Category Archives: Psalms

Obedience to God’s Word

23 Monday Jun 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 119:1-8
א Aleph
Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the LORD.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart—
they do no wrong
but follow his ways.
You have laid down precepts
that are to be fully obeyed.
Oh, that my ways were steadfast
in obeying your decrees!
Then I would not be put to shame
when I consider all your commands.
I will praise you with an upright heart
as I learn your righteous laws.
I will obey your decrees;
do not utterly forsake me (NIV). *

Reflection
We are about to start a twenty-two-day journey through Psalm 119, the longest Psalm in the Bible. This is also an acrostic poem, which in this case means each stanza of this poetic psalm begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The section above for instance, begins with the letter Aleph, which roughly corresponds to our letter A. Also, within each alphabetic stanza are eight verses, which all begin with the same Hebrew letter. In this way the psalm’s composer works his way through the entire twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This psalm is a truly remarkable literary composition, which was originally structured to be memorized, like the alphabet. Alas, for the English reader, much of the elaborate, intricate beauty of this psalm is lost the moment it is translated from its original tongue.

The theme of this psalm is consistent throughout. It is a poetic testimony in praise of God’s holy, unchanging word. Here we find the alpha and omega of the psalms—a literary tribute to the A-to-Z wonder of God’s word. Every letter trumpets the salutary goodness of God’s written word.

From the beginning of this poetic masterpiece the author recognizes his need. His life needs to be governed by the law of the LORD. His goal and heart’s desire is to lead a blameless life. God’s blessing comes to such a person. Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—they do no wrong but follow his ways (v. 1-3).

In a world of injustice and moral rot the words of Psalm 119 pierce like a steel-tipped bullet to the heart. The need for all humanity to follow his ways, rather than our own selfish ways has never been greater.

Response: LORD God, like the psalmist I want to fall in love with your Word. Here is the purpose to my desire. I want to live a blameless life that brings honor to my Maker because you are good. Amen.

Your Turn: Is holy living one of your goals? Do you see value in leading a blameless life before God?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and 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 gripping read from David Kitz.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.

The LORD Rules over All

22 Sunday Jun 2025

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Psalm 103:19-22

The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the LORD you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Praise the LORD all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.

Psalm 103 is a sandwich, or if you prefer, a big beefy hamburger. By that I mean this psalm begins with a personal call to praise the LORD, and it ends, as we see from the passage above, with what amounts to a universal call to praise the LORD. Between these calls to worship, we find a great big helping of God’s goodness. In between we discover the why—the reasons why—we should be overflowing with praise to the LORD.

David experienced God’s saving grace, goodness, love and forgiveness over and over again. Consequently, his heart was full to bursting with praise. Herein is the why of praise; the reason for praise rests in God, not in us, or our circumstances.

But Psalm 103 is not just a beefy hamburger. It is also an express train—a big steam locomotive. There is a distinct momentum to this psalm, which can be missed by breaking it into sections. It begins with David addressing his soul. It would appear, at the start, to be a sluggish soul that is somewhat reluctant to praise God. But this reluctance begins to melt away as David recounts the LORD’s great goodness. One by one David declares the character qualities of the LORD. As each attribute is portrayed, David’s sense of awe and his desire to praise God picks up momentum. By the end of this psalm, David’s praise has become an express train, loaded with divine purpose and headed full speed for glory!

Shinkansen (bullet train) photo by David Kitz

His final call to worship in the above stanza is a great cry for all to get aboard this express train of praise. Now with a full head of steam, in exultant praise, I can hear him shouting, “Hop on board, one and all. Praise the LORD! We are heaven bound!”

Many see praise and worship as a purely cathartic response to the manifest goodness of God. Something good happens to us. Unexpectedly, we get a thousand-dollar payment in the mail. Quite naturally our response is praise to God.

For many people, praise to God never progresses beyond this natural, cathartic level. If God does not bless, no praise is forthcoming. Our praise for the LORD becomes or simply remains circumstance dependent. But that was not the case with David. His praise extended beyond simple catharsis. He taught his soul to praise the LORD in all circumstances. True biblical praise and worship is after all a spiritual exercise, a discipline we grow in, just as we grow in the discipline of prayer.

