Psalms 120-127 are part of a group of psalms called Songs of Ascent. These psalms were songs which pilgrims sang as they made their way up the paths to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish festivals. And Ps 120-127 deal with topics dear to the heart of travellers far from home: peace (120, 122); provision (123, 124, 126); and Protection (121, 125, 127). As you read these “hymns of the highway” imagine yourself on a journey of life.
Lord, You Build and Give Rest: Unless the Lord Builds a house, the work of the builders is useless. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good (Psalm 127:1). It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God Gives Rest to His loved ones (Psalm 127:2).
Lord, thanks for the reminder that while progress is good, it must be seen in the light of Your provision. Whilst human striving can provide benefits, it can also be destructive. For only by conforming our efforts to God’s will & plan will our efforts construct anything worthwhile. And we trust You God to prevent our work from being wasted. Amen.
Lord, I acknowledge that without dependence and trust in You, all my work is in vain & effort wasted. I need and want You Lord to be the foundation of my life, my family and my ministry so that the work of my hands will bear fruit that honours You. And I will be able to enjoy the rest that You give. Amen.
Lord, thanks for the promise that You Give Rest to Your loved ones. For You God didn’t wire us to work like machines 24/7 all the time. In Your goodness, You God has promised to Give us Rest so that we can also have balance in life. And we can Trust You God with the results for You are Almighty and You are a good God. Amen.
God Will Restore His People; and Inspiring “Bringing In the Sheaves”
Bringing In the Sheaves is a metaphorical image of harvesting. The phrase written by Shaw Knowles in 1874 as part of the hymn, was inspired by Psalm 126:5-6 which can be applied to serving the Lord. A similar encouragement is given to us in Galatians: Let us not grow weary while doing good, for In due season we will reap if we do not lose heart (Gal 6:9). These passages remind us there’s hard work involved in our service to the Lord, with heavy burdens and perhaps even tears. But the end result is worth it for the Lord rewards & restores His people.
Lord, You’ll Restore Your People: When the Lord Brought Back His exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy! (Psalm 126:1-3). Restore our fortunes, Lord, as the streams renew the desert (v4). Those who plant in tears Will Harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest, Bringing In the Sheaves (v5-6).
Lord, thank You for not giving up on Your people and thank You for doing amazing things for us. Just like God’s people returning from exile, we will praise You for Your grace that Brings Restoration. My heart is filled with the joy of knowing that You hold out a loving hand saying: “Trust me! Try again and know that I am with you.” Amen.
Lord, when we plant the seed of God’s Word in the hearts of those we love; Your promise is that the harvest is coming. One day we will see many of those seeds come to fruition. Help us not to despair but instead keep on planting. For God will not waste the seed we sow obediently. And one day we’ll see the fruit of our labour. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord, Going forth with weeping, sowing for You Master, Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves. Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping, We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. Amen!!
Thank God for Help & Protection: Psalms 120-127 deal with topics dear to the heart of travellers far from home: peace (120, 122); Protection (121, 125, 127); and provision (123, 124, 126). As youbread these “hymns of the highway,” imagine yourself on a journey of life with your destination now in view.
Lord, You Help and Protect us: I will lift up my eyes to the hills- from whence comes my help? My Help Comes from the Lord, who made the heavens & the earth! He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who Watches over you will not slumber (Psalm 121:1-3). The Lord Himself Watches over you! The Lord stands besides you as your protective shade (v5). The Lord Keeps you from Evil and preserves your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go both now and forever (v7-8).
Lord, I will lift my eyes to You for our Help comes from You, who made the heavens and earth! Because You hold me, I will not stumble and fall. Because You watch over me, I will not fear for my security is in You my God. Thank You for watching over me and for caring about my situation. Thank You I am not alone for You are with me and helping me. Amen
Lord, I pray for protective covering. And thank You for Watching over and protecting my loved ones! What peace it gives me to know that You never slumber or sleep. And that I can confidently entrust those I love to Your care & keeping. Bless and keep my family coming and going both now & always.Amen
Lord, Your assurance to Your followers is that You Will Keep them from all Evil. Thank You Lord that though evil may come, it has no real power over me. I believe that You will, as promised preserve my life. I want to live with confidence that I am safe in You. And I purpose to trust You and not worry over things; even as I lift my eyes up to You. Amen.
