“They attack, they lurk, they watch my steps, as they have waited to take my life.  Because of wickedness, cast them forth, in anger put down the peoples, O God!”  (Psalm 56:6-7)

All around are those who mean harm.  Yes, there are wicked people in the guise of everyday normal people.  Do not fear and do not fret over them.  Their time is short but the Word of the Lord is forever.  Look to the Lord, be guided by His Spirit and know the truth He revealed once for all.  The peoples will be put down and the Lord lifted up.  Keep your eyes upon the Lord.

Lord, You know the times and events and the ways of people.  Guide me, O Lord, that I would walk in the ways You have established now and forever.  Keep me from the tangles of the wicked ones who plot to lie, cheat, steal and destroy.  Lead me in the way of life that I would go there.  Help me now and always to be one who studies Your Word to see the simplicity and goodness of Your commands.

Lord Jesus, without You it would be impossible, but with You it is possible.  You are the One who makes my salvation possible.  Lead me away from the foolish thinking of this age and into the truth You have revealed for all.  Grow my faith to become action, firmly witnessing Your goodness in the world and guiding my footsteps to be pleasing to the Father.  Amen.

“Let death come deceitfully upon them; let them go down alive to Sheol, for evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.  As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me.”  (Psalm 55:15-16)

The contrast has always been before you.  There is the way of the Lord and there is the way of wickedness.  Do not walk in the ways of this world, but hear and heed the call of the Lord to be transformed by the renewing of Your mind.  Walk humbly before Your God and know the ways He established in the beginning.  Call upon the Lord and He will save You from all the evil of this world.

Lord, I know it is appointed to walk in this world for a time, but the wickedness is often so overwhelming.  Lead me to You to look to You through all that swirls around me that I may not be tempted to walk in any other way than the one You have established in salvation.  Lead me O Lord and help me to trust You for all things, dealing with the wicked and saving those who turn to You.

Lord Jesus, in times of trouble I call out to You.  Help me come to You in all times and places, both good and bad and all the times in between.  Lead me heart to learn from You how to deal with the craziness of this world and hold forever fast to the truth You have revealed.  Lead me O Lord and will follow You all the days of my life.  Grant me grace and strength of Your Spirit to fulfill this vow.  Amen.

“There they were in great fear where no fear had been; for God scattered the bones of him who encamped against you; you put them to shame, because God had rejected them. Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!  When God restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.” (Psalm 53:5-6)

Salvation does come from the One who is the salvation of God.  He Himself has come that all who hope in the promise of the Lord would know His love and mercy.  Come then, you who wonder, come all who ponder and know the goodness of the Lord.  In the midst of adversity He comes offering mercy and grace to those who turn to Him.  Fear is displaced by the assurance He gives to those who come to Him.

Lord, You say the wisdom begins with fear.  Yet it does not remain there.  This is the beginning place.  Lead me O Lord by Your wisdom to come to the place where I see that You are the One who has been calling me to You from the beginning.  Lead me into seeing the light shining in the darkness.  You have restore us, even though we are not yet restored.  You have saved us even though it is not yet.

Lord Jesus, You have come to give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf and to release the captives from their bondage.  Guide me in the wisdom You offer that I would come into the eternal presence of the Father and know the goodness that has always been present.  Help me through all the difficulties that arise, that I may live in the grace You have given me from the cross.  Amen.

“But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.  I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, and I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.”  (Psalm 52:8-9)

We are as the young tree, filled with potential, but not yet producing fruit.  In spite of where we, or not are, come anyway to the house of the Lord and taste and see that what He gives is goodness and this shall be forever.  Come into the presence of the Lord and know that He will fulfill all that He has promised.  Come as one of His godly ones and walk in His ways.

Lord, what do I know compared to the wisdom You hold on the edge of your pinky?  I am but a young shoot tender and vulnerable in a world filled with avarice and wickedness.  Guide me O Lord in Your ways that I would walk according to Your Word and live into the life to which You call me.  Help me O Lord through the salvation You offer by grace to walk into the kingdom You offer.

Lord Jesus, without You and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, I could go nowhere, for my mind is clouded and my abilities are limited, yet You still offer the path of grace.  Lift me up O Lord to walk in Your ways knowing that only through You and by Your power can I ascend to stand in the Father’s presence.  Help me now and always to prepare for Your Kingdom and walk in the ways You have established from the beginning.  Amen.