The LORD, the object of our praise, does not change with our circumstances. He is forever the same. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is constant, hence our praise and worship of him should be constant, unaffected by weather conditions, world events, the gyrations of the stock market, our swings of mood or our personal situation.

Of course, this constancy in praise is something the natural man simply rebels against. Our world needs to be right in order for us to praise God aright, or so we reason. The only problem with this logic is that the world has never been right since the Fall. Death, disease, war and misery have been raining down on the children of Adam, since wilful disobedience to God first took root among us. And this is one weather forecast, for all humanity, that is not about to change—not until Christ returns.

If we are waiting for a perfect world before we lift our voice in praise to God, we will never praise Him. In fact, if our eyes are on the world, or on ourselves, there will always be grounds to withhold our praise. But then, the whole purpose of praise and worship is to lift up our eyes. We desperately need to get our eyes off ourselves, off the world, and onto God our Maker.

Photo by Thirdman on Pexels.com

Martin Rinkart was a man who could be forgiven for cursing God. But rather than cursing his Creator, or withholding worship, he composed the ageless hymn of praise, Now Thank we all our God. Pastor Rinkart (1586-1649) was caught up in the horrors of the Thirty Years’ War. For a full year his hometown, Eilenburg in Saxony, was besieged as war raged round about. The triple scourge of war, disease and famine ravaged the community. Death was everywhere. The walled city was swamped by destitute refugees. Three times it was overrun by pillaging armies. As the crisis worsened, Rinkart’s pastoral colleagues succumbed to the plague; only he was left to conduct the funerals. In that horrific year, 1637, he conducted more than 4,000 funerals, as many as fifty in a single day. One of those funerals was for his own dear wife.

Yet it was this man, Martin Rinkart, who composed these words of praise:

            Now thank we all our God
            With heart and hands and voices
            Who wondrous things hath done
            In whom this world rejoices;
            Who from our mothers’ arms
            Hath blessed us on the way
            With countless gifts of love
            And still is ours today.

Martin Rinkart did not live in a perfect world. But his eyes saw beyond the death and destruction that lay before him. He lifted his eyes above the world, and beyond himself. And when he did, he beheld God. He saw Him as LORD over all, and a God to be thanked and praised for countless gifts of love. Amid the most desperate situation imaginable, Pastor Rinkart fixed his gaze on the LORD his Maker. Then this humble pastor did a most remarkable thing—a Spirit-directed thing. He raised his voice in praise to God.

In a world run amok, the first casualty all too often is our faith in God. The chaos of disaster leads us to question the very existence of God. The god of order and control would not—should not—unleash tsunamis of war and disease on this world. We reason, “What kind of god is this? Why would an all-powerful god permit this? Why would he not spare those dear to me?”

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

But Martin Rinkart the hymnist, and David the psalmist, knew the true God, a god who exists beyond our narrow definitions of order and control. Both these men knew the LORD of all the earth. Here in Psalm 103, David declared, “The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”

That divine rule, and that eternal kingdom, truly encompasses all, including disasters. Yes, He is LORD over disasters too, over war, over hurricanes, over floods and droughts, over both feasts and famines, joys and sorrows. He is LORD of all.

This declaration of God’s kingdom rule collides head on with my own preconceived notions of how the world should be. In my world death should never steal a friend away. In my world abundance should be a preordained right. In my world sickness should have no foothold, cancer should hold no sway. In my world all stories should have happy endings.

I want an ideal world like that. I want the real world to conform to my desired ends. And when God does not meekly comply, by granting me my ideal vision of the world, I stamp my foot and shake my fist at Him. In reality, when I do that, I am announcing that I want to be God. I want to be LORD. A refusal to bow in worship before God, is a declaration of my desire to be the sole ruler of my life, and the Creator my own world apart from God.

