August 16, 2025

Psalms 72 was the last psalm written by David. Although it was not the last in the entire book of Psalms, it was placed last in Book 2 of the Psalms. It was written for Solomon who was rising into his kingdom, but portions of it are prophecy referring to King Jesus and his coming into his kingdom. When Jesus comes again, and I expect that it will be very soon, the enemies of him and his people will lick the dust. 

They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. Psalms 72:9

Everyone will know of Jesus’s return, even those who live far outside of the developed world. We do not wish for anyone to be left behind to endure famine or tribulation, but you can bet they will be sorry for ever coming against God’s people with their lies and treachery. Our prayer is that they will turn away from evil and do an about-face toward God before it’s too late. 

If you are like me and love the smell of freshly mowed grass after a rain, that is the soothing comfort we will feel with Jesus’ return. We have so much to look forward to; you may be enduring hardships right now, but the best is yet to come. Hold on to what you have, Jesus is coming!

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. Psalms 72:6-7

August 15, 2025

Set your heart to be dependent on God. Don’t let the enemy convince you to traverse this world alone. God is our Father, and as His child, we should go to Him with all our troubles because He wants to help us and is the only one who can get us through challenging situations. If David was an example of anything, it was knowing that God was his help in times of trouble. He pleaded with God for intervention and praised Him, knowing the outcome was in His hands. He wasn’t afraid to ask God to foil the plans of his enemies using robust words in his request. I have a touch of vengeance within me, something I need to overcome. With the help of David’s psalms, I’m learning to pour out my heart to God in a manner that feels like vengeance, but puts that energy into God’s hands rather than me plotting the demise of the wicked who’ve plotted against me. Here is a sample prayer:

Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered withreproach and dishonour that seek my hurt. Psalms 71:13

I couldn’t have said that any better. It’s respectful of God, but also allows us to vent with our hearts open to Him. It’s a powerful prayer, yet vulnerable before God. Our enemies need to watch out when we state our case with an intense prayer like this one.

August 14, 2025

I am one of those people who find the water to be soothing to my soul, and the beach is my happy place. When there, I take an hour-long walk every day, which ends up being about two miles; I’m not a fast walker, I mosey along. After the fog clears in my brain, the words of gratefulness begin to flow, and my heart is laid open to God. Sometimes I repeat songs and prayers, but mostly, whatever thoughts come into my mind come out of my mouth as I release my cares to Him. It’s okay to repeat prayers, just not vainly as a way to be seen. Jesus gave us the perfect prayer to repeat in The Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6, and I repeat it daily as a part of my prayer time. The reason I mention repetitive prayer is that Psalms 70 is a prayer repeated by David from Psalms 40; it is a duplicate of the last five verses. Sometimes, if you cannot find the words, God will remind you of something you’ve prayed for in the past. Here, David asks God to answer him quickly; we can all relate to wanting our prayers answered quickly, but we know that everything works out in God’s timing and not before. We must also remember that when we are having a hard time finding the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit can interpret our groaning. God makes loving and talking to Him easy. Relax, He hears your heart.

But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying. Psalms 70:5

August 13, 2025

To the followers of Christ: Even if there was a purposeful act to resemble biblical prophecies, God can use such an act to fulfill His intentions. So if the enemy had designs to try and fool the masses by replicating those similarities to prophecy, you can bet that's how God will use what was meant for evil for our good. I mention this because I've heard it said that the prophecy we are seeing coming to fruition is only an act, including when Israel became a nation again back in 1948. Parts of Psalms 69 are prophecy written by David; he was suffering mental anguish because of his enemies, and poured out his heart, which was meant for a divine purpose to point to the suffering of Jesus on the cross. For the Jewish nation to continue to deny that their Messiah was Jesus is to their own detriment because they cannot see that the prophecy in this psalm has already been fulfilled. They have almost all the pieces ready for rebuilding the temple, including the stone masons and the cornerstone. They have completed a practice sacrifice of a red heifer and are gearing up to rebuild the temple to resume the sacrificial system. We know that Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice, and nothing they do could even compare to what Jesus did on the cross. We are so close! Our redemption is drawing near. Keep sharing the gospel with those you love because time is short and glory is on its way!  

Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. Psalms 69:20-21

August 12, 2025

What do you consider a blessing? Our first thoughts often turn to physical needs, such as shelter, food, water, and the comforts of life. However, the most glorious blessing of all is spiritual in its nature. First and foremost is our salvation in Jesus; when that is secure, the Holy Spirit does the rest by giving us insight into the spiritual realm that is holy to God. There are many examples, but the one God has graciously given to me is my faith in Him, believing that He works all things out for our good. Since I’ve secured my belief and my faith is strong, I feel free to write daily, whether my work is good or mediocre. I believe the words will impact someone and help strengthen their faith. I’m not deterred from my foundation in Jesus if people don’t like my work, because my value comes from God. Now that the veil is thinning, and spiritual things are becoming more well known, it’s essential the you work on the things of the Spirit, and worry less about the things you can see, and concern yourself with the unseen, because they are here among us whether good or bad; you want your protection to be strong against spiritual darkness. Sleep in your armor, mighty warriors of God; time is at hand.

To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song. God be merciful unto us, and bless us; andcause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Psalms 67:1-3

August 11, 2025

Imagine being in fear of your enemy’s armed forces who are after you, designing to take your life. These are not your average hunters, but are expert marksmen, armed with bows and arrows, willing to secretly and precisely take you out. David was gripped with fear, knowing he was being pursued and prayed:

Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Psalms 64:1

He was being chased down and hunted like an animal. Not only that, but their words were cutting like a sword, sharp and precise. David knew he had a calling and was anointed for the good of God’s kingdom, but was also scared of losing his life, so he reached out to God for relief of his fear and asked God to preserve his life. Next time you are in fear for your life, remember whose hands you are in, knowing that God will only take you out only when it’s your time; then you will live in paradise forever. However, I feel we should all pray the portion where it says, “preserve my life from fear.” Fear will have you imagining things that will never happen, so ask God to help you control your emotions when if comes to fearing the unknown.

The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory. Psalms 64:10

August 10, 2025

If you are dealing with people who have designed trouble against you, wait. God will not tolerate negligence against His people for very long. Soon, they will face the consequences for their actions. Their lives are built on sinking sand; their foundation will crumble, and their walls will cave in. Though waiting may seem long and you may feel that you’ve been left to deal with your tormenters alone, God is watching and will move at the perfect time; those who’ve come against you will feel His wrath and know that your God is higher than the false gods they trust. 

He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. Psalms 62:2

In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Psalms 62:7

God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work. Psalms 62:11-12

Take these verses to heart and know that your strength comes from God, and He will move you in such a way that your enemies will crumble before you, and He will render to every man according to his work. That should terrify those who do the devil’s work. Stand firm, mighty warriors of God! The days of mischief are drawing to a close, and we will soon see our Savior come in all his glory.

August 9, 2025

Richard and I took a short trip to Nevada so Richard could attend a driving school. We went to the local Walmart to pick up a few essentials for our morning coffee. You can get to know the people of an area by how they act at Walmart. I now understand how miserable it must be to live in a desert, but these people could tell we were the outsiders and showed us their true colors. We were just outside of Death Valley, so I understand their misery, living so near a place called Death. Being uninterested in car racing, I took a little trip out to the Badwater Basin, in Death Valley National Park, where the elevation is 282 feet below sea level, the lowest elevation on earth. It was a salt flat, so I took off my shoes and stood there, realizing that I had stood on the ground nearest to hell, and that is the closest I will ever come to it; thank you, Jesus. Even though the place was dry, hot (up to 112 degrees while we were there), desolate, and void of greenery, we both maintained our joy. If you are happy in the Lord, it doesn’t matter where you are, even near the pit of hell, God is there with you, which is cause to be joyful. 

