Author: David Short

Psalms 30:24-25 (31:23-24)
Love the Lord, all you His saints,
For the Lord seeks out truth,
And He repays those who act with great arrogance.
Be courageous, and let your heart be strengthened,
All who hope in the Lord.

Personal Challenge

It is one thing to proclaim that we are a child of God but is entirely a different thing to love Him above all else in our lives, including our very existence. If we love Him this much, then our lives will be different. The things of this world will no longer attract our attention. Our actions will reflect God and His love for us. I know that I have so far to go on this journey of life to love Him that much. Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Psalms 30:1-6 (31:1-5)

In You, O Lord, I hope; may I not be ashamed forever;
In Your righteousness deliver and rescue me.
Incline Your ear to me;
Rescue me speedily;
Be to me a God who protects me,
And a house of refuge to save me.
For You are my strength and my refuge,
And for Your name’s sake You will guide and sustain me;
For You will bring me out from the snare they hid for me;
For You are my protector.
Into Your hands I shall entrust my spirit;
You redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

Personal Challenge

We live in a society that prides itself on being full of self-starters, self-sufficient men, and women. It is no wonder why so many people act as if God does not exist. If we believe that we can do everything by ourselves, then we will ultimately believe that there is no God that holds everything together. I choose to side with the Psalmist on this and proclaim that it is “In you, O Lord, I hope.” I am nothing without God. I am helpless and bare without God. But I am everything when I am willingly in His hands. Glory be to God!

Psalms 29:12-13 30:11-12)

You turned my lamentation into dancing for me;
You tore up my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
That my glory may sing praise to You,
And not be pierced with sadness;
O Lord my God, I shall give thanks to You forever.

Encouraging Words

Our God only wants the best for us. He is not some great punisher in the sky eagerly waiting for us to mess up so that He can punish or. He loves us. He gave His Son for us. When we truly embrace how much He loves us, we too will see our lamentations turn into dancing and our sackcloth of mourning torn up and replaced with gladness. Glory be to God!

Psalms 29:6 (30:5)

For there is wrath in His anger,
But life in His will;
Weeping will lodge at evening,
But great joy in the morning.

Encouraging Words

God hates sin. But because of Jesus, our sin is forgiven and we are wiped clean. When God looks at us, He sees Jesus. This is where we receive life, in His will. As we go through this earthly life we struggle with sin, but when we fall asleep in Him, we will awake to great joy in the morning. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Psalms 26:13-14 (27:13-14)

I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
Wait on the Lord;
Be courageous, and strengthen your heart,
And wait on the Lord.

Encouraging Words

No matter how crazy the world gets around us we can still believe that God is in control, for He is, and wait on Him. His goodness will always be present in the land of the living. We just have to look through the fog of this world to find the light of our Lord that is always shining bright. This is why we need to be courageous, strengthen our hearts, and wait on Him. Glory be to God!

Psalms 26:8 (27:8)

My heart speaks to You; my face seeks You;
Your face, O Lord, I will seek.

Personal Challenge

Why is it that we only seek God when we need something from Him? Maybe this is part of the reason that God said that David was a man after His own heart? We too, can be like David, and seek Him all of the time. God is always there for us. It is us that become present to Him as we seek Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Psalms 23:4-5 (24:3-4)

He who has innocent hands and a pure heart;
He who does not lift up his soul to vanity;
He who does not swear deceitfully to his neighbor.
He shall receive blessing from the Lord
And mercy from the God of his salvation.

Personal challenge

Once again the Psalmist provides guidance on how we should behave if we desire to receive God’s blessing and mercy in our lives. We are still dependent upon Jesus for our eternal salvation, but this guidance teaches us how to live our lives within that blessing of salvation. What are we to do to show that we are children of God? Live in a way that we have innocent hands and a pure heart. Flee from vanity. Do not treat our neighbor deceitfully. We cannot say that we do not know what God wants of us. Glory be to God!

Psalms 26:4

One thing I ask from the Lord; this I will seek,
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
And behold the delights of the Lord,
And visit His temple.

Personal challenge

Do I desire my God this much? Is this the one thing that I ask over and over? The house of the Lord is so much better than anything that this world can offer. Do I desire it more than everything in this world? This is the personal challenge… to desire God and His house all the days of my life. Glory be to God!