Psalm 81 & 82: God Is Our Strength

Verse of the Day: (81:1) Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

Asaph, the prophet and musician, reminded Israel to sing praises to the Almighty God for His strength amid their weaknesses. Like a choir director, Asaph would joyfully lead the people in playing the musical instruments, the likes of timbrel, psaltery and trumpet, singing with joy and gladness, and praising God for who He is, and what He had done for, with, in and through them. Asaph reminded them of God’s grace, as though they murmured and complained against Moses in the wilderness that there was no water for them, which was actually the result of their unbelief and rebellion against God, yet God through Moses still graciously gave them water from the rock as He commanded Moses to strike it. That place was called Meribah where Israel failed God’s test, yet He still gave them water. (Exodus 17:1-7) Let us not test God’s grace, but truly trust and obey Him. Like Sara, who trusted God for His strength to conceive her son, Isaac, with Abraham, her husband, when both were already past the conceiving age, let us also through faith in God receive His strength to do the impossible for Him, and His glory. (Hebrews 11:11-19)

God through Asaph reprimanded Israel that if they would have feared and called upon Him, He would have richly satisfied and fed them with the finest wheat and honey from the rock, and gave them victory over their enemies, but instead time and again, they disobeyed and rebelled against Him, even until today. Let us therefore truly fear and call upon God, as He is able not only to satisfy our deepest need and desire, but to grant us victory over all our challenges, as He is our Saviour and Satisfaction. (Psalm 145:16-21)

The Almighty God through prophet Asaph warned Israel, and even the people today, that one day, He shall judge all men and women for our belief and conviction. Those who believe and trust in God shall be blessed as His children of the most High, and one day to be with Him in glorious heaven, while those who doubt and reject Him shall be judged and punished in fiery hell together with the devil and his demons. Let us truly believe in God, and stand fast in Him, never waver even amid crises and challenges, as He who calls us, shall surely help us go through this life now and forever. (1 Thessalonians 3:8-13)

Prayer of the Day:

Dearest God, please give me strength and satisfaction when I am weak and stressed.

Psalm 79 & 80: God Is Our Shepherd

Verse of the Day: (80:1) Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

Asaph cried out to God as the wicked enemies of Israel invaded and killed many of them leaving their corpses lying everywhere with no one to bury them. They also destroyed God’s holy temple and the city of Jerusalem leaving everything in complete ruin. Asaph knew that Israel, whom God had chosen them to be His people to live in holiness, and shine for His glory, before the people of this evil world, had failed to believe and trust in Him. This was why Israel’s enemies mocked at them, as to where was their God, who did not save them from their defeat. Indeed, God would not save Israel, unless they repent their sins and turn to Him. Until today, many of the people of Israel have yet to believe that Jesus is truly the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. Indeed, let us believe and trust in Jesus, living a holy life, and sharing the Gospel, that only He truly saves. (Acts 4:8-12)

Asaph prayed to God, the Shepherd of Israel, as well as the Almighty in glorious heaven between the cherubims, to forgive the sins of Israel, and to revive and restore them to Him for His glory and praise. However, time and again, Israel failed to repent their sins, revive and restore themselves to God. Let us who are truly God’s sheep, hear His voice and obey and follow Him wherever He leads us for His glory and praise. (John 10:11-18)

Though Asaph saw seemingly hopeless situation of Israel, yet God gave him hope, and encouraged him that He shall send forth a man of His right hand, the Son of man, who is none other than Jesus, coming to this earth, and to live and subsequently die and shed His precious blood to save the people from fiery hell, and one day, promote them to glorious heaven. Indeed, Jesus shall grant those who believe in Him strength amid their weak faith, and hope amid their hopelessness. Thanks be to God, that our greatest hope in this hopeless world, is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is at the right hand of His Father’s throne, interceding for and granting us His grace and power strengthening and solidifying our faith, so that we may glorify and praise Him now and forever. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Prayer of the Day:

Dearest God, thank You that You are my Shepherd leading me now and forever.

