Praising Scripture - Dec 31

Introduction...

Psalm 150:1-6 The Hallelujah Psalms
（Memorization Scripture: vv.1-2）
1 Praise the Lord!

Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
2 Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
5 Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord!



[Sharing] The last five chapters in Psalms (146-150) are all focusing on praising God. There is no sorrowfully begging, as in Laments, nor aggrieved fretting, as in Psalms of cursing, or even the confusion over long waiting on unanswered prayers. There are only praises inviting the children of God to offer sacrifices of praise from all angles. It seems that there are endless praises and the psalmists do no know how to start and don’t want it to end. So they begin and end the psalms with “Hallel” ( praise the Lord)!

In this last psalm of the Book of Psalms, the psalmist expresses even more that God is worthy to be praised with all my heart, all my soul, and all I can offer. Praise the Lord (the mighty acts, the great virtues) with every form (drumming, playing timbrel, dancing, ...), every instrument (trumpet, harp, lute, cymbals), and everywhere (His sanctuary, His mighty firmament)! Who shall praise Him? Not only the children of God, but everything that hath breath.
When you read this short and powerful Psalm, you cannot help but stand up and praise the Lord! It may also remind you of the time when Solomon’s temple was built and the priests carried the ark of God into the sanctuary. All the people stand by the altar, praising the Lord. “The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: ‘He is good; his love endures forever.’ ” (2 Chronicles 5: 13a)

Next time, when we gather together in the presence of God, can we praise Him wholeheartedly with all we can because we know who He is? And when we do, may we also experience that “then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.” (2 Chronicles 5: 13b-14)

Praising Scripture - Dec 30

Introduction...

Psalm 147:1-11,19-20 The Hallelujah Psalms
（Memorization Scripture: vv.10-11）
1 Praise the Lord!

For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.
5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God,
8 Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
9 He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens that cry.
10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.
……
19 He declares His word to Jacob,
His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His judgments, they have not known them.

Praise the Lord!


[Sharing] The first verse of this psalm could read as : ‘how wonderful to sing hymns, how joyful to give proper praises.’ (—— Tyndale Bible Commentary). Indeed, we have so many reasons to praise God! But we often don’t know how to praise Him. So, let’s learn to praise the Lord from the psalmist.

First, the psalmist gives thanks to God who counts the number of the stars yet takes care of the little ons—heals, binds up, support, redeem, gathers, and build up, to make us His people, His country becomes our country, and His home becomes our home!

God reigns over all. He protects and provides for all He creates. But He desires human beings to glorify Him as God. He does not delight them relying on themselves rather than God as “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy.”
Then, the psalmist continue elaborating that this God of immeasurable power and wisdom, besides being in charge of the whole universe, He graciously gives us His laws to lead us. “He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any nation.” Without the instructions from His word and statues, we are but arrogant, forgetful and ignorant people who easily fall into the trap of being conceited and drifting away from God’s heart. His love and mercy are are far better than we could even imagine.

Come, let us praise this almighty, merciful and thoughtful God!

Praising Scripture - Dec 29

Introduction...

Psalm 146:1-10 The Hallelujah Psalms
（Memorization Scripture: vv.3-5）
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 While I live I will praise the Lord;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth;
In that very day his plans perish.
5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners.
8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
The Lord raises those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the strangers;
He relieves the fatherless and widow;
But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
10 The Lord shall reign forever—
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!


[Sharing] The passage is a group of hymns. The psalmist stressed that we should come to praise the Lord through our entire life, because our God is worthy. Trust that He will protect his children and lead us to victory! Therefore, even we are facing difficulties or being oppressed, we need to have faith and turn our eyes to God. At the same time, the psalmist warns us not to "rely on the kings of the world," because once their spirits depart, they return to earth. We should fix our eyes and "look upon the Lord," for “happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God."
Therefore, the psalmist here can’t help but praise the Lord, for He is not only the God who created heaven, earth, sea, and all things, but also the God who has mercy and love for those who are wronged, hungry, imprisoned, oppressed, orphans and widows, and all those who have no one to depend on. Hallelujah! This is the God who helps and protects!

At the end, the psalmist loudly proclaimed, "The Lord shall reign forever!" He urged the people of Zion to come and praise God. Amen! "While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being!"

Praising Scripture - Dec 28

Introduction...

Psalm 135:1-6,15-21 The Hallelujah Psalms
（Memorization Scripture: vv.1-3）
1Praise the Lord!

Praise the name of the Lord;
Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord!
2 You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In the courts of the house of our God,
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His special treasure.
5 For I know that the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places.
……
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel!
Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron!
20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord out of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!

Praise the Lord!
(JZ)


[Sharing] The psalmist repeatedly invites us: "Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord.” O you servants of the Lord, you shall stand in the house of the Lord and praise Him. The psalmist not only invites people to praise the Lord, but also reminds us why we are to praise Him.

In contrast to the idols made by the Gentiles: "They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear; Nor is there any breath in their mouths.” But our God is great and is above all gods; Our God is good, and He chose Israel to be His own people; therefore, the psalmist shouts out with thanksgiving: Israel, ah, the house of Aaron, the house of Levi, people who dwell in Jerusalem, you should praise the Lord, praise His holy name.

Hallelujah ... This God of All, in love, has chosen you and me, to be his royal priests, holy nation, God's people. Peter also urged us to preach the one who called you out of darkness, into the virtues of the light. Now we will open our mouths to praise His name, praise God's great love.

Daily Scripture - Jan 1

Exodus 19:4-6a
You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6a And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

One chapter of Proverbs per day in January: Proverbs 1

Daily Scripture - Dec 27

Acts 17:26-28a
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28a for in Him we live and move and have our being, ...

Praising Scripture - Dec 27

Introduction...

Psalm 113:1-9 The Hallelujah Psalms
（Memorization Scripture: vv.1-3）
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its going down
The Lord’s name is to be praised.
4 The Lord is high above all nations,
His glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the Lord our God,
Who dwells on high,
6 Who humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?
7 He raises the poor out of the dust,
And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,
8 That He may seat him with princes—
With the princes of His people.
9 He grants the barren woman a home,
Like a joyful mother of children.
Praise the Lord!


