night the Lord spoke to Paul
in a vision: Do not be afraid; keep
on speaking… For I am with you, and
no one is going to harm you…So Paul
stayed for a year and a half, teaching
them the word of God (Acts 18:9-11).
Apollos… with thorough knowledge
of the Scriptures… taught about
Jesus accurately, though he knew
only the baptism of John. He began
to speak boldly in the synagogue.
When Priscilla & Aquila heard him,
they invited him to their home and
explained to him the way of God
more adequately (Acts 18:24-26).
Lord, it will be great to experience
like Apostle Paul Your support and
encouragement to do Your work.
Challenge us to know well the Scriptures, full of zeal and learn
continually. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Just as Jerusalem has been the
center for Jewish evangelism,
so Syrian Antioch becomes the
center for Gentile evangelism.
Peter who has played leadership
role in the first 12 chapters, now
gives up the spotlight to Paul,
whose travels & trials will dominate
the last 16 chapters of the book.
Acts 13 marks the start of Paul’s
missionary career, initiated not by
personal choice but divine calling.
Returning to Antioch at the end
of their first missionary journey,
Paul and Barnabas report to their
home church and seek to resolve
the issue of including Gentiles in
the previously all-Jewish church.
Lord, Paul’s missionary adventures
show us the gospel should not be
confined to one corner of the world
but the hope be offered to all people.
Help us Lord not have silo mentality
with interest only in self and family;
but instead venture forth to witness
for Christ and further Your kingdom.
Lord, we Seek Your Purpose;
Lord, we Seek Your Empowerment;
Lord, we Seek Your Restoration.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord, we Seek Your Purpose:
As they ministered to the Lord
and fasted, the Holy Spirit said:
Now separate to Me Barnabas
and Saul for the work to which
I have called them. Then having
fasted and prayed and laid hands,
they sent them away (Acts 13:2-3).
Lord, I learn my calling is revealed
in prayer; and I know it is defined
within a church body of believers
with whom I can grow with others.
Revealed to me the role in the
church body You want me to be
so that I can minister with others in
unity and be refined by Your Spirit.
And enable me to be set apart for
the work You have for me. Amen.
Lord, we Seek Your Empowerment:
Paul & Banabas returned to Lystra,
Iconium and Antioch, strengthening
the souls of the disciples, exhorting
them to continue in the faith… So
when they had appointed elders
in every church and Prayed With
Fasting, they commended them
to the Lord (Acts 14:21-23).
Lord, I realise whenever important
decisions had to be made, prayer
are often accompanied by fasting.
Lord, I know when I fast and pray
my prayers can gain new power.
Help me Lord to do that whenever
I have to make important decisions
and need to have Your guidance.
Help me to restart the discipline of
fasting & make me ready to handle
the opportunities ahead. Amen.
Lord, we Seek Your Restoration:
This conversion of Gentiles is
exactly what the prophets predicted.
As it is written: Afterwards I will
return and restore the fallen house
of David. I will rebuild its ruins
and restore it, so that the rest
of humanity might seek the Lord,
including the Gentiles – all those
I’ve called to be mine (Acts 15:15-17)
Lord Jesus, You came into the world
and began the restoration process
by calling a believing remnant
of Israel to Himself and sending
them out to invite the Gentiles in.
Gracious God, You are still at work
reclaiming Your people from ruins.
Come into our ruins Lord, and do
Your work of rebuilding & restoring.
And may Your gracious renovation
of our lives be a light to those around
us in need of Your restoration. Amen.
The purpose of Psalms is to provide
poetry for the expression of praise,
worship and confession to God.
Psalms Book 2 is similar to Exodus
as many of these psalms describe
Israel as ruined and then recovered.
This week we understand God better
thru His revelation of names, mostly
related to His ability to meet needs.
On Monday, we learn from
Ps 42 about the God of My Life.
On Tuesday, we learn from Ps 43
about God My Exceeding Joy.
On Wednesday we learn from
Ps 48 about The Everlasting God.
On Thursday, we learn from
Ps 51 about God of My Salvation.
On Friday, we learn from
Ps 54 about God My Help.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.
Backgrounder: Sin and confession are
prominent themes in Psalms 50-54.
