Day 11 - Psalm 38

Day 11 – Psalm 38 

Have you ever done something wrong that left you with tremendous regret and pain? Something that you just wish you could undo? 

Knowing we have done wrong robs us of our peace, our conscience can keep us awake at night and drive us into deep regret, depression and very dark places. 

In this psalm David is pouring out his heart in such distress and pain, both physical and mental. 

David knows he has committed great sin and knows that he is deserving of God’s anger (wrath) against him (V3). His sin is effecting his whole life, even effecting his health. He knows that he deserves to be punished for his sin and we sense David’s desperate regret and repentance in this psalm. All he can do is call on God to have mercy on him. David needs a Saviour (v22) and he holds on to hope, knowing that God will answer. (V15) 

This world and it’s many religions offers us no way out from this problem of sin. All they offer is the idea that we can somehow cover up our wrong doing by doing good. This is futile, it may make us feel better in our pride, but it doesn’t take away the wrong we did, or fix the situation, or even cause us to change so that we won’t do it again. 

Most importantly, it won’t take away Gods wrath against us for our sins. 

Jesus is the only way: 

Ephesians 2:3-5 (MSG) 

We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! 

All of God’s wrath against us for our sins was taken on the cross by Jesus, we were in the same boat as David, sinners deserving of God’s wrath, deserving of death. But God heard our cry for mercy when we gave our lives to him. 

Jesus took the long list of our sins, the debt we were due to pay and stamped PAID IN FULL over them. 

Think it over / Meditate on: 

• David says in v4 that the guilt of his sin is like a burden too heavy to bear. If you’re a Christian and my first question caused you pain and regret again as you thought about it, it is a burden too heavy for you to bear, leave it at the cross. Jesus already bore it for you, and you are free from all guilt and shame. Pray and thank God that it is paid for and never regret it or feel guilty again. 

• Spend time today reflecting on who you would be without Jesus, where your life would have led you. Thank Jesus for who you are today because of Him. 

Ben

Ben Parsons, Lead Pastor - Sutton Central location

Day 10 - Psalm 37

Day 10 - Psalm 37  

David begins with instruction in this psalm, don’t fret, and don’t be envious, being envious of others and trying to have what they have, is not the way to receive the desires of your heart. 

Instead, we should trust in The Lord and delight in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts. (v4) If we commit our ways to him, He will redeem us and show us to be righteous in His sight. (v5-6) 

Often in life we find ourselves worrying and fretting about things, next time you feel that way remember to come back to Psalm 37:7 

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”  

We can have a peace and stillness of heart during those times by knowing our God will act. There is no need to fret, simply trust in God to come through and wait patiently for Him. 

Verse 11 was made famous by Jesus in His ‘sermon on the mount’ (Matt 5:5) Jesus quotes this verse and says that God blesses the humble (meek). 

In today’s society many wish to be famous, and live celebrity lifestyles, our media is filled with it. Jesus blesses the meek and humble of heart. 

Continuing with the theme of not envying the wicked, he goes on to speak about the wicked’s wealth. How they borrow and not repay, but the righteous are generous (v21). 

Verses 25 and 26 give great strength to the poor, we should always live generous lives and God will provide for our families, again we need not worry, but trust in God patiently. 

Throughout the psalm David speaks of the wicked flourishing and doing well. This is summed up in v35, the wicked may do well in this life, often at the expense of others, but David reminds us of this sobering fact. 

For them, this life is the closest thing they will have to heaven. But for the believer, this life is the closest thing we have to hell. We have a Saviour (v39) Jesus Christ and we take refuge in Him. (v40) 

Think it over / Meditate on: 

• Are there people that you are envious of? Use this psalm to repent of your envy and change your thoughts towards them. 

• Can you honestly say that you delight in the Lord? What would the life of someone who delighted in Him look like? 

• Take some time out to just be still before the Lord, and let him take away any fretting or worry or envy from your heart. 

Ben

Ben Parsons, Lead Pastor - Sutton Central location

Day 9 - Psalm 34

Day 9 - Psalm 34

There is a very interesting introduction to this Psalm.

“Psalm 34 of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.”