[Sharing] In Hallelujah Psalms, either the first or the last sentence, or both, are "Hallelujah" (Hebrew, meaning "praise the Lord"): as if the whole psalm is teaching about why to praise, who praises, when, where, and how to praise the Lord ...
Did you hear the poet's appeal? Come! Praise the Lord together and bless His name. Because God is worthy of our praise forever (from this time forth and forevermore), and is worthy of praises from the whole earth (from the rising of the sun to its going down).

He is God the most honored, glorious, and holy, who yet humbles Himself, and comes to our aid. He raises the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the ash heap. Because of His salvation, we are called His children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. And He leads us through our life on the earth. Sufferings will eventually be overcome and tears will be wiped out. We, shall praise the Lord forever.

Praising Scripture - Dec 26

Introduction...

Psalm 118:19-29 Messianic Psalms
（Memorization Scripture: vv.22-24）
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord,
Through which the righteous shall enter.
21 I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This was the Lord’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save now, I pray, O Lord;
O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
27 God is the Lord,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.
29 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.


[Sharing] Are there any words truer than these - You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. This psalm is rich in Messianic imagery and many of the lines are familiar to us from Jesus using these words about Himself and the people’s shouts of joy at His triumphal entry taken from this very psalm. As many consider Psalms 113-118 are the six “Hellel” psalms recited in the three major festivals (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles), Psalm 118 could have even been the final psalm in the mind of Jesus as He celebrated Passover with His disciples (Mark 14:26).

Surrounding this psalm is the history of the Passover - God delivering His people from the slavery of Egypt to bring them into His presence so that they could worship Him. Praise for this salvation is sung out in the refrain, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” We too can sing this today because in such great faithfulness God has answered our deepest need in the ultimate Exodus. Jesus has delivered us not from just enemies our hard times but from sin within through His once and for all atoning sacrifice.

And today this should be truly marvelous in all of our eyes. Though we deserved nothing and while mankind rejected Jesus, in amazing grace by God’s great doing Christ’s victory has transformed our lives of despair into ones of rejoicing worship before the Lord. Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Praising Scripture - Dec 25

Introduction...

Psalm 16:1-11 Messianic Psalms
A Michtam of David.
（Memorization Scripture: vv.8-11）
1 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord,
“You are my Lord,
My goodness is nothing apart from You.”
3 As for the saints who are on the earth,
“They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
Nor take up their names on my lips.
5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.



[Sharing] Psalm 16 is a Michtam of David, which talks about his faith in the Lord. In faith, he chose to come to the Lord and believed that "I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope."

However, in the sense of prophecy, when David spoke of burial, resurrection, and ascendency, he was referring to the great things to be accomplished by Jesus Christ. Since David was also a prophet, he knew God had sworn to him that He would raise up one of his descendants to sit on David’s throne. So he foresaw it, talking about the resurrection of the Christ: His soul would not be left in Sheol; He would not see corruption. This Jesus, who shed His blood for us and could not be held by death, has now resurrected and ascended high above to heaven!

Therefore, this psalm was quoted by Peter and Paul in Acts to prove that Jesus is the Messiah that God promised in the Old Testament (Acts 2:25-31, 13:35-37). Today, David's prophecy has been fulfilled through Jesus Christ. Let us set the Lord always before us, and He will show us the path of life. In His presence is the fullness of joy; at His right hand are pleasures forevermore!

Praising Scripture - Dec 24

Introduction...

Psalm 24：1-10 Messianic Psalms
（Memorization Scripture: vv.7-10）
1The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the waters.
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah



[Sharing] Many people conclude that Psalm 24 describes what happened when David received the return of the Ark of the Covenant to the tabernacle in Zion from the house of Obed-Edom (1 Chronicles 15). At that time, David and the leaders of Israel came to the House of Obed-Edom. As the Priests and the Levites carried the Ark of the Covenant, all of Israel brought up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets and with cymbals, making music with stringed instruments and harps. And King David also whirled and played music among them. What a joyful and glorious scene! Because of the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant, the glorious King descended from above the heaven to Israel!

Today, on this Christmas Eve, let us remember Jesus Christ, who is the Word that became flesh. This glorious King took the form of a baby, so that majority of Jews didn't recognize that He was the Messiah for whom they had been waiting. On that night, there was not even a room in which He could be birthed! Hopefully we, who are justified, could cleanse our hands, prepare our hearts, come together to seek the Lord, and wait for the glorious manifestation of the Lord!

Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory.

The Lamb who humbled Himself and was slain,
is now the Lamb sitting on the throne.

Praising Scripture - Dec 23

Introduction...

Psalm 22:1-2,9-10,18-31 Messianic Psalms
（Memorization Scripture: vv.25-26）
1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?
2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.
……
9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts.
10I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God.
……
18 They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.
19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me;
O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
20 Deliver Me from the sword,
My precious life from the power of the dog.
21 Save Me from the lion’s mouth
And from the horns of the wild oxen!
You have answered Me.
22 I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But when He cried to Him, He heard.
25 My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the Lord.
Let your heart live forever!
27 All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the families of the nations
Shall worship before You.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s,
And He rules over the nations.
29 All the prosperous of the earth
Shall eat and worship;
All those who go down to the dust
Shall bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep himself alive.
30 A posterity shall serve Him.
It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,
31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born,
That He has done this.



[Sharing] Psalm 22 is a Messianic Psalm known as the Psalm of the Cross. Deeply lonely and helpless, in his struggle David questioned, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?” But then David remembered that the Lord is the one who brought him out of the womb, that he can trust in Him, and that his life was in God’s hand. He began to learn to praise the Lord, saying, “In the midst of the assembly I will praise You...My praise shall be of You in the great assembly...all the families of the nations shall worship before You.” When his eyes became fixed upon God, his spiritual life was transformed from lament to a song of praise.

As we know now, all the afflictions described by David here -- from being rejected by God and being scoffed, despised and shamed, to the bitterness that came from evil men piercing his hands and feet, dividing his garments among themselves, and casting lots his clothing -- were all fulfilled in Jesus. As written in Isaiah 53, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” So “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Hallelujah, praise the Lord! His cross is not only the way we should take but also the way out provided by the Lord.

Praising Scripture - Dec 22

Introduction...

Psalm 2:1-12 Messianic Psalms
（Memorization Scripture: vv.6-7）
1 Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
6 “Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
7 “I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”

10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.


