Gladness of God

Read:  Psalm 90 / Proverbs 27 / 1 Samuel 20 / John 7

 

Psalm 90:12 ~ So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Proverbs 27:1,11 ~ Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth... My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.

1 Samuel 20:14,15 ~ And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not: but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever.

John 7:18 ~ He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

 

We wisely should number our days,

Since we only have a short while 

To give to our Lord His due praise

And live for the joy of His smile. 

 

Let this be our life's simple story:

We lived for the gladness of God

To give to our Lord all the glory,

Regardless of who would applaud. 

 

Justice and Justification

Read:  Psalm 89 / Proverbs 26 / 1 Samuel 19 / John 6

 

Psalm 89:14-16 ~ Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound... In thy name shall they rejoice all the day... in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.

Proverbs 26:2 ~ The curse causeless shall not come.

1 Samuel 19:4 ~ Let not the king sin... against David... because his works have been to thee-ward very good.

John 6:35,51 ~ I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.  I am the living bread which came down from heaven.

 

Our Lord in His high habitation,

Enthroned in His justice above,

Came forth with His justification,

Removing our curse by His love. 

 

Christ gave up His splendor and crown,

Fulfilling what prophets had said. 

With mercy and truth He came down

To feed us with life-giving Bread. 

 

Conquering Captain

Read:  Psalm 88 / Proverbs 25 / 1 Samuel 18 / John 5 

 

Psalm 88:11 ~ Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave?

Proverbs 25:25 ~ As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

1 Samuel 18:12-14 ~ Saul... made him his captain... and he went out and came in before the people.  And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.

John 5:24 ~ He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

 

Our Conquering Captain is risen!

Now where is your victory, O grave? 

And where is your dreadful derision,

O death, with the sting that you gave? 

 

When David was wise in behavior,

He conquered, and thus grew in fame. 

Much more now, we boast in our Savior,

Exalting His glorious name!   

 

Expounding on our Expectation

Read:  Psalm 87 / Proverbs 24 / 1 Samuel 17 / John 4

 

Psalm 87:3,7 ~ Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God... instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee. 

Proverbs 24:13-14 ~ My son, eat thou honey, because it is good... So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul... and thy expectation shall not be cut off. 

1 Samuel 17:47 ~ All this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S.

John 4:35-36 ~ Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal.

 

Expounding on our expectation,

The things we see are glorious,

For heaven is our destination,

Where Jesus reigns victorious! 

 

And even as the conflict rages

In battlefields filled with strife,

Our Lord reminds us of the wages

In souls that gain eternal life. 

 

Hearts of all Humanity

Read:  Psalm 86 / Proverbs 23 / 1 Samuel 16 / John 3

 

 Psalm 86:11 ~ Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

Proverbs 23:26 ~ My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

1 Samuel 16:7 ~ Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

John 3:7,16 ~ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.... God so loved the world... that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

The hearts of all humanity

Are under God's examination. 

Their thoughts are full of vanity,

But God extends to them salvation. 

 

O may my heart be so united

To fear the Lord (instead of men)

That I may plead with souls invited

To trust Him and be born again!  

 

Hear and Heed

Read:  Psalm 85 / Proverbs 22 / 1 Samuel 15 / John 2

 

Psalm 85:8 ~ I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

Proverbs 22:5 ~ Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

1 Samuel 15:22,23 ~ Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice... For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft... stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

John 2:16,25 ~ Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise... He knew what was in man.

 

I’ll hear what God the Lord will speak,

And I will heed what He will say.

His counsel I will daily seek,

And His command I will obey.  

 

Let stubbornness be purged from me

With all its dreadful consequence! 

Rebellion is idolatry;

Let all these things be taken hence! 

 

Grace and Glory

Read:  Psalm 84 / Proverbs 21 / 1 Samuel 14 / John 1

 

Psalm 84:11 ~ The LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Proverbs 21:29 ~ A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.

1 Samuel 14:6 ~ Jonathan said... The LORD will work... there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.

John 1:47 ~ Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

 

Our Lord and our Savior gives grace

To please Him in all that we do

In each circumstance that we face

Though friends who may help us are few.

 

It's not for the multitude's pleasure

And not so that crowds may applaud,

But this is the purpose we treasure:

To live for the glory of God.  

