Psalm 64

Posted on by richlyspeaking

We’re reading through, and with intentionality, praying through the Psalms during this school year. There are 150 Psalms, divided into 180 different readings. See this post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God. Abba. Father.

Hear our prayer. Today we need to vent. It seems there are some times when the circumstances of our lives take us down and defeat us. It’s the cruelty of strangers or the deep wounds from a friend or even harsh insults from those we love the most. Please protect us. Guard our hearts. And please forgive us when we are those people to others. Yes, we know and confess that our minds can also be cunning and our tongues ruthless.

We choose to fall on our faces before you, oh God. We are in awe of who you are and your holy ways. We bow before you and proclaim the great works of your hand. It is good for us to ponder your righteousness and aspire, by your grace, to live a zealous life as your disciples.

We rejoice in you, Yahweh. We are glad and run to your arms. Thank you for blessing your people with peace and happiness. We celebrate you today.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald

Psalm 63.

Posted on by richlyspeaking

We’re reading through, and with intentionality, praying through the Psalms during this school year. There are 150 Psalms, divided into 180 different readings. See this post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God. Abba. Father.

You are our God. We can’t get enough of you. Like being thirsty on a hot summer day, our heart longs for fellowship with you. We seek your face in every moment of our day today.

We have seen your power and majesty and might. Your love is generous and fulfilling. We praise you with our lips. We praise you with every breath. We praises you with our arms. We live in your great love for us.

This morning, as we awoke, we thought of you. Tonight as we go to sleep, we will think of you again. You are a very present help so we sing to you. We run and play and work freely because of you. You hold us steady, like an anchor in a perilous storm. We are safe because you are close.

We rejoice in you. In the unique and holy ways that define you, we praise You! For You are the King. Jesus is the King. The Holy Spirit is our King.

Amen!

Bonus feature today: Watch this video to go to EinGedi with me, in the desert of Israel, where David likely wrote this Psalm.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald

Psalm 62

Posted on by richlyspeaking

We’re reading through, and with intentionality, praying through the Psalms during this school year. There are 150 Psalms, divided into 180 different readings. See this post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God. Abba. Father.

We rejoice in the safety we find in you today. You are our One and Only. Every good gift we have comes from you. Since you are the firm foundation of our lives, we will never be shaken.

Some days we feel like people are out to get us. They take delight in lies; they assault with gossip. Even when they pronounce blessings with their lips, they are cursing with their hearts.

So, we won’t listen to them. No, our soul finds rest and peace only in You. You alone are the mighty rock that keeps us safe. We trust in you, our refuge.

Our prayer today is that each of our friends and family will do the same… that they would find peace and rest by trusting in you, oh God. We will not trust in man or woman or their ways. We will not trust in our material possessions or finances or jobs or people, even jobs and people we love. No, our help, our glory, our eternal trust is found in the comfort of the One True God.

We thank you that our strength comes from you, Father. Yahweh, you are love. Love that never fails. And we humbly thank you that you give your good gifts to us all.

The greatest gift is your Son, Jesus. In whose name we pray.

Amen.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald

Psalm 61.

Posted on by richlyspeaking

We’re reading through, and with intentionality, praying through the Psalms during this school year. There are 150 Psalms, divided into 180 different readings. See this post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God. Abba. Father.

Hear our prayer today. Some days we feel hopeless, our heart is weak, and we are down for the count. It can be an effort to get out bed. So, we cry out to you from a place of weariness.  Today we ask you to lead us to a safe place. A spot that is high and away from the noise of the day-to-day busyness. A spot where we can rest in a place of solitude and quiet, where we can be ourselves and just breathe, with no expectations or demands.

This is the place where we feel your love the most. This is the place in which we were born to dwell. This is the place where we come alive. It is here, Father, in your arms where we are blessed. This is our inheritance.

So, we worship you today great King! Please allow us to live long in this land so we might sing your praises, while we dwell here, and while we live with you forever. To you be the glory, oh God!

In Jesus name,

Amen.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald

Psalm 66

Posted on by richlyspeaking

We’re reading through, and with intentionality, praying through the Psalms during this school year. There are 150 Psalms, divided into 180 different readings. See this post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God. Abba. Father.

Today we join with psalmist in praising you, our great King! We will say of you, oh God, “There is none like you! How awesome are your deeds!” And we think of our lives and wonder at how you have been with us through it all. You have encouraged us. You have challenged us. You have blessed us. You have taken care of us. Thank you.

You are the steady rock, the one thing that never moves or fails us, Lord. You have pushed us and tested us. You have walked along side us. You are the anchor in an ocean of the waves of life that toss us back and forth. As you have pushed and prodded, you have refined us like silver. You have polished and molded us so that we humbly reflect your image as the master silversmith. You have brought us to our own Promised Land. Thank you!

We will worship you! We will, with great joy, tell others of all that you have done for us. Thank you for hearing our prayers. You are such a great listener. And you didn’t turn away from us. Even when we confessed our most terrible thoughts and sins. You have chosen to love us, unconditionally. You offer grace in abundance.

We praise you and thank you!

In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald

Psalm 60.

Posted on by richlyspeaking

We’re reading through, and with intentionality, praying through the Psalms during this school year. There are 150 Psalms, divided into 180 different readings. See this post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God. Abba. Father.

Again, today we thank you for rescuing us. Even when the whole world feels like it is splitting apart, you will stop the trembling. You will heal our wounds. You will give us strength.  We thank you that you will give us the victory.