[Sharing] “Your arms are too short to box with God,” it has been said. And yet, isn’t our biggest problem is that we still try? Though it is sheer vanity, the kings of our world continue to counsel together in a rebellion to supplant the Lord God. In this kingly, messianic psalm those hostile kings of the earth are contrasted with the divine King and His Anointed - the Christ. And what is at the heart of their rebellion is a sort of spiritual insanity - they want to break free from God the Father and the Christ because they think the Lord is enslaving when His rule actually delivers bondage-breaking freedom!

What is God’s response? Laughter. God isn’t laughing at man’s sin but his prideful boastings. Only the Lord God sits in heaven and no one will overthrow His rule, His decrees, or His Son. God’s answer to our rebellion is to set His King, Jesus the Christ on His holy hill Zion (vv.4-6). The answer takes root in your heart as you personally praise the Christ who is set as King over every part of your life.

And this is great comfort and worthy of all our praise because God’s righteousness and His Savior will prevail. Look too at the grace of God, to which the psalmist draws our attention, and that of the kings - there is still time and what the Lord wants is not your destruction but for you to turn this very day from praising yourself to worship of the Son - Be wise, be instructed, serve the Lord, rejoice with trembling, and kiss the Son, for blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Praising Scripture - Dec 21

Introduction...

Psalm 18:1-6, 16-19,46 Praise God Before The Enemy
（Memorization Scripture: vv.1-3）
1 I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

4 The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.
……
16 He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my support.
19 He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.
…
46 The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.



[Sharing] The knowledge of God and spiritual maturity require years and years of experience, as well as the end from the Lord. (See ''Special Grace and Reserve Grace'' by Brother Watchman Nee) The reason why David's poem is deeply rooted in people's hearts and used by the Holy Spirit is that his seventy years of rich experience has the traces of God’s work. When the Lord saved David from all his enemies and from Saul’s hand, he read this fifty-verse psalm to the Lord.

Have you had a hard time? Have you ever felt the hopelessness when walking through the valley of the shadow of death? Have you experienced the overwhelming panic when a strong enemy is present? Then you must have a similar experience to David:

“He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my support.
He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.”

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, in whom in take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. The Lord lives! I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies!

I will love You, O Lord, my strength!

Praising Scripture - Dec 20

Introduction...

Psalm 27:1-6 Praise God Before The Enemy
（Memorization Scripture: vv.4-6）
1The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.
4 One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.




[Sharing] At times when we face enemies or go through hard times, feeling afraid might be our very natural reaction. Whether we admit it or not, that fear often consumes us, occupies our minds and causes us to lose our peace. Although going through tough times is inevitable, in this passage, the psalmist points us to the ultimate help that we can have to overcome fear: hope in the Lord, dwell in the house of the Lord, and allow him to protect us.

When David was a shepherd boy, he had to face lions and bears in the wilderness. Later on, he had to fight Goliath, run from King Saul, face the betrayal by Absalom and prepare for the repeated threats from the Philistines. During all those hard times, he learned to turn his eyes to God. So verses 1-3 was him speaking to himself and reminding himself: The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? David longs to dwell in the house of the Lord and be in God’s presence. This is what he was seeking. For he knows that whenever he is in great trouble, the Lord shall hide him in His pavilion and protect him in the secret place of His tabernacle. The Lord shall set him high upon a rock so that he can overcome fear and be lifted up above his enemies, still singing, offering sacrifices of joy and praising the Lord.

Are you also facing great difficulties? Are you eager for such a breakthrough? Then try what David did: turn your eyes to the Lord, and He will save you from fear, and you will sing and praise Him.

Praising Scripture - Dec 19

Introduction...

Psalm 3:1-8 Praise God Before The Enemy
（Memorization Scripture: vv.3-4）
1 Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
2 Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.” Selah

3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
4 I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

5 I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.
7 Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8 Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah




[Sharing] This psalm is a personal lament, an excellent example where the psalmist is able to pray loudly although powerful enemies are still around. From 2nd Samuel Chapter 15 to Chapter 19, it is recorded that when David fled away from his renegade son Absalom, not only must he endure the shame and misery of the betrayal of his own son, he went barefoot and left Jerusalem, crying as he walked away; but also he must confront the attack and the ridicule of many enemies who took the opportunity to attack him from all places, saying that “This is no help for him in God”. However, he bravely declared in faith: “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.” And he firmly believed that God had answered his prayer on the holy hill so that he would not fear the attacks around him, and the Lord would always bless him whether he was sleeping or awake. When he called God again to save him, he reminded God and also himself that God had defeated the evil enemies, and that salvation only belonged to the Lord. Not only that he sought the help of God, but also he, although in difficulties, remembered the people of God. The heart of a pastoral king is so obvious.Note that this Psalm uses "Selah” three times (verses 2, 4, and 8) to show that the surging emotions and feelings in this psalm are beyond the simple words. Any singer of this song should carefully understand it.

Have you faced any enemy's attack in your current life? Is there any experience where you cannot ”lift up the head"? Are you afraid? Oh heavenly traveler, we have so many fellow travelers in different ages, so do not be discouraged, do not retreat! Because God is a shield for you, your glory, and the one who lifts up your head. He will bless you, lead you out of the woods, and win the battle, because "salvation belongs to the Lord!”

Praising Scripture - Dec 18

Introduction...

Psalm 29：1-11 Praise God In the Midst of Distress
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 10-11）
1 Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
2 Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the Lord sits as King forever.
11 The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.






[Sharing] On stormy nights, we tend to focus on our difficulties and losses and get trapped by weaknesses and afflictions which lead us to complain to and even grow distant from God. Yet, the psalmist tells us that even in times of trouble we ought to praise the Lord. To be honest, it is a great challenge (for everyone of us) to praise the Lord in difficulty unless we praise the Lord on a daily basis. Like David, we ought to know by heart that the Lord is the kind and powerful God who makes all things work together for good to those who love Him.

In this psalm, David mentioned the voice of the Lord seven times (it is powerful, full of majesty...), to remind us that the glory and power of God is mightier than any of this world’s storms and difficulties. Therefore, the psalmist said that the children of God, should not be afraid of these difficulties which will not last but rather we should praise His name, giving to the Lord the glory due His name, for The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, And the Lord sits as King forever (v10). God loves us so much and He will give strength to His people and bless His people with peace.

