God Speaks
Worship the LORD, He Rescues the Faithful and Downcast, Punishes the Wicked
Verse of the Day: “Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. But You, LORD, are forever exalted.” (Psalm 92:6-8 NIV 2011)
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Watch TBR Day 118
We Respond
Reflection
Consider the following questions regardingPsalms 81, 88, 92-93
> 1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
> 2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Psalms 81
1. God tests His people to see who is faithful and worshipful. He punishes the rebellious (those who refuse to repent) and rewards the righteous (those who do repent).
2. Repeatedly, God’s people have not listened to or obeyed His instructions. They need to repent.
Psalms 88
Psalm 88 is one of the gloomiest passages in the whole Bible. It even ends with a sense of complete abandonment. However, there are glimmers of hope even here. First, the psalmist is crying out to the LORD, the only One who truly knows and understands our deepest thoughts and feelings. Second, because He was fully human, Jesus knows by experience what it means to face abandonment and the fear of death. Hallelujah, He conquered both on our behalf.
Psalm 92 and Psalm 93 extol the LORD God and the people who are aligned with Him and His laws; however, people who have aligned themselves against God and His ways, making themselves His enemies, will perish and be eternally destroyed.
Prayer
> 3. How might I pray regarding Psalms 81, 88, 92-93?
Dear gracious and merciful God, please help us turn back to Yourself and Your Word. Help us to remember You, what You have rescued us from and how to live lives that truly reflect You and Your gracious forgiveness. Help us to be grateful, happy and helpful to others. Dear Jesus, Lamb of God, thank You for dying to pay the penalty for all my sin. Thank You that, because I have placed my faith in You, my name is written in Your book of life. Holy Spirit, You have given me the ability to live this physical life Your way. And I will get to live with You, Father, Son and Spirit, for eternity in the new earth and/or the new Jerusalem (Zion). LORD God, help me to remember Psalm 88 when I encounter someone (even myself at times) who feels as despairing as the psalmist. Help me to graciously and tenderly point them to Jesus who has also faced abandonment. He conquered the fear of death on their behalf. May I have the privilege of seeing You comforting and strengthening this person. Psalms 92 and 93 extol You, LORD God. Defend the people who are aligned with You and Your laws, O God of Israel. Forgive people who have set themselves against You,You ways and Your people. Those who make themselves Your enemies will perish and be eternally destroyed, unless they repent. Holy Spirit, please draw multitudes to do so. Then we will all spend eternity brining You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
> 4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Psalms 81, 88, 92-93?
With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will pour out my heart to the LORD, thanking Him for setting me free from bondage to sin, self and Satan.
- I will join with others in standing up firmly and peacefully for the truly oppressed (praying at an abortion clinic).
- I will share Psalm 88 with a friend who is in deep despair, perhaps considering ending their life. My purpose is to show them that God really does understand, and that He cares deeply for them.
- I will acknowledge and apologize for the ways in which I have opposed God and His ways, seeking His forgiveness.
Share
I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.