Psalm 94:12-15 Blessed is the man whom You discipline, O LORD, and whom You teach out of Your law, to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked. For the LORD will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

How difficult it is, Lord, to ask for discipline and to see that as a source of blessing. But if I truly want to know You in the very depths of my heart and to learn to follow You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, discipline is the gift that I must plead for. And the practice that I must faithfully seek.
Those two aspects of discipline, those that You use to teach me and those that I use to train me. Lord, instruct the Holy Spirit to agitate me with both. And to give me the ears of the heart to hear and the will to follow.

Exodus 20:16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

Exodus 20:1-2, 16
And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ... "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

Does the delightful old sport of gossip fall under this prohibition? Do I spread rumors and "slight exaggerations" about my friends and neighbors? Is it a way of elevating myself at someone else's expense? How often do I premise my tale with the warning "That you oughta know about ..."?

Forgive me, Lord, change my heart O, God, for I am a sinful man and do not love my neighbor as myself.

Psalm 119:25 My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!

Psalm 119:25

My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!

My soul clings to those old, filthy habits. Lord, why is it that I know that those ways of living are no longer necessary, that they are disobedient to Your word, that they are abhorrent to You and destructive to me? Why do I cling? Why will I not let go?

Will, Lord, my will versus Your will. The battle continues. Why is it that I cheer for You but secretly aid and abet the enemy? Lord, give me life; destroy my will, teach me to submit to Your will.

Psalm 94:8-11 Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will You be wise?

Psalm 94:8-11 Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will You be wise? He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see? He who disciplines the nations, does He not rebuke? He who teaches man knowledge--the LORD--knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.

Let Your justice reign; make those who choose to ignore Your words, live by Your word. "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: "Behold, I will feed them with bitter food and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land." Jeremiah 23:15

Psalm 94:4- 7 They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast.

Psalm 94:4- 7
They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. They crush Your people, O LORD, and afflict Your heritage. They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless; and they say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive."

But You do perceive! You do see! You do hear! You do remember and will hold accountable! Those who deliberately and with malice aforethought, will be held to the absolute standard of Your word, You the Holy God, the God who hates evil.

Psalm 94:1-3 O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth!

Psalm 94:1-3
O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve! O LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?

Lord, how long will You allow the daily slayings of the unborn? How long before Your wrath pours out upon these lands? How long will You let the worship of Moloch destroy life that You have created? How long, O Lord, how long? How long will You allow those who take Your Name, to claim Your Name and remain silent? When will the stones cry out?

Psalm 93:3-5 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice;

Psalm 93:3-5

The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty! Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits Your house, O LORD, forevermore.

You are without equal or peer yet totally compassionate, showing matchless mercy and grace to Your created ones. You sent Your Son, Your only Son to lift us out of the stench and filth of our own making; to wash and restore us to Your presence.
Praise You, my LORD, God Almighty.

Psalm 93:1-2 The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed;

Psalm 93:1-2
The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.

The LORD reigns, yes You reign, in all and over all. You are the Supreme, the Holy One, the Just One, the Giver of light and love. You are without beginning or end, the Uncreated One, the Prime Cause, the One who speaks and it is accomplished. You are the great I AM.

Exodus 20:1-2, 15 And God spoke all these words, saying, "... You shall not steal.

Exodus 20:1-2, 15
And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ... You shall not steal.

Exodus 22:9 For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, 'This is it,' the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.

It is often difficult for me, Lord, to recognize that that act of someone else placing something in my care, has invoked an element of trust that transcends the value of what I have been given responsibility for. It may be a pet, given to fits of unpleasantness, but You have called me to care for that animal as a sacred trust. It has become a call of service to You.

Psalm 92:12-15 The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psalm 92:12-15 The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Let my prayer be as the prayer of Jabez to expand my borders. Cause my personal mission field continue to expand and to bear fruit for You. Let the works of my hands declare Your glory, let the words of my tongue sing Your praises, let the walk of my feet be only and always in Your path. May my being declare Your righteousness.

Psalm 92: 8- 11 But You, O LORD, are on high forever.

Psalm 92: 8- 11 But You, O LORD, are on high forever. For behold, Your enemies, O LORD, for behold, Your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered. But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; You have poured over me fresh oil. My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

But You, my Lord, have lifted me up and set me on a high place. You, in Your grace and mercy are displaying through me that You are a mighty and a forgiving God, merciful beyond description, for not only do You punish those who refuse Your offer of salvation, You exalt those who accept.

Psalm 92:5-7 How great are Your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!

Psalm 92:5-7 How great are Your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep! The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever;

How can the world not see the magnificence of Your works. Not only in the creation and in the ordering of it, but in the transformation of lives. As the Spirit works in the lives of Your saints, and as they conform more and more closely to Your image, is it not obvious to all that there is a power at work that transcends the efforts of man?

