Daily Bible Devotionals

“Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. ‘Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.’” Psalm 91:9-16 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm bears the title “Safety In The Presence Of God.”  It contains some of the most comforting words to those of us who have felt the need for God to cover us until one of life’s stormy seasons blew by.  

Verses 4-6 are referred to by Jesus: “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.” Psalm 91:4-6 (NKJV)

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Matthew 23:37 (NKJV)

On the more haunting side, we have today’s passage, Psalm 91:9-16.  It is haunting because Satan tried to twist the context of today’s psalm when he tempted Jesus.  Of course, Jesus (the “Word made flesh” - John 1:14) was not buying the enemy’s theology. Nor should we! If we can meditate on today’s passage, really soak it in, we can understand the more sophisticated nuances of that conversation between the Messiah and the devil.

“Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: “He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,” and, “In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘It has been said, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”’” Luke 4:9-12 (NKJV)

Interesting how Satan omitted the part about treading on the “serpent”… (v:13)

“And I will put enmity between you (the serpent/Satan) and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”  Genesis 3:15 (NKJV)

We must commit ourselves to know the Truth because the enemy commits to lying.  He will never stop striking at our heels, but Jesus crushed His head on the cross!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 90. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, and said: “I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found My servant David; with My holy oil I have anointed him, with whom My hand shall be established; also My arm shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague those who hate him. But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him, and in My name his horn shall be exalted. Also I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’ Also, I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My mercy I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall stand firm with him. His seed also I will make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.” Psalm 89:19-29 (NKJV)

Yesterday, we heard from Heman, the Ezrahite of the Levitical musical family, the Sons of Korah.  Today, we hear from his Ezrahite relative, Ethan.  What seems, on the surface, to be a praise (to the Lord) is actually a contemplation.  Ethan is contemplating the seeming contradiction between God’s promised blessing of King David and the reality of God’s hard rebuke, which is on the verge of destroying both the covenant and the people of Israel.  If David was promised to be the “highest of the kings of the earth” (lit: king of kings), how could his kingdom be in danger and trampled upon by foreign kings?  First of all, the “David” and the “kingdom” God was ultimately referring to was Jesus and His righteousness, the true “King of Kings.”

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called, and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.”  1 Timothy 6:11-16 (NKJV)

Secondly, in the words of baseball legend Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over until it’s over!”  Just because God’s people feel they are on the verge of destruction does not mean they actually are.  God is also not concerned with His Name being temporarily tarnished because His children’s bad behavior demands He discipline them in public.  He knows that He will ultimately be exalted once His work in us is completed.  (Philippians 1:6)  Surely, the disciples felt the same level of “contemplation” when Jesus was crucified.  But the resurrection removed all doubt.  Has the Lord been rebuking you?  Try humbly contemplating His Word concerning both His standard and His love for you before you attack His character for doing what He said He would.  Then, wait for Him to finish doing what He says He will.

“My eye wastes away because of affliction. Lord, I have called daily upon You; I have stretched out my hands to You. Will You work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You?- Selah - Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But to You I have cried out, O Lord, and in the morning my prayer comes before You. Lord, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me; Your terrors have cut me off. They came around me all day long like water; they engulfed me altogether. Loved one and friend You have put far from me, and my acquaintances into darkness.” Psalm 88:9-18 (NKJV)

Years ago, pop singer Elton John sang, “Sad songs say so much.”  We like our movies and our songs to have happy endings.  The puppy always makes it home, the girl gets the guy of her dreams, and the hero saves the day last minute.  But that is not life. Sometimes, we pray, and God does not answer us in the affirmative, even though we are convinced that we are praying according to His will.  In those times when we are in the “Valley of the Shadow of Death,” it is important to remember that God promised to be with us in the midst of trouble, not necessarily that He would rescue us from it. (Psalm 23). Consider Jesus’ prayer for us.

“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” John 17:15 (NKJV)

John the Baptist certainly wondered whether God would hear his prayer for rescue, and he sent messengers to ask Jesus if He was the One or whether John should look for another Messiah.  (Luke 7:19-20) Of course, the New Testament book of Hebrews mentions an entire group of people who were heroes yet were not spared from martyrdom.

“Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented - of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.” Hebrews 11:36-38 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm was written by Heman the Ezrahite, one of the “Sons of Korah,” the Levitical group of musicians/singers/songwriters.  (1 Chronicles 25:1; 1 Chronicles 25:4-6; 1 Chronicles 2:5; 1 Kings 4:31) Heman was a friend of King David, known in Scripture as David’s “seer,” or prophetic advisor.  He was present when the ark of the covenant returned to Jerusalem and was so wise that Solomon’s wisdom was compared to Hemans' in that it exceeded it.  If there was ever a man who could say he earned God’s deliverance, it was Heman, yet he too had to faithfully wait on the Lord, wondering and hoping in His Word, like the rest of us. And that is comforting.

The Glories of the City of God: “His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! – Selah”  Psalm 87:1-3 (NKJV)

There are many beautiful cities in the world, and throughout my time in the touring music business, I have had the privilege of visiting many of them.  I suppose you can rank cities with several measures: Food, Art, Culture, Parks, Transportation, Natural Attractions, Architecture, Cleanliness, etc.  But of all the cities I have visited, Jerusalem is a city without equal.  Perhaps, that is why it is the most disputed and conquered city in history.  While not everything that happens within its walls is God-honoring, Jerusalem is truly the City of God!  

