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“We believers are protected by God.” <>< Dona (08/10/20)
Please read Psalms 76 through 80. If you don’t have a Bible handy just click here -> Biblegateway.com. The Biblegateway website should open for you to use. Type in the chapters you want to read and select the translation you want to read them from. Click search and the chapters should appear. Once you read the suggested chapters close the screen and you should return here.
Psalm 76 Theme
God will in His own time punish evildoers (v. 9).
Response
Oh! Wow! Lord, You protect us from evildoers (v 9).
Something to think about
God can turn the tables on evildoers and bring glory to Himself (v. 4-6).
Something to experience
When we, God’s children, are mistreated by evil men God is able to perform miracles for us (v. 8-9).
Scriptures to hide in your heart
Psalm 76:4-6 4 Glorious are you, and excellent, more than mountains of game. 5 Valiant men lie plundered, they have slept their last sleep. None of the men of war can lift their hands. 6 At your rebuke, God of Jacob, both chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.
Psalm 76:8-9 8 You pronounced judgment from heaven. The earth feared, and was silent, 9 when God arose to judgment, to save all the afflicted ones of the earth. Selah.
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Psalm 77 Theme
Seeking God’s help (v. 1).
Response
Oh! Wow! Lord, the psalmist sought Your help (v. 2a).
Something to think about
But the psalmist’s soul refused to be comforted (v. 2c). Then the psalmist remembered God (v. 3) and considered what God had done in the past. (v. 5). And asked himself six questions (v. 6-9).
Something to experience
We can answer as the psalmist did, “we will remember the Lord’s deeds (v. 10-11). We will meditate on all God’s work and consider His doings (v. 12). God is great. God does wonders. He makes His strength known among us, His people. He redeems His people” (v. 13-15).
Scriptures to hide in your heart
Psalm 77:1 My cry goes to God! Indeed, I cry to God for help, and for Him to listen to me.
Psalm 77:2a In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. …
Psalm 77:2c … My soul refused to be comforted.
Psalm 77:3 I remember God …
Psalm 77:5I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.
Psalm 77:6-9 6 I remember my song in the night. I consider in my own heart; my spirit diligently inquires: 7 “Will the Lord reject us forever? Will he be favorable no more? 8 Has his loving kindness vanished forever? Does his promise fail for generations? 9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he, in anger, withheld his compassion?” Selah.
Psalm 77:10-11 10 Then I thought, “I will appeal to this: the years of the right hand of the Most High.” 11 I will remember O Lord, Your deeds; for I will remember Your wonders of old.
Psalm 77:12 I will also meditate on all Your work, and consider Your doings.
Psalm 77:13-15 13 Your way, God, is in the sanctuary. What god is great like God?14 You are the God who does wonders. You have made your strength known among the people. 15 You have redeemed your people with your arm, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
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Psalm 78 Theme
The Jewish nation’s history retold by the psalmist (v. 1-3).
Response
Oh! Wow! Lord, the Israelites were to put their trust in You and to not forget Your deeds. And they were to keep Your commands (v. 7).
Something to think about
The Israelites turned away from God and then would turn back to Him over and over and over (v. 40-41). But God was merciful and would forgive them (v. 38-39).
Something to experience
Sometimes we, too, are like the Israelites. We follow God with our words and not our heart. God desires that our heart attitude, our words and our deeds all line up with His Word.
Scriptures to hide in your heart
Psalm 78:1-3 1 Hear my teaching, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth. 2I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old, 3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
Psalm 78:7 that they might set their hope in God, and not forget God’s deeds, but keep His commandments,
Psalm 78:38-39 38 But He (God), being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times He turned His anger away, and didn’t stir up all His wrath. 39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn’t come again.
Psalm 78:40-41 40 How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness, and grieved Him in the desert! 41 They turned again and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
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Psalm 79 Theme
Cry out to God when upset by injustice (v. 1-3).
Response
Oh! Wow! Lord, the Israelites had become objects of reproach to their neighbors, of scoffing and derision to those around them (v. 4).
Something to think about
The psalmist asked God to pour out His wrath on the nations and kingdoms that do not acknowledge Him or call on His name (v. 6). In our nation, just like in the nation of Israel, there are those who are doing evil. They are killing people, and destroying businesses. And these same people seem to have no respect for secular leaders or God.
Something to experience
We need to ask God to not hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us (v. 8a). We need to ask God to show us mercy (v. 8b). We need to ask God for help (v. 9.) And then we can praise and thank God (v. 13).
Scriptures to hide in your heart
Psalm 79:1-3 1 God, the nations have come into Your inheritance. They have defiled Your holy temple. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps. 2 They have given the dead bodies of your servants to be food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your saints to the animals of the earth. 3 They have shed their blood like water around Jerusalem. There was no one to bury them.
Psalm 79:4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and derision to those who are around us.
Psalm 79:6 Pour out Your wrath on the nations that don’t know You, on the kingdoms that don’t call on Your name;
Psalm 79:8 Don’t hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us. Let Your tender mercies speedily meet us, for we are in desperate need.
Psalm 79:9 Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name. Deliver us, and forgive our sins, for Your name’s sake.
Psalm 79:13 So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever. We will praise You forever, to all generations.
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Psalm 80 Theme
A prayer for revival and restoration after experiencing destruction (v. 1-2).
Response
Oh! Wow! Lord, three times the psalmist called on You to “turn us again” and “cause Your face to shine” so “that we (the Israelites) will be saved” (v. 3, 7, 19).
Something to think about
The psalmist is making a plea to God to restore Israel (v. 14).
Something to experience
Many of us in America need to restore our relationship with God. We too need to be turned again to God. We too need God to shine His face on us. And we too need God to save us.
Scriptures to hide in your heart
Psalm 80:1-2 1 Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock, You who sit above the cherubim, shine out. 2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your might! Come to save us!
Psalm 80:3, 7, 19 Turn us again, God. Cause Your face to shine, and we will be saved.
Psalm 80:14 Turn again, we beg You, God of Armies. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine.
Prayer