Psalm 92:1-4 A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath. It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to Your name,

Psalm 92:1-4
A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath. It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your steadfast love in the morning, and Your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For You, O LORD, have made me glad by Your work; at the works of Your hands I sing for joy.

It is so good, my Lord, to meditate upon Your steadfast love by morning and throughout the day; to declare Your faithfulness to all so that all may hear of Your great love for Your creation.

I dwell upon Your great works and how they display the very intricacies and completeness of Your plan for the creation, its redemption and restoration. Oh, how it leads me to sing of Your great faithfulness and how that faithfulness is revealed in new mercies each morning.

Psalm 91:14-16 "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;

Psalm 91:14-16 "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."

The promise continues, Lord, to be available to me at all times, no busy signals, no call waiting interruptions, no voice mail. You do answer, You are with me, You do rescue, You do satisfy. Your salvation is complete and without limit.

Psalm 91:9-13 Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place-- the Most High, who is my refuge--

Psalm 91:9-13 Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place-- the Most High, who is my refuge--no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

A most remarkable passage, Lord. To Satan, a way of testing and tempting You; to me a wonderful promise of the sufficiency of Your love and care. To know, my Lord, that no evil will bring me down, no harm will damage my relationship with You for You are my dwelling place and Your angels are at my right and my left sides.

Exodus 20:1-2, 14 " You shall not commit adultery."

Exodus 20:1-2, 14
And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ... You shall not commit adultery."

This is a serious prohibition, Lord, one which affects Your Church in insidious ways. How many are afflicted with the sin of adultery through pornography? How many of us yield to the temptation of an "innocent" flirtation? How many of Your people succumb to lust and desire? How many of us secretly dream of greener pastures, committing adultery in our minds? Send Your Holy Spirit in power to cleanse Your Church and restore our testimony to the world.

Psalm 119:19 I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not Your commandments from me!

Psalm 119:19 I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not Your commandments from me!

Lord, how often I forget, "This world in not my home, I'm just a passing through." I forget that my residency here is one of an ambassador to a foreign land, carrying the responsibility of representing my King to that land, working to serve the interests of my King. I am not called to advance the kingdom in which I reside or to serve its interests. I serve You and You alone; Your commandments are my letters of instruction and authority. You are my King.

Psalm 91:3-8 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

Psalm 91:3-8 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

Lord, the fear and terror that accompanies the failure of man's attempts to play at being You, saps the strength, destroys the resolve and reduces one to craven cowardice. But You hide me in the cleft of the Rock, shielding me with Your faithfulness, leading me into all righteousness and bringing me into Your joy and peace.

Psalm 91:1-2 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1-2 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Storms threaten and trials abound; all is turmoil in my life and I find myself grasping for support. Man fails me, all the procedures and regulations are worthless, but You are my refuge and my fortress. It is Your word that is Truth; it is Your law that is a sure guide; it is You whose promises never fail.

Psalm 90:13-17 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on Your servants!

Psalm 90:13-17 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on Your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let Your work be shown to Your servants, and Your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

But You do show mercy and grace, You are filled with pity for the fallen state of Your servant and shower me with Your love. I am renewed each morning, filled with Your grace each day, Your favor rests upon me throughout the day.

You establish the work for my hands, You, in Your grace, allow me to participate in the advancement of Your kingdom.

I am Your servant.

Psalm 90:3-12 You return man to dust and say, "Return, O children of man!"

Psalm 90:3-12 You return man to dust and say, "Return, O children of man!" For a thousand years in Your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning:in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are brought to an end by Your anger; by Your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence. For all our days pass away under Your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of Your anger, and Your wrath according to the fear of You? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

What am I in Your sight, Lord? I have no claim to Your mercy, I am as dust before You, my iniquities a stench in Your nostrils. I, the finite, have no standing before You, the Infinite. Lord, it is so incomprehensible to me that You, the I AM, is completely concerned with a ephemeral creature such as I. Like the grass of the fields, here and gone, but You love me and watch over me, providing for my restoration and setting my feet upon a level path.

Psalm 90:1-2 A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Psalm 90:1-2 A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

You are God, the Almighty, without beginning, without end, the Creator of all things that are created, the Shaper of the universe. You are light and love, grace and mercy, goodness and righteousness, justice and peace, The Word made flesh, the Redeemer, the resurrected One, the Ascended and the Seated.

Leviticus 19:17-18 "You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor,

Exodus 20:1-2
And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ...

Leviticus 19:17-18 "You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. (18) You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Why is it easier, Lord, to take vengeance or to bear a grudge than to reason frankly? Why is it that I am reluctant to sit down with someone and bring up a matter of difference between us? I would rather hide sin in my heart, would rather grumble and slander, prefer to harbor unforgiveness than to ask my neighbor to come and reason together. The answer has to be my pride, Lord cleanse me of that wickedness.

