July 6, 2010 (2 Samuel 7-9, I Chronicles 17-18, various Psalms)

I keep finding whole Psalms that I want to print out to keep before me. Today I found another one - Psalm 33:

Psalm 33

¹ Let the godly sing with joy to the Lord;
it is fitting for the pure to praise him.
² Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre;
make music for him on the ten-stringed harp.
³ Sing a new songs of praise to him;
play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.
⁴ For the word of the Lord holds true,
and we can trust everything he does.
⁵ He loves whatever is just and good;
and his unfailing love fills the earth.

⁶ The Lord merely spoke,
and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word,
and all the stars were born.
⁷ He assigned the sea its boundaries
and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
⁸ Let everyone in the world fear the Lord,
and let everyone stand in awe of him.
⁹ For when he spoke, the world began!
It appeared at his command.

¹⁰ The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations
and thwarts all their schemes.
¹¹ But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever;
his intentions can never be shaken.

¹² What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord,
whose people he has chosen for his own.

¹³ The Lord looks down from heaven
and sees the whole human race.
¹⁴ From his throne he observes
all who live on the earth.
¹⁵ He made their hearts,
so he understands everything they do.
¹⁶ The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
¹⁷ Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
for all its strength, it cannot save you.

¹⁸ But the Lord watches over those who fear him,
those who rely on his unfailing love.
¹⁹ He rescues them from death
and keeps them alive in times of famine.

²⁰ We depend upon the Lord alone to save us.
Only he can help us, protecting us like a shield.
²¹ In him our hearts rejoice,
for we are trusting in his holy name.
²² Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
for our hope is in you alone.

And then this reminder from Psalm 39:

⁴ “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
and that my life is fleeing away.
⁵ You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
human existence is but a breath.”

⁶ We are merely moving shadows,
and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth,
not knowing who will spend it.
⁷ And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
My only hope is in you.

And then Psalm 50 talked about the people and all their sacrifices that they brought Him. But this is what He truly wants:

¹³ I don't need the bulls you sacrifice.
I don't need the blood of goats.
¹⁴ What I want instead is your true thanks to God,
I want you to fulfill the vows you made to the Most High.
¹⁵ Trust me in your times of trouble,
and I will rescue you,
and you will give me glory.

²² Repent, all of you who ignore me,
or I will tear you apart,
and no one will help you.
²³ But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
If you keep to my path,
I will reveal to you the salvation of God.