Psalm 4:2
You heard me when I called, O God of my righteousness.
You strengthened my heart when I was in distress;
Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
Encouraging Words
God hears me when I call out to Him. He strengthens my heart, especially in those times when I am down and distressed. He has mercy on me and hears my prayers. Glory be to God.
Psalm 51:1-4 (50:3-6 LXX)
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy;
And according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression.
Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my lawlessness,
And my sin is always before me.
Against You only have I sinned
And done evil in Your sight;
That You may be justified in Your words,
And overcome when You are judged.
Oh how much I take for granted God’s great love for me and the magnitude of His forgiveness of my sins. He is so merciful and compassionate towards me for I know that I am a great sinner and full of lawlessness. Beyond that, I also know that my sin is truly against Him, my Father. Thank you, Father, for loving me so deeply and for continually forgiving me of my sins. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!
Psalm 71:1-3 (70:1-3 LXX)
O God, in You I hope; may I never be put to shame.
Deliver me in Your righteousness, and set me free;
Incline Your ear to me and save me.
Be to me a God for protection
And a strong place for salvation,
For You are my foundation and my refuge.
Encouraging Words
No matter how good of a life I try to live, my works will never be enough to give me true righteousness. My attempts at righteousness will never deliver me. But, it doesn’t have to! It is the righteousness of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that delivers me. It His works that were perfect and set me free. It is Him that I put my hope in for He is my protector, my foundation, and my refuge. Glory be to God!
Psalm 34:12-15 (33:13-16 LXX)
Who is the man who desires life,
Who loves to see good days?
Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
Shun evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,
And His ears are open to their supplications.
Personal Challenge
Don’t we all want to see good days and live a full life? Well, the psalmist gives us some guidelines to do this. Keep my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceit. That which comes out of my mouth can either build up or tear down. Regardless of what the popular opinion is today, there is still good and evil in this world, whether we call it that or not. So we are to shun evil and do good. So, I stop talking about doing good thins and actually do them. And while I am living my life this way I add the pursuit of peace, seeking reconciliation in all that is around me. Living life this way, and focusing on the good of others rather than on what I want, will lead to good days and a full life. Glory be to God! Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!
Psalm 24:8-11
Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He will instruct sinners in His way.
He will guide the gentle in judgment;
He will teach the gentle His ways.
All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth
For those who seek His covenant and His testimonies.
For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my sin, for it is great.
Encouraging Words
God is gentle, merciful, and full of truth. He asks thatI live my life in the same way. Through living my life this way, He will instruct me in the way of living my life, He will guide me, and He will teach me His ways. He desires a gentle spirit within me, for He is gentle. Glory be to God!
Psalm 103:10-13 (102:10-13 LXX)
He did not deal with us according to our sins,
Nor reward us according to our transgressions;
For according to the height of heaven from earth,
So the Lord reigns in mercy over those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So He removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him,
Encouraging Words
Not only is God love, but He also pours that love out on us, his creation, over and over again, even when we do not deserve it. His compassion toward us is eternal and without measure. His forgiveness of our sins is total and complete. He is our perfect Father. Glory be to God!
Psalm 103:1-6 (102:1-6 LXX)
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And everything within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His rewards:
Who is merciful to all your transgressions,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from corruption,
Who crowns you with mercy and compassion,
Who satisfies your desire with good things;
And your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord shows mercies
And judgment to all who are wronged.
Encouraging Words
What more can be said, than, “Bless the Lord, O my soul!” My God, my Father, my Lord and Savior, my Comforter, is always there by my side loving me, caring for me, pouring out his grace, mercy, and forgiveness upon me. Whether it is I who have betrayed myself, or a loved one who has abandoned me, or the world that has caved in around me, He is always there loving me. Glory be to God!
Psalm 15(14 LXX)
O Lord, who shall dwell in Your tabernacle?
Who shall live in Your holy mountain?
He who walks blamelessly, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart,
Who does not deceive with his tongue,
Neither does evil to his neighbor;
And does not find fault with those nearest him.
He disdains those who do evil in his presence,
But he holds in honor those who fear the Lord;
He swears an oath to his neighbor and does not set it aside.
He does not lend his money at interest,
And he does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be shaken.
Personal Challenge
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner! As I read through this description of how a righteous person should live their life I am truly humbled and recognize that I am so far from being this kind of person, living my life the way the God would want me to. Lord,have mercy! Lord,have mercy! Lord,have mercy!
1 Samuel 15:22 (1 Kingdoms 15:22 LXX)
Then Samuel said, “If only the desired whole burnt offerings and desired sacrifices were equal to the Lord, as compared to one who heeds the voice of the Lord! Behold! Hearing is better than a good sacrifice and obedience than the fat of rams.
Personal Challenge
God does not want empty worship in the form of sacrifices, which today is our acts of going to church and going through rituals as much as He wants us to give our hearts to Him. He wants us more than He wants our actions and words. He knows that ritualistic offerings and practices of worship can become empty if we do not guard our hearts. He desires to be in a relationship with us and for us to desire to be in a relationship with Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!
Verse of the Day 