David began Psalms 61 sad, but concluded it full of the joy of the Lord. It may have been penned while on the run from Absolam, but he still found reason to praise God and knew God would hear him even being away from the  Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. So, whatever situation you find yourself in, worshipping God will raise your countenance, and He can hear you no matter where you are. 

So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows. Psalms 61:8

Pictured is some salt I collected. The photo from yesterday’s post is from where I was standing in the salt at Badwater Basin.

August 8, 2025

In Psalms 60, David is now king, and is in his heyday, and he has just triumphed over Edom.  With Joab commanding his army, he killed over twelve thousand men in the valley of salt. 

To the chief Musician upon Shushaneduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aramnaharaim and with Aramzobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand. O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again. Psalms 60:1

David used this psalm as a teaching tool to remind the people not to credit themselves with a victory that God gave them. He was so excited for the win that he never wanted God to leave them to fight battles alone. From the way this psalm reads, it seems David thought God had left them to fend for themselves, then God showed up and gave them success. So, this is your reminder that if you feel you are losing, wait for it, and watch as God shows you your victory. Also, make sure you never take the credit for what God has done on your behalf, and make sure to praise Him whether you are in the valley or on the mountain top.  

Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies. Psalms 60:12

August 7, 2025

David was married to Michal, Saul’s daughter. Saul had staked out their home, watching David’s movements because he had designed to destroy him. However, as dreadful as Michal was, she helped David escape through a window. Psalms 59 was a poem about David’s prayer during that time. 

Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t just destroy your enemy as a way to remove you from their clutches? Here is what I learned: If God took them out right away, we wouldn’t be able to watch them dangle before the drop. We might think the judgment comes too slowly, but that gradual demise and outpouring of God’s wrath is a more painful option for our enemy. I’ve watched this happen! Someone whom I’ve never had a beef with set their designs against me without cause, and now, nearly 30 years later, they live in the worst part of town, have medical problems, and are barely making ends meet. I didn’t wish that upon them or even pray against them, but God saw what they had done to me and many others and served them His form of justice. 

David didn’t let his troubles overpower his worship and praised God, even during his pain. Never let your circumstances dictate your worship or overrule your joy.

Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy. Psalms 59:17

August 6, 2025

David had not yet ascended to the throne when it is thought that Saul may have brought charges against him in a judicial court, which gave Saul the authority to go after him. If true, David wrote Psalms 58 in response to the court's unjust act, who were probably bribed with gifts from Saul to render such judgment. David held nothing back in his response to their accusations of him being a lone wolf. The government was corrupt, much like we see today. They tremble when a leader with a proclivity for justice comes into power because their misdeeds will come under scrutiny.

Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth. Psalms 58:1-2

God is just, so those who’ve had evil dealings will face his wrath, and the righteous will watch as they fall from their pedestal. Little by little, we are seeing God’s recompense of the wicked come to fruition, and soon we will rejoice in the demise of their activity. We look forward to a righteous government where Jesus is King and all our hopes and dreams come true under his reign.

The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth. Psalms 58:10-11

August 5, 2025

David felt remorse for cutting off the skirt of King Saul's robe when he found him in the cave.

And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 1 Samuel 24:5

David wrote Psalms 57 as a prayer of repentance. To us, it might seem that he should have felt more victorious, having spared Saul's life and knowing he had the upper hand. However, he felt guilty because Saul was God's king, even if he was bad. Then David suddenly shifts from prayer to praise, exalting God and giving Him the praise He deserves. Once again, I feel called out for my lackluster worship. Even though I make it a point to spend time with God in the early morning hours, it takes me an entire cup of coffee to awaken enough to comprehend the text and learn enough to enable me to write my thoughts. According to this psalm, I need to kick it up a notch and bring more lively worship to our awesome God. He is worthy of our best. 