Psalm 77 & 78: God’s Glory

Verse of the Day: (78:61) And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand.

Why me? In time of tragedy, we may doubt God’s love and even His existence, and this was the case of Asaph as he cried to and questioned God. Whatever that Asaph was suffering, he kept reminding himself of God’s past blessings upon his life. Though he kept doubting God, yet he had experienced His greatness in his life. Indeed, let us trust and obey God, and experience His exceeding greatness in us, and looking forward to the glorious day that we shall be with Him in His eternal home in heaven. (Ephesians 1:15-23)

Though Asaph and Israel experienced God’s greatness, as their Rock and Redeemer, yet time and again they failed to trust and obey Him. Asaph reminded Israel of how God gave them His law so that they shall receive His blessings if they would obey them. However, they rebelled against Him. They were also reminded of how God miraculously sent the plagues to punish the Egyptians so that they would free them from slavery. Finally, God opened the Red sea for them to cross dry, but drown the pursuing Egyptians army. God then led them as a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire in the night throughout the wilderness. He provided them with daily manna, and even waters from the rock. God eventually defeated their enemies until they possessed the Promised Land. However, there was one battle when the Philistines defeated them, and took God’s ark with them, and this was the time when His glory and blessings departed from them. Indeed, throughout the history of Israel, until today, God is with them, and patiently waiting for them to repent their sins, and return to Him. (1 Samuel 4) Let us truly fear and worship God, and give Him all the glory due to Him now and forever. (Revelation 14:6-7)

Even though Israel time and again rebelled against God, yet He was faithful to them, and even raised up David, a shepherd boy, and guided him to be their King. God commended David as a man after His heart, and prophesied that Jesus, the Saviour of the whole world shall come from his linage. (Acts 13:22-24) Indeed, let us fully trust God, and let Him guide us, as we guide the spiritually blind to see His light of salvation. (Romans 2:12-20) 

Prayer of the Day:

Dearest God, please help me to live my life so that Your glory be always upon me.

Psalm 75 & 76: God’s Presents

Verse of the Day: (76:11) Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

Asaph, the musician and prophet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, penned this passage of Psalm, giving thanks to God that everything was from Him. God created the heavens and earth, and He sustained all lives, and He promoted people to leadership. Though some people may not deserve to be promoted, yet God has a purpose in His plan. This was the case when King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, but subsequently he hanged him for his wickedness, by the gallows which Haman built for Mordecai. (Esther 7) Indeed, everything is from God, and let us praise Him, knowing that ultimately the righteous shall be blessed, the wicked shall be punished, and He shall get all the praise. (Proverbs 3:35)

Asaph led the people of God in praising Him through spiritual songs, as they worship Him in spirit and truth in the sanctuary. (John 4:21-24) Though they might not understand God’s ways yet they knew that even man’s wrath could be used for His praise. The perfect example was Jesus’ crucifixion. It was man’s wrath that determined His crucifixion, as men chose Jesus, instead of Barabbas, the notorious prisoner, to be nailed on the cross. However, ultimately, it was God’s plan that Jesus must die as a Saviour of the whole world. (Matthew 27-28) Let us therefore trust God for everything, and praise Him for saving us out of spiritual darkness into His marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9-10) 

Asaph kept encouraging the people to praise God for who He is, and what He had done in, for, with and through them. He exhorted them to offer presents, the likes of gold, silver and materials for the construction of God’s sanctuary, as well as provision for the priests and Levites who served in the sanctuary. The people then willingly and gladly offered their presents to Him in gratitude of God’s precious salvation and blessings upon their lives. Asaph reminded them that God who promoted the kings and the princes, was also able to remove them from their thrones, and even cast their souls to eternal condemnation for their unbelief. Indeed, let us fear God, and present ourselves living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Him, as both are bodies and souls truly belong to Him. (Romans 12:1-2)

Prayer of the Day:

Dearest God, please help me to give my life to You which is my best present to You.

