Monday, September 24th Read Psalm 105:1-15 1 Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 2 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. 3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. 4 Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. 5 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, 6 you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. 7 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 8 He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, 9 the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. 10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: 11 To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit. 12 When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it, 13 they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. 14 He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: 15 Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.
The psalm praises the Lord s faithfulness to Abraham and his descendants as it recognizes the historical fulfillment of the Lord s promises. Here, giving thanks to the Lord is more than a mere, Thanks, God. This depicts naming the specific reason for gratitude, telling a story with God as the hero. The author of Psalm 105 understood that when God did wonderful things, the glory should not be given to God s people, even if they are in some sense active in the work, the glory should go unto God and His holy name. Though God displayed His great miracles right before their eyes, the people soon forgot His amazing works. In verse five, the psalm reads, remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced. God foreknew grumbling and complaining would take place in the future. He foreknew the envy that would rise up against Moses and Aaron, the unbelief of His promises and the pleasant land He had provided for them. He foreknew and how the Israelites would embrace false gods of the cultures around them. How it would seem harmless enough at first, but little by little they fell. The fell so far the holy land was no longer a place of comfort to them. It became an unfit place to receive God s blessings and He brought judgment upon them, or rather, they brought it upon themselves. He chose to forgive and restore them, not because of anything they had done, but because He is full of mercy and eternally faithful to His promises. Israel s example shows us it is possible to witness great miracles and be the focus of great mercies and still have harden hearts. They believed His promises, but only when they were in the process of receiving good. Their faith was not a genuine saving faith that endured, but a superficial faith they forgot as soon as trials approached. Let s pray for God to give us a good memory, so we might not forget how many times we have been miraculously delivered from oppressive captivity of our own making and how many times God has provided abundant care and guidance while we wandered through the wilderness. Give us a heart of genuine faith to follow God regardless of our circumstances. 10 MINUTES IN THE WORD: Psalms. ZONDERVAN, 2018. Guzik, David. Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm. Enduring Word, David Guzik Https://Enduringword.com/Wp-Content/Uploads/2016/04/header_logo.Svg, 2018, enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm. Tuesday, September 25th Read Psalm 105:16-27 16 He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food; 17 and he sent a man before them Joseph, sold as a slave.
18 They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, 19 till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the LORD proved him true. 20 The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free. 21 He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, 22 to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom. 23 Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob resided as a foreigner in the land of Ham. 24 The LORD made his people very fruitful; he made them too numerous for their foes, 25 whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to conspire against his servants. 26 He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. 27 They performed his signs among them, his wonders in the land of Ham. The psalmist understood the injustice and misfortune that came upon Joseph was ordained by God, so that in His plan he could be sent ahead to Egypt to save the patriarchs and the whole region from famine. Joseph s pain in his slavery was real yet did not make void the plan of God. His season of affliction was a time when the Word of the Lord tested him. Yet he emerges from his captivity well qualified to take the helm of Egypt. Joseph was brought low, but also lifted up in God s timing. He was given authority over all the possessions of the house, and authority over princes and elders. After God sent Joseph ahead, He brought the people of Israel into the land of Egypt for their own provision and protection as a people. They were able to grow greatly and eventually became stronger than their enemies. The people of Israel were welcomed into the land of Egypt in the days of Joseph, but in later generations were hated and made into slaves for the Egyptians (Exodus 1:7-12). God is the blessed Controller of all things. He has assigned us our portion and our cup; God is in control of all the uncontrollable in our lives. What we can t see, what doesn t make sense to us and what we don t understand. The very hairs of your head are all numbered
(Mathew 10:30). Since God has meticulously numbered each strand of our hair, He surely knows all the problems in our lives. What God decrees for us is for our good. In the midst of great trouble and doubt, Job emphatically asserted, I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted (Job 42:2). No difficulty, pain or trial happens to us by chance. There are no accidents, no mistakes and no miscalculations. All is under His sovereign control, and nothing is permitted but what He has decreed. And what He has decreed is intended for our good and for His glory. His absolute sovereignty means that I can trust Him with my tiniest doubt or with my most heart-wrenching fear. In Psalm 23, David said he did not fear evil. He knew God, so he had nothing to fear since the One who controlled everything was on his side. Dillow, Linda. Calm My Anxious Heart: a Woman's Guide to Finding Contentment. NavPress, 2007. Guzik, David. Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm. Enduring Word, David Guzik Https://Enduringword.com/Wp-Content/Uploads/2016/04/header_logo.Svg, 2018, enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm. Wednesday, September 26th Read Psalm 105:28-45 28 He sent darkness and made the land dark for had they not rebelled against his words? 29 He turned their waters into blood, causing their fish to die. 30 Their land teemed with frogs, which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers. 31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country. 32 He turned their rain into hail, with lightning throughout their land; 33 he struck down their vines and fig trees and shattered the trees of their country. 34 He spoke, and the locusts came, grasshoppers without number; 35 they ate up every green thing in their land, ate up the produce of their soil. 36 Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land, the first fruits of all their manhood. 37 He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold,