The account of David pretending to be insane is found in 1 Samuel 21 and is well worth a read. To sum up the story, David escaped the King by pretending to be insane, dribbling down his beard and making marks on the doors of the gates.

He wrote this Psalm to praise God for looking after him. Interestingly this psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse begins with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order.

David begins by saying that he is determined that the Lords praise will always be on his lips, this seems to be quite true, David wrote approximately 73 of the 150 psalms in the bible. He was the first famous worship leader!

In verse 3 David says the biblical equivalent of “all together now!” As he invites us to exalt God’s name together. Worshipping together is such a precious thing, it is one of the main reasons Churches exist. Being a Christian without going to church is like being a hand detached from a body (see 1 Corinthians 12) a hand needs a body, and a body needs a hand. Being committed to worship within a church body, is essential in the life of the Christian.

David continues in his praise remembering how God saved him from his troubles and sent angels to protect him. (v6 and v7)

Verse 8 is a very well-known verse, “taste and see that the Lord is good” we can experience God’s presence in such a real way, it is as real as tasting and seeing.

As he goes through to the end of the psalm, David makes some amazing statements about those who trust in God.

V8 – Blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

V9 – Those who fear him lack nothing

V10 – Those who seek the Lord lack nothing

V15 – The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

V17 – The righteous cry out and the Lord hears and delivers them

V18 – The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those with a crushed spirit.

V19 – The Lord delivers us from our troubles

V20 - God Protects all our bones.

V22 – The Lord will rescue his servants no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

David calls us all to worship God with him, to taste and see that God is good, and to put all our hope and trust in God who will bless and protect us in all these ways.

Think over/meditate on

• If you need to, cry out to God, trust in Him again to be your saviour and deliverer as He was to David.

• Are you part of a worshipping community that you attend weekly? If not pray and ask God where you should be.

• Today, spend time in God’s presence, seek after him until you can taste and see and experience Him.

Ben

Ben Parsons, Lead Pastor - Sutton Central location

Day 8 - Psalm 31

Day 8 - Psalm 31

Our relationship with God through prayer should be honest and real. You don’t have to have it all together to come to God, you come as you are and allow Him to change you.

Don’t think because your angry you can’t pray, or feel you’re too upset to worship, that is when you need to pray, when you need to worship the most. We take our emotions and feelings to God (He already knows how you feel!) so He can replace them with His truth and lead us to praise him.

The psalms are full of emotion poured out to God, without forgetting who God is and replacing the feelings with His truth.

Psalm 31 is a good example of this. King David is clearly in great distress, he begins by crying out to God, proclaiming who God is and calling on Him to save him. He uses words like ‘refuge’ (v1) he calls on God to ‘deliver’ him and come to his ‘rescue’ and be his ‘strong fortress’ (v2)

In verse 3 he switches from calling on God to be those things, to recognising and proclaiming that God is those things, saying “since you are my rock and fortress”

As we cry out to God without holding back our feelings and emotions, our perspective will change just as David’s does here.

From “God save me”, to “God is my Saviour!”

By verse 5 David is in total submission to God and his purposes and ways, he commits his spirit to God, knowing God is the only one faithful and just to trust with his spirit. We too can trust God with our entire lives, even our very spirit.

This is another example of how the Bible points to Jesus, these very words were also Jesus’ last words on the cross, (Luke 23:46) as Jesus died he entrusted His spirit to His father God, knowing Him to be trustworthy, good and just. Jesus has the power to lay down his life and to take it up again. (John 10:18)

David continues to show this mix of his despair, and yet speaking the truth of who he knows God to be.

Verses 6 to 8 he again proclaims who God is, before 9-13 he plunged into this deep despair and sadness. He tries to describe his anguish as best as he can. “My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning” v10

“I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.” V12

David is clearly in a desperate situation and we hear the pain in his heart as we read these verses.

Then we teach verse 14 “but”. “But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.”” David is the master of reminding himself who God is, and changing his perspective through praise and worship. He praises God through to the end of the psalm, both in who God is and what He has done.

We all must learn to do what David does in this psalm. We honestly and openly pour out our emotions and feelings to God, but we always end with a big ‘but’! as we remind ourselves of who God is and what He has done and praise Him for it.

