• Home
  • About
  • DavidKitz.ca
  • Youtube Videos
  • Books by David
  • Books on Amazon.com

I love the Psalms

~ Connecting daily with God through the Psalms

I love the Psalms

Tag Archives: Psalms

Love and Hate

20 Monday Jun 2022

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 97

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

evil, hating evil, loving God, Psalms

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

Psalm 97_10
Reading: Psalm 97:8-12

LORD God,
 teach me to identify and hate evil when I see it.
I want your light to shine on me,
so I can walk in the path you have set out for me.
Let my love for you
and others grow day by day.

Amen.

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

Please 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.

He Made the Moon

18 Saturday Jun 2022

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 104

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

lions, moon, Psalms, seasons, sun and moon

I will praise the LORD!

brown and green grass field during sunset

Photo by Jonathan Petersson on Pexels.com

Reading: Psalm 104:19-23

He made the moon to mark the seasons,
    and the sun knows when to go down.
You bring darkness, it becomes night,

    and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
The lions roar for their prey

    and seek their food from God.
The sun rises, and they steal away;

    they return and lie down in their dens.
Then people go out to their work,

    to their labor until evening.

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

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.

Living under King Jesus

10 Friday Jun 2022

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 94

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

guidance, leaders, Psalms, unfailing love

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

Psalm 94_18-19
Reading: Psalm 94:16-23

LORD God,
I am so glad
that first and foremost
I live under your Kingdom rule.
You are my King.
I find unfailing love and consolation in knowing you.
Guide the leaders of our land
into paths of righteousness, wisdom and truth.

Amen.

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

Please 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.

Sometimes All We Have Is Prayer

17 Tuesday May 2022

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 88, Psalms

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Prayer, Psalms, tragedy, trouble

Reading: Psalm 88:9-18
I call to you, LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction?
Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
But I cry to you for help, LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Why, L
ORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me?
From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend
(NIV).

winter desert

Photo by Dylan Thompson on Pexels.com

Reflection
Psalm 88 is the darkest of all the psalms. Many of the psalms are bright and cheery, filled with joy and praise. If I were to assign a color to them, I would paint them bright yellow, dappled with hues of orange and red. On the other hand, Psalm 88 draws from a much darker palette of black, grey and brown. This psalm is colored by loss, rejection and sorrow.

Many psalms spring from a place of grief, trouble and distress. This is only fitting since every life has such moments. Usually, the psalmist pours out his troubles and his complaint before God, but he ends on a positive note—a note of hope. But Psalm 88 does not follow this pattern. It ends on a downer. You have taken from me friend and neighbor—darkness is my closest friend.

What are we to make of this ending? The sad reality is that not every book has a happy ending. Not every personal story has the Hollywood ending that we would like. Tragedy is real. Tragedy can strike anyone. We can live in a pretend world that says it isn’t so, but we are fooling only ourselves. This psalm adds a dark note of real-life integrity to the Book of Psalms.

But in the middle of it all—in the middle of his dark night of the soul—the psalmist takes his stand. But I cry to you for help, LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.

Sometimes we don’t have answers. Sometimes all we have is prayer.

Response: LORD God, when I am down, I cry to you for help. You are my hope when all hope is gone. Come to me in the dark times of my life. At such times I need you the most. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you going through a dark time? How can you find help in prayer?

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

Please 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.

He Reaches to the Lowest Pit

16 Monday May 2022

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 88, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

depression, despair, Psalms, trouble

Reading: Psalm 88:1-9
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music.
According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
LORD, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
I am overwhelmed with troubles
and my life draws near to death.
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care.
You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
Your wrath lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief
(NIV).*

man s hand in shallow focus and grayscale photography

Photo by lalesh aldarwish on Pexels.com

Reflection
There are 150 psalms in the Book of Psalms and one of the most remarkable things about them is their emotional span. They range from giddy heights of joy and praise to great depths of depression and sorrow. The full array of human emotion and experience is on display. Whatever state you find yourself in, there’s a psalm for that—a psalm for every situation and human need. If you are in desperate straits, there’s a psalm for that. If you are soaring in the presence of God, there’s a psalm for that too. They reflect our need for God and our desire to connect with Him in all of life’s experiences.

Psalm 88 is a cry for help from the deepest pit of human need. Hear the psalmist’s cry of anguish: I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief.

For reasons that we are not told, the psalmist feels trapped in the worst of circumstances. At times I think we all have been there—feeling alone with no one to turn to. In such times, there is no one to turn to but the LORD. In our time of despair He does not reject us or turn us away. He is a God who comforts us, even as Paul, the apostle declares, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

If you are in the depths of depression, mourning, or despair, follow the example of Heman, the psalmist. Call out to God. He is listening. He reaches to the lowest pit.

Response: LORD God, I need your comfort. Hear my prayer and answer me. In this time of sorrow show me a sign of your love and favor, Lord. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you currently facing a time of trouble or sorrow? Are others praying for you?

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

Please 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.

His Face Shines on Us

28 Monday Feb 2022

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 67

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

blessings, God's blessing, Psalms, salvation

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

Psalm 67_1-2
Reading: Psalm 67

LORD God,
I thank you for all the blessings
you have showered on my life.
Most of all,
I thank you for my salvation
through Jesus Christ.
Show me how I can extend your blessing to others.
Amen.

