Tag Archives: David

Bringing God Home

12 Tuesday Aug 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 132:6-10
We heard it in Ephrathah,
we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:
“Let us go to his dwelling place,
let us worship at his footstool, saying,
‘Arise, LORD, and come to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;
may your faithful people sing for joy.’”
For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one (NIV). *

Reflection
David’s commitment and zeal for the presence of the LORD drew others to worship God. That’s what the opening lines of today’s reading are saying: We heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar: “Let us go to his dwelling place, let us worship at his footstool…” (v. 6-7).

We should never underestimate the power of our personal witness for Christ. Our zeal for God and love for His house can act as a magnet to draw others to worship Him. David’s self-denial in pursuit of God resulted in others discovering the power and grace of the LORD. By bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Zion, the City of David, David was declaring he wanted the LORD in his home. He wanted Him close at hand—at the center of the government he was establishing over the land. See 2 Samuel 6.

Do we want God in our home? Is the LORD at the command center of your life and your daily affairs? Genuine worship brings God to the center. It removes the distance between us and God. The Psalms of Ascent are all about removing the distance between us and our Creator. They’re about drawing near.

The psalmist goes on to offer this prayer. “‘May your priests be clothed with your righteousness; may your faithful people sing for joy’” (v. 9).

How are you dressed as you approach God? Apparently, clothing matters. It matters because as a redeemed child of God you are serving as a priest of the Most High. Peter reminds us of our corporate calling and responsibility. 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 2:9).

So then as priests offering sacrifices of praise, we have an opportunity to approach God. But how should we be clothed, you ask? St. Paul provides the answer: So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). As a blood-bought believer you are clothed with the righteousness of Christ. That’s a garment that never grows old or wears out.

Response: Father God, I thank you for covering me with a garment of righteousness. It’s the supreme righteousness of Jesus. Help me to serve and worship you daily with a grateful heart. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you drawing near to God? Do you see yourself as part of a royal priesthood?

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 Path of Self-Denial

11 Monday Aug 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 132:1-5

A song of ascents.

LORD, remember David
and all his self-denial.
He swore an oath to the LORD,
he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
“I will not enter my house or go to my bed,
I will allow no sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
till I find a place for the LORD,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob” (NIV). *

Carcasonne, France, photo by David Kitz

Reflection
This is the thirteenth psalm in the Songs of Ascent series. With this psalm, the author returns to a familiar theme—the glory of God’s presence in Zion. It is what has drawn the pilgrims to this holy place. They have come to worship and meet with God.

But this psalm has a different approach. It recounts the history of Zion and how this particular place was chosen as the site for Israel to worship God. It all began with David. At the prompting of the LORD, David chose Mount Zion to set up the Tabernacle of the LORD. But before Mount Zion could become a place of worship the stronghold of Zion had to be conquered. It was in enemy hands. Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David (2 Samuel 5:7).

In this psalm we hear of David’s vow. “I will not enter my house or go to my bed, I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob”

In David’s case, finding a place for the LORD required self-denial. It involved a physical battle. There is a spiritual battle that we too need to fight so the LORD can occupy His rightful place in our lives. The enemy does not leave the strongholds in our mind without a fight. We must take action to evict him.

We live in a world where self-denial is rare and often frowned upon. Our society pushes the easy life—the comfortable life—the path of least resistance. Self-denial in pursuit of a relationship with God is a foreign concept. In many churches fasting and prayer is a lost discipline.

Jesus encountered the same problem with his own disciples. While he was praying fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane, his disciples were fast asleep. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?” See Mark 14:32-42.

This inability to pray for an hour is an indicator that at our core we have not surrendered fully to God. Other things are more important. There is no self-denial. That TV show is more important. The game is more important. Perhaps our Zion is still occupied by the enemy, and the LORD is not enthroned there.

Response: LORD God, help me to change. I want to put you first in my life. Come and occupy the throne of my life. I want my thoughts, words and actions to be governed by you, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you find self-denial difficult? Do you practice a variety of spiritual disciplines? What steps toward a lifestyle change can you implement today?