In the closing verses (23-24) of the psalm David calls on us all to follow his lead in doing this.

“Love the Lord all His faithful people” (v23) “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (v24)

Think it over / Meditate on

• Are you honest with God? Do you pray when you’re angry, tired and tempted?

• Think about how you feel right now, share that with God, then say ‘but...’ and end praising God for who he is and what he has done and will do.

Ben

Ben Parsons, Lead Pastor - Sutton Central location

Day 7 - Psalm 23

Day 7 - Psalm 23

Psalm 23 is one of the most well known Psalms in the Bible! Before David who writes this Psalm became king, he was a shepherd. He understood a shepherd's role, what he did, how he loved, protected and cared for his sheep.

This Psalm is a picture of a shepherd and his sheep. In this picture the Lord is the Shepherd, and David is the sheep.

Verses 1-3 speak of how He provides for us, gives us rest and refreshment, how He leads us and guides us. Why does He do this? The end of verse 3 tells us it is “for His (the Lord’s) name’s sake” it is for God’s glory. It is also to show us and others what an amazing shepherd we have and how much He loves us.

I am sure we have all been through ‘dark valleys’ (v4) in our lives, those tough moments in life, whether it is relationship breakdown, loss of loved ones, sickness or depression, to name just a few, in those moments where is God? Where is our shepherd? He is right there with us, through it all. Our shepherd’s rod and staff comfort us in those times, the word for ‘comfort’ here can also mean repent, to change direction. We can be sure we won’t stay in the dark valley, the Lord our Shepherd will comfort and gently correct and guide us, and He will lead us out!

In verse 5 the picture changes from shepherd and sheep to the King's banquet, the Lord invites us to dine with Him as His special guest, He will honour us above our enemies even though they surround us.

To show how special we are to Him, He anoints our head with oil (oil can also represent the Holy Spirit) and fills our cup to overflowing. Our God is a God of ‘more than enough!’ He lavishes us with Grace and love, and that grace, His goodness and mercy, will follow us all the days of our lives (v6) and even when our days are done, we will live in eternity with our gentle, kind Shepherd King forever!

Think it over / Meditate on

• Memorise v6 and let this truth go with you today and every day.

• If your going through a hard time, pray and start thanking God that He is with you, and will lead you through it.

Ben

Ben Parsons, Lead Pastor - Sutton Central location

Day 6 - Psalm 22

Day 6 - Psalm 22
In Jesus’ time, the psalms were not numbered as they are today, instead they were known by the first line and many would have been memorised.

Jesus on the cross as He took the sins of the world on himself calls out “My God my God why have you forsaken me” (Matt 27:46).

He quotes the first line of this psalm, and by doing so brought to mind for those who heard Him, the rest of the psalm.

As well as expressing the spiritual suffering he was experiencing, he also showed everyone that Psalm 22 was a prophecy all about Him.

To show just how amazingly accurate this prophetic Psalm is, I have put the verses alongside the accounts of Jesus death:

Amazingly, David, inspired by the Holy Spirit writes “they pierce my hands and feet” what’s so amazing about this is that this psalm was written 400 years before crucifixion even existed! He goes on to predict many other aspects including what would happen to Jesus clothes!

The psalm ends from verse 19 with great praise to God and speaks of what His death on the cross has done for us. Jesus wasn’t abandoned by God, He was raised to life 3 days later. He did not despise or scorn his suffering v24.

David goes on to say how he will declare the goodness of God. In the same way we are called to declare the gospel, the good news of Jesus death and resurrection to all. To tell each generation that “HE HAS DONE IT!” V31

Think it over / Meditate on

• Today allow this psalm to sink in. The great detail that God planned and predicted to show Jesus was the Messiah. The great detail God planned to save you.

• Are you declaring the good news of Jesus?

Ben

Ben Parsons, Lead Pastor - Sutton Central location

Day 5 - Psalm 16

Day 5 - Psalm 16 

When we face troubles, we will either turn away from God or turn to Him. When we turn to Him and make Him our refuge, He will keep us safe. (V1) 

David acknowledges that any good thing we have is from God, we always have reason to be thankful and praise Him, He is the only true God and worshipping anything else will cause us only to “suffer more and more” God is the only provider for us. 

