A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. (Psalms 68:5)
Thank You Father that You are on Your throne on high, watching over your children.
You give protection against my enemies. You are my comforter when I have sorrows, You are my rest when I am weary, and my strength when I am weak. You are Provider for all my needs, my ever-present help. You show unmerited mercy and grace. You give unconditional love.
Lord, live in me and let me live in You so that through this imperfect vessel Your glory will shine through. Make me to be a light in the darkness pointing others to my loving Father who reigns on high.
Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts, Whose name is the LORD, and exult before Him. (Psalms 68:4)
O Lord, You alone are worthy of our praise. Should we fail to praise You, the rocks would cry out proclaiming You as the Lord of Lords. King of Kings. Sovereign God. Name above all Names. Yahweh.
My heart rejoices in knowing that You are my God, my Redeemer, my Shield, my Savior.
In the morning I come humbly yet boldly before You to worship You with a song of praise. You are the One True God, if that were not so there would be no hope.
“My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” Edward Mote – 1797-1874
1 My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Refrain: On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.
2 When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace; in every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain]
3 His oath, his covenant, his blood support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]
4 When he shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found, Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain]
Edward Mote was a pastor and hymn writer. Born in London on 21 January 1797, his parents managed a pub and often left Edward to his own devices playing in the street. Speaking of these childhood years he once said, “So ignorant was I that I did not know that there was a God.” He was finally exposed to the Christian gospel and was baptized at the age of 18.
In his 50s he entered the ministry and was pastor at Rehoboth Baptist Church in Horsham, West Sussex for 26 years. He was well liked by the congregation in Horsham and they offered him the church building as a gift. Mote replied “I do not want the chapel, I only want the pulpit; and when I cease to preach Christ, then turn me out of that.” He died on 13 November 1874 and is buried in the church yard at Rehoboth Church.
“My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” is perhaps his best known hymn which, with its refrain ‘On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand’, refers to the Parable of the Wise and the Foolish Builders,
Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31)
Not So Rough
When the road’s rough, sharp stones cutting your feet, steep up-hill pull, brow a bit moist, jaw shut, hand clenched, it helps us to remember this: Jesus was here; he trod this same way. He was here first, and he was here most. It’s never so rough since his feet have smoothed it down. And he is in it today, close by the one who holds steady in spite of the roughness.
Let’s lean on Jesus a bit harder.
Taken from “The Bent Knee Time” devotional by Samuel D. Gordon
But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness. (Psalms 68:3)
Lord Jesus, because You have destroyed the power of my enemy I can rejoice and be glad. I have no cause to fear for You have established me forever in the safety of Your presence.
When the enemy comes against me with threats and accusations You guard me. In You I have this confidence – the enemy will not prevail for when I am weak, You are strong; You will fight for me and will not allow me to be overtaken.
I rejoice in Your name. You and You only Lord Jesus are worthy of all glory, honor and praise.
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish before God. (Psalms 68:2)
Lord, people are running around in a panic, demanding “justice for all”. Do we not see that there can be no true justice in this life? Do we not understand that greed and the hardness of man’s heart have stollen justice?
But we have this assurance O Lord – You will one day restore Your perfect justice and establish Your perfect peace.
As we wait, press upon the hearts of Your people, upon my heart, to do what is right. Remind us Lord to live holy lives of kindness and goodness and mercy. Teach us to show love to our fellow man, even when he doesn’t deserve it, just as You have done for us.
As we wait, help us to remember Your faithfulness in days past, to find rest in Your assurance for today, and to trust in You promises for the days to come.
Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, And let those who hate Him flee before Him. (Psalms 68:1)
In this is our hope: a new day is coming and on that day You will restore Your creation to its intended perfection. The old things – that which opposes Your perfect plan – will be gone.
Lord You have appointed a time when all hate and violence, depravity and death – every evil thing will cease, and on that day, Your glory will shine forth.
Lord, I long to see that day when You arise and Your enemies are forever destroyed. On that day evil will be no more and we will abide in Your beauty forever.
Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven. Indeed, the LORD will give what is good, And our land will yield its produce. Righteousness will go before Him And will make His footsteps into a way. (Psalms 85:10-13)
Lord, in this age of relativism, truth is hard to find and even harder to grasp. In our state of confusion many ask the question, “what is truth”? I think many of us feel as if we are the first generation to struggle through such uncertainty, until we remember that same question was asked some 2,000 thousand years ago.
As I recall that ugly scene, I can’t help but wonder if the Psalmist was looking ahead to that time and place. Did he forsee the great and beautiful thing that would come from that most wretched and horrible event?
Your cross would become the bridge of peace between man and his creator. By Your sacrifice O Lord, the wall that separated us from the Father was torn down and in so doing Your own righteousness would be imputed to those who would believe.
Lord, I come before You to this morning to profess that You are the Way, the Truth, the Life. You are the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace. Jesus You are my All in All!
I will hear what God the LORD will say; For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; But let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land. (Psalms 85:8-9)
Lord, open my ears to hear your voice. You have said that Your sheep hear Your voice and follow You; instruct me gentle Shepherd. Guide me daily in all my ways. Lead me in Your righteousness. Keep me from wandering foolishly away from Your presence – the place where there is safety for my life and peace for my soul. O Lord, You are my salvation.
Me in You, You in me. Though I am unworthy You have chosen me as the object of Your love. Lord, I pray that through this imperfect vessel Your perfect glory will shine through for others to see and come to You.
1. “Man of Sorrows!” what a name For the Son of God, who came Ruined sinners to reclaim! Hallelujah, what a Savior!
2. Bearing shame and scoffing rude, In my place condemned He stood; Seal’d my pardon with His blood. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
3. Guilty, vile, and helpless we, Spotless Lamb of God was He; Full atonement! Can it be? Hallelujah, what a Savior!
4. Lifted up was He to die, “It is finished,” was His cry; Now in heav’n exalted high, Hallelujah, what a Savior!
5. When He comes, our glorious King, All His ransomed home to bring, Then anew this song we’ll sing, Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Philip Paul Bliss (9 July 1838 – 29 December 1876) was an American composer, conductor, writer of hymns and a bass-baritone Gospel singer. He wrote many well-known hymns, including “Hold the Fort” (1870), “Almost Persuaded” (1871); “Hallelujah, What a Saviour!” (1875); “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning”; “Wonderful Words of Life” (1875); and the tune for Horatio Spafford’s “It Is Well with My Soul” (1876). Bliss was a recognized friend of D. L. Moody, the famous Chicago preacher. Bliss died in the Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster on his way to one of Moody’s meetings.
Sandra Bivens Smith 