In a world run amok, Martin Rinkart did not stamp his foot and shake his fist at God; he lifted his voice in praise. Praise to God in the midst of tragedy aligns us afresh with the LORD of the universe. It re-establishes and reasserts his direct rule over us. Along with David we declared, “The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”

God in His wisdom has not given me my ideal world. He has given me His world—the real world—where sorrow mingles with joy, where the curse and the blessing of Eden coexist, where life and death dance nimbly together.

Man praying to God.

Prayer is my attempt before God to change this present world. And this world is in desperate need of change. God and I are in agreement on that point. That’s why He sent His Son. The world can be changed by God through prayer. What an astonishing truth! My prayers can change the world. God can as a consequence of my prayers, intervene and stunningly alter the natural course of events. I have seen Him do astonishing miracles. He is after all, who says He is. He is LORD.

But if God does not intervene, if my prayers are not answered, if no miracle comes, He is still LORD. He is still to be praised. This inalterable fact remains, “The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”

After 4,000 funerals, after his hopes and dreams lay buried, for Martin Rinkart, God was still God. He was still LORD over all. He was still worthy of all praise and so he wrote:

            O may this bounteous God 
            Through all our life be near us,
            With ever joyful hearts
            And blessed peace to cheer us;
            And keep us in his grace,
            And guide us when perplexed,
            And free us from all ills
            In this world and the next.[1]

How shallow is your praise? Do you believe your world needs to be right before you praise God? Lift up your eyes for a moment. Lift them to the One, who was lifted up for you. Lift your eyes to the Father, who did not spare His Son, but sent him into a messed-up world to die upon a cross. Fix your eyes on Him, the bloodied fount of redemption. Fix your eyes on the one who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

Then, lift your voice in praise to God.

How shallow is your praise? Do you believe you need to feel right in order to praise right? After all, wouldn’t we be hypocritical if we were outwardly exuberant in praise to God, but our heart was not in it? Now in this instance, when we are speaking of our heart, we really mean our feelings. But if we see praise as a biblical command, our feelings are inconsequential. We are to praise God regardless of our feelings. Feelings come and go, but the goodness of God stands secure and unchanging. 

As residents of North America, we are a pampered lot. We live in affluence, materially rich, but mired in deep spiritual poverty. Gratification must be instant. Personal comfort trumps all other considerations. What do we know of hardship? In this sheltered atmosphere, praise for God grows like a spindly hothouse plant. Untested by hardship or the cold winds of adversity, our faith lacks depth. Our worship remains shallow.

If the music isn’t right on Sunday, we are incapable of praise. What an outrageous affront to God! True worship is so much more than a lip-synced ditty. It goes deeper. It flows higher. It breaks through our emotional indifference and reaches the heart of God.

The deepest praise is sacrificial. It floats heavenward on a sea of suffering. It confounds all logic and rises above whim or emotion.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name (Hebrews 13:15).

True worship is born of the Spirit. Along with David, it invites all of heaven—all of creation to join in the chorus of praise.

Praise the LORD you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul!  

Bringing Life to the Psalms

  1. What does it mean to offer a sacrifice of praise? Have you faced times of hardship when you found it difficult to praise God? Were you able to offer praise?
  2. Read a biographical portrait of Martin Rinkart. There are several internet sites that provide a closer look at this man who knew how to praise God through adversity.
  3. Read or sing Rinkart’s great hymn, Now Thank we all our God. It’s a wonderful way to set free the wellspring of praise within you.
  1. Reread Psalm 103. Is it a hamburger, an express train, or both? Can you think of another metaphor that helps our minds to capture the magnificence of this psalm? What is God saying to you as you read this psalm?

[1] Now Thank We All Our God, words by Martin Rinkart (1586-1649), 1636. Translated by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878), 1858 MIDI: Nun danket alle Gott (later form of melody by Johann Cruger, (1598-1662).


Today’s post is Chapter 17 from the book Psalms Alive! Connecting Heaven & Earth by David Kitz. To find out more or purchase click here.