Praising Scripture - Dec 17

Introduction...

Psalm 42:1-5 Praise God In the Midst of Distress——
To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah.
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 5）
1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”

4 When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.


[Sharing] Psalm 42 and 43 are the first and second parts of the same psalm, and they echo each other coherently and cohesively. The psalmist was the descendant of those who once were so rebellious to God and should have been swallowed by the earth (See Numbers 16) yet saved by the grace of God. Since the time of David, there were a group of people among the son of Korah who were delegated to sing in the temple of God (such as Heman, one of the three chief musicians). The psalmist of this psalm presumably should also serve as a musician in the temple of God. And now, because of being held captive during war or some other unknown reason, he was left in a strange place apart from the presence of God and was unable to participate in any worship services. (In this psalm) He described that his soul pants for God, as the deer pants for the water brooks. People saw him and mocked him, and said “where is your God?” And this made him so depressed that his tear had been his food day and night.

The psalmist is saddened even more as he recalls a time when, together with the people, he headed to the temple of God and sang praises to keep a feast. But at the same time, this memory became a turning point, which led to verse 5. In both Psalm 42 and 43, verse 5 acts as a chorus which is repeated three times to portray the psalmist’s strong emotions.

Everyone of us can fall down into a spiritual low place while walking the path of faith, and it just might seem that we will never get back to those reviving and glorious moments when we still dwelled in the temple of God. When we are cast down we are easily disquieted and can lose all hope. But in such times, this psalmist who carried the mark of grace, reminded his worried heart to “Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance” (v5). We too are sinners saved by grace and God will not remember our rebellion to Him. When we are still wandering in the wilderness, as long as our soul pants for His presence, He will be there as always, and help us with His countenance.

Praising Scripture - Dec 16

Introduction...

Psalm 42:6-11 43:1-5 Praise God In the Midst of Distress
（Memorization Scripture: vv.3-4）
6 O my God,my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar.
7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
8 The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.
9 I will say to God my Rock,
“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a breaking of my bones,
My enemies reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.
……

PSALM 43:1-5
1 Vindicate me, O God,
And plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!
2 For You are the God of my strength;
Why do You cast me off?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 Oh, send out Your light and Your truth!
Let them lead me;
Let them bring me to Your holy hill
And to Your tabernacle.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God my exceeding joy;
And on the harp I will praise You,
O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.


[Sharing] When people get upset, the emotion comes and goes. One moment ago, the psalmist said “Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” ; then next second, the psalmist got upset again. Yet when he was thirsty and cast down, he still remembered God in the deserted land (the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar). Have you ever remembered God when you are in the midst of a toast during class reunion? Have you ever sought for the presence of God in rich life? Perhaps, at this moment, you miss the presence of God? Maybe the reason behind is that you have not read scripture or prayed before God recently, or you just have not been to church to worship the Lord with all saints.God so loves us that once we remember Him, He responds to us “Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me.1”(Psalm 42:7) This response excited the psalmist so much, and he then immediately said “The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me—A prayer to the God of my life.” And then the chorus (v11) repeated itself again (v5). The verse “Deep calls unto deep”(v7) portrayed vividly how people and God are having a candid spiritual conversation. There is only the deep well that echos the deep sound; and there is only water runs in the deep well that feeds the endless need and longing.

When it comes to psalm 43, the psalmist had seemingly gone out of the valley of Baca, and remembered that He is a righteous God, who gave him strength. The psalmist started to hope and pray that God would take him back to the holy mountain, back to the dwelling of God, so that he could once again praise the Lord with harp in the temple of God. And then again, the psalm ended with the chorus.

Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 together is the song that is prized and frequently sung by Christians and pilgrims. Have you ever gone through the difficulty and realized that He who help us with His countenance is our God? Can you have such candid and truthful conversation with God in the difficulty, just like the psalmist? In the difficulty, Would you long for His presence, and even praise the Lord for you stand by the help and salvation of God?
1 “Waves and billows” is interpreted as “trouble and anguish” in other commentaries

Praising Scripture - Dec 15

Introduction...

Psalm 37:1-11 Praise God’s Will
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 3-6）
1 Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.



[Sharing] It’s not always easy to praise God for His will. The challenge is that first we don’t necessarily know what His will is, and second that we may not truly care about it. By the time we get to see God’s will and start to care about it, it’s still likely that we don’t fully agree or cannot follow it. What God regards the best may not be what we desire the most, or even if it is, we may not have the strength to obey Him, which is especially true when we fret (see how “do not fret” appears 3 times in this passage) and want to retaliate.
But here God says to His children through David that we should 1) trust in the Lord, and do good, 2) dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness, and 3) delight yourself also in the Lord -- and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Then He continues with “Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” Vengeance belongs to God, for only He is righteous, and only those who do the will of God abide forever. Sometimes when God’s will is not clear to us our flesh will be tempted by the enemy as we fret, and we will sin if we fail to overcome the temptation. To delight ourselves in the Lord’s will, we have to be humble, willing to obey, and wait patiently.
Children of God, let’s all listen to God’s words and obey: “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” Let’s not follow our own will, but humble ourselves under the righteous and mighty hand of God. Let’s put faith in His judgement and leading, and honor Him as God. “The meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”

Praising Scripture - Dec 14

Introduction...

Psalm 89：1-4，20-29，51-52 Praise God’s Will
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 27-29）
1 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever;
With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.”
3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen,
I have sworn to My servant David:
4 ‘Your seed I will establish forever,
And build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah
…
20 I have found My servant David;
With My holy oil I have anointed him,
21 With whom My hand shall be established;
Also My arm shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not outwit him,
Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
23 I will beat down his foes before his face,
And plague those who hate him.
24 “But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him,
And in My name his horn shall be exalted.
25 Also I will set his hand over the sea,
And his right hand over the rivers.
26 He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father,
My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
27 Also I will make him My firstborn,
The highest of the kings of the earth.
28 My mercy I will keep for him forever,
And My covenant shall stand firm with him.
29 His seed also I will make to endure forever,
And his throne as the days of heaven.
…
51 With which Your enemies have reproached, O Lord,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.
52 Blessed be the Lord forevermore!
Amen and Amen.（JZ）


[Sharing] Although the larger context of our psalm today is a prayer for help when trouble abounds, we see the psalmist starting the psalm with the praise that “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations”. The Lord has made the everlasting covenant with David, in which His multiple promises that “I have…”, “I will…”, “Also I will…”, and “...My…” demonstrate His great mercy and love to David. With the promises “I have found My servant David; With My holy oil I have anointed him, With whom My arm shall strengthen; I will beat down his foes before his face; My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him, And in My name his horn shall be exalted. Also I will make him My firstborn,” the Lord has reminded the seed of David, the people in Zion, to not lose heart in difficulties because their God is faithful, His covenant shall stand firm, and He will make David’s throne endure forever as the days of heaven. Hallelujah! Blessed be the LORD for evermore! Amen, and Amen.

