Tag Archives: prisoners

He Released Those Condemned to Death

14 Saturday May 2022

Posted by in Psalm 102

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I will praise the LORD!

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Spring daffodils — photo by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 102:18-22

Let this be written for a future generation,
    that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high,
    from heaven he viewed the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners
    and release those condemned to death.”
So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion
    and his praise in Jerusalem
when the peoples and the kingdoms
    assemble to worship the LORD.

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

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Pray for the people of Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer has won the 2021 Best Book of the Year Award and for those who love God’s word, it’s an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. For a closer look at Volumes II and III click here.

Waiting for the Song

21 Saturday Aug 2021

Posted by in poetry

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Waiting for the Song

By David Kitz

The robin sits high in the old weeping willow—
Waiting for the song to come.
The old man sits on the old park bench—
Waiting for the song to come.
The sun sinks slowly in the western sky.
It’s waiting for the song to come.
We’re all waiting for the song to come.

american robin with orange belly on beige background

Photo by Skyler Ewing on Pexels.com

The young mom cries in the backseat.
She’s waiting for the song to come.
The broken man kneels at the altar.
He’s waiting for the song to come.
Children are crying for their Mommy.
They’re waiting for the song to come.
We’re all waiting for the song to come.

Jesus come and set the prisoners free.
Heal our hurts and wipe away our tears.
Break the chains that are holding me.
Jesus come and set your people free.
We’re waiting for the song,
Waiting for the song,
We’re waiting for the song to come.

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The arching bough of an old willow tree — photo by David Kitz

Let the drumbeat roll and the trumpet sound.
We’re waiting for the song to come.
Jesus come and set this world aright.
We’re waiting for the song to come.
Your bride is yearning for her wedding night.
We’re waiting for the song,
Waiting for the song,
We’re waiting for the song to come.

Trumpet sound and drumbeat roll—
I’m waiting for the song to come.
Come Lord Jesus. Your bride is ready.
We’re waiting for the song to come.
We’re waiting for the song,
Waiting for the song,
We’re waiting for the song to come.

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As darkness falls — photo by David Kitz

The robin sits high in the old weeping willow—
Let’s wait for the song to come.

Tip the Scale in My Favor

05 Monday Jul 2021

Posted by in Psalm 142, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 142:5-7
I cry to you, LORD;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.
Set me free from my prison,
that I may praise your name.
Then the righteous will gather about me
because of your goodness to me (NIV).*

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Summer days — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Though I have visited prisoners, I have never been imprisoned, at least not in the classic sense of imprisonment. But in the broader meaning of the word, we all have been confined to prisons—prisons of the mind. Some of us are prisoners of counterproductive habits, or prisoners within crippling relationships that hinder personal growth and fulfillment. Prisons come in many forms. Some of them are disguised as places of personal liberty, but all too often the thing we freely choose can become a cruel slave master.

When David prayed the words of this psalm, he was not in a prison. He was confined to a cave or the immediate region around a cave, because he was a fugitive from King Saul who was trying to kill him. He voices this prayer: Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison that I may praise your name.

Are you in a prison? Is fear of discovery locking you up? Are you trapped in habits, addictions or thought patterns that are too strong for you?

David was in a weak and vulnerable position. Saul, his personal enemy had an entire army on his side. For the second time in his life, David was in what we call the classic David and Goliath situation. He was outnumbered and in every way the advantage belonged to his opponent.

In such adverse circumstances we need God on our side. We need the resources of heaven to tip the scale in our favor. That is precisely what happened in David’s case. The LORD arranged situations that gave all the advantage to David. David ended up sparing Saul’s life on two occasions. For a full account read 1 Samuel 24  and 26.

David ends this psalm with an affirmation of his faith in God. Set me free from my prison that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me. That is exactly what happened. When the LORD set David free from his prison, righteous men took note, and they rallied around David as their leader because they saw that the LORD was with him.

Response: LORD God, set me free from the negative habits and thought patterns that imprison me. Help me identify them one by one, and then help me gain the victory over them in the power of Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Can you identify habits or thought patterns that harm your relationships with others? What can you do to change these situations?

