OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 132

Psalm 132:1-18

132:1-5 David's love for God was the purpose of his life. From him we learn to live a life of love and praise. We thrive when our relationship with God is our main priority. It is prudent to wake and sleep with the same wholehearted intention to establish our faith in every aspect of our lives. 

132:6-9 A call to praise and worship. Our souls long to love, actively, the One who made them. Our God's strength and righteousness causes joy in our hearts.

132:10 We pray to remain in the sight of our God. 

132:11-12 The Lord promised to be with us forever and He keeps His promises. To receive the promises, we remain within the kingdom. We live in accordance with God's will and statutes. We pass His commandments on to our posterity. 

132:13-18 God has chosen us. He has committed to remaining with us. He dwells with us. He satisfies our needs and hopes. He clothes us and forgives us and establishes us. He grows us. He lights our way. He protects us. He exerts justice. The Lord is our King and comfort. 

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 131

Psalm 131:1-3

131:1 To be humble before the Lord is to open our minds wide to His wisdom and instruction. Haughtiness is interference; when we think that we known best, we neglect the counsel from God that truly is best. God instructs us to be invested in the present day (Matthew 6:33) and to comfort us with that, He reminds us that He will take care of everything ahead and in the periphery (Matthew 6:34). 

For much is too profound for us, but nothing is too complex for God. He can arrange for us to have what we need, and He will be able to do so efficiently because He knows what we need. Therefore, we have no reason to worry. 

131:2 When we trust and delve into that counsel from God, we are able to quiet the noise and the anxiety within us. We are raised by God to be strong and solemn of soul, mind and spirit. For God's spiritual nourishment raises us better than any worldly "wisdom" ever could.

131:3 As God's children, we hope in the Lord because He proven Himself willing and capable of hope-fulfillment. Right now and forever we hope in Him and daily that faithful hope revives us, rejuvenates us. Calms us. Feeds us. Fills us. Animates and inspires. Leads and corrects. That hope loves us and fulfills us every single day.

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 130

Psalm 130:1-8

130:1-2 From all of the places life and emotions take us, we pray to God. From the depths and from the heights. We pray for Him to hear and be attentive. The blessed reality for children of God is that He always answers our supplication in the affirmative. He happily hears and willingly answers; He efficiently solves the issues we bring to Him. 

130:3-4 Our God is unmarred. He is perfectly pure and righteous. Compared to Him, we are quite marked with flaw. Yet His forgiveness is deep and wide and compassionate enough to see beyond the marks. He deserves our praise because even though we do not deserve His forgiveness, He gives it. 

130:5-6 Wait patiently on God. Wait for His will to decide the matters of your life; listen to His advice. Wait for Him throughout life until united with Him. Maintain the faith. More than anything, it is the Lord's presence that we eagerly anticipate in every situation. 

130:7-8 The Psalmist encourages us to hope in the Lord. To trust in His promises. In Him we have redemption from all the marks we have acquired.

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 129

Psalm 129:1-8

129:1-4 This Psalm is a grateful acknowledgement of the success of God's defense on our behalf against our enemies. People come against us and fears try to overwhelm us, but God conquers them all. 

129:5-8 Shame and destruction is the destination of corruption and evil behavior. A life of iniquity is devoid of peace and blessing.

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 128

Psalm 128:1-5

128:1 Blessed is everyone who reveres God and walks in His ways. To revere God is to respect and trust and agree with His philosophy of righteousness. And the path of righteousness is blessed. To walk in God's ways is to follow, steadfastly the law and commandments He has established as wise and fruitful.

128:2-4 And to do so is to have every aspect of your life blessed by God. The work you do with your hands, the relationships you create in your heart. God causes the righteous to prosper; He takes care of the people we love. He secures and protects our homes and our tables. He fills and satisfies our bellies and our minds. And so we, wisely, gratefully, revere Him. 

128:5-6 The Lord blesses His children all the days of their lives; His loves continues to their posterity. Peace is His gift to His children. And peace is His presence and His promises.

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 127

Psalm 127:1-5

127:1 It is useless, senseless to live without God. It is the will and hand of God that gives us life and gives quality to our lives:

Unless the Lord builds the house, 

They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the Lord guards the city,

The watchman stays awake in vain. 

For we cannot go against God. We cannot create what He has not already created. A simple scientific fact: matter cannot be created or destroyed. It is our God who has the power that we cannot even fathom. In other words, unless God has sanctioned it and constructed it (any element or relationship or idea in life) it has no value, no security, no depth, no permanence, no significance.  

127:2 We need not succumb to sorrowful desperation. Because God gives to His beloved sheep. He claims us and claims responsibility for us. He leads us, provides for us, protects us. Anxiety need not whittle away at us, for we are God's beloved. 

127:3-5 God ensures that His children are fruitful; and God decides in what way and what type of fruit we produce. He will enable each of His committed children to prosper. We cannot do anything except prosper when we follow God. He will not allow us to be ashamed; for a life committed to God is a life with purpose, value and meaning. It is productive and fruitful. Protected. Prosperous. 

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 126

Psalm 126:1-6

126:1-3 The people of God had rebelled against Him. They had rejected God's will and God's way of righteousness to follow corrupt pursuits. They became slaves to their sins rather than students of their Lord. They gave in to temptations, chasing greed and power. They neglected their vows of righteous obedience to God. So when God had mercy on them and brought them out of the chaos they caused for themselves, they were stunned with joy and gratitude. For they knew that though they did not deserve it, God had granted forgiveness and restoration anyway. They came to realize  that was God more compassionate than they even thought. 

126:4 In the spirit of gratitude, they prayed to be brought back from captivity. 

126:5-6 And that place of redemption is a special one. In the place we see opportunity more abundant and brighter than ever before. We have learned and grown from our journey of discipline. And so we sow more goodness, reap more joy.