Where Are the Davids for Our Time?

01 Monday Jan 2024

Tags

battles, church, David, enemies, Prayer, victory

Reading: Psalm 108:6-13
Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.
God has spoken from his sanctuary:
“In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet, Judah is my scepter.
Moab is my washbasin,
on Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?
Give us aid against the enemy,
for human help is worthless.
With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies (NIV). *

lonely man standing in grassy meadow in countryside

Photo by Anete Lusina on Pexels.com

Reflection
In today’s reading from Psalm 108, we get into the meat of David’s request or petition. He makes his plea before God: Save us and help us with your right hand that those you love may be delivered.

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when David penned this Psalm, but it likely came early in his reign as king over Judah or Israel. When David assumed the leadership of Judah, Israel was in dire straits. The nation had been weakened by division under King Saul. The Philistines won a major battle which resulted in the death of King Saul and his heir apparent, Prince Jonathan. The nation was divided, despondent and in disarray. Meanwhile, enemies on every side were seizing the moment to press their advantage.

In many respects Christendom and the church world finds itself in a similar position today—divided, despondent and in disarray. We need a David or Deborah, or a number of Davids and Deborahs to arise and rally God’s people against spiritual foes and machinations too numerous to mention. As we begin a new year where are the Davids? Are you one of them? Over a number of years through a series of battles, the David of the Bible turned things around.

But we need to always keep this in mind. Though God calls various people to leadership roles, He is the One who brings victory, and He is the One who deserves the credit. David clearly expressed this truth in his prayer. Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

We look to the LORD for victory and deliverance in 2024. David did in his time, and so must we.

Response: Father God, I want to play my part in turning things around in your church and the world. Today let your Kingdom come and your will be done through the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you a present-day David or Deborah? (See Judges 4&5.) What has God called you to do?

Happy New Year!

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel 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. TheElishaCodeCVR5 To purchase or for a closer look click here.

A Steadfast Heart

29 Friday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 108

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

atheist, David, praise to God, steadfast heart, sunrise, worship

Reading: Psalm 108:1-5
A song. A psalm of David.
My heart, O God, is steadfast;
I will sing and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, LORD, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth (NIV). *
Psalm 19-1

Reflection
This morning did you awaken the dawn or did the dawn awaken you? For those who are early risers awakening the dawn becomes much easier as the days get shorter, and we approach the winter solstice. I confess that this morning and most autumn and winter mornings I am awake before sunrise.

There is something quite magical about watching the sunrise and spread its golden rays across the eastern sky. I was treated to a magnificent sunrise display last Monday. I was driving east across the prairies and as each mile slipped by the glory along the horizon grew more and more intense. I pity the poor atheist who has no one to praise when he beholds such a display.

For believers, praise for our God springs naturally from our lips when we see God paint the sky with golden hues of splendor. In such moments David’s call to worship becomes our own: Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.

Can you picture David taking up his harp and breaking into song as he locks his eyes on the rising sun? David was a most remarkable character. What sets David apart from other individuals we meet in the pages of scripture? He was a man of spectacular failings. His adulterous affair with Bathsheba and the treacherous means he used to dispatch her husband stand out. But there’s nothing remarkable about spectacular failings and shortcomings. These are common to man.

What stands out about David’s character is his steadfastness to the LORD. The opening lines of Psalm 108 hold the key to understanding David’s overcoming nature. My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

Despite his failings, David remained steadfast in his love for God. Secondly, he was wholehearted in his praise to God. When things came off the rails, he did not turn away from the LORD or stop praising Him. He repented and God forgave him. Then David gave thanks. David’s example is there for us to follow.

Response: LORD God, I always want to have a thankful heart that is quick to praise you. Help me to be steadfast in love and praise even when the way ahead is difficult. You are my help and my glory. Amen.

Your Turn: What does being steadfast in your faith look like for you? What activities promote your steadfastness?

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

A Savior Has Been Born

24 Sunday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Christmas

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bethlehem, David, manger, Mary and Joseph, Messiah, Savior, the LORD

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Luke 2:4-12

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” *

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel 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. TheElishaCodeCVR5

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

A Spiritual Exercise

27 Monday Nov 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 103

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

David, praise, praise the LORD, worthy

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

Reading: Psalm 103:1-6

Father God,
I genuinely want to learn to praise you in all situations,
the pleasant and the difficult.
You are always good,
loving, and worthy of praise.
Along with David I declare,
“Praise the LORD, my soul!”
Amen.

