Psalm 101:3-7 I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.

Psalm 101:3-7
I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil. Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure. I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me. No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.

Therefore, reveal to me those things, beliefs and actions in my life that are worthless; that do not reflect Your glory and tarnish Your name. Replace that dross with the beauty of Your way and fill my heart with Your integrity that my walk in those places where You have set my feet, will be to Your glory.

Psalm 101:2
I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will You come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;

Lord, this is a tall order, if it were to be done in my own strength and wisdom. But I have Yours; I have Your Holy Spirit imbued within me to be my guide and mentor; I cannot fail if I listen and obey.

Psalm 101:1 A Psalm of David. I will sing of steadfast love and justice;

Psalm 101:1
A Psalm of David. I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to You, O LORD, I will make music.

What a way to start, continue and end a day, singing of Your steadfast love, Your justice, Your mercy, Your grace, Your righteousness, Your goodness to the sons of man. O that Your praise would ever be in my mouth, a two edged sword in my hand.

Exodus 20:1-2, 7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain,

Exodus 20:1-2, 7
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 take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

Take My Name
for you are My child.
Use it to bring purpose
and Shalom into life.
The praise of My Name,
a sword in your mouth.

Psalm 119:46-47 I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame,

Psalm 119:46-47 I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, for I find my delight in Your commandments, which I love.

Lord, I lift up the upcoming family reunion and especially for next Lord's Day morning when I am being called to speak to the family of Your great love. Give me the words to speak, and the courage to stand before my brothers and sisters, children and grandchildren, nephews and nieces to present Your testimonies. I take this verse as a promise and as a word to speak from.

Psalm 119:41-42 Let Your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, Your salvation according to Your promise;

Psalm 119:41-42
Let Your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, Your salvation according to Your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in Your word.

Lord, I need help to discern when my lack of a response is a silence of wisdom or a silence of cowardliness. For it is not only knowing what to speak, but to know when to speak and when to be silent. Lord, when I trust in my own wisdom, I get it dead wrong; when I am obedient to Your leading, it is life giving.

Psalm 100:4-5 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise!

Psalm 100:4-5
Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the LORD is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.

Oh, Lord, to pray in this Psalm is one continuous outburst of praise and thanksgiving. What a glorious recounting of the riches of Your presence. To acknowledge Your steadfast love and faithfulness with gladness in my heart, singing in my voice and thanksgiving in my soul; to bless Your Name before all and to all -- this is true joy -- this is what I was created for.

Psalm 100:1-3 A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!

Psalm 100:1-3
A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! Know that the LORD, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

You are the One who created me, who knew me before I was in my mother's womb and who knows the number of my days; You are the One who was obedient unto death even the death of the cross so that I would have life; You are the one who lovingly and gently shepherds me in Kingdom living so that I may know the fullness of the righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 99:6-9 Moses and Aaron were among His priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon His name.

Psalm 99:6-9
Moses and Aaron were among His priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon His name. They called to the LORD, and He answered them. In the pillar of the cloud He spoke to them; they kept His testimonies and the statute that He gave them. O LORD our God, You answered them; You were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings. Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at His holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!

Lord, so many men and women who have gone before, that great cloud of unseen witnesses who rose up to provide examples of those who loved You and sought to honor and obey You with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. For many, it is the records of their lives and those writings they left behind to give us strength and direction; of those still with us it is the constant day to day evidence of lives lived for You. Thank you, Lord, for Your saints to encourage and set the example.

Lord, continue to raise up faithful leaders; men and women who understand that submission is the mark of leadership and who seek to exemplify the walk of a disciple of the Kingdom. Thank You for those whom You have gathered around me; those devout individuals who encourage me and admonish me daily.

Psalm 99:4-5 The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity;

Psalm 99:4-5
The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the LORD our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is He!

How marvelous it is, Lord, to have a King, mighty beyond description, who loves justice. The rulers of this world love power, but You love justice and have set equity to be a watchword of Your Kingdom.
How marvelous it is, Lord, to know that all come before You as lost souls, each of us wretched beyond description in our self-will, and are offered the same gift of love and mercy. To know, Lord, that your mercy extends in equity to all, that there is no one in Your creation to whom the gift is not offered.
Praise You, LORD, God Almighty, for Your goodness to the children of men.

