Psalm 7:14-17, NKJV
Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends. I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.

Psalm 7:14-17, JN paraphrase
The mark of the wicked is their propensity to conceive mischief and spread lies. But it is frequently startling to see how few times they earn from their problems. Rather like the old farm dog that never learns not to sneak up on an old bossie and try to nip her heals. Flying through the air after her kick never seemed to be a learnable lesson.

However, thanks be to the LORD, God, the Almighty and His righteousness, I have learned, albeit somewhat slowly. I do remember to praise the LORD in the midst of my troubles—sometimes.

Recommended Reading

Restore Us! A Call to Serious Prayer for Revival by T. M. Moore

Psalm 7:6-13, NKJV
Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment. Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high. The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous — you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God!

My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts.

Psalm 7:6-13, JN paraphrase
I know, oh LORD, that I have utter refuge and safety in Your anger. You and only You are Judge and Jury of the people. And that I must be measured by You against Your standard. The standard of a righteous and Holy God who rejects all evil and establishes His Word.

My is with You, the One who save the upright in heart, who feels the indignation resulting from the sin of His people. If there is no repentance, the Sword of the LORD is sharpened, His bow has been readied with fiery arrows, and those who reject His offer will suffer grievously.

Recommended Reading

Restore Us! A Call to Serious Prayer for Revival by T. M. Moore

Psalm 7:1-5, NKJV
A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite. O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.

O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust. Selah

Psalm 7:1-5, JN paraphrase

Oh LORD, my God Where else can I find refuge and deliverance from ALL my pursuers but in You? They tear at my very soul as lions at a carcass rending it without value or purpose.

Oh LORD, have I caused this through abuse of a friend or besetting of an enemy? Should this be the case, send my friend or even my enemy as Your agent of retribution. Not a shred of my pride or identity should survive; all as offal in the dust.

Recommended Reading

Restore Us! A Call to Serious Prayer for Revival by T. M. Moore

Psalm 119:153-160, NKJV
Resh Look on my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law. Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise! Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.

Great is your mercy, O LORD; give me life according to your rules. Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I do not swerve from your testimonies.

I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.

Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life according to your steadfast love. The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

Psalm 119:153-160, JN paraphrase
LORD, I need your help in dealing with my affliction. Please plead my cause as You have promised for I have not forgotten your law. See, I am not as the wicked, deliberately ignoring Your statutes.

Your great mercy promises me life if I am obedient to Your rules, sounds good, but I need Your great cry on the cross, “It is finished.” “It is finished.” The most joy-filled words in all of creation.

The faithless are disgusting for they ignore Your commands. Those precious words that prove the completeness of your sacrifice and their permanence.

Join the Ailbe Community

As a member of the Ailbe Community you join a movement of men working for revival, renewal, and awakening, built upon prayer, sharing, and mutual edification. The Ailbe Community is devoted to practicing the Kingship of Jesus in every area of our lives. Go to www.ailbe.org/about to learn more.

Suggested Supplementary Reading

Restore Us! A Call to Serious Prayer for Revival by T. M. Moore

Psalm 6, NKJV
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD—how long? Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?

I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes.

Depart The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer. All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

Psalm 6, JN paraphrase
Lead me, LORD, when I aggravate or anger You, don’t discipline me in Your wrath but lead me into Your joy in love. Otherwise my bones turn to jelly at the very hint of Your displeasure. But, the slightest hint of Your steadfast love and I am brimming over with joy and a compulsion to shout Your Name from the rooftops.

My very complaining and moaning tire me. But the LORD hears my plea, turns my enemies back and puts my feet upon a straight path. I must learn to trust the LORD, God, the Almighty.

Join the Ailbe Community

As a member of the Ailbe Community you join a movement of men working for revival, renewal, and awakening, built upon prayer, sharing, and mutual edification. The Ailbe Community is devoted to practicing the Kingship of Jesus in every area of our lives. Go to www.ailbe.org/about to learn more.

Reading

Morning Psalm 18, Noon Psalm 119:145-152, Evening Psalm 99.. If you follow this regimen, you will pray through the Psalms every 47 days or just under 8 times per year.

An alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation. This plan, over a several year period will result in an average reading of the entire Bible in slightly over twice per year. I've been following this plan since 1989 and still find the mixture of Scriptures presented each day to be a delightful way to end my day. The NLB app has a scheduling tool that assists greatly in keeping track of the reading list.

Or set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits. But a daily time in the Word of the LORD is an absolute.

Suggested Supplementary Reading

Restore Us! A Call to Serious Prayer for Revival by T. M. Moore