Psalm 73 & 74: The Sanctuary Of God

Verse of the Day: (73:17) Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

God not only spoke to King David in writing most of the book of Psalm, He also inspired Asaph, the musician and prophet to write portions of Psalm. (2 Chronicles 29:30) Asaph cried out to God for the seemingly injustice of this world as many wicked prospered and even died peacefully of old age, while many righteous suffered for His sake, and died in persecution. As a result of God’s seemingly passive response, the wicked are emboldened to continue in committing evil deeds. However, God is not mocked, as one day, the wicked will reap the consequences of their sins, and even if not on earth, it will be in fiery hell. Only when Asaph went to God’s sanctuary to study and meditate on His Word, did he understand His way in judging the wicked. Indeed, God loves the world, that He sent Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, to die and shed His precious blood on the cruel cross for the sins of the whole world. On the third day, Jesus arose from the grave, and is now the Minister of the heavenly sanctuary at the right hand of His Father’s throne, interceding for all who believe in Him in the new covenant of love and grace. (Hebrews 8)

Asaph thanked God for strengthening and encouraging him amid his weaknesses and infirmities, so that he could continue to do His works, sing for Him, and praise and declare all His works in saving souls from fiery hell to pearly heaven. Let us trust and obey God, and He shall strengthen and increase our faith now and forever. (Romans 5:6-8)

Though Asaph knew that God shall eventually judge the wicked, yet he still lamented that His sanctuary and synagogues were destroyed time and again. He prayed that God’s judgement be swift so that His name shall be glorified instead of being blasphemed. Asaph loved God knowing that He was working in the hearts of the people that they would all come to know His saving grace. He believed that the same God, who delivered Israel from the Egyptians by dividing the Red sea so that they could cross it dry, and fed them with manna and even waters from the rocks while they were in the wilderness, was able to save and sustain all who believed and trusted in Him. Let us thus believe in and receive Christ as our personal Saviour as now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

Prayer of the Day:

Dearest God, thank You that I understand Your way when I am in Your sanctuary.

Psalm 71 & 72: God Is My Rock

Verse of the Day: (71:3) Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I am continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

Have you ever hit rock-bottom? Have you ever reach the lowest and most depressing point of your life? Whatever situation you have been, let us reach out to the Rock of the bottom, Jesus Christ, who shall lift and raise us up to the highest and most joyous point of our lives! Each time as David experienced discouragement and depression amid crises and challenges, he prayed to his Rock and Fortress who would hear and help him. Since the day he was conceived in his mother’s womb, and when he believed his Rock, he would praise Him amid the shifting sand of life storms. Indeed, no one knew David best than his Rock. Let us therefore reach out to the Rock, the Son of the living God, as He promises those who believe in Him that He will build their faith as well as His beloved church in overcoming the fiery gates of hell, and the Devil and his demons, so that one day, we shall be with Him in His home in glorious heaven forever! (Matthew 16:13-19)

After David believed in God, his Rock, he began to stay close to Him, and drew His righteousness and strength amid his infirmities and weaknesses till the day he was promoted to pearly heaven. Throughout David’s life, God was his righteousness and salvation as he repented his sins, and believed in Him, and God was his peace amid confusion, and God was his comfort amid sorrow. As a musician, David sang praises to God with the psaltery and harp thanking Him for all that had happened in his life, whether good and bad, as he knew that they worked for good to him who truly loved God, and was called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) Indeed, let us awake to God’s righteousness, and be a shining light in this dark and evil world. (1 Corinthians 15:34)   

David was prepared to meet his Redeemer as he knew that he was precious in His sight as He had redeemed his soul from sins, and made him as His son. Let us be ready to meet God, as He is coming soon to judge the world, and only those who truly believe in Him shall be saved, while those who reject Him shall be cast into fiery hell. (Luke 21:25-28)

Prayer of the Day:

Dearest God, please help me to trust in You as my Rock each time I hit rock-bottom.