Exodus 20:1-2, 4-6 And God spoke all these words, saying, "...You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain

Exodus 20:1-2, 4-6
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 make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Now why would I bow down to something I had made with my own hands? Surely I would not be that foolish! Or would I? Would I put my career before God; would I trust in the sufficiency of my retirement income before trusting in the provision of God? Would I look to my coworkers and superiors for guidance about the proper standards of my work rather than doing everything as unto the Lord? Nah, not me! Or do I? Lord, reveal those shortcomings in my life where I do not seek You and Your righteousness first but seek the approbation of idols.

Keep Me before you!
With all your heart!
With all your soul!
With all your mind!
With all your strength!
Focus on My Glory!

Psalm 119:37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in Your ways.

Psalm 119:37
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in Your ways.

Lord, how easy it is for me to get caught up in worthless things, not just stuff but pursuits, thoughts, activities, talking; all coming together as worthless living. Not necessarily dishonoring to Your name, but unproductive without purpose or benefit. I need to be sensitive to the nudgings of the Holy Spirit and I need the intervention of the Holy Spirit to have that sensitivity. Lord, I want to cry -- Make me obey!, but I know You will not do this. Lord, I need to love Your ways above all other ways, above all other pursuits, above all else. Fill my heart with a longing for You.

Psalm 99:1-3 The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble!

Psalm 99:1-3
The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! The LORD is great in Zion; He is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name! Holy is He!

Holy and awesome is Your name, the name that is above all other names, the name to which every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, the name that signifies power and meekness, love and mercy, grace and justice, righteousness and compassion. You do reign, You will reign; You are the Almighty King!

Psalm 98:7-9 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!

Psalm 98:7-9
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

You are returning; You are coming in glory to restore Shalom; You will come in the midst of an enormous celebration, of a magnitude beyond ever before as creation acknowledges the ascendancy of her King and the vanquishing of sin and death. Your peace, your joy, Your righteousness, Your justice, Your love, Your mercy will reign forever. Amen

Psalm 98:4-6 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

Psalm 98:4-6
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!

The earth is breaking forth in joyous song and singing Your praises this morning. There is a symphony of bird song all around me, each in its own pitch and melody, yet in harmony to declare Your greatness. The distant hills and mountains are no longer in their drab grays and browns of winter, but have the greenness that sings of the new life to come. All creation is declaring that there is life and that this life is one of beauty and harmony, readily available to all for the taking.

Lord, open my eyes to see Your promises displayed to me through creation as I go about my day. Show me the awesomeness of Your love and power as it is demonstrated in every detail of Your magnificent opus.

Psalm 98:1-3 A Psalm. Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things!

Psalm 98:1-3
A Psalm. Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things! His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him. The LORD has made known his salvation; He has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Lord, I have been thinking of the medical examination that I had yesterday morning and how the very intricacies and interrelated workings of my ears, nose and throat displayed the marvels of Your creation. How can anyone not acknowledge the hand of the Creator and begin to wonder if He had not made provision to restore His creation to its pristine state? All the ends of the earth have seen Your salvation, whether they accept it or not.

Psalm 97:10b-12 He preserves the lives of His saints; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 97:10b-12
He preserves the lives of His saints; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to His holy name!

To hate evil and rejoice in You! Aren't these two affections but opposite sides of the same coin, Lord? Certainly to rejoice in You is to despise all that offends You; that rejoicing provides guidance in the struggle against evil. And how can I hate evil without the understanding of what it is and how it affects Your creation; an understanding that only comes by being centered in You and in Your word, Your law?

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God,

Exodus 20:1-3

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 have no other gods before me."

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?

For my own good? Does this mean, Lord, that goodness accrues to me as I learn to fear and obey You? Does this mean that Your promises such as an easy yoke and a light burden are the results of walking in Your ways? Loving You? Serving You? Dedicating all my heart and soul to You. Thank You and praise You, my Lord and Master.

Psalm 97:7-10a All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship Him, all you gods!

Psalm 97:7-10a

All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship Him, all you gods! Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of Your judgments, O LORD. For You, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. O you who love the LORD, hate evil!