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 Government Is on His Shoulders

21 Monday Jul 2025

Posted by in Psalm 119

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


Reading: Psalm 119:161-168

Father God,
grant me your peace.
Now by faith,
I receive the promise of your everlasting peace.
And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds
in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
Thank you, Lord Jesus.
My sins are forgiven.
Hallelujah!
Amen.

— — — —

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
(Isaiah 6:6-7 NKJV)*

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.

Forget Not All His Benefits

13 Sunday Jul 2025

Posted by in Psalm 103

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I will praise the LORD!

Sunset photo by David KItz

Psalm 103:1-5

Of David.

Praise the LORD, my soul;
 all my inmost being,
praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. *

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.

The God who Stoops Down

06 Sunday Jul 2025

Posted by in Psalms, Psalms Alive!

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Psalm 113:4-9

The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the LORD our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
He seats them with princes,
with the princes of their people.
He settles the barren woman in her home
as the happy mother of children.
Praise the LORD!

You might have a picture of yourself like this. You know the kind. It’s less than flattering. It provides a great view of your backside as you are bent over. Or better yet, someone has caught you in the classic plumber position, with your head under the sink and your opposite end in full view.

I know what to do with photos like that. I toss them in the garbage. I erase them from my hard drive. If I can wrestle the mobile-phone camera from the photographer, I’ll hit the delete button faster than the shutter speed for that priceless Kodak moment.

Who wants to embarrass himself and then keep the evidence for posterity? Apparently, God does. In fact, the LORD has been doing it since time began. The proof for this assertion can be found right here in Psalm 113.

The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?

Who indeed? Why would the exalted One, the enthroned One, stoop down? How undignified! Doesn’t the LORD know that kings and potentates don’t bend over or stoop down? They certainly don’t do that sort of thing in public—not where they can be seen by others. Rulers rule from the seat of authority. They sit; they don’t stoop down.

But our God stoops down. If the truth be told, it’s even worse than that.

The LORD doesn’t just stoop down; He plays in the mud. He has been playing in the mud for years now, ever since he shaped us from the dust of the earth. I would go so far as to say that this behavior—this playing in the mud—has become an obsession with him. It’s a divine obsession. He just keeps right on doing it.

Art by Hult –www.biblicalarchaeology.org

I’m not sure how the LORD justifies his behavior. From a perfectly logical point of view, it simply doesn’t make sense. After all, I would hardly call the LORD’s first experience with mud sculpture a glowing success. Sure, Adam looked handsome enough, and Eve was pretty sweet, but that breath of life idea was a complete disaster.

And what thanks did God get for his efforts? Well, the dear little mud clods disobeyed him. They disobeyed their Maker at the first opportunity, or so I’ve read. What a show of gratitude! But then, I suppose that’s what you get for stooping down and playing in the mud. It goes to show what you can expect from quickened mud clods.

After that experience—that catastrophe run amuck—you would think, the LORD would know better. He should know better by now. But no, not the LORD! He keeps right on going back to the mud holes. He insists on stooping down and rescuing these little, living, breathing, dirt bags.

Let’s take David for example. Let’s call him exhibit, “A.” But rather than listen to me go on about the LORD’s absurd behavior, why not hear David’s own testimony:

I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD (Psalm 40:1-3).

Well David, this is all fine and good for you to say. But remember, you’re the one that got yourself into that mess—that mud and mire—in the first place. Have you given even a moment’s thought to the LORD’s dignity? I think not. He has a whole universe to rule, and there you are interrupting him with your pathetic pleas. The LORD has to leave his contemplations, get off his kingly throne and rescue you—rescue you from a mud hole! I am sure God has better things to do than to chase after the likes of you.

And David, this new song of yours—this hymn of praise—let me give you some advice. Pull the plug on it. Why would you want to broadcast your own failings? Why would you want the world to see how dependent you are on the LORD? It’s time to grow up. Learn to stand on your own two feet.  This running to the LORD for everything has got to stop. Don’t you realize He has a whole world to run?