Psalm 119:9-10 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!

Lord, I have asked you the question about worshiping you in Spirit and in Truth. Now you bring me the answer for to worship you in Spirit and in Truth is to keep my way pure. In other words, I am to live a holy and righteous life. "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:14-16 and "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." John 14:15

It is not a matter of simple church or high church but of being a living temple of the living God. You are telling me here that the way of true worship is to store your Word in my heart, to meditate on your precepts and examine Your ways, living my life in accord with your Word.

Therefore, Lord, give me understanding of Your Word, open the eyes of my heart to those unseen things around me to practice as my way of life.

Psalm 119:4-8 You have commanded Your precepts to be kept diligently.

Psalm 119:4-8 You have commanded Your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping Your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all Your commandments. I will praise You with an upright heart, when I learn Your righteous rules. I will keep Your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!

You continue to give me this picture of the Kingdom of God, a region whose boundaries are Your law. It is a region of perfect peace, where Shalom reigns as the order of the day.

You have sent me as an ambassador to reintroduce that kingdom into the earth; You have provided a complete instruction manual in Your word; You have equipped me with the power of the Holy Spirit; You have set Your mind in me; You have promised to supply all the words I need when I need them; You are transforming my mind so that I know Your good and perfect will. What more do I need to be diligent and steadfast?

Psalm 119:1-3 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!

Psalm 119:1-3 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!

Lord, You do not want me to misunderstand for here, in the very beginning of this paean, the relationship between blessing and obedience is clearly set out for my instruction. Oh, the Promise of obedience, that I will be blessed by Your Presence as I seek You with a whole and righteous heart. The Promise that having brought me into the Kingdom, You will provide a walk for me, that is, a way of living that will reflect Your Glory and carry the message of Your Grace and Mercy.

Psalm 89:46-52 How long, O LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? How long will Your wrath burn like fire?

Psalm 89:46-52 How long, O LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? How long will Your wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is! For what vanity You have created all the children of man! What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah Lord, where is Your steadfast love of old, which by Your faithfulness You swore to David? Remember, O Lord, how Your servants are mocked, and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations, with which Your enemies mock, O LORD, with which they mock the footsteps of Your anointed. Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.

How long, O Lord, will our stubborn hearts refuse to hear Your gentle invitation to turn to You in repentance; to lift our voices in praise and once again seek to demonstrate our love for You through our obedience to love You with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourselves? When, O Lord, when?

Praise Your name, my Lord, my Master.

Psalm 89:38-45 But now You have cast off and rejected; You are full of wrath against Your anointed.

Psalm 89:38-45 But now You have cast off and rejected; You are full of wrath against Your anointed. You have renounced the covenant with Your servant; You have defiled his crown in the dust. You have breached all his walls; You have laid his strongholds in ruins. All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his foes; You have made all his enemies rejoice. You have also turned back the edge of his sword, and You have not made him stand in battle. You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground. You have cut short the days of his youth; You have covered him with shame. Selah

Lord, we fail. I fail! You are right to chastise me and Your church. It is out of love for Your people that You allow us to experience the consequences of our disobedience. As our walk becomes more and more indistinguishable from practices of the culture, we too begin to suffer from the pestilence of sin. The shame of our sin is as a stench in Your nostrils.

Psalm 89:30-37 If his children forsake My law and do not walk according to My rules,

Psalm 89:30-37 If his children forsake My law and do not walk according to My rules, if they violate My statutes and do not keep My commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, but I will not remove from him My steadfast love or be false to My faithfulness. I will not violate My covenant or alter the word that went forth from My lips. Once for all I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before Me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies." Selah

Lord, we do not walk according to Your law; we do violate those statutes given in love and for our benefit; we even curse You and accuse You of desertion when we have to bear the consequences of our actions. But You are faithful in love and mercy; You use our transgressions to lead us into submission to Your law as we turn to You in repentance and once again seek Your face.

Titus 3:1-2 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,

Exodus 20:1-2, 12
And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ... Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Titus 3:1-2 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, (2) to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Where did I learn the lessons regarding the proper way to relate to others but at my mother's knee, by the example of my father and by watching them relate to each other. Have we been equally faithful to instruct our children by the same examples? Am I guilty of malfeasance and dereliction of duty in the raising of my family?

Psalm 119:173-176 Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.

Psalm 119:173-176 Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight. Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.

Your precepts, your law, your rules, your commandments, Your Word. I long to grow and live wholly within the national borders of your Kingdom. I was one of the lost sheep, now I am one of the Chosen Ones. Praise your Holy Name.