What worthless idols reign in my life? Where do I turn in times of trial for succor and solace other than to You? What are those ambitions of pride and success that drive me; that take the place of seeking to serve You in all things and in all ways? Lord, forgive me and lead me in the path of repentance.

Psalm 96:11-13 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

Psalm 96:11-13

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for He comes, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness.

You are coming to reign, to establish Your Kingdom in righteousness and justice. All the world will bow before You and declare that You are Lord! All creation will sing for joy for Your faithfulness will an aroma of sweet incense permeating all of life.

Psalm 97:1-6 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!

Psalm 97:1-6

The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries all around. His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory.

Lord, how does the earth rejoice? How do the coastlands demonstrate gladness? How do the heavens proclaim Your righteousness? Is this not all creation acknowledging that the LORD reigns? In the orderly progression of the universe to the joy of Kingdom living, all is to and for Your glory.

Psalm 96:10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!

Psalm 96:10

Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity."

Say among the nations -- Go and tell -- Make disciples as you go -- You are a chosen instrument of mine, to carry My name among the Gentiles -- "The LORD reigns!" -- "The LORD reigns! -- "The LORD reigns!"

The world is established; it shall never be moved, it always has, it does and it always will function in accordance with Your law. No matter how puny man rants and raves and purposes elaborate schemes to eliminate You, all things are under You and it will alway be so. And the day is at hand when You will pass Your equitable judgment upon all. "The LORD reigns!"

Psalm 96:4-9 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.

Psalm 96:4-9

For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth!

The worthless idols of my life take but do not give; they demand but do not share; they consume but do not feed; they are constructs of my self-will and my compulsion to be my own god.

But You, O Lord, are the servant God, the one who came and assumed the body of man, to become the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. All praise and honor to You, the Holy One, the God of splendor and majesty, of glory and might; the exalted One.

Psalm 96:1-3 Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!

Psalm 96:1-3

Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless His name; tell of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples!

Great and mighty is He, great and mighty is He. The One who redeems, the One who restores, the One who brings Shalom to all the nations. Shout His glory, tell all of His marvelous works for the children of men, let the heavens ring and the seas respond with the saga of His grace and mercy.

I Timothy 6:6-8 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, ...

Exodus 20:1-2, 17
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 covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

I Timothy 6:6-8 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

How easy it is, Lord, to begin to worry that Your provision is not sufficient and that I need what You have provided to another. When will I learn that my feeble attempts to provide for myself pale into total insignificance when compared to the generosity of Your love as You insure that all my needs are met.

Psalm 95:7b-11 Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

Psalm 95:7b-11
Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put Me to the test and put Me to the proof, though they had seen My work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, "They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways." Therefore I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter My rest."

Today, Lord, when I hear Your voice, that I would follow that voice, not hardening my heart and seeking my own will as I have in the past. How can I live in Your rest if I do not follow Your righteous commandments? How can I expect joy and Shalom to be the order of my life if I disobey Your word? How can the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard my heart and my mind in You when I reject Your voice?

Lord, make me attentive to Your voice, alert to the guiding of the Holy Spirit and deaf to the siren calls of self.

Psalm 95:6-7a Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!

Psalm 95:6-7a
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.

You have called me into Your pasture, You have chosen me to be a sheep of Your hand.

I am thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Psalm 95:1-5 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Psalm 95:1-5
Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for he made it, and His hands formed the dry land.

Let the praise of the Lord be ever in my mouth, let it reverberate throughout the depths of the earth, let it echo off the the mountain steeps, let it sing to the rhythms of the seas, let all creation hear the praises of my voice. Let all who hear respond by crying out, "How great is hi

s God."

Psalm 94:20-23 Can wicked rulers be allied with You, those who frame injustice by statute?

Psalm 94:20-23 Can wicked rulers be allied with You, those who frame injustice by statute? They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge. He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the LORD our God will wipe them out.

Lord, if I am truly trusting in You and in Your justice, if I am following Your word to carry the message of grace and mercy to a lost and broken world, then I can be confident that Your justice will prevail and all will be as You have ordained.

Psalm 94:16-19 Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers?

Psalm 94:16-19 Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, "My foot slips," Your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, Your consolations cheer my soul.

How are You sending me? Where will You put me to speak against these detestable crimes? Today!