Great Strength Cannot Save

03 Sunday Mar 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 33, Psalms

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army, hope in God, praise the LORD, Prayer, Psalms, rejoice, sheild, strength, the LORD, warrior

I will praise the LORD!

The bridge spanning the Rhine with the Cologne Cathedral in the distance — photo by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 33:16-22

No king is saved by the size of his army;
    no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
    despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
    and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the LORD;
    he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
    even as we put our hope in you. *

* 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.

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Blessed Nations

02 Saturday Mar 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 33, Psalms

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Tags

devotional, inheritance, nation, praise the LORD, Prayer, Psalms, the LORD

I will praise the LORD!

Parliament of Canada, Ottawa — photo by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 33:12-15

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
    the people he chose for his inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down
    and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
    all who live on earth—
he who forms the hearts of all,
    who considers everything they do. *

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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My Help Comes from the LORD

29 Thursday Feb 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 120, Psalms

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Tags

devotion, help from God, Jerusalem, Mount Zion, pilgrimage, pilgrims, Prayer, Psalms, strength

Today’s Devotion from the Psalms

Reading: Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore (NIV). *

Photo by vishal amin on Pexels.com

Reflection
Psalm 121 is the second Song of Ascents, and as such it was a psalm, which was intended for use by pilgrims as they journeyed to Jerusalem. This particular psalm was most often sung or chanted as the pilgrims set out from Jericho. As they lifted up their eyes, the sharply rising hill country of Judah stretched off into the distance. Hill after hill rose before them. Jesus often made this journey to Jerusalem from his youth (see Luke 2:41-52) until his final Passover pilgrimage (see Luke 19).

This final portion of the pilgrimage was truly an ascent. From the Dead Sea plain the road to Jerusalem climbs nearly five thousand feet—1600 meters. This is truly an ascent—an ascent from the Dead Sea plain, the lowest point on the earth’s surface, to the heights of Mount Zion.

For the bone-weary pilgrims, who had already walked more than one hundred kilometers (60 miles) from Galilee, the sight of those distant hills must have brought a measure of aching discouragement. Here was a looming challenge. Could they make this final ascent? The opening question of this psalm was not a matter of poetic whimsy. It was spoken in earnest. I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?

The weary pilgrim may well be asking, “Having come this far, can I complete this journey? Do I have enough energy—enough stamina to climb those hills? Will I be able to reach Zion? I am exhausted now—before I even start the ascent. I can’t do this on my own. Where does my help come from?”

The psalmist’s answer resounds off those ancient hills. Even today, it echoes down through the ages and reverberates through the chambers of the heart. My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Response: Father God, I am on a lifelong journey—a pilgrimage to the heavenly Jerusalem. When I become weary, give me strength. I need your help. I know my strength comes from you, LORD. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you need strength? How has the Lord helped you when you were weary?

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

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Songs of Ascent

28 Wednesday Feb 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 120, Psalms

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devotion, intimacy with God, Jesus, peace with God, pilgrimage, prodigal, Psalms, Savior, worship

Today’s Devotion from the Psalms

Reading: Psalm 120
A song of ascents.
I call on the LORD in my distress,
and he answers me.
Save me, LORD, from lying lips
and from deceitful tongues.
What will he do to you,
and what more besides,
you deceitful tongue?
He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,
with burning coals of the broom bush.
Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
that I live among the tents of Kedar!
Too long have I lived
among those who hate peace.
I am for peace;
but when I speak, they are for war (NIV). *

… on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (Matthew 4:16b).

Reflection
Psalm 120 is the first in a series of fifteen psalms that are called Songs of Ascent. Each psalm begins with this statement or title: A Song of Ascents. Some of the psalms also add this phrase: Of David.

Of course, this title begs the question, what are the Songs of Ascent? And furthermore, to what are we ascending? This compilation of fourteen psalms was composed for the use of pilgrims who were making their way to worship at the temple in Jerusalem. These are psalms of pilgrimage. They are called Songs of Ascent, or Psalms of Ascent, because Jerusalem is built on a high point in the land of Israel. Specifically, the temple compound was constructed at the summit of Mount Zion, so pilgrims were literally and figuratively ascending to worship at the House of God.

This first psalm in the series is really a lament. The psalmist is living in a distant place—a place far from God. All of us begin our pilgrimage—our journey to God—from a distant place. Just like the prodigal we find ourselves in a distant land, a land where there is no peace. Sin has its fleeting pleasures, but it brings no lasting peace, no deep contentment. We have wandered far from the Father’s warm embrace. The psalmist laments, “Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, that I live among the tents of Kedar!”

The Songs of Ascent are all about drawing near to God. They are about going to the heart of worship and finding peace—true peace in the arms of God. But first we must recognize where we are. We are dwelling in Meshek—in a world far from the LORD. We need to acknowledge our true condition. Change happens when we recognize the truth about ourselves and our need for a Savior. Only then can we begin our journey toward peace.

Have faith in this promise. I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.

Response: Father God, today I am continuing my journey toward you. Lord Jesus, I need you as my Savior. Help me set aside those things that hinder my journey to worship and intimacy with you. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you living in Meshek? Have you begun your pilgrimage to arms of the Father?

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

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The Creator of the Starry Host

25 Sunday Feb 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 33, Psalms

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creation, nations, praise the LORD, Psalms, the LORD, word of God

I will praise the LORD!