Praise the Lord! Today we are all found by God like David, anointed by the Holy Spirit, and receive all of the promises and blessings as sons of God in Christ. Baptism is the testimony of us being found by God. Breaking of bread is the mark of God’s love on us, reminding us that God has made with us the everlasting covenant through the blood of His son Jesus Christ. Because of what God has done for us, now we can come and cry to Him, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.’

Praising Scripture - Dec 13

Introduction...

Psalm 40:6-11 Praise for God’s Will
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 6-8）
6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;
My ears You have opened.
Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart.”

9 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
In the great assembly;
Indeed, I do not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You Yourself know.
10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.
11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord;
Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.


[Sharing] The larger context of our psalm today is a prayer for help when trouble abounds. David begins by praising God for His past mercies before another appeal to the gracious Lord for deliverance. Sandwiched fittingly between these is this testament to the king’s faithfulness to God’s will. That’s really the heart of the matter here - true praise includes true obedience to the Lord. David knows that God mandated animal sacrifices but if they were offered without genuine repentance and faith, God did not want them because that would not be true worship. The great praise here is both that the psalmist delights and does God’s will and that God has chosen to reveal His will to David and put it within his heart.
Praise You, dear God who has opened our ears!
Let us all praise our Lord who has graciously revealed His will to us and wonderfully moves our hearts to delight in His ways, even writing His law within our hearts!
Praise You dear Jesus for Your righteousness, faithfulness and your salvation!
Let us all praise the Christ for His lovingkindness, His truth, and His tender mercies!
Let us offer such praise even when trouble abounds.
Let us offer this praise in the great assemblies where all can hear and join in.

Praising Scripture - Dec 12

Introduction...

Psalm 132:1-9;13-18 Praise God’s Kingdom/God’s Dwelling Place
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 13-18）
1 Lord, remember David
And all his afflictions;
2 How he swore to the Lord,
And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 “Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house,
Or go up to the comfort of my bed;
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
Or slumber to my eyelids,
5 Until I find a place for the Lord,
A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
We found it in the fields of the woods.[a]
7 Let us go into His tabernacle;
Let us worship at His footstool.
8 Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your strength.
9 Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your saints shout for joy.
……
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
14 “This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provision;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation,
And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
17 There I will make the horn of David grow;
I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.”


[Sharing] There have been a lot of difficulties and tribulations in the many years of serving the Lord and His church, and sometimes I have felt discouraged. But God always speaks to me at a crucial moment and shows me what He wants. This psalm is one of them. Back to 2005, when we were buying the church building, God once again spoke to me through this psalm. It seemed that I could roughly understand a bit of David's misery and his urgency to find a resting place for the ark of the Lord. In order to fulfill the needs of the Lord, David would rather suffer. If our sufferings cannot be connected with the eternal purpose of God, which is Christ and the church, it will be worthless at all!

Having spent his life in war, David knew well and worry about God's ark being displaced and restless. Where is God's resting place today? Where is the shining place of God's witness cabinet? Is every church a home where God can dwell in? Can His heart rest in peace among us? Behold what manner of love is the Lord! With exceedingly precious promises, He responds to those who love Him and care about His presence and testimony. In His chosen dwelling place, He will 'abundantly bless her provision, satisfy her poor with bread; ... also clothe her priests with salvation, And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.' The horn of David speaks of God's victory - wherever there is God's presence, God reigns and enemies will be humiliated; those who suffer for the Lord will have glorious crowns on their heads.
Do you think that this psalm is like a song, which step by step builds up into God's heart, encountering God's promise and glory! No wonder this psalm is collected in the "Songs of Ascent".

Praising Scripture - Dec 11

Introduction...

Psalm 122:1-9 Praise God’s Kingdom/God’s Dwelling Place

（Memorization Scripture: vv. 1-3）
1 I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go into the house of the Lord.”
2 Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3 Jerusalem is built
As a city that is compact together,
4 Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the Lord,
To the Testimony of Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5 For thrones are set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.”
8 For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
9 Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will seek your good.


[Sharing] Psalms 120 to 134 are songs of ascent. These songs profoundly reflect how thankful they were to God when those captive holy people returned to Jerusalem! Psalm 122, a pilgrimage song written by David, records the songs the Israelites sung to God along the way when they heading upwards to the temple of God, which vividly illustrates their love for Jerusalem. As soon as the psalmist came to God, he rejoiced and rejoiced because he loved God and loved the temple of God. Therefore, the psalmist was so happy when he heard someone say "Let us go into the house of the Lord". He rejoiced when they were built up together in the holy city, "As a city that is compact together". Hallelujah! As usual, the twelve tribes of Israel headed to the temple of God, praising the name of the LORD in front of His throne. In the meantime, David appealed to all to seek peace for Jerusalem and blessings for companions.

Hopefully, our hearts will be stirred up by David, so that we can come together to love God and God's house, often worship and praise God in His temple, and pray together for the church: "Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces." This is David's prayer, which must be our prayer.

Praising Scripture - Dec 10

Introduction...

Psalm 84:1-12 Praise God’s Kingdom/God’s Dwelling Place
To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath.A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 1-4）
1 How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
They will still be praising You. Selah
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
They make it a spring;
The rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
Each one appears before God in Zion.
8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 O God, behold our shield,
And look upon the face of Your anointed.
10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You!