David provides a model of confession
after his sin with Bethsheba (Ps 51)
and goes on to describe the
treacherous nature of the tongue
(Ps 52) and the folly of pursuing
evil (Ps 53). Only with God as
your constant source of help
(Ps 54) can you counter the daily
pitfalls and temptations of life.
Praise be to God My Help:
Save me O God by Your name,
and vindicate me by Your strength.
Hear my prayer O God;
Give ear to the words of my
mouth. Surely God is my help
(Elohim Ozer Li); the Lord
is the one who sustains me.
I will praise Your name, O Lord
for He has delivered me from
all my troubles (Psalm 54:1-6).
Lord Elohim Ozer Li, You are the
God who will help and sustain us.
When we are in need, You will
be there; and when we don’t
know the way, You will guide or
come alongside to walk with us.
You are truly worthy of praise
for Your arm reaches out to help
those in need. In Jesus’ name.
Lord, pardon us for the fears
when we don’t know how to
get through a trial or a struggle.
Fear wells up in us as a natural
emotion, but we don’t quickly
chase it away with the truth of Your
Word and character as we should.
Have mercy for not expecting
Your help; and remind us that
You are truly there for us. Amen.
Lord, I ask for Your caring help for
many things are weighing me down.
You Lord know the most pressing
issue and I ask You to intervene.
Guard me from responding to
this situation inappropriately.
Guard me from turning solely to
human wisdom and my own ways.
Help me for I depend on You in
every way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Backgrounder: Sin and confession are
prominent themes in Psalms 50-54.
David provides a model of confession
after his sin with Bethsheba (Ps 51)
and goes on to describe the
treacherous nature of the tongue
(Ps 52) and the folly of pursuing
evil (Ps 53). Only with God as
your constant source of help
(Ps 54) can you counter the daily
pitfalls and temptations of life.
Praise be to God of My Salvation:
Create in me a clean heart
O God, and renew a steadfast
spirit within me. Do not cast me
away from Your presence, and do
not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of
Your salvation and uphold me
by Your generous Spirit.
Deliver me from guilt, O God,
the God of my salvation
(Elohe Tishuathi); then my
tongue will joyfully sing of Your
righteousness (Psalm 51:10-14).
Lord Tishuathi, thank u for your
greatest gift, which is salvation
from judgment to eternal life.
Your righteousness had been
imputed to us through the death
and resurrection of your Son & His
sacrifice for our sins on the cross.
You have done so much for us so
our hearts overflow with gratitude
and humility before You. Amen.
Lord Elohe Tishuathi, I confess that
my heart is sometimes hardened.
I confess a lack of love toward
those who don’t show me kindness.
I confess turning away from those
in need even though You’ve blessed
me so that I might be a blessing.
Self-centeredness is alive in me
and I ask for forgiveness for my sins.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord, we do not take lightly the
sacrifice U made for our salvation.
Help me understand how great
this salvation truly is so that I live
each day in continual gratitude,
motivated to serve You more.
Help others to come to know You
and open their minds and hearts
to receive You as Lord & Saviour.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Psalms 42-49 are attributed to
the sons of Korah, descendants
of the man who died for his
rebellion against Moses (Num 16).
One part of this family became
the temple doorkeepers (1Chr 9:19)
while another became the singers
and musicians in the temple
(1 Chron 6:31-33, 37).
Praise be to The Everlasting God:
In the city of our God,
God makes her secure forever.
Within Your temple, O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love…
Let Mount Zion rejoice…
Because Your judgments are just.
Walk about Zion, count her towers and mark well her bulwarks.
For this God is our God forever
and ever (Elohenu Olam);
He will be our guide even
to the end (Psalm 48:8-14).
Lord Elohenu Olam, You are
truly our God forever and ever.
You will never abandon or leave us because of Your unfailing love.
We are surely secure in You Lord
with You as our strong defender.
And You will be our guide even
to the end and usher us to our
eternal and blissful presence.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
Lord, the universe is in Your hand, and yet I’m consumed by what I
hear on the news or see around
me or experience in relationships.
Forgive me Lord for not fully
appreciating or even trusting
in Your power and character.
Forgive me for worrying than
trusting in Your wisdom and
power. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord Elohenu Olam, I ask for
wisdom for You are truly the
great and wise everlasting God.
I ask for ability to slow down and
focus thots on You in my daily life.
Help me Lord to use my time
to advance Your kingdom for
Your glory, for the good of others
and for the fulfilment of my destiny.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
