Monday 9th September: Psalm of Praise – Psalm 8
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- What causes you to be filled with awe and wonder at the greatness of God? How might you express that in prayer today?
- Awed by God’s majesty, the Psalmist discovers something remarkable. He is noticed, valued, by God, and even entrusted with the care of the creation He has made. How can we respond to this calling to be stewards of the earth?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. (vs 1)
Tuesday 10th September: Psalm of Penitence – Psalm 6
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- The psalmist cries out to God, asking for mercy. Have there been times in our lives when we have experienced the physical, mental, emotional or spiritual anguish that the psalmist describes? Did you offer that time up to God? If not, can you do so now?
- The psalmist ends with words of hope and trust (vs 8-9). He knows that the the Lord has heard his cry. How can you express trust in God in your prayers today?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Turn, O Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. (vs 4)
Wednesday 11th September: Psalm of Lament – Psalm 3
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This psalm is linked to David’s flight from his own son, Absalom, who is intent on killing David and taking the throne of Israel (2 Samuel 15:13-16). In this perilous situation David cries out to God for help. Who do you know who is in need of God’s help today? Cry out to God on their behalf.
- In the midst of crisis, David can find rest and sleep (vs 5). Peter, writing to churches in New Testament times, wrote: “God cares for you, so cast all your anxiety on him” (1 Peter 5:7). Ask God to take away your anxieties and give you rest.
A Verse to Meditate on Today
To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. (vs 4)
Thursday 12th September: Psalm of Thanksgiving – Psalm 30
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This is a psalm of thanksgiving for all that God has done. The psalmist had experienced much hardship and sorrow, but now he knows deliverance and joy, and so he gives whole-hearted thanks. Today, what can we give thanks to God for? Look back over your life: how have you known deliverance?
- The psalmist may have a pre-Christ understanding of death – he sees it as an end, whilst Christ’s resurrection turns it into a doorway to eternal life – but he does get a sense of the eternal perspective. God’s anger may last only a moment but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. In the challenges and trials we face, how might such a perspective help us?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. (vs 11-12)
Friday 13th September: Psalm of Thanksgiving – Psalm 16
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- List all the things for which the psalmist has cause for thanks – some things are material, others are about his relationship with God. Which of these can you identify with? Can you make the words of this psalm your own?
- Both Peter (Acts 2:25-28) and Paul (Acts 13:35) refer to this psalm, seeing in it hints of the resurrection of Christ. How can our appreciation of this psalm be deepened by reading it in the light of Christ’s resurrection?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. (vs 8)
Saturday 14th September: Psalm of Worship – Psalm 146
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This Psalm is the first of five “Hallelujah” (the hebrew word for “Praise the Lord”) psalms that end the 150 psalms in the Bible. Each one begins and ends with “Hallelujah”. It is a reminder that the whole purpose of our lives is worship. How might we offer up praise and worship to God in our prayers and lives today?
- The Psalm praises God for his justice and his concern for the poor and oppressed. God is not detached from the realities of our world, but intimately cares about those who suffer most. We see in this psalm echoes of Jesus’ announcement of his ministry: “I have come to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed” (Luke4:18). Worship and justice go hand-in-hand. What issues of injustice should we be responding to today?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. (vs 2)
Monday 16th September: Psalm of Praise – Psalm 19
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- The psalmist delights in how God reveals himself to us through creation (vs 1-6) and through his law (vs 7-11). The law here means teaching, guidance, instruction and divine revelation that comes from God. Take time today to consider how God reveals himself to you, and give thanks for those “windows” into the presence and majesty of God.
- Make verse 14 your prayer for today, praying it regularly throughout the day. Allow your words and your thoughts to be shaped by it.
A Verse to Meditate on Today
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (vs 14)
Tuesday 17th September: Psalm of Confession – Psalm 38
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- Here is a psalm written at a time of almost unbearable pain and despair. The psalmist is struggling in physical pain and emotional and spiritual turmoil. Have there been times in your life when you could identify with such words? Do you know people who are in such deep despair today? Take time to pray for them.
- It is significant that in the midst of his despair, the psalmist is able to articulate his feelings in prayer. He is able to call out to God with total honesty. Are you able to be totally honest about how you feel in prayer with God? He already knows but he longs for you to express yourself to him, like a parent does of a hurting child.
A Verse to Meditate on Today
All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.. (vs 9)
Wednesday 18th September: Psalm of Lament – Psalm 44
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This psalm begins by remembering God’s faithfulness to the people of Israel, in bringing them to a land of their own. But it continues in a tone of despair – has God fallen asleep, for look at the suffering they are enduring? As with yesterday’s psalm there is a real honesty in this psalm, which we can feel uncomfortable with, but it speaks of a relationship of faith. It is God who can change the situation. What situations of despair and difficulty do we long for God to change? Bring those to God in prayer today.