[Sharing]
This psalm is prized among Christians to sing about being in God’s presence, however it was written by the descendents of people (the sons of Korah) who once were so far off from God. This is powerful testimony to God’s amazing grace. Through all of the shame and sorrow they experienced through God’s chastening, the Korahites learned to answer and serve God in such a new, positive way. They found the presence of God so precious that they could sincerely proclaim to God, “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (v10)
They came before God with such a humble attitude. Acknowledging lowly state by comparing themselves with sparrows and swallows, they give thanks that such a mighty and holy God would allow sparrows and swallows to make a home in His holy altars. It is this that leads the psalmist to burst forth in praise, “Blessed are those who dwell in Your house”. (v4)
May we too so eagerly long to be in His presence - How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints. For the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (vv.1-2)

Praising Scripture - Dec 9

Introduction...

Psalm 87 :1-7 A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 1-3）
1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God! Selah
4 “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me;
Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia:
‘This one was born there.’”
5 And of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her;
And the Most High Himself shall establish her.”
6 The Lord will record,
When He registers the peoples:
“This one was born there.” Selah
7 Both the singers and the players on instruments say,
“All my springs are in you.”




[Sharing]
The Lord loves Zion. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Zion, where the throne of the house of David is located, is the place where God rules. It is the place of presence for both the throne and will of God. The place where David prepared and pitched a tent for God’s ark, Zion is the God’s dwelling place. It is where God is present.
Marvelously we see that in Zion it is both the Israelites chosen by God as well as Rahab, Babylon, Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia who were born there. One day, the Lord will record when He registers the people from all of these different places. This really portrays John 3:16 - that God so loved the world that through His salvation everyone can now become a citizen of Zion.
Hallelujah, praise the Lord! We the foreigners, who ought not to be part or portion of His glory, can now be the citizens of Zion. We can now sing and dance, rejoice and say that “all of my springs are in You.” May we live in the reality of being citizens of Zion: longing for His presence, willing to let God command our lives, and letting the Spirit flow.

Praising Scripture - Dec 8

Introduction...

Psalm 19:7-11 Praise God’s Word

（Memorization Scripture: vv. 9-11）
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.



[Sharing]
When David spoke of the revealed word of the Lord, his tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. He used six different terms to speak of God’s word: the law, the testimony, the statues, the commandment, the fear, the judgements; then he used six different adjectives to describe God's word: perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, true. What’s more, he explained the function of God's word from six different aspects: converting the soul, making wise the simple, rejoicing the heart, enlightening the eyes, enduring forever, righteous altogether. Such wonderful words are indeed more precious than gold, sweeter than honey!
But the word of the Lord is not only about the above mentioned benefits, more importantly is to warn us who belong to him: in keeping them there is great reward.

Praising Scripture - Dec 7

Introduction...

Psalm 119:105-112 Praise God’s Word
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 105-108）
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
106 I have sworn and confirmed
That I will keep Your righteous judgments.
107 I am afflicted very much;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.
108 Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord,
And teach me Your judgments.

109 My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.

111 Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever,
For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, to the very end.




[Sharing]
In the eyes of the psalmist, the revealed word of the Lord is extremely precious as it is his heritage forever and the joy of his heart. The Lord’s words are the righteous law and the light in which we walk in this dark world. Therefore, the psalmist not only took an oath to keep the word of God, but also confirmed that he would keep it no matter how much it cost.
When we act in God's word in this dark world, we will often encounter battles as the wicked have set a snare for us, and we constantly take our lives in our hands. Yet, we know that when we walk in His word, He will preserve our lives according to His word.
Therefore, we hope that we, like the psalmist, will keep the word of God and consider His word as the lamp to our feet and the light for our path every day. Even when we encounter difficulties in obeying the word of God, we can willing praise Him with our mouths and stay living in His precepts. Let us confirm to set our hearts on keeping the Lord’s decrees to the every end!

Praising Scripture - Dec 6

Introduction...

Psalm 34:1-7 Praise God’s Name
A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 1-3）
1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.



[Sharing]
Today’s psalm is made by David when he feigned madness before Abimelech and was driven away. David fled from Saul and went to Gath, but there was someone who recognized David as the warrior who once defeated them, so David was very much afraid of Abimelech, and had to pretend that he is insane to escape.
After all these troubles and humiliations, David learned that God would camp around him and rescue him, even if his circumstances were dangerous. God heard the calling of poor men, and saved them out of all their fears and troubles! Rather than being afraid of others, the Lord is the one who we should really fear.
Therefore, David can say “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.” David too invites us today to come up to God humbly with him, to glorify the Lord, and exalt His name together!

Praising Scripture - Dec 5

Introduction...

Psalm 69:30-36 Praise God’s Name
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 30-31）
30 I will praise the name of God with a song,
And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
31 This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull,
Which has horns and hooves.
32 The humble shall see this and be glad;
And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
33 For the Lord hears the poor,
And does not despise His prisoners.
34 Let heaven and earth praise Him,
The seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion
And build the cities of Judah,
That they may dwell there and possess it.
36 Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it,
And those who love His name shall dwell in it.


Introduction...


[Sharing]
This psalm is one of most quoted by the New Testament. This lament starts with David's pressing for God's grace and deliverance in suffering and persecution. Like in many prayer psalms, David knew by faith that his prayer had been heard by God, and thus he gave "a praising offering" to God with gratitude, saying "I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, Which has horns and hooves". The poet not only praised the Lord by himself, but also appealed to all the humble, those seeking for God, the poor, and the prisoners to come together to praise the Lord. Including all creations and all the earth, all shall praise the Lord, for He will keep all who love His name to dwell in Zion and Judah for generations.Here we can see that when the poet dedicated his "praises as offerings" to God, it is delightful to God and better than any expensive offerings. We shall also see that praising the name of God will help us to go beyond all difficulties, for His name is above all names. Therefore, we shall learn to praise the name of the almighty God by faith in our hardships, so that we will experience God managing the environment for us and leading us to conquer through Him like David.

Praising Scripture - Dec 4

Introduction...

12/4 Psalm138：1-8
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 6-8）
1 I will praise You with my whole heart;
Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
2 I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.

4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,
When they hear the words of Your mouth.
5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
For great is the glory of the Lord.

6 Though the Lord is on high,
Yet He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
8 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.