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

Volume II of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is available now. For a closer look at Volumes I and II click here.

The LORD Looked Down

08 Sunday Nov 2020

Posted by in Psalm 102

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I will praise the LORD!

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Saskatchewan sunrise — photo by David Kitz

Let this be written for a future generation,
    that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high,
    from heaven he viewed the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners
    and release those condemned to death.”
So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion
    and his praise in Jerusalem
when the peoples and the kingdoms
    assemble to worship the LORD.

(Psalm 102:18-22, NIV)*

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Prisons Come in many Forms.

03 Monday Feb 2020

Posted by in Devotionals, Psalm 142, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 142
(Verses 5-7)
I cry to you, LORD;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.
Set me free from my prison,
that I may praise your name.
Then the righteous will gather about me
because of your goodness to me (NIV).

illustration of gray wire

Photo by izhar khan on Pexels.com

Reflection
Though I have visited prisoners, I have never been imprisoned, at least not in the classic sense of imprisonment. But in the broader meaning of the word, we all have been confined to prisons—prisons of the mind. Some of us are prisoners of counterproductive habits, or prisoners within crippling relationships that hinder personal growth and fulfillment. Prisons come in many forms. Some of them are disguised as places of personal liberty, but all too often the thing we freely choose can become a cruel slave master.

When David prayed the words of this psalm, he was not in a prison. He was confined to a cave or the immediate region around a cave, because he was a fugitive from King Saul who was trying to kill him. He voices this prayer: Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison that I may praise your name.

Are you in a prison? Is fear of discovery locking you up? Are you trapped in habits, addictions or thought patterns that are too strong for you?

David was in a weak and vulnerable position. Saul, his personal enemy had an entire army on his side. For the second time in his life, David was in what we call the classic David and Goliath situation. He was outnumbered and in every way the advantage belonged to his opponent.

In such adverse circumstances we need God on our side. We need the resources of heaven to tip the scale in our favor. That is precisely what happened in David’s case. The LORD arranged situations that gave all the advantage to David. David ended up sparing Saul’s life on two occasions. For a full account read 1 Samuel 24 & 26.

David ends this psalm with an affirmation of his faith in God. Set me free from my prison that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me. That is exactly what happened. When the LORD set David free from his prison, righteous men took note, and they rallied around David as their leader because they saw that the LORD was with him.

Response: LORD God, set me free from the negative habits and thought patterns that imprison me. Help me identify them one by one, and then help me gain the victory over them in the power of Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Can you identify habits or thought patterns that harm your relationships with others?

Faithful Forever

30 Saturday Mar 2019

Posted by in Bible, Psalm 146, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

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I will praise Him!

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Lilac blossoms — photo by David Kitz

He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed
    and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,
the LORD gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
    the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD watches over the foreigner
    and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

The LORD reigns forever,
    your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the LORD.

(Psalm 146:6-10, NIV)

Stories of Redemption

08 Tuesday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 107, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 107
(Verses 1-9)
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things (NIV).

Reflection
This psalm is different. It’s unique among the 150 psalms in the Bible because it presents us with various vignettes of redemption—brief stories or scenes where the LORD rains down his mercy and rescues the wayward and downtrodden.

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Babbling creek in a deep ravine, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz

In verse two the psalmist declares, “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story.” Then as the psalm progresses, he goes on to describe five scenes or stories of redemption. The desert-stranded traveler is rescued; the prisoner is set free, the rebellious are brought healing and encouragement, those lost in a storm-tossed sea find a safe harbor, and prosperity returns to the inhabitants of a parched wasteland. In every situation, the great God of heaven hears the cries of His people and shows them His plenteous mercy.

What a good God we serve! With the psalmist we exclaim, “His love endures forever!”

If you are a follower of Jesus, you too have a story of redemption to tell. He rescued you from a downward hellish spiral just as real as those described in this psalm. Some rescues come in the nick of time; others come early on, before we sink neck-deep into trouble. We might call them preemptive rescues. Whatever your personal story, it’s a testimony worth telling. God intervened in your life, and the good news is He stands ready to intervene again at the very moment you cry out to Him.

