God, safety is found in you.
Rescue me from the things that want to take me away from you.
Don’t let them get a hold of my life or they will destroy me – like falling into a cage of hungry lions. 
 
Lord, if I’m the one who started the argument or craved someone else’s house, or job, or spouse, then I guess I must pay the consequences of my sin.
May I be destroyed by my actions and put to death for this way of living.
 
But you are the God of resurrection!
You get angry over sin and plan to conquer it and declare your rule and justice.
You are the king over everyone. 
You will judge everyone – including me.
 
Lord, if you judge me based on how good I am, or how honest I’ve been, I will not come close to your standard.
I may be able to fool others, but you know the secret places of my life and what is really going on inside me. 
God, destroy the sin in me so that I can stand secure in you.
I don’t want to keep crawling in my sin.
 
God, you are my protection and salvation.
You save those who have a heart for you.
You are always right in what you do.
And you have a right to be angry over our sin. 
If we do not turn from our sin you have a right to strike us hard.
You have the right to shoot to kill, because that is all sin deserves. 
 
If I want to get pregnant by Evil what do I expect but to give birth to the twins Trouble and Disillusionment?
Now I’m raising these brats. 
And when their friends Scandal and Violence come over to play they make a mess of everything.
This is no way to live.
Why didn’t I abort these babies before they were born?
Better yet, why did I sleep with Evil in the first place?
 
Lord, may I stay in a love relationship with you. 
May I run from Evil and live a good life according to your character.
Then I’ll be able to sing songs because I have given birth to Joy rather than to those terrible children Trouble and Disillusionment. 

Devotion by Cora Goodyear  
Psalm 7
A shiggaion (probably a literary or musical term) of David
 
In Psalm 7, David appeals to God to deliver him from his enemies. He asks for God (who in v9, searches minds and hearts) to judge the peoples, put an end to the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure. In v10, David states that God is his shield who saves the upright in heart. In v11, he states that God is also a righteous judge who expresses his wrath. David ends the psalm promising that he will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
 
Psalm 7:8 “let the Lord judge the peoples. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High”
 
In v8, David pleaded for God to judge his heart, see that he was innocent and that he could stand firm in his integrity. Perhaps, this psalm refers to 1 Samuel 24:11, David tells Saul that he is not guilty of wrong doing or rebellion.
 
Most of us have had instances in life when people have brought false accusations against us. They have injured us, hurt us and were made in order to destroy our integrity.
 
But if we have judged our own hearts and feel innocent of those accusations we, as David did, can pray to God. God is our God. He is a righteous God and he will defend us.
 
David said about his accusers in v12 ‘if he does not relent’ (or repent), God will sharpen his sword against them. God will defend us too. The accuser(s), by causing trouble for others, will bring violence down on their own head(s). We must always be conscious that sinners can repent before God sharpens his sword. We must pray for that, as well.
 
Point: To remember God is a righteous judge.
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​

Lord, when you need to correct me, please don’t be angry.
Discipline me with love, not hatred.
Show me your mercy.
I am a weak person.
 
I need healing.
My bones ache, give me relief.
My insides are in turmoil.
 
How long will you remain distant?
How long must I wait for an answer from you?
I know I’ve messed up, but I need you to come back to me.
I need you to save me from myself.
Save me because you still love me.
 
Lord, if you let me die like this, how am I going to remember you?
I can’t worship you if I’m dead in the ground.
 
All this pleading with you wears me out.
It keeps me up at night.
Tossing! Turning! Sweating! Crying!
My sheets are soaked and uncomfortable because of my restlessness.
I wake up tired.
My eyelids are heavy.
People take one look at me and can see that things are not right.
I’m sick and tired of all my sins.
I want them to go away.
Lord, I’m begging you to set me free from the things that put my life in such despair.
 
I know you hear my prayers.
I know you show mercy.
I know you desire my freedom from sin.
You will defeat these sins of mine and one day they will be destroyed forever. 

Devotion by Cora Goodyear
Psalm 6
A psalm of David
According to sheminith (probably a musical term).
 
