April 1st
I will send torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur!
Thus will I show My greatness and holiness, and I will make Myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord! ¤ And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights. ¤ He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ¤ Rejoice you people... Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rains He sends are an expression of His grace. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring...
¤ Then the Lord said to Moses, "Look, I'm going to rain down food from heaven for you. The people can go out each day and pick as much food as they need for that day..." ¤ Jesus said, "I assure you, Moses didn't give them bread from heaven, but My Father did. And now He offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. ¤ Anyone who listens to My teachings and obeys Me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is founded upon a rock. But, anyone who hears My teachings and ignores them is foolish, like a person who builds a house on the sand. When the rains and floods come and the wind beats against that house, it will fall, and its fall shall be great."
¤ "Give ear, Oh heavens, and I will speak. And hear, Oh earth, the words of My mouth; My teachings will fall on you like rain, My speech will settle like dew. My words will fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants."— I will proclaim the name of the Lord. How glorious is our God! He is the Rock; His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of truth and without injustice. Righteous and upright is He.
¤ The living God who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them... He never leaves Himself without a witness and He continues His kindness toward you; There are always His reminders, such as sending you rain and plentiful seasons, fulfilling your hearts' desires with joy.
Ezekiel 38:22, 23 Genesis 7:12 Matthew 5:45 Joel 2:23 Exodus 16:4 John 6:32,33 Matthew 7:24-27
Deuteronomy 32:1-4 Acts 14:15-17
April 2nd
O my soul, you have said to the Lord, "You are my Lord. My goodness is nothing apart from You."
¤ Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel.... Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the other nations." But this thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us."
So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, "Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them."
So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. And he said, "This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to do his work. He will take a tenth of your sheep, and you will be his servants. And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day."
Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No, but we will have a king over us, that we may also be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."
Psalm 16:2 1st Samuel 8:1, 4-20
April 3rd
The heart is deceitful above all things, and incurably sick; Who can know it?
¤ Many of Jesus' disciples turned back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Only You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
¤ Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is in the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.
¤ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside the still waters, He restores my soul. He leads me in the path of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
¤ Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ¤ My son, give attention to My words; Incline your ear to My sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
Jeremiah 17:9 John 6:66-69 Jeremiah 17:5-8 Psalm 23 Matthew 6:19-21 Proverbs 4:20-23
April 4th
You shall lay up these words of Mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
¤ Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall make your path straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones. Honor the Lord with all your possessions, and with the firstfruits of your increase; So that your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father in the son whom he delights. Happy is the person who finds wisdom, and the one who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are the ways of pleasantness, and all of her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.
The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens; By His knowledge the depths were broken up, and clouds drop down the dew. My son, let them not depart from your eyes—keep sound wisdom and discretion, so they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught. Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is within the power of your hand to do so.
¤ Hear My children, the instructions of a Father, and give attention to know understanding: For I give you good doctrine. Do not forsake My law.
Deuteronomy 11:18 Proverbs 3:3-27 Proverbs 4:1, 2
April 5th
The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart...
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. ¤ And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine, Goliath, to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth." But David said to Saul, "Your servant use to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth... Your servant has killed both lion and bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
...Then David took his staff in his hand, and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. He then drew near to the Philistine. So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore his shield went before him... And the Philistine then said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"
Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all the assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands."
And so it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck Goliath in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the army of the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
1st Samuel 16:7, 13 1st Samuel 17:33-37, 40, 41, 44-51
April 6th
I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.
¤ Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the path with sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers... For the Lord watches over the the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
¤ I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, "You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter; You will dash them to pieces like pottery." Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way. For His wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
¤ O Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." But You are a shield around me, O Lord; You bestow glory upon me and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry aloud, and He answers me from His holy hill. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. Arise, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the Lord comes deliverance. May Your blessing be on Your people.
¤ Answer me when I call to You, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer... Know that the Lord has set apart the Godly for Himself; the Lord will hear when I call to Him. In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord. Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?" Let the light of Your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.
Acts 13:22 Psalm 1:1-3, 6 Psalm 2:7-12 Psalm 3 Psalm 4:1, 4-8
April 7th
Give ear to my words, O Lord, and consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray...
My voice You will hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation. You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with You the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; blood thirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors.
But I, by your great mercy, will come into Your house; in reverence I will bow down toward Your holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight Your way before me. Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit. Declare them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own counsels. Cast them out for their many sins, for they have rebelled against You. But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You. For surely, O Lord, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield.
¤ O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor discipline me in Your wrath. Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint. O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long? Turn, O Lord, and deliver me; save me because of Your unfailing love. For no one remembers You when he is dead. Who praises You from the grave? I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer. All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.
