I remember back in the 1980s, I was the captain of my church's softball team. And we were playing a game one day and I kid you not, we were beating this team like 16 to one, and I got so cocky and I don't remember what exactly I said, but I made [...]

And in God’s temple everything says, Glory! - Psalm 29:9, NASB Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. - Psalms 48:9, NIV You see, what sets God’s temple apart from every other place in the universe is it’s a place where [...]

Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God; sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. - Psalm 47:1,5-6 NIV That’s [...]

You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of [...]

Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me. - Psalm 50:14, NIV There’s the divine way out of trouble. You’re in the midst of trouble, [...]

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; [God] lifts his voice, the earth melts... [God] makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be [...]

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" - Psalms 42:1-2, NIV David speaks there about a thirst of the soul. He says, My soul [...]

"Sacrifice and meal offering Thou hast not desired; my ears Thou hast opened; burnt offering and sin offering Thou hast not required. Then I said, Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me; I delight to do Thy will, O my [...]

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. - Psalm 37:4, NIV Notice that first word: Delight yourself. I heard someone once ask this question of a group of people: He said Do you enjoy your religion, or do you [...]

How precious is Thy lovingkindness, O God! The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings. They feast on the abundance of Thy house and Thou dost give them to drink of the river of Thy delights. - Psalms 36:7-8, NASB, NIV That, to me, [...]

Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, I am your salvation. - Psalms [...]

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. - Psalm 34:8, NIV Notice that first word, taste: Taste and see that the LORD is good. You realize, of course, that we are endowed with five physical senses: sight, [...]

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. - Psalms 34:4-5, NIV That’s the testimony of personal experience. It’s not theory, it’s not [...]

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. - Psalms 34:1-3, NIV That’s a marvelous [...]

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. - Psalms 61:1-2, NIV Those words have a very special meaning for me; they were given to me [...]

Thou hast taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in Thy bottle; are they not in Thy book? - Psalm 56:8, NASB There is a cry of a desperate soul, someone who knows what it is to be a wanderer, a fugitive, an exile. Someone who knows what it is [...]

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? - Psalms 56:3-4, NIV One thing I’ve always loved about the Bible since I came to know it, is its honesty. It [...]

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. - Psalms 51:16-17, NIV What is David the [...]

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. - Psalm 51:6, NIV Those words are addressed by the psalmist David to the Lord Himself. What is it that God really looks for in our lives? First and foremost, it is [...]

Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to [...]

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. - Psalm 34:7, NIV Do you believe in angels? I want to tell you that I do. I believe there are myriads and myriads of good angels who are given charge over God’s people. [...]

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. For he spoke and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. — Psalms 33:6-9, NIV Ever since human history began men have speculated as to the origin [...]

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. — Psalm 32:1-2, NIV. That’s a blessedness that’s available to every one of [...]

A word spoken by the psalmist David to the Lord: "My times are in your hands..." — Psalm 31:15, NIV What a profound and blessed revelation that God has absolute control over all the times in our lives. God is the only one in the universe [...]

O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. — Psalm 30:2, NIV. One of the things that blesses me about the Bible is its profound simplicity. It comes out with the most profound statements in the simplest and shortest words. What [...]

The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. — Psalm 29:10-11, NIV. The psalmist there presents the Lord as a mighty King on His [...]

The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. — Psalms 147:2-3, NIV Those are beautiful words, but the exciting thing about them is that they are being fulfilled in this [...]

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. — Proverbs 3:13-16, NIV. [...]

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. — Proverbs 4:23, NIV There is one area of your personality that is more important than any other and that is your heart. The state of your heart will determine the course of your [...]

A man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. — Proverbs 5:21-22, NIV That is a statement well worth pondering: A man’s ways are in full [...]

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. — Proverbs 4:22-24, KJV For many [...]

God determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. - Psalms 147:4-5, NIV There the Scripture gives us a beautiful picture of the measureless wisdom, knowledge [...]

Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. - Proverbs 3:9-10, NIV There are various ways that we can honor the Lord. We can [...]

Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me... I will sing a new song to you, O God. - Psalms 144:7-9, NIV Have you ever noticed how many times in the book of Psalms it speaks about singing a new song? What are some of the reasons [...]

I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. To fear the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. - NIV Wisdom comes to us in the Scripture sometimes as a person and speaks [...]