 

Jesus, the Rock That Saves

20 Friday Jun 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 118:22-29
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
The LORD has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.
LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
From the house of the LORD we bless you.
The LORD is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever (NIV). *

A tree growing around a giant rock, Gatineau Park, QC — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
This final reading from Psalm 118 contains one of the most profound messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. The opening sentence carries great significance: The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes (v. 22-23).

The apostle Peter identifies Jesus as the stone the builders rejected. He adds that this rejection was due to disobedience and unbelief, and he quotes Isaiah 8:14 to prove his point. “[Jesus is] A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:8-9).

Our reading from Psalm 118 paints a metaphoric picture of Christ’s Passion Week. When Jesus arrived triumphant in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he was greeted by the crowds chanting this line from Psalm 118: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9). But later, Jesus, the rock of our salvation, was rejected by the religious leadership. Metaphorically, he was taken up to the horns of the altar and there on a cruel wooden cross, the Lamb of God became our sacrificial offering.

But… but praise be to God! The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This same Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day, and now he offers forgiveness and salvation for all those who put their faith in him. He is our living rock—the rock that accompanied Israel through the wilderness. See 1 Corinthians 10:1-5. Jesus is the rock on which you can build your life—your cornerstone.

Response: Father God, I thank you for your prophetic word because it points to Jesus. Lord Jesus, you are the rock-solid foundation of my life. I give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! Amen.

Your Turn: Are you building on the Rock, which is Christ? What building materials are you using?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and 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 gripping read from David Kitz.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.

Snares of Death Confronted Me

19 Thursday Jun 2025

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


Reading: Psalm 118:15-21

Father God,
extend your right hand of blessing over me.
Work on my behalf.
Show me your mercy,
your power and glory.
Again and again,
I will give you thanks,
for you answered me.
Amen.

— — — —

He [David] said:

“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
    from violent people you save me.

“I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
    and have been saved from my enemies.
The waves of death swirled about me;
    the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death confronted me.
“In my distress I called to the LORD;
    I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
    my cry came to his ears.
(2 Samuel 22:2-7 NIV)*

 

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Iran, and 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 gripping read from David Kitz.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.

Lifted by His Right Hand

19 Thursday Jun 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 118:15-21
Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!
The LORD’s right hand is lifted high;
the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!”
I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the LORD has done.
The LORD has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD
through which the righteous may enter.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation (NIV). *

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

Reflection
Are you left-handed? Today in western cultures being left-handed presents some challenges since many devices are designed with right-handed people in mind. Try finding left-handed scissors next time you’re at a store. Good luck with that! Oh, and if you find them, expect to pay three times the price of a right-handed model. Often lefties don’t have it so good.

Even today in Middle Eastern cultures being born left-handed presents an enormous challenge. The right hand is used for eating food; the left hand is used for personal hygiene—bottom wiping. You dare not reverse that assigned role. Toddlers are strictly trained in this cultural practice. Usually, left-handed children are forced to switch so they conform to the social norm. Making this switch plays havoc with the developing brain and often results in speech impediments such as stuttering, since this transition requires a complete rewiring of the child’s brain.

The Bible was written by Holy Spirit inspired authors, but like authors today they were not blank slates. They wrote from their cultural perspective to the people of their time. As a result, readers today can easily miss or misunderstand concepts that were readily understood in their original context.

The significance of the right hand is one of those culturally important concepts that we often pass over with little thought. The Bible is replete with references to the right hand or specifically God’s right hand. So what’s the big deal, we think to ourselves. But in Middle Eastern culture the right hand holds great significance. This is the hand of righteousness, honor and blessing. Thus, there is immense significance in this statement: “The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things! The LORD’s right hand is lifted high; the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!” (v. 15b-16)

Response: Father God, extend your right hand of blessing over me. Work on my behalf. Show me your mercy, your power and glory. Again and again, I will give you thanks, for you answered me. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you like the psalmist? Has the LORD spared your life for a purpose? Has God lifted His right hand to save and bless you?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and 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 gripping read from David Kitz.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.

