Psalms 39:1-4 (40:1-3)

Psalms 38:8 (39:7)

And now what is my patience?
Is it not the Lord?
And my support is from You.

Encouraging Words

All of my life I have perceived patience as something that I can work on in my own life. It has actually been a skill pursued or a way of being that certainly, I could master. But today as I read this passage, I have for the first time, seen patience in a totally different light. To truly find patience in our lives we need to stop looking within ourselves and look to our Lord. If we turn over everything in our lives to Him and look to His patience to be played out in our lives we will see patience manifested. Throughout this process. We will see God’s support in our lives. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Psalms 36:22-24 (37:23-24)
For those who bless Him shall inherit the earth,
But those who curse Him shall be utterly destroyed.
The steps of a man are guided aright by the Lord,
And he shall desire His way.
When he falls, he shall not be broken to pieces,
For the Lord supports him with His hand.

Encouraging Words

God loves us so much that He gave up His only Son for us. He loves us so much that through the work of His Son we are adopted into His family as sons and daughters of God. That is how we can inherit the earth. In that God-emitting love, our steps are guided and our desire becomes the desire to follow His way. In God’s love we will not be broken when we stumble and fall for He supports us in the palm of His hand. Glory be to God!

Psalms 36:16-19 (37:16-19)

Better the little with the just man
Than the great riches of sinners;
For the arms of sinners shall be shattered,
But the Lord supports the righteous.
The Lord knows the ways of the blameless,
And their inheritance shall be forever.
They shall not be ashamed in an evil time,
And in days of famine they shall be filled.

Personal Challenge

It really does make a difference in who we choose to spend our time with. We can choose to spend our time with those who are not godly people, but who have great riches and make for good parties. But in so doing so our rewards and blessings will be fleeting and fade away quickly. If however, we choose to fellowship and socialize with those who do not have great earthly wealth but are godly and righteous people, then we will see the blessings that they have in eternal blessings and wealth. We are affected by those whom we choose to speed time. We can be either cursed or blessed by their presence. The question is, “Are we blessings to those who choose to be with us?” Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Psalms 36:7 (37:7)

Submit to the Lord, and supplicate Him;
Do not be envious of him who prospers in his way,
Nor of him who transgresses the law.

Personal Challenge

We are told here to not be envious of the person who prospers in his ways, nor of him who does evil things and gets away with it. How do we do this? We do this by submitting ourselves, our desires and passions, our will, to our Lord and supplicating to Him. If our eyes are on Him we will not be watching the other person and envious of Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Psalms 36:3-5 (37:3-5)

Hope in the Lord, and work goodness;
Dwell in the land, and you shall be nurtured by its riches.
Delight in the Lord,
And He will give you the requests of your heart.
Reveal your way to the Lord,
And hope in Him; and He will do it.

Commands with Promises

Living a Christ-centered, God-blessed life is a life of action. Christian is a verb, not a noun. If we desire to see many of the promises of God manifested in our lives, then we must be actively living for Him. What are some of these promises? Being nurtured by the riches of God’s land, His kingdom. Being given the requests of our hearts that we lay down before Him. Receiving that which we hope for in Him and in His will. Glory be to God!

Psalms 35:8 (36:7)

How You multiply Your mercy, O God!
The sons of men shall hope under the shelter of Your wings.

Encouraging Words

God’s mercy is not just a one-time thing that is given to us. He pours it out on us over and over. Every breath we take, every beat of our heart, every blessing in our lives is rooted in His merciful love for us. This is why we can put our hope in Him and seek shelter under His wings.

Psalms 34:22-23 (35:22-23)

You saw this, O Lord; do not keep silence;
O Lord, do not be far from me.
Arise, O Lord, attend to my judgment,
My God and my Lord, to my cause.

Encouraging Words

Our God is always near to us, it is us that wander away from us. He does not keep silent in our lives, it is us that become deaf to His whispers and teachings. He is always there to defend our cause, as long as our cause is in alignment with His, which comes about as we spend more and more time with Him, seeking His face and His will. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and the Wanderer.

Psalms 33:19 (34:18)

The Lord is near those who are brokenhearted,
And He will save the humble in spirit.

Encouraging Words

Have you ever wondered why we as a human race always seem to root for the underdog? Maybe this verse gives us a glimpse into that. God knows that life in this fallen, the temporal world is difficult and often heartbreaking. He is near the brokenhearted for He knows that they need His comfort. He also knows that some­times the only way that we will learn to draw close to Him in humility is by having our heartbroken, revealing to us just how much we need Him. God is love! God is merciful! God is near us when we are brokenhearted. Glory be to God!