Today’s psalm is extolling Jerusalem and comparing it to other cities.  There is no doubt that the psalmist is picturing (either from a first-hand account or from memory) the Temple, where the people worship the Lord, and He honors their pilgrimage with His presence. Typically, whenever a building project is underway, nobody drives by the construction site and gets excited about the pouring of the concrete foundation.  We like to see girders and walls and roofs.  But without a firm foundation, nothing built, no matter how magnificent the architecture, can stand the test of the elements over time.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV)

Notice how Jerusalem is not simply built on a mountain, as many other cities are also built on mountains.  It is built on a HOLY mountain, a mountain set apart by God.  Similarly, our faith cannot be built on persuasive spiritual words.  It must be built on God’s Word!

“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone other than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 (NKJV)

So, what is our takeaway?  The Lord delights in the city, community, church or life that is built on the foundation of the Word of God thru Jesus (the Word, made flesh).  And He blesses our “gates,” our comings and goings.  Can you declare, as the old hymn, that your hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness?

“Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me; for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am holy; You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You! Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry to You all day long. Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me.” Psalm 86:1-7 (NKJV)

I love the presumptuousness of prayer, the fact that we can know that God hears us and responds according to His wisdom and character.  We can be certain that our prayers are being considered because God has articulated it in His Word!  (1 John 5:14-15; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Jeremiah 29:11-12)  Our hope lies in the fact that our God is the ONLY God, thus completely unlike the false pagan gods.

“Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; nor are there any works like Your works. All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name. For You are great and do wondrous things; You alone are God.” Psalm 86:8-10

Because He, alone, created the world (John 1), Messiah Jesus is the only way of salvation for all mankind.  Because of His loving kindness, God makes room for people of all nations who will turn from their pagan ways in order to follow Him.  And how do we learn to follow God rightly?  His Word!

“Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore. For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” Psalm 86:11-13 (NKJV)

David, who began Psalm 86 by petitioning God to save his life, based on David’s personal holiness, reveals the source of His confidence: God’s holiness, experienced by David in times past, by way of God’s grace and mercy.  It is not that David was holy, as much as God was merciful despite David’s sin.  David was repentant, and he believed in God’s Word by faith.  Therefore, David was confident that God would graciously and mercifully count him as righteous.  At the same time, David knew God would not extend the same favor to David’s unrepentant pursuers.

“O God, the proud have risen against me, and a mob of violent men have sought my life, and have not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and truth. Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your maidservant. Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” Psalm 86:14-17 (NKJV)

“Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. – Selah - You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.” Psalm 85:1-3 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm was written after the return of the exiles in Nehemiah and Ezra’s generation.  Anyone who has suffered rebuke from the Lord and placed on the sideline for a season should take note.  The first section (above) states that God has forgiven His people and resettled them.  But will they settle on just receiving forgiveness?  Do they merely want a clean slate, or do they hunger and thirst for revival?  Restoration of the soul is more important than restoration to the land.

“Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation.” Psalm 85:4-7 (NKJV)

Revival comes AFTER forgiveness and restoration.  And revival always involves reparation to and a renewed focus on God’s Word, the Bible. (Romans 10:17)

“I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; 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.” Psalm 85:8-9 (NKJV)

So, if God is just and true to His Word, in that He will by no means clear the guilty (Numbers 14:18), how can He justify giving Mercy to some people, while Judging others?  He is Just in giving Mercy if those who have sinned will repent and somehow have the penalty for their sins paid for.  Hence, God’s Just requirements will have been satisfied.  In that case, Mercy and the Truth of God’s Word would not be at odds with each other.  Rather, they would be companions!  

“Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the Lord will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway.” Psalm 85:10-13 (NKJV)

“For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”  Romans 3:22b-26 (NKJV)  (Compare Psalm 85:13 with Mark 1:1-3)

“How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young - even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You. - Selah” Psalm 84:1-4 (NKJV)

I recall, sometime around 2005, hearing Matt Redman’s song “Better Is One Day” for the first time.  The recording is so beautiful, and it still ministers to me.  The lyrics to Redman’s song were taken directly from today’s psalm, which is appropriately titled “The Blessedness of Dwelling in the House of God.”  

What if your church was so amazing (and I hope it is) that someone had to drag you away after the services?  What if nobody ran to their cars to beat each other to the restaurant, and security had to politely ask everyone to leave so they could get ready for the next service?  Dr. Adrian Rogers used to tell his congregation at Bellevue Baptist in Memphis, “If you don’t leave, you can’t come back!”

On the other hand, it has been said that familiarity often breeds contempt.  There are many preachers’ kids who have grown up around the ministry, yet they end up resenting the ministry.  The aspects of ministry they often resent are not the righteous components that draw a person to a closer walk with God: prayer, Bible study, godly community, servanthood, and humble evangelism.  When ministry kids grow up to resent ministry, it is always the human aspects of ministry they reject: envy, pride, excess and personal neglect, all in the name of the Lord.  So you don’t judge the modern church culture too harshly; ministry kids in the Bible didn’t always finish well, either.  Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-3); Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 2:12-17) and Samuel’s sons (1 Samuel 8:1-3) are a few Biblical examples of the tragedy that can befall those who grow up around ministry yet fail to focus of the godly aspects in favor focusing on the human failures of ministry leaders.

I have heard it said that Jesus cleans His “fish” after He catches them.  It means that the prerequisite for our becoming Christians is admitting that we are sinners and cannot save ourselves.  The testimony of a Christian is not how we overcame the odds and rose to a level of self-righteousness that God was impressed with, so He drafted us onto His team.  Quite the opposite!  His righteousness is so great, in that while we were sinners, He died for us (Romans 5:8).  What makes God’s presence (in this psalm, literally the temple, God’s “house”) so blessed is that He is there, and He has made a way for us to commune with Him, despite our sin.  The closer we get to Him, the more we love Him and desire to honor Him because we realize more how much He loves us.  Who would ever want to leave that?

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.”  Psalm 84:5 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Psalm 83. Click the links below to watch or listen now!