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

The One Israel Praises

18 Saturday Nov 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 22, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

David, forsaken, praise, praise the LORD

I will praise the LORD!

The glory of an autumn morning — David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 22:1-7

For the director of music.
To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.”
A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
    by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
    you are the one Israel praises.
In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame. *

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Great Victories

22 Sunday Oct 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 18, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

David, enemies, praise the LORD, victories

I will praise the LORD!

Ottawa River — photo by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 18:46-50

The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
    Exalted be God my Savior!
He is the God who avenges me,
    who subdues nations under me,
who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man you rescued me.
Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations;
    I will sing the praises of your name.
He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,
    to David and to his descendants forever. *

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

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

TheElishaCodeCVR5

Coming soon…

King David’s Endless Rule

13 Friday Oct 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 89, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

David, Jesus, Jewish kingdom, King David, reign

Reading: Psalm 89:30-37
“If his sons forsake my law
and do not follow my statutes,
if they violate my decrees
and fail to keep my commands,
I will punish their sin with the rod,
their iniquity with flogging;
but I will not take my love from him,
nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.
I will not violate my covenant
or alter what my lips have uttered.
Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David—
that his line will continue forever
and his throne endure before me like the sun;
it will be established forever like the moon,
the faithful witness in the sky” (NIV). *

Greens Creek, Ottawa, ON — Photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Today’s reading from Psalm 89 continues the theme of King David’s endless rule through his offspring. Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—and I will not lie to David—that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun; it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.”

There is however a sizeable problem with this promise to David for those who know biblical Jewish history. After the death of David’s son, the wise King Solomon, Israel was divided. The rebellious people of the northern Kingdom fell into idolatry and chose a new king, who was not a descendant of David. Despite warning after warning from prophets sent by God, Israel continued in its idolatrous ways until the nation was destroyed and swept away by Assyrian invaders in 720 BC.

On the other hand, for hundreds of years, generation after generation a descendant of David sat on the throne of the southern Kingdom of Judah. For the most part these were kings who followed in the footsteps of their ancestor David. They worshipped the LORD, unlike the idolatrous northern kings of Israel who ruled from their capital Samaria. But eventually pagan practises found their way into Judea as well. In succession, several kings—descendants of David—turned to worship idols. God’s judgment fell on Judah too when the Babylonians invaded and destroyed Jerusalem in 582 BC.

So, what is the point of this brief history lesson? The point is precisely this: These words from Psalm 89 are a lie and God is a liar—a sworn liar to David—unless we view Jesus as the royal heir who rules for all eternity. The Jewish kingdom came to an end. No Jewish king has ruled over a Jewish kingdom for more than 2,000 years. But Jesus, the eternal son of King David reigns. Is he reigning over your life?

Response: LORD God, I submit to the reign of Jesus. You are my King—my King now and forever. Help me to govern my life according to your will and purpose. I praise you, my Savior and King. Amen.

Your Turn: Is Jesus your King? How can you show your submission to his rule today?

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

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

B1P95Jv-LtS._SY300_

You Sent Jesus

12 Thursday Oct 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 89

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

David, Jesus, Prayer, Psalms, Savior

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

Reading: Psalm 89:19-29

LORD God,
I am thankful for Jesus.
I am thankful that in the dark long ago
you devised a plan to send a Savior to this world.
You sent a better son than David.
You sent Jesus.
Amen.

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

TheElishaCodeCVR5 Coming soon…

The Principal Figure in the Old Testament

12 Thursday Oct 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 89

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

David, Jesus, Mary, Savior, Son of God

Reading: Psalm 89:19-29
Once you spoke in a vision,
to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
I have raised up a young man from among the people.
I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him.
The enemy will not get the better of him;
the wicked will not oppress him.
I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries.
My faithful love will be with him,
and through my name his horn will be exalted.
I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers.
He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, the Rock my Savior.’
And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,
the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
I will maintain my love to him forever,
and my covenant with him will never fail.
I will establish his line forever,
his throne as long as the heavens endure (NIV). *

photograph of the sculpture of david of michelangelo

Photo by Brian Banford on Pexels.com

Reflection
Who is the principal figure in the Old Testament canon? Some would argue for Moses, the liberator of a nation of slaves. Others would go farther back yet to Abraham, the ancestral father of the nation of Israel. Here in Psalm 89, Ethan the Ezrahite and author of this psalm casts his vote in favor of David.