Trusting God over Human Strength

18 Wednesday Jun 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 118:8-14
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in humans.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the LORD helped me.
The LORD is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation (NIV). *

Photo by Binyamin Mellish on Pexels.com

Reflection
Psalm 118 is perhaps the most militant psalm in the Bible. The psalmist assumes a combative stance. He is ready to take on the world and everything his adversaries can toss at him. These are the words of a fighter—a courageous warrior: All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down (v. 10-11).

Some may find the aggressive words of this psalm offensive. To be frank, I prefer the more passive psalms that speak of quiet waters, grassy hills, and star-filled night skies, but life is more than tranquil repose. It also includes moments of conflict and combat. As the author of Ecclesiastes reminds us, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 9). There is a time to be conciliatory, but there also are times when we need to stand our ground and defend our faith and our way of life.

Joshua is a Bible character who exemplifies the attitude and intent of this psalm. He was a man on a mission. His mission, assigned to him by God, was the conquest of Canaan. If you read the Book of Joshua, you will discover that he pursued his mission with a ruthless passion that ultimately brought victory and success. In his farewell speech to the nation, Joshua had these words of advice: “The LORD has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the LORD your God” (Joshua 23:9-11).

The God of peace is also the God who fights for you. Very little in this life is accomplished without rugged determination and a fighting spirit. Joshua proved great nation-changing things are possible when we move forward with courage and tap into the power of God.

Response: Father God, there are battles you want me to fight. Help me to personally tap into your power. Give me courage to stand for you and your truth though a thousand oppose me. Amen.

Your Turn: Are there great things God has called you to accomplish? Is He fighting for you?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and 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 gripping read from David Kitz.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.

Finding Courage Under Pressure

17 Tuesday Jun 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 118:1-7
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Let Israel say:
“His love endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say:
“His love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say:
“His love endures forever.”
When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD;
he brought me into a spacious place.
The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
I look in triumph on my enemies (NIV). *

Reflection
Psalm 118 is a psalm of thanksgiving and triumph, over adversaries and adversity. Many of the enemies we encounter have no human face; instead, they are life circumstances, worldly thinking, or schemes hatched in hell. We all have struggles and obstacles that we must overcome. The good news found in this psalm is that God is on our side. When we surrender to the LORD, we join the winning side. Then we can join the psalmist in this declaration: The LORD is with me; he is my helper (v. 7).

This psalm begins and ends with this statement: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. From ancient times this psalm was likely used in public worship. It may well have been used in a kind of call and response with the priest or worship leader calling or singing out, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,” while the congregation answers back, “his love endures forever.”

I think at various times we all have experienced the truth of the following words: When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD (v. 5). If you have prepared for a semester-ending-round-of-exams, you know all about being hard pressed. If you have a crucial work deadline, you know all about being hard pressed. If you have spent countless days and hours preparing for a special event, you know all about being hard pressed. Life is full of hard-pressed moments. How we respond in those stressful situations is crucial to our development as citizens of earth and heaven.

In those high-pressure moments have you learned to cry out to the LORD? Have you experienced His help? Have you come out the other side as a stronger, more courageous person because you faced your fears? When you called out to God did He bring you through to victory? If the answer is yes, let these words become your response: He brought me into a spacious place. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? (v. 5-6)

Response: Father God, I am facing some deadlines and difficulties. But you are my helper, LORD. I call out to you. I want to triumph over the obstacles I face. I thank you in advance for the victory you have instore for me. Amen.

Your Turn: Has God helped you in a high-pressure situation? I would love to hear about your victory.

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and 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 gripping read from David Kitz.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.

Then Jesus Came to Them

16 Monday Jun 2025

Posted by in Psalm 117, Psalms

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


Reading: Psalm 117

Father God,
I just want to praise you.
Thank you for your great love and faithfulness
as revealed by Jesus on the cross.
I love you, Lord Jesus.
I am grateful that your love
encompasses all people.
Amen.

— — — —

Then Jesus came to them and said,
“All authority in heaven
and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything
I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)*

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Iran, and 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 gripping read from David Kitz.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.