Thank you for giving good gifts to your children. Yes, every good gift we receive comes at your hand. When we are feeling unloved, you have given us love. When we are feeling hopeless you have given us hope. When we are feeling anxious, you have given us peace.

Thank you for answering our prayers for safety and protection. We rejoice that you are the One True God. We’re reminded of Isaiah’s word that nothing formed against you will stand. We thank you for that promise! We will shout in triumph for in you we have received the victory!

In you, and through our Messiah, even Jesus. Amen.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald

Psalm 59.

Posted on by richlyspeaking

We’re reading through, and with intentionality, praying through the Psalms during this school year. There are 150 Psalms, divided into 180 different readings. See this post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God. Abba. Father.

We thank you today that no matter the size of our foe, we can rest in your provision. Like the psalmist, we often feel chased by the enemies of unrealistic deadlines, projects that have more downs than ups, or people who expect way  more than we can give. Sometimes our dreams are crushed by the hard realities of balancing budgets, chronic illnesses, or broken relationships. The pain can be unbearable and even suffocating. Sometimes it seems like we get a glimmer of hope, and then we are buried under the weight of our problems once again.

God, deliver us. We know that you love us and you will give us strength for today. Yes, you are our fortress, strong and mighty, dependable. And your resolutions to our angst are always in your perfect timing. We trust you. We thank you that you have sent your Son, Jesus to carry our burdens. So, we give them to you today.

And then, Father, we open our hands to receive all that you have for us in return. Peace. Rest. Grace. Joy. Hope.

We sing of your strength! We celebrate your love. You are our refuge in times of trouble. We can rely on you. Always. Thank you. Thank you.

In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald

Psalm 48

Posted on by richlyspeaking

We’re reading through, and with intentionality, praying through the Psalms during this school year. There are 150 Psalms, divided into 180 different readings. See this post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God. Abba. Father.

You are wonderful and we praise your name! Your temple in the time of David was on Mt. Zion. Strong and beautiful. Sacred and holy. Your citadels and ramparts defined your great power and might. And we rejoice because it was the crown of your majesty.

But the temple is not there in Jerusalem any longer. Your word says “the tabernacle is among men” now. Yes, Jesus is our King. He lives in the spiritual hearts of men and women. No one, past, present or future, will ever be able to defeat you! No one is able to take you from your reign on the throne of grace and truth.

We ponder your great love. Your name, God, still evokes a train of Hallelujahs wherever it is spoken. We are thankful that your temple is no longer in a single location on a single mountain top. Your temple is wherever we are, because we are your children, created in your image, fearfully and wonderfully made. And you are to be praised around the earth! Jesus is our Savior and our judge. He is righteous, holy and true.

When we see the ancient city, the strong walls and towers, we are reminded of your strength and protection in our lives, even thousands of miles from the City of David. When we dream of climbing the heights of your fortress, we are dreaming of worshipping you in heaven. We will share this dream with our children and our children’s children. For it is not a dream, but reality. We see you in the Land of the Living. We see you in the simplicity of the infant or the complexity of a bee hive. We see you in the feathers of the birds in the sky above and in the garden flowers nestled in the soil. You are everywhere we look. And we praise you!

Your love guides us forever and forever. Today, we worship you and your Son Jesus, in whose name we pray.

Amen.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald

Psalm 47

Posted on by richlyspeaking

We’re reading through, and with intentionality, praying through the Psalms during this school year. There are 150 Psalms, divided into 180 different readings. See this post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God. Abba. Father.

We sing praises and applaud your greatness, mighty God! We shout, “Joy to the king of Kings!”

You, Yahweh, are the One True God. You are the Most High. You rule the earth. You have put every nation under your authority. Then you give the power to rule to your chosen people, those who call you Father and submit to your Lordship. You have given us a great inheritance. You have given the people of Israel their Promised Land.

We join with believers around the world in singing praise to you as you sit high on your great Throne of peace and grace. We worship you and only you today. We thank you for the deliverance from pestilence and the outcomes of elections. Everything and everyone will bow down to worship you. Heaven and nature proclaim your prominence over the birds of the air, the fish in the sea, man and woman on earth. You are greater than governments and economies, universities and cultural entertainment.

You rule the world! Your Throne is holy. Your judgements are just. One day, everyone on earth will worship at your feet. You are to be praised above all else.

You are the Mighty God. You are the Comforting Holy Spirit. You are the grace of Jesus. And it is in His name we pray.

Amen.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald.

Psalm 4

Posted on by richlyspeaking

Today we continue an ambitious project! For the next nine months, you and I will get the opportunity to read through, and more importantly, pray through the Psalms together. See Monday’s post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God, Abba, Father.

We proclaim today that you are our God and our protector. Hear our prayer. Thank you that once I was in terrible distress, but you set me free. Hear our prayer today. Forgive us when we refuse to respect you and your ways and your people. Forgive us when we pursue foolishness instead of your righteousness.

Thank you for choosing me, oh God. Thank for choosing anyone who is faithful to you. Please help us to be faithful. Forgive me, forgive us, when we sin, when we are not faithful. Search our heart, oh God. May we trust in your unfailing love.

Thank you, God, that you are good to us. As the psalmist prayed so do we: “Let your kindness, Lord, Yahweh, shine brightly on us.” You have brought us a rich harvest of blessings, happiness and joy. More than just bread and wine, grain and grapes. Thank you that in You, we have more than enough! Always.

And thank you for rest… that we can lie down and sleep soundly, because you, Lord, keep us safe. Thank you again for being our protector, the One in whom we find complete peace.

We offer this prayer today in Jesus’ name. Amen.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald.