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Read Psalm 48:1-14 Many Jews made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate when they heard about Hezekiah's great victory over Sennacherib (II Kings 18,19). Christians today are citizens of the heavenly Zion and are also making a pilgrimage ( Heb. 12:18-24 ). As pilgrims, we talk about Zion (vv. 1-3). We talk about the God who has made Zion great and about His protection. We talk about Zion's beauty. Spiritually, Zion is the joy of the whole earth ( Gen. 12:1-3 ). As pilgrims,

Read Psalm 80:8-13 One of the greatest tragedies in life is wasted opportunity--not making the most of what God has given us. We came into this world with certain abilities, and when God saved us, He gave us gifts and the grace to exercise those gifts to help others, to build our own lives and to glorify His name. This is why God puts us through certain experiences. Asaph said, "You have brought a vine out of Egypt; you have cast out the nations, and planted it. You prepared

Read Psalm 74:12-23 For God is my King from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth" (v. 12). Asaph wrote those words after surveying the damage the Babylonians wrought in Jerusalem and the temple. In verses 1-11 he looked around and saw perpetual desolations. He saw the enemy had wrecked the sanctuary of God. The Babylonians had removed God's banners and set up their own. All the beauty, all the splendor of Jerusalem had gone up in smoke. When you look around and

Read Psalm 92:7-15 Someone has said that there are three stages in life: childhood, adolescence and "My, you're looking good." We can't stop aging. But no matter how old we grow, we ought to continue growing in the Lord. "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing" (vv.

Read Psalm 96:7-13 Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!" (v. 9). God desires holiness for His people. "Be holy, for I am holy" is repeated several times in the Old Testament. And the apostle Peter used it in one of his letters ( I Pet. 1:16 ). It means to be separated, unique and distinct. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit work together to lead us into a life of holiness. The cross of Jesus indicates that God wants us to be holy. On the cross Jesu

Read Psalm 61:1-8 Whenever David found himself in a tight spot, he instinctively turned to God in prayer. Prayer is the natural breath of the believer. It enables you to accomplish what you cannot accomplish by yourself. First, prayer enables you to reach farther (v. 2). David was homesick. Although he was away from Jerusalem, he was not away from God. No matter where you are, you can reach out through prayer and touch the lives of family, friends and missionaries. Second, pr

Read Psalm 37:8-15 "But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace" (v. 11). Our Lord echoed this same idea when He said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" ( Matt. 5:5 ). Meekness is not weakness. Moses was called the meekest man on the face of the earth, yet he boldly stood before Pharaoh and led the children of Israel. At times he had to execute judgment. In the same way, our Lord Jesus said, "I am gentle

Read Psalm 73:1-28 Asaph begins by standing true in what he believes about God, but he slips because he starts to look at neighbors and becomes envious. He wonders why the wicked prosper. When he loses his praise, he starts stumbling and suffering. He should have sought answers by looking up, not by looking around or within. Asaph understands the end of the evil ones. The key question is not "Where are you?" but "Where are you going?" Are you taking the broad road that leads

Read Psalm 55:1-23 David wrote this psalm during the early stages of Absalom's conspiracy. He tells us that in times of trial we can take one of three approaches. One is that we can flee (vv. 1-8). David talks about his emotions. He was in a difficult situation and wanted to fly away. But these troubles were part of God's discipline for him. Second, we can fight (vv. 9-15). Absalom's conspiracy had gone so far that David could not overcome his enemies. He could only try to sa