Psalm 69 & 70: God Of Redemption

Verse of the Day: (69:18)

Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.

God has not promised sky always blue, and flower never dies, and let us embrace suffering, and believe that He has a purpose for it. David cried out and prayed to God as his life was like in hell and high waters, yet he never gave up, as he believed in and waited upon Him. This psalm was a double prophecy of David’s as well as Jesus’ life. Both David and the Lord Jesus experienced extreme sufferings for God’s sake. This is especially for Jesus who committed no sin, yet He was tortured, tormented, and eventually crucified. (Matthew 27) Indeed, without God, David’s enemies were mightier than him, but with God, his enemies were like grasshoppers seen through his eyes of faith in Him. The more David trusted God, the more he felt like he was a stranger and fugitive in this world, as his enemies, and even his own family, treated him with animosity and hostilities. But praise be to God, as He sent His Son, Jesus, to die and shed His precious blood, and eternally redeemed us from fiery hell, that one day, we shall be promoted to glorious heaven. Let us keep praising and thanking our Redeemer. (Hebrews 9:11-12)

Many times, David cried out for help, and it seemed no one would hear him, except his God. This was also the case of Jesus, except for one incidence on the cruel cross, when He cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And this was because Jesus became the sin of the world and God, the Father, had to forsake Him from the 6^th to the 9^th hour. (Matthew 27:45-46) Let us thank Christ as when we believe in Him, our names are written in God’s book of life, and He shall see us in Christ’s righteousness now and forever. (Romans 4)  

Once saved, always saved, and once a child of God, always a child of God. King David encouraged his people to believe in God, and to rejoice in Him, as He had miraculously saved them from eternal condemnation, and one day, they shall be promoted to be with Him in heaven forever. Indeed, let us believe in and receive Christ as our personal Saviour and Lord, and we shall have a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. (Hebrews 3:1-6).

Prayer of the Day:

Dearest God, thank You for redeeming my soul from fiery hell to glorious heaven.

Psalm 67 & 68: The Presence Of God

Verse of the Day: (68:8) The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

At the time of my writing, we just celebrated the Golden Jubilee Anniversary of Singapore Bible Baptist Church, my church of 42 years since 1978. Our theme was By His Grace, To His Praise, taken from Ephesians 1:12. Like King David and his people of Israel, we truly praise God for who He is, and what He had done in, for, with and through us for all the past years, and what He shall do for us today, and in the future. Let us therefore praise God for all things, especially our precious salvation, that we have a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. Indeed, what a glorious day it will be, when we all get to heaven, and see the Lord Jesus face to face, and praise His holy name! (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Like the Golden Jubilee Anniversary of our church, we reminisced God’s faithfulness towards us, King David also reminded the people of God’s faithfulness for the past years challenging them to continue to love and serve Him to the end. David reminded Israel of how God performed miracles in their lives when He daily fed them with mana from heaven and water from the sky while they were wandering in the wilderness for forty years. God gave them victory after victory over their enemies as He sent His twenty thousand chariots and thousands of angels to be with them. Indeed, God blessed David as he established a vast kingdom on earth for His glory. Through it all, God blessed Israel with daily benefits since the day of Abraham even until today. (Genesis 12:1-3) Though not all the people of Israel believe in Christ, yet one day, during the Millennium era, when Christ shall reign for a thousand years, they shall all believe in Him. (Daniel 9) Let us praise God for Jesus who is now in His presence interceding for us, as without Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can never be with God in golden heaven. (Hebrews 9:24-28)

David praised God because without His power and strength, he would never have lived and done much for Him in establishing His kingdom on earth to glorify and exalt Him before the whole world. Let us believe and praise our God for He is worthy of our worship as He richly bless us with His salvation, power and strength. (Revelation 19:1-10)

Prayer of the Day:

Dearest God, thank You for Your presence and power with us now and forever.