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

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.

As My Heart Grows Faint

14 Monday Feb 2022

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 61

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Holy Spirit, Psalms, Rock, strong tower

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

8
Reading: Psalm 61

LORD God,
help me to draw near to you.
Thank you for the indwelling Holy Spirit.
You have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.

Amen.

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

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.

An Interview with Author David Kitz

29 Saturday Jan 2022

Posted by davidkitz in book review, Books by David Kitz, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

David Kitz, Devotions, Psalms, Psalms 365

By Hilda Young of the Ottawa Christian Writers’ Fellowship

  1. I am reading again your book “Psalms alive! Connecting Heaven and Earth.” You are fascinated with the drama in the Psalms!
    Yes, that’s true. I also love the poetry and imagery in the Psalms.
  2. What gave you the idea of writing a three-volume book about the Psalms?
    Psalms 365 did not begin like most of my other books. It began as a blog. I attended a Write! Canada workshop at the 2013 Word Guild Conference. The workshop presenter urged all of us to begin blogging. At first, I resisted the idea. But after I returned home, I relented and decided to give it a try. But what should my topic be? After trying a few things, I settled on blogging my way through all the Psalms.
  3. Why did you decide to divide it up in three parts? How did you decide on the divisions?
    RGB300Kitz2AWARDThe publisher decided to breakup the manuscript because in its original form it would have resulted in a book of nearly 800 pages. The divisions fell very conveniently at the end of Psalm 51 and Psalm 104.
  4. Are all the three books about the same length?
    All three books are about 265 pages in length. The print is quite large for easy reading.
  5. How long did it take to write and research?
    From start to finish the raw manuscript took about two years to complete. Typically, I would write one devotion each workday of the of the week. Polishing the manuscript and finding a royalty paying publisher took much longer than the actual writing.
  6. Have you been asked to do any presentations about the Bible study aspect of the book series?
    I led a Zoom Bible study of Psalm 51 just this morning.
  7. Have COVID restrictions made an impact on your ability to promote the books?
    Yes, restrictions on travel and church gatherings have made promotion much more challenging. Fortunately, many obstacles can be overcome through online events and social media activities, but I miss the in-person gatherings.
  8. Do you have a favorite Psalm?
    David Kitz (2)

    David Kitz

    I have many favorites, but at the top of the list is Psalm 103. It gives me a full, all-encompassing view of God and calls me to a higher level of worship.

  9. Is the photo on the cover of the book from the Holy Land?
    The three cover photos are scenes from present day Israel. They have a timeless quality about them. I am very pleased with the Elk Lake Publishing team. They did a great job on all aspects of the book series.
  10. I notice on your blog that you feature a different Psalm everyday with a photo and commentary. Does the cross pollination of the blog and the books help increase book sales?
    I admit not every regular blog reader is going to want a hard copy of my book, but some do. Also, some purchase the book(s) as gifts for loved ones. The blog also gives the book a broad international reach. On a typical day my blog has 120 views with about twenty of those views coming from in Canada. The rest of the readership comes from fifteen or more countries scattered around the globe.
    B1P95Jv-LtS._SY300_

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer has won the 2021 Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild, 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.

The LORD Is Great!

22 Wednesday Dec 2021

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 40, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

grace, grace of God, Jesus, Psalms

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

Psalm 40-16
Reading: Psalm 40:11-17

LORD God,
I need you as I face the days ahead.
Equip me with divine grace
and ability for each day
through the love and power of Jesus.
Amen.

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer has won the 2021 Best Book of the Year Award and is an ideal Christmas gift for those who love God’s word. For a closer look at Volumes II and III click here.

You Purchased My Redemption

21 Tuesday Dec 2021

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 40, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Jesus, Psalms, redemption, sacrifice

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

Psalm 40_6-10 -365
Reading: Psalm 40:6-10

LORD God,
help me to truly hear and obey your voice.
I want to be your disciple, Lord Jesus.
Thank you for your great sacrifice
by which you purchased my redemption.
Amen.

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer has won the 2021 Best Book of the Year Award and is an ideal Christmas gift for those who love God’s word. For a closer look at Volumes II and III click here.

← Older posts

Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer

Psalms 365 Volume II

Psalms 365 vol 3
— Psalms 365 Volume III

Psalms

Recent posts

  • Remember the Wonders He Has Done July 3, 2022
  • Make Known among the Nations What He Has Done July 2, 2022
  • Faith and Expectation July 1, 2022
  • The Appointed Time of Favor July 1, 2022
  • When the Bottom Falls Out June 30, 2022
  • I Wither Away June 30, 2022
  • Choosing Friends Wisely June 29, 2022

Calendar

July 2022
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Jun    

Blog Posts

Blogroll

  • David Kitz Website
  • Discuss
  • Get Inspired
  • Get Polling
  • Get Support
  • Learn WordPress.com
  • Theme Showcase
  • WordPress Planet
  • WordPress.com News

Comments

  • davidkitz on Your Anointed One
  • Raymond L on Your Anointed One
  • SLIMJIM on Defend the Weak

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • I love the Psalms
    • Join 1,587 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • I love the Psalms
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...