Samuel anoints David

Worst of all David, if you go ahead with this new song, it will turn out just as you say. Many will see how the LORD has rescued you. They will put their trust in the LORD. And what will happen then? Well, I’ll tell you what will happen. Next thing you know, the LORD won’t have a moments rest. Every slime ball on the planet will be calling out to him.

And exactly how will the LORD respond? Well, if past performance is any indicator, He’ll be right out there, big time. He’ll be pulling slime balls out of mud holes all over the world. Like I said earlier, it’s an obsession—a divine obsession.

Take this psalm, Psalm 113, for an example. Have a look at this quote. Let’s call it exhibit, “B.”

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people. He settles the barren woman in her home as the happy mother of children. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 113:7-9, NIV)

Why doesn’t He stay seated? Why doesn’t the LORD just stay on the throne? Why does He insist on stooping down and getting his hands dirty? You can’t possibly lift people out of dust and ashes without getting your hands dirty.

And why does the LORD keep elevating people? Doesn’t He know that they are the source of all the problems in the world? If He must interact with humanity, He should at the very least pick his contacts more carefully. Why associate yourself with the poor—the scum of the earth? Go for the cream of the crop. If the LORD is so high and mighty, why doesn’t He stick with the high and mighty? He keeps diving below his rank—well below his rank.

To be honest with you, the LORD seems to be completely out of touch with how this messed up world operates. When it comes to the LORD, it’s like we’re dealing with some kind of heavenly dumpster diver. He keeps finding treasures in the trash.

But what I find most disturbing about this passage is the statement about the barren woman. Help the woman, if you must, LORD. But turning her into the happy mother of children is a terrible mistake. I’m not sure we need more of these snivelling, whining, God-needing, God-dependent creatures. Things will only get worse with more of them around. The LORD will never have a moment’s rest—not with them bawling around for help. I can see it all now—even more stooping, more bending over mud holes. He’ll spend even more time saving the incompetent from themselves.

Photo by Laura Garcia on Pexels.com

This obsession with creatures of dust, and extracting them from mud holes, has gone totally out of control. It has completely taken over the mind of the LORD. That’s what obsessions do. How else can you explain what happened next?

He decided to have a Son by one of these daughters of earth. You might even say the LORD decided to become one of them. I know it’s incredible, absolutely incredible. I call it a case of divine insanity.

And the poor woman He had this child by, what a mess He left her in! First of all, you think that the LORD, who “is exalted over all the nations, who sits enthroned on high” would choose a partner of noble birth, but not the LORD. No, He chooses some poor humble servant girl, at the bottom rung of society. Granted Mary comes from royal stock, but this lineage of David that you read about, meant absolutely nothing in practical terms. It didn’t put food on the table, or clothes on her back, or boost her social status.

Yes, you heard right. Mary is from the thousand-year-old line of David—the same David that the LORD pulled out of the mud and the mire, way back then. Not exactly a proud legacy, in my opinion.

So, the LORD “who sits enthroned on high” got Mary pregnant, and then He left her. He left her high and dry—stranded. He didn’t even hang around to explain himself. He let Mary do the talking. He let her explain this whole mess to Joseph, her fiancé.

Mary Comforts Eve

“Who is like the LORD our God?” Who indeed?

Then to top off this public relations fiasco, this descent from the heavenly realm, we have the actual birth of the Son of God. What a botched, low budget affair that was! Unbelievable! Born in a stable. The Son of God placed in a manger—a feeding trough for slobbering cows! Incredible.

When the LORD stoops down, He really stoops down!

The lack of coordination in this whole event simply defies description. Was any thought put into this at all? Why this last-minute rush? Why have the baby born in Bethlehem? Why not Jerusalem, the holy city, the capital?

And then there’s that disaster with the angels. As far as I’m concerned, they showed up in the wrong place entirely. Why announce the Savior’s birth to a few, poor, lowlife shepherds? They have no influence—no means to spread the news beyond a small circle. I can only assume the lead angel somehow got his coordinates mixed up and landed in the wrong location.