Breaking Religious Exclusivity

16 Monday Jun 2025

Posted by in Psalms

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 117
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD (NIV). *

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Reflection
Psalm 17 is the shortest of all the psalms. It reminds me of tabasco sauce. It’s concentrated; you don’t need much to set your mouth on fire.

What’s so great—so powerful—about Psalm 117 you ask? Well in 29 short words, it sums up the call and global appeal of the entire Bible.

Let’s consider this opening sentence: Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. This call to worship is for all people; it’s universal. The message of the Bible is for all people. It’s not limited to a single nation, race, or people group.

This call for universal praise is unusual because it draws all humanity into a common faith in the LORD. The Jewish faith was and is a very exclusive religion. This is the faith of the chosen people—God’s chosen people. They did not choose Him, but rather they were uniquely selected by God to bear His name before the nations of the world. Throughout the Old Testament we have a clear sense that God was dealing with his own special people, and they were to walk separate from the nations. They received God’s laws and were the guardians of His word. They were instructed not to intermarry with other nations, nor be polluted by them and their idol worship. The worshippers of Yahweh were an exclusive group, a unique people, but they were not evangelistic. They kept the message to themselves.

But here in Psalm 117 the constricted, exclusive God of the Old Testament appears to break out of His narrow nationalist cocoon. We see that He is a God for all nations, not just for the descendants of Abraham. Here we catch a glimpse of the big picture—the global perspective. All the nations of the earth are to praise Him. The longstanding intent of the God Israel is that every people group should know his ways and experience His salvation.

But why should all nations praise the LORD? The second verse of this miniature psalm provides the answer. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Where did the LORD demonstrate His great love for us? We see God’s love most vividly on the cross. There the Son of God poured out His blood to redeem men and women, boys, and girls, from every nation under heaven. There love flowed down in a crimson stream. There God fulfilled His Abrahamic promise. “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8). There the prophecy of John the Baptist was achieved. “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Concentrated within the shortest Psalm is enough truth to set the world on fire.

Response: Father God, I just want to praise you. Thank you for your great love and faithfulness as revealed by Jesus on the cross. I love you, Lord Jesus. I am grateful that your love encompasses all. Amen.

Your Turn: Why is racism contrary to anyone who claims to love God? If God has a universal love for humanity, why do we sometimes try to put limits on that love?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and 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 gripping read from David Kitz.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.

Our God, the Extremist

15 Sunday Jun 2025

Posted by in Psalms, Psalms Alive!

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Psalm 103:6-18

The LORD works righteousness
    and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses,
    his deeds to the people of Israel:
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

It is well worth noting that Psalm 103 was written by David. David was a man of extremes; he lived life to the full. Never one to rest on his laurels—he was always up for a challenge, and if no challenge existed, he would create one for himself. He was a man’s kind of man, not easily discouraged or deterred, ready to throw himself headlong into the fray. Undoubtedly, others saw and admired these qualities in him. That’s why they gathered around him, and stuck with him through the extremes, the highs and lows of a life lived fully and unreservedly for God.

Sometimes I wonder what David would be like if we met him today—if he lived in today’s world. Into what endeavour would he throw his boundless energy? Who are the extreme men, the Davids of our time? Who are the men—or the women for that matter—who take on the Goliaths of our present world?

This gutsy determination was evident throughout David’s long and eventful life. As a young teenager, a mere scamp, David had the in-your-face audacity to take on Goliath, the towering, undefeated, Philistine champion. And this battle was no game of tiddlywinks, no computer simulation—this was mortal combat—the real thing, winner takes all, including your severed head (1 Samuel 17).

Do we have any young Davids—any teens—who with God on their side, will step out from the crowd, and risk all in the defence of faith and truth?

Later as a young man, we find David at Ziklag. After a meteoric start to his career, he has plummeted from favour. He has persevered through round after round of downward spiralling misfortune. Now at his lowest point, with his own men about to stone him, he rises above an embittered throng of naysayers and doubters. With his very life in the balance, he finds strength in the LORD his God. Then by the extraordinary grace of his God, this indefatigable David pursues his enemies. He seizes victory by the sandal straps and refuses—absolutely refuses—to let it escape over the next hill (1 Samuel 30).