¤ O Lord, my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me and deliver me, lest they tear me like a lion, rending me in pieces while there is no one to rescue me.
Psalm 5 Psalm 6 Psalm 7:1, 2
April 8th
Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just...
For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds. My defense is of God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a just judge, and He is angry with the wicked every day. If He does not relent, He will sharpen His sword; He will bend and string His bow. He has prepared His deadly weapons; He makes ready His flaming arrows.
He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment. He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made; The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head. I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. ¤ O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and you have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
¤ I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. ¤ I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. Correct me, Lord, but only with justice—not in Your anger, lest You reduce me to nothing.
¤ Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known, and in wrath remember Your mercy.
Psalm 7:9-17 Psalm 8 Psalm 9:1, 2 Jeremiah 10:23, 24 Habakkuk 3:1, 2
April 9th
The Lord shall endure forever...
He has prepared His throne for judgement. He shall judge the world in righteousness, and He shall administer judgement for the peoples in justice. The Lord also will be a high mountain for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Sing praises to the Lord who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people. When He avenges blood, He remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the humble. Have mercy on me, O Lord! Consider my trouble from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may tell all of Your praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation.
The nations have sunk down in the pit which they have made; in the net which they hid, their own foot is caught. The Lord is known by the judgement He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. The wicked shall be turned into hell, as will all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men.
¤ The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head... But on Mount Zion there will be deliverance; it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance. ¤ Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You.
¤ A man is a Jew only if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, by the Spirit, and not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God. ¤ And there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him.
Psalm 9:7-20 Obadiah 15, 17 Jonah 2:8, 9 Romans 2:29 Romans 10:12
April 10th
Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his hearts desire; he blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his pride does not seek the Lord; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. His ways also are always prosperous; he is haughty and Your laws are far from him; he sneers at all his enemies.
He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me. I'm always happy and never have trouble." His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victims. He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. He says to himself, "God has forgotten; He covers His face and never sees what is happening."
Arise, O Lord! Lift up you hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, "He won't call me to account"? But You, O God, do see trouble and grief; You consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out.
The Lord is King forever and ever; the nations will perish from His land. You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.
¤ Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another? ¤ Greater love has no one than this; that he lay down his life for his friends... This is My command: Love one another.
Psalm 10 Malachi 2:10 John 15:13, 17
April 11th
In the Lord I put my trust. How then can you say to me, "Flee like a bird to your mountain?"
...The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be their allotted portion. For the Lord is righteous. He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.
¤ Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; with flattering lips and an inconsistent mind they speak. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things, who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?" "For the oppression of the poor, and for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise," says the Lord; "I will set him within the safety for which he yearns." The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of the earth, purified seven times. You shall keep them, O Lord, You shall preserve them from this generation forever, even though the wicked prowl around on every side, and evil is exalted among the sons of men.
¤ How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I struggle with anguish in my soul, having sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Consider and hear me, O Lord, my God; enlighten my eyes, for fear that I will sleep the sleep of death, for fear that my enemy will say, "I have prevailed against him." Don't let them rejoice at my down fall. But I trust in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.
¤ The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell... No man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth come both blessings and cursings. My brothers and sisters, these things ought not to be so.
Psalm 11:1, 4-7 Psalm 12 Psalm 13 James 3:6, 8-10
April 12th
I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out...
I am too ignorant to even be human, and I lack common sense. I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One. Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who has gathered the wind into His fists? Who wraps up the ocean in His cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is His name—and His Son's name? Tell me if you know!
Every word of God proves true. He defends all who come to Him for protection. Do not add to His word, or He may rebuke you, and you will be found a liar. O God, I beg two favors from You before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny You and say, "Who is the Lord?" And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God's holy name...
The leech has two suckers that cry out, "More, more!" There are three others things—no, four!—that are never satisfied: the grave, the barren womb, the earth that is never satisfied with water, and a roaring fire... There are three things that amaze me—no, four things I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, how a snake slithers upon a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, and the way of a man with a woman... There are three things that make the earth tremble—no, four it cannot endure: a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers, a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, and a servant girl who succeeds her mistress.
There are four things on the earth that are small, yet they are unusually wise: Ants—they are not strong, but store up their food for the winter. Rock badgers—they are not powerful, but they make their homes among the rocky cliffs. Locusts—they have no king, but they march like an army in ranks. Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings' palaces. There are three stately monarchs on the earth—no four: the lion, king of the animals, who won't turn aside for anything, the strutting rooster, the male goat, and a king as he leads his army.