Psalm 119 is the longest psalm and the longest chapter of the longest book in the Bible. And through its 176 verses, it provides the multifaceted Word of God. And it also inspired Amy Grant & Michael Smith to write the hymnal song ‘Thy Word’ in 1984. Michael came up with the melody & some words for the chorus straight from David’s Psalm about being a light into my path. But as Michael had no idea what the verses were supposed to say, he gave it to Amy and told her to finish the tune. So that night she starts walking back to her cabin,” Michael said. Caribou Ranch is 8,000 acre and it’s very dark, and she got lost. “She finally saw a lamp & started walking towards that light, didn’t realize that that was her cabin.” “And she walked into that little cabin and wrote the verses to ‘Thy Word.’”
Lord, Your Word Directs Our Path: How can a man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word. With my whole heart I have sought You. Oh let me not wonder from Yr commandments. Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:9-11). Be good to your servant, that I may live and obey Your Word. Open My Eyes to see wonderful truths in Yr instructions (v17-18). Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a Light for my Path. I have… confirmed that I will keep Your righteous (laws). I am afflicted very muvh; Revive me O Lord according to Your Word (v105-7).
Lord, even as I Hide Your Word in my heart, help me Keep From Sin. Grant me the wisdom to seek You and to hide Your Word in my heart. Grant me discernment to apply Your truth to everyday situations. Grant me the perseverance and faith to trust Your Word when l am going through difficult times. Amen.
Lord, Open our eyes and grant us wisdom to see and understand the wonderful truths in Your law. Help us not take Your Word for granted; but instead help us to meditate on it day and night. Lord, may the hymn: “Open my eyes and let me see” spur me to be watchful & listen to Your Spirit. And then proceed to go act on what I have seen and heard, and sharing it with others. Amen.
Lord, we thank You that Your Word lights the path at our feet so that we don’t have to wander in the wilderness. Thank You that Yr Word acts as spiritual compass to guide and direct our paths. Help us to remember that we can always count on Your Word to guide, lead and keep us on the right track. Thanks to You Lord for Your wonderful Word. Amen.
Backgrounder on Psalms 111-118: Praise permeates nearly every line of these eight psalms. God is praiseworthy for His care (Ps 111), His commandments (Ps 112), His name(Ps 113), His power(Ps 114) His uniqueness (Ps 115), His Deliverance (Ps 116), His truth (Ps 117) and His mercy (Ps 118). What other response could there be than to Praise the Lord.
Lord Almighty, You are For Us: Give thanks to the Lord for He is good & His Mercy endures forever… Let those who fear the Lord say: His mercy endures forever (Ps 118:1-4). In my distress I prayed to the Lord and the Lord answered me and rescued me. The Lord is On My Side, I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Yes, the Lord Is For me; He Will Help me (Ps 118:5-7). I thank You for answering my prayer and saving me… This was the Lord’s doing… This is the day the Lord has made. We’ll Rejoice & be glad in it (v21-24)
Lord, thankful Your goodness and mercy will bring me through trouble. You are my ally and my hero with strong arm giving me confidence. You are my impregnable fortress, my unconquerable tower of safety. You are my shield to protect me from harm; and as I take refuge in You, I don’t have to be afraid. Amen.
Father God, as Your child, Nothing can separate me from Your love. Thank You Lord for answering and helping me in my distress. Thank You Lord for the truth that You are For me, for it is assuring of Your concern for me. Help me to resolve not to be afraid because the Almighty Lord of the universe is On My Side. Amen.
Lord, this is the day You have made, a place of new beginning. No matter what may happen, help me to rejoice and be glad in the day that You have made. Help me to see Your goodness and lift up my head and rejoice. And help me to see my problem as one more great opportunity to depend on You Lord. Amen.
There is plenty to sing about in Ps 107-110. First comes the song of the Redeemed (Ps 107), then a song dedicated to the God of might & glory (Ps 108) and a song of lament over the slanderous attacks of an enemy (Ps 109). But how can you sing when the godless are seemingly getting away with murder? Remember with the psalmist David that the Lord is king (Psalm 110).
Lord, You are Faithful & Merciful: I will Praise You, O Lord, among the Peoples and I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your Mercy is great above the heavens, and Your Faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted O God above the heavens, and Your glory above all the earth(Ps 108:3-5) O God the Lord deal with me for Your name’s sake; because Your Mercy is good, deliver me. For I am poor & needy(Ps109:21-22) Help me O Lord my God… Save me according to Your Mercy, that they may know that this is Your hand- that You, Lord, have done it (Ps 109:26-27).
Lord, as Your unfailing love is higher than the mountains and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds, surely You promise to be Faithful to Your people. I surrender my fears to You and trust in You to see me through. Grant me Lord the grace to praise and thank You each day and to see Your glory no matter what! Amen.