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. Psalms 57:7-8

August 4, 2025

Betrayal is one of the deepest emotional pains that I have ever felt, and is the hardest to get over. It’s pain cuts deep into the heart, especially when you think you have a friend and find out it was just a façade; everything you told that “friend” comes rushing back to you with regret. It is thought that David wrote Psalms 55 when he was running from Absalom, finding out that his friend and confidant, Ahithophel, had been part of the plot to overtake his throne. 

It is in this psalm that we find out that David prayed three times a day, morning, noon, and night. He opened up to God, and God rewarded him with peace in his situation. However, David didn’t pray for his enemies to be delivered from evil; he prayed that their days would be cut short and would go down quickly into hell. If you’ve ever been betrayed, you can get behind a prayer like that and understand why David prayed this way. Should we pray against our enemies this way? Is that how Jesus prayed when he was betrayed? No. He prayed that the Father would forgive them because they didn’t know what they were doing. However, we are not Jesus, but we do carry the Holy Spirit, so we should listen to him and feel sorry for those who come against us. Ultimately, they will regret their actions one day. 

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalms 55:22

August 3, 2025

We may have enemies in our own ranks. Other “Christians” may turn out to be our enemy and an enemy of God. Though the name Christian may be an enduring term to us, so many use it, even when they have very little association with the One True God. David was hiding from Saul among the Ziphites, but they were Israelites who were loyal to Saul and told him where David was. They were aligned with the wrong side. Saul’s men surrounded David, but word came to Saul that the Philistines had invaded the land, so they left to pursue them. David honored God by freely sacrificing to Him and offering praise for delivering him from his troubles. David knew where his help was coming from, and the words written by him reflect his thankfulness, but to offer a sacrifice put his money where his mouth was. Today, we make joyful offerings to our church as a sacrifice of gratitude to God for all He has done for us. Do you even know the joy of being delivered if you don’t tithe or make an offering? No amount of money could ever repay Jesus for what he did on the cross for us, but it can help the church continue to spread the good news. Give back; you only have what you have because of God.

I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. Psalms 54:6-7

August 2, 2025

None are good. That is why we must seek Jesus with all our hearts. Because no matter how hard we may try to refrain from sin, our minds do us dirty, and faithless seeds of doubt slip in without hesitation. 

God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Psalms 53:2-3

We must be ever repentant, on the spot when we notice that we’ve sinned, and as a habit for the sins we are unaware of. Life can be hard, and traversing in a world as evil as ours, we must rely on our salvation in Jesus as a way to come before God in our prayers. The Psalms are part of the Old Testament, and the people waited patiently for the Messiah, knowing he would make everything right. We are fortunate to know him personally, can be confident in our relationship with him, and can count on him for our salvation and the cleansing of our sins.

August 1, 2025

While David was on the run from Saul, he visited Ahimelech the priest, looking for food for his men. Doeg, one of Saul’s men, was there and saw Ahimelech give David the show bread from the altar along with the sword of Goliath. Doeg ran back to Saul and told him about his encounter with David. Saul, angered by Ahimelech’s betrayal, called for him and his fellow priest. While standing before Saul, he had them executed, and Doeg was the one who did the dastardly deed. Saul also had the families and livestock killed. It was a heinous murder of God’s holy men. 

Fast forward to when David became the king, and now Doeg had to face the consequences of his actions, which David wrote about in this psalm. 

God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. Psalms 52:5

Here is what we must remember: we are now the priest and our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit of God. Those who are aligned with evil and come against us will face the consequences of their actions and will be plucked out of the land of the living and sentenced to eternal death. However, we are like David, a green olive tree in the house, and we trust in God’s mercy.

