Month: May 2024

The Lord My Shepherd Cares

This 17th century Scottish hymn
is a paraphrase of David’s original.
This version was often sung and
so the wordings became more
familiar than the Bible text itself.
This text of the hymn comes from
Francis Rous, a member of the
British Parliament. Rous’ Psalter
was authorised by the Westminster
Assembly, which also created the
Westminster Confession of Faith.

Lord, You Provide, Guide & Protect:
The Lord is My Shepherd,
I Lack Nothing and have
everything I need (Psalm 23:1).
He lets me rest in green meadows;
He Leads me besides peaceful
streams. He Renews my strength
He Guides me along right paths,
bringing honour to His name (v2-3).
Even when I walk through the
dark valley of death, I will not be
afraid for You are close beside me.
Your rod and Your staff Protect
and comfort me (Psalm 23:4).

Lord, the Shepherd of my soul,
praise & thank You for Your Care.
You are not just my Creator and
my God; You are not just the King
and the Judge of the universe. For
You are my Shepherd & I’m blessed
for because of You, I Lack Nothing.
Keep me from complaining; and
keep me from fear and worry; for
You’ll Provide all my needs. Amen.

Lord Shepherd, it is comforting
to know that I am not alone in
the journey of life. Thank You
that You are ever so vigilant,
Guiding and watching over me.
And thank You that You love to
lead me to “peaceful streams”.
Help me to respond to Your sweet
small voice, stay close to You;
and I will gladly Follow You. Amen.

Lord Shepherd, You faithfully
feed, guide and above all Protect
Your flock with Your very life.
Lord, You are always close by,
You protect & comfort us, and
You protectively watch over us.
Merciful Lord and dear Shepherd,
in my darkest moments when I’m
very afraid and I cry out to You,
extend Your hand to hold my hand.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Adoring God thru Thanks & Praise

Psalms written mostly by David
capture the essence of what it
means to walk closely with God.
And just as Genesis tells how mankind was created, fell into sin
and was then promised redemption,
many of the psalms in book 1
(Psalms 1-41) discuss humans as
blessed, fallen & redeemed by God.

On Monday, we learn from Psa 23
that the Lord My Shepherd Cares.
On Tuesday, we learn from Psa 27
that the Lord Abide with Me.
On Wed, we learn from Psa 31
that God of Truth Leadeth Me.
On Thursday, we learn from Ps 32
that the Lord My Hiding Place.
On Friday, we learn from Psalm 33
that Creator God’s Plan Stands Firm.
On Sat, we learn from Psalm 34
that God Delivers Us From Affliction.

Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who Adore You:
For You are worthy of our Thanks
as You Care, Abide and Lead us;
For You are worthy of our Praise
as You are Our Hiding Place;
For Your Plan for us Stands Firm
and You Deliver us from affliction.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

God Delivers Us From Affliction Inspiring “Let Us Exalt His Name”

Psalms 31-36 show how Proper
Perspective can help you face
any circumstance. It can bring
you from gloom to glory (Ps 31),
from failure to deliverance (Ps 32),
fr false security to secured trust(33)
from Affliction to Adoration (Ps 34),
from persecution to praise (Ps 35),
and from darkness to light (Ps 36).

Lord, You Deliver When We Seek:
I Sought the Lord & He heard me
& Delivered me from all my fears…
The angels of the Lord
encamps all around those
who fear Him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord
is good, Blessed is the man
who Trusts in Him… Fear the Lord…
Those who Seek the Lord shall not
lack any good thing (Psalm 34:4-10)
The eyes of the Lord are on the
righteous and His ears are open
to their cry… The righteous cry out,
and the Lord Hears and Delivers
them out of their troubles (v15-17).
The Lord is near to those who
have a broken heart, and saves
such as have a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the
righteous, but the Lord delivers
him out of them all (v18-19).

Lord, we give You all our anxieties  
over our finances, work, health or
relationships & look to You for help.
Do a deep work in my heart on
those things that strike fear in me.
I lay these burdens and worries
before You Lord and ask You
to exchange my fear for faith.
Thank You Lord for Your promise
to answer me when I call on You,
to free me from fear & shame and
to make me radiant with joy. Amen.

Lord, it’s such a comfort to know
that Your eyes watch over us and
Your ears hear our cries for help.
Grateful for hearing my cries and
rescuing when I am crushed in spirit.
You are close to the broken-hearted
and to those who are in dire straits.
Praise You for the hope and courage
Your promises give me when I am
facing difficult circumstances. Amen

Lord, You comfort me when I am
brokenhearted & my spirit crushed.
Though I am faced with troubles
of many kinds, but You Lord
will deliver me out of each one.
Through it all I stand secured;
for I am a redeemed child of God!
And grateful there is absolutely
no condemnation for me, for I have
taken refuge in You Lord. Amen.

Creator God’s Plan Stands Firm            Inspiring This Is My Father’s World

Maltbie Babcock (1858-1901)
was an athlete. When he was
pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church in Lockport New York,
he would run out in the morning
to the brow of the hill two miles
away & look over at Lake Ontario.
Before he left, he would tell his
church staff: I am going out to
see my Father’s world. Babcock
loved athletics & nature as well as
music. So it was not strange that
he should write a hymn extolling
God’s handiwork in nature. The
hymn: This is My Father’s World
was inspired also by Psalm 33.