- The psalm can also leave us uncomfortable because of its use of violent language – crushing enemies, trampling foes, shaming adversaries. Almost three thousand years on from when these words were first prayed, and in the light of God’s revelation of himself in Christ, how should we respond to such words today?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Rise up, O Lord, and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love. (vs 26)
Thursday 19th September: Psalm of Thanksgiving – Psalm 116
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- The psalmist delights in the goodness of God. He has come close to death (whether literally or figuratively), but God has rescued him. “When I was in great need, he saved me” (vs 6). Look back over the last week. When have you known God’s help? Like the leper who returned to Jesus to give thanks for his healing (Luke ) how will you give thanks to God today?
- “The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion” (vs 5). Take time to list the qualities and character of God. Use these as springboard for prayers of praise and thanksgiving.
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. (vs 7)
Friday 20th September: Psalm of Trust – Psalm 23
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This is perhaps the best known of all the psalms, and provides a beautiful image of the compassion and generosity of God. In the times of David, sheep were in constant danger from wild animals, human thieves, treacherous pathways and inadequate grazing. Within that context, how might these words of God being our shepherd speak to us today?
- When did you last “lie down in green pastures… to restore your soul.” Where might God be wanting to lead you over the next few days that you might find rest and restoration? Are you willing to trust his lead, or are you too busy to follow?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (vs 6)
Saturday 21st September: Psalm of Worship – Psalm 46
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This psalm describes a world in tumult (vs 2, 6). We may be able to relate to that, either on a personal level or on a political or international level. The psalmist, in the midst of this chaos, has no doubt where to find strength and hope: “The Lord is our refuge and strength” (vs 1). What situations of tumult are concerning you this day? Offer these up to God.
- In the midst of all that is going on, we are called to “Be still, and know that I am God” (vs 10). Take time today to pause for five minutes, to close your eyes, to slow down your breathing, and remember that God is with you. How does doing so change your day?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (vs 1)
Monday 23rd September: Psalm of Praise – Psalm 33
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- Music has a way of touching us in ways that words alone often can’t. What music touches you? What music moves you to worship and praise of God? How can you echo the words of the psalmist (vs 1) in singing joyfully today?
- Music is one source of inspiration to the psalmist. The creation (vs 6-7) and God’s purposes for the world (vs 8-19) are others. What inspires you to worship God? Try writing down your words of praise, creating a “new song” with which to praise God.
A Verse to Meditate on Today
We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. (vs 20-21)
Tuesday 24th September: Psalm of Confession – Psalm 51
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- If you are unfamiliar with the background to this psalm it is worth reading 2 Samuel 11 to get the context. David, the king of Israel, has committed adultery and murder, and the prophet Nathan has confronted him with his sin. This psalm is David’s penitent response. How might we be able to make these words our own if we are feeling in need of God’s forgiveness?
- As well as remorse, there is also great hope in this psalm. David is confident that God can and will forgive him (“wash me and I shall be whiter than snow” vs 7). In what areas of our lives do we need to hear those words of reassurance? Do we fully trust that God will forgive us?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. (vs 15)
Wednesday 25th September: Psalm of Lament – Psalm 13
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- The Psalmist feels forsaken by God, cut off from his presence, struggling with sorrow, and defeated by his enemies. Are there times in our own lives when we feel the desperation of the psalmist, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me for ever?” (vs 1). Can you identify with those sentiments at the moment or maybe know others who are going through such a time? Bring yourself/ those others to God in prayer. Use the words of the psalmist to express honestly your feelings.
- The psalm ends with a reaffirmation of faith (vs 5-6). The psalmist remembers God’s unfailing love, his salvation and his goodness in the past, and that gives him hope for the future. What evidence of God’s unfailing love and goodness can you point to in your own life? How might reminding yourself of these things when you going through difficult times help you?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me. (vs 5-6)
Thursday 26th September: Psalm of Thanksgiving – Psalm 124
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This psalm is one of the “songs of ascents” (Psalms 120-134), psalms that would have been sung as people made their way up the hill to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate one of the religious festivals. It was a song that gave thanks for safe journeys and that prepared them for the offering of worship ahead. It can be helpful for us too to have prayers and songs that mark special occasions and prepare us to participate in them. Grace before meal times is perhaps the most common. What other occasions in our lives could we mark with prayer and praise?
- This psalm gives thanks to God for his protection. In what ways have you known God’s protection? Can you identify with the words of the psalmist and make them your own?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Vs 8)
Friday 27th September: Psalm of Trust – Psalm 62
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- The Psalmist wrestles here with where to put his trust: in the praise of people and in dishonestly gained wealth, or in God. His answer is clear, but the fact he has written these words reveals the struggle he experiences. Can you identify with that struggle? What are the things that tempt you away from placing your trust in God?