This psalm incorporates David asking God not to rebuke or discipline him but rather to be merciful to him, heal him and deliver him. His soul is in anguish because of his enemies. He ends the psalm saying God has heard his cry for mercy and accepted his prayer.
 
Psalm 6:2-3 “Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish…”
 
David asks in v2 for God to be merciful and heal him and says in v3 that his soul is in turmoil.
 
As the Lord said in Ex.33:19 “… I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” We also know that Isaiah 57:15 says “… I live in a high and holy place but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
 
How wonderful it is that we have a God we can appeal to when we are sick – either in body or soul. God wants us to come to him, in our distress.
 
He wants us to be penitent, if necessary. God is with us when we are sorry or contrite and it is He who can heal when He chooses.
 
Point: To remember God is a merciful God.

​Listen to me Lord, even when all I have to offer you is my exhaustion.
Listen to me when I cry for help.
You are my king and my God and so you are the only one I can pray to.
 
I try to meet with you in the morning; when I do, please let me know that you are listening.
When I lay my requests before you don’t ignore me and leave me to struggle throughout the day.
I’m powerless on my own and so I wait, and I hope for your intervention.
 
You are not a God who enjoys evil.
In fact, wicked people can’t come close to you without getting burned.
Arrogant people make you gag.
You hate those who willfully do wrong.
You destroy liars and murderers.
These are the kind of people you despise.
 
I don’t want to be like that.
That is why I come to you each morning.
Pleading and begging and falling on my face.
You are a holy God and I want to please you.
I need you to lead me in your ways.
Don’t let me sin or the devil take me down the wrong road.
Keep me on the road that leads straight into the arms of Jesus.
 
I can’t trust people who don’t trust in you.
Their hearts are filled with selfishness.
They care only about their own desires – even though these lead to death.
They lie to themselves and murder others with their words.
Why am I even tempted by that path Lord?
 
I know you are going to declare these people guilty.
I know that their sins are going to ruin them forever.
They will be eternally separated from life and the Giver of Life.
Nothing good can come out of rebelling against you.
 
But those who find their shelter in you find contentment.
They find true happiness and are able to sing songs of joy.
 
Lord, protect me from self, sin, and Satan.
I want to build my house on you.
Then I am protected by a shield that covers me from every angle.
For when I am with you, I am not only protected, but you delight in me and enjoy playing with me as one of your prized children.

Devotion by Cora Goodyear
Psalm 5
A psalm of David
In this psalm, David asks God to answer his prayer. He speaks of the displeasure God has of those who do evil but David appeals to God to lead him in God’s righteousness. He ends the psalm by praying that those who take refuge in God may rejoice because of Gods protection, blessings and favour to them.
 
Psalm 5:3 “Morning by morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”
 
In v1 and 2, David asks God to listen to him and consider his prayer. Then in v3, David waits for an answer.
 
In v3, one aspect of David’s prayers is to pray in the morning. This appears to be a routine habit of his. The phrase ‘morning by morning’ is repeated twice for emphasis. This is a reminder for us to also pray in the morning. Why?

1. Because we are the freshest when we awaken. It is after a night’s sleep when our thinking is much more alert than it usually is at the end of a day.
2. It is good to pray before the new day starts. We do not know what the day will behold. We may encounter enemies, be faced with temptations, come face to face with strangers, others we have not seen recently or family members. We may have to discern how to proceed in difficult situations. We may need to have a cognizance of others who may need a word of encouragement. What will happen each new day is unknown.
3. Prayer starts our day off well. We can give God any concerns or burdens we may have. By giving them to God, we can rest in the comfort they are in his hands. And he who is righteous and wise will consider them. We can start our day being unburdened with our cares in this world.
4. We can ask God to strengthen us, guide us with his holy spirit and give us wisdom during the day.

Mornings are when the sun rises, new adventures lay before us and we should be ready to embark upon them.
 
Point: Prayer in the morning is beneficial. 

Lord, why don’t you answer when I call?
If you’re really a good God why don’t you give me a break from my anxiety?
Show some mercy and answer my prayers.
I’m begging you!
 
But you do answer back.
You answer with questions.
Asking me how long it will be until I answer you.
How long will I ignore your son Jesus?
How long will I ignore your beauty and play in the mud?
How long will I run after false illusions when you have given me the real thing?
 