Do we have any never-give-up, never-say-die Davids like that today? Or do we give up at the first sign of opposition? It takes young men of extreme faith to persevere in the face of an unrelenting foe. Have you seen a David lately?

A middle-aged David faced betrayal and heartbreak as his own son, Absalom, sought to kill him and wrench the kingdom from his faltering hands. As this grand tragedy unfolds, David humbles himself before God and his people. He flees Jerusalem barefoot, weeping and with his head covered as a sign of deep contrition (2 Samuel 15:30). The God of all mercy hears his prayers and restores the fallen king—the repentant king—to the throne. Sometimes humility takes far more courage than a strutting cocksure leader can muster. But King David—the man at the top—still knew how to humble himself. He knew how to repent.

What a stark contrast to the middle-aged barons of business, who in recent years have been hauled before the courts in disgrace. All we hear from them is deny, deny, and lie follows lie. Men are a strange lot. Once the great ego puffs itself up, it seems to be incapable of self-deflation. We cannot prick our own balloon.

Do we have any top-of-their-game Davids, who know how to humble themselves before God, and before the public, and openly repent? Upper echelon Davids like that are in extremely short supply, perhaps even extinct. Have you caught a glimpse of one?

In his old age David looked ahead. With a prophet’s eye he saw the future and he planned for a nation without him. He installed his son Solomon on the throne, but he placed the LORD at the helm of Israel, even as the LORD had always been at the helm of David’s entire life. Now in his last days, the House of God became David’s prime concern. He was not permitted to build the temple of the LORD (1 Chronicles 17). But, he made extensive preparations for it. Upon David’s death the House of God would rise. How like another descendant of David? Upon Jesus’ death, by the power of the Spirit, the Church of God would arise.

In his instructions to his son Solomon, David says,

“I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone” (1Chronicles 22:14).

Do we have any end-of-life Davids like that today? Will you leave behind a visible legacy to the LORD’s great goodness? What preparations are you making that will honor God for generations yet to come? Remember a life lived for God never ends, and its influence never ceases.

Consider this. David is still influencing lives today—far more lives in fact, than he did three thousand years ago. And though Solomon’s temple no longer stands, David’s words—his psalms of praise to God—resound in every nation under heaven. Now that’s a legacy of faith—extreme faith!

The world needs far more faithful-to-the-LORD Davids. We need them at every stage of life. And if biblical Davids like that are in short supply in today’s world, why not decide to become one yourself? Never underestimate what God can do through a life that is wholly yielded to him. When complacency is replaced by extreme, in-touch-with-God faith, anything is possible.

Now verse by verse, let’s look at what David wrote in Psalm 103 about the wonderful God he served throughout his life. David declares, “The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed” (v. 6).

When David was oppressed by Saul, he did not give up, nor did he take vengeance into his own hands. He entrusted his fate to the LORD. And the LORD saw; he took note of his servant David. Saul falsely accused David of rebellion, but David was a faithful servant both to King Saul and to the LORD, the highest king. David waited on God and ultimately, he saw the LORD work righteousness and justice on his behalf. Saul was defeated by the Philistines and in due course, faithful David ascended to the throne.

He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel (v. 7). There is a curious phraseology to this statement. It is well worth noting. Revelation is always based on relationship. My wife knows my bank account number; she has free access to my account at any time. That access is based on our relationship. Moses was shown the ways of God, but the people of Israel only saw his deeds. Moses had access to the LORD’s inner sanctum. He met regularly with God in the Tent of Meeting. He was privy to the counsel of the LORD. That relationship resulted in a far greater revelation of God’s plans and purposes.

Do you want a greater revelation of God’s plan and purpose for your life? Seek to know God better. Spend time with him. David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem for that very reason. He wanted to be close to God, to spend time with him daily, and to praise and worship him freely. Relationship is always the wellspring of all revelation. It is while we are in God’s presence that we discover the mind of Christ. 