The heavenly choir was a nice touch. Here at last was some pomp and ceremony—some razzle dazzle and celestial fireworks, befitting the birth of a heaven-sent king. But it was all wasted on those shepherds. Like I said, it happened in the wrong place. The LORD would have had far more bang for his buck, if the angels had put on their show over Jerusalem.

Then, there are the Magi. Nice try wise guys. Too bad you arrived almost two years after the fact, and your blundering ineptitude almost got the Son of God killed.

No, this whole experiment in cross-cultural communication—heaven to earth communication—did not start well. Is it any wonder that things went quickly downhill from there?

As for the Son of God, well he’s just like his Father—the very image of Him! He has the same character too. He’s always hanging around with the bottom end of society, with the harlots, the tax collectors, the sinners. He does a lot of stooping down too, and He plays in the mud. He spit on the ground and made some mud once. He used it to heal a man born blind (John 9:1-12). And then, there’s that time he pardoned the adulteress. On that occasion, He stooped down and did a lot of writing in the dirt (John 8:1-11).

Does any of this sound familiar? Well, they are familiar all right. As I said, the Son is just like the Father, and the Father is just like the Son. (See Colossians 1:15.) As for this divine obsession with creatures of dust—this divine insanity—what did it lead to? It led straight to the cross—the Son’s death on the cross.

He was pierced for our transgressions.

As I said, you can’t possibly lift people out of dust and ashes without getting your hands dirty. Well Jesus, God’s Son, couldn’t lift people out of dust and ashes without getting his hands bloody. He got his hands pierced. I guess that’s what the LORD gets for stooping down and playing in the dirt.

How do you explain all this? There are some things we will never fully understand. I am sure that this is one of those things. We cannot fathom this—not in a million years.

They say love is an obsession—a case of temporary insanity. That is the only explanation that I can think of for this outcome. He has a bad case of love; the LORD has a terminal case of love. And in His case, it never has stopped; He has never gotten over it. He fell in love with us from the first time He saw us—from the moment He formed us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (John 3:16).

Still, I keep wondering why anyone would stoop so low? Why would the One, who sits enthroned on high, stoop so low for me?


Bringing Life to the Psalms

  1. Jesus’ earthly family members were not numbered among the rich and famous of the land. Read James 5:1-6. Our LORD’s brother has some strong words for the rich and powerful. In the struggles of life, who do you identify yourself with, the wealthy or the poor?
  2. Do you stoop down? Plan an activity that aims to help the poor or the disadvantaged. What are you doing to help the orphan or the widow, whether next door or on the other side of the globe?
  3. Read the account of Jesus healing the man born blind in John 9:1-12. Note the similarities with the creation of Adam as recorded in Genesis 2:4-7.
  4. Simply take some time to thank the LORD for his incomparable love. Verbalize your thanks to him.

Today’s post is Chapter 19 from the book Psalms Alive! Connecting Heaven & Earth by David Kitz. To find out more or purchase 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.

 

I Will Sing Praise to You

22 Sunday Jun 2025

Posted by in Psalm 101

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I will praise the LORD!

Wild iris — photo by David Kitz

Psalm 101:1-4

Of David. A psalm. 

I will sing of your love and justice;
    to you, LORD, I will sing praise.
I will be careful to lead a blameless life—
    when will you come to me?
I will conduct the affairs of my house
    with a blameless heart.
I will not look with approval
    on anything that is vile.
I hate what faithless people do;
    I will have no part in it.
The perverse of heart shall be far from me;
    I will have nothing to do with what is evil. *

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.

Snares of Death Confronted Me

19 Thursday Jun 2025

Posted by in Psalm 118, 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 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.

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!

     

The Beginning of Knowledge

03 Tuesday Jun 2025

Posted by in Psalm 111, 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 111

Father God,
 help me see your love for me
in your commandments.
In love,
you correct me when I stray.
Grant me understanding
that comes through a healthy fear
and love for you,
Lord Jesus.
Amen.

— — — —

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
for understanding proverbs and parables
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
(Proverbs 1:1-7 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, 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.