You continually remind me that you have set apart your followers and do answer their prayers.
 
Lord, there are a lot of things to get angry about.
Help me to get angry without sinning.
I don’t always get that right.
Even when I’m rightly angry I can wrongly behave. 
Guilty as charged.
A gentle answer can be so much more effective.
 
When I lay on my bed may I take the time to search my heart and see if there are idols idling away my life.
May I not get distracted by the noise of busyness, but find quietness in you to do a real heart examination.
May the things I do please you.
May I trust in you whether I hear from you or not.
 
Many people are asking, “Where are all the good people?”
Lord, empower your children and light up our faces so that the world can see that your followers are good.
Good because we have found our goodness in you.
May we be convinced that living for you is where we find true joy and pleasure.
Better than any party anyone can offer. 
Keep us from diving back into the mud when you have given us a beach.
 
When I remain in you, you give me peace of mind so that I can lie down and sleep.
This is the answer to my anxiety.
It is only in your safe arms that I will find true fulfilment no matter what the circumstances may be.   

Devotion by Cora Goodyear
Psalm 4
A psalm of David
David, in this psalm, prays for God to hear and answer his prayer, to give him relief from his distress and to be merciful to him. He says to the men against him v3 “Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him” David also says in this psalm not to sin when angry, to offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord and he asks the Lord that the light of his face shine upon his people. He ends the psalm by saying that he will sleep in peace because the Lord makes him dwell in safety.
 
Psalm 4:3 “Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him.”
 
How wonderful it is to know that God has set us apart for himself. We have a special protection. As Matthew 18:6 says “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large milestone hung around his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.” As David says, God will hear our cry. How comforting it is to know, as God’s children, we have the ear of God, the King of Kings. He listens for our voice because we are special to him.

Point: God will hear us when we call out to him.
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 Lord, many people think my beliefs are silly.
Just the other day someone laughed at me and said, “You actually believe people are going to rise from the dead in their bodies? You believe in that hocus-pocus?”
 
Lord, protect me.
No matter what people think about me, I know you honour me and lift me up and restore me.
Isn’t that all that really matters anyway? 
I can call you anytime and you answer my prayers. 
 
I trust that when I lie down to sleep you are beside me.
You look after me and allow me to wake up refreshed.
All of my life finds its rest and refreshment in you. 
 
I don’t have to fear if there are millions on every side against me because you are the protective shield all around me covering my every side.
 
Lord, keep your promises!
Save me and raise me up on the last day.
May all who mock be defeated and have their jaws drop open when they see me rise from the grave.
 
You will save!
You will deliver!
You will raise the dead!
As your child I know I am safe with you and eternally blessed!
 
Devotion by Cora Goodyear
Psalm 3
A psalm of David
In this psalm, David writes that he has many enemies. But he says that God protects him, exalts him and answers his prayers. When he sleeps and awakens, he knows it is because the Lord sustains him. Therefore, he does not fear the tens of thousands against him. He asks for God to deliver him. His confidence of who can deliver him is shown in v8 when he says “From the Lord comes deliverance…”
 
Psalm 3:5 “I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.”
 
David is fleeing from his son Absalom. His enemies are many – tens of thousands. Even though many in v2 say “God will not deliver him”, David is not dissuaded by this. He does not turn away from God but instead he turns to him. He cries out to God and knows God will answer him.
 
It is the same for us. When others are against us – we can cry out to God. And despite the circumstances surrounding us, we can be like David in v5, content and know that God will sustain us as well. We can be confident that God will provide us safety, exalt us, answer our prayers and deliver us. We need not fear. If God is for us, who can be against us.
 
Point: The Lord will sustain us.
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​Lord, why do so many people fight against you?
Why do so many people think their own path is better than yours?
World leaders stand against you.
They want nothing to do with Jesus.
They hope they can crush your people through persecution or by tempting them to accommodate to a way of life that doesn’t please you.
 
God, you laugh at our futile attempts to rule ourselves.
You mock us and make us pay with your anger.
You have put your king in charge. King Jesus!
He is going to come back again and show everyone who is really in charge.
 