¤ I know that the Lord is great; a God above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places. He causes the water vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and brings the wind out of the vastness of His treasuries! ¤ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them!
Proverbs 30:1-9, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21-31 Psalm 135:5-7 Exodus 20:11
April 13th
Keep me safe, O God, for in You I take refuge.
I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing." As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. They are my true heros. The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not take part in their sacrifices or even speak the names of their gods. Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup. You guard all that is mine. The land You have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!
I will praise the Lord who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken, for He is always beside me. No wonder my heart is full of joy and my tongue shouts His praises; my body will also rest secure, because You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow Your Holy One to see decay. You have made known to me the path of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasure of living with You forever.
¤ O Lord, hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Give ear to my prayer—it does not rise from deceitful lips. May my vindication come from You; may Your eyes see what is right. Though You probe my heart and examine me at night, though You test me, You will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin. As for the deeds of men—by the word of Your lips I have kept myself from the ways of cruel and evil people. My steps have stayed on Your paths; I have not wavered from following You. I am praying to You because I know You will answer, O God. Show the wonder of Your great love—You who save with Your strength those who seek refuge from their enemies. Guard me as the apple of Your eye. Hide me in the shadow of Your wings. Protect me from wicked people who attack me, from murderous enemies who surround me. They are without pity. Listen to their boasting. They track me down, surround me, and throw me to the ground. They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart—like lions in hiding, waiting for their chance.
Arise, O Lord! Stand against them and bring them to their knees! Rescue me from the wicked with Your sword! Save me by Your mighty hand, O Lord, from those whose only concern is earthly gain... Because I have done what is right, I will see You. When I awake, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see You face to face.
Psalm 16 Psalm 17
April 14th
I will love You, O Lord, my strength !
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
The pangs of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, because He was angry. Smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also and came down, with darkness under His feet. And He rode upon a cherub and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.
The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered His voice. He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, the foundations of the world were uncovered at Your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support.
He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me. He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgements were before me, and I did not put away His statutes from me. I was also blameless before Him, and I kept myself from iniquity. Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.
Psalm 18:1-24
April 15th
With the merciful You will show Yourself to be merciful...
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. For You will save the humble people, but will bring down haughty looks.
For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your greatness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip...
You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; You have made me head of the Gentiles; A people I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me they obey me; The foreigners submit to me. The foreigners fade away, and come frightened from their hideouts. The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God who avenges me, and subdues the peoples under me. He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name.
¤ But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from the days of eternity... And He shall stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God.
Psalm 18:25-36, 43-49 Micah 5:2, 4
April 16th
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows the work of His hands...
Day unto day they utter speech, and night unto night they reveal knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their sound has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple: The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgements of the Lord are right and true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honey in the combs. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from unduly bold sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of much transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
¤ The ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the wise. He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, but he who heeds rebuke gets understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility. ¤ The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but the heart of the fool does not do so.
Psalm 19 Proverbs 15:31-33 Proverbs 15:7
April 17th
May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you... May He grant you according to your heart's desire, and fulfill all your purpose. We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.
Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen, but we have risen and stand upright. O Lord, save the king! Answer us when we call.
¤ The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord; and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! You have given him his heart's desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. For You meet him with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold upon his head. He asked for life from You, and You gave it to him—length of days forever and ever. His glory is great in Your salvation; honor and majesty You have placed upon him. For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.
Your hand will find all Your enemies; Your right hand will find those who hate You. You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger; The Lord shall swallow them up with His wrath, and the fire shall devour them. Their offspring You shall destroy from the earth, and their descendants from among the sons of men. For they intended evil against You; they devised a plot which they are not able to perform. Therefore You will make them turn back; You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces. Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power.
Psalm 20:1, 4-9 Psalm 21
April 18th
My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they show contempt with their mouth, they shake the head, saying, "He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him, let Him deliver Him since He delights in Him!"
But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God. Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have surrounded Me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring Lion. I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws. You have brought Me into the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet. I can count all My bones. The look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots. But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My strength, hasten to help Me! Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog. Save Me from the lion's mouth and from the horns of wild oxen!
You have answered Me. I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, nor has He hidden His face from Him. But when He cried to Him, He heard. From You comes the theme of My praise in the great assembly; before those who fear You will I fulfill My vows. The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the Lord will praise Him—may their hearts live forever! ... They will proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn—for He has done it.
Psalm 22:1-26, 31
April 19th
All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord.
All of the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive. A posterity shall serve Him. Our children will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those yet unborn. They will hear about everything He has done.