Lord, thank You for always calling me to draw near to You. That is my desire, so I ask You to work within me the power and the energy to meet You regularly. And when I am in great need of help, deliver me for Your mercy is good, and for Your great name’s sake. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your mercy and lovingkindness. We extol You Lord for You are our strength and also because You have become our salvation. We can do nothing apart from You, but we are confident in Your tender mercy and Your faithfulness to us. Help me & save me; and I will sing: Be exalted O God above the heavens & Yr glory be over all the earth.Amen
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) is a popular worship song written by Matt Redman & Jonas Myrin in 2011. The inspiration behind the song comes fr Ps 103, focusing on God’s blessings & reasons to worship Him. The song enumerates various attributes of the love of God for mankind that makes Him worthy of “praise unending”, worship for “10,000 years & then forevermore”. The song uses these attributes: God’s holiness, lovingkindness, slowness to anger, kind heart, His goodness and His great name. The point behind the song, as writer Matt Redman says, is this; ‘If you wake up one morning and you can’t think of a reason to bring God some kind of offering of thanks or praise, then… there’s something wrong at your end… and not Him.’
Lord, You Bless Your People: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and Forget Not All His Benefits – who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life fr destructn, who crowns u with lovingkindness, who Satisfies your desires with Good things (Psalm 103:2-5). The Lord is Merciful and Gracious, slow to anger & abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever(v8-9) The Lord is like a father to His children, tender & Compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are (v13-14).
Lord, You are worthy of praise, for You do countless Good things for Your children. Forgive us Lord for the times we fail to acknowledge Your many blessings in our lives. Forgiveness, healing, rescue, love and mercy, You indeed fill our lives with undeserved blessings. Teach us Lord the wonderful habit of counting our blessings. Amen.
Lord, You are Merciful & Gracious, full of unfailing love; and we ask You to reveal these in our lives each day. Grateful for revealing Your wondrous attributes to us in Your Word. Open our eyes to who You really are so that our prayers will rest on the solid foundation of Your character. And may our prayers have dunamis power because they are based on the truth about You Lord. Amen.
Lord, in Your mercy, do not leave us exposed to lack or danger. Remember we are weak and we can get easily discouraged. Please do not test us too long, beyond what we are able to bear. Instead encourage us with ready manifestation of Your presence. Strengthen us Lord in the spirit when we are deeply discouraged. Help us see Your Compassion and loving kindness toward us. Amen.
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) is a popular worship song written by Matt Redman & Jonas Myrin in 2011. The inspiration behind the song comes fr Ps 103, focusing on God’s blessings & reasons to worship Him. The song enumerates various attributes of the love of God for mankind that makes Him worthy of “praise unending”, worship for “10,000 years & then forevermore”. The song uses these attributes: God’s holiness, lovingkindness, slowness to anger, kind heart, His goodness and His great name. The point behind the song, as writer Matt Redman says, is this; ‘If you wake up one morning and you can’t think of a reason to bring God some kind of offering of thanks or praise, then… there’s something wrong at your end… and not Him.’
Lord, You Bless Your People: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and Forget Not All His Benefits – who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life fr destructn, who crowns u with lovingkindness, who Satisfies your desires with Good things (Psalm 103:2-5). The Lord is Merciful and Gracious, slow to anger & abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever(v8-9) The Lord is like a father to His children, tender & Compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are (v13-14).
Lord, You are worthy of praise, for You do countless Good things for Your children. Forgive us Lord for the times we fail to acknowledge Your many blessings in our lives. Forgiveness, healing, rescue, love and mercy, You indeed fill our lives with undeserved blessings. Teach us Lord the wonderful habit of counting our blessings. Amen.
Lord, You are Merciful & Gracious, full of unfailing love; and we ask You to reveal these in our lives each day. Grateful for revealing Your wondrous attributes to us in Your Word. Open our eyes to who You really are so that our prayers will rest on the solid foundation of Your character. And may our prayers have dunamis power because they are based on the truth about You Lord. Amen.
Lord, in Your mercy, do not leave us exposed to lack or danger. Remember we are weak and we can get easily discouraged. Please do not test us too long, beyond what we are able to bear. Instead encourage us with ready manifestation of Your presence. Strengthen us Lord in the spirit when we are deeply discouraged. Help us see Your Compassion and loving kindness toward us. Amen.
Psalms Book Four (90-106) mainly written by unknown authors is similar to the book of Numbers. Just as Numbers discusses the relationship of the nation of Israel to surrounding nations, these psalms often mention the relationship of God’s overruling kingdom to the other nations. Because we are citizens of the kingdom of God, we can keep the events and troubles of earth in the proper perspective.
On Monday, we learn from Ps 90 that God Is Our Dwelling Place. On Tuesday, we learn from Ps 91 that God Shields & Shelters Us. On Wed, we learn from Ps 95/96 that God Is Our Maker & Saviour. On Thursday we learn from Ps 100 that God Is Good and Merciful. On Friday, we learn from Ps 103 to Thank God for His Benefits. On Saturday, we learn from Ps 105 that God’s Plan Will Never Fail.
Let us humble ourselves and pray and seek His face. Help us O God be Christ’s disciples who Adore You: For You are our Dwelling Place and that You Shield & Shelter Us; For You are worthy of our Praise as You are our Maker & Saviour and that You are Good & Merciful; For You are worthy of our Thanks as You bless us with many benefits and that Your Plan Will Never Fail. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Backgrounder on Psalms 104-106: In these psalms, we see three snap shots of the great God you serve. He is big enough to create and rule the universe (Psalm 104); He is small enough to rule in the hearts of His people (Ps 105) and He is loving enough to discipline His rebellious children (Ps 106).
Lord, Your Plan Never Fails: He remembers His covenant… with Abraham… To you I will give the land of Canaan as inheritance… He permitted no one to do them wrong… saying: Do not touch my anointed ones… (Ps 105:7-15). Then Israel arrived in Egypt… And the Lord multiplied the people of Israel until they became too mighty for their enemies. Then He turned the Egyptians against the Israelites (v23-25). The Lord spread out a cloud above them as a covering and gave them a great fire to light the darkness. They asked for meat and he gave them quail; he gave them manna. He opened up a rock and water gushed out (Ps 105:39-41).
Father God, grateful that You remember Your covenant forever; and that You are quick to honor it. You had promised to protect Your people from those who plan evil; & so You’ll stand up in my defense. For I am Your anointed and You do not tolerate those who would try to harm me. In Jesus’ name.
Lord, grateful for the assurance that Your sovereign plans never fail. When everything seems hopeless, remind me of Your plan for the Israelites in captivity in Egypt. Help me Lord to see things from Your eternal perspective. Help me to hold on to the reality that in spite of the way things look, You are always in control. Amen.
Lord, thankful for Your Word showing Your faithful provision to Your people through history. Thank You Lord for all the ways You have provided for my needs. Help me to respond with thanks- giving and obedience to Your will. I look to You as Jehovah Jireh My Provider, for You will provide all my needs, and for Your plan never fails. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) is a popular worship song written by Matt Redman & Jonas Myrin in 2011. The inspiration behind the song comes fr Ps 103, focusing on God’s blessings & reasons to worship Him. The song enumerates various attributes of the love of God for mankind that makes Him worthy of “praise unending”, worship for “10,000 years & then forevermore”. The song uses these attributes: God’s holiness, lovingkindness, slowness to anger, kind heart, His goodness and His great name. The point behind the song, as writer Matt Redman says, is this; ‘If you wake up one morning and you can’t think of a reason to bring God some kind of offering of thanks or praise, then… there’s something wrong at your end… and not Him.’
Lord, You Bless Your People: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and Forget Not All His Benefits – who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life fr destructn, who crowns u with lovingkindness, who Satisfies your desires with Good things (Psalm 103:2-5). The Lord is Merciful and Gracious, slow to anger & abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever(v8-9) The Lord is like a father to His children, tender & Compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are (v13-14).
Lord, You are worthy of praise, for You do countless Good things for Your children. Forgive us Lord for the times we fail to acknowledge Your many blessings in our lives. Forgiveness, healing, rescue, love and mercy, You indeed fill our lives with undeserved blessings. Teach us Lord the wonderful habit of counting our blessings. Amen.
Lord, You are Merciful & Gracious, full of unfailing love; and we ask You to reveal these in our lives each day. Grateful for revealing Your wondrous attributes to us in Your Word. Open our eyes to who You really are so that our prayers will rest on the solid foundation of Your character. And may our prayers have dunamis power because they are based on the truth about You Lord. Amen.
Lord, in Your mercy, do not leave us exposed to lack or danger. Remember we are weak and we can get easily discouraged. Please do not test us too long, beyond what we are able to bear. Instead encourage us with ready manifestation of Your presence. Strengthen us Lord in the spirit when we are deeply discouraged. Help us see Your Compassion and loving kindness toward us. Amen.