Psalm 65 & 66: The Great God

Verse of the Day: (66:3) Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

This Psalm reflects one of the happy days of King David’s life, as he praised God for His goodness for answering his prayers and forgiving his sins, as well as His strength in the creation of the awesome mountains, vast oceans, and the abundant crops and flocks on the earth to feed the population of the world. Indeed, God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. Though we may not fully understand why God is good during our crises, and cannot see His hand, yet we must fully trust His heart. (Romans 8:28-39)

King David encouraged his people to sing joyfully to the glorious God who shall save their souls as they confessed and repented their sins, and believed in Him. Indeed, God has blessed us with the glorious gospel that whoever believes in His Son, Jesus, shall never perish in hell, but shall have eternal life with Him in heaven. (1 Timothy 1:1-11)

David inspired by God explained to all that God had a purpose for His people to suffer so as to test their faith as silver is tried in the furnace of fire. David knew this great principle as God had tested him to the fullest. There were times when he failed God, as he fell into immorality and murder (2 Samuel 11), and when he took a census of Israel which God forbad him (2 Samuel 24). Yet through it all, there were many high points of David’s life as he defeated Goliath, the Philistine giant, and won many battles together with his army and mighty warriors establishing Israel to be the most powerful nation on earth. Not only was he a courageous king, but he was also a compassionate king. He refused to fight with Absalom, his son, who plotted against him for his throne (2 Samuel 18). He also spared Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, because of the promise he made with Jonathan, when he could have allowed the Gibeonites to kill him. (2 Samuel 21). At the end of David’s life, he desired to build God’s house, but God commanded him that Solomon, his son and successor, shall build it, because his hands shed much blood from the wars. Not only David accepted God’s command, but he prepared the designs and materials for the house. (1 Chronicles 22) Let us pray that we shall go through the tests of our great God, emerging victoriously, and looking forward to the day, when we shall be with Jesus, the KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS, in His great heaven. (Revelation 19:11-21)

Prayer of the Day:

Dearest God, thank You for Your goodness, glory and greatness upon my life.

Psalm 63 & 64: God Of Remembrance

Verse of the Day: (63:6) When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

In the early days of David’s life, especially the time when he was in the wilderness hiding from King Saul who was after his life as Saul refused to acknowledge him as the next King. David was sad as he loved God, as well as Israel and even Saul, and this was why he slayed Goliath, the Philistine giant, by faith in God. (1 Samuel 17-31) However, God encouraged David each night he remembered and meditated on Him. Throughout David’s life, God helped him and put him under the shadow of His wings as he remembered and rejoiced in Him. This was also the case for Timothy, as he remembered God who stirred his heart of the necessity of preaching the Gospel amid intense persecution and fear. Let us remember God amid all our sufferings, knowing that one day, we shall have a perfect body without suffering, as we shall be with Him in His eternal heaven. (2 Timothy 1:1-7)

Though David was yet to be the king, God encouraged and inspired him to write this double prophesy that he shall soon rejoice as the next king replacing Saul, and that one day, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, shall rejoice as He shall come as the King of kings to reign on the new heaven and earth. This was what kept David going as he kept hiding from King Saul, though on two occasions he had the golden opportunities to slay Saul, yet he did not touch God’s anointed, as he knew that vengeance belonged to God. Apostle Paul also encouraged the Christians those days, and even today, that all our sufferings for Christ’s sake are worthwhile, because one day, we shall receive the crown of rejoicing from God in His glorious heaven. Let us therefore rejoice in God as we know that one day, He shall bless us with His crowns and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:13-20)

In all of David’s sufferings for God, he faithfully endured to the finishing line knowing that God shall give the crown of righteousness to him and all who kept their faith in Him. Indeed, let us preach the Gospel and endure sufferings for Christ’s sake, as one day, He shall bless us with the crown of righteousness in His home in heaven. (2 Timothy 4:1-8)

Prayer of the Day:

Dearest God, please help me to remember and rejoice in You amid life challenges.