¤ The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows. He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along the right paths, bringing honor to His name. Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast before me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
¤ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying in pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new!"
Psalm 22:27-31 Psalm 23 Revelation 21:1-5
April 20th
The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it.
The world and all its people belong to Him. For He laid the earth's foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? Only those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who do not worship idols and are not deceitful. They shall receive blessings from the Lord, and have right standing with the God of their salvation. This is truly Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face.
Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, invincible in battle. Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts—He is the King of glory.
¤ He is the God who made the earth and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He does not live in man-made temples, nor do human hands serve His needs—for He has no needs. He Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need their is. From one man He created all nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand which should rise and fall, and He determined their boundaries. His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps grope their way toward Him and find Him—though He is not far from any one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our existence, even as some of your own poets have said, "For we are also His offspring."
Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone; something shaped by art and man's devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all mankind everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Jesus from the dead.
Psalm 24 Acts 17:24-31
April 21st
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in You. Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed. Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause. Show me Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; On You is my hope set all the day long.
Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindness, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Your mercy remember me, for Your goodness' sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners of the proper path. The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your names' sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
Who are those that fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose. They will live in prosperity, and their descendants shall inherit the earth. Friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who fear Him, and He will share with them the secrets of His covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have enlarged; Bring me out of my distress! Look upon my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many; And they hate me with violent hatred. Keep my soul and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and honesty preserve me, for I put my hope in You.
Psalm 25
April 22nd
Declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity.
I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and affections; For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth. I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, nor will I go along with hypocrites. I hate the gathering of those who do evil, and I refuse to join in with the wicked. I wash my hands to declare my innocence. I come to Your alter, O Lord, singing a song of thanksgiving and telling of all Your miracles. Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells. Don't let me suffer the fate of sinners. Don't condemn me along with murderers. Their hands are dirty with wicked schemes, and they constantly take bribes. But as for me, I will walk in my integrity. Redeem me and be merciful to me. I have taken a stand, and I will publicly praise the Lord.
¤ You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted the Christians. I did my best to get rid of them. I was one of the most religious Jews of my own age, and I tried as hard as possible to follow all the old traditions of my religion... But then something happened. For it pleased God in His kindness to choose me and call me, even before I was born! What undeserved mercy! Then He revealed his Son to me so that I could proclaim the good news about Jesus to the Gentiles. When all this happened to me, I did not rush out to confer with others... They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." Then they praised God because of me.
¤ The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. ¤ It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
¤ If you hold on to Christ's teaching, then you are truly His disciples. You shall then know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
Psalm 26 Galatians 1:13-17, 23, 24 & 3:24-29, &, 5:1 John 8:31, 32
April 23rd
The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me, to devour my life, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war may rise against me, even so I will be confident.
The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to delight in the perfections of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me upon a rock. Then I will hold my head high, above all my enemies who surround me. At His tabernacle I will offer the sacrifices of shouting and joy. I will sing, yes I will sing praises to the Lord.
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When You said, "Seek My face", my heart said to You, "Your face, Lord, I will seek." Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave or forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and mother forsake me, Then the Lord will take care of me.
Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence. I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Psalm 27
April 24th
To You I will cry, O Lord my rock
Do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary. Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors; Give them according to the work of their hands. Render to them what they deserve. Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up.
Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him. The Lord is the strength of His people, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed. Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; Shepherd them also, and bear them up forever.
¤ We know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down—when we die and leave these bodies—we will have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long for the day when we will put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put on new heavenly bodies.
Our dying bodies make us groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and have no bodies at all. We want to slip into our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by new, everlasting life. God Himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee He has given us His Holy Spirit. So we are always confident, even thought we know that as long as we live in these bodies, we are not at home with the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Psalm 28 2nd Corinthians 5:1-7
April 25th
Give honor to the Lord, you angels; give honor to the Lord for His glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due His name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness. The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea; the God of glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon's mountains skip like a calf, and Mount Hermon to leap like a young bull. The voice of the Lord strikes with lightning bolts. The voice of the Lord makes the desert quake; the Lord shakes the deserts of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks, and strips the forests bare. In His temple everyone shouts, "Glory!"
The Lord rules over the floodwaters. The Lord reigns as King forever. The Lord gives His people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace. ¤ Then God spoke to Noah, saying, "Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and you sons and your sons' wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth." So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him. Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.
