Day 6 Evening Psalt Intake

As you read this Psalm, think about how amazing it is that in Christ, we have been forgiven for every wrong we have ever done and ever will do. So, be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalm 32

By David. A contemplative psalm.
1 Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD doesn’t impute iniquity, in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me. My strength was sapped in the heat of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn’t hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah. 6 For this, let everyone who is godly pray to you in a time when you may be found. Surely when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach to him. 7 You are my hiding place. You will preserve me from trouble. You will surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you. 9 Don’t be like the horse, or like the mule, which have no understanding, who are controlled by bit and bridle, or else they will not come near to you. 10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in the LORD. 11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!
Sometimes, you just need to cut loose a little and celebrate the amazing goodness of God. Go ahead and rejoice in the Lord!

Psalm 33

1 Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous! Praise is fitting for the upright. 2 Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre. Sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings. 3 Sing to him a new song. Play skilfully with a shout of joy! 4 For the LORD’s word is right. All his work is done in faithfulness. 5 He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the loving kindness of the LORD. 6 By the LORD’s word, the heavens were made; all their army by the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap. He lays up the deeps in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9 For he spoke, and it was done. He commanded, and it stood firm. 10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect. 11 The counsel of the LORD stands fast forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance. 13 The LORD looks from heaven. He sees all the sons of men. 14 From the place of his habitation he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, 15 he who fashions all of their hearts; and he considers all of their works. 16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. 17 A horse is a vain thing for safety, neither does he deliver any by his great power. 18 Behold, the LORD’s eye is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his loving kindness; 19 to deliver their soul from death, to keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul has waited for the LORD. He is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart rejoices in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. 22 Let your loving kindness be on us, LORD, since we have hoped in you.
Even in the most difficult of situations, there are always things we can be thankful for. Remember to start every day by being thankful for at least five things. This simple act of thankfulness will have a huge impact on the way you experience now and forever life in His story.

Psalm 34

By David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
1 I will bless the LORD at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth. 2 My soul shall boast in the LORD. The humble shall hear of it, and be glad. 3 Oh magnify the LORD with me. Let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked to him, and were radiant. Their faces shall never be covered with shame. 6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 the LORD’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 Oh taste and see that the LORD is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. 9 Oh fear the LORD, you his saints, for there is no lack with those who fear him. 10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. 11 Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 Who is someone who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies. 14 Depart from evil, and do good. seek peace, and pursue it. 15 The LORD’s eyes are towards the righteous. His ears listen to their cry. 16 The LORD’s face is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the earth. 17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. 20 He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall kill the wicked. Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. 22 The LORD redeems the soul of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.
If you have time tonight, I thought you might like to read the background story to Psalm 34 from 1 Samuel 21:10-15:
10 David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David the king of the land? Didn’t they sing to one another about him in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?’” 12 David laid up these words in his heart, and was very afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 He changed his behaviour before them, and pretended to be insane in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Should this fellow come into my house?”
I have always gotten a kick out of what Achish the king of Gath says in verse 15. “Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence?” Makes me chuckle every time I read it.