OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 56

Psalm 56:1-13

56:1-2 Without God, the world would easily swallow us up. Psalmist from ancient days wrote about fears and weariness we experience today. Then and now, we have a God who enables us to persevere and find freedom.

56:3-4 "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust I will not fear." Put your fear in perspective by placing it next to your God. Our fears are rendered powerless when we exert our trust in God. We all fear, and our fears vary, but ultimately, God covers all who call on Him. 

56:5-7 While the enemy and fear that restrict us prey and pounce, God loves us fiercely. Intricately. No fear or enemy can come against the ferocity of His love and protection. 

56:8-11 God knows where you are, precisely: Emotionally, Physically. Our steps and tears are counted, saved. Our prayers are heard and their sound turns our enemies away. The Psalmist trusted these truths because he remembered that God is for His child.

As the Psalmist did, repeat the statement in your heart: In God I have put my trust, I will not be afraid. Put your fear into perspective by placing it next to the endless might and grace and compassion of your God. Who can be against you, if God is for you? (Romans 8:31)

56:12-13 Pray to God and praise Him. Consistently. Simultaneously. Express gratitude as He delivers you into peace. As He supports you even when the floors fall in. God enables you to continue to walk in strength and peace; His light is a hearth and guide.

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 55

Psalm 55:1-23

55:1-3 Plagued with pain and fear and desperation, surrounded by enemies and oppression, pray. Communication with God is your tunnel out of any place. It is also your tunnel into peace. The Psalmist was restless and afraid but knew that freedom from those things came through his relationship with God. 

55:4-8 When you need wings, when you need escape, you have flight in faith. 

55:9-11 Pray for God to divide and conquer the establishments, the people who harm you. God's wisdom and power have more authority over the situation than you ever will have. 

55:12-15 No matter the source of the pain, the symptom of the problem, God is able to help you bear it. He is able to thwart what is against you.

55:16-17 Though others may neglect or abandon Him, but we will call upon God. We know that He will hear and care and answer in action. Throughout the day, throughout the night if sleep evades, pray. Without ceasing. Keep to connection of communicate alive and honest. 

55:18-19 Our soul is adopted, submerged into redemption and peace though the battle wishes to continue to rage. Pray, give God permission to take over your battle. You cannot bear it without Him; He will instantly win. He will steadily lead you out of the war zone. He will be the balm and map as you walk out of it. 

55:20-21 Unrighteousness cannot expect to maintain a relationship with God. God knows each person's heart; He knows our truest thoughts and intentions and if they are not good, they are against God. That which is against God fails.

55:22 God will sustain you. He can carry the load for you. When you are weak, because of His strength, you are strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). 

55:23 No matter what your sadness or barrier or oppression, remember that God will cause to crumble the house of the wicked and all of its dwellers. End every thought and prayer as this Psalmist did: But I will trust in You. Pray for things and people and places but ultimately, give God's will authority over every prayer. Every element of your life. He knows best and acts, inevitably, in righteousness. Trust. 

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 54

Psalm 54:1-7

54:1-3 Whatever you need to be rescued from, appoint God as your rescuer. For only He is able. He hears and has the strength to answer in action. The Psalmist felt targeted, trapped... yet believed that even in an impossible situation, God could change the circumstances. The Psalmist knew that those against God, could never prevail against God's child.

54:4-5 Make the declaration over your life and in your soul: God is my helper. Trust in Him, remind yourself. God will support those who support you and disable those who do not. Your trust initiates His power over your precise position within the situation.

54:6-7 Willingly, freely, faithfully devote yourself to God. He devotes Himself and His whole, holy arsenal to you. Praise Him for He is good every day, in every place. He is our helper and hero. He pulls us out of trouble and places us in peace, even when the enemy (the pain, the oppression, the fear) seems to hold us in their sight.

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 53

Psalm 53:1-6

53:1 It would be foolish of us to overlook the order in nature. God has orchestrated a efficient, natural system we can observe from the precision of the earth and flora and fauna within it. It would be foolish to ignore the order of righteousness, the law of goodness and mercy. It would be harmful for us to reject it, to deprive the world of our best behavior and intention.

53:2-3 From His place God searches for loyalty and obedience to righteousness. God searches for those who understand the natural righteous order. With those people, He changes lives, families, communities, and nations. God seeks those who seek God; to be found by God is to be rescued, positioned, protection, sustained, established and sent forth. To be found by God is to be blessed, so seek Him.