- The psalmist describes God as his rock, his salvation, his fortress, his refuge. What do these images mean to you? What modern metaphors might you use to describe God? Pray that today you will know God in these ways.
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Trust in God at all time, O people; pur out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. (vs 8)
Saturday 28th September: Psalm of Worship – Psalm 148
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- Sometimes prayer should not be about asking for things but simply offering praise. This Psalm is a wonderful example. It has been described as “one long hallelujah, a cry of praise and wonder”. It is an outpouring of worship and praise. Read the psalm again and allow it to be a channel of your own offering of worship this day.
- The psalmist recognises that all creation is bursting with praise of God. Reflect on these words by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and ask how might you allow your experience of the created world to be transformed into worship today:
Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries…
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendour is above the earth and the heavens. (vs 13)
Monday 30th September: Psalm of Praise – Psalm 67
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This psalm starts and ends with a prayer for God’s blessing. In our daily lives, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that this more than anything else in life leads to true joy and happiness. Will you today ask for God’s blessing, for an awareness of his love and goodness surrounding you? Will you ask it for those around you too?
- The psalmist’s prayer for blessing is not a selfish one, however. He prays that the whole world may know God’s salvation, that all peoples may be glad and sing for joy. As a Jew it may have been tempting to look down upon others, to adopt an insular attitude, but instead the psalmist longs for all people to be blessed. With the rise of nationalism and xenophobia in our own times, how might we pray these words today?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. (vs 3)
Tuesday 1st October: Psalm of Confession – Psalm 130
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- There is recognition in this psalm of the seriousness of sin (vs 1,3), but also of God’s willingness to forgive (vs 4, 7-8). As you come before God today, which of these two things do you find harder to believe? Offer your struggles up before God, and use this psalm to frame your own prayer for forgiveness.
- Imagine standing on the walls of a city, in the dark and cold, with no way of knowing the time, but straining to catch a sight of the dawn, the flicker of light that offers hope that the night is ending, one’s watch will be relieved, and one can rest easy that the city is safe for another day. In that way does the psalmist wait for the Lord – looking out for signs of his presence, his light, his mercy. What does this image speak to you of your own experience of prayer and waiting upon God?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. (vs 5)
Wednesday 2nd October: Psalm of Lament – Psalm 74
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This psalm is a torrent of distress. The psalmist describes the sacking of Jerusalem and the destruction of God’s holy temple. In the history of the people of Israel, fewer things can have been more traumatic and devastating. One of the few things left is for the psalmist to pour out his heart to God. Take time today to step into the shoes of those whose lives have been similarly devastated today – refugees, war-zone civilians, those affected by natural disasters. ring their needs before God, just as the psalmist does on behalf of his people.
- In the midst of his distress, the psalmist still holds on to the character of God (vs 12-17). In the midst of the challenges and struggles you may face, how is the character of God a source of comfort to you? How may the character of God be a source of hope to those around the world you have been praying for?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Rise up, O God, and defend your cause. (vs 22)
Thursday 3rd October: Psalm of Thanksgiving – Psalm 138
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- One commentator on this psalm has suggested that it is a psalm written from a different country – he bows down not in the temple but towards the temple, and he is aware of the kings of other nations. Are there times when we feel like we are Christians living in a “foreign land”, cut off from our own faith community, maybe because of illness or travels? How might the words of this psalm help us on such occasions?
- “The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me” (vs 8). What may be the purposes of God in your life this day? Take time to offer God the events and activities of this day. How might these be transformed by the purposes of God?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart. (vs 1)
Friday 4th October: Psalm of Trust – Psalm 121
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- The hills (vs 1) were the places where idols were worshipped. The psalmist asks the question: is this where his help comes? The rest of the psalm is a strong affirmation of the God in whom he places his trust. What are the “idols” that we are tempted to place our trust in today (eg, material wealth, regard in the community, job or pension security)? How do these compare with the “Maker of heaven and earth”?
- Note how many times the psalmist uses the phrase “he watches over you” in this psalm. How do you respond to this phrase? What are some of the assurances of this phrase? Are there, perhaps, any challenges of this phrase for you? Bring these to God in prayer.
A Verse to Meditate on Today
The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and for evermore. (vs 8)
Saturday 5th October: Psalm of Worship – Psalm 84
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- The psalmist delights that after a long pilgrimage he has arrived at the Temple in Jerusalem – “how lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty… blessed are those who dwell in your house.” (vs 1, 4). This is a holy, special place, a place that inspires worship and praise. Reflect on what it means that because of the events of Christ’s resurrection and Pentecost, we are now ourselves “temples of the living God” (2 Corinthians 6:16). To what extent do our lives reflect the holiness and presence of God?