[Sharing]
This beautiful psalm of praise begins a series of eight attributed to David and centers on a pretty amazing wish - that all the kings of the earth would praise the Lord in response to hearing His words! Wrapped around this hope is King David’s own praise which comes from both who God is (name, lovingkindness, truth, great in glory, mercy that endures forever) and the wonderful things which He has done. Chief among these wondrous works is God’s faithfulness in answering prayer which has made His name and promises more precious than all that even a king could possess.
Today there are many gods and kings zealous to steal our praise that belongs only to Jesus Christ. As you read David’s words, can you respond with him in praise for our great God’s abundant goodness towards you? Praise Him for all the ways He has answered prayers, shown you lovingkindness, strengthened you, and in the throes of trials has revived, defended, saved, and fulfilled His purpose for you (perfect that which concerns me).
May we praise God today looking forward to that amazing day when all the kings of the earth will bring their glory into the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:24).

Praising Scripture - Dec 3

Introduction...

12/3 Psalm 33：1-11
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 1-4）
1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
4 For the word of the Lord is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;[a]
He lays up the deep in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9 For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.




[Sharing]
This psalm praises the Lord for His being and His work. At the beginning, the psalmist calls upon the upright and righteous people who fear the Lord to rejoice in the Lord and to praise Him. He teaches us to sing a new song to the Lord with the harp and a shout of joy, and to offer our praises. This is a great reminder for us - do we really rejoice in the Lord? We should worship and praise the Lord with enthusiasm, with our hearts, mouths and hands, and with all our hearts and bodies. There is no concern about our own feelings and how others look at us, but only praising the Lord who loves us, for He is our only focus and object during worship. Such praise is both due and beautiful.
Hallelujah... Lord our God! We shall praise You, too! For Your word is right and absolutely reliable, all Your work is done in truth, and You are a faithful God of mercy!
Hallelujah... Lord our God! We praise You! For You created the massive universe and the beautiful nature with word (command, breath). You are God who spoke and it was done, who commanded and it stood fast.
Hallelujah... Lord our God! We praise You! For Your counsel stands forever, the plans of Your heart to all generations. You are who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty!

Praising Scripture - Dec 2

Introduction...

12/2 Psalm 95:1-7a
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 6-7a）
1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
3 For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.
4 In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the hills are His also.
5 The sea is His, for He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land.
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand.





[Sharing]
In this psalm, which again is a call to the people, we see an uncomplicated worship that professes God is the great God above all gods. We have countless good reasons to come before Him with joyful shouts, to sing of Him, to give thanks to Him, and to praise Him. Sadly, we often only focus on the things that God has done for us. What’s even more pitiful is that we only thank Him for accomplishing the particular things we asked for. We are sorely lacking in real recognition of God’s being, His majesty, His awesomeness, His authority, His reign above all, and His all-surpassing greatness. It is not that we do not understand, but we simply have no appetite to know more of God; we only care that He has met our needs.
Come! Let us kneel before God! For a brief moment, forget our needs. Shout with joy, sing, praise and worship Him for who He is. The sea, dry land, hills, and deep places of the earth are not the only things that belong to God, but we, who have been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ, need to ever more loudly proclaim, “He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.”

Praising Scripture - Dec 1

Introduction...

12/1Psalm 100：1-5 A Psalm of Thanksgiving Praise
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 4-5）
1 Make a joyful shout (noise) to the Lord, all you lands!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
3 Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.




[Sharing] This psalm calls for people to come worship God. The psalm is not only meant for ones who have known God, but it is an invitation to those who do not yet know Him. Why? Because He is the God of all nations and all peoples; He is the savior of all. With passionate cries, the psalmist calls for the people to shout joyfully to the Lord, to sing His praise, and to respond to His presence: we belong to Him, we are His sheep, and He is the one true God! Oh that the people would begin their worship by singing this psalm at the top of their lungs! We can only imagine how magnificent that must have been!
The psalmist proceeds to remind everyone to come into God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise. And to come for no other reason but that the Lord is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. It is only right that we come to give thanks to Him and praise His name!
Have you noticed that this psalm is a charge? (There are seven occurrences of “should” in the Chinese translation.) If you do not know how to enter into God’s presence, try giving thanks, praising, and singing with a joyful noise; profess that He is your creator and you are His sheep; believe in His goodness, lovingkindness, and faithfulness. Then, you will surely experience God’s presence.

Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 30

Introduction...

Day 30 Psalm 118:5-14 The Lord is on my side; What can man do to me?
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 6,8-9,14）
5 I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
7 The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
11 They surrounded me,
Yes, they surrounded me;
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
12 They surrounded me like bees;
They were quenched like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
But the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.





.

Psalm 118 is the poem that the Israelites sung when they went to the Temple at the festivals to offer sacrifice and sing praise to God. As they were heading to the Temple and remembering how Jehovah God had listened to their prayers and placed them in a spacious place after so many years of turmoil, they could not help but to say, "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? For it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.“ Many times in the history of Israel, nations surrounded them like a swarm of bees to destroy them, but the people of Israel could be victorious in the name of the Lord. It is why they could sing, “The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.”

Today, we also face so many spiritual battles in our lives. Let us also learn to come to the LORD often and experience that “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”, because “the Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.”

Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 29

Introduction...

Day 29 Psalm 44:1-8 Give Thanks to God for he commands victories for us
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 4-5）
1 We have heard with our ears, O God,
Our fathers have told us,
The deeds You did in their days,
In days of old:
2 You drove out the nations with Your hand,
But them You planted;
You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out.
3 For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword,
Nor did their own arm save them;
But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance,
Because You favored them.
4 You are my King, O God;
Command victories for Jacob.
5 Through You we will push down our enemies;
Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.
6 For I will not trust in my bow,
Nor shall my sword save me.
7 But You have saved us from our enemies,
And have put to shame those who hated us.
8 In God we boast all day long,
And praise Your name forever. Selah


This is a contemplation from the descendant of Korah, and is also a national prayer psalm. Since the country was under attack by the enemy at the time, the psalmist recounts God’s great deliverance in the past to “force five passes and slay six captains”, to defeat the enemy and lead them to Canaan. Now, they cry out to God in one accord to help them again in defeating their enemies, saying “You are my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob." Even though they were facing the formidable enemies they could still trust God and as they sing "Through You we will push down our enemies; Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.” Thanks be to God, who through this verse strengthens our faith too. Whenever we are attacked by enemies, fall on tough times, or feel weak and discouraged, we can declare and win the victory of God through faith. Hallelujah! “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” (2 Corinthians 2:14a)

Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 28

Introduction...

Day 28 Psalm 126:1-6 Delivered from Exile to Exultation
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 4-6）
1 When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.