David refuses to make sacrifices or worship other gods, and keeps returning to the one true God. 

He continues to praise God from verse 5 to 11 for all kinds of things including His provision (v5-6) His council and instruction (v7) and the assurance of heaven (v9-11). 

You may have recognised verse 10 as this was quoted by Peter at Pentecost, it is well worth reading Acts 2:25-33 to see what he says. 

Peter shows us that these verses are not speaking about King David, because as Peter says David died and was buried in a tomb that was there for all to see as he spoke! 

Instead Peter points out David was prophesying about Jesus, that His body would not see decay because He rose again! He goes on to say that Peter and the others were eye witnesses of this fact!  

It is amazing that David wrote this hundreds of years before Jesus and accurately prophesied that Jesus would die, but rise before His body would see decay. 

David goes on to say the result of Jesus’ resurrection in verse 11, that we can know the way to God, find life in his presence, and live in eternity at His right hand. 

What an amazing prophecy of the gospel and what a promise we have in Jesus! 

Think it over / Meditate on: 

• Do you give credit or acknowledge God in all the good things in your life? Thank Him for them today. 

• Are there other ‘gods’ that you worship? A good test to see what we worship is to look at our cash and our calendar! What we spend our time and money on can be a good indicator as to where our heart is. 

• From all you have read today, how has it strengthened your faith? 

• Read Acts 2:25-33 if you haven’t already. 

Ben

Ben Parsons, Lead Pastor - Sutton Central location

Day 4 - Psalm 9

Day 4 - Psalm 9

Psalm 9 is one of great praise to God! It begins (v1-2) with a proclamation of praise and grateful thanks which continues as the psalmist (the writer) remembers how God has saved him from his enemies and made righteous judgements.

King David had a lot of enemies, so it is not surprising that his praise is often over the victories God has given him, how God has saved him, or the ways in which God has protected him. We see this here in verses 3 to 6.

Verse 7 and 8 speak of God as King over all things ruling in righteous judgement.

Verse 9 gives great comfort and is well worth memorising to encourage yourself and others. “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”

Verse 15-17 uses vivid imagery to describe the nations who forget God and those who choose not to follow Him, they end up caught in their own deceptions that ultimately lead to death.

‘But God’ will never forget the needy or afflicted. They will always have hope. (V18)

He ends the psalm showing that the result of all this is that we realise how human (mortal) we are and how holy and awesome God is!

Think it over / Meditate on:

• Spend some time thinking about what your own Psalm 9 would say, (maybe even write one!)

• What has He done for you? What victories have you won with his help? How has he protected you? What has he saved you from? What do you love about him?

• A testimony is more than just who you were without God and who you are now. Powerful testimonies tell of the difference God makes in your life today. Of all the things you thought about for your own psalm 9, how will you tell others about them?

Ben

Ben Parsons, Lead Pastor - Sutton Central location

Day 3 - Psalm 8

Day 3 - Psalm 8

This psalm is a wonderful song of worship to God for who He is and all He has made! It is so good to remind ourselves regularly of the God that we serve.

It begins with an exclamation of praise to God as King, majestic in all the earth and glorious in all the heavens. (v1)

Verse 2 is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:15. The children begin shouting about Jesus, “Hosanna (save us) son of David!”

When the Chief priests criticise him for this, he quotes from verse 2 “Have you never read, ‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise?”

Jesus was always careful to show that children are as much a part of his kingdom as adults, but the purpose here is to show that He is the Messiah spoken about in the Old Testament.

The psalm goes on to speak of God’s creation and how we seem so small and insignificant in comparison to the vast universe that God has created. However, He is mindful of us. We are the pinnacle of God’s creation and He made us to rule over it. Amazingly, He made us a little lower than the angels and crowned us with glory and honour as we rule over all His creation.

Let’s not miss verse 5, where it also points to Jesus. Whilst the psalmist is speaking about all human kind; where he says ‘them’ it can also be translated to ‘Him’, which points us to Jesus, who humbled Himself and was truly ‘crowned with glory and honour’ over all things including death when he rose again from the dead.

