Drinking from Your River of Delights

25 Tuesday Apr 2023

Tags

forgiveness, God's kindness, God's love, river of delights, unfailing love

Reading: Psalm 36:5-9
Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light (NIV). *

Tranquil waters — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
As mentioned in my previous post, Psalm 36 is a psalm of contrasts. David compares the wickedness of man with the amazing goodness of God. The opening portion of Psalm 36 touches on the depravity of man. In today’s reading we behold the awesome love and kindness of God.

Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. The beautiful poetry of those words sends me off on a Rocky Mountain high.

God’s love is reflected in the beauty of his creation. He nestled us into a world of incredible beauty and variety. From the grandeur of the mountains to the minute sea fauna, God is there—sustaining all—reigning over all. You, LORD, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!

God’s unfailing love stands in sharp contrast to man’s rapacious capacity for hate and destruction. We glory in war, death and bloodshed as though these are great accomplishments, when in fact they are a failure in love and forgiveness—the attributes of God. Yet despite these failures God showers us with His love and goodness. People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.

It is worth noting that God is the source of the river of delights. Just as any good father enjoys bringing pleasure to his children, so too our Heavenly Father delights in bringing joy to us. He is not stingy in His love, but overflowing with generosity, in many cases providing more than we can handle.

For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. The LORD is the author and source of all life. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31). Only in Him and through Him do we see the light of day and the light of life. To God be praise forever more!

Response: LORD God, thank you, thank you, thank you for your great love and faithfulness to me. Let your light shine in me and through me today. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you been drinking from God’s river of delights? List some things that bring you God given joy.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

A True Picture of Myself

24 Monday Apr 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 36, Psalms

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Jesus, picture, repentance, sin

“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 36:1-4

LORD God,
help me to see a true picture of myself.
If I see sin in my life, help me to change.
Grant me the gift of repentance through Jesus,
who loved me to the point of death on a cross.
Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild, and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. Start your day with a new devotional series. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Self-Flattery

24 Monday Apr 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 36, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

eyes, faults, intimacy, joy, peace, sin

Reading: Psalm 36:1-4
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD.
I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before their eyes.
In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.
The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
they fail to act wisely or do good.
Even on their beds they plot evil;
they commit themselves to a sinful course
and do not reject what is wrong (NIV). *

Photo by wendel moretti on Pexels.com

Reflection
Psalm 36 is a psalm of contrasts. David compares the wickedness of man with the amazing goodness of God. This opening portion of the Psalm 36 touches only on the depravity of man. The picture we see of ourselves is not particularly flattering.

According to David the problem begins with our eyes. He states, “There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.”

The sinful person has a vision problem. He cannot see the dire consequences of his sin. Sin exacts a terrible price. Consider the lives wrecked by addiction to alcohol, drugs, or pornography. Furthermore, the damage is not limited to those caught in the terrible grip of sin. It overflows and contaminates all those around. Sin blinds the eyes so we cannot see the suffering we are causing to ourselves and others.

Over time, even so called “small” sins can exact a heavy toll on our lives. Often in subtle ways sin robs us of intimacy, peace, and joy. While we are blind to the problem, sin interferes with our relationship with God and those who are near to us. Daily, we should be asking, “Do I have the right view of myself? In my mind am I flattering myself too much to detect or hate my sin? Have I become blind to my faults—faults that may be obvious to others?”

There is a biblical prescription for the blindness caused by our sinful condition. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding (Psalm 111:10). The fear of the LORD opens our eyes. The fear of the LORD leads to repentance and the fear of the LORD enlightens our understanding.

What is keeping you from intimacy, joy, and peace? Is it a plethora of secret sins that blind and bind you into unhealthy patterns of thinking? Ask God to give you a right view—an unflattering view of yourself—so that with His help you can change.

Response: LORD God, help me to see a true picture of myself. If I see sin in my life, help me to change. Grant me the gift of repentance through Jesus, who loved me to the point of death on a cross. Amen.

Your Turn: In our mind, all of us flatter ourselves. How do you maintain a right picture of yourself?

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

Knit Together in My Mother’s Womb

23 Sunday Apr 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 139

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

body, created, mother's womb, praise the LORD, wonderfully made

I will praise the LORD!

Photo by Carlos Santiago on Pexels.com

Reading: Psalm 139:13-18

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

Where Can I Go from Your Spirit?

22 Saturday Apr 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 139

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

darkness, God's presence, praise the LORD, presence of God, the heavens

I will praise the LORD!

Hidden cove — photo by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 139:7-12

Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

The Success of Others

21 Friday Apr 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 35, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Prayer, pure motives, success, thanksgiving

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 35:26-28

LORD God,
give me a heart of thanksgiving.
Help me to appreciate the giftings and success of others.
Grant me a pure heart with pure motives.
May I always delight in the well-being of your servants.
Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

RGB300Kitz2AWARD

Envy or Rejoicing

21 Friday Apr 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 35, Psalms

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

envious, putdowns, rejoice, renovation, Schadenfreude

Reading: Psalm 35:26-28
May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The LORD be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praises all day long (NIV). *

Spring melt — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Psalm 35 draws to a close with this warning against schadenfreude: May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace.