Lord, we Stand In Awe of You:
The word of the Lord Holds True
& we can Trust everything he does…
The earth is full of the goodness
of the Lord (Psalm 33:4-5).
The Lord merely spoke, and
the heavens were created.
He breathed the word,
and all the stars were born.
He assigned the sea its boundaries…
Let the whole world fear the Lord.
And let everyone stand in awe
of him. For He spoke and
it was done; He commanded
and it stood fast (Psa 33:6-9).
The Lord’s plans stand firm forever;
His intentions can never be shaken.
(Psalm 33:11). Amen and amen.

Lord, Your Word must be handled
differently from other information;
for we trust the source of the word.
Help me Lord to live as someone
who is anchored in Your reality,
never moving from Your truth
or questioning Your promises.
Thank You for the assurance that
You’ll lead me & promise me with
rock-solid & absolute truth. Amen.

Lord, thank You that we are not
helpless victim of circumstances.
For we can affect the outcomes
of our situations thru prayer and
following Your gracious leading.
Scripture says You merely speak
and the universe is created. So,
speak words of power into our life;
speak words of fulfilment so that
we truly live the abundant life. Amen

Lord, believing You created the
world means You rule the world.
The truth that God spoke & it was
done also means You’re in control
of the circumstances of our lives.
Lord I take comfort that You are
working everything together for
good according to Your purpose.
And Lord let me ne’er forget
that this is my Father’s world,
that Your plans stand firm, and
that You’re the Ruler yet. Amen.

The Lord My Hiding Place

Psalms 31-36 show how a proper perspective can help you face any tough circumstance; and can bring you from gloom to glory (Ps 31); from failure to deliverance (Ps 32); fr false security to secured trust(33) from affliction to adoration (Ps 34); from persecution to praise (Ps 35); and from darkness to light (Ps 36).

Lord, You Are My Hiding Place:
Blessed is he whose transgression
is forgiven, whose sin is covered…
When I kept silent,
my bones grew old through
my groaning all the day long…
I acknowledged my sin to You…
And You forgave… my sin.
For this cause everyone who is
godly shall pray to You (Ps 32:1-6)
You are My Hiding Place;
You protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs
of Deliverance (Psalm 32:7).
The Lord says: I Will Guide you
along the best pathway for your life.
I will Watch over you… (And)
he Who Trusts in the Lord,
mercy shall surround him (v8-10).

Lord, I am blessed for You have
forgiven all of my transgressions.
And You have eliminated every
sin that was set to my account.
I am so blessed because my
heavenly Father does not count
any of my sin against me and
has given me a spirit where
deceit cannot be found.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, You promise that You will
Guide Your people along the
best pathways for their lives.
Thank You for Your assurance
of direction and protection.
So, Guide me Lord day by day;
and give me the strength to step
out with courage and faith
as I sense Your leading. Amen.

Lord, Thank for Your assurance
of direction and protection,
that Your unfailing love will
surround those who trust You.
Lord, You are My Hiding Place
You always fill my heart
With songs of deliverance.
Whenever I am afraid
I will trust in You; I will trust in You…
Let the weak say I am strong
In the strength of the Lord
I will trust in You. Amen.

God of Truth Leadeth Me

At the start of the American Civil
War, Joseph Gilmore, pastor of
Philadelphia First Baptist Church
wanted to turn people’s attention
to the Security of God’s guidance.
The important thing he said is
to know that God is leading – no
matter how or where He leads us.
After service, Gilmore went to
a deacon’s home and the topic
revolved around the Blessedness
of God’s leading. As others went
on talking, he wrote the words of
the hymn (He Leadeth Me) which
is inspired also by Psalm 31.

Lord, we will Follow Your Leading:
In You, O Lord I put my trust;
Let me never be ashamed;
Deliver me in Your righteousness…
Deliver me speedily; Be my rock
of refuge, a fortress of defense
to save me (Psalm 31:1-2).
For You are my rock & my fortress;
Therefore, for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me…
Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have ransomed & redeemed
me, O Lord, God of Truth
Jehovah El Emeth (Psa 31:3-5).
But as for me I trust in You
O Lord; I say: You are my God.
My (future) is in Your hands.
Deliver me (v14-15).

Lord Jehovah El Emeth, our desire
is to live according to Your truth.
And yet we struggle at times during
adversity or trials when walking
in faith and truth seems so hard.
Help me trust You and always put
Your perspective above my own.
Give me discernment of situation
and wisdom to walk in Your ways.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, we put our Trust in You for
there’s Blessedness in Your leading.
I will trust You with all my heart and
lean not on my own understanding.
In all my ways I will acknowledge
You and You will surely make my
paths straight. For You God knows
the plans You have for me, plans
to prosper me and not to harm me,
to give me a future & a hope. Amen.

Lord leadeth me! O blessed thot!
O words of heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’re I be,
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me!
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me:
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me!
Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine
Nor ever murmur nor repine,
Content, whatever lot I see, Since
’tis thy hand that leadeth me! Amen.