¤ Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him, nor can the number of His years be discovered. ¤ Remember to magnify His work, of which men have sung. Everyone has seen it; Man looks on it from afar. ¤ "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! And, who stretched the measuring line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
¤ Then Job replied to the Lord, "I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this that obscures My counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know... My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
Psalm 29 Genesis 8:15-19 Job 36:26 Job 36:24, 25 Job 38:4-7 Job 42:1-3, 5, 6
April 26th
I will praise You, Lord, for You have rescued me.
You have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You for help, and you restored my health. You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death.
Sing to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name, for His anger is but for a moment, yet His favor is for life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Now in my prosperity, when I felt secure, I said, "I shall never be shaken. Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong." Then, You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord, and to the Lord I made supplication; "What will You gain if I die, if I sink down to the grave? Can my dust praise You from the grave? Can it tell the world of Your faithfulness? Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord." You heard me once again, and have turned my mourning into dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever!
¤ For those who are righteous, the path is not steep and rough. You are a God of justice, and You smooth out the road ahead of them. Lord, we love to obey Your laws; our heart's desire is to glorify Your name. All night long I search for You; earnestly I seek for God. For only when You come to judge the earth will people turn from wickedness and do what is right. Your kindness to the wicked does not make them do good. They keep doing wrong and take no notice of the Lord's majesty. ¤ They will be punished by the Lord of hosts with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
¤ Praise be to the name of God forever and ever. Wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. I thank and praise You, O God of my fathers...
Psalm 30 Isaiah 26:7-10 Isaiah 29:6 Daniel 2:20-23
April 27th
In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed.
Rescue me, for You always do what is right. Bend down and listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be for me a great rock of safety, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of Your name, lead me out of this peril. Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in You alone. I entrust my spirit into Your hand. Rescue me, O Lord, for You are a faithful God.
I have hated those who regard useless idols; But I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble, and You care about the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to my enemy, but have set me in a safe place. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in distress. My sight is blurred because of my tears. My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. My strength fails because of my iniquity, and I am wasting away from within. I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors—even my friends are afraid to come near me. When they see me on the street they turn the other way. I have been ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot. I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror; My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life.
But I am trusting in You, O Lord, saying, "You are my God!" My future is in Your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. Let Your favor shine on Your servant. In Your unfailing love, save me. Don't let me be disgraced... Your goodness is so great! You have stored up great blessings for those who honor You. You have done so much for those who come to You for protection, blessing them before the watching world... Blessed be the Lord, for He has shown me His marvellous kindness when I was in a besieged city...
Love the Lord, all you faithful ones! For He protects those who are loyal to Him, but He harshly punishes all who are arrogant. So be strong and take courage, all you who put your hope in the Lord! ¤ ...Surely He has done great things. Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice. Surely the Lord has done great things.
Psalm 31:1-17, 19, 21, 23, 24 Joel 2:20, 21
April 28th
Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed are those whom the Lord does not charge with sin, and who are truthful within their spirit. When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. Day and night Your heavy hand of discipline was upon me. My strength was turned into the drought of summer. Finally I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord", and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You, while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgement.
You are my hiding place; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding and must be harnessed with a bit and bridle to keep them under control."
Many sorrows come to the wicked, but mercy surrounds those who trust in the Lord. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all of you who try to obey Him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure! ¤ Dear brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who wait for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rains. You, too, must in like manner be patient. And take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
¤ God the Father chose you long ago, and the Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed Jesus Christ and are cleansed by His blood. May you have more and more of God's special favor and wonderful peace. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed at the last time. ¤ You are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Psalm 32 James 5:7-8 1st Peter 1:2-5 Galatians 3:26, 27
April 29th
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the Lord with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy. For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all of the stars were born by the breath of His mouth. He gave the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all of the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke and it was done; He commanded and it stood fast.
The Lord shatters the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. But the Lord's plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken. What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people He has chosen for His own. The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From His throne He observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so He understands everything they do.
The best equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. Do not count on your warhorse to give you victory—for in all its strength, it cannot save you. But the Lord watches over those who fear Him, those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our souls wait for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our hearts shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, for our hope is in You alone.
¤ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke in His youth. Let him sit alone and keep silent, because God has laid it on him. Let him put his mouth in the dust—there may yet be hope... For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
Psalm 33 Lamentations 3:25-29, 31-33
April 30th
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I prayed to the Lord and He heard me. He delivered me from all my fears. Those who looked to Him were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. For the angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed are those who trust in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Do any of you want to live a life that is long and good? Then keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to destroy the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all of his bones; not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be held guilty. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
¤ "Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ¤ The very hairs of your head are all numbered."
Psalm 34 Matthew 6:25, 26 Matthew 10:30
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