Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:21
Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. —Psalm 34:21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God has promised a closing time for everyone who has ever lived. It will be a reckoning where human power and influence cannot blot out the truth and where each person who has ever lived will have to face what they have done, whether good or evil. Evil will overtake those who have been partnered with evil. Their hatred and wickedness will come back upon them. God will not allow righteousness, truth, and justice to be short-circuited, perverted, or forgotten! “Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.” My Prayer… Father, thank you for making me clean and whole by the purifying work of your Holy Spirit. Please train me to live righteously. Help me develop a revulsion for what is sinful and evil. Use me, please, to help others caught in the evil one’s work to escape and find deliverance in the LORD Jesus. In the name of my Savior, the one who died for all people to be able to come to you, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:19-20
A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. —Psalm 34:19-20 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We know that the righteous can have troubles, but how do we understand that God delivers us from them all? How do we know that he protects all our bones, especially in light of recent tragedies and the persecution of believers in many places in the world? Paul demonstrates the answer: he was confident that whatever happened to him would turn out for his deliverance. He would either be delivered THROUGH his death to be with God or delivered from FROM death through his release from prison to continue ministry (Philippians 1:19-23). Our deliverance, because of Jesus, is secure. We are conquerors in Christ. He’s coming back for us. If we die now, we go to be with Christ. So, nothing Satan can do to us will steal us away from God’s love, not even suffering and death (Romans 8:32-39). My Prayer… Father, please give me the faith I need to believe that whatever happens in my life will not steal me away from your love but will deliver me into your presence. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:18
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. —Psalm 34:18 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The LORD is near (Philippians 4:5). How do we know? He promised his people this long ago and kept his promise. He drew near to us in the manger with Jesus. He walked among us in ministry as Jesus touched, healed, blessed, raised, mended, and loved. He suffered with us, and for us, in Jesus’ Passion. Many of us have experienced his nearness in tragedy, trial, heartbreak, and brokenness as he drew near to us to save us. Others of us have experienced his presence as we sought to share the message of Jesus, as he gave us words through the Holy Spirit and strength and courage to stand up to those who opposed us. The bigger questions are these: Will our hearts be open to him and his presence? Will we seek him and ask him to draw near? Will we obey him and invite him to live in our daily lives? We must not let troubles and heartache lead us to pull away from God or doubt his nearness. Let’s believe the promise that as we draw near to God, he will draw near to us (James 4:8, 10). Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… O LORD, please be near me today. Make your presence known in my life. Father, I also ask that you bless those I know who are struggling with their faith and with broken and disappointed hearts. They feel so alone. Please be active in their lives and make your presence known in tangible ways to sustain them in their times of trial. In Jesus’ name, I ask you to fulfill this promise in people who are precious to me. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:17
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. —Psalm 34:17 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Deliverance! The great theme of deliverance runs throughout the Bible. This theme is built on the LORD being the God of deliverance, the Covenant God who keeps his promises, and the faithful Sovereign Creator who shares his grace, mercy, and justice. May knowing God as our Great Deliverer stir us to righteous living and a boldness to cry out honestly to God in all of our troubles. One way we can rely on our LORD for his deliverance is by reading through the Psalms regularly, letting these inspired words from so long ago offer us a rich guide to call to God while seeking his deliverance through the varied tapestry of life’s events. As we cry out to God, we can ask honest questions as we share the wounds that life has brought upon us. As we do, we can know God’s attentive presence is real as we open our hearts to him and long to receive his deliverance. My Prayer… Father, your people around the world need your deliverance from persecution, hardship, hostility, martyrdom, and the discouraging and withering cynicism that goes with these trials. In your majesty and power, please destroy the plans of the wicked. In your mercy and grace, please deliver your people as they face hardships and troubles. In Jesus’ name, we pray to you, the God who has promised to deliver us from all of our troubles. We believe you are the God of deliverance! Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:16