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints. Psalms 52:8-9

July 31, 2025

We may be considered peasants in this world, but the kingdom that awaits us is far from peasantry. Worldly wealth has no bearing on our future, so we shouldn't envy those of greater means than we are. Riches cannot buy eternal life, and those who believe they can will find out that what they had put their hope in will only serve to place them in eternal flames. No matter what we may think about our future after death, we cannot take anything with us. We came naked into the world and will leave in the same manner.

For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. Psalms 49:17

I cannot help but feel called out by Preacher-King David's words in this psalm, particularly his mention of naming our property, as if it will endure even after our death. We had a sign placed over the entry of our driveway with our name on it. It's beautiful, but when we pass on, it will probably come down unless one of our children or grandchildren decides to keep the home for themselves. So remember, as you gather items that make you happy, they will probably end up at the Salvation Army when you die. We cannot expect others to appreciate our collections the way we do. Make it your mission to collect love and happiness, spiritually, rather than material things that will perish in a flood or fire. 

Here is the verse that called me out:

Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. Psalms 49:11

A little encouragement for the saved:

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah. Psalms 49:15

July 30, 2025

Did you know that the enemies of God look upon you in fear? You are the habitation of the Holy Spirit of God, and the enemy trembles at your presence. That’s probably why it seems chaotic when we’re around someone filled with demonic activity. They cry out in fear when we are near them. The next time you come in contact with someone who seems to be angry at your presence, remember that their demons are stirred and want you away from them, so they lash out. It’s hard to remember this truth in the heat of the moment, but if you keep it at the forefront of your mind, you might be more sympathetic towards them. Remember, Jesus felt sympathy for such people and removed their demons. I’m not saying you should go around delivering people from their demons when they attack you, because sometimes you should get away from them. Still, if they feel the power you possess and want deliverance, you can wield that power to help them heal, which is not your power, but God’s power. 

I may have gone down a rabbit hole with this one, but keep in mind that you should start and end your day by praising and worshipping God. However, if you need a change of attitude, worship Him throughout your day and watch as your countenance changes. 

They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. Psalms 48:5-6

We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. Psalms 48:9-10

July 29, 2025

The entire Bible is about Jesus, but if I were to find a chapter that describes our relationship with him in the Old Testament, it would be Psalms 45. It tells of his majesty and our loyalty to him as the church and his bride. It speaks of how he sees us in beauty and purity, dressed in garments with threads of gold. It also mentions us leaving our former way of life, similar to leaving our father’s house and cleaving to him. For this reason, baptism is a necessary part of our conversion; it represents a cleansing of all our former ways of life and past religious exposures, and brings with us nothing from our former life except the redemption story as a witness. 

Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. Psalms 45:10-11

In these scriptures, he is pictured as a Warrior and King, so it gives an image of his return, coming back as a conqueror rather than a lamb to the slaughter. We are truly blessed to be called his and chosen as his bride. Today, look to him as your one and only, allow your heart to bubble over in gratefulness that he is yours and you are his. Love him with a passion unmatched, and he will reward you with his kingdom.

Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Psalms 45:5-6

July 28, 2025

When your life seems stressful, it is beneficial to remember what God has done for you in your past. When I read Psalms 44, I instinctively reached back into the folds of my mind to recall some of the good things God has blessed me with. It is in this psalm that the Israelites are begging God to release them from captivity because their oppressors are treating them like livestock and slaughtering them without considering that they are human beings. They know that their only means of salvation is in His hands. When you began following Jesus, it is safe to say you knew that it would put a target on your back because the world hated him and, in turn, hates you. Because God has taken us out of the world, He will deliver us from its oppressors. In Romans, Paul used a verse from this psalm to describe the life of a Christ-follower. Was this psalm prophetic of the plight of the saved? It seems to be so. Whatever plan God has for your life, it will be worth every stressor that causes us grief to live eternally with our first love. Here are both of those verses:

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Roman’s 8:36

Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Psalms 44:22

Pray this prayer when amid trouble::

Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake. Psalms 44:23-26