This is your plan:
Father in heaven, you have anointed your Son to be the ruler of all people.
All the nations belong to him.
Everything on earth is under his authority.
Jesus will rule and not let evil people exist.
Jesus will make those who disregard him as useless as broken dishes.
 
Knowing this our leaders ought to be wise and good.
They should take this as a warning.
They should serve Jesus.
They should rule with healthy fear and know that they will be held accountable for their actions by King Jesus.
They should bow to Jesus and rule according to his standards if they do not want to face his anger.
For when Jesus gets angry – look out!
He destroys every object of his anger.
This could happen at any moment, for he will come back when least expected.
If they want to be blessed instead of cursed they would be wise to stay close to the Leader of leaders.
 

Devotion by Cora Goodyear
Psalm 2
This psalm is a prophecy of Christ: v7 says “… You are my Son…” v8 says “Ask of me, and I will make you the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” And v12 says “Kiss the Son…” The psalm also includes a warning to kings and rulers to be wise and serve the Lord. The psalm ends with v12 saying “…Blessed are all who take refuge in him”
 
Psalm 2:8 “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, and the ends of the earth your possession.”
 
In v8 – God, before Jesus was born, proclaimed a decree that he would give Jesus the following as his inheritance-

1. the nations. The nations would include all people, the Gentiles as well as the Jews. And as scripture says, one day ‘every knee shall bow’ before Him (Romans 14:11) The most precious possession Jesus inherited in the nations are the Christians who he would call his own.
2. the ends of the earth would be His possession. Jesus inherited everything.

 
How wonderful to know the nations and all the earth are inherited by Jesus. He who became human, paid in price for our sins and intercedes for us with God.
 
Parents often leave their children an inheritance – their possessions. They do so because their children are their sons or daughters and because they care for them. God did the same for His son ‘Jesus’. God decreed that Jesus would inherit the nations and all the earth which he had created. Jesus would have power both over people and all the earth.
 
That is a much greater inheritance than any of us humans will inherit or could ever imagine. But we can rest in the knowledge that it’s our King (a King we have chosen) who is in control of the nations and the uttermost parts of the world.
 
Point: To remember we are the most precious inheritance of Jesus.
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​Lord, you bless the person who does not follow the advice of bad people.
You bless the person who does not live after their sinful desires.
You bless the person who does not disregard your way of life.
 
Lord, you want your children to love your ways and to think about them all the time.
When we do this, we are like a tree that is close to water.
We become healthy and produce lots of good fruit and all at the right time.
We do not become weak or feel like giving up.
Whatever we do is blessed.
 
But things are not like this for people who disregard you.
Those people are like fluff that blows away with the wind.
Those people are not protected by you and have no place with your children.
 
You watch over your children and give them life when they strive after your ways.
But you also make sure that the path sinners take ends in death. 

Devotion by Cora Goodyear
The psalmist here writes of how blessed the man is who delights in the law of the Lord. He says this man is like a tree planted by streams of water. And he compares these men with wicked men who are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Psalm 1:3 “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not whither. Whatever he does prospers”

Trees come in all kinds of shapes, sizes and colours. Some are gnarled and rotten and others are straight and healthy.

But what is more beautiful to the eye than a straight, healthy tree. Its roots soaked in the water surrounding it. Trees often display their coats of many colours. The branches of some trees droop with fruit seasonally and certain trees have leaves which do not wither.

That is what we look like to God – trees of life. We are fed by rivers of water. Firstly, we are fed with God’s great plan of salvation and secondly, we are fed by His word. Fruit appears on us for the seasons which God ordains and our leaves do not wither. Others pick from the fruit we offer, consume it and hopefully pay it forward.

We are blessed because we separate ourselves from the ungodly and we meditate on God’s word. If we were only one with the ungodly, we would not be watered by God who provides us sustenance. Our roots would be unhealthy, our trunk would become gnarled or bent, our leaves would wither and we would be barren of fruit. We would be unproductive and die, never having served the purpose God had for us.

How pleased God must be when he looks at us and sees trees of life.
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Point: May we be a tree of life.