David’s name appears more frequently in the Bible than any name including the name of Jesus. Here in Psalm 89, Ethan draws a direct prophetic link to Jesus, the Son of God. He writes this about David: He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’ And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.

No other man in the Holy Scriptures can claim to be appointed as God’s firstborn. This is an honor that is reserved for David alone. But David prefigures or foreshadows Jesus, the true Son of God. Jesus was not appointed to the role of God’s son. He was conceived and born into this world as the divine Son of the Most High. Through the miracle of incarnation, the son of Mary was also the Son of God and the Savior of the world. And this Mary was of royal lineage. She was a direct descendant of King David.

In Jesus Christ these words find their fulfillment: I will maintain my love to him [David] forever, and my covenant with him will never fail. I will establish his [David’s] line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.

Response: LORD God, I am thankful for Jesus. I am thankful that in the dark long ago you devised a plan to send a Savior to this world. You sent a better son than David. You sent Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you thankful for God’s Son? Why? How will you express your appreciation today?

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

TheElishaCodeCVR5 Coming soon…

Are You Wholehearted?

02 Monday Oct 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 86

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

David, divided, Jesus, Prayer, Savior

Reading: Psalm 86:8-13
Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
Teach me your way, LORD,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths,
from the realm of the dead (NIV). *

Early morning fog — photo by Louie Foster

Reflection
Today’s reading from Psalm 86 begins with this prophetic declaration. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name.

Psalm 86 is a prayer of David, but within this prayer David makes this prophetic statement about all nations worshipping the Lord. By the Spirit of God, David saw and declared what is to come. In the pantheistic world of his time, David saw that the God he served was not a local or national god. He saw that Yahweh, the LORD was, is and will be the Lord overall. How could David know that the God of Israel would come to be worshipped in every nation on the earth?

David grasped the big picture. Or a better explanation might be that the God of the big picture grasped David and revealed this truth to him. Through David’s line would come a Savior—a Savior named Jesus—a Jewish Savior for the whole world.

Why was David able to receive such a profound revelation? We are given a clue in the words of his prayer. Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

The answer may lie in David’s heart. He had an undivided heart. In other words, he was wholehearted in his love for the Lord. He had a single-minded focus on God. He says just that in the next line of his prayer. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.

Are you wholehearted in your love and praise for the Lord?

Response: LORD God, unite my heart to praise your name. I don’t want to be distracted by the pursuits of this world. I set my affection on you. Thank you for loving me as your child. Amen.

Your Turn: What are some of the things that distract you from loving and fearing God? How can you develop an undivided heart?

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

TheElishaCodeCVR5 Coming soon…

Happy New Year!

* 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 and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Luke 2:4-12

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

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

Reading: Psalm 103:1-6

Father God, I genuinely want to learn to praise you in all situations, the pleasant and the difficult. You are always good, loving, and worthy of praise. Along with David I declare, “Praise the LORD, my soul!” Amen.

* 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 22:1-7

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

* 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 18:46-50

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

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

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

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

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

Reading: Psalm 89:19-29

LORD God, I am thankful for Jesus. I am thankful that in the dark long ago you devised a plan to send a Savior to this world. You sent a better son than David. You sent Jesus. Amen.

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

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

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

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

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

Please pray for peace to return to Ukraine!

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

Father God,
I genuinely want to learn to praise you in all situations,
the pleasant and the difficult.
You are always good,
loving, and worthy of praise.
Along with David I declare,
“Praise the LORD, my soul!”
Amen.

For the director of music.
To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.”
A psalm of David.

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

LORD God,
I am thankful for Jesus.
I am thankful that in the dark long ago
you devised a plan to send a Savior to this world.
You sent a better son than David.
You sent Jesus.
Amen.