4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
5 Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
6 He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.



Psalm-shaped thankers of God are people that recognize who we are and humbly, rightly respond to the stunning grace of God. Your thanksgiving will only be as deep and as wide as the distance you recognize existed between who you were before Christ delivered you and who you are today because the Lord has done great things for us.

This psalm of ascent recognizes that it was God’s grace alone (and not merely Cyrus’ political policy) which brought Israel home from Babylonian exile in the sixth century BC (see Ezra, Nehemiah). The rejoicing pours forth not only for physical homecoming but that God’s wonderful and life-giving covenantal presence is back with His people. Like Israel’s dry south (Negeb) which would flood after a rainstorm, so too will the restored people be overflowing in praise, laughter, and hope for the Lord has done great things for us.

Let us together this day thank God who in Christ Jesus brought us out of exile into His very presence that we might abide, be filled, and rejoice!

Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 27

Introduction...

Day 27 Psalm 18:31-36,46-50
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 31-36）
31 For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.
36 You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.
…
46 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!
47 He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,
48 who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises of your name.
50 Great deliverance He gives to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his [m]descendants forevermore.




[Sharing] Psalm 18 is written by a veteran who experienced a lot of wars, and it is collected from 2 Samuel 22. After the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and battles, and after experiencing ups and downs, victories and defeats, honor and disgrace, David wrote this psalm that reads through ages.
Who is God besides the Lord? Who is the Rock except our God? Who arms me with strength except Him? Who enables me to stand on the heights in the drums of war? If it were not for the Lord, how can my weak arms bend a bow of bronze? [You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.] We also often go through narrow paths and walk to the brink of danger, but the Lord always leads us to victory, and makes our enemies flee. I am secure in my distress, and my ankles never slip into the abyss. O LORD, my Savior, my God, I will praise you among the nations, I will sing praises to your name.

Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 26

Introduction...

Day 26 Psalm 57:1-2，7-11

（Memorization Scripture: vv. 9-11）
To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.
1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by.
2 I will cry out to God Most High,To God who performs all things for me.

7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
8 I will sing and give praise.
Awake, my glory!
Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples.
I will sing to You among the nations.
10 For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
And Your truth unto the clouds.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.


[Sharing] In a difficult situation David made a psalm in the cave, saying, "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge ..." At that time David was in as much danger as being among lines or placed in a fiery furnace, for Saul would stop at nothing to kill him. In his difficulties, David knew well that God's mercy and love was exalted among the heavens and he decided to look to God and treat the cave of refuge as a sanctuary for praising the Lord. He said, "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise." He encouraged himself, saying, "Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn." Not only did he sing and praise the Lord in the cave, but he also would use instruments to praise the Lord in early mornings as he set his heart to praise, sing, and give thanks to God among all nations.

May the Lord help us so that our souls would not fall asleep or lay depressed in difficult circumstances. Instead, let us choose to be awake and sing to the Lord like David in hardships. Even with tears in our eyes we'll praise and sing to the Lord, for He loves us, His mercy reaches unto the heavens, and His truth unto the clouds.

Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 25

Introduction...

Day 25 Psalm 86:1-13
(Prayer for Mercy, with Meditation on the Excellencies of the Lord
A Prayer of David.)
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 8-10）
1 Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me;
For I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am holy;
You are my God;
Save Your servant who trusts in You!
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
For I cry to You all day long.
4 Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
And attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For You will answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
Nor are there any works like Your works.
9 All nations whom You have made
Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And shall glorify Your name.
10 For You are great, and do wondrous things;
You alone are God.
11 Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
13 For great is Your mercy toward me,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.


The Psalms today teach us how to pray to God in trouble. In the affliction, David not only humbly turns to God all day long, but also in faith he believes God would answer his cry. David realizes that the Lord God can do much more than merely saving him from distress - for He is great, He alone is God, none of the gods are comparable to Him; and the unique true God is willing to save him from suffering - because He is good, willing to forgive, with abundant love for all who call on Him!

Even more wonderful is that in the affliction, David not only seeks God to save him from trouble, but also he prays to God for his Word for him to act according to the truth of God and asks for a fearing heart for the name of God.

Finally, David's prayer in adversity turns into praise and gratitude to God - "I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore."He no longer just focuses on the affair, but instead on the salvation that God has made, and he knows that the love God that has given to him is great, for He has saved the soul of David from deep darkness.

May David's prayers and compliments to God in times of trouble also be our testimony in affliction today!

Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 24

Introduction...

Day 24 Psalm 66:8-20 Experiencing God's trimming in trials and tests
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 18-20）
8 Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
10 For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!


[Sharing]
When we are in all kinds of trials and tests (prison, burdens, fire and water), often we ask: "Where is my God? Has he forgotten me? Did he hear my prayer?" But the psalmist has a different understanding of trials and prayer.

God loves us, so he tests us, refines us like silver, brings us into prison, lays burdens on our backs, and even lets people ride over our heads. All these circumstances are for one purpose: bring us to a place of abundance after going through fire and water. During the tests, our sins are revealed. Sin is what God hates, and it is also the greatest obstacle when we pray to God. [If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened (v18)]. Let us pray that God will help us, not only reveal our sins, but also set us free from the power of sin, and come to Him with clean hands and pure hearts. He will turn his ear to us and not reject our prayer.

Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 23

Introduction...

Day 23 Psalm 116:1-7, 17-18 Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 5-7）
1 I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
2 Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
3 The pains of death surrounded me,
And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
7 Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
…
17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows to the Lord
Now in the presence of all His people,


[Sharing] Have you ever gone through the situation that psalmist pictured - “The pains of death surrounded me, And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow”? (v3) If you have similar experiences, then pray diligently just as the psalmist who came to God with his prayer, “Then I called upon the name of the Lord:“O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!””(v4)
How often we forget we are still alive only because God listens to our prayer. Even though He does not always perform exactly all that we ask, He indeed listens to all our prayers. He is gracious and righteous and merciful, and also He is the one true God who people seek and find in the tribulation. It is His grace that helps people from difficulties to stay faithful and to wait for His salvation.
As the psalmist passed through the Valley of Baca, he who had already tasted the grace of God, said “Return to your rest, O my soul, For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” (v7). Also he went inside the temple of the Lord, offered to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and paid his vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people.
“I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.” (vv.1-2)