Psalm 77 17 MARCH 2008
By Asaph – The Levite

From Despair to Confidence

In this Psalm, Asaph describes how he moved from despair to confidence knowing that the Lord cares for His people.

Asaph began by praying what troubled him, v1-6, and wondering in his pain if God has left him, v7-9. He reached out his hands and cried out to God, yet could not find the comfort for his heart, v10.

Things took a turn when he decided to shake himself out of his own sorrows, v11-12 by meditating on God’s mighty act of deliverance, where He rescued the Israelites enslaved by the Egyptians, v13-20.

Finally, he realized afresh that the Lord was the Shepherd of Israel, v 20 whom he could trust to work out everything for good.


Application:Are there terrible events happening that causes us despair and disappointment? Will yourself to look up in faith and look back at what God has brought you through. God will work all things out well for you as you put your trust in Him.









Psalm 76 16 MARCH 2008
By Asaph – the Levite

Back to Basics

The background of this psalm is probably God’s judgement on the Assyrian army’s attempted invasion of Judah as recorded in Isaiah 37-38 and 2 Kings 18-19 during the reign of King Hezekiah. Through the spectacular victory over the Assyrians, Asaph shares with us four basic truths about our Jehovah God.

1. God wants us to know Him, v1-3: The people of Judah knew of God’s greatness. When the Assyrian army threatened to attack Jerusalem, the angel of the Lord visited the camp and wiped out 185,000 soldiers.
2. God wants us to trust Him, v4-6: Despite the difficult challenges that King Hezekiah and his prophets faced, they chose to put their faith in God and His Word.
3. God wants us to fear Him, v7-9: When the wrath of God came, the siege over the Assyrian army was over within seconds. God is not only a God of love, but also a consuming fire.
4. God wants us obey Him, v10-12: Having seen the victory that the Lord had given Judah, nations around should be motivated to come and worship the Lord.

Application:
Which of these four basic truths do you struggle with? Come back to the Lord today and renew your covenant before Him.









Psalm 75 15 MARCH 2008
By Asaph – the Levite

Humble yourself in worship

When we worship, we thank God for what He has done. True worship centres on God. Not the feel good kind of feeling for ourselves. Asaph started worship with praising God for who He is, v1!

The wicked were warned about their boasting and arrogance because there is a God who judges the wicked, v2-8.

“As for me, i will declare this forever”, v9 indicates a decision made on the part of Asaph to worship & trust in God for the cutting off of the wicked and the lifting up of the righteous.


Application:
What does worship mean to you? Worship is all about God. Do you have difficulty humbling your heart before God? Ask God to help you worship Him with all your heart, mind and soul today.










Psalm 74 14 MARCH 2008
By Asaph – the Levite

God forgets NOT His covenant

Psalm 74 focuses on the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians.

God seemed to have rejected His chosen people! Why else did God permit a pagan nation to defeat the Jews and destroy their holy city and sacred temple, v1-11?

Asaph chose to remember the works of God in the past, v12-17.

The nation had been defeated and the sacred temple destroyed. But the nation of Israel still has God as their God. God’s covenant had not changed, v18-23.


Application:
In difficult moments, sometimes we get so overwhelmed by negative thoughts that we can forget the goodness of God.

Are you going through tough stages of your life right now?
Pause. Take a moment and start to recollect from the beginning the goodness of God in your life e.g. how you received Christ, how you did well in school for your worst subject…etc









Psalm 73 13 MARCH 2008
By Asaph – the Levite

Can I have the answer please.. God

Doubts crept in when Asaph saw with his eyes of flesh. Is God fair?

Why are the bad people prospering, v4-14? Have I wasted my efforts keeping my heart pure and doing the right things, v13?

Asaph did not stop at questioning God. He went before God to ask God and God revealed the answers to him.

Don’t envy the ungodly and those who live in sin. What seem pleasurable are fantasies that will fade away in time, v18-20. Worldly success and prosperity is transient.


Application:
Have doubts crept in? Is God good? Does He really love me? Then why doesn’t He answer my prayers?

Don’t stop at the questions. Ask Him for answers! Come before God today and present that doubt/question to Him. Ask Him to reveal the answer to you in a manner you best understand.
Make God your refuge.









PSALM 72 12 MARCH 2008
David

Who is the King of Glory?

“All kings will bow down to him and
all nations will serve him.” Ps 72:11

Psalm 72 bring an end to book 2 of psalms. This is a prayer for Solomon, son of David, as he was about to succeed as the next king. Verse one is a prayer of the father to the son who will be his heir to the throne as the next king.
Ps 72: 2 -17 contains a prophecy about a coming kingdom. On one hand, the kingdom being referred to is Solomon’s; on the other, it is referring to the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ. Only the kingdom of Christ is an everlasting kingdom, can there be a kingdom of perfect peace. Christ’s kingdom is a kingdom through which all peoples on earth are blessed.

David’s prophesy goes beyond a prayer for his son, Solomon. It goes into a prophesy for our Messiah, Jesus Christ.
The only kingdom that will reign in righteousness and glory is the kingdom of God.

Application:

Let’s pray for our government and leaders the way David prays for Solomon – to endow the government and leaders with God’s justice and righteousness.
Pray for them that they will come to the knowledge of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus. Bless them with the righteousness of God in all decision making. Make this your daily prayer in this 40 days prayer and fast when you pray for Singapore.









PSALM 71 11 MARCH 2008
Author unknown

God is loving and He will never forsake the one who trust in Him.

“Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare
your marvelous deeds.” Ps 71:17

Psalm 71 is a Prayer for God’s help in old age. The Psalmist initial appealed for God’s was found in verse 1-4. As he prayed to God for help, he confessed in verses 5-8 that the Lord has always been his hope.
After he confessed of his hope in the lord, it is interesting that we can notice that he now continues to appeal to God for help in from verse 9 – 13.
Finally, verse 14 was a declaration of his hope in the Lord, that He has always had hope in God. He could praise God more and more because of this hope.
We know that the author did not speak of an “untested” goodness of God here. He could always hope in the Lord is because God had never fail to rescue him when he needs help. God has delivered him from many life threatening moments too.
With hope being renewed and faith arises, his prayers is turned into thanksgiving.

Application:
Are your heart filled with faith and hope in the Lord? God is good and faithful, He will never disappoint nor forsake those who place their trust in Him. Until you learn to trust Him, you will not experience new hope in Him. The more you trust, the more hope will arise. What is something that God wants you to trust him now? Follow his voice and place your trust in him. You can be filled with joy when there is hope always in the Lord.