and from among their tribes no one faltered. 38 Egypt was glad when they left, because dread of Israel had fallen on them. 39 He spread out a cloud as a covering, and a fire to give light at night. 40 They asked, and he brought them quail; he fed them well with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert. 42 For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham. 43 He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; 44 he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for 45 that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws. In order to understand these plagues, we need to understand that they were directed against the gods and goddesses the people of Egypt followed. The plagues were to show the superiority of the God of Israel to the Egyptian people. The final and greatest plague against the Egyptians was the terrible death of the firstborn in every household that was not protected by the blood of the Passover lamb. When Israel came out of Egypt, they marched out like a victorious army, with spoils which were virtually the reward of their long-enforced slavery. God, who is the absolute Lord of all property, empowered them to ask and receive the wages due to their great labor, during their captivity. The Egyptians were willing and ready to furnish them with anything required in order for them to leave. The Egyptians were so crushed by the many plagues, they were glad when the Israelites departed. Considering the immense number of men, women, children and livestock, it most certainly have appeared extraordinary that there was none among them weak, feeble or unable to make the long journey on foot, as noted in verse 37. As they journeyed through the wilderness, God gave Israel protection of a cloud by day and fire to protect and give light by night. The covering of the cloud was to protect them from the heat of the sun, which in the hot and open desert, would otherwise have been intolerable to them. These remarkable symbols of God s presence and care were tangible realities of God to Israel during their wilderness journey. God miraculously supplied their needs by providing quail and manna, the bread of heaven, and water that gushed forth from the rock, like a river. God not only provided for His children, but abundantly so.
The psalmist gave a distinctly positive remembrance of Israel in the wilderness, not mentioning their many sins, rebellions and examples of unbelief. This is because the purpose and theme of the psalm was to remember the great works and wonders of God, and not to focus on the failings of man. To encourage Israel to worship and trust in the Lord because of all His saving acts and fulfillment of His covenant. God s faithfulness to Israel in bringing them out of Egypt, through the wilderness and into Canaan was all based on a fulfillment of His holy promise. God binds Himself by His promises and regards them as holy. Near the end of the psalm, the author reminds God s people of their responsibility. Keeping the teachings of the Lord is an expression of joyous gratitude for all the benefits the Lord has provided for His people. Psalm 105 ends with an expression of hallelujah, it is right and essential for God s people to remember His marvelous works and to praise Him for all He has done. Bible Hub. Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages. Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages, biblehub.com/. Guzik, David. Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm. Enduring Word, David Guzik Https://Enduringword.com/Wp-Content/Uploads/2016/04/header_logo.Svg, 2018, enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm. Thursday, September 27th Read Psalm 107:1-16 1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, 3 those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. 4 Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. 5 They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. 6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 7 He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. 8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
9 for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. 10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, 11 because they rebelled against God s commands and despised the plans of the Most High. 12 So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. 13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. 14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. 15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 16 for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron. Give thanks to the Lord. The psalmist starts with these words as a passionate appeal to the listeners to give thanks to God, because He is good. Another way to say his love endures forever, is His lovingkindness is everlasting. Lovingkindness is the best English word to translate the Hebrew term chesed, but it is woefully inadequate. Chesed is perhaps the most important word in the entire Old Testament because it effectively sums up the character of God. The colorful word is so steeped in Hebrew culture and theology that is has no equivalent in other languages. That explains why chesed has been rendered by different translations as mercy, kindness, lovingkindness and goodness among others. It describes God s covenant love for His people. A passionate, merciful, pursuing and unrelenting kindness that overlooks their inability to repay Him or even return His love. The psalm goes on to talk about those suffering in chains. When applying prison and chains to our own lives let us meditate on where we are imprisoned or what we are imprisoned by. For those who have not received Christ as their Savior are in bondage to sin and unbelief. They can neither believe God nor trust the promises of Scripture because sin has blinded their eyes to the truth that they need a Savior. Even followers of Christ, can find themselves in bondage to particular sins despite repeated attempts to change. Some of us struggle with more subtle kinds of enslavement. Habitual feelings of inferiority, insecurity, rejection or worthlessness can cloud our responses to life s challenges by altering our ability to think or act while undermining our trust and obedience to God.