He loves to redeem His people. It’s in His nature. Spiritually, are you in a desert place? Call out to Him.

Response: Father God, I am thankful that I have a story of redemption. You intervened in my life. Today I thank you for satisfying my thirst and filling my life with good things. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you have a story of redemption to tell? Was it pre-emptive or in the nick of time?

Time Capsule Testimony

10 Tuesday Apr 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 102, Psalms

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Reading:                                    Psalm 102                                                                  

 (Verses 18-22)
Let this be written for a future generation,
that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high,
from heaven he viewed the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners
and release those condemned to death.”
So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion
and his praise in Jerusalem
when the peoples and the kingdoms
assemble to worship the LORD (NIV).

Reflection
Time capsules are a fascinating idea. They can tell us a great deal about what people at a certain point in history considered important or indicative of that particular time. What was significant in the lives of people 100 years ago? A time capsule gives us a glimpse into that long ago period. For instance, a time capsule from 1959 might contain a hula-hoop, but the significance of that craze might well be lost on the current generation of young people.

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Fenced ranch land north of the Cypress Hills in Saskatchewan — photo by David Kitz

In some respects, this reading from Psalm 102 acts as a time capsule. It is a written testimony of what the LORD has done. “The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.” 

Generation after generation of Bible readers has read this written testimony. They know that the LORD hears the groans of prisoners and sets them free. But this testimony doesn’t end there. It doesn’t end there because the LORD has not stopped listening and acting. He continues to do these things today.

I can personally testify to being set free from the bondage of sin. I know that due to my sinful nature I was condemned to die. But Jesus suffered the punishment I deserve on my behalf. When I called out to God, He heard my cry and set me free from the death penalty I was living under. My body may perish, but through the blood shed by Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit, I have eternal life. That’s my testimony. That’s the time capsule message I want to send to the next generation and beyond.

By the way, my testimony is not unique. Millions of people around the world can testify to the life changing power of the LORD. They all have time capsule testimonies that they want to send to a generation as yet unborn.

What about you? Do you have a testimony to God’s redeeming forgiveness and power? It might be worth your time to write it down. We overcome the attacks of the enemy by the words of our testimony. You have a story to tell. It’s a time capsule with contents far more valuable than a hula-hoop. 

Response: Heavenly Father, I thank you for your intervention in my life. You have given me a story to tell—a testimony to your amazing grace. Help me to carry that testimony to a future generation—a generation that is not yet born. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you testified to the saving power of Jesus? How has the Lord changed your life?

Choosing Honey

05 Monday Feb 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 81, Psalms

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Reading:                                      Psalm 81

(Verses 10-16)
I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
“But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
“If my people would only listen to me,
if Israel would only follow my ways,
how quickly I would subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes!
Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you” (NIV).

Reflection
In this concluding portion of Psalm 81, the LORD sets out two possible courses of action for the people of Israel. They can refuse to listen to God, persist in their stubborn ways and reap the devastating consequences, or they can submit to the LORD and be rewarded for their obedience.

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Snow covered tranquility — photo courtesy of Liz Kranz

God is for us; He is on our side. But we must decide to be on His side. He will fight for us—on our behalf—if we make the right decision. Take a look at this promise. “If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways, how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!”

But the LORD doesn’t just promise victory over our foes. He promises to richly provide for us and bless us. “But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” 

The benefits of following the LORD are clearly stated and obvious. They are obvious when we examine the word of God, but they are obvious as well from human experience. I know many individuals who have resisted the will of God for their lives and their way has been marked by hardship and tragedy—much of it brought on by the choices they have made. The rebellious soul chooses to walk a rocky road. God sets the lonely in families; he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land (Psalm 68:6).

What choices are you making? Are you choosing God’s ways? Are you listening to Him? We can choose a rocky road in a sun scorched land or we can choose to be fed with honey from the rock. There are rich rewards when we make the right choice.

Response: LORD God, today I choose to follow you. I want to be on your side, rooting for the right team. I trust the promises in your word. You bring me victory, provision and enduring joy. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you struggled in obeying God?  How do you turn rebellion into submission to God’s will?