- The psalmist is overwhelmed with joy at being in God’s presence – “better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere” (vs 10). Do we delight in God’s presence or do we take it for granted? Pray today for a yearning after, and a treasuring of, the awareness of the presence of God among us.
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. (vs 10)
Monday 7th October: Psalm of Praise – Psalm 100
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This short psalm is an explosion of celebration and joy. We can often struggle to find joy in life, to be worn down by its challenges and routines, but it is difficult to read the words of this psalm and not have one’s heart lifted. Use these words to help you live a joy-filled and thankful life today.
- The psalmist celebrates that he is known by God – God made him, he belongs to God, he is one of God’s people, he is a sheep grazing in God’s pasture (vs 3). The psalmist’s identity is found in God. Is that true for us? What defines who we are? Meditate on the words of verse 3 and allow them to shape how you see yourself today.
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. (vs 1,2)
Tuesday 8th October: Psalm of Confession – Psalm 139
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This psalm contains much about the intimacy with which God knows us, and uses some beautiful imagery to express it. Take time to linger on some on some of these phrases: “you have searched me and you know me… you know when I sit and when I rise… before a word is on my tongue you know it completely… you created my inmost being.” How do you respond to these words?
- Part of the psalmist’s response is to open himself up before God, to acknowledge that God knows his failings and shortcomings (vs 23-4). Are there any areas of your life that you would like to “hide” from God? Is this the time to acknowledge that he knows them already and to confess them to him?
- Verses 19-22 are clearly difficult and uncomfortable words. For more on such words see the article on Anger and Vengeance in the Psalms.
A Verse to Meditate on Today
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. (vs 13)
Wednesday 9th October: Psalm of Lament – Psalm 71
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This appears to be the psalm of an old man. He speaks of being old (vs 9) and of being “old and grey” (vs 18). There is an honesty here about the challenges of age – his “strength is gone” (vs 9), he seems more vulnerable (vs 11), and in his lifetime he has seen “troubles, many and bitter” (vs 20). And yet he is able to look back and recognise the faithfulness of God throughout his life (vs 5, 17). Whether you view yourself as young or old, what are the challenges you face? As you look back over your life so far, how has God been with you, and how might that encourage you in the challenges you now face?
- The psalmist doesn’t just look back. He looks forwards: “I shall always hope” (vs 14); “I will come and proclaim your mighty acts” (vs 16); “I will praise you” (vs 22). And even though his strength is failing, he still lives with a clear purpose: “to declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come” (vs 18). What is our purpose? How might we live this out today?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. (vs 5)
Thursday 10th October: Psalm of Thanksgiving – Psalm 107
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- This psalm contains four clear stanzas, with a recurring pattern: a problem is described (hunger, slavery, affliction, peril on the sea); people in their desperation cry out to the Lord; the Lord hears and rescues them; the psalmist urges a response of thanksgiving. As you read the poetic language, what situations do you or others face that might equate with desert wastelands, prisons, afflictions and tempestuous seas? Use the words of this psalm to pray for yourself and others.
- The final section of the psalm (vs 33-43) follows a different pattern. It recognises times of plenty and blessing but also times of sorrow and suffering. There is a need for humility, of not taking for granted the goodness of God: “Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord” (vs 43). In what ways can we respond with humility and thankfulness to God’s work in our lives today?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for humankind. (vs 8,15, 21, 31)
Friday 11th October: Psalm of Trust – Psalm 115
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- The psalmist, like some of the Old Testament prophets, draws a contrast between the idols worshipped by others and the living God who made heaven and earth. What “idols” are we tempted to worship, to put in first place, in our lives, and how do they compare with the God revealed to us in Jesus Christ? Are we able to poke fun at such things in the same way as the psalmist does?
- The house of Israel, the priests of the Temple (the house of Aaron) and all those who fear and worship God are called to place their trust in the Lord: he is our help and shield (vs 9-11). What situations today may you and others in the church need God’s enabling and protection? Offer these up to God now.
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. (vs 1)
Saturday 12th October: Psalm of Worship – Psalm 150
Pointers for Reflection and Prayer
- We finish our series in the Psalms with the final psalm in the Bible – Psalm 150. It is a wonderful celebration, a noisy celebration using all the instruments to hand to offer God praise and worship. What “acts of power”, what “surpassing greatness” (vs 2) do we want to praise God for today? How can we offer God our praise in a joyful way?
- The climax of the psalm, and indeed of all 150 psalms, is this: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Hallelujah!” (vs 6). How might you live a life that is full of praise and worship of God? As you reflect back on our five-week series, how might the Psalms act as a regular companion in our life-long pilgrimage of praise?
A Verse to Meditate on Today
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Hallelujah! (vs 6)