David certainly discovered the very nature of God. He discovered that “the LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (v. 8). No sentence in the entire Bible captures the pure essence of God quite as fully as this one. It should be indelibly written on our hearts and minds. David could pen these words because he experienced them. He experienced God’s boundless grace; he was an object of the LORD’s great compassion.  

When you live life in the extreme, as David did, you are capable of both extreme failure and extreme success. You can bring down Goliath to the glory of God, and you can bring down an innocent man, Uriah the Hittite, to satisfy your selfish fleshly cravings. We are capable of both. The same testosterone fuelled spirit of conquest under girds both endeavors. One is inspired by God, the other reeks of hell’s sulphur.

Men are divinely engineered to conquer. We despise wimps. The real test is whether our conquests are directed by the Spirit of God, or by Satan working through our base desires. In God’s eyes, David was both an extreme success and an extreme failure. That’s why David needed an extreme God—extremely loving, extremely patient, and above all extremely forgiving. The LORD is an extremist.

The amazing thing about David is that he clung to God in both extremes, when he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams and when he failed spectacularly. In his success David tapped into the amazing grace of God—the supernatural enablement of the LORD. In his moral failure David found the extreme love and mercy of God.   

So it is that David could pen these words about the LORD: “He will not always accuse, nor will he harbour his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (v. 9-10).

David, the adulterer and murderer, penned those words. The extreme sinner found the God of extreme mercy. David’s adultery with Bathsheba, and his premeditated murder of Uriah, meant that David deserved death. The Law of the LORD prescribed it. But instead, he received mercy, extreme mercy from an extreme God. He did not deserve God’s goodness; we never do. A cross on a hill makes that abundantly clear.

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those that fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (v. 11-12).

David, the spectacular failure, found the LORD to be spectacularly loving. And this extreme sinner needed an extremely loving and forgiving God.

How far has God removed your sins from you? In the infinity of space, east never meets west. The cleansing is complete. The sin is gone. Forgiven. Forever gone in time, space and eternity. Gone.

Totally forgiven means just that. What an extreme God!

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass. He flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more (v. 13-16).

There is a humble humanity to these words, a certain taste of Jesus in them. Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father… “

Did Jesus have these words of David in mind as he taught his disciples about his heavenly Father? Did David grasp the finite nature of his own earthly life as he contemplated the magnificent infinite One? We certainly catch a glimpse of eternity in his words that follow: 

But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those that fear him and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts (v. 17-18).

It is striking to note that the extreme forgiveness of the LORD does not produce a flippant nonchalant attitude toward sin. It didn’t in David, and shouldn’t in us. Just the opposite is true. The extreme love of God for humanity gives birth within us to a hunger for righteousness. On the contrary, the loved and forgiven yearn to obey the LORD of mercy.

Who would not fear and love such an extreme God? Who would not want to transfer the knowledge of this extreme LORD to the generations yet to come? I long to see my children’s children loving and obeying this extremist God.

After all, I am forgiven.

Praise the LORD!

Bringing Life to the Psalms

  1. Are you aware of any present-day Davids? Who are they? What can we learn from them?
  2. David had a life of ups and downs, but throughout he was faithful to the LORD, and he finished well. Take time to read about the close of David’s life in 1 Chronicles 28 & 29. What can you learn about finishing well from this biblical account?
  3. Psalm 103 is filled with superlatives regarding the love of God. In many ways it has its New Testament parallel in Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians. Take a moment now to read that prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21
  4. Do you want a greater revelation of God’s plan and purpose for your life? Seek to know God better. Spend time with him this week. Be purposeful in prayer, praise and worship; David was.
  5. Jesus came to announce and establish the Kingdom of God. In the first century, it burst upon the Roman world with power. Has it now turned into the Wimpdom of God? Has the church become effeminate? What can you do to make your church a place where men become Kingdom builders and true disciples of Christ?

    Today’s post is Chapter 16 from the book Psalms Alive! Connecting Heaven & Earth by David Kitz. To find out more or purchase click here.

    Happy Father’s Day!