Photo by egil sju00f8holt on Pexels.com

Reading: Psalm 33:6-11

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
    their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
    he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the LORD;
    let all the people of the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm.
The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
    he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
    the purposes of his heart through all generations. *

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

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Sing Joyfully to the LORD

24 Saturday Feb 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 33, Psalms

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joy, justice, new song, praise the LORD, Psalms, Righteousness, the LORD, unfailing love

I will praise the LORD!

Prairie rose — photo by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 33:1-5

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully, and shout for joy.
For the word of the LORD is right and true;
    he is faithful in all he does.
The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
    the earth is full of his unfailing love. *

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

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Your Posture of Prayer

23 Friday Feb 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 119, Psalms

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Bible, humble, humility, Jesus, kneeling, Pharisees, postures in prayer, Prayer, Psalm 119, Psalms, tax collector

Reading: Psalm 119:153-160
ר Resh
Look on my suffering and deliver me,
for I have not forgotten your law.
Defend my cause and redeem me;
preserve my life according to your promise.
Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek out your decrees.
Your compassion, LORD, is great;
preserve my life according to your laws.
Many are the foes who persecute me,
but I have not turned from your statutes.
I look on the faithless with loathing,
for they do not obey your word.
See how I love your precepts;
preserve my life, LORD, in accordance with your love.
All your words are true;
all your righteous laws are eternal (NIV). *

a tattooed man praying while holding a book

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Reflection
As we draw near to the end of Psalm 119, I have a confession to make. Though in general, I love the Book of Psalms, Psalm 119 did not rank high in my affections. Though my views have changed, please bear with me now as I attempt to describe why at first, I disliked some aspects this Psalm.

In my opinion the author of this psalm spends too much time posturing. He continually reminds God how good he is and how disgusting others are. Statements like this one set my teeth on edge: I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey your word. See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, LORD, in accordance with your love.

Words like these remind me of the Pharisee bragging in the temple while the tax collector humbly calls out to God for mercy. Jesus concludes that the tax collector “went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 18:14). I’m left wondering, how did the author of Psalm 119 return home? Was his prayer heard and accepted by the LORD?

The answer must be a resounding yes. Psalm 119 would not be in our Bible’s if it was not the divinely inspired word of God. So, this question remains. How does the psalmist get away with using the sort of comparison that drew Jesus’ condemnation in his description of the Pharisee and the tax collector?

I believe the answer lies in posture. Psalm 119 is best prayed from a kneeling position. The psalmist is humbly—even desperately—calling out to God. The posture we assume influences the prayers we pray.

Response: Father God, teach me how to pray with a humble heart. Any righteousness or goodness I have comes from you. I will brag about your goodness and unfailing love for me. You are true. Amen.

Your Turn: What posture do you assume when you pray? How does your posture reflect your heart?

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

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Taught by the LORD

18 Sunday Feb 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 32, Psalms

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praise the LORD, Psalms, rejoice, righteous, teach, the LORD, trust in God, unfailing love

I will praise the LORD!

Photo by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 33:1-5

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
    which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
    or they will not come to you.
Many are the woes of the wicked,
    but the Lord’s unfailing love
    surrounds the one who trusts in him.
Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
    sing, all you who are upright in heart! *

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Blessed to Be Forgiven

17 Saturday Feb 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 32, Psalms

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confess, confession, deliverance, forgiveness of sins, guilt, Prayer, protection, Psalms, the LORD, transgressions

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 32:1-7

Of David. A maskil.

Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
    whose sin the LORD does not count against them
    and in whose spirit is no deceit.
When I kept silent,
    my bones wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
    your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
    as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
    my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
    will not reach them.
You are my hiding place;
    you will protect me from trouble
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.*

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Sweeter than Honey to My Mouth

14 Wednesday Feb 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 119, Psalms

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drug addict, God's word, honey, hunger for God, Jesus, meditating on God's word, Psalm 119, Psalms, resurrected

Reading: Psalm 119:97-104
מ Mem
Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
Your commands are always with me
and make me wiser than my enemies.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.
I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.
I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path (NIV). *

Photo by Clifford Agyekum on Pexels.com

Reflection
Here’s a question for you: How do you take a bone away from a hungry dog?

Answer: You offer him a steak.

In many respects humans respond just like dogs. We won’t give up our filthy habits unless we are offered something much better. Many years back I remember a conversation with a former drug addict. I asked him if he found it difficult to give up his drug habit.

“No, it was easy. Once I experienced the love of God—the real love of Jesus for me on the cross—it was easy. I found something so much better,” he said with a huge grin on his face.

These words from today’s reading reflect the same concept: I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

It’s not hard to walk the straight and narrow when you are walking that path with the Lord—when He Himself is teaching you—when your heart is burning within you as the resurrected Jesus opens the eyes of your understanding. See Luke 24:13-32. There is a closeness in the Spirit that has no equal. Those are the moments that change you forever because you are fully with God. His Word is rich. It’s nourishment to your famished soul. His love is the air you breathe.

Who here wants a dirty chewed up bone when there’s steak on offer?

Response: Father God, renew my first love for you. I want to fall in love with you again. Fill me with delight for your word and your Spirit. Completely change my affections. Turn my heart to Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you hungry for more of God? How have you experienced the nearness of Jesus?

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

RGB300Kitz2AWARD

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 33:16-22

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 33:12-15

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth— he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. *

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Today’s Devotion from the Psalms

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Today’s Devotion from the Psalms

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 33:6-11

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 33:1-5

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 33:1-5

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 32:1-7

Of David. A maskil.

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth—
he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do. *