 

Commissioned to Communicate

Read:  Psalm 83 / Proverbs 20 / 1 Samuel 13 / Luke 24

 

Psalm 83:1,18 ~ Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still... That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

Proverbs 20:12,24 ~ The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them... Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

1 Samuel 13:14 ~ The LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart...to be captain over his people.

Luke 24:45-47 ~ Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written... repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

 

The Lord forbids our silence now

As He commissions us to speak

To show this fallen world how

He saves and satisfies the meek. 

 

The Lord is seeking for each one 

Who will pursue His heart's intent

To show salvation through His Son

To sinners who will yet repent. 

 

 

Deceptive Darkness

Read:  Psalm 82 / Proverbs 19 / 1 Samuel 12 / Luke 23

 

Psalm 82:5 ~ They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations... are out of course.

Proverbs 19:27 ~ Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

1 Samuel 12:21 ~ Turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.

Luke 23:29,30 ~ The days are coming, in the which they shall say... to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.

 

Deceptive darkness shows its force,

As truth has been replaced with lies. 

Foundations all are out of course,

As fools profess that they are wise. 

 

They walk in pride and do not cease

To ruin souls with vain seduction,

For without Christ there is no peace

And no escape from their destruction. 

 

Satisfaction in my Savior

Read:  Psalm 81 / Proverbs 18 / 1 Samuel 11 / Luke 22

 

Psalm 81:12-16 ~ So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and… had walked in my ways!... With honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

Proverbs 18:1,2,24 ~ Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh… with all wisdom. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself... There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

1 Samuel 11:13 ~ And Saul said... Today the LORD hath wrought salvation... and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

Luke 22:37 ~ For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

 

How satisfying is salvation

That comes from Jesus Christ my Savior!

He has removed my condemnation,

Replacing it with saving favor. 

 

I’ve seen the idols of distraction:

God’s prophecies expose their end. 

In Christ I find my satisfaction;

He is my best and closest Friend. 

 

 

Mighty Man

Read:  Psalm 80 / Proverbs 17 / 1 Samuel 10 / Luke 21

 

Psalm 80:17 ~ Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.

Proverbs 17:17 ~ A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

1 Samuel 10:6,7 ~ The Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee... and shalt be turned into another man. And let it be... that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.

Luke 21:27 ~ And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

 

The Mighty Man from heaven sent

Was born with strength to make us free.

Behold our Friend whose life was spent,

Our Brother in adversity!

 

The Son of Man, who came with might,

Shall come again in awesome glory. 

Before the day returns to night,

Let us proclaim salvation's story!  

 

 

Price to Purge

Read:  Psalm 79 / Proverbs 16 / 1 Samuel 9 / Luke 20

 

Psalm 79:9 ~ Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins. 

Proverbs 16:6 ~ By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

1 Samuel 9:27 ~ Samuel said to Saul... Stand thou still a while, that I may show thee the word of God.

Luke 20:17 ~ What is this... that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

 

Behold the price our Savior paid

To purge away our sins as dross! 

The payment our Redeemer made

Was satisfied upon His cross.

 

Let those with ears to hear stand still

To hear the Word of God today. 

Though some will yet resist His will,

He saves those who will humbly pray. 

 

Learning to Lead

Read:  Psalm 78 / Proverbs 15 / 1 Samuel 8 / Luke 19

 

Psalm 78:70-72 ~ David also his servant... fed them according to the integrity of his heart... by the skillfulness of his hands.

Proverbs 15:33 ~ The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility.

1 Samuel 8:7 ~ They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

Luke 19:10 ~ For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. 

 

Among the flocks, we see the start

Of lessons meeting David’s need

For his integrity of heart

And skillfulness of hands to lead.

 

Though David then was just a youth,

The eyes of God were on Him then

To guide and guard him with the truth

That he would need for leading men.  

 

Hitherto and Hence

Read:  Psalm 77 / Proverbs 14 / 1 Samuel 7 / Luke 18

 

Psalm 77:12,13 ~ I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

Proverbs 14:26 ~ In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

1 Samuel 7:12 ~ Samuel took a stone...  and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

Luke 18:1 ~ And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying... shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

 

The Lord has helped me hitherto;

And He will be my Helper hence.

What He has promised, He will do,

And this shall be my confidence. 

 

Just as the Ebenezer stone

Would bring remembrance of God's aid,

I’ll call to mind His mercy shown  

With help He gave me when I prayed.