53:4-5 There were times in history, and there are places and people now, that have no loyalty to God. Without agents of good will, the world suffers. So call upon God, elect to work with Him, for Him. God protects His family, His people; He scatters our enemies as well as our fear. 

53:6 We await God's return, to be gathered back to Him. We rejoice now at the prospect and will rejoice then at the reality.

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 52

Psalm 51:1-9

52:1-4 It is fruitless for the oppressor or wicked man to celebrate his wealth and authority. The Psalmist reminds us that the goodness of God endures continually; we can rely on God to inevitably dismantle the kingdoms and institutions of the evil. Because of God, we know we can persist within their temporary reign.

52:5-7 The Psalmist writes to that crooked person as an admonition. The evil can expect destruction, though they are often too proud or stubborn to realize. But as God's child, be aware, remember that evil has been sentenced to death. Shame will overtake the arrogant.

52:8 Those who trust in God, however, thrive. The oil, the love and anointed the righteous receive from God, retains and sustains their life. They grow in wisdom and strength and righteousness. 

52:9 Praise God for His protection and plans over your life. Wait on God for He is good.

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 51

Psalm 51:1-19

51:1-4 Take time to request God's abundant mercy. For though He deserves perfection, He chooses the imperfect. He chooses us. The more aware we are of how magnanimous our God, the more aware we are of the elements of ourselves we can improve on. The more aware we are of the elements we can improve on, the more capable we become within God's plan for us.

51:5-6 In 1 Corinthians 15, this idea of being born into iniquity is explored further. The vessels (our bodies) we exist in on earth have tendencies toward selfishness and desire; the psalmist admits that fact. Honestly is our first step with God; admitting our weakness in the rawest, deepest parts of us exposed to God allows Him to change those places with wisdom.

51:7-11 We do not claim perfect; in fact we admit our imperfection and welcome God's grace and discipline into those places. We seek His presence not because we deserve it but because we thrive in His love, are amended by it.

51:12-13 Restoration. Joy. Salvation. Support. Generosity. Instruction. Conversion. An obedient, loyal child of God is a construction zone and He is doing a mighty work. He provides so many tools and scaffolding. We must commit to the work. We must be accept the change and renovation. We must allow Him to rework our lives and lifestyles. 

51:14-17 In Isaiah 1:11 and Hosea 6:6 God made it clear that He does not desire blood sacrifice. He hopes for us to sacrifice our agenda for His. 

The Psalmist speaks of praise and praise shall ever be on our lips because of God's righteousness working in our lives. A child commitment to God will see His hand in the details of their life. 

51:18-19 The Psalmist hoped for God's children to live in harmony with His principles, for a life of gratitude and praise, persistence and loyalty. These details of the Psalms are important applications to our own lives. It is easy to become distracted and even dismayed. But steadfast commitment and hope and praise to God will keep us tethered and afloat. 

OT: The Book of Psalms, Psalm 50

Psalm 50:1-23

50:1-2 Our God is mighty because from Him we can except light in darkness and strength in weakness. Only His spirit provides such impossible restoration and perseverance. Our God is present and reliable; He is, consistently, all of the qualities we need to survive and hope and love. 

50:3 He has made declarations and promises and He follows through with all of them; a hearth to His children and an incinerator of evil.

50:4-6 His return is a reunion and also a new union with His people. Those who dedicate their lives to righteousness will be gathered with Him.

50:7-11 Our righteous lifestyle pleases God; our best sacrifice to Him are the sacrifices of time and resources we make for Him to assist and His children. In ancient generations, people sacrificed animals but Jesus showed us how to sacrifice properly. He taught us to share our blessings, to let God's goodness abound through us.

50:12-15 Since our God is the creator, everything created is His. He does not rely on us for sustenance, we need Him. He chooses to deliver us and for that, we choose to glorify Him.

50:16-21 God has no patience for hypocrites, authoritarians or oppressors. He cannot help the stubborn or proud because of their own resistance to constructive criticism, disciple or training. God does not approve of thieves or liars or slanderers. But rebuke will come to them and God will establish order before them in the place where they once stood.

50:22-23 We do not have to live life by ourselves; we have a powerful, loving Father in God. Praise and glorify, align your life with His principles and salvation will transform your life.