Psalm 35:27-28

Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, "Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!" (28) Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.

Lord, thank you for this beautiful and joy-filled weekend. Thank You for the time Betty and I had together and with dear friends. Thank You for bringing us home in safety. Thank You for the Moore's home and hospitality, a measure of Your love. Thank You for the teachings, for Chuck and Mark, T.M. and Bob, Chris, for Martha and Kay. Bless all of them. And thank You for all who attended, for their contributions and teachings and for their love.

 

Psalm 119:136

My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law

It is those who claim to be Your people, Lord, who despise Your law, run after the thrills and momentary pleasures of this world, join in the "fun and games." How can we testify to the power of Your love when we do not show the effects of that love to the world? Who is carrying a message of conviction to these young people?

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm 35:17-26

How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions! I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you. Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit. They open wide their mouths against me; they say, "Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!" You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me! Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord! Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me! Let them not say in their hearts, "Aha, our heart's desire!" Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up." Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!

These questions that are besetting me, the questions of relationships that unsettling, that seem to be fraught with continuous problems and tensions. This should not be, Lord, should it? Especially among those who claim to be seeking a unity in You? Help me, Lord, to see where and how to apply your commandment to love one another, to pour the oil of gladness upon all my relationships.

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm 35:11-16

Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. But I, when they were sick-- I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning. But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing; like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.

Lord, there are relationships in my life, some weak and sickly, some damaged, some broken; all needing Your guiding hand. I need to repent to You for my actions and inactions that have caused these situations. I need to seek forgiveness from family and friends where I have caused hurt and disappointment. I need to swallow my pride. This is frightening, help me, Lord Jesus.

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

 

Psalm 35:9-10

Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation. All my bones shall say, "O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?"

Praise You, Lord, You have lifted me out of the pit, You have set my feet on a high place in Your presence, You have removed from me the stink of sin and death and soaked me in the incense of Your grace and mercy. I am Yours to do with as You will. Praise You, my Lord, I am Your servant.

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm 35:1-8

Of David. Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, "I am your salvation!" Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away! Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them! For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life. Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it--to his destruction!

Lord, what form will Your enemies take today? And how will they come against me? Give me wisdom and foresight to recognize the attack for what it truly is; some are so cleverly disguised as coming from You. Give me Your strength and mind to resist, to ward off their advances. Let my cry always be, "You are my salvation."

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm 34:15-22

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

To hear You cry, "Mine" is to know that I am Yours. To know that I am Yours is to know that I am a child of the King. To know that I am I child of the King is to know that I have been accepted into the royal family and that all is forgiven. To know that all is forgiven is to know that I have the righteousness, peace and joy that is the Kingdom of God at my beck and call.

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

 

Psalm 34:8-14

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Lord, to follow in Your ways, to pursue Your Word, to be guided by Your Law; that is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. That is Your Kingdom; that is acceptable to You. The fear of You is the beginning of wisdom; to trust in You with all my heart and to not lean on my own understanding; to acknowledge You in all my ways and then, then You will make my paths straight. Praise You, You are Lord, You are my Lord and my Master.

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm 33:20-22

Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Waiting is not my strong suit, Lord, impatience is! Far, far too much of "Here's where I'm going, Lord, You can tag along if You would like." attitude. Help me to be transformed into a waiting spirit, a soul that is content to rest secure in faith that You will provide direction for my steps. "Trust in the Lord and lean not on my own understanding, but in all my ways, acknowledge You and You will make my paths straight." Wait on the Lord, trust in the Lord. Wait! Wait! Wait! ... for joy everlasting.

 

Psalm 119:122

Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me.

It is not the insolent who oppress me, it is my pride and fear of rejection by family and friends. Fill my mouth with Your praises, let every word speak of Your goodness, send me out to carry that pledge of good to all who do not know it. Help me, Lord, to be strong in Your service.

Psalm 34:1-7

Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.  Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!  I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Praise You, Lord.  My knee is bowed, my tongue confesses, You are Lord! You are Lord! You are Lord! There is no other god but You, You are Lord!

Psalm 33:20-22

Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Waiting is not my strong suit, Lord, impatience is! Far, far too much of "Here's where I'm going, Lord, You can tag along if You would like." attitude.  Help me to be transformed into a waiting spirit, a soul that is content to rest secure in faith that You will provide direction for my steps. "Trust in the Lord and lean not on my own understanding, but in all my ways, acknowledge You and You will make my paths straight." Wait on the Lord, trust in the Lord. Wait! Wait! Wait! ... for joy everlasting.