The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. —Psalm 34:16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God hates violence and demands that we not admire those who are violent or share in their violent lifestyles (Proverbs 3:31). God abhors those who do evil. God not only opposes them when they are alive, but he also mitigates their influence and poisons any memory of them after they are gone. God helps us see “those who do evil” for who and what they really are and what they have done. Far from being viewed as heroes, their legacy of hate and wickedness is spurned, shunned, disdained, and forgotten. God will “cut off the memory of them from the earth.” My Prayer… In our own time, dear Father, help us see the wickedness done by “those who do evil” for who they are. O LORD, please render their threats impotent and ensure that any remembrance of them is a foul stench in the nostrils of those who come after them. Please, don’t let them deceive and co-opt others into doing their evil will after they are gone. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry… —Psalm 34:15 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We are righteous because of God’s mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:1-10). These were given to us in Jesus! We received them because of our faith in him. We are remembered because of God’s faithfulness. We are heard because of God’s lovingkindness. We are blessed because God is good. Let’s choose to live in righteous ways, seeking to live up to who Christ has declared us to be (Colossians 1:22). As we do, let’s know that God, our loving Father, keeps us in his sight and watches over us with loving care. My Prayer… Thank you, Father, for seeing our needs, hearing our cries, answering our prayers, and coming down to save, comfort, and bless us with your grace. In Jesus’ name, we thank you. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:14
Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. —Psalm 34:14 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… It is not enough to turn from evil. We can clean the putrid things out of our lives and hearts, but if we do not actively pursue what is good, then a worse evil can rush into the void, and our second condition becomes worse than the first (Matthew 12:43-45). So, let’s be people who turn from evil, become eager to do what is good, and with a passion choose to “wage peace.” My Prayer… O Father, please let me be an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, use me to share your love and grace. Where there is injury, sin, and brokenness, please use me to bring healing, forgiveness, and comfort. Please, Abba Father, use me to do your good work in my broken world as I seek to live at peace with all people. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:12-13
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. —Psalm 34:12-13 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God reminds us that our words and the way we use our speech significantly impact the quality of life we will enjoy. Nothing cuts short a vibrant life like evil speech and the lies we tell. These deadly evils unleash deception and destruction that we cannot control. This unleashed poisonous power not only harms those about whom and to whom we speak, but evil words and lies eventually boomerang, coming back to bring their deadly payload into our own lives. Let’s be people who speak what is right, good, wholesome, holy, true, and a blessing (Ephesians 4:20-5:12). My Prayer… Holy and Righteous God, my Father, purify my heart. Please cleanse my words of all deceit, slander, vulgarity, wickedness, untruth, exaggeration, mean-spiritedness, distortion, guile, and words that wound. May the words of my mouth and the intentions of my heart be pleasing to you, O God, my LORD and my Redeemer. In Jesus’ name. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:11
Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. —Psalm 34:11 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Is there any greater definition of what a parent’s role is than this? Let’s make sure that in the swirling demands and involvements of our lives we do not forget the MAIN thing that God has given us as parents, teachers, and friends to do in the lives of children we love. My Prayer… O Master, LORD God my Savior and Sustainer, my Abba Father, please keep my heart set on your priorities with the children in my life. In Jesus’ name, I beg for this grace to be true. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:10
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. —Psalm 34:10 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… While even the most fierce hunters of the animal world cannot ensure their security and nourishment, those of us whose hunger is for God will find ourselves nourished, blessed, and sustained, both now and forevermore. Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Thank you, Father, for the promise that you will never leave me or forsake me, even though friends and partners may betray and leave me behind. I confess that it is sometimes hard to fully comprehend, much less believe, that you are always faithful. Confusing and hurtful times come, and I waver in my confidence in your grace. Please forgive me and renew my hope. I do believe, dear Father, that you love me like no one else can or will. I do believe, Almighty God, that you care about my wounds and worries. I recommit my heart this day to trust in your daily care, provision, and grace for me because of what you have shown me in Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.