The Lord wants us to walk in freedom and Jesus describes the pathway. He says if we continue in God s Word, we will know the truth, and it will set us free (John 8:31-32). First of all, we are liberated from sin and its condemnation through faith in Christ. Then, as we continue reading and meditating on Scripture, our mind, determination and emotions will be changed. The sins that once enticed us will become repugnant, and the emotional prisons will be opened as we discover our position in Christ. Guzik, David. Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm. Enduring Word, David Guzik Https://Enduringword.com/Wp-Content/Uploads/2016/04/header_logo.Svg, 2018, enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm. In Touch Ministries. Truth Can Set You Free. Daily Devotion, InTouch.org, 25 August 2018, https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/truth-can-set-you-free Swindoll, Charles R. Living the Psalms: Encouragement for the Daily Grind. Worthy Publishing, 2012. Friday, September 28th Read Psalm 107:17-32 17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. 18 They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. 19 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. 20 He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. 21 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. 22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy. 23 Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. 24 They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep. 25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. 26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away. 27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits end. 28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. 32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders. Freedom is something we all love, but do we really know what it is? Some people think it s being able to choose or act with few if any restraints, limits or accountabilities. But that is what God calls rebellion because it s a rejection of authority, as each one does as he sees fit. (Some became fools through their rebellious ways, verse 17.) True freedom is being released from bondage to sin. That is only possible through the Lord Jesus Christ. They cried out to the Lord and he sent out his word. In other words, prayer changes things! A primary purpose of prayer is to discover the Lord s will for our lives. As we seek His way, He works in our hearts and minds to guide us with His Word and develop our understanding of the situation. Then our eyes will be opened to His point of view, so we can pray according to His will. And when we pray for His will to be done in His timing, we ll be amazed at what He can accomplish. Prayer is a powerful tool by which God acts in this world. What is truly amazing is that He has given us the privilege of participating in His work by simply talking to Him. It s not that we change anything through prayer, but He has chosen to bring about change in conjunction with our requests. In ourselves, we have no ability to save unbelievers, heal the sick or overcome evil. However, we can pray and watch God mightily intervene in our lives, homes, churches and world. The verses that end today s reading are addressed to the storm-tossed. One thing common to everyone is the experience of going through storms. Whether these are literal weather events, personal trauma, or the turmoil caused by war and social unrest, we all face circumstances over which we have little control. Some storms are over quickly, whereas others seem unending, some cause little damage, but others leave great devastation in our lives. Where do these storms come from? At times we bring them into our own life through choices we make, but other times they re caused by someone else s actions. It may even
be that the devil has stirred up some adversity to distract or hinder us. Or perhaps God wants us to let go of something we need to surrender to Him. It could be that He is conforming us to His image (Rom. 8:29) or equipping us to serve Him. How do we respond to storms? When we struggle against God because we don t like the hardship we re going through, it is an indication we don t trust Him. Instead of trusting that He is working good in our life, we may wrongly believe He s trying to hurt us. At such times knowing Scripture is crucial for the believer. His Word is the immovable anchor in our storm. We can trust God because He is good. We can trust the Bible because, like God, it never changes. Believers must know how Scripture applies to life. Unless your belief system can withstand pressure, pain and criticism, you are at risk. Start building your Biblical foundation so you will have it in times of need. In Touch Ministries. Truth Can Set You Free. Daily Devotion, InTouch.org, 25 August 2018, https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/truth-can-set-you-free In Touch Ministries. Prayer Changes Things. Daily Devotion, InTouch.org, 9 August 2018, https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/prayer-changes-things In Touch Ministries. Our Anchor in Stormy Times. Daily Devotion, InTouch.org, 25 July 2018, https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/our-anchor-in-stormy-times/