“ For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”  (Psalm 51:16-17)

Look carefully and see that God is not interested in being appeased, but desires a humble and contrite heart that comes to Him in relationship.  Yes, fear of the Lord is the beginning, but in wisdom see that the Lord desires those who will learn to love as He loves.  The Lord loves whom He has created and offers salvation for those caught up in the wickedness of this age.

Lord, I do not want to give up what I think is my own, yet it really is not my own.  You have created me and everything else.  All belongs to You.  Guide me away from my corrupt heart that I would be willing to sacrifice it to You to have Your heart implanted in me.  Guide me O Lord according to Your goodness to come into the life You offer through Your salvation that I would enter that life and truly live.

Lord Jesus, You are the sacrifice that opens the way to eternal life.  In giving up myself as You gave up Yourself, I find the truth that You have come to establish an eternal relationship.  In Your grace, lead me O Lord that I would walk after You into the goodness You offer for those who are willing to come by grace into the new and eternal life.  Lead me Lord Jesus in the way I should go.  Amen.

“Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.  O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise.”  (Psalm 51:14-15)

Any who say they carry no guilt walk in lies.  We all are unclean.  Only the Lord can clean us and He will for those who come to Him and willingly walk in His ways.  The natural reaction is to sing praise to the One who created all things.  Come then and learn from the Lord.  Let your heart learn to sung joyfully the praise of the Lord and declare His goodness to the ends of the earth.

Lord, my heart both wants this and does not want this.  I am in a struggle.  I confess some things, but hold back and pretend about others.  Bring me through the place where I play this game to the place of truth that I may now and always abide with You.  Send Your Spirit to nurture my soul that I may finish walking through the Valley of Death into Your abiding light of truth forever.

Lord Jesus, You are the Lamb who takes away the guilt of sin and forever banishes it for those who learn to love the Father.  Come lead me O Lord that I would walk in Your grace from where I am to where I need to be.  Help me learn from You how to be humble and holy.  Teach me to sing praises to You now and forever.  Guide me in the way I should go O Lord and then help me to walk that way.  Amen

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You.”  (Psalm 51:12-13)

Sustain.  We ebb and flow in this world, good days and bad.  In the Lord there is the promise of being consistent.  That consistency, shines like a lamp in a world of darkness.  To have the joy of the soul restored and a willing spirit to live for the Lord is the promise of salvation for all.  Take upon yourself the salvation of the Lord and come into His holy presence and walk in His salvation.

Lord I hear these words and I like them, but then I walk in the way of sinners and their darkness is my darkness.  Lord, lift me up and sustain me now and forever that I may join in shining the light of Your glory in a dark world.  Guide me in the way of truth that I may now and forever abide in You as You abide in me knowing that only in You is their life and light, hope and a future.

Lord Jesus, Light of the world.  You have come in this world of darkness to bring the grace we need to be lifted up into the Father’s eternal presence.  You are the hope of joy in a weary world of flashing darkness.  Open my eyes to see first the glimmer, then continue to open them that they may learn to receive full light.  Bring me along Your path Jesus that I may be fully restored.  Amen.

“These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.  “Now consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.   “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.””  (Psalm 50:21-23)

For a time, people seem to get away with mocking the Lord.  But they will never get away with mocking the One who made all things.  For a time, so it seems, but time runs out and then all will face their Maker.  Do not be as the fools of the earth who make such mockery, but learn from the Lord, for He is kind, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  The Lord offers full life to those who come to Him.

Lord, help me learn to be thankful in all circumstances.  I too have been caught up in the ways of the world and do not react thankfully to situations.  Lord help me learn to sacrifice without expecting a reward.  Help me to be content without expecting more.  Let me walk in Your ways that I may see Your ways and know the truth of life, liberty and salvation.  Teach me to be like You.

Lord Jesus, You have come that all who turn to You would be taught the way of eternal life.  Guide me O Lord in the way I should go and then by Your grace, enable me to go there.  Help me now and always to listen to Your Word and then help me to put it into action in my life.  Through all things, keep my eyes upon You by the power of the Spirit that I would learn to be faithful.  Amen.