Think it over / Meditate on:

• Write a list of all the things that you praise God for in your life and thank God for all of them. At the end of the day reflect on how you feel after a day of thankfulness.

• Today as you go about your day, consider God’s creation, take time to look at the creation around you and appreciate it’s beauty and discover the wonder that He cares for you amongst it all.

Ben

Ben Parsons, Lead Pastor - Sutton Central location

Day 2 - Psalm 2

Day 2 - Psalm 2
Like many psalms this one begins with a question. “Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?” The response is immediate, “the Lord laughs” (v4) at the outrageous suggestion that they would try to plot against Him and his anointed King! He simply responds with his final word. “I have installed my king!” (v6) – God has put the King there!

You will see that many psalms are prophecies, pointing towards Jesus. This is seen through two meanings where the writer of the psalm is speaking about himself, and also a deeper meaning, that points to Jesus. If you see the psalms in the light of Jesus; they reveal the entire gospel message, although written hundreds of years before Jesus was born!

An example of this is seen throughout Psalm 2. King David was anointed by God as king, (v2) but there is a great King to come in the line of David, Jesus the King of kings, Christ the Anointed One. Jesus too was conspired and plotted against to his death.

He goes on to say this Anointed One is the Lord’s Son (v7). This verse is quoted by the apostle Paul in Acts 13:33 as part of his proof that Jesus was God’s Son and therefore had power to rise from death.

As we read on in this light, Jesus is the One who through His resurrection inherits the nations, and rules over them as King. (v8) Verses 10-12 points us to serving Him rather than rejecting Him; we are to serve Him in submission and “kiss His Son”.

We are the ones that in our rebellion, conspired and plotted against God, and therefore faced God’s wrath and righteous judgement, but there is an Anointed One, God’s own Son. If we “kiss His son” by accepting his gift of salvation, He will save us from God’s wrath and our own ways, we will find blessing and a refuge in Him!

Think it over / Meditate on:

• How do we “kiss the Son” and take refuge in Him in our lives? V12

• What comfort can you have knowing that God has appointed Jesus as King over all and that nothing will work against Him?

Ben

Ben Parsons, Lead Pastor - Sutton Central location

Day 1 - Psalm 1

There’s no better place to start than in Psalm 1. It is a well-known and favourite psalm to many, including myself and is well worth memorising. I know that as you read this today you will be blessed as you are already putting into practice what this psalm says to do, planting and putting yourself in God’s Word!

This psalm outlines what attributes to a ‘blessed’ person and therefore highlights the contrasts. Verse 1 starts with a warning; we are warned against allowing ourselves to be influenced by and becoming like those we spend time with; those not walking with God.

There is a progression here, from walking with the wicked to standing and then sitting. The warning is that if we start out in the direction of the wicked (walk), position ourselves to allow them to influence us (stand), we eventually become one of them (sit).

We cannot allow ourselves to lose our capacity for truth and with that, blur the lines between right and wrong.

The more time we spend walking, standing and sitting with ungodly people who we allow to lead and influence us into their ways, the harder it will become to hold truth, God’s truth in our lives, until eventually we actually start to think, act and become like them. Some relationships are simply not helpful, and we need to consider carefully who we surround ourselves with. Think about those who influence you, your decisions and your life and choose to delight in God.

David the psalmist, tells us instead to meditate (chew over and over) on God’s Word (the Bible) and be blessed. When we do, we are like a tree drinking from a stream. We will grow strong and well and have life!

The psalm ends with a strong caution to those who choose the wicked way; it leads to destruction, as the wicked face the righteous judgement of God. Let’s spending more time meditating on God’s Word rather than listening to worldly influence.

Rather than dipping in and out of it, make it part of your routine, part of your every day. Plant and put yourself there, ‘eat’ it! Let His Word build good foundations for your life.

When you do, you will:

• Produce good fruit when you’re meant to (v3)

• You’ll be evergreen and won’t feel withered/worn out. (v3)

• Whatever you do will thrive (v3)

• The Lord will watch over you and your life (v6)

Think over / Meditate on:

• Who in my life is an unhelpful influence?

• What does being planted in God’s Word look like for me?

Ben

Ben Parsons, Lead Pastor - Sutton Central location