So what is schadenfreude you ask? Dictionary.com defines schadenfreude as satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else’s misfortune. It is a compound German word: schaden harm + freude joy. In other words, schadenfreude is the joy you may feel when hearing about another person’s calamity. Schadenfreude can be viewed as the ladder-climber’s delight in seeing others fall behind or off the ladder entirely. Far too often it manifests in the false assumption that we can advance ourselves by putting others down. The truth is we advance ourselves by advancing others. Advancing by putdowns has no firm foundation because it hurts others and creates hostility. It usually ends badly because pride precedes a fall, just as darkness follows sunset.

Are you exalting yourself at the expense of others? If so, take some time to repent. Do your best to repair the damaged relationships that result from such behavior.

Paul, the apostle, gives us this advice: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited (Romans 12:14-16).

Take joy in the success of others rather than resenting their achievements. Let their successes ignite within you a desire for self-improvement. With God’s help change what you can within yourself before looking to change others. We all have a place in our heart that needs some renovation.

Then with David we can rejoice when others succeed. May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

Response: Father God, give me a heart of thanksgiving. Help me appreciate the giftings and success of others. Grant me a pure heart with pure motives. May I always delight in the well-being of your servants. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you suffered from a bad case of schadenfreude? Do you rejoice when others succeed or are you envious?

Please pray for peace to return to Jerusalem and Ukraine!

B1P95Jv-LtS._SY300_

Doing the Harder Thing

20 Thursday Apr 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 35, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

blessed, children of God, forgiveness, peacemakers

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 35:22-25

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9).
LORD God,
help me to be a local peacemaker in my world today—
someone who builds bridges between people and communities.
Amen.

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

The Peacemaker

20 Thursday Apr 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 35, Psalms

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

defense, forgiving, Jesus, peace, peacemakers

Reading: Psalm 35:22-25
LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do not be far from me, Lord.
Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God;
do not let them gloat over me.
Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up” (NIV). *

Crocus and bumblebee — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
There’s an old saying, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” That certainly is true of the conflict in the Holy Land. About 3,000 years ago, in David’s time the Kingdom of Israel was in a struggle for survival. Chief among its enemies were the Philistines along the Gaza coast. On the day I wrote this post, Israel’s chief enemy Hamas was firing rockets into Israel from the Gaza coast.

David’s words from Psalm 35 have a present-day resonance. LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent. Do not be far from me, Lord. Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord. Many in present day Israel are praying this prayer with the fervor of those who are being attacked.

But the residents of Gaza could pray this prayer with equal fervor. Their homes and businesses are also under bombardment. Where is God in all this suffering? Whose side is He on? Many in the Christian community affirm with great confidence that God is on the side of Israel. Does that make God complicit in the deaths of innocent children in Gaza?

Jesus gave this counsel to his disciples, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also” (Matthew 5:38-39). Present day Israel (and America for that matter) has a well-established policy of hard-hitting retaliation when attacked. What are the long-term consequences of this policy? Is the conflict resolved or is it inflamed?

Jesus’ admonition to turn the other cheek goes unheeded. Most feel that turning the other cheek implies weakness. In reality, it requires far more strength, but in the end, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness—not a righteousness that insists on its own way—but a righteousness that sees both sides of an issue and works hard for peace and reconciliation.

Jesus asks us to do the far harder thing. Retaliation is easy. It’s the natural response. Forgiving when we are wronged requires far more effort. Whose side is God on? He is on the side of peace. That’s something worth fighting for.

Response: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9). LORD God, help me to be a local peacemaker in my world today—someone who builds bridges between people and communities. Amen.

Your Turn: Forgiveness and turning the other cheek works on a personal level. How can we make it work on a community, interracial, international level as well?

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

Despite the Difficulties

19 Wednesday Apr 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 35, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

praise, Prayer, strength, trials, troubles

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 35:17-21

LORD God,
you know the troubles and trials that I face daily.
You are my help and my strength.
Despite the difficulties I face,
I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among the throngs I will praise you.
Amen.

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

RGB300Kitz2AWARD

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer” by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 36:1-4

LORD God, help me to see a true picture of myself. If I see sin in my life, help me to change. Grant me the gift of repentance through Jesus, who loved me to the point of death on a cross. Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 139:13-18

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 139:7-12

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from “Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer” by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 35:26-28

LORD God, give me a heart of thanksgiving. Help me to appreciate the giftings and success of others. Grant me a pure heart with pure motives. May I always delight in the well-being of your servants. Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Jerusalem and Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from “Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer” by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 35:22-25

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9). LORD God, help me to be a local peacemaker in my world today— someone who builds bridges between people and communities. Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from “Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer” by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 35:17-21

LORD God, you know the troubles and trials that I face daily. You are my help and my strength. Despite the difficulties I face, I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you. Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

LORD God,
help me to see a true picture of myself.
If I see sin in my life, help me to change.
Grant me the gift of repentance through Jesus,
who loved me to the point of death on a cross.
Amen.

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

LORD God,
give me a heart of thanksgiving.
Help me to appreciate the giftings and success of others.
Grant me a pure heart with pure motives.
May I always delight in the well-being of your servants.
Amen.

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9).
LORD God,
help me to be a local peacemaker in my world today—
someone who builds bridges between people and communities.
Amen.

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

LORD God,
you know the troubles and trials that I face daily.
You are my help and my strength.
Despite the difficulties I face,
I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among the throngs I will praise you.
Amen.