Monday, November 29, Psalm 26
- 5 – A good verse for all of us to keep in mind as we ponder watching TV.
- 8, 12 – In the Old Testament, the glory of God appeared in the tabernacle and later in the temple in the form of a cloud. Read Ex. 40:35 and I Kings 8:10-11. We get a taste of God’s magnificent glory in His Word. Every time we study what Jesus accomplished for us on Good Friday and Easter, we experience that. That also causes our feet to stay on level ground, on that path that leads to life eternal.
Tuesday, November 30, Psalm 27
- 1 – This verse is a comfort worth memorizing. The answer to David’s question in this verse is, “I need fear no one.” Why we need fear no one is because the Lord is our salvation and stronghold. Why we need fear no one is also given in more detail in Psalms 2, 46, and 103.
Wednesday, December 1, Psalm 28
- 1 – David often speaks of God as a Rock. He used that illustration having spent a lot of time as a young man finding refuge from King Saul in the Judean mountains. Rocky mountain ranges give a picture of God’s unchanging strength, power, and grandeur. God is always that for us as we trust in Him. That’s what moved David to confess, “The Lord is the strength of His people, a fortress of salvation for His anointed one.” (v. 8)
- 4-5 – This kind of prayer almost seems improper for a child of God. Realize, however, that David’s enemies were also God’s enemies. In essence, his prayer is no more than saying, “Your kingdom come; your will be done.”
Thursday, December 2, Psalm 29
- 3-6 – According to the Psalmist, the thunder of God’s voice breaks cedars, the mightiest trees in the Middle East. It also causes mountain ranges in Lebanon to skip or quake. Because we are the sheep and lambs of the Lord, in His protective care we need never be afraid. Read and review Psalm 23.
- 11 – While the Lord reveals to us His almighty power in nature, His power to save, which looks weak and ineffective to the world, is found alone in His glorious Gospel. That brings strength to His people and blesses them with peace. It assures them that their sins are forgiven, hell’s power is demolished, and heaven’s perfection stands open to them and us again.
Friday, December 3, Psalm 30
- 11 – How does God turn our wailing into dancing and our sackcloth, our mourning, into rejoicing? He does that through the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. There He assures us we are forgiven sinners and that through faith in Jesus we do have a life of ultimate happiness and joy to look forward to in heaven. I can count on it because His favor lasts forever. (v. 5; also Is. 51:6; I Peter 1:24, 25)
Saturday, December 4, Psalm 31
- 5 – Jesus also spoke these words on Calvary’s cross. (Luke 23:46) That He spoke them meant our eternal salvation was perfectly completed. What we have, David looked forward to. Because of that, we, too, can commit our souls at death into the heavenly Father’s hands. That’s because Jesus has redeemed us from sin, death and hell and opened to us heaven.
- 14-16 – Remembering that our times are in God’s hands is a joy for